Are you an accidental antisemite? I’m not talking about dyed-in- the-wool Nazis here. This article addresses only the clueless and those who insist on being clueless.  The motivation for this article was a recent incident with someone I thought a friend, someone who ignored my upset at his use of incendiary words against Jews. And, yes, it was over Israel and, yes, you can criticize Israel and not be anti-Semitic. And, you know what? Jews can immediately recognize the difference, even if you don’t.

There are two ways (and probably more) to talk about Israel today. The best way is to discuss the policy of the present right wing Israeli government with people who actually know the history of the present situation (that is the facts, not the revisionist history presented by both sides of this extreme coin). These knowledgeable people speak in measured words and open doors to a better understanding of the problems faced, as well as the possibility of exploring real solutions.

Then there is you, dear accidental antisemite.  You build your arguments on slanders used for centuries against the Jewish people. I know you, like my once friend, may not get it or won’t acknowledge that your “logic” rests on centuries of hate. If that is your position and wonder why Jews should be upset, you can give yourself a genuine antisemite medal and move on.

And, no, I am not saying Jews are the only Semites. That word is used because Jew haters themselves coined it and used it. It was introduced in the 19th century by Wilhelm Marr, in a book he later denounced but only after it contributed to the kind of hatred that inspired Hitler. The implication that Jews have taken the word antisemite in order to deny other’s reality is an old antisemitic trope.

Throughout this article you will be treated to some questions. This quiz will test your understanding of your own possible and unrecognized  antisemitism. The answers will be at the end of the article.

Here is a sample question:  Why are Jews hated? (Pick one)

1.  They killed Christ.                                                                                        

2.  They kill Christian children to take their blood.                                              

3.  They own the world and make us suffer.                                                     

4.  They are too rich and have too much power                                              

5.  God loves them more.                                                                                  

6.  Because of the human failings of hatred of difference and xenophobia

And now for the story:

After losing their home over two thousand years ago, Jews have been endlessly oppressed. . (Are you thinking, they brought it on themselves? Or they’re not oppressed anymore?). Most of the 16-18 million of us have stories of family members murdered centuries before we were born  Being strangers and often unwelcome ones at that, we tried to deal with our oppression as not to encourage worse. In most places we lived there were laws that limited how we could earn a living, whether we could own property (usually not) and limiting where we could live. Even then we were often exiled and forced to leave all we had built in a place our families had lived, sometimes, for centuries.  Often, we were tortured for our beliefs and forced to sign oaths against our beliefs rather than die. The worse, of course, was seeing family members murdered. Long before the Holocaust (which some of you think is talked about far too much and others believe never happened) my aunt watched her elderly uncle killed by Cossacks who placed boards over him then rode their horses over him. Jesus was not the first or the last Jew crucified.

Overall Jewish survival policy meant to be good citizens and contribute to society. Jews have done that in many societies around the world, contributing inventions, medicines, literature, painting, music, poetry. Those who could built schools, health centers and hospitals and so on. Jews were also benefactors to many community organizations and institutions. The result was that periodically Jews were murdered and exiled or forced to convert. Branded as too rich, the criminal element, cheap, sneaky, or thieves and so on.

America seemed golden. There were only a few specific legal penalties for being a Jew. For a while we couldn’t join the army, though some Jews helped finance the revolution. Here there was only one or two Jews lynched (that we know of), and most of the boundaries we faced were social and economic, not life or death. I grew up in the 1950’s and during that time Jews could not go to certain hotels, could not buy property in some places, could not attend certain colleges and law and medical schools, would not be hired by certain firms but no one looked like they were going to kill us. Oh, yes, there was Father Coughlin and the Bund, “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” hyped by none other than Henry Ford, but after WWII America was still safe. Of course, during that war, immigration laws barred an easy Jewish immigration to the U.S. This was true before, during, and after WW II, thus condemning to horrible deaths many of the men, women, children and infants who were trying to escape the European slaughter.

Notice I haven’t touched on a million microaggressions Jews suffer and you don’t notice.

So how did Jews handle this constant oppression? Humor and tears, often at the same time. That reflects our “Fiddle On The Roof” lives. You play, you bring beauty, but you may fall at any moment. You can see this mixture in Baron Sasha Cohen’s film “Borat” where in his apocryphal town there is a yearly “running of the Jews.” At that time, the townspeople assault Jews. Funny and horrible all at the same time.

