Powerful powerful piece. Contained anger in this relentless examination of the false and shameful equivalences practiced by our human rights bodies and the constant denial- sometimes overt sometimes implied - of the Jewish experience of Jew hatred. This is a writer at the height of her powers who is brave and fearless. Thank you Julie.
Well, here we come to something that I think it quite important for trying to understand what is going on.
I think that there is actually widespread ignorance of the Jewish experience - whether of Jew hatred or more generally - among young Australian activists of non-Jewish background who engage with the Israel/Palestine question. I don't think that this is new. I think it was certainly true of myself when I became drawn into it at La Trobe University in the late 1970s, and of many of my peers. However events such as the Shoah were still sufficiently recent that we had a kind of sensibility that antisemitism was something to at least try to avoid and to condemn, even when our lack of knowledge of the Jewish experience meant that we weren't always able to recognise it.
The perception I have of the current state of discourse on 7 October and subsequent events is that, for many of the current wave of "pro-Palestinian" activists, the Shoah and other key events in the history of Jewish oppression are almost ancient history, antisemitism is not something they need to be concerned about in contemporary Australia, and any expression of concern about manifestations of antisemitism in current debates over events in Israel/Palestine must therefore be bad faith weaponisation of the concept of antisemitism for pro-Israel purposes.
One very obvious danger of such a mindset is that antisemitic tropes can find their way into the language and the behaviour of people with this mindset without them even realising it.
I recently read Deborah Conway's Book of Life and I would recommend this for many reasons, including that it provides some valuable insights into the Jewish experience.
Thank you Julie for a meticulously written piece. I am bewildered why there is not more discussion about the clear bias in both the a) mainstream media reporting and b) the ratio of social media posts (anti-semitic vs pro-Palestinian). One Australian IT researcher and tech entrepreneur, Anthony Goldblum has taken on TikTok for amplifying pro-Palestine posts. Since the October 7 attacks by Hamas militants, Mr Goldblum said he was shocked that American-based users of TikTok were seeing 54 times more pro-Palestine posts than pro-Israel. For Australian-based users of TikTok the ratio was 59:1 in favour of Palestine. There is an obvious engineered bias with considerable financial and ideological support, likely coming from certain "state entities" that is not being discussed.
I don't necessarily read this essay as a condemnation of "balance" but the absolute refusal of media to treat antisemitism as a standalone issue. Whereas the other prejudices can receive treatment on their own standing, antisemitism is only ever referenced in-complex with the obligatory islamophobia and others.
This is actually quite familiar - you will clearly recognise the same pattern when it comes to women's issues which now simply cannot be permitted standalone attention without the obligatory tie-in to "transphobia".
What's yours is ours, but what's mine is mine is the order of the day.
Definitely. And it gets even more obnoxious when our leaders are talking about a specific instance of anti-Semitism (like the Caulfield riot) and reference Islamophobia in that context.
Thank you, Julie, for exposing the herd of trumpeting elephants that has rendered many in the population deaf. Or is that tone deaf ? Congratulations. Again. Please, don't stop.
Keep on publishing,Julie. You excel in pinpointing the issues at play. We need so much more media exposure. Perhaps you could invite Ms Tingle to an on-air debate, or seek a seat on the “Insider’s” couch one Sunday morning.
Tingle gave herself away by including the words "its alarm about" in the subject sentence. Plainly, she intended to smugly convey that nobody else with any sense (i.e. ABC viewers/readers) shared that alarm, which seems to be rather at odds with her casual indictment of Australia as a racist country. Surely if that accusation be correct, we should ALL join in the alarm concerning the obvious rise in antisemitism since October 7, rather than suggest it was merely a matter of opinion held by one journal.
I have long rolled my eyes at the demented howls of racism that regularly punctuate what passes for public debate in this country. Racist people may be found in every country in the world, so it is no distinction to declare a country racist unless you can point to nationalised, institutional racism, as a result of deliberate government policy and legislation. This can still be a matter of opinion or interpretation, so I favour weighing up such accusations by means of comparison. When that is done with any sense of neutral rigour, Australia isn't even in the conversation when compared to literally dozens of other blatantly racist countries around the world. Certainly, as a country, we could improve our attempts to combat racism in many respects but to simply damn the nation as some hopeless case as Tingle appears to do is a rather pathetic example of useless hand wringing and not the flex she thinks it is.
Tingle and her cohort seem to actively delight in "denouncing their own". This is the direct equivalent to HRC's deplorables blunder - but its not a blunder here, as the progressive elites who have attained institutional power play this game almost as a sport. A kind of progressive Bullingdon where one affirms one's membership of the clique by ever more clever put-downs of the great unwashed.
