60% of us are Anti-Semites!

[Buck Birdseed]

I agree there's an irrational prejudice, but it's anti-american, not anti-semite. The fact that Israel is supported in its oppression of the palestinians by the united states makes it a kind of double imperialism that drives people wild. Plus it's easier to protest against something people around you defend... Note the lack of debate on, I dunno, whether drive-by shootings are good or something here on s'poly.

Also it's to do with how culturally close we are to the victims or perpetrators. Israel is (like South Africa before it) part of the western world and the "rich" north, it's not a third-world country but a developed western state with similar values to our own in many ways. Thus the crimes perpetrated by the israeli state become much less understandable, 'cause it's not those savage third-world brutes perpetrating them or those evil post-soviet russians. Another irrational prejudice, but one that runs throughout society.

I also think that the Palestinians have had quite a good PR thing going on, because they've got easy access to europe and lots of refugees everywhere. Geographical as well as cultural distance definately plays a part.

(For the record I think the Israeli state's actions are deplorable but I don't believe it's the most evil government in the world by a long shot. I do think it's a moderate threat to world security but compared to the US or the more unstable nuclear nations in south asia? No contest.)

[dannubis]

yes, but the situation in chechnya doesn't explode over the entire world... it's just as bad, but it's kept local...

and beeing against the rusian presence in chechnya doesn't cause me to be branded as an enemy of the human race ...

[SlowwHand]

Re: 60% of us are Anti-Semites!

Originally posted by MOBIUS




Maybe it's just because the US would have had just as many excuses to invade Israel as it did Iraq for all the UN resolutions it daily breaks and has done so for the last several decades...

Or the fact that it is acting as a catalyst and excuse for muslim fundamentalism and terrorism which could result in major loss of life somewhere in Europe in the near future...

Actually there are a bunch of reasons why we might think that Israel's actions are greatly destabilising the world - and yes, in the global arena it is contributing to this arena in a far greater way than NK. Though I am sure a South Korean or Japanese might disagree with me...

So stop with this anachronistic holocaust excuse of 'anti-semitism' and as Alon Liel says think about why we think like this and do something constructive about it!

[Pekka]

And further more, people can have opinions. Sure, the result is kind of twisted, but it doesn't make anyone anti-semite by default. And anyone who claims so is a racist themselves, and their logic is about the same level as the ones who answered Israel in this poll.

I can criticize any country I want to and their policies, and it doesn't make me anti-anything. It's always OK to point the finger at Europe 'look they are wimps and pussies' 'look racist!' and then even have the balls to claim when it suits 'they are the real warmongeres, look at WWII!'. Pick up your mind! Are we pussies or war crazy? You can't have both. And if you think it's cool to be anti.european.. it goes to same category as anti-semite or anti-american in my book.

And as for always grouping the whole continent into one is one of the biggest insults personally. This poll included 15 countries, so you can say Europe in this case, but in other cases you can't.

If 89% Americans support invading Iran, does that make them anti-arab? No. So why does someones poll make europeans anti-anything? YOu don't know peoples reasons why they voted what they voted.

Let's make a poll to Israel and put question 'is Europe stupid sometimes?' and we get the same results. Does that make you anti-europe? Not in my book it doesn't.

SO, my advice is to get over it, because it means nothing real.

And next time people start calling europeans ANYTHING negative, they might consider the fact that europe is not one single country and I'm tired of repeating this. I wasn't asked to participate in this poll. My friends weren't asked either. And none of us is anti-semite, or anti-anything, so everyone can take their blames and stick in their asses, because I'm not going to apologize anything, and I'm not going to apologize on the behalf of my country either. If someone has a problem with it, then try to deal with it.

[Combat Ingrid]

Originally posted by Pekka
If 89% Americans support invading Iran, does that make them anti-arab?

Of course not. It makes them anti-persian

[MrFun]

Originally posted by DeathByTheSword
i just heard stories that kids started to flush there petfishs through the toilet after seeing Finding Nemo...way to go america...

[MikeH]

Originally posted by Albert Speer
(edited to be more clear)

cough...

Anyone predjudiced against all arabs is wrong, anyone predjudiced against all jews is wrong.

Anyone disagreeing with the actions of a certain government, or the actions of a few individuals is perfectly justified.

[Urban Ranger]

Please continue the discussion in this older thread. Thanks.