And yet, sometimes, to many of us,  it feels like that time is coming soon again, that time when we are made victims and here in America.  This time, however, we will be putting up one hell of a battle, because we are ready. The Holocaust taught us that too few give a damn about our lives.  And, more importantly, today we have a home, a place to go when the true haters and your passivity or collaboration, dear accidental anti-Semite, threaten our lives….again. We do have an exit plan.

The vast majority of Jews are Zionists. Zionism does not equal racism but survival. We did not make up our attachment to our homeland. Israel is in every prayer. Once a year for many more than two thousand plus years we have cried, “Next Year in Jerusalem.” Like many indigenous people we were tied to our homeland. We celebrated in 1948 because now we had a place where they would not leave us to die. And I wonder how many Jews are sad that Israel has nuclear weapons. The politics of the Mideast is complex, often brutal and very long. If you know what happened only this week you know nothing.

Zionism began after a mega-slaughter of Russian Jews- called pogroms from the 19th century. A Jew called Theodor Herzl believed, after the murder of hundreds of men, women, and children, that Europe was not a safe place for Jews. He was willing to relocate anywhere, however, most Jews wanted to go “home.”  As we observed our religious obligations, we were always reminded of the loss of our homeland. I once had a wonderful conversation with an Ethiopian Jew.  The Ethiopian Jews were lost in the first Diaspora before the rebuilding of the second Temple.  She told me about a song Ethiopian Jews sang about the love for their homeland- Israel. Whether Jews are from China, India, Uganda, Brazil, the UK, Australia, etc. we know where home is. We may choose to be citizens elsewhere and loyal to the nation of choice but like any tribal people tossed off our land many Jews want to return or at least know there is a place for them there. Thus we began to actively assert this in the mid-19th century. That was Zionism: Going Home if we chose or had to.

What was happening in Palestine then?  It was a time when European imperialism buoyed by racism and greed took the world by storm. World War I was the result of competing imperialists. During the war England (who held much of the Middle East, either directly or as a “protected” territory) promised that after that war Britain, in control of that area, would establish the State of Israel: “His Majesty’s Government views with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.”  That promise was called the Balfour Declaration. Push back from the powerful in the region made it a problem so It didn’t happen and millions of Jews went to their deaths with no place to go to escape the great slaughter we call Shoah (the great tragedy).. Now here is your first question in am I an anti -Semite quiz.

The slaughter of Jews in Europe in the mid-twentieth century was_____________ (fill in the blank):

a.  A painful catastrophe, and a lesson for all humanity                                 

b.  Should have taught every Jew to be nicer to everybody                            

c.  Was caused by Jewish control of money                                                      

d.  Should have just wiped all of them out                                                       

e.  Breaks my heart                                                                                          

f.  Is a lie made up by rich Jews who control the world

After the WWII Europe was filled with thousands of Jews who had no place to go. No one wanted us except maybe under certain circumstances but not too many and not enough.

Next are you an anti-semite quiz question.Under these circumstances, Jews should have:

a.  Committed mass suicide                                                                                                                 

b.  Gone back to where they used to live before the war, after all they used to have  homes there                                                                                            

c.  Stay in Displaced Persons Camps until someone had an idea what to do with them                                                                                                     

d.  Begun to Force Britain to live up to their promise

What a cadre of Jews did was demand the promise in the Balfour Declaration be kept. They got on boats and went to Israel where the British kept them from entering. Now remember these were refugees without weapons or an army but they were also desperate traumatized people willing to do anything. By now the Middle East was the home to many totalitarian governments. None of them were friendly to the destabilizing influence of a Jewish migration.

Jews were not alien to Israel. Even after the second Diaspora there were many Jews who remained in their homeland. Along with some of the Sabras (those that always lived in Israel) these refugees used any means necessary to be allowed to return to Israel.

Third Question in this Quiz:    Under these circumstances Jews should:

a.  Stop being terrorists and talk nicely, eventually these nations might come around                                                   

b.  Commit mass suicide                                                                                

c.  Realize they lost their homeland hundreds of years ago and get over it    

d.  Leave the Arab people who now occupy the area alone                             

e.  Fight for their future and the future of their children

Are you beginning to see the outlines of a tragedy? For anyone with a humanitarian sense of history will be able to see how two powerless groups of people will soon be used to profit others.

