Russian anti-Semitism

Justin Schwartz jkschw at hotmail.com
Thu Apr 18 20:49:28 PDT 2002



>Justin Schwartz <jkschw at hotmail.com> writes
>
>"Russian antisemitism is very real"
>
>which I feel is probably true, despite Chris Doss's assurances.
>
>and recounts an anecdote in which a woman
>
>"told me that she got out her passport marked with her nationality
>(Russian) and waved it about, saying, I am pure _Russian_!"
>
>I'm not sure what the point is,

The point is, talking to someone she knew was a Jew of Russian Jewish descent, she unselfconsciously told a story in which she defended a policy she regarded as progressive against an antisemitic attack by saying that she advocated that policy and she was a _real_ Russian, reinforcing the stereotype the antisemites urged, that Jews aren't. And she didn't even realize she was doing it. It's sort of like saying, proudlt, "I'm white!"

but I remember Teodor Shanin
>recounting
>that his identity papers marked him as a Jew, where it said nationality.
>
>I'm sure others know better than I, but my recollection is that the late
>Soviet nationalities policy actively promoted parochial allegiances -
>perhaps part of the reason that Chechen separatism became uncontainable.
>--

Yes. There has been a large literature on this.

jks
>James Heartfield
>The 'Death of the Subject' Explained is available at GBP11.00, plus GBP1.00
>p&p
>from Publications, audacity.org, 8 College Close, Hackney, London, E9 6ER.
>Make
>cheques payable to 'Audacity Ltd'

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