The Soapbox

Joined: 01/04/2001 Posts: 11295
Likes: 25406

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No, assaults aren't in the eye of beholder.

However, these assaults always appear to be anecdotal, not that they didn't happen, but their circumstances or motivation are unclear. When the topic is Israel, some folks have a hard time distinguishing opposition to policy from antisemitism and others are all too happy to blur the lines. From the quotes taken from the ADL's report card regarding divestment, I think that is apparent. It doesn't serve them well if some of the things they base their grades on are so meritless.

As I mentioned above, the capricious and sometimes unfounded charges of racism do not serve the cause of Civil Rights when there is legitimate racism. THAT is the issue I have with throwing around the charge of antisemitism so freely. They (antisemitism and racism are one and the same in this regard.

I have to say that what appears to be a nexus of the far right and unquestioned support for Israel is bit disconcerting. It is being portrayed falsely as MAGA/Israel vs Democrats/Intellectual elites/Palestine. It is untrue but that is what they do, isn't it? That is why HO posted this here.

[Post edited by Chuck Taylor at 04/21/2024 11:14AM]

(In response to this post by hoolstoptheheels)

Posted: 04/21/2024 at 11:09AM

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Current Thread:

Campus Antisemitism Report Card - University of Virginia grade - F -- Hoos Operator 04/21/2024 10:01AM

Haha - Joos don't say "grounds" ** -- ResistHoo 04/21/2024 10:40AM

Some UVA students/faculty with one bad trait in common with the Proud -- Tuckahokie 04/21/2024 10:22AM

I am totally down with concerns that protestors against Israel are buried -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 10:34AM

How do you justify the term “apartheid” as it applies to Israel? -- Hoos Operator 04/21/2024 11:38AM

The bottom line is that Israel has 9 mil citizens, including Arabs, with -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 11:45AM

So in other words, israel does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity -- CharlestonSC 04/21/2024 1:31PM

Buh apartheid ** -- ResistHoo 04/21/2024 3:55PM

It’s not about discrimination and the vast majority of those 5 mil -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 1:47PM

But “apartheid” *is* systemic discrimination. -- CharlestonSC 04/21/2024 4:59PM

Or it’s segregation on any grounds at all. The segregation is the key -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 5:10PM

The 5 million people in Gaza and the West Bank elected governments that -- Hoos Operator 04/21/2024 12:06PM

I don’t agree with that characterization. Hamas seized power after 1 -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 12:13PM

How do you reconcile that belief with this poll result? -- Hoos Operator 04/21/2024 12:25PM

One more point- if too much extremism in Gaza is the problem, Israel’s -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 12:36PM

If completely destroying Hamas is extreme, then so be it. -- Hoos Operator 04/21/2024 12:49PM

Right, like destroying the plo 40 years ago. That was just as much of a -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 12:55PM

On what source are you relying for your casualty information? -- Hoos Operator 04/21/2024 1:18PM

No doubt Hamas is guilty of that atrocity. These are not mutually -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 1:53PM

Criticizing the manner in which Israel and Netanyahu are prosecuting this -- Hoos Operator 04/21/2024 2:37PM

Well, then, certainly imo, we’re in a war without end. -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 2:45PM

Tom Friedman wrote a recent column in which he suggested that -- NJHoo 04/21/2024 3:02PM

I like Friedman but that last part is pie in the sky imo. -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 3:07PM

I don’t need to. We all claim skepticism about polls except when they show -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 12:30PM

Great post. I’m going to defend Chuck a bit here for two reasons -- 111Balz 04/21/2024 10:45AM

LOL ** -- ResistHoo 04/21/2024 4:00PM

The ADL's opinion on this works for me...sorry if I am missing something ** -- Tuckahokie 04/21/2024 11:03AM

Yes. For starters, can you provide some support for your inclusion of the -- 111Balz 04/21/2024 12:09PM

I’m not attacking Chuck as an antisemite or bigot of any kind. -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 10:50AM

