If You Redefine It As Something It Ain’t –

– you can make the numbers say anything you want….. can the first “hate crime” trial for criticizing Israeli policy be far behind?

“Anti-Semitism has proven to be an adaptive phenomenon,” the report said. “New forms of anti-Semitism have evolved. They often incorporate elements of traditional anti-Semitism. However, the distinguishing feature of the new anti-Semitism is criticism of Zionism or Israeli policy that – whether intentionally or unintentionally – has the effect of promoting prejudice against all Jews by demonizing Israel and Israelis and attributing Israel’s perceived faults to its Jewish character.”

Now that criticism of Israeli government policy is anti-Semitic both north and south of the border I have to wonder when the first hate crime trials will fire up based on the new order.

– after all, with that sort of wide sweeping definition how can anti-Semitism do anything but increase?

Tune in next week when The Decider expands the definition of traitor to include criticism of American foreign policy, and Harper rewrites the definitions of transparent and accountable to include anything his government does.

[h/t Creekside ]

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9 Responses to “If You Redefine It As Something It Ain’t –”

  1. Robert McClelland on May 9th, 2008 at 2:26 pm

    can the first “hate crime” trial for criticizing Israeli policy be far behind?

    I hope it’s over this anti-semitism.

    While a military board of inquiry investigation into the “tragic and preventable” death of a Canadian peacekeeper in July 2006 was limited by Israel’s lack of co-operation, it has found the Israeli Defence Force was clearly to blame.

    Or maybe over this anti-semitism.

    But a strongly worded diplomatic caution from Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier, who said Canada is concerned about the Israeli measures in retaliation – including military operations which impact civilians – immediately drew a sharp response.

    It’s high time we put an end to this type of anti-semitism from our Jew hating Conservative government.

  2. Mike on May 9th, 2008 at 2:31 pm

    And then some of these same jackasses stand shoulder to shoulder with actual Nazis and claim they are warriors for freedom and liberty?

    Orwell must be spinning in his grave…

  3. throbbin on May 9th, 2008 at 5:17 pm

    Wow, that is pretty bad.

    So, does this mean I hate Canadians if I criticize Canadian Government policies?

    Or does there have to be an ethnic component? If I the Harper administration, does that mean I’m anti-English?

    Or is there a religious component? I criticize the policies of the Catholic Church and I’m anti-Christian?

    I don’t even know what to say. This if f&$*ing stupid.

  4. balbulican on May 10th, 2008 at 5:38 am

    Hard to say whether the Conservatives are adopting Blogging Tory tactics or vice versa, but this, of course, is an old theme at the bunker.

    I’ve been referred to as a Holocaust Denier, an anti-Semite, and a “well known anti Zionist”…always without a link or a quote. That’s understandable, because those statements are lies.

  5. Marky Mark on May 10th, 2008 at 11:03 am

    The quote from The Gazette had the PM saying only that “some” criticism of Israel is due to anti-Semitism. He didn’t say that criticism of Israel is always an expression of anti-Semitism.

    It seems to me that if it is true that criticism of Israel (or even being against the idea of Zionism) is different from anti-Semitism, that doesn’t mean that someone who is anti-Israel can’t also be an anti-Semite. In other words, there are anti-Zionists who really are anti-Semites.

    However, if he is going to say that some MP’s are anti-Israel to the point of being anti-Semitic, that’s a fairly spectacular charge requiring the media to demand just what MP’s he is tarnishing.

  6. stageleft on May 10th, 2008 at 11:21 am

    I am not going to try and front the idea that there are those who attempt to hide their anti-Semitism under the cover of criticism of Israeli government policy, I will say that they tend to ultimately expose themselves for the bigots that they are.

    The Canadian & American governments equating criticism of Israeli policy as even close to anti-Semitism is nothing more than another thinly veiled Conservative attempt at silencing that criticism. There are, of course, a great number of other types of bigots, racists, and authoritarians, who will be quite happy with that state of affairs – and yea shall probably know them by their applauding of the new definition.

  7. “Tell us who exactly are the anti-Semites that the prime minister is talking about” « rjjago.wordpress.com on May 10th, 2008 at 11:28 am

    [...] StageLeft on how to miss the point. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Musharraf authorizes another 9-11 on us to reunify Pakistan -spoof [...]

  8. Marky Mark on May 10th, 2008 at 11:47 am

    I don’t disagree and I think it’s wrong for two reasons. One, it’s morally wrong to accuse critics of Israel of being anti-Semites. Two, that stance also ends up giving the real anti-Semites a free pass.

  9. Stageleft:. Life on the left side : Open Trackbacks & Comments Sunday on May 11th, 2008 at 9:01 am

    [...] we noted in an earlier post governments both north and south of the border have redefined anti-Semitism, the usual suspects [...]

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