Tuesday, March 02, 2004
"Philo-Semitic" Anti-Semitism
speakingcorpse writes:
In case anyone was wondering whether I had gone off the deep end because I have been so I insistent about connecting uncritical support of Israel with anti-Semitism, and connecting both of these with the crucifixion, let me announce for the record that I am completely serious about all of this. There has been an upsurge of support in America for the racist and self-destructive policies of the Israeli Likud. The support often comes from hardline Christians, who accuse moderates (yes, I am a moderate) on the Israel issue of being "anti-Semites." These same guardians of the Jews and warriors against Jew hatred are very big fans of a current film, "The Passion of the Christ," which is anti-Semitic (it reflects the director's choice to revive an old aesthetic tradition--the passion play--which was designed to inspire guilt and anger in its audiences; guilt for needing and wanting Christ to die, anger at the Jews who wanted the death even more, and aren't grateful for it; passion plays in the Middle Ages were often explicitly associated with anti-Jew violence). So: fans of medieval anti-Semitism, people who long for the Christianization of America, are constantly and fanatically defending the manifestly self-destructive policies of the Israeli Likud, and accusing people who disagree (mostly Jews, in case you were wondering--Jews constitute the vast majority of liberal critics of Israel, in Israel and America) of being anti-Semites. So put two and two together: it is the anti-Semites (the real ones, the bloodthirsty reactionary Christians) who are the most fanatical supporters of regressive Israeli policies. This is not a coincidence.
I've discovered a weblog whose author takes of all of this very seriously. He's a prominent economist named Max Sawicky, who has much to say about the relation of anti-Semitism to the patronizing "Philo-Semitism" (Jew loving) of those who believe the Jews killed Jesus.
(NOTE: the belief that the Jews killed Jesus has long been associated--since Augustine--with the idea that the Jews must publicly suffer to remind Christians of their sin and Christ's gift; Jews, said Augustine, ought not be exterminated, just publicly abused. Modern "Philo-Semitism", which has been around since the 19th century when self-righteous British imperialists began to think the state of Israel would be a fun way to help (and get rid of) those tenacious Jews (see George Eliot's "Daniel Deronda") is perfectly consistent with the Augustinian doctrine of exemplary Jewish suffering. How? Think "compassionate conservatism." The suffering we see is necessary and GOOD; so we can stop cursing the victims and instead declare our "compassion" for them; which does not, of course, mean that the suffering should ever STOP...) Anyway, here's Max Sawicky; there's a lot of other related material at his site, MaxSpeak:
posted by Blicero : 3/02/2004 05:35:00 PM
In case anyone was wondering whether I had gone off the deep end because I have been so I insistent about connecting uncritical support of Israel with anti-Semitism, and connecting both of these with the crucifixion, let me announce for the record that I am completely serious about all of this. There has been an upsurge of support in America for the racist and self-destructive policies of the Israeli Likud. The support often comes from hardline Christians, who accuse moderates (yes, I am a moderate) on the Israel issue of being "anti-Semites." These same guardians of the Jews and warriors against Jew hatred are very big fans of a current film, "The Passion of the Christ," which is anti-Semitic (it reflects the director's choice to revive an old aesthetic tradition--the passion play--which was designed to inspire guilt and anger in its audiences; guilt for needing and wanting Christ to die, anger at the Jews who wanted the death even more, and aren't grateful for it; passion plays in the Middle Ages were often explicitly associated with anti-Jew violence). So: fans of medieval anti-Semitism, people who long for the Christianization of America, are constantly and fanatically defending the manifestly self-destructive policies of the Israeli Likud, and accusing people who disagree (mostly Jews, in case you were wondering--Jews constitute the vast majority of liberal critics of Israel, in Israel and America) of being anti-Semites. So put two and two together: it is the anti-Semites (the real ones, the bloodthirsty reactionary Christians) who are the most fanatical supporters of regressive Israeli policies. This is not a coincidence.
I've discovered a weblog whose author takes of all of this very seriously. He's a prominent economist named Max Sawicky, who has much to say about the relation of anti-Semitism to the patronizing "Philo-Semitism" (Jew loving) of those who believe the Jews killed Jesus.
(NOTE: the belief that the Jews killed Jesus has long been associated--since Augustine--with the idea that the Jews must publicly suffer to remind Christians of their sin and Christ's gift; Jews, said Augustine, ought not be exterminated, just publicly abused. Modern "Philo-Semitism", which has been around since the 19th century when self-righteous British imperialists began to think the state of Israel would be a fun way to help (and get rid of) those tenacious Jews (see George Eliot's "Daniel Deronda") is perfectly consistent with the Augustinian doctrine of exemplary Jewish suffering. How? Think "compassionate conservatism." The suffering we see is necessary and GOOD; so we can stop cursing the victims and instead declare our "compassion" for them; which does not, of course, mean that the suffering should ever STOP...) Anyway, here's Max Sawicky; there's a lot of other related material at his site, MaxSpeak:
WHEN PHILO-SEMITES ATTACK
I've been warning for a long time -- well, a couple of years at least -- that Christians who exalt Israeli militarism and cultural conservatism are not necessarily friends of the Jews. No more than white baseball fans of Jackie Robinson were necessarily friends of African-Americans. Philo-semitism can become anti-semitism.
The impression I get from honest reviewers is that Gibson's film includes a layer of anti-semitism. It's soft on the Romans and Pontius Pilate, and tough on the mob and the local Jewish elite. So we have this huge phenomenon of popular culture giving rise to predictable actions among some of our mental lumpenproletariat.
So what of the long-standing project to wean Jews away from the Democratic Party? This film plays to anti-semitism. It is being used as a recruitment device by some Christian churches. Meanwhile the President is going to defend marriage against the unbelievers. The R's are inclining against the center and towards their theocratic wing. Right-wing pundits attack critics of the film as Hollywood elites.
If you didn't know, the notion of the rootless, non-patriotic, insular, cosmopolitan elite is one of the oldest chestnuts of anti-semitism, along with the international speculator. That is the well from which the pundits are drawing. Fascists identify cultural elites or financial operators as ruling elites.
More.
posted by Blicero : 3/02/2004 05:35:00 PM