Please see Chuck’s post right below yours, and heel’s appropriate -- 111Balz 04/21/2024 10:32AM

Sure - as long as you’re applying that concern to everyone. Because -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 10:36AM

Antisemitism is apparently in the eye of the beholder. -- Chuck Taylor 04/21/2024 10:20AM

Odd we don't see such strict definitions demanded when the accusation is -- Hoodafan 04/21/2024 10:34AM

Well racism and islamaphopia are just as bad as -- BocaHoo91 04/21/2024 11:36AM

Those definitions are different. ** -- ResistHoo 04/21/2024 10:43AM

I think that charges of racism or antisemitism lose their impact when they -- Chuck Taylor 04/21/2024 10:41AM

Which is what the ADL began its article with. Legit accusations. -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 10:45AM

I agree completely. Yet I don't recall you calling out the other. ** -- Hoodafan 04/21/2024 10:44AM

I prefer to stay out of discussions about race, ethnicity all together. -- Chuck Taylor 04/21/2024 11:24AM

Do you think the dozens of reported assaults and death threats are in the -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 10:25AM

No, assaults aren't in the eye of beholder. -- Chuck Taylor 04/21/2024 11:09AM

So you’re playing 4-D chess in -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 11:16AM

No, playing checkers. -- Chuck Taylor 04/21/2024 11:42AM

I have the benefit of speaking with Jewish kids who’ve experienced the -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 11:51AM

Assaults and intimidation aren’t acceptable under any circumstance. -- Chuck Taylor 04/21/2024 12:42PM

No that’s incorrect. Star of David is a symbol of Judaism since long -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 12:51PM

The Star of David is on the flag of the state if Israel and is therefore -- Chuck Taylor 04/21/2024 1:41PM

No, yours is a closed minded, even bigoted notion. It’s a variation on the -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 2:04PM

I referenced the Polish ghettos for a reason. -- Chuck Taylor 04/21/2024 2:54PM

You’re wrong. I know so personally. -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 3:04PM

It should not be ignored, and we should be sure to Differentiate -- 111Balz 04/21/2024 10:35AM

It should be more than not ignored. It should be called out as -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 10:42AM

I agree, and with regards to your last paragraph I would point out, we don’ -- 111Balz 04/21/2024 10:47AM

For many, and I must say, more on the left than right, these days, the -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 10:59AM

Back when I was in school, the big issue with… -- Los Angeles Hoo 04/21/2024 10:15AM

Your refusal to distinguish between antisemitism and -- SixerHoo 04/21/2024 11:11AM

I do understand this difference, and I also understand that… -- Los Angeles Hoo 04/21/2024 11:16AM

*** -- SixerHoo 04/22/2024 10:50AM

All of them? How about the Jewish protestors against Israel? There’s -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 11:34AM

Did I say all of them? I’m not one… -- Los Angeles Hoo 04/21/2024 11:49AM

I disagree. If I’m protesting, whether statues or Israel, and I see my -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 11:54AM

Then, by definition, every single… -- Los Angeles Hoo 04/21/2024 11:59AM

No, there are not, and you couldn’t possibly have a basis for that -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 12:03PM

Yeah, if there's one thing that we know about anti-Israel protests, it's... -- Los Angeles Hoo 04/21/2024 12:22PM

You said all such protests incorporate antisemitism. Your words. -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 12:28PM

Ok — I retract my statement and instead… -- Los Angeles Hoo 04/21/2024 2:28PM

Right. You retracted nothing. That’s equally baseless. ** -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 2:37PM

Ok — you tell me. What percentage of.., -- Los Angeles Hoo 04/21/2024 2:47PM

I don’t share your level of hubris, so I don’t claim to know. I know more -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 2:55PM

Disturbing. Few corners of academia appear to be spared these trends. ** -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 10:14AM

Impossible. They have a DEI department ** -- HokieDan95 04/21/2024 10:04AM

Right. The ideology underpinning that movement as it exists today -- hoolstoptheheels 04/21/2024 10:20AM