It does not surprise me that fundementalists revive all that all garbage, but at the moment this is largely restricted to the US. As for Scotland I know very little about it, I would be suprised if there were not healthy but modest jewish communities there, as can be found throughout Britian and Ireland, and I have no doubt there might be some mild anti-semticism lurking about as well - it is just the Christ Killer stuff would not really find much of an audience, I think, because of the general relation of religion to culture as I understand it.
In the US on the other hand, I can readily concede the validity of all your points. In Australia we get the wacko US fundementalists via early morning TV. Theological carpet baggers quiet capable of picking up the most obscure concepts if they squeeze a dollar from them or increase their influence. In such a context I fully agree that Christ Killers could be revived suddenly and with a vengence if some of these hucksters see a chance (and what is happening in the Middle East could well present an opportunity for it).
As general cautions your points are well made, and absence or near absense is not really an issue (Polish anti-semticism maintaining itself despite the deprevations of the Holocaust).
Greg
--- Message Received --- From: "Max B. Sawicky" <sawicky at bellatlantic.net> To: <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com> Date: Sat, 6 Apr 2002 11:01:21 -0500 Subject: RE: Not Anti-Semetic
> Yes anti-semitic. There is no separating the death
> of Jesus from the ancient accusation of Jewish
guilt. mbs
? not sure if I understand what you mean.... is political use of christian and other religious icons to be prohibited? if folks can compare jesus with campesinos, why can't they compare him with palestinians? ***********************************
I have to admit that Heartfield and you, whoever the hell you are (sorry, but anonymous email addresses on listserv's bug me), have a point.
No Christian could be criticized for likening a victim of oppression to the suffering of Jesus on the cross, in and of itself. The problem of course is the coincidental intersection of this particular victim's oppressors with an ancient prejudice. The justaposition of Israeli soldiers with Jesus on the cross reflects this duality vividly. Sure it's about the IDF oppressing Palestine, but it's also about jews and the death of Christ, whether you want it to be or not. One could question the judgement underlying display of the mural in this regard, though as I suggested before, I think it is more in the vein of unfortunate error than deliberate malice.
I disagree with Greg that such old notions as jewish guilt for the crucifixion have died away. One of our leading Christian fundies is still writing goofy, vicious stuff about jews to little public disapprobation. I agree with JH that anti-semitism in the U.S. is far down the list of important social problems.
I would caution Greg that the absence of jews can have little to do with the extent of prevailing prejudice towards them. I doubt anti-semitism in Scotland amounts to much. On the other hand, there are few minorities in Idaho, but that state is notorious as a home to extremist bigots.
mbs
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Greg Schofield Perth Australia g_schofield at dingoblue.net.au ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ Modular And Integrated Design - programing power for all
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