(The Conversation) Dov Waxman - People often think that antisemitism just means hating Jews. But it is more useful to think of antisemitism as a kind of racism. Antisemitism is "anti-Jewish racism." It can involve overt hostility, or covert bias. It can be intentional or unintentional. It can be expressed in stereotypes, in coded language, and in conspiracy theories. Most people do not know the long history of malicious myths and conspiracy theories about Jews that have circulated for centuries. Nearly half of Americans told pollsters they do not even know what the word antisemitism means. Countering antisemitism, therefore, requires educating people about antisemitism. As the number of reported antisemitic incidents in the U.S. surges to record levels, there is an urgent need to do so. The writer is Professor of Israel Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles.
2022-11-17 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive