Learning about and Acting against Anti-Semitism
Dear Cherie,
Thank you so much for bringing these anti-Semitic incidents to our attention. [See previous article.] Your posting highlights several key issues for me:
First is the need to stay awake, pay attention to what is happening around us, and increase our ability to notice acts of anti-Semitism when they occur.
Second is the need for us allies to increase our awareness of anti-Semitic language and behavior so that we can speak up and act to interrupt anti-Semitism and educate others about it.
Third is the need for allies to recognize that we act to interrupt anti-Semitism not only on behalf of Jews but also on our own behalf. We do it on behalf of the world that we want, a world free of oppression of any kind. We interrupt anti-Semitism because it is a violation of the world that we want, a world that works well for everyone.
Fourth is the need for allies to get more information. We need to be able to recognize code words that are used to manipulate our thinking and emotions. We need to be able to recognize the meanings hidden in conspiracy theories. We need to understand that laws such as the Polish law that forbids speaking of the Polish death camps or the Arizona (USA) law that forbids teaching about slavery are not only about Jews or Black people; they are also about diverting attention away from the oppression of Gentiles and white people. Anti-Semitism and racism target Jews and People of the Global Majority first, but the ultimate goal is the maintenance of an oppressive society that targets everyone who is not owning class.
Finally, those of us in the United States need to more actively hold the media accountable for the things they do not tell us. The anti-Semitism connected to the Florida school shooting should have been revealed in more press accounts. It is important to challenge the media and demand full reporting.
I am discharging on staying woke, increasing my ability to recognize anti-Semitism when it occurs, and increasing my courage to act against it. I am trying to learn more about the history and visible manifestations of anti-Semitism.
I’d love to hear from others. Where do you see us moving to counteract anti-Semitism? What successes have you had in doing so?
Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
Reprinted from the e-mail discussion list for RC Community members
(Present Time 191, April 2018)