Posted by artsybrute [ 68.196.185.14 ] on February 22, 2004 at 19:37:35:
In Reply to: Well.... posted by wunhuanglo on February 21, 2004 at 20:06:55:
"there's nothing in the search results you cited or any news report I've heard that mentioned the "uninvestigated killing of Jewish children in their playgrounds". That still seems quite over the top."
You're right, I can't find the reports of children dying in the schollyards. I tried the Weisenthal site where I found http://www.wiesenthal.com/social/press/pr_item.cfm?itemID=5852, but I can't find the list of incidents in France that is mentioned.
As for attacks on children in French schools, there is http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=151220&contrassID=3&subContrassID=0&sbSubContrassID=0
For a list of anti-semitic acts in Europe including people being killed in France and Tunisia, there is http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=169625&contrassID=2&subContrassID=15&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y
For firebombings of schools and houses of worship in France only until about a year ago, there is http://www.coldfury.com/Sasha/archives/003553.html
So maybe I spoke out of turn. I thought those killed were the schoolchildren in the kindergarten schoolyard that was attacked by teenagers. I can't that particular incident right now. However, there were killings and there were attacks on schools.
"That there is a centuries old "tradition" of anti-semitism in western Europe there is no doubt."
What all these reports agree upon is that anti-semitism in (all of) Europe is *growing* at an alarming rate. Many agree that anti-semitism is a barometer of social intolerance in general. No, I won't do searches on that.
"That it parallels the black racisim of the US is also quite true."
Only in that it is a barometer. There is an alarming amount of racism and bigotry all over the world. Some believe that the tribe (or gang) mentality was a survival mechanism for humans in the past and is therefore a natural phenomenon. I think we all agree that acts of bigotry have no place in the modern world, so fueling the bigotry itself is inappropriate.
"But open season on school children? Unsubstantiated"
I'll agree that I have not found mention of deaths due to attacks in schoolyards so I spoke out of turn, but these attacks are prevalent and documented above.(I used to have a link to an Israeli site on anti-semitism in Europe until my computer crash and I remember that incident clearly. I also had links to problems in Thailand, the middle and far east, especially a news site discussing anti-chinese prejudice in Malaysia. In that regard you are right, it is all the same problem).
But we still disagree. To me, just because I can't quickly find links to the deaths of these particular schoolchildren does not mean that, as you put it, saying it's open season on schoolchildren is quite over the top. One teenage boy was stabbed 27 times, two young girls were hurt in their schoolbuses, and other schools and schoolbuses were firebombed. Rabbis and businessmen were attacked, some were killed. You may take me to task personally for not being able to document a particular incident, but I do not believe that you can discount the fact that there is a growing problem that does not need to be fueled.
Also documented above is Chirac's early denial of any anti-semitism in France until a year or so ago. This denial led to the paucity and brevity of investigations surrounding these incidents. And this is just in France, which was only used as an example.
So I still think the point, that it is irresponsible for Gibson to ignite a powder keg of (documented) emerging anti-semitism, stands.
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