The British found that holding on to their Palestine was too much of a problem. In 1948 the United Nations gave territory to these desperate refugees to settle as their homeland. Borders were drawn. Jews around the world celebrated. And every single Arab State declared war on the new nation that had no weapons, no army, navy, air force or stable populations. The Arab people in the areas the refugees were allowed to settle were told that they should leave their homes until the Jews were driven into the sea. This, to many Jews, made these particular Arab people the enemy and some of these Arab people were driven off their land by the now Israelis. The Jews were not driven into the sea, the Arab states refused to make peace or recognize the State of Israel (to this day) and the Arab refugees who left or were cast out could neither return to their homes nor did any other Arab State welcome them in.

Why was this done?  Choose From Answers Below

1. Jews wanted it all for themselves
2. The Jewish Conspiracy makes trouble in the world
3. The totalitarian leaders in the Middle East wanted to hold their positions by taking focus off their misdeeds and onto the Jews                              
4. Many Israelis feared these displaced Arab people would become an enemy force within their new land if allowed to return.

And so the horror begins. In Israel, while people worked for recognition and peace, they are attacked in a series of wars, all but one begun by the Arab States. Israel then won these wars; thus Israel gained land beyond the borders drawn in 1948 and which the Arab States never recognized..

What should Israelis do with the land?

1. Give it back without conditions. After all it is Arab land.
2. GIve it back and go back to Europe and let the Arab people alone.
3. Give back the captured areas on the condition of recognition and peace.
4. Keep it and add it to their territory like every conquering nation has always done.

Actually, I will give you Israel’s answer. They gave back the land for peace. The land was taken back and no peace arrived. Israel felt that they had made a mistake. Over the years, these Arabs we call the Palestinians became pawns when they left or were cast out of their land and now were like Jews once were –a Displaced People. The Arab nations used the quarrel for their leaders to grow rich. The Israeli government did not treat Palestinians who remained in Israel differently than any other Israeli citizens but the camps containing the Displaced Arabs now called Palestinians became a wound at the heart of Israeli democracy.

Okay, this is the barest of outlines. I avoid discussing the corruption and profiteers on both sides, the distortions on both sides. The fact that Israel like most of the world has turned to the right.  All I can say is the hate flows on. I am an American Jew. I support Israel but not the right wing Israeli government nor do I endorse the present right wing American, Spanish, English or Italian governments.

I have no idea if this story makes you understand me and my fellow Jews any better. We represent a small slice of humanity and being human means we can have Elie Wiesel and Stephen Miller among us. We, like any other oppressed groups, are not all the same. Do you see us as oppressed or the new Nazis? Do you see people fighting for their land or their lives or do you see interlopers, troublemakers?

Like I said, pretty old tropes. I recommend to all Spike Lee’s “Black Klansmen.” It is a wonderful film about the complexity of American racism but for me, one scene stood out. It was a real event.  It took place at night. There were torches and people marching and shouting “We will not let the Jews replace us.”

Dear accidental anti -Semite I know you would not be among those ugly ranters. But take a moment to think, you are a kid of say thirteen gone to learn about racism. You are in your seat and that scene comes up. How outraged would you be if you saw this? How careful will you be in the future in shouting unexamined slogans against the Israeli Right Wing Government?  Will you know Zionism is NOT racism? Will you know OCCUPATION is not Apartheid?  Will you understand divesting in Israel, a nation of people who spent two millenniums seeing the world against them, will only make the right wing stronger? To end the sad Israeli-Palestinian quagmire you don’t need sides but solutions and even now in Israel people on both sides are working for that. Let there be peace and like the song goes…let it begin with you. Perhaps if you are only an accidental antisemite because of lack of knowledge you can rant softer, more carefully and present your side logically and without distortions, stereotypes or hate.

ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ: Ask any Jewish friend or co-worker they will have the correct answers.

We have just gone through an excruciating few weeks. It was not a political one in the normal sense but more akin to a contact sport, where every spectator was physically affected. It has brought misogynists and chauvinists out of every nook and cranny and made some women feel as if ALL men are the enemy, although in their hearts they know better. But any reasonable man knows they have more than the right to feel that way.

