I’m really, honestly, sincerely trying to wrap my head around antisemitism. I’m certain I don’t understand it from the antisemite’s point of view. Is the antisemite just following a family trend or community trend or even historical trend, for instance?

But I also don’t understand it from a Jew’s point of view. As I toss this around, it seems kind of paranoid or victim-ish. I mean, why bother to react?

‘Sticks and stones will break my bones’ & all that.

I could say that I was in a group hated by a great many Americans. I was a draft refuser, I went to prison. I was never attacked with violence, but it came close a few times.

And just tonight, I was thinking about  the instructive biblical mythology of Noah aand his son Ham. Ham is usually depicted as Black. And some say that this story was used as justification for slavery.

For more than 1300 years, Arabs used slavery, enslaving an estimated 10 ro 18 Black Africans.

"The legacy of the Arab slave trade has led to significant cultural blending and also lingering social and racial inequalities in affected regions. Discussions about this history are ongoing, with some scholars referring to the trade as a "veiled genocide" due to the high death tolls during transit and the practice of castration. Modern forms of human trafficking and exploitation in parts of North Africa and the Middle East persist today."

Almost 13 million Africans were captured and enslaved, sold by their own leaders. Nearly 3 million died in transport or from violence.

I mean, slavery was a Holocaust in itself. Disposable people.

Racism in a process of discrimination. I can answer how Blacks are discriminated against but I really don’t know that about Jews.

I don’t mean the camps or thr pogroms.  Those are extreme examples. I mean the everyday stuff about fitting into the wider society. In what cases were Jews permitted to do that? Could Jews live anywhere they chose? Did Jews suffer from job discrimination or lesser pay or…? The list goes on.

And then, of course, there are the actual Black Jews of Beta Israel, Ethiopians and Eritreans whom some characterise as a ‘lost tribe’. I can’t imagine that the Black Beta Israelites are treated to equality in Israel. Or am I wrong?

Google, for what it’s worth, says Black Jews in Israel face police brutality, racism and socioeconomic discrimination. Lower income levels, higher rate of unemployment and barriers to higher education.

In fact, it would seem that Black Jews have a community quite separate from Israeli society. It sounds like discrimination by a group, Jews, who are targeted themselves by racism in the form of antisemitism.

Most societies need an ‘other’, someone lesser, someone to look down on so their own flaws aren’t so apparent. So it is with antisemites, so it appears to be with Israeli Jews.

In looking at this, I see that the Right of Return under which the African Jews immigrated was promulgated three years before the Basic Laws. Since 1949, there has been no progress on a constitution for Israel.

Sidenote for extra credit. How can the 14 Basic Laws be bent to purpose, such as racism.

No society has perfect equality. I’m not trying to pick apart Israel. My commitment is to end war and conscription. I guess I’ll have to add racism and injustice.

Jew haters are mostly radical climate alarmists if westerners or muslims.

1 hour ago, unblocktheplanet said:

I was a draft refuser

Thats one way of putting it i guess. Glad you went to prison though.

6 minutes ago, blaze master said:

Thats one way of putting it i guess. Glad you went to prison though.

No regrets. I'd do it again.

Just now, unblocktheplanet said:

No regrets. I'd do it again.

I have no doubt about that. You did your country proud.

5 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

I’m really, honestly, sincerely trying to wrap my head around antisemitism. I’m certain I don’t understand it from the antisemite’s point of view. Is the antisemite just following a family trend or community trend or even historical trend, for instance?

There's lots of books on this going back over a hundred years. Maybe read Culture of Critique, Mein Kampf or The International Jew?

The general consensus seems to be ethnocentrism and subversion to take over organizations then act in the interest of Jews against the host population.

8 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

’m really, honestly, sincerely trying to wrap my head around antisemitism. I’m certain I don’t understand it from the antisemite’s point of view. Is the antisemite just following a family trend or community trend or even historical trend, for instance?

The problem is that those most likely to invoke the term, "Antisemitism" define it not in terms of explicit racism, but as any critique of Israel domestic and foreign policy, which is ludicrous. Anyway, I find it hysterical when a bunch of Israelis with European ancestor try to convince the world that that actually have Semitic blood ties. Palestinians are more Semitic than European Israelis.

Does racism have to be explained ? People hate another race, for whatever imaginary reason. People hate, get over it. I find racist, seem to talk about racism quite a bit, when it doesn't even exist or apply to the context of the conversation.

