Friday, May 15, 2009

It's our fault

Why is Europe so anti-Semitic again? We can assume that there is something fundamental in European culture that such a long-lived conviction cannot be expunged easily. But, Europe after many internecine wars has become pacific, it has accepted blacks and Muslims and given them equal rights, it has become much less religious and it has become tolerant of all minorities (except one).
Why did it change so? Mainly because of WWII, and the consequences of releasing the racist anti-Semitic super-nationalistic dogma out of the cage of civilization. What happened, there was a world war, millions died, and the forces of racist, fascist super-nationalism were defeated by the good guys, the liberal democrats. If the liberal democrats are superior, then the conclusion was that Europe (and Japan) must adopt their ways, their thought processes, their toleration of minorities.
And that is what they did after 1945, but look where it got them. Europe is multicultural, tolerant, anti-racist, but what do they do with all that repressed tribal sentiment that is still lying under the surface. Why, of course, they blame us, the Jews for their predicament. It was our fault that after WWII they had to show guilt and contrition for all the bad things they had done. Now we are no longer there (of if we are there we are quiet as in Britain) while the Muslims are there and they are not quiet, on the contrary. So the Europeans have to put up with it, but of course they blame us for their predicament. It's our fault, it's always our fault!
There's nothing like a good scapegoat to make one feel better, and a distant scapegoat is even better than a proximal one, since one can vent one's spleen without actually having to act badly. If the Muslims say loudly enough and consistently enough that Israel is an "occupying force" that it is "colonial" and "imperialist" and represses the poor Palestinians, then why not have Israel as the convenient scapegoat, after all they are Jewish too, what a bonus, two for the price of one.
I have been for many years one of those who have complained about the absymal international PR of Israel. The lack of any real coherent PR program, instead of being only reactive and apologetic. But, against the irrational upsurge of ancient hostility there is in truth not much that can be done. Of course, we must appeal to the better natures and sense of justice of the balanced elite among the others. But, if and when even the well-meaning are caught up in the same surge of animosity, not much can be done, except to persist.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home