tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6579213173749170024.post2058074968916040008..comments2024-01-02T02:18:30.960-08:00Comments on Israel Thrives: The Departure of European JewryMike L.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06450806807610560873noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6579213173749170024.post-82154210668766418322015-11-06T08:19:12.624-08:002015-11-06T08:19:12.624-08:00btw, in that book he refers to People with Israel ...btw, in that book he refers to People with Israel Derangement Syndrom as PIDS.<br /><br />I love that because it immediately brings to mind the word pitiful.<br /><br />The Pitiful PIDS!<br /><br />He also assures me that somewhere in the book is a conclusion that I will loathe.<br /><br />Maybe, but I have yet to get there. It's a brief book, so it won't be long, now!Mike L.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06450806807610560873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6579213173749170024.post-34607918708462564522015-11-06T08:06:30.879-08:002015-11-06T08:06:30.879-08:00Thank you!
My next piece for those guys will be a...Thank you!<br /><br />My next piece for those guys will be a book review of Dr. Mike Harris' <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Winning-Debate-With-Israel-Hater-Neighborhood/dp/0692548785" rel="nofollow">Winning a Debate with an Israel Hater.</a>Mike L.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06450806807610560873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6579213173749170024.post-15711725607417987202015-11-05T23:50:54.347-08:002015-11-05T23:50:54.347-08:00@Anonymous
Yes. That made a lot of sense.
If bein...@Anonymous<br /><br />Yes. That made a lot of sense.<br />If being "progressive" and "inclusive" and "diverse" can only be achieved at the expense of becoming more hostile and intolerant of Europe's Jews, then it is inherently hypocritical. Also it is allowing one form of racism to be acceptable while <i> claiming </i> that racism is unacceptable. <br />That has already been going on for some years. And is almost totally denied.khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04651898817618608477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6579213173749170024.post-28840997020947845452015-11-05T20:46:26.623-08:002015-11-05T20:46:26.623-08:00Good stuff, Mike!
And to think, I discovered you...Good stuff, Mike! <br />And to think, I discovered you! :0)JeffwithaJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07073609950380822171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6579213173749170024.post-72916278661372010382015-11-05T17:46:48.029-08:002015-11-05T17:46:48.029-08:00@ Mike,
"What are the implications of that?
...@ Mike,<br /><br /><i>"What are the implications of that?<br /><br /> Do Europeans honestly care?"</i><br /><br />The whole argument for letting in millions of refugees (and "refugees") is this statement: "Wasn’t xenophobia (or even racism) supposed to be a passed station in the postmodern enlightened world?"<br /><br />Which means that allowing the Jewish population to essentially be driven out is in direct opposition to that sentiment. Europeans should care because if they don't, they'll need to rationalize the inherent hypocrisy in that. They'll need to reconcile their pride in being so progressive and post-modern with the reality that they've sacrificed their Jews to that very progressivism.<br /><br />Not sure I explained that well. Did that make sense to anyone but me? lol.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6579213173749170024.post-74039414513367845462015-11-05T17:11:33.119-08:002015-11-05T17:11:33.119-08:00I'm surprised he didn't just go ahead and ...I'm surprised he didn't just go ahead and add the "h" to Jon.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6579213173749170024.post-53594169380723628052015-11-05T17:02:50.248-08:002015-11-05T17:02:50.248-08:00That's great. Congratulations, Mike.That's great. Congratulations, Mike.khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04651898817618608477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6579213173749170024.post-52263192010199907132015-11-05T16:55:06.638-08:002015-11-05T16:55:06.638-08:00Excellent!Excellent!Empress Trudyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06073538968722986065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6579213173749170024.post-28021213673810693362015-11-05T13:24:56.589-08:002015-11-05T13:24:56.589-08:00This is off-topic, but The Algemeiner just publish...This is off-topic, but The Algemeiner just published one of my pieces under the title, <a href="http://www.algemeiner.com/2015/11/05/what-the-murder-of-an-american-israeli-says-about-the-new-york-times-and-barack-obama/" rel="nofollow"><i>What the Murder of an American-Israeli Says About the New York Times and Barack Obama.</i></a>Mike L.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06450806807610560873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6579213173749170024.post-65140475489704792422015-11-05T00:54:55.057-08:002015-11-05T00:54:55.057-08:00Hi Mike.
