NYC’s anti-Semitic spree

[PureX]

The economy is crappy.

The rise of populism and divisie politics.

The people feel insecure.

They take out their insecurities on traditional scapegoats.

I agree that these are factors. But why this particular choice of 'scapegoat', right now? The world is full of scapegoats: gays, women, foreigners of any kind, people with skin color not of the majority, any religion not of the majority, people who dare to speak out against the political status quo, on and on it goes. And is there really evidence of these suggested causes in the specific cases we've seen so far? Or, if they really are just complete nutjobs and the victims just happened to be Jewish, then why the marked uptick in violence among the world's nutjobs?

 

[Tumah]

That's just a bizarre response.

It's kind of weird that you say that, because that's exactly your earlier post, only with a different set of people.

 

[Rival]

I agree that these are factors. But why this particular choice of 'scapegoat', right now? The world is full of scapegoats: gays, women, foreigners of any kind, people with skin color not of the majority, any religion not of the majority, people who dare to speak out against the political status quo, on and on it goes. And it there really evidence of these suggested causes in the specific cases we've seen so far? Or, if they really are just complete nutjobs and the victims just happened to be Jewish, then why the marked uptick in violence among the world's nutjobs?

Jewish folks are more outwardly different and are one of the oldest most traditional scapegoats around, seems to be the reason.

 

[PureX]

For some strange reason, when it comes to any other group, no one looks for instigating factors and that makes no sense to me. Does the BLM movement want to think about what fuels bigotry? Maybe there is some other reason other then, well, hatred. Or if a woman runs over a Hispanic teenager, maybe there is a reason, other than that she hates Hispanic people. Understanding her thinking might be helpful, especially when an attack in New York could be tied to the behavior of a government a couple of thousand miles away. And yet no one seems to ask these questions. Almost like there is a conspiracy or something.

There is always a reason, even if the reason is unreasonable. Hatred is not a self-sustaining entity that involuntarily captures people's minds and hearts. It is a choice. And people make that choice for some reason(s). And when we see a trend in hate inspired violence, we should pay attention to what is driving those choices, because just writing it off to insanity does nothing to help us mitigate the danger and suffering those choices are going to cause.

 

[PureX]

Jewish folks are more outwardly different and are one of the oldest most traditional scapegoats around, seems to be the reason.

I almost never meet a Jew and think to myself, "that person's a Jew". I would have no way of knowing he/she were Jewish until they told me. Which is why most of these attacks are against synagogues and Jews in traditional garb. Because the attackers wouldn't know their victims were Jews, otherwise. So the idea that Jews "stand out" in some way is not that reasonable. So is there something about Judaism, itself, that invites this ire? I don't see it, either.

In the past, in Europe, I think Jews were 'stand-offish' relative to the communities in which they lived, and this invited the ire of the people around them. They were viewed as being elitists, and that did make them targets. But I'm not seeing that these days. Most Jews blend into their surrounding society so well that they are nearly indistinguishable. So there would be no reason for that old elitist ire to manifest.

So, if it's not a personality clash, and it's not a religious/ideological clash, what it is?

 

[rosends]

There is always a reason, even if the reason is unreasonable. Hatred is not a self-sustaining entity that involuntarily captures people's minds and hearts. It is a choice. And people make that choice for some reason(s). And when we see a trend in hate inspired violrnce, we should pay attention to what is driving those choices, because just writing it off to insanity does nothing to help us mitigate the danger and suffering those choices are going to cause.

Hatred is actually self-sustaining, without any other reason beyond otherness. It is invented, taught, accepted as normal and justified and is often its own justification. What drives the choice is hate and a need to act out. Trying to tie it to anything else results in victim-blaming. When the "anything else" is totally unrelated, its choice tells about the explainer, as well.

 

[Harel13]

In the past, in Europe, I think Jews were 'stand-offish' relative to the communities in which they lived, and this invited the ire of the people around them. They were viewed as being elitists, and that did make them targets. But I'm not seeing that these days. Most Jews blend into their surrounding society so well that they are nearly indistinguishable. So there would be no reason for that old ire to manifest.

To what era are you referring to? In the Middle Ages, Jews were locked in their own neighborhoods and were treated as third-class citizens.
In the Enlightenment period, they started getting more rights and those that wanted to be like everyone else started blending in. Those that didn't want to hang around with gentiles that still hated them, kept to themselves. So when exactly were Jews elitists?

