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Anti Semitism in Labour Party and Universities.

(631 Posts)

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POGS Thu 17-Mar-16 12:12:56

I am raising this as a separate conversation although it has been mentioned on another thread re the Muslim Female Councillors and reports of Mysogyny.

It is worrying to know Anti Semitism is reportedly rising in the UK . When a Political Party is facing accusations of Anti Semetism that becomes a major issue. Now my comment will be challenged but I for one have been asking how such blatent cases of Anti Semitism are being allowed in the UK. We have laws to handle it but they are not being used, why? I will most certainly be happy to say that I do not believe for one minute the majority of Labour MP's nor voters are Anti Semetic, quite the reverse, but is it time voices spoke out against Anti Semitism or at least understood it is an issue within some parts of the Labour Movement.

I have noticed this tendancy from certain Labour MP's and groups they belong to for many years but they were always under the radar and not thought 'influencial' enough, however times have changed. Labour run councils have used Anti Semetic behaviour over issues such as Flying the Palestinian Flag over Tower Hamlets , Calls for boycotting of Israeli goods, banning Jewish films etc. etc.

There is no doubt more interest being taken by the media over such matters and there are calls for Corbyn to show leadership over the actions of the Labour Party activism at Oxford University , indeed something is going radically wrong with our universities full stop an entire thread could be dedicated to that topic alone. I am not talking of racist tweets such as those made by MP's such as Dianne Abbot , Helen Goodman et al. Whilst they are relevant it would just dissolve into a tit for tat fest of he said she said to the left and right of politics. There are idiots in all party's !

I am not , and some will not believe a word of what I am about to say, trying to score a political point. I take my hat off to those Labour MP's who are speaking openly about this problem and calling for action from their Leader. This is not some right wing rag hyperbol taking place but there is something of a 'menacing ' tendency in some quarters of the Party and I hope those MP's who are doing their damnedest to openly stop it's progression do not fail or as some have eluded to run the risk of deselection for speaking out, that's another thread story too.

nigglynellie Sun 27-Mar-16 18:05:53

The Romans actually crucified Christ. Yes others whispered in their ears, but the final decision was Romes, Tiberius to be precise.

Anniebach Sun 27-Mar-16 18:16:23

Really nigglenellie, really and truely? I didn't know that

Anniebach Sun 27-Mar-16 18:16:52

Me thinks out of this thread,

Ana Sun 27-Mar-16 18:38:15

Seriously?

nigglynellie Sun 27-Mar-16 18:44:54

You were the one who suggested that it was Jews ab hence my comment, I didn't realise that you were just being provocative - again!!

Anniebach Sun 27-Mar-16 18:52:58

gave the Jews the choice on the Passover, who should be saved and who should die, the Jews chose Barabus to be freed and Christ to die, hardly a whisper in the ear nigglenellie

That is all to say, when MSF are condemned as liars and the truth of the crucifixion is mocked then yes. Out of here

Penstemmon Sun 27-Mar-16 19:02:02

I do not think I "reignited" this thread. I have worked hard to maintain a civil and reasoned debate. I have expressed my own opinions & experience and not used Wiki quotes or internet propaganda or even reasoned media articles. That is why I am a member of a forum. I like to debate. I do not expect everyone to agree with me, especially about Palestine as I know I am usually in the minority with that. If people want to have their opinions accepted unchallenged join a cosy support club not an open forum.

POGS Sun 27-Mar-16 19:02:28

Anniebach

Anniebach That's a shame I was going to ask you this.

Inform me, why did I not take any interest in the Northern Ireland peace process?

Saturday 26th. 15.16. You posted Anti Semitism is NOT part of Labour politics.

Sun 27th. 13.25. You posted ' One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter'. You agree with everything Corbyn does and have told us of your activism so I am of the belief you and indeed others agree with Stop The War. I asked what do you think of the ' Hamas Covenant '. Death to all Jews. To which after asking twice there came no response.

I find it confusing what declaring to being a pacifist appears to mean at times. Does it/can it mean turning a blind eye when it suits. I thought to be a pacifist it meant to oppose war, militarism, violence. A pacifist believes we should not kill or harm other people. Again for an undoubted committed christian I would have thought it very difficult to defend an organisation that declares death to entire race of people. What point am I missing, where am I going wrong in my understanding of what to be a pacifist means.

POGS Sun 27-Mar-16 19:05:31

Penstemmon

Fair point I apologise for that accusation.

Ana Sun 27-Mar-16 19:09:20

Thought not, ab.

Ana Sun 27-Mar-16 19:10:14

Won't hold my breath though...

POGS Sun 27-Mar-16 19:15:11

Who has mocked the crucifixion?

I wasn't even thinking of Easter , what has it got to do with this thread?

Penstemmon Sun 27-Mar-16 19:27:08

Thanks POGS.

daphnedill Sun 27-Mar-16 21:03:45

Venus, Your quote is another copy/paste. It's not a fact. It's an opinion from the right-wing Jewish Home Party.

www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/28293/Default.aspx

Venus Sun 27-Mar-16 22:05:36

Annibach, I find your post concerning concerning the Crucifixion totally inflammatory and offensive. The Romans were responsible for the death of Jesus, Pontius Pilate in particular. . . . and you say your not an anti-semite! Pilate was a despot who executed trouble makers and killed scores of Jews. The Jews had no control over who killed Jesus. It's people like you that have caused antisemitism throughout the centuries. It is a venomous hate statement if ever I heard one.