Re Europe losing its soul:
Yes, I think ...Hi Mike.<br /><br />Re Europe losing its soul:<br />Yes, I think it's far more important than it might seem. Far more. That's the trouble with "souls" they're so much harder to monitor.<br />You ask whether Europeans honestly care. Well some of them do; very much.<br />What we are all reading about is what the European Union and the political elites, intelligentsia, media etc, are supporting. They are quite out of step with many ordinary people. Many people here in the UK have a sense of something being lost. It is, of course, not really about anything to do with their Jewish communities but, as the saying goes: Jews are the canary in the coalmine. And will people care about dwindling Jewish populations? They might well do after it is too late. It's an interesting call.<br />Re the potential decrease in anti-Jewish violence: With fewer actual Jewish people around it might be entirely true that there will be fewer actual attacks on actual Jewish people. But I would imagine there is a likelihood of increased attacks on what remains of Jewish institutions. For example, Jewish cemeteries and synagogues. Who will bother to protect those? And that kind of violence, of which there is a lot anyway, can easily be supposed to increase. Attacks on actual people are terrible but attacks on the legacy of Jewish life and history in Europe are also deeply damaging. To all parties concerned. <br />A continent that allows its own history to.be erased or destroyed is in serious trouble. Whether it knows it or not. <br />The article you linked to is a classic piece of "Guardian" - type thinking. That European culture is only about its ability to be truly "multicultural." And that anyone who is concerned for some conservation of traditional culture is by definition a bigoted xenophobe. <br />I expect the writer would not make the same argument about other countries in other parts of the world. As someone recently said, I forget who it was, no one would make the case that if in fifty years time the population of Cairo was half made up of European secular Christians, that Egypt would or should be fine with that. Or that the average Guardian reader would ever advocate that. If <i>culture </i> is seen as worth preserving in some places but not others, it suggests something other than principle is the issue.khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04651898817618608477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6579213173749170024.post-78361520732623153182015-11-04T23:27:20.032-08:002015-11-04T23:27:20.032-08:00Kate,
"What will be true, as Europe's Je...Kate,<br /><br /><i>"What will be true, as Europe's Jewish population feels it necessary to leave - albeit in dribs and drabs- is that Europe will be selling part of its soul. And the implications of that are immeasurable."</i><br /><br />What are the implications of that?<br /><br />Do Europeans honestly care?<br /><br />As for Europe's "soul," I have no faith in it. I very much hope that I am not insulting you.<br /><br /><i>"You say that with fewer Jews that anti-Semitic violence will decrease. Again, I disagree."</i><br /><br />As the percentage of the Jewish European population decreases, the rates of anti-Jewish violence, per percentage of the Jewish population, will increase. <br /><br />The smaller the minorty, the easier it is to pick upon, after all.<br /><br />However, in terms of straight numbers, the rates of violence against Jews will diminish for the simple reason that there will be less Jews to kick around.<br /><br />If the time comes wherein there are virtually no Jews in Europe then there will be virtually no anti-Jewish violence in Europe, just as there is no anti-Jewish violence in Egypt... or on the moon.<br /><br />You know the circumstances on the ground where you live far better than do I and I do not mean to be disrespectful.<br /><br />I very much hope that I am being overly pessimistic, Kate, but outside of Middle Eastern Jewry, I worry about my European brothers and sisters the most.Mike L.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06450806807610560873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6579213173749170024.post-87725374361966635822015-11-04T17:03:28.709-08:002015-11-04T17:03:28.709-08:00The dwindling of European Jewry will not mean much...<i> The dwindling of European Jewry will not mean much to Europe </i>.<br /><br />I disagree. <br />Yes, there will be a little dent in the cultural and artistic scene, and a few other areas, but that is survivable, as you imply. There won't be shortages of doctors or lawyers etc.<br />Most Jews will stay but they will be pressured to be the "right kind of Jews" and will find things more difficult if they are not.<br />That is already happening.<br />What will be true, as Europe's Jewish population feels it necessary to leave - albeit in dribs and drabs- is that Europe will be selling part of its soul. And the implications of that are immeasurable. A Europe that presides over this will have relinquished the right to think of itself in the ways it prefers to do. <br /><br />You say that with fewer Jews that anti-Semitic violence will decrease. Again, I disagree. I feel sure that the opposite will be true. Anti-Semitic violence and hatred have little correlation with numbers. Perhaps it may be true that when one group is scapegoated for all society's ills that it will become more and more of an affront that some of those people still persist in thinking that they have a place in society.<br />Perhaps the only Jews who will be left are those who do not mind detatching themselves from virtually everything to do with their heritage. I would doubt that that would provide the protection they might count on. It wouldn't be the first time that has been true.<br /><br />Btw.<br />I wouldn't discount what Manuel Valls said. It is true that he belongs to a government whose policies stoke up anti-Jewish sentiments, but I think there was something real in his words. It's possible for both those things to be true. <br /><br />As for the "backlash" it's entirely true that some of these events and policies seem likely to lead to a rise in far-right groups who are deeply unpleasant. It may well be that over time the policies of the mainstream left will help to increase parties who are openly anti-immigration. And worse. Much worse.<br />That is extremely alarming but also a somewhat simplistic reading of what the situation might bring about. There are- much as many commentators refuse to acknowledge it- significant numbers of perfectly ordinary" non-xenophobic people" who have very real concerns and worries about unprecedented cultural shifts and changes to the towns and areas they have grown up in. It is a mistake to assume those people are all unreconstructed bigots. They are not. It is much more complex and nuanced than that article makes out. Or, indeed, than most of our political and media class make out. And that is a big part of the problem. <br /><br />khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04651898817618608477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6579213173749170024.post-14971084610283942342015-11-04T15:41:00.886-08:002015-11-04T15:41:00.886-08:00Without a cohesive community, without social insti...Without a cohesive community, without social institutions, without schools and shuls, Jewish existence in Europe will disappear in a generation or less. Whomever is left will be a "Jew" like Jon Stewart is a Jew (BTW did you know he legally changed his name to Jon Stewart a decade ago?)Empress Trudyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06073538968722986065noreply@blogger.com