Answer: Because it’s about totalitarian thought control and speech control. Anti-semitism is just a useful excuse for controlling subjects (same as “racism“, “xenophobia“, “misogyny“, etc. etc.).
הוו זהירין ברשות, שאין מקרבין לו לאדם אלא לצרך עצמן…
“Definition Creep” aside, I don’t think antisemitism is a useful term almost any time or anywhere. Oh sure, it exists, but it still can’t be nailed down. That’s why academics move from “classical” Jew-hatred to New antisemitism to the 3D test of antisemitism to the Working Definition of Antisemitism to…
Oh, and by the way, I have a Chazakah of being Jewish.
Here are some ridiculous definitions of anti-semitism by an evil NGO:
“Calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion.”
Aha! So, it’s all about stopping populism, “radicalism”, “extremism”, and other buzzwords, which all just convey a threat to current politicians’ sovereignty and legitimacy. Because everyone — including Jews themselves — surely calls for harming and killing at least some Jews in the name of some goal, such as supporters of the Jewish or non-Jewish death penalty, Torquemada‘s Inquisition, abortion, expelling Jews from their homes, prisoner exchanges, suicide, Rabin o.a.m. giving Arafat guns, sabotaging Holocaust rescue attempts, etc. ad nauseam. I guess harmful, but non-radical ideology (e.g., socialism) or harmful non-extremist religion (e.g., Cursedianity) is all fine and dandy.
If the writers meant GENOCIDE, then why not say so? Because you don’t want to hear the “Amalek” counter?
“… [Repeating] the myth of Jews controlling the media, government, the economy, or other societal institutions.”
Well, the real problem with so-called “Economic antisemitism” is just economic ignorance — shared by approx. 90% of the population…! And why “myth”? Yes, there is a Pareto distribution in economies, and yes, Jews are often “disproportionately represented” in these loci. This is not because of incoherent “exploitation” and misunderstood economic “control”, but because of the blessing God gave to Avraham and his seed after him in Parshas “Lech Lecha”:
ואעשך לגוי גדול ואברכך ואגדלה שמך והיה ברכה. ואברכה מברכיך ומקללך אאר ונברכו בך כל משפחת האדמה.
Rabbi Touger’s Translation:
And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will aggrandize your name, and you shall be a blessing. And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you.”
And we’re on our way to taking over the whole world ASAP, God willing, so maybe the Goyim sense that. But not by our hand, Heaven forfend, but by Hashem’s help. And plenty of other nations think and anticipate exactly the same thing about themselves — and make the same prophecy about themselves and their eschatology, for good measure; don’t you deny it!
“Accusing Jews as a people of responsibility for real or imagined wrongdoing by individuals, even those committed by non-Jews.”
Let’s translate: The words “even those committed by non-Jews” is supposed to counter the “Most communists were Jews” claim discussed here in the past.
But some Jews really ought to stop promoting open borders or counterproductive “Hate Speech” criminalization or disgusting auto-idolatry, and maybe some criticism will help! And as for “imagination”, what’s wrong with that?! Sure, as the Chosen People, our sins do cause the whole world to suffer (not that we cannot counter-sue, though…). (As for “peoplehood”, see the next item.)
“Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.”
Recognizing “Man” somehow consists of both individuality and nationhood (as is clear throughout the whole Tanach, even for non-Jews) is antisemitism now?! Do whole nations wage war with other nations (a useful fiction), or do politicians go shoot other politicians themselves, eh? And so on.
As for those Jews who don’t like being verbally accused of deserved faults? Maybe that’s because they are trying to assimilate and become like the Goyim?
“Accusing Jews of being more loyal to the state of Israel than to their own countries.”
Oh, you mean like asking: “America’s Jews Are Driving America’s Wars – Shouldn’t they recuse themselves when dealing with the Middle East?” Sounds like a reasonable suggestion to me!
The truth is, Jews worldwide used to endanger themselves to assist the Mossad’s agents worldwide, but no longer do. Sephardic Jews made Aliyah, then some of them went back to spy on the Arab countries they hailed from. Not to mention Pollard. And perhaps Jews will become hyper-patriotic again in the future. Most American support for Israel comes not from Jews, as is well known. And if the two loyalties aren’t mutually exclusive (as, indeed, they aren’t, unless either state is interventionist or war-mongering [OK, so they both are…]), dual-loyalty or even greater loyalty to Israel is all academic, anyway. Who knows? Who cares?
