As an Arab Muslim, I do agree that one cannot be a semite, and be an anti-semite at the same time. I, of course, do not deny that the definition of a semite is:1.a member of any of various ancient and modern peoples originating in southwestern Asia, including the Akkadians, Canaanites, Phoenicians, Hebrews, and Arabs.
Hence, an arab muslim as a semite, cannot be an anti-semite.
I Also know, that this is how the english language has evolved. So it does'nt really matter. Today, when you say that a person is an anti-semite, it means he is anti-jewish. And I, for one, have no problem with that.
What does bother me though (and this btw, might be off topic, because it seems this thread talks mostly about the terminology of the word/s "anti-semitism"), is that in the western world, and Europe for that matter, a person can almost be an ant-whatever he wants and get away with it. For instance, many people in the western world, and in Europe, are anti-Islamists. They fight Islam, write books on how Islam=terrorism, they call the our Prophet (PBUH) and his companions terrorists etc. (and they do this out in the open). So they are virtually, anti-islamists by every meaning of the word. Yet all of these acts, are considered part of "freedom of speech". And all of what this person has said, or done, towards Islam or muslims, has no effect on this persons life. These people are not dealt with in any way, and are probably encouraged in some parts of the world.
Then we come to anti-semites, anti-jews. In the western world, and Europe, it is prohibited for one to be an anti-semite. In other words its a crime for one to be anti-jewish. Not only can this person be persectued and improsined by the government, his reputation goes down the drain, and his career is probably over. Furthermore, his life is virtually over, once this gets out (and i'm not saying this is if it was some made up fairytale, this HAS happened before). Now, what kind of injustice is this? Where are these nations who claim to be part of this so called "freedom of speech"? Why is it such a crime for a person to be anti-jewish, but not anti-muslim? And this does'nt go for those who are solely anti-jewish , just for the sake of it i mean, but for people who for instance doubt the holocaust, or say that it has been blown way out of proportion. Or even for people who do not agree that the state of Israel has the right to exist. These people are condemned by both the government and society. This is what I hate about the word anti-semitism TODAY.
By writing this i am not saying that Islam teaches us to hate Jews, or make them our enemies, merely because they are Jews (or anybody esle for that matter). Nor do i justify the beliefs or acts of Muslims who do so. But this is the injustice i see happening before me.
(I apologize if i have gone off topic. If any of the RF's moderators think that this post is irrelevant to the topic, or that it might start a debate, i will gladly move it to a new thread on anti-semitism in the general debates section-please don't erase the post until you let me know though). Thank you.
