NATURE AND HISTORY OF ANTI-SEMITISM

by Barry L. Brumfield

First of all, do you think anti-Semitism is not alive and growing rapidly, particularly in America? Then try this; run a search in Google or Yahoo for "Nazi", "White Power", or "Skin Heads". Then after you recognize that hate and anti-Semitism is a very serious problem, come back here and learn how anti-Semitism is affecting God's chosen people, the Jews. We won't place actual web links to hate groups here to avoid offering them any support.

You probably have heard the word "anti-Semitism," but how much do you really know about this ugly phenomenon? Did you know, for example, that historically anti-Semitism has appeared variously in the garb of theological, socio-economic, and even racial hatred? Here's a brief survey of the dominant forms of anti-Semitism throughout history.

"Christian" anti-Semitism

A hatred of Jews as "Christ-killers" or "infidels." The totally mistaken belief that the Jews were responsible for the death of Jesus-a belief based largely on the account of Jesus' death which appears in the Gospel of John-is one of the oldest forms of anti-Semitism, dating back 1500 years to the formation of the Holy Roman Empire and enduring well into this century. This form of anti-Semitism has been the cause of countless pogroms -organized massacres of Jews, often on Easter (when the Gospel of John is traditionally read). Jews have also been persecuted for their refusal to believe in Jesus as the Messiah. During the Spanish Inquisition, Jews were burned alive for their refusal to embrace Christianity.

Socio-economic anti-Semitism:

Hatred of Jews based on their occupations, wealth, or political activities. Stereotypes such as Shakespeare's "Shylock" or of the Jewish banker (which the Nazis used extensively) have long been used to stir up popular hatred of Jews. The contradictory stereotypes of Jews as rich capitalists who control the government and as Communists or union organizers who are opposed to it, have both been used to whip up anti-Semitic passions. One of the most insidious and enduring manifestations of this form of Jew-hatred is the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion"-a document produced by the Russian Czarist police in 1905 alleging an "international Jewish/Zionist conspiracy"-which was used to whip up popular hatred against the large Jewish community in Russia, with disastrous results. In the U.S. , the "Protocols" have been distributed by groups as diverse as the Ku Klux Klan, the Ford Motor Company, and the Nation of Islam.

Racial anti-Semitism

The belief that Jews constitute a separate and inferior race provided the ideological foundation for the German National Socialist (Nazi) Party's genocide of the Jews during World War II. The Nazis also considered Blacks and "Gypsies" to be inferior races. In fact, Jews come from many racial backgrounds including Semites (of Middle Eastern origin), Caucasian, Asian, and African-American.

Swastikas - the ultimate symbol of hatred

Originally a Hindu symbol, the swastika was adopted by the German National Socialist (Nazi) Party as their emblem. It has since come to symbolize the profound anti-Semitism which found expression in the Nazis' "Final Solution"-their nearly-successful attempt to annihilate all the Jews of Europe.

Scape-goating Jews

When a speaker such as Minister Louis Farakkhan singles out Jews for their role in the slave trade-which pales beside the vastly more important role of Dutch, British, French and even African slave traders-such singular and targeted criticism, or "scape-goating," has the effect, and no doubt also the intent, of stirring up animosity toward Jews. Therefore it's not surprising that the Nation of Islam is one of the few organizations in the U.S. (other than the Ku Klux Klan or neo-Nazi groups) which continues to distribute the virulently anti-Semitic Protocols of the Elders of Zion (a 1905 forgery by the Russian Czarist police, purporting to prove the existence of an "international Jewish conspiracy").

Criticizing Israel (and only Israel)

The singular criticism of Israel for its government's policies constitutes a form of anti-Semitism which is difficult to comprehend and even more difficult to respond to. Israel 's military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza , and the countless deaths on both sides, are serious issues requiring critical discussion. But often a double standard is applied, which focuses on Israel while ignoring, for example, the Serbian genocide of Bosnian Muslims in the early 1990's, or the genocidal violence in Rwanda (where more than half a million Tutsis were murdered in 1994 followed by the forced exile of nearly two million Hutus). This double standard has been prevalent in the "Developing Nations" and "Multicultural Affairs" pages of the Collegian-where, until this semester, massive attacks on Israel and Zionism had appeared with numbing regularity (sometimes weekly). Over the same period, articles addressing the tragic events then taking place in Bosnia and Rwanda were conspicuously absent.

by Barry Brumfield

(Mr. Brumfield maintains his own website at www.israelsmessiah.com)