As usual, a brilliant analysis of where we find ourselves today, Joshua. It feels, right now, a bit like being sucked down a drain. Yet again, CBC lead the radio news this morning with its lopsided coverage of suffering in Gaza, so, while your points about indifference are truly devastating, I think you underestimate the numbers of the antisemitic relative to the indifferent. So many have already been brainwashed by the media, social media, and their friends and family.
Yes, useful to blame The Jews as a scapegoat when The State itself has been and is complicit in so many more crimes than Jewish and Israel's self defence in the current conflict. However, I do not recommend normalising or being silent in the face of Palestinian suffering. But History will show they have been so badly let down by their own Leadership: Statehood and Rights offered so many times. Now non of this is possible because their leaders opted for Genocide and Martyrdom.
When a Black man died from having a knee compressing his neck, the mobilization was quick and vast and DEI was implemented and everything became "racist," and members of Congress wore African scarves and --I could go on and on. The entire country denounced "racism." When Asians were being attacked for a brief period of time during Covid, a large "Stop Asian Hate" campaign spread quickly. Russia attacks Ukraine? Big mobilization for Ukrainian support. But, yet again, even in the face of obvious and persistent world-wide Jew Hate, we can't get people mobilized to help us. Politicians in America and around the world do nothing or very little and many are antisemites themselves. The media makes it worse by constantly blaming Israel for everything. No matter how bad it gets for the Jews, no matter what might happen, I have little faith that "most people" will say or do anything to stand up for us. What to do?
Another great piece. Bystander Society : Conformity and Complicity in Nazi Germany and the Holocaust by Mary Fulbrook deals with the issues raised here. What makes Fulbrook’s book so interesting on this matter is that she relies extensively on essays submitted for a competition run in 1939 by 3 Harvard professors. The title of the competition essay was ‘My life in Germany before and after January 1933’
Outstanding analysis. Who was it who said” all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing”. And that’s the thing . People who don’t have a dog in the fight just ignore it because it doesn’t affect them . Or so they think. But it may start with the Jews but won’t finish with them.
Excellent article. This should be in the NYT and any other well read newspaper. It seems that "fringes" come and go but pop up at the right time in history to sow seeds of discord and hatred. Too bad our feet, and voices, aren't big enough to stomp out their fire.
Lovely piece, Josh, well written and to the point. One oversight however: The Organised State, that is to say the part of the Government which NEVER relinquishes its power through The Secret Services ACTIVELY harbours and uses both Racism and Anti-Semitism to reboot The State's function in times of peril, either Real or Imagined. Other than this omission, a great piece of analysis and writing.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,” supposedly uttered by Edmund Burke.
Most likely it was coined by the utilitarian philosopher John Stuart Mill who noted, “Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing. He is not a good man who, without a protest, allows wrong to be committed in his name, and with the means which he helps to supply, because he will not trouble himself to use his mind on the subject.”
The AltR's goal is a world order governed by white, Christian, racial purists.
The AltL's — the Red Green Alliance — goal is, informed by the neo-Marxism of Critical Race Theory, is the overthrow of Capitalism, Western Democratic principles such as individual rights, freedom of choice, equality before the law, and so on.
The Green's ultimate objective is Dahwah and the instillation of Sharia worldwide. One of their rallying cries is "Today, Saturday's people. Tomorrow, Sunday's people." Some European cities already have "no-go zones" which are effectively under Muslim rule.
If the Greens win, they will purge the Reds, as was done in Iran after the successful Mullah revolution. If the Reds win, admittedly unlikely, Racial Internationalism (DEI) no will dictate political agendas and social structures.
What we are witnessing today on the street, on campuses, in the worldwide media, and in increasingly in legislatures (think anti-islamophobia and the latest, APR — Anti-Palestinian Race laws) is a real world demonstration of what is now an old cliche: The Jews are the canary in the coal mine.
