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May 9, 2008 at 18:03:54     Permalink What is with this anti-Jewish stuff? Diary Entry by Steven Leser (about the author)

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In the last 48 hours, there has been a flurry of posts against Jews. Bigotry has no place in the mindset of anyone on the progressive left.

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Hello all my fellow OEN'ers. I feel like this discussion is a long needed continuation of all of the "Zionist" discussions we had some time ago. In the last 48 hours, there has been a flurry of posts against Jews. Bigotry has no place in the mindset of anyone on the progressive left. I would be equally upset against any posts against women, those of African descent, Hispanics, the GLBT community, Muslims, Arabs, Iranians, Asians, etc., you get the picture.

It is lazy thinking to say that any problem you are talking about is the fault of any of the above listed minority groups. It is also, in my humble opinion, lazy thinking/writing to use the "Zionist" label to refer to antagonists in the Middle East or elsewhere. There are two distinct groups that you are lumping together. #1 - Neocons, and #2 - Israelis on the political right in that country. I frequently refer to them as Likudniks.

While there are some similarities between Likudniks and Neocons, they are not the same, and lumping them together and calling them a name like "Zionists" that can be confused with "Jews" is lazy thinking and writing, unnecessary and has the effect of making members of the OpEdNews community feel like they are being attacked.

I understand that at one point in time, namely the 1940's and before that, it was accepted that the word Zionism referred to a movement to establish a Jewish state in what was then Palestine. That state exists and thus that movement no longer does and thus the word is passe.

By the way, aside from use of the word Zionist, there were several posts recently that attacked Jews directly, not using the word Zionist, and also someone referred to the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, a notorious and well documented Hoax and viciously anti-Jewish screed, as the truth.

Just to some up, bigotry has no place in the progressive left, and there are more correct words to use instead of Zionism that do not have some wondering whether or not you are attacking Jews and not neocons or Likudniks. Let's not have bigotry toward anyone polluting OEN.

 

An OEN Editor, Steven Leser specializes in Politics, Science & Health, and Entertainment topics. He has held positions within the Democratic Party including District Chair and Public Relations Chair within county organizations.

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