And daphnedill, I couldn't care less if it's copy/paste. Of course it's an opinion, what else can it be, but one I happen to agree with.

I no longer want to be associated with this thread. I was just wondering when someone's anti semitism was going to rear its head and it has just done so by one poster.

This thread was reignited by an inflammatory post as POGS pointed out, backed up by Annibach. It should have died then. No one can know everthing about this subject, it is too complex, unless you are a professor on Middle Eastern affairs. I quoted what I thought was appropriate. I don't look at where others get their info, it's not important. I have put my case forward that Israel must secure it's borders to keep secure.

However, I think what Annibach said is the final straw, and I don't want to be associated with a thread where no one says anything against her post except nigglynellie. You won't see me here again.

This thread should be locked, and the key thrown away!

POGS Sun 27-Mar-16 22:33:05

Venus

With all due respects I have apologised to Penstemmon re my comment concerning the 're igniting' of the thread.

I really do wish somebody would start a thread to discuss the Palestine/Israel conflict and not use this thread to continue the argument which is a far bigger question than the question initiated in the OP. (fedupemoticon)

daphnedill Sun 27-Mar-16 22:57:34

Venus, Please could you show where somebody's anti-Semiticism has reared its ugly head?

Yes, it does matter if you copy/paste without acknowledging your source, because readers assume that either it's a fact or your personal opinion. In this case, it's neither.

Why should the thread be locked? Nobody has even touched on the issue of the reasons for anti-Semitism over the centuries. These have nothing at all to do with the state of Israel, WW2 or Palestine, because it's being going on for so long. Personally, I don't understand why Jews have been so hated for hundreds of years and I'm still trying to understand why. I get quite irritated by red herrings such as allegations of certain political parties being involved. It's a much bigger issue than politics, involving the psychology of racism.

daphnedill Sun 27-Mar-16 22:59:59

Venus, You should start TWO threads - one about Israel and another about anti-Semitism. They're different topics

Anniebach Sun 27-Mar-16 23:14:56

Daphnedill, Venus has accused me of being anti Semitic , this she based on a post in which I replied to nigglenellies post - the Roman milked Christ, I replied with the correct event ,
Pilot found no fault with Christ, it was the feast of the Passover so be ores fed .barabas and Christ to the crowds giving them the choice of who should be freed abd who should due, they chose barabas be freed. I did not write the bible , I suggest niggle reads it though . I assume Venus wasn't in the crowd 2,000 years ago so I fear I gave her what she has been desperate for,

POGS.you brought Christianity into the thread, you may not know Christianity and the crucifixion cannot be selected M but I think you know this

Anniebach Sun 27-Mar-16 23:17:45

And as Christ was killed by the Romans according to niggle and Venus, we can all stop saying Henry Eighth did not kill his wives grin

daphnedill Sun 27-Mar-16 23:31:36

Aha! Thank you for the explanation, ab.

I doubt very much that the majority of real anti-Semites have any knowledge whatsoever of ancient history.

I must admit I don't have an academic, theological knowledge of any religion. I'm an atheist and really can't be bothered with discussions about ancient history, theology or nit-picking about the rights and wrongs of various religions, because I believe they're all a human construct. I'm a pragmatist and am more concerned about finding compromises to make the lives of people living today more tolerable.

I strongly believe that there is a group of people who are inherently racist and seem to justify their lives by being opposed to anybody different. I don't understand the mentality.

PS. I know that there are people who oppose the idea of anti-Semitism as racism, because Jews aren't a race. I'm still trying to get my head round this. Many of the Jews who were murdered during WW2 weren't believers. They were secular and many of them weren't even genetically mostly Jewish, because inter-marriage had been common in Europe for centuries. If it wasn't racism, what was it? The Jews in the Warsaw ghetto weren't rich by any means and there was no way they could be included amongst the group of Jewish bankers, who have been accused of controlling markets, so why were they so hated, if it wasn't racism?

POGS Sun 27-Mar-16 23:51:38

Anniebach

I am only interested to know the answer to my question.

I am not interested in debating Christiaity other than how can pacifists and committed Christians take the occasional diametrically opposed position to the principle of believing we should not kill or harm another person and to oppose war, miltarism and violence.

Anniebach Sun 27-Mar-16 23:55:00

Good question Daphne, it is a hatred which went for centuries, think of Shakespeare , Dickens, too tired to list more tonight .The hatred seemed to halt following WW2 , now it has gone to the other extreme, any race can be criticised but not the Jews, criticise any Jew and one is anti Semitic, a. Dry good safeguard in. Y opinion, like all races, there are good and bad

daphnedill Sun 27-Mar-16 23:55:56

Have you ever read Thomas Aquinas' 'Just War Theory'?

You might find it enlightening.

daphnedill Mon 28-Mar-16 00:01:19

ab, I find the whole question much more interesting than bickering about what happened 3000 or even 2000 years ago? You're absolutely right. Shakespeare and Dickens (and many more) portrayed Jews negatively. Why?

Israel is a modern state and I believe it's valid to criticise its actions, just as many Israelis do.