Let us evaluate what just happened…

Put aside for a moment the fact that the only reason they wanted HIM was

1.  He is their “get out of jail free” card

2.  This means the beginning of the end for women’s rights. In other words their base will finally be assured the end of legal abortion.

Put aside that the Supreme Court will now go about systematically dismantling every step forward we have made since at least the 1950’s.

Yes, even put aside Dr Ford and all the other women and the highly believable charges of heinous sex crimes, who were most definitely themselves put aside.

The single fact that makes this person an illegitimate Supreme is the FACT that he was not properly vetted. That the Trumpsters hid documents, rode roughshod over the hearings and made a sham of the FBI investigation.

While the hearings were still going on, I was willing to hear all sides with an open mind. When Dr Ford came forward, my instinct was to believe her, BUT as I believe in due process and the need for evidence in ALL things, I withheld final judgement. When the call for a thorough  FBI investigation got louder, I had a brief hope that truth would out.

But when the wrinkled old white male troglodytes grudgingly allowed a “short delay for a limited investigation”, I KNEW the fix was in.

With a vote not based on evidence, bum-rushed through and obviously only in the interests of those who would destroy all forms of democracy, the Supreme Court of the United States is now undeniably an illegitimate branch of what, once Trump stole the election is an illegitimate government.

There is now only ONE LAST CHANCE to save this nation; an outpouring of voters so great that it will overcome all of the Republicans attempts at cheating as usual, bulldoze Putin’s shenanigans and sweep BOTH houses of Congress clean of those who have besmirched it so vilely.

I for one, do not want to hear one more peep playing democrats and progressives against each other. Not one single word. We are at the brink and there is no more room for the bullshit where we spend energy fighting each other. The Primaries are OVER. It is now time to get behind each and every candidate that is opposing the vile disease that has infected our system. We must make our friends get out and vote. We must volunteer for campaigns. We must donate whatever we can. We must DO everything we can. We must win.

Because the thought of losing this one is beyond imagining.

The polling places stormed will be,
As autumn wanes, this year.
Two southern states, perhaps, may see
Two leaves of color queer.

The many artists fall does bring
To set the leaves ablaze,
Just may decide to do their thing –
And, this time, all amaze.

Two Dixie states are offering,
Upon their canvas bare,
For them to sketch a first-time thing –
Two leaves of color rare.

It’s not a color never seen;
It’s found among the leaves.
You see, our vision’s never clean;
Sight sees what it believes.

And so it is, as artists go;
Our senses they divine.
As we believe, they make it so –
Together we opine.

For Florida and Georgia State,
Their canvases are there.
They offer up an empty plate
For artists, if they dare.

Oh, dare they will; temptation’s strong;
They cannot be restrained.
They’ve been held back for far too long –
For this, they have been trained!

So, as the leaves of autumn fall,
Endowed with every hue,
The painters hear that siren call,
And know what they must do.

To every leaf they give a tint –
Green, yellow, brown or gold –
And every paint brush leaves a hint:
A story to be told.

So, come this fall, their artistry
Will be there on display –
The autumn hues, for all to see –
But, what thing will they say?

CHECK YOUR COMPASS, AMERICA

Too often change comes as a shock, an uncomfortable surprise and though it  clearly has happened and change has arrived,  it often  becomes  something to oppose. I see this happening daily as we ignore the fact our economy has changed from Industrial Corporate Capitalism  to  International Corporate Capitalism .In our consistent refusal to deal with this reality, we poison our present and condemn our future. Many of us around the globe still don’t know where we are. A while ago,  the President of France addressed Congress. President Macron spoke of the “international community”. These simple words bring  terror to the right and even  to many  on the leftt.

America had to be slowly  lured out of the concept of international  isolation. Even today some people  occupying important  positions in the present administration oppose even the United Nations, seeing it  as a threat to American sovereignty .  But, sorry,  true internationalism has arrived.  It came while many of us weren’t looking but busy  fearing the loss of our  jobs, homes, social  comfort zones. The economic system of our nation has changed. And many in America and England are throwing themselves down like two year olds having a tantrum, a tantrum  that, in the end, will not stop the reality that corporate industrial capitalism based on national states is over, gone never to return.

We now live in an International Corporate Capitalist economy. And we like it. We can quickly connect with anyone , anywhere in the world. We can find our favorite fast food or coffee in Beijing or Bengal..  Hop on a plane and we can find work in cities across the globe. Goods we desire are cheaper. But alas, every positive has a negative and that negative is the destruction of the national state as we know it and many of the ideas, beliefs, and customs of the 20th century.  And, perhaps, more impactful, the way we earn our livings.