I have honestly tried to understand the dynamics of why cultural elites in Anglo nations have developed this performative self-loathing, but I have no firm answer. Claiming the West is racist etc is like a cult mantra now, mandated to be repeated by anyone seeking entry into the milieux these people control. I am facing my first job interview gauntlet in over a decade and dreading what DEI mental contortions I will be required to perform.
A terrific piece of writing.I fully agree with you Julie. The approach in the media is that of appeasing the aggressor and minimising the impact, and even the existence, of anti semitism.
Part of this is driven by the oppressor/oppressed mindset.
If the Israelis are the oppressor, then any rage and aggression directed at them, or to Jews, is legitimate.And standing up to this is simply too scary, as the rage will then be directed to that person. What a gutless, hopeless HRC.It is intensely destructive not to stand up to this early.It has let this poison flourish and spread, as has the current federal government.
In a tolerant and decent society, the lived experience of all of its groups is important ,and needs to be acknowledged and respected. I wish we lived in such a society.vOnce I thought we did.
Such a good article, but so depressing. I used to be such an avid follower of the ABC, and although I still watch and listen to it regularly, now I see so much bias around this issue not to mention the trans debate.
I also see that this has been building for years. Melbourne University has been a recruiting ground, first for the Socialist Workers party, and now the rebadged socialist alliance for years. It’s like a rerun of what happened in Iran when the socialist teamed up with the Islamists, to overthrow the Shah, and then the islamists killed all the socialists.
I watched a YouTube last night when Nova Paris was in Israel and supporting the Israelis and Jews more generally. It was interesting to hear her talk about the Jewish lawyers who supported Aboriginal land rights for years. Unfortunately, we more often hear the ignorant opinions of Lydia Thorpe. They were also some interesting comments on the YouTube video. One that spoke about an Aboriginal activist who protested Krystalnacht.
This entire episode has actually greatly enhanced my view of Nova P. I used to see her as just another plodding Labourite parachuted from the sports field into politics. But the fact she has stood up on this is very encouraging. The Jewish community has historically been hugely supportive of Indigenous advancement and I presume there is a sense of betrayal the former feel since the Aboriginal left has nailed their flag to the Palestinian cause.
Brilliant, trenchant, necessary. And yes, I too would dearly love it were you to take on the Tingles of this world, both at the ABC and her equivalents in our halls of academe.
So so good. Just like Isrsel can never be allowed to win ( per Douglas Murray) So anti semitism can’t be allowed to exist on its own but must have its “ sibling” of homophobia . Sunlight shine on this conduct does nothing . The germ is still there, infecting all.
maybe i will try again.....Nice to see Michel Gawenda's comments....8 werks ago was on thebtrain from TA to Jerusalem...lady next to me (ex Sholem Aleichem parent was reading his book....one of my Melbourne cousin's close friends.
Anyhow, now on the train to Budapest....for shabat, and dinner/Klezmer at Spinozas....THE place to eat, drink and be merru....Apparently Hungary is only country in Europe with more Jewish than Muslim official residents.....belated shabat shalom.....still morning here.
I'll be there pretty soon Richard. Lot's to unpack in your comments. I don't really go in for essentialist readings of Islam; the Muslim world was once the centre of tolerance, creativity and a form of enlightenment. But like you say that was a long time ago, and they have had a woeful last century or so.
I've just discovered a great book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lions%27_Den "The Lion's Den" by Susie Linfield. I haven't had a chance to read it yet but it tackles the most frustrating subject of why the Western left has embraced antiZionism. The conclusion suggested in the nailgunning of anti-imperialism and socialism together in the 1950s. I also discovered a noteworthy academic I've never heard of before Albert Memmi (perhaps he's well known to you all?)
I also wonder that we are way too tolerant of the woke warriors....they are know nothing personality disordered folk, whose prime concern is the invitation tobthe next dinner or party in Glebe or Brunswick....their strategy is to scream loudest at whatever is the current fashionable 2 minute hate session.....these are the types who joined tge SA and SS 100 years ago, and maybebits time to deal with them acvordingly.
'Perhaps' is generally a fair comment....but they sure lime taking sides sgaunst Jews and Israelis....w/o the brain to know an iota of the history....but guess that goes for Red Guards and Jacobins too....But Mr Orwell sure nailed the types who scream at 2 minute hate sessions.
But its worth focusing on what is meant by Islamophobia......its a great big shutdown on debate who loudly oppose racism....when it suits them.
