It’s “whataboutism” in the sense we’re interrogating focus. Why do you think white ethnonationalists spend so much time asserting “white lives matter?” Because there’s only so much air in the room, and they know giving air to one cause deprives another.

I think it’s worth wondering why people spend so much time discussing Israel/Palestine and so little discussing other issues that are at least as large from a “people impacted” perspective. Obviously there’s also an African infantilization (that is to say, racist) double standard here — we simply don’t expect Africa to have human rights. But I would say there is certainly also an Israel double standard, and it is antisemitic in the same way saying “well of course Sierra Leone is a hellhole, there’s no news there” is racist.

You are not a news outlet. But you choose what you’re spending your time and effort on. And it is this. I think many people don’t interrogate why they get so involved and what their opinions actually mean in terms of what their focus accomplished and what it broadcasts.

I apologize for choosing you as the vehicle for this message; I don’t mean to attack you personally. There are a ton of people doing this and your message was as good as any other to demonstrate my point.

Higher expectations is reasonable! Would you say two times higher? Ten times higher? A hundred times higher?

As a baseline, how much have you posted about Sierra Leone and the human rights abuses there in the last year?

Your second point is entirely correct; see also self-hating gays in the Log Cabin Republicans.

I think the shield for your first point is pretty narrow these days. About a decade ago that point held a lot more salience, but as my “new antisemitism” link discusses, the position has been adopted so vigorously by antisemites that I think it is indeed very close to antisemitic unless deployed extremely carefully.

Yes, criticism of Israel is not inherently antisemitic. But since this canard is so often invoked by idle and ignorant spectators, with no real understanding of Israeli or Palestinian politics, inserting themselves into a fraught and unhappy situation, usually specifically to criticize or delegitimize only Israel… it’s tough to see how that isn’t a special standard applied only to Israel. Or, worse, it’s invoked by real antisemites hoping to get bystanders on-side with actual antisemitism by cloaking it as criticism of Israel.

As a concrete example of this new antisemitism – in 2017, Hamas altered its charter, which was wildly and outright antisemitic, to specifically state that it doesn’t actually want to kill all Jews as previously stated, but only the occupiers of Palestine. Given their actions, the huge amount of specifically anti-Jewish sentiment in Gaza, and even the incredibly virulent language in their old charter, do you think they actually changed their minds about Jews? Or are they simply cloaking their antisemitism in a package that more people might agree with these days? A new kind of antisemitism?

How in the world did this person call anyone an antisemite? Are you responding to the right post?

Nothing they do will ever cause the international outrage any other country’s actions would cause.

Israel has 45.9% of all UNHRC condemnations ever passed, passed at it. Do you believe Israel is committing 45.9% of all human rights atrocities on Earth right now?

You are right Israel is measured by double standards, but it’s not that its actions produce less outrage than other countries’ – they produce far more. This is new antisemitism.

It’s not actually necessary to rake Israel over the coals more than other countries. Doing so is a double standard. Sierra Leone has roughly the population of Israel; If you aren’t holding it to task for its human rights abuses as much as you are Israel, you are engaged in that double standard.

I was reading about new antisemitism the other day and I thought it was interesting.

Most canny antisemites have turned to the old (and formerly totally fine) canard “criticizing Israel is not antisemitic” to shield their actual antisemitic criticism. Not wanting to call Hamas a terrorist organization is a perfect example. They’re only terrorizing Israel, which isn’t inherently antisemitic! /s

But yeah it’s really everywhere now. Sometimes it’s mask off as in this incident. But frequently it’s mask on.

Antisemites of a feather flock together I guess.

That position is not anti-Zionist. It is an antisemitic trope to call the state of Israel fascist however… and untrue besides.

Jesus Christ. Netanyahu is not the ADL and does not speak for all Jews. Even though the ADL is part of Israel that doesn’t make it propaganda or trying to overthrow democracy. Many Israelis are opposed to that themselves.

This is why the claims of “being anti-Israel doesn’t mean you’re antisemitic” are actually worthless. Because in the same breath people will paint all Israel and all Jews with the same brush. Yes, that is antisemitism.

Those are clearly examples of blood libel — in what sense are they not? Like how much of that is okay before it’s antisemitic hate speech? (answer: zero.)

You could but Americans aren’t Jewish so it isn’t antisemitism. When the context is different the meaning is different. That’s how words work.

But you are also saying here Israelis routinely kills children so I guess you basically just agree with the source. Good to know where you stand I guess.

You should definitely go back to Reddit; this sort of content fits in precisely there.

You didn’t criticize Israel or Zionism. You are specifically choosing to believe a source that Jews have determined to be radically antisemitic — the source I linked provides instances of this organization sharing the blood libel and Jewish dual citizenry tropes. Further you are telling those Jews they’re liars because you don’t like the country they’re from.

The ADL is only a bad source if you’re so far down the antisemitic rabbit hole that you literally believe Jews can’t talk about what hatred towards them looks like. Since you are clearly there, I honestly pity you. I hope you wake up one day and give up your bigotry.

It’s easy enough to get out of; trust Jewish voices when they talk about their experiences with antisemitism?

From the same page:

In addition to JVP’s promotion of messaging that descends into the antisemitic vilification of “Zionists,” the group has expressed support for violence and, occasionally, classic antisemitic tropes. Some JVP members, leaders and chapters propagate rhetoric or sponsor events where participants express support for violence or terror against Israelis and vilify Zionist Jews. In a few instances, they have espoused blatant antisemitic tropes, including modern manifestations of the blood libel and allegations of Jewish dual loyalty to the countries in which they live

I guess you didn’t read it very closely?

Jews saying what is or isn’t antisemitism is propaganda? Nice propaganda yourself.

Elon Musk also think the ADL is propaganda. It must make you sleep well at night to know you’re in such good company.

While it is possible, you are definitely not doing it.

But they are also antisemitic. Did you read the article the ADL has on them?

Most normal people think radical antisemitic groups are bad yes

Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) is a radical anti-Israel and anti-Zionist activist group that advocates for the boycott of Israel and eradication of Zionism.

It’s not perfect and especially a huge amount of rockets can overwhelm it. Also it’s much more effective on slower homemade rockets, not the faster kind Iran typically sells Hamas.

I am simply shocked!

Because the people in charge had the equivalent of many degrees in socialism, communism, and Marxism – they had written multiple books on the subject, participated in numerous conferences and lectures, and had spent most of their adult lives practicing and honing these philosophies. Lenin and Stalin believed wholeheartedly they were implementing communism throughout their entire lives and stated so multiple times. So why not call it communism?