Not quite sure why Jews, especially, or all, any Semitics need their own word for supposed racism against them. Actually find it a bit confusing, and inclusive of so many. No other race/races have their own word to describe racism against them.

Opposite of what most people consider racism, as a bit too inclusive. It would be like if there was a word for racism against English speakers, or English speakers of one part of a continent, and same with Asian speakers. You're anti-SEA, how silly would that sound.

When I'm called anti-Semitic ... you need to specify, applying to which:

You're anti-Semitic .... "sorry, I don't know any Palestinians

You're anti-Semitic ... "sorry, do you mean Jews, because I love my relatives"

You're anti-Semitic ... "not sure, as don't know the ancestory of the blacks in my family"

So call me anti-Semitic, (I have been on AN), and I haven't a clue what you're talking about, because you obviously don't even know what it means.

4 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Does racism have to be explained ? People hate another race, for whatever imaginary reason. People hate, get over it. I find racist, seem to talk about racism quite a bit, when it doesn't even exist or apply to the context of the conversation.

Not quite sure why Jews, especially, or all, any Semitics need their own word for supposed racism against them. Actually find it a bit confusing, and inclusive of so many. No other race/races have their on word to describe racism against them.

Opposite of what most people consider racism, as a bit too inclusive. It would be like if there was a word for racism against English speakers, or English speakers of one part of a continent, and same with Asian speakers. You're anti-SEA, how silly would that sound.

When I'm called anti-Semitic ... you need to specify, applying to which:

You're anti-Semitic .... "sorry, I don't know any Palestinians

You're anti-Semitic ... "sorry, do you mean Jews, because I love my relatives"

You're anti-Semitic ... "not sure, as don't know the ancestory of the blacks in my family"

So call me anti-Semitic, (I have been on AN), and I haven't a clue what you're talking about, because you obviously don't even know what it means.

Anti Semi Trailer. I thought that when I was 10yo.

2 minutes ago, khaosokman said:

Anti Semi Trailer. I thought that when I was 10yo.

Dual trailers are even worse ... bastards.

23 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Does racism have to be explained ? People hate another race, for whatever imaginary reason.

Today that's not it at all. Racism has metastasized to mean merely wanting to be with our own people and exclude others. The basic borders controls we have in Thailand are considered racism in the USA because America doesn't respect freedom of association anymore.

George Wallace was the Alabama senator that said "Segregation now. Segregation tomorrow. Segregation forever." He said this because it was unjust for the common American who never owned slaves to be forced to live with the freed slaves.

If you're a respectful person who should respect other peoples boundaries and if they collectivize around a shared border you should accept that too.

Good ol' boy, Georgie. He came close to being assassinated and ended up in a wheelchair, no?

What a hateful man. He'd fit right in with Botha!

Racism is nothing compared to being born with ginger hair. As children me and my brother were ridiculed daily because of our hair colouring. There wasn't a day where either of us wasn't sent to the school headmaster to be punished for fighting piss takers. And it all boiled down to being called derogatory names just because of our hair colouring.

On 3/2/2026 at 9:10 AM, IvorBiggun2 said:

Racism is nothing compared to being born with ginger hair. As children me and my brother were ridiculed daily because of our hair colouring. There wasn't a day where either of us wasn't sent to the school headmaster to be punished for fighting piss takers. And it all boiled down to being called derogatory names just because of our hair colouring.

Strawberry blonde!

Poor man.

There is no need to be racist.

Hate every bastard equally

Tell that to muslims.

On 3/2/2026 at 9:10 AM, IvorBiggun2 said:

Racism is nothing compared to being born with ginger hair. As children me and my brother were ridiculed daily because of our hair colouring. There wasn't a day where either of us wasn't sent to the school headmaster to be punished for fighting piss takers. And it all boiled down to being called derogatory names just because of our hair colouring.

Yep, I received similar treatment when I was a small boy with Auburn coloured, thick tight curly hair.

Semitic people exist not only in parts of the Middle East but also in the horn of Africa and beyond. The idea that they are only Jews is a common misconception.

Anti-Semites hate both Jews and Arabs. Look up the word "Semite" to see that. I think most of this hatred by the West is due to Christianity.

I think most people who are "Jew-haters" right now are really "Israeli-haters." They hate the way Israel is conducting its genocide on the Palestinians in order to own all the land in Palestine.

I also think racism is practiced by all people. It's just the way we are. We are uncomfortable with people who don't look or think or act the way we are used to.