 

[Vee]

Today was attack # 10 against Jews during Hanukkah. All these attacks have been in Brooklyn. Today five people were stabbed at a Hanukkah party.

I’ve always thought of the US as a safe place for Jews to be. I don’t know about that anymore.

There is a culture of hatred that is spreading fast across the world. I'm not exactly surprised, but it's scary and sad. Instead of becoming more respectful and kind to each other, it's going the other way around.

 

[PureX]

Hatred is actually self-sustaining, without any other reason beyond otherness. It is invented, taught, accepted as normal and justified and is often its own justification. What drives the choice is hate and a need to act out. Trying to tie it to anything else results in victim-blaming. When the "anything else" is totally unrelated, its choice tells about the explainer, as well.

So were any of these factors present in the recent perpetrators? Were they raised in bigotry? Did they have a life-long history of spewing hatred against Jews? If they had some innate need to act out, why didn't they act out before now? What triggered their acting out, now?

 

[amorphous_constellation]

Today was attack # 10 against Jews during Hanukkah. All these attacks have been in Brooklyn. Today five people were stabbed at a Hanukkah party.

I’ve always thought of the US as a safe place for Jews to be. I don’t know about that anymore.

That's unfortunate, but the u.s. is also a less and less safe place for anyone. I have a have a hippie friend from the 60's (took photos of hendrix , saw the doors.. saw many greats) whom I talk to every couple weeks and he told me for example, that all the school shootings of these modern times were absolutely unheard of in his time. And that he never saw the government barricading block parties in town, for example, such that a car couldn't drive into until modern times. What is your observation to this end, since you have lived a good while as well? You probably never had anything that even compared to the vegas shooter etc. back in the 70's or 60's. It's horrible, horrible times we are in

 

[PureX]

There is a culture of hatred that is spreading fast across the world. I'm not exactly surprised, but it's scary and sad. Instead of becoming more respectful and kind to each other, it's going the other way around.

What do you think is causing and/or fueling this global culture of violent animosity? Seems like there must be some reason for it.

 

[rosends]

So were any of these factors present in the recent perpetrators? Were they raised in bigotry? Did they have a life-long history of spewing hatred against Jews? If they had some innate need to act out, why didn't they act out before now? What triggered their acting out, now?

As stated, their underlying and pre-existing hate saw an opportunity -- because others have done it and gotten away with it, they feel emboldened. Do you think that a random guy in Monsey suddenly had a bad experience with these Jews yesterday? Or that he was reading about Bibi Netanyahu and decided that it made sense to attack a Chanukah party and slash a 71 yesr old man with a machete?

 

[PureX]

As stated, their underlying and pre-existing hate saw an opportunity -- because others have done it and gotten away with it, they feel emboldened. Do you think that a random guy in Monsey suddenly had a bad experience with these Jews yesterday? Or that he was reading about Bibi Netanyahu and decided that it made sense to attack a Chanukah party and slash a 71 yesr old man with a machete?

I don't know. But I think someone ought to make an effort to find out, because these incidents are increasing.

 

[rosends]

I don't know. But I think someone ought to make an effort to find out, because these incidents are increasing.

At least in part they are increasing because people want to spend time looking for a reason instead of just acknowledging baseless anti-Semitism.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

In the latest stabbings and other attacks not much was said about White Nationalism, Neo- Nazis, or Trump.

Wonder why that is....

Because many of the attackers are not white.

 

[Rival]

Because the attackers are not white.

This may come as a shock, but I know a person who was a WN and NS who is mixed. It can happen.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

Has any of this to do with the horrific behavior of the Israeli government, lately? No one seems to be willing to even ask that question for fear of being labeled an anti-Semite.

Are you serious? That's like saying that because the Chinese government does wrong it would make so-called sense for people to attack Chinese. Ridiculous.

 

[Vee]

What do you think is causing and/or fueling this global culture of violent animosity? Seems like there must be some reason for it.

I think there are many reasons depending on where you are, but one of them is the blaming of other cultures for society's problems. It's much easier to point at certain groups and blame them for the bad things that are happening around us than to look deeper and find the real causes. Meanwhile, innocent people are suffering and those who cause harm to others and the planet are having the time of their life.

 

[rosends]

If anyone wants to go looking for a "reason," the speaker in this video (turn volume up) seems to know the reason

Dylan Meisner on Twitter

 

[PureX]

At least in part they are increasing because people want to spend time looking for a reason instead of just acknowledging baseless anti-Semitism.

Well, that made no sense, but it if made you feel better ...