And loyalty to the state of Israel is hardly loyalty toward Jews. Indeed, supporting the Israeli state (let alone specific policies) is itself to support “harming and killing” Jews, since the Jewish people practically have no greater enemy in the world today than that monstrous institution which enslaves, murders, expels, taxes and endangers them in their own land and property, and all in their name! We’ve said it before: Yom Ha’Atzma’ut Commemorates a Poor, Wicked Decision. Haven’t you noticed Jew-haters applaud when the state’s thugs throw Jews out of their rightful homes or torture innocent Jewish boys?!
“Applying double standards by…”
Yes, we ought to be held to a higher standard than non-Jews, just like women have less mitzvos because they are inferior to men (follow the hyperlink for proof). We are capable of more and are therefore to be held culpable for slighter infractions! That’s why world media (mostly controlled by consumer preferences, not stockholders) are “obsessed” with Israeli war crimes and oppression, as opposed to African or Arab quantitatively larger crimes. That’s how it should be (not that it has discernibly salutary effects!).
(Besides, can’t people specialize in criticizing one country or state, such as, say… Israel?)
Next…
“Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.”
So Yeshayahu Leibowitz (of the “Judeo-Nazi” epithet fame) et alii are antisemites (or are we supposed to buy into “auto-antisemitism”)? “Administrative Detention” practiced both against Jews and non-Jews wasn’t copied from the Nazis (who got it from the Brits)?! The occupied Civil-Authority,-Hamas-and-PLO-controlled zones are not open-air detention camps?! Mo’etzet Yesha’s quislings are not best compared to the Judenrat? Why not?!
And now people all over the planet finally know more about the Nazis’ war crimes than half of the rest of history (let alone of Mao, Stalin, etc.), due to the Holocaust educational crusade (yes, hyperbole), all of a sudden mental shortcuts based on those same Nazis are forbidden? That’s mean.
And without the Torah (so to speak), are the Nazis and Jews a priori incommensurable? No. So, you are trying to employ the Torah for your own purposes, but also deny any obligations it places on Jews, like Ben Gurion quoting Scripture to back up Zionism?
“Using the symbols and images associated with classic anti-Semitism…”
Right (eyes rolling). So… although antisemitism is admittedly “classic” and of traditional provenance, Goyim are supposed to reject their own storied heritage?! They must despise their blood ancestors’ blood libels and love the Jews for the sake of trendy political correctness? (But not convert to Judaism, either…) Ha! Good luck with that one…
“Holocaust, blah blah.”
I’m with Rabbi Meir Kahane on this… See also: Is Criminalizing Holocaust Denial Wise?
OK, enough said for now.
Question: Well, what’s your definition of antisemitism?
Answer: I don’t have one.* I think antisemitism is a (limited) counterfactual taught by Chazal. You know Goyim hate Jews. I know Goyim hate Jews. Even Goyim know Goyim hate Jews. But one can almost never manage to point to a specific person or action and apply the antisemitism label.
Cease with the “antisemitism” this, and “antisemitism” that — a strategy created and taught not chiefly by Torah greats from any era, but by atheistic Jews and their unjewish organizations (go check it out). They are deluded they’ve altered the immutable; Goyim can’t help themselves, nebbech. It’s halacha (read: human nature), and halachos are unchangeable, sniff all you like: רבי שמעון בן יוחאי אומר הלכה בידוע שעשו שונא ליעקב אלא נהפכו רחמיו באותה שעה.
Want to solve the antisemitism problem? Here’s a novel idea: Carry a gun, and learn how to shoot.
If a non-Jew harms you, take revenge. If they credibly threaten you, strike first. And if they insult you, bear it (or don’t!). And suggest they convert to Judaism, so they swoon and gag!
Here’s what not to do: Don’t shoot spitballs at people with atom bombs, and don’t antagonize the “70 Wolves” without good reason.
Let me remind you: I myself have a Chazakah of being Jewish.
If you are a Jew currently living outside the land of Israel, and you don’t love this article (Megillah 7a: קנאה את מעוררת עלינו לבין האומות), I will say two words, appending my twentieth exclamation mark: Make Aliyaaaaaah!
*Well I do, but it’s unmentionable in any setting:
“Antisemitism, noun. The state of refusing to convert into Judaism.”
