Antisemitism, like any hate directed at a specific group is odious. It isn't treason though. Hate directed at a specific group is not an act against the state, as in the case of treason. No one describes anti-African American or anti-Hispanic attitudes as being treasonous, so why is Niall Ferguson choosing to do so in the case of Jews? Not a rhetorical question, btw.

Furthermore, it is curious that this antisemitism only came to the fore, immediately after the outbreak of the Israeli/Hamas conflict, and apparently by way of inartful statements by three academics and a few demonstrations on college campuses. Something of such an existential threat as Ferguson describes must have been detectable before October 7, right? If it was, no one was talking about it.

Lastly, the images, visual and otherwise in this article, of the rise of authoritarian national socialism in Germany is a cautionary tale to be sure. However, equating it to leftist intellectuals today in this country is about as dishonest as it gets. I say this as a rightwing mob has fucking attacked the nation's capitol building to install a president for life AND despite his continual fascistic pronouncements are only too willing to vote him in again.

This is just your typical projection hoo-dee-doo by our friends on the right, this time only dressed up to appear of an intellectual bent, mentioning a philosopher or two, and an incomplete and self-serving rendition of the rise German National Socialism.
[Post edited by Chuck Taylor at 12/13/2023 07:07AM]