As a continuation from my book review post I posted a Livejournal poll in a popular Black community journal and asked them about anti-semitism. I was surprised. Not so much by the poll results (which sort of reinforced my hypothesis that only a minority of Black Americans view Jews as "the enemy"; although I was shocked that 47% of the respondants said that they wouldn't mind Jews being added to the Affirmative Action pool!), but by the comments supplied. In a nutshell, the prevailing line of thought was not "anti-Jewish" but "anti-White" with Jews just lumped along together with White people.
I can only laugh a hopeless laugh here; I understand...but then again I don't!
The Most Famous Ramban in Chumash – The End of Parshas Bo
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The Ramban at the end of Bo is a classic work on Jewish philosophy and
probably the most quoted Ramban in Chumash. It’s well worth seeing inside.
Here’s ...
3 months ago
Posts
3 comments:
MissShona - it has always been obvious to me that Black folk saw Jews as simply white people of a different religion.
I am getting increasing evidence from Jewish friends of mine here that they have been raised to see themselves differently, as outside the white mainstream - this might be part of the conflict between Blacks and Jews. Black people see Jews as part of the white establishment (though with a soft underbelly), but Jews do not see thmselves as such. Then Jews are mystified when Black people spew what is largely anti-white (as opposed to anti-Jewish) venom at them.
Before I met Jews and decided to convert I thought something similar. Other Black people have told me as such.
However, while Black people aren't outright anti-Semitic, they do often use anti-Semitic stereotypes or the Palestinians as a stick with which to beat Jews for being white. I have met many who do believe common anti-Semitic stereotypes, like that Jews control the media and are tight with money. Too many of my relatives, especially my parents generation and older, have said things like that to me verbatim.
It could be that the people answering the poll were younger, I don't know. Then again, some younger Black folk believe to some extent Farrakhan's anti-Jewish rantings that are no different if not even more anti-semitic than older people.
Treif -
I will confess that it is difficult for me to truly understand either side; both Black and Jewish. While I was raised by a Black family, I had been exposed to and studying Judaism since I was a young girl. I inately know about the eternal struggle that Jews go through.
Yes, I think the poll is not only biased towards the young; but to the outspoken, tech-savy crowd that is used to voicing strong opinions (as such is necessary to compete for recognition is the expanse of the World Wide Web). I think that if such a poll were duplicated among a wider expanse of Black people, the numbers may change a bit. But it is the outlying expressions that get all the air time. For every 100 "Jew loving" Black people, there will be a Farakkhan; and Farakkhan will get the spotlight every time...
up late and can't sleep so I guess I'll comment instead
to me what's going on is that Jew hatred itself changed form
and now it's okay to hate Jews because Jews are "white" in the pardigmatic sense (is that a word?)
- the very same Jews who were "dark and swarthy" in spitlers germany instantaneously became white colonialist imperialist oppressors of the "native palestinians"-just like that- "tag your white, now we hate you cuz your white nyah nyah!"
and it happened so fast, things are really speeding up
I think part of it is that the good fight against racism got hijacked and mixed up with Jew hatred (and women hatred too; see Eldridge Cleaver ) so people have to sort out the good from the bad
same with the good fight against Jew hatred, this should never degenerate into racism but unfortunately it does for some
sigh,
goodnight
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