[net.religion.jewish] The use of the term "anti semitic"

tamir@ucbvax.ARPA (Yuval Tamir) (02/17/85)

In article <486@sfmag.UUCP> samet@sfmag.UUCP (A.I.Samet) writes:
>> Many of the orthodox Jews are just as extreme as the
>> Moslems in Iran. When they talk they sound just like the Ayatola (sp?).
>>  ( The above is my writing. Yuval Tamir)
>
>Aren't you following the Ayatola?
>The tone and content of your entire article is anti-semitic, extreme, dogmatic
>paranoid, and vicious.

I wonder how many net.religion.jewish readers are bothered by the
way some Jews use the term "anti semitic". There is definitely
a lot of real anti semitism in the world. Under the right
circumstances it may surface in any country and result
in the type of persecution Jews have suffered throughout history.
However, some Jews tend to label "anti semitic" any person
who disagrees with their philosophical/political/religious views.
This bothers me since I think it desensitizes Jews and nonJews
alike so that when real anti-semitism rears its ugly head
people may say "this is just those paranoid Jews crying wolf
once again".
Comments ?

BTW, I am Jewish and my family is Jewish. I believe that we
are no better or worse than others simply because we are Jewish.
I feel the same about ultra-orthodox religious Jews that try
to force their beliefs on other Jews as I feel about
ultra-orthodox people of all religions who try to do the same.
If you are an orthodox religious Jews, think about how you
would feel if Moslems tried to force you to follow their
religion. That is the way I feel when the orthodox Jews
try to force me to live my life according to their beliefs.

				 Yuval Tamir

P.S. Regarding the topic of "Jewish State vs. State for the Jews",
     I refer you to message 960@ihuxn.UUCP from Yosi Hoshen
     and leave it at that.

samet@sfmag.UUCP (A.I.Samet) (02/19/85)

> However, some Jews tend to label "anti semitic" any person
> who disagrees with their philosophical/political/religious views.

> >Aren't you following the Ayatola?
> >The tone and content of your entire article is anti-semitic, extreme, dogmatic
> >paranoid, and vicious.

Yuval-

I stopped short of  calling YOU  an anti-semite. Instead, I posed
a  question concerning "tone and content", to focus on the tragic
similarities between your crude,   hateful  attacks  on   certain
Jews  and  those of antisemites.  The choice of words is required
to illustrate that  valid, ironic, similarity.

Unfortunately the  wording gave you an excuse to dodge the thrust
of that question.

I will rephrase it:  "Does  being  Jewish  give  you  license  to
attack  other  Jews  in  the  low, hateful manner that  virtually
characterizes the (non-Jewish) antisemite?"

Why do you stoop to their means and mentality?

					Yitchok Samet