Senior British diplomat goes into anti-Semitic rant

[Skeptic]

When someone says Israel should be wiped off the face of the Earth, they claim he's "not an antisemite, just an anti-Zionist".

Then, when someone goes on about the "f***ing Jews", they say it's all because of Israel's actions that he hates them.

So is hatered of Israel related to hatered of Jews, or is it not? Depends on what the "anti-Zionist" wants to prove at the moment.

 

[Skeptic]

But what the heck was this guy ARRESTED for? He's a jerk, fine. But is it ILLEGAL now to say nasty things about the Jews or the Israelies?

So, let's try:

"Muslims are dirty and smelly and not nice at all".

Have I now committed a hate crime (were I to say it seriously)? If I just said that in England, I can go to prison for seven years?

Bizzare.

 

[Elizabeth I]

It's my understanding (always subject to correction, of course) that the British upper class has always been close to rabid in its anti-Semitism (c.f. the Duke of Windsor - the former King Edward VIII - who I believe was an open Nazi sympathizer, and Princess Michael of Kent, the daughter of a Nazi official. And then there's always Prince Harry and his cute little Nazi uniform Halloween costume.)

 

[Thunder]

But what the heck was this guy ARRESTED for? He's a jerk, fine. But is it ILLEGAL now to say nasty things about the Jews or the Israelies?

So, let's try:

"Muslims are dirty and smelly and not nice at all".

Have I now committed a hate crime (were I to say it seriously)? If I just said that in England, I can go to prison for seven years?

Bizzare.

when I was in England this past summer, there was an article in the paper about a London lady who was arrested for telling some Pakistani kids "go back to where you come from".

clearly thought crimes are a big deal in Britain.

 

[Texas]

It appears that these types of laws appear to be a consequence of countries with large unassimilated immigrant populations.

 

[WildCat]

He was wrong to shout abuse at Jews, thus making it a Jewish issue, but considering the slaughter of the Palestinians by Israel in Gaza recently then I support his complaints about Israel for that.

Exactly! He should have used "Zionists" instead of Jews, so that everything he said is magically legitimate.

Use the code words people, and try not to wink when you use it.

 

[Skeptic]

Even worse: he used BOTH words at once, saying "******** Jews" AND "******** Israelies". He should have known there's no connection whatever between hating Jews and hating Israel.

But still, I don't get it. What law has he broken? Disliking Jews? Saying words that aren't nice about them? And he can go to jail for seven years over that?! WTF?

In the public forums, do not use incompletely masked obscenities.

Replying to this modbox in thread will be off topic  Posted By: Tricky

 

[Darat]

when I was in England this past summer, there was an article in the paper about a London lady who was arrested for telling some Pakistani kids "go back to where you come from".

clearly thought crimes are a big deal in Britain.

Any links?

 

[Ziggurat]

Use the code words people, and try not to wink when you use it.

Apparently he's not the only one who didn't get the message.

I think you better recirculate the memo, TFT.

 

[dudalb]

Oh, No, no antisemitism in the Anti Israel movement.No ,none at all.

 

[INRM]

I don't think it's right to arrest a person for saying things that are anti-Israel, or even anti-semitic and racist, so long as the person does not advocate *doing it* or *incites a riot*.

The diplomat in question may have actually crossed the line, though -- Although he didn't advocate wiping all the jews off the face of the earth, he advocated wiping all the IDF soldiers off the face of the earth (which is not technically racist). Still, advocating an act of war is not good business...

 

[Skeptic]

Still, INRM, even so. Shooting off one's mouth at the gym is not exactly the same as actually planning mass murder. Didn't you ever say "I wish so-and-so will drop dead"? Does that mean you should have gone to jail for conspiracy to commit murder?

 

[INRM]

Skeptic,

Under that argument, I suppose you make a point.

However a person specifically advocating acts of violence against groups of people you can obviously understand why that should be criminal...


INRM

 

[Undesired Walrus]

Any links?

Don't hold your breath.

 

[Beerina]

This is a tough call. On the one hand, you can be prosecuted in Britain for speaking hatefully against Jews; you can't in the U.S. So that would suggest that in Britain, there is greater formal disapproval of anti-semitism than in the U.S.

One could argue that the lack of freedom of speech, and empowering the government to silence certain opinions, was what got the Jews into trouble in WWII in the first place.

I.e. Lesson not learned by a European country.

 

[Darth Rotor]

No, of course not. What gave you that impression?

How would you know?

As to Beeps:

Ambassador to Somalia is a good call. Well played!

 

[Darth Rotor]

When someone says Israel should be wiped off the face of the Earth, they claim he's "not an antisemite, just an anti-Zionist".

Then, when someone goes on about the "f***ing Jews", they say it's all because of Israel's actions that he hates them.

So is hatered of Israel related to hatered of Jews, or is it not? Depends on what the "anti-Zionist" wants to prove at the moment.

So, tell me, if I tell you "F you" have I just labelled you an "effing Jew" or "an effing Zionist" or have I merely flipped you the bird without regard to your race, creed, culture, mother's blood, father's legacy, religion, national origin, habits, paranoia, taste in film, or choice of sports teams to root for?

DR

 

[Skeptic]

I don't know, but you better not do it -- you can go to jail for seven years, apparently.

 

[Sunstealer]

Is Britain really that much more anti-Semitic then the USA?

I couldn't answer that, but it is getting much worse. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/08/police-patrols-antisemitism-jewish-community

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7887511.stm

However, it's not surprising. Britain has allowed huge Muslim immigration in the last two decades and therefore you are going to get a rise in anti-Semitism as they bring their baggage with them. I'm sure that Britain hasn't been perfect before this time but Jews have been in Britain for about 1000 years and are integrated well in modern times. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_England#Modern_Times

 

[Skeptic]

By the way, to the moderator: *I* didn't use asterkisks to "mask obscenities"; the *original article* I was quoting did.