The Death of "Anti-Semitism" as a Meaningful Term to Describe Hatred of Jews
The label "Anti-Semitism" has officially lost its moral imperative. Sadly, there are still people who hate Jews out of an ugliness of heart and scapegoating cowardice in facing their own demons. But Israeli Prime Minister. Benjamin Netanyahu has seen to it that the word no longer describes such folks. It is rather tossed about as a political label for whomever disagrees with his policy pronouncements.
Members of Congress who disagreed with the Iraq invasion were labeled "Anti-Semitic." The fact that Democrats supported the worse foreign policy blunder in U.S. history was in large measure caused by fear that they would be labeled with that loathsome term. Since that time, anyone supporting Palestinian statehood, or denouncing extremist Jews building settlements in the Palestinian territories, or supporting America's diplomatic victory in devising a peace agreement with Iran has been smeared with that epithet.
The term "Anti-Semitism" has become so misused that it is even being applied to progressive American Jews who support the Obama Administration's refusal to go to war with Iran. I am not a lexicographer. But, without a meaningful label to identify people who really wish the Jews harm, the Netanyahu regime has become its own worst enemy.
RELATED POSTS ON "ANTI-SEMITISM"
Members of Congress who disagreed with the Iraq invasion were labeled "Anti-Semitic." The fact that Democrats supported the worse foreign policy blunder in U.S. history was in large measure caused by fear that they would be labeled with that loathsome term. Since that time, anyone supporting Palestinian statehood, or denouncing extremist Jews building settlements in the Palestinian territories, or supporting America's diplomatic victory in devising a peace agreement with Iran has been smeared with that epithet.
The term "Anti-Semitism" has become so misused that it is even being applied to progressive American Jews who support the Obama Administration's refusal to go to war with Iran. I am not a lexicographer. But, without a meaningful label to identify people who really wish the Jews harm, the Netanyahu regime has become its own worst enemy.
RELATED POSTS ON "ANTI-SEMITISM"
Comments