182 of 231 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It is about time, April 6, 2004
By A Customer
This review is from: The Politics of Anti-Semitism (Paperback)
Excellent book that explores the differences between race based hatred of Jews and legitate criticism of Israel and Zionism. Half of the authors are Jewish, also known as "self hating Jews" to the Israel can do no wrong crowd who dismiss this book, and anyone who questions or criticizes Israel, as racist and anti-Semitic.
By refusing to differentiate between legitmate criticism of Israel's racist, apartheid policies (which are openly discussed in the mainstream Israeli press but not in the mainstream U.S. press)(...), these short sighted critics are giving a good name to anti-Semitism.
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147 of 188 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Putting Things in Perspective, December 16, 2003
This review is from: The Politics of Anti-Semitism (Paperback)
18 various essays from astute writers explore the recent claim that Anti-Semitism is on the rise worldwide. Without a doubt it is clear that most of the authors attribute the new claims of anti-Semitism in response to the heightened worldwide awareness and moral criticism of Israeli policy in the West Bank and Gaza, along with its special nation status the world's only superpower has bestowed upon it.
The essays are in no way meant to trivialize true anti-Semitism, and the book does not ignore that true anti-Semitism exists.The real thing is explored and deplored in this book, but the focus is on what should constitute true anti-Semitism with what is merely a convenient way to silence anyone who criticizes Israeli policy, thus threatening open debate and democracy.
This is not a book you will just breeze through. I had to read several of the essays multiple times because of the varying philosophical and moral perspectives offered. Some were better than others and made very sound arguments.
A Jewish professor of philosophy inflates the definition of anti-Semitism to include just about anything a philo-Semite could ever hope for, then through a brilliant moral narrative shows us that in doing so, only cheapens and trivializes the real thing.
A BBC journalist wants to know why a certain actor wants to kill him, and why numerous people who engage in factual journalism are suddenly the object of hate mail so vile it far exceeds any crime they are supposedly guilty of.
A SUNY upstate professor pulls the curtain away exposing the myth that the right-wing noise machine speaks for the majority of American Jews and writes that ever increasing Jewish organizations are forming to counter the vocal militant minority that manages to bully not only non-Jews, but moderate and left leaning Jews as well.
A Taayush member in Tel Aviv takes us into a refugee camp in Beit Jalla to remind us what all the fuss is about, lest we start believing that all this supposedly unwarranted and frivolous criticism for humanity's sake is after all true anti-Semitism.
One essay explores why philo-Semites are no better than anti-Semites, because they hold one group higher in esteem and value than the rest of humanity.
Perhaps the frivolous slur of anti-Semite aimed at legitimate moral criticism of Israeli policy, is no different than the unwarranted slur of "anti-American" or "unpatriotic" that are hurled at people in this country who either question, criticize, or oppose the morality or soundness of the current US administration's foreign policy. In either case, it is at worst, a blind nationalistic allegiance to a government - right or wrong... and at the very least a departure from thoughtful debate and a sad decline into two-dimensional thinking.
And finally, a former Israeli Knesset member points his finger squarely at the Sharon government calling it "a giant laboratory for growing the anti-Semitism virus" and claims, that with its crimes in the West Bank and Gaza, is the biggest generator of anti-Semitic feelings today, which implicates not only itself, but its entire Jewish population along with it.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Honest, Varied, and a Must-Read, July 2, 2007
This review is from: The Politics of Anti-Semitism (Paperback)
Finally an honest discussion about a controversial topic! Each chapter is written by a different contributor, and about half of the writers are Jewish - in fact, prominent Jews. There is so much misinformation and mudslinging regarding this word (anti-semiticism) that its refreshing to have some truth and reality come back to the debate. The problem is that there are essentially two kinds of people who say negative things about Israel - genuine crazy Jew-haters and normal, thoughtful people who care about injustice all over the world. Supporters of Israel, either through stupidity or more likely on purpose lump these two groups together as if they were one. If you speak up when Israel violates the Geneva Conventions, about 100 UN resolutions, agreements with the US on the use of cluster bombs, etc - it doesn't mean you hate all Jews. There is "right" and "wrong" no matter if the war criminal is Christian, Jewish, Muslim or other. And in the case of Israel, since its inception by terrorist thugs who killed British peacekeepers and Arab civilians, this has been going on for almost 60 years. Its actually in the interest of all Jews to stop this criminal behaviour by Israel because it casts a negative shadow on all Jews all over the world. When justice comes to Palestine, the world will be a better place for everyone - including Jews. The first step is to read this book, and get a balanced viewpoint.
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