Historically, government organization reflects the economy.  The lack of analysis of our new economy and what it means, leaves the us  open to looting by the rich who know exactly where we are because, in part, their internationalization came first. They did not fight it. They manipulated it to their own benefit, while many here and abroad  were crying for an end of any kind of multinational cooperation which with the right leadership might have been able to mitigate against the corporate greed supported there. in a fight to stop the future.  While many of the multinational agreements signed favored corporations, blanket opposition to cooperative regional venture reflects  a blindness of the left and the right. History/ unless you destroy most everything (ala the Dark Ages), refuses to go backwards.

I remember about thirty  years ago buying a brand new  IBM computer because  at the time IBM had an excellent reputation. When the computer died in under a year, I complained. Obviously, this was a mistake that a reputable company like IBM would surely rectify. Well, they didn’t.  In arguing with the representative I mentioned IBM’s reputation. I could see his shrug even over the phone. “Look,” he said, “ all computers are all made by the same Chinese companies.”

That made it very clear as to  what was happening to national brands,  and I never bought a brand again. As national brands stop being national their connection to citizens in their nation ends and the new connection  is simply profit. There is no longer a national loyalty or any to their workers.

Marx predicted this international capitalism in his book Das Kapital. He predicted the time would come where more and more of the world’s wealth would fall into fewer and fewer hands, while the majority of us became more and more dependent on the rich. Marx doubted  the rich would be compliant or generous to us.

The public reaction to our present  change in  economy has been , except for Mr. Macron, reactionary. And in the reactionary morass the of America and England, politicians have become merely the minions of the wealthy. While the rest of find any monetary support for workers that  developed during national corporate capitalism  has been gutted. Thus  the middle class  falls into poverty.

Marx knew  an impoverished workforce can be easily subdued.  Marx imagined the majority of us would one day rise up against International Capitalism, disempower the 1% and begin a different kind of international cooperative economy.  Marx, of course, was a cockeyed optimist. But whatever the real change will be it won’t happen until we understand no river gets turned off its course with glittering words. Don’t believe “America, will be great” again because a national states, not acting in cooperation with others has no power against international corporate forces.

Right now the biggest and most catchy calls for change are reactionary. The Democrats act like it is 1960 and are asking for “free college tuition”, “government supported health care,” when the past is burning before their eyes. Americas are frightened because vocal leader  is identifying the problem. They will vote for anyone who sings songs of security. Change scares people and change is constant. The Republicans in this country and right wing forces around the world (representing, of course , the international corporation) are soothing people with fascism.

Their propaganda  works like this: “They are trying to take our nation away. We must defeat them.” But let’s define fascism. Fascism is corporations working with the state to enhance their profits. Fascism depends on distraction and deception. And who are they? The enemy is identified as the “other”  the immigrants, black people, brown people, the ever available Jews, snowflakes, Democrats, Liberals, the media…...accompanied with great shows of military strength and soul cheering rallies. While the voice of “Democratic Socialism” hums through the most “progressive” Democratic voices.

Around the world the reality of International Corporate Capitalism has led to a resurgence of  Fascist ideals. “Some people are better than others.”  “It is better for the weak to die , than to help them live.”  “Truth is what I say it is, anything else weakens us as a people.” It goes on.

And now for reality: Old Industrial nations are getting older and unless we replicate the Handmaiden’s Tale there will be far more old people, in say, America , than young people whose work supports them.  On the other hand emerging nations have a surfeit of babies. The sensible move would be to invite immigrants in, not toss them out. Without immigrants these old , bigoted Industrial nations will be buried by the elderly and the low birth rate. As duly noted by many International Corporate Capitalism has no sense of obligation to anything but profit. If the old nations fall, profit will be made in emerging nations.

As our world is peopled by folks who are not white…….well, what is a bigot to do?

We are watching the last stand of the world of national states. Let us begin thinking about our future in terms of reality and not vainglorious dreams of the past.  We have yet to hear from 21st century  visionaries like Adam Smith, and Karl Marx who saw the changes in their world and suggested a way to utilize those changes for the benefit of humankind.  But to have a vision , one must begin with reality.