I grew up in Nashville among many Jews, just after Belle Meade Country Club opened its membership to Jews. I went to Overton for 7th and 8th grades when it was a 7-12 grade school, and later BGA (quite a few Jews) while my girlfriend went to Hillwood a school that was I think majority Jews. I have always been a Jewish apologist. I remain a strong friend of the Jews.
During recent decades the country of Israel has transformed itself from “a beacon of democracy” into an autocracy that i think of as an auxiliary member of the axis of evil. I do not conflate persons of Jewish heritage with the political leadership of the State of Israel. For the former I remain loyal and respectful. For the people of the State of Israel at present I am dismayed and sorrowful. As a US citizen, I will continue to support and take personal action to depose Trump and Netanyahu from their positions as heads of governments.
Condemning the actions by a government is far, far from condemning a people. For a clear example, the US governments for decades have condemned the government of Iran while supporting its Muslim people to depose the government. Think of the Arabian people and their authoritarian government. A slightly less clear example, but clear nonetheless, is the call by many governments and by the majority of the American people, for our present president to be replaced (our republic’s elected representatives do not presently want that). Trump labels himself a Christian. Seeking to replace Trump is not anti-Christian and is not ant-Germanic; such a thing is political pure and simple.
Seeking to have Israel pursue different domestic and foreign policies than are presently implemented is not anti-Jewish. It is anti-Israeli and only in the same sense that thwarting any present government’s actions is anti a country. Jews and Arabians and Koreans do not stand in for the governments of their respective countries. They are separate. Antisemitism is an action only with respect to a people and not a country.
I grew up in Nashville among many Jews, just after Belle Meade Country Club opened its membership to Jews. I went to Overton for 7th and 8th grades when it was a 7-12 grade school, and later BGA (quite a few Jews) while my girlfriend went to Hillwood a school that was I think majority Jews. I have always been a Jewish apologist. I remain a strong friend of the Jews.
During recent decades the country of Israel has transformed itself from “a beacon of democracy” into an autocracy that i think of as an auxiliary member of the axis of evil. I do not conflate persons of Jewish heritage with the political leadership of the State of Israel. For the former I remain loyal and respectful. For the people of the State of Israel at present I am dismayed and sorrowful. As a US citizen, I will continue to support and take personal action to depose Trump and Netanyahu from their positions as heads of governments.
Condemning the actions by a government is far, far from condemning a people. For a clear example, the US governments for decades have condemned the government of Iran while supporting its Muslim people to depose the government. Think of the Arabian people and their authoritarian government. A slightly less clear example, but clear nonetheless, is the call by many governments and by the majority of the American people, for our present president to be replaced (our republic’s elected representatives do not presently want that). Trump labels himself a Christian. Seeking to replace Trump is not anti-Christian and is not ant-Germanic; such a thing is political pure and simple.
Seeking to have Israel pursue different domestic and foreign policies than are presently implemented is not anti-Jewish. It is anti-Israeli and only in the same sense that thwarting any present government’s actions is anti a country. Jews and Arabians and Koreans do not stand in for the governments of their respective countries. They are separate. Antisemitism is an action only with respect to a people and not a country.