Many people think that Christ was either black or very dark skinned as is the case with many people from that region, and racism is just a manifestation of lack of self-esteem, very poor education, fear, and garbage from one's family or society.

As many of us know there is currently a white supremacist movement underway, and they are trying to instill the belief that anyone white is superior to anyone of color, which is completely ridiculous. Some of the most educated accomplished and amazing people I know are people of color and immigrants have made America what it is today.

Unfortunately we have truly ridiculous, shallow, hateful, nasty, horrific people like Donald Trump and Stephen Miller, who are pushing a white supremacist, white superiority, dark skin color is bad agenda, and a percentage of their less intellectual followers are buying into it.

Racism had never entered my life until I was dating an Indonesian girl.... My mother bailed me up one morning and said point blank we do not have mixed marriages in this family... I was 19 years old.

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Many people think that Christ was either black or very dark skinned as is the case with many people from that region, and racism is just a manifestation of lack of self-esteem, very poor education, fear, and garbage from one's family or society.

I imagine Christ was a fictional character, so would fulfill whatever fantasy a mentally ill person could have.

Racism is simply a natural life protection against unknown different people.

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

I imagine Christ was a fictional character, so would fulfill whatever fantasy a mentally ill person could have.

You are welcome to imagine all you want, it doesn't change history one iota. Labeling every Christian on the planet mentally ill is a rather cruel assessment, and one that is certainly very unnecessary in today's world of hatred, racism and intolerance.

3 hours ago, wombat said:

Racism had never entered my life until I was dating an Indonesian girl.... My mother bailed me up one morning and said point blank we do not have mixed marriages in this family... I was 19 years old.

How sad.

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

You are welcome to imagine all you want, it doesn't change history one iota. Labeling every Christian on the planet mentally ill is a rather cruel assessment, and one that is certainly very unnecessary in today's world of hatred, racism and intolerance.

The bible is not history, nothing in it is real.

It's more like Grimms fairytales.

On 2/28/2026 at 11:46 AM, unblocktheplanet said:

For more than 1300 years, Arabs used slavery, enslaving an estimated 10 ro 18 Black Africans.

The Arabs, Romans, Greeks and many others were equal opportunity enslavers. They traded goods for them (all slaves) and raided ships enslaving the crews and confiscating the ships or scuttling them. There were black slaves, white slaves, Christian slaves, Asian slaves, Jewish slaves, Arab slaves, Egyptian slaves, brown slaves, etc. It would be wrong to point the finger at anyone particular race, skin color or religion to blame for slavery or the slaves themselves.

No, the black Africans were not the major suppliers of slavery.

I agree with you. There should be no racial hate (aka racism), but there is. Sad really.

On 3/2/2026 at 9:10 AM, IvorBiggun2 said:

Racism is nothing compared to being born with ginger hair. As children me and my brother were ridiculed daily because of our hair colouring. There wasn't a day where either of us wasn't sent to the school headmaster to be punished for fighting piss takers. And it all boiled down to being called derogatory names just because of our hair colouring.

Well as the saying goes "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" ( except polio of course)

It will have been a bit unpleasant at the time, but I bet it toughened you up pretty quickly , and made you into the man you are today, There were a few gingers at my school , they got a bit of stick initially but not for long all of them ended up as hard as nails. even the girls!

That sort of thing actually does kids good , there was another lad who had a stutter, his nickname was "machine gun" but not for long , he soon learned how to handle himself , and after handing out a few good hidings, his confidence improved and his stutter disappeared,

On 2/28/2026 at 5:48 AM, blaze master said:

Thats one way of putting it i guess. Glad you went to prison though.

Why are you glad he went to prison?

Do you have any Combat Ribbons?

Your messiah thinks he deserves a Congressional Medal of Honor because he once spent 3 1/2 hours heavily shield in Iraq.

Some antisemites are selective, as they direct their hate at Arabs, not Jews.

In the various Gaza threads we had posters justifying the slaughter of tens of thousands of Palestinian children, who are apparently guilty or less than human because of their heritage.

Somehow those kids have guilt simply because of their ethnicity, so these posters support the killing or say "That will teach Hamas a lesson. Such blanket assertion of guilt simply because of the badness of some of similar heritage has a name: Racism.

We are seeing it again with Iran. The ayatollah was bad, so all Iranians get what they deserve, even if they hated the ayatollah.

That's racism.