Victor Davis Hanson - "Those Jews"

hans ze beeman, Freitag, 31. Oktober 2003, 17:34 (vor 7868 Tagen)

Exzellent wie immer: VDH.

There are certain predictable symptoms to watch
when a widespread amorality begins to infect a
postmodern society: cultural relativism, atheism,
socialism, utopian pacifism. Another sign, of
course, is fashionable anti-Semitism among the
educated, or the idea that some imaginary cabal,
or some stealthy agenda — certainly not our own
weakness — is conspiring to threaten our good
life.

Well apart from the spooky placards (stars of
David juxtaposed with swastikas, posters calling
for the West Bank to be expanded to "the sea")
that we are accustomed to seeing at the marches of
the supposedly ethical antiwar movement, we have
also heard some examples of Jew-baiting and
hissing in the last two weeks that had nothing to
do with the old crazies. Indeed, such is the
nature of the new anti-Semitism that everyone can
now play at it — as long as it is cloaked in
third-world chauvinism, progressive thinking, and
identity politics.

[...]

What links all these people — a Muslim head of
state, a rude crowd in Michigan, an experienced
magazine contributor, and a European public
intellectual — besides their having articulated a
spreading anger against the "Jews"? Perhaps a
growing unease with hard questions that won´t go
away and thus beg for easy, cheap answers.

[...]

This fashionable anti-Semitism and anti-Israelism
— especially among purported intellectuals of the
Left — reveals a deep-seated, scary pathology that
is growing geometrically both in and outside the
West. For a Europe that is disarmed, plagued by a
demographic nightmare of negative population
growth and unsustainable entitlements, filled with
unassimilated immigrants, and deeply angry about
the power and presence of the United States, the
Jews and their Israel provide momentary relief on
the cheap. So expect that more crazy thoughts of
Israel´s destruction dressed up as peace plans
will be as common as gravestone and synagogue
smashing.

http://www.nationalreview.com/hanson/hanson2003103
10840.asp