Ok I'm confused here and slightly in the dark. I've been following US politics far more closely than our own for a few years now so I'm out of touch. I don't know what the accusations of anti-semitism and racism against the Labour party are based on. In my book hating jews for being jewish is racist. Strongly disagreeing with some of the policies of the state of Israel most definitely isn't. Enlighten me please.
Israel is where power is. Power is where money is. Money leads the merry old political dance. Labour are anti-war. Anti-war = anti Israel. Israel are smearing Labour like a schoolkid on a tantrum, while they massacre Palestine with impunity.
I don't think anyone should have an issue with viewing Palestine and Israel with the same scrutiny, decrying attacks by each side and judging illegal measures appropriately. Whats happening to Palestinians is outrageous and the west has played a huge hand in it, with Trump that seems to have intensified even more. Aside from that, on a completely separate issue are the things we don't see and aren't always reported on. What I do find to be sad are that Jewish people are openly stating they have been victimised, bullied and abused and the first call from the organisation is "oh no you haven't" and the step is to blur that abuse with a political view of Palestine. I found it amazing that at conference one of the 6 topics selected was Palestine. Only under huge duress was Brexit included, and only at the 11th hour. I've a media friend who is a very pro left socialist who is a labour member and pure socialist, I've also a political editor friend who spends most of his time in Portcullis House (the modern office block where many MPs have their parliamentary office). Some of the things they've recounted to me, frankly, they are hard to believe in this day and age and highlight inconsistencies of bullying and intimidation tactics to deal with Jewish members and MP's, especially female. He highlighted multiple complaints of abuse, particularly online and at constituency events that have never been acted on. I only have their respective words for it, but I don't see why they would have need to lie or embellish given their positions and political views. It worries me greatly when someone says they've been on the receiving end of abuse, and its watered down by media and institution to try and hide the issue. I thought these things were over. Sadly, they very much aren't.
It's people bitching for the sake of bitching. "Oooh Jeremy says what Israel has done to the Palestinians is bad, THATS RACIST" Nobheads.
It’s a long story Churton but in a nutshell some anti semitism has allegedly been directed at some labour MPs and members ironically some sending it are from the Jewish community . Imo if their is genuine anti semitism and proof surely the police should be involved and charges brought but the fact that this is not happening is begging the question is it happening or isn’t it ?
Maybe in a white dominated sphere, that was integral to the slave trade, wrongly, racism is only associated with black people. Its a very good question that I don't know the answer to. Though it was interesting that in the commons yesterday, racist was used a couple of time, but the majority of comments mentioning it were about anti-Semitism.
Because being Jewish isn't a race, it's a religion. Therefore it's used like Islamophobia it's an anti religious term not an anti race one. Having said that I don't know of a specific anti Christian phrase?
Not necessarily. What about black jews are they the same race as white jews? Are you being racist if you're a white non-Jewish person saying something about white jews? Isn't the Israel debate more about religious / cultural heritage which of course does suggest race but I'm trying to explain why I think it's not just called racism as it doesn't necessarily work very well as a term in this situation. I take your point though
580,000 Labour members 600 reports claiming anti-semitism = 0.11% of all members So let's be clear, there are clearly some tossers, but the reporting of this by msm and those Labour MP's with an axe to grind is for the most part just a stick to beat Corbyn and the party with. It's pretty depressing stuff. I wonder how many more racists there are in the Tory party?
I've been thinking the same. Where the hell has this come from all of a sudden and what do they exactly mean. The only thing I can think of is that some on the left have been described as Hamas sympathisers. Is seeing things from the Palestinian view enough to be considered anti-semitic?
It is said that the The press and media are about 75% owned by Tory supporting hypocrites. The Blairites are not happy in the Labour Party. Therefore, anything that can be kept in the front pages/ media headlines that decries the Labour Party and deflects anything from what a shower of ***** this and the previous Govt are, and the current star this country is, is most welcome by them. Any form of racism should be addressed but we all know this more about seizing an opportunity rather than addressing any form of ism. They ought to be a law against lower- classism. The Tories would never see the light of day again.
I absolutely 100% abhor discrimination and the anti semitism reported in the Labour Party is unacceptable and must be tackled and taken extremely seriously. However, and I really hope I word this correctly, I have been unable to find any direct, verified, clearly anti Semitic quotes/ whatever and have found it quite frustrating. Not doubting for a moment it is occurring, but can’t understand why the context seems to be ‘labours antisemitism’ rather than ‘this was said/ tweeted/ done by X MP and it is unacceptable’. Again I have deepest sympathy for those that have been victim to this, just a genuine question of why the specifics seem so hard to find. Happy to be shown in the direction of the above. The context of this post is seeing this morning the news regarding Luciana Berger that “She is a strong and principled woman who has been bullied by anti-Semites to a point that most of us would not have had the strength to bear”. That is horrendous and unacceptable, but I cannot understand why specific incidents and culprits are not being named so that those members can be expelled and incidents dealt with? Am I misunderstanding this?
Basically, if you disagree with Israel's landgrab and are appalled by their brutalising of the Palestinians then you get called anti-Semite. I'm not racist in the slightest but I must be anti-Semitic...
Westminster is a very weird place. I've heard numerous rumours over the years that seem very much as if they can't be true, but then every now and again, things slip and you see truths that have been described to you. Somehow, for just about everyone, til the point of political convenience, flaws of character and behaviour are allowed and covered. Examples of addictions, illegality, suspect contacts and practices.. they seem to be known about, but will only come out when its politically expedient to do so, and often over the heads of the parliamentarians, generally done by party machines behind the scenes. The one I was told about was the pressure to make Clegg and co pander to tory will. The sting on Cable. How they want for David Laws and chris huhnes penalty points infraction. Is was apparently the same group who weakened May and forced her to get rid of old trusted advisors and political allies who protected her, None of this is coincidence, yet there are people getting away with allsorts of things that are just never revealed and i've no idea how. All I can consider is its much bigger and the Leveson enquiry was never able to get to the bottom of alliances between politicians, media and law enforcement. Not to mention the organisations who collect data and spy on the MPs within the walls of parliament, and beyond.
You're absolutely spot on. I have the same stance against discrimination...zero tolerance; but if it's happening, lets see it and let it be dealt with openly. Anglea Smith included anti-Semitism to her reasons for leaving the Labour Party, however the more I hear her speak, the more I think she simply said it because the others had. I want to ask her (I have on Twitter but she's having a busy week), Did you challenge the anti-Semitism when you saw it occur? And also, did you report it to the Party and Police, and what were the outcomes? The media seem totally uninterested in pushing for these answers and it's hard to look past the fact that it suits most of their agendas for this to continue.
Problem is, how do you report something that happens in a narrow corridor late at night when few people are around? And when the leader repeatedly says their isn't a problem, but never has a conversation with the Jewish MP's reporting anti-Semitism and bullying, and there is insufficient evidence to take to the police... what do you do?