An interesting and most valid exposition, however, I do question the balance between the antisemite
and the indifferent in both 1933-1945 Europe and in today's global society. Antisemites do have an unnerving knack of seemingly appearing from nowhere, yet Europe in the 1930s especially, was steeped in thousands of years of antisemitic intolerance which had led to pogroms and blood libels and all manner of violent Jew Hatred. Also, it is hard to conceive of Hitler's Third Reich carrying out the Final Solution without the ACTIVE support of millions of European antisemites, likewise the post-October 7th calls for Global Intifada to be answered by useful idiots whose minds had not already been turned by antisemitic beliefs and ideologies?
I declare this to be your absolute best yet. “The fringes thrive not in a vacuum, but in the blind spots of the majority” is brilliant and beautifully written all at once.
This complacency of the well-meaning majority is at the precise core of the West’s challenge. We need to recognize that because the fringes do not seek safety and security - and I would add comfort and contentment - we need to be vigilant in recognizing the threats, brutally stamp them out, and then go peaceably back to the rule of law.
Scary stuff Joshua. What do you suggest? As you point out, most people are just keeping their heads above water to survive day and by day. They will only act when pushed too far. By then their neighbour's are radicals, the lose everything and submit
How true, these radical movements anti-semetic, will not stop against Judism, it evolves towards any race, any society, culture, religion, a democratic law/institution, if it is not stopped fully with harsh punishment. It corrupts the peace & normality in any soceity, its like a rabies plaque, there is no rasionale, an ideology that infect. The chaos became also a hamas causing fear & terror, no peace/safety for any country. Noe it it is words but can beco.e weapons of destruction. It become a didsease
As usual, a brilliant analysis of where we find ourselves today, Joshua. It feels, right now, a bit like being sucked down a drain. Yet again, CBC lead the radio news this morning with its lopsided coverage of suffering in Gaza, so, while your points about indifference are truly devastating, I think you underestimate the numbers of the antisemitic relative to the indifferent. So many have already been brainwashed by the media, social media, and their friends and family.
Yes, useful to blame The Jews as a scapegoat when The State itself has been and is complicit in so many more crimes than Jewish and Israel's self defence in the current conflict. However, I do not recommend normalising or being silent in the face of Palestinian suffering. But History will show they have been so badly let down by their own Leadership: Statehood and Rights offered so many times. Now non of this is possible because their leaders opted for Genocide and Martyrdom.
I trust that Israelis are not creating Palestinian suffering if it can be avoided. I’ve read a lot of books about WW1 & 2 and many civilians suffered.
When a Black man died from having a knee compressing his neck, the mobilization was quick and vast and DEI was implemented and everything became "racist," and members of Congress wore African scarves and --I could go on and on. The entire country denounced "racism." When Asians were being attacked for a brief period of time during Covid, a large "Stop Asian Hate" campaign spread quickly. Russia attacks Ukraine? Big mobilization for Ukrainian support. But, yet again, even in the face of obvious and persistent world-wide Jew Hate, we can't get people mobilized to help us. Politicians in America and around the world do nothing or very little and many are antisemites themselves. The media makes it worse by constantly blaming Israel for everything. No matter how bad it gets for the Jews, no matter what might happen, I have little faith that "most people" will say or do anything to stand up for us. What to do?
Another great piece. Bystander Society : Conformity and Complicity in Nazi Germany and the Holocaust by Mary Fulbrook deals with the issues raised here. What makes Fulbrook’s book so interesting on this matter is that she relies extensively on essays submitted for a competition run in 1939 by 3 Harvard professors. The title of the competition essay was ‘My life in Germany before and after January 1933’
I’ll look up that book.
Outstanding analysis. Who was it who said” all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing”. And that’s the thing . People who don’t have a dog in the fight just ignore it because it doesn’t affect them . Or so they think. But it may start with the Jews but won’t finish with them.
First rate.
