I’ve been going back and forth in comments with Bob Goldman concerning the reasons for liberal people are so willing to believe the worst of Israel and Jews but give other a pass.
This article from Francesca Segal supports Bob’s answer while giving a possible a possible answer to me:
In August 2001, I turned 21 and my parents gave me a Star of David necklace. Then a month later, the world changed and my mother, with remarkable foresight, began her campaign to rescind the gift, begging me to take it off because she was frightened it would make me a target in the wake of mounting evidence that fanatical Islamism was tightening its grip on the country. My argument was always the same – when I am no longer safe being identifiably Jewish on the tube, I don’t want to live in England.
Now it’s happening and I am devastated. It was bluster. I am resolutely, irreducibly British. I love Marmite and Labradors and Sunday lunch. If you step on my foot, I will reflexively apologise. New York, where I will go if I have to leave the UK, does not feel like home for me nor, I suspect, could it ever. But as the British establishment sides with the appeasing of Islamism at home and abroad and as the word Zionism is increasingly bastardised, hijacked by a new definition comprising traditional antisemitic libels and demonising conspiracy theories, and as the liberal media and campaigning groups single out Israel disproportionately among all other countries for criticism, perpetuating the myth that Israel is responsible for mushrooming anti-western sentiment, I feel increasingly that I cannot stay.
My little sister arrived back at her university last week to discover buildings had been daubed with antisemitic graffiti. Across north London, the same scrawled vitriol has been appearing – “Jihad to Israel”, frequently accompanied by the message: “Kill Jews.”
Our Islamic friends clearly don’t have a problem with the whole “death to the Jews” thing. I never see any Islamic groups condemning this type of behavior.
The fact is that as Glenn has pointed out again and again violence and intimidation works. Just look at South Park Mohammad censorship for God’s sake.
Considering the appeasement of Islam it will be interesting is when Islamic belief conflicts with something like Abortion or Homosexuality both condemned in Islam, both legal in Israel. What will our liberal friends say then when there is a conflict on that subject in the west?
Via hot air.
Update: Yet another example.
He added: “Our comments were directed to ‘insulting’ and/or ‘controversial’ remarks made by Mr. Naik in relation to Christianity. This was no more than religious debate under the general principles of British law and within the Ofcom Code. No intemperate language was used on our show.”
In a reply, Javaid Ullah, the director of the radio station, terminated the Rev Masih and his co-presenter’s “voluntary agreement… with immediate effect”. He said that they had “failed to remain neutral and as such allowed the guest to make comments which led in [to] offending various members of the community.”
He added: “The comments made in your letter were inaccurate and not true. The tone of the letter was deemed offensive to the management of Awaz FM.”
The Rev Masih told The Sunday Telegraph: “I am very distressed at the way I have been treated. I presented the show for six years and am sad to have been forced to give it up.”
Drip , drip drip.
