Something struck me recently. Antisemitism seems to be the only form of racism where people feel under a pressure to respond to it not simply by stating that it is antisemitism, is evil and that the antisemite should not say it. Rather, the pressure/compulsion seems to be to seek to reason with the antisemite and explain. We find ourselves carefully going through the recognised definition again and justifying every clause or dealing factually with each and every conspiracy theory. We spend hours talking about the actual 20th century history of the Middle East, the nature of Israeli political life and the rules which the IDF are expected to abide by.
How much, I wonder, does that way of responding reflect the way the conversation has been set up in society because antisemitism is seen as intellectually acceptable, because the conspiracy theories are entertained as having a kernel of truth?
This doesn’t mean that seeking to reason is a bad thing. After all, both Jews and their friends among Christians will be familiar with the way that even YHWH in Scripture invites us to come and reason together.
What do you think?
Faithroots 