Excellent article. This should be in the NYT and any other well read newspaper. It seems that "fringes" come and go but pop up at the right time in history to sow seeds of discord and hatred. Too bad our feet, and voices, aren't big enough to stomp out their fire.
Why would it be in the NY Times. The position of the NY Times is that Israel is an evil mistake and left wing Jew hate doesnt exist.
A little education never hurts. But, they probably wouldn't want to hear from Hoffman anyway as you implied.
Lovely piece, Josh, well written and to the point. One oversight however: The Organised State, that is to say the part of the Government which NEVER relinquishes its power through The Secret Services ACTIVELY harbours and uses both Racism and Anti-Semitism to reboot The State's function in times of peril, either Real or Imagined. Other than this omission, a great piece of analysis and writing.
Left wing Jew hate is certainly not fringe.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,” supposedly uttered by Edmund Burke.
Most likely it was coined by the utilitarian philosopher John Stuart Mill who noted, “Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing. He is not a good man who, without a protest, allows wrong to be committed in his name, and with the means which he helps to supply, because he will not trouble himself to use his mind on the subject.”
The AltR's goal is a world order governed by white, Christian, racial purists.
The AltL's — the Red Green Alliance — goal is, informed by the neo-Marxism of Critical Race Theory, is the overthrow of Capitalism, Western Democratic principles such as individual rights, freedom of choice, equality before the law, and so on.
The Green's ultimate objective is Dahwah and the instillation of Sharia worldwide. One of their rallying cries is "Today, Saturday's people. Tomorrow, Sunday's people." Some European cities already have "no-go zones" which are effectively under Muslim rule.
If the Greens win, they will purge the Reds, as was done in Iran after the successful Mullah revolution. If the Reds win, admittedly unlikely, Racial Internationalism (DEI) no will dictate political agendas and social structures.
What we are witnessing today on the street, on campuses, in the worldwide media, and in increasingly in legislatures (think anti-islamophobia and the latest, APR — Anti-Palestinian Race laws) is a real world demonstration of what is now an old cliche: The Jews are the canary in the coal mine.
An interesting and most valid exposition, however, I do question the balance between the antisemite
and the indifferent in both 1933-1945 Europe and in today's global society. Antisemites do have an unnerving knack of seemingly appearing from nowhere, yet Europe in the 1930s especially, was steeped in thousands of years of antisemitic intolerance which had led to pogroms and blood libels and all manner of violent Jew Hatred. Also, it is hard to conceive of Hitler's Third Reich carrying out the Final Solution without the ACTIVE support of millions of European antisemites, likewise the post-October 7th calls for Global Intifada to be answered by useful idiots whose minds had not already been turned by antisemitic beliefs and ideologies?
I declare this to be your absolute best yet. “The fringes thrive not in a vacuum, but in the blind spots of the majority” is brilliant and beautifully written all at once.
This complacency of the well-meaning majority is at the precise core of the West’s challenge. We need to recognize that because the fringes do not seek safety and security - and I would add comfort and contentment - we need to be vigilant in recognizing the threats, brutally stamp them out, and then go peaceably back to the rule of law.
Scary stuff Joshua. What do you suggest? As you point out, most people are just keeping their heads above water to survive day and by day. They will only act when pushed too far. By then their neighbour's are radicals, the lose everything and submit
How true, these radical movements anti-semetic, will not stop against Judism, it evolves towards any race, any society, culture, religion, a democratic law/institution, if it is not stopped fully with harsh punishment. It corrupts the peace & normality in any soceity, its like a rabies plaque, there is no rasionale, an ideology that infect. The chaos became also a hamas causing fear & terror, no peace/safety for any country. Noe it it is words but can beco.e weapons of destruction. It become a didsease
Another outstanding piece, Joshua! Extremely well written/I learned a lot!
This Jew is not silent. I am very active.
And same to you! I am trying to inspire all Jews to fight as well.
Liberals and Liberalism keep us safe, reminding us of The Better Angels, Mr Zukmann. Rather Conscience than Barbarity.