...failures love other failures....it gives them a chance to virtue signal their concern for "the disadvantaged'...and it's hard to think of a more consistently failing culture than Islam....its hard to find an achievent or great person other than Atatürk since Sulaiman.....a v long while ago....Any suggestions?.....but just hopefully the UAE is a forerunner of improvement.
So the west has v injudiciously imported milliions from failed cultures without pondering that maybe teir cultures failed because they have culrurally awful attitudes to most things....there is a diaster on the way, but we Jews are first because they hate us most....and there is now more of them than us.....v sad.....but modern theiry says lce otic people are nice...not true.
I wonder if the phrase "anti-Semitism" is overused.....i couldnt care less if people dont like Jews...maybe they are fervent polytheists, dislike prayer on Saturday or have scars from circumcision......
What galls us the putrid illness of brain, heart and soul of those who wint recognise that Israel is much nicer than anywhere in the Islamic world to live....1 8 million Arabs clearly prefer to live there than move 50 miles to Beirut or Damascus.
We all of course know many highly qualified people who have moved to Israel to make a difference....maybe gifted surgeons living in Paris, London or New York feel the same, but i doubt many throw their careers to help the hudfled masses in Beirut, Karachi or Cairo.
Maybe the Islamic world is more likely to attract psychopaths whose life ambition is to be a jihadist murderer for Isis or whatever....we have all heard the tales.
So lets focus on what is great about Israel, and the vile sickness at the heart of the woke who hate it.
Powerful powerful piece. Contained anger in this relentless examination of the false and shameful equivalences practiced by our human rights bodies and the constant denial- sometimes overt sometimes implied - of the Jewish experience of Jew hatred. This is a writer at the height of her powers who is brave and fearless. Thank you Julie.
Michael, I'm so touched and honoured to hear you say this. (Not sure my anger was always contained though. 😂)
Well, here we come to something that I think it quite important for trying to understand what is going on.
I think that there is actually widespread ignorance of the Jewish experience - whether of Jew hatred or more generally - among young Australian activists of non-Jewish background who engage with the Israel/Palestine question. I don't think that this is new. I think it was certainly true of myself when I became drawn into it at La Trobe University in the late 1970s, and of many of my peers. However events such as the Shoah were still sufficiently recent that we had a kind of sensibility that antisemitism was something to at least try to avoid and to condemn, even when our lack of knowledge of the Jewish experience meant that we weren't always able to recognise it.
The perception I have of the current state of discourse on 7 October and subsequent events is that, for many of the current wave of "pro-Palestinian" activists, the Shoah and other key events in the history of Jewish oppression are almost ancient history, antisemitism is not something they need to be concerned about in contemporary Australia, and any expression of concern about manifestations of antisemitism in current debates over events in Israel/Palestine must therefore be bad faith weaponisation of the concept of antisemitism for pro-Israel purposes.
One very obvious danger of such a mindset is that antisemitic tropes can find their way into the language and the behaviour of people with this mindset without them even realising it.
I recently read Deborah Conway's Book of Life and I would recommend this for many reasons, including that it provides some valuable insights into the Jewish experience.
Thank you Julie for a meticulously written piece. I am bewildered why there is not more discussion about the clear bias in both the a) mainstream media reporting and b) the ratio of social media posts (anti-semitic vs pro-Palestinian). One Australian IT researcher and tech entrepreneur, Anthony Goldblum has taken on TikTok for amplifying pro-Palestine posts. Since the October 7 attacks by Hamas militants, Mr Goldblum said he was shocked that American-based users of TikTok were seeing 54 times more pro-Palestine posts than pro-Israel. For Australian-based users of TikTok the ratio was 59:1 in favour of Palestine. There is an obvious engineered bias with considerable financial and ideological support, likely coming from certain "state entities" that is not being discussed.
I don't necessarily read this essay as a condemnation of "balance" but the absolute refusal of media to treat antisemitism as a standalone issue. Whereas the other prejudices can receive treatment on their own standing, antisemitism is only ever referenced in-complex with the obligatory islamophobia and others.
This is actually quite familiar - you will clearly recognise the same pattern when it comes to women's issues which now simply cannot be permitted standalone attention without the obligatory tie-in to "transphobia".
What's yours is ours, but what's mine is mine is the order of the day.
Definitely. And it gets even more obnoxious when our leaders are talking about a specific instance of anti-Semitism (like the Caulfield riot) and reference Islamophobia in that context.
Thank you and that's so true. TikTok and its malign influence are flying under the radar.
Thank you, Julie, for exposing the herd of trumpeting elephants that has rendered many in the population deaf. Or is that tone deaf ? Congratulations. Again. Please, don't stop.
I reckon deaf! Thank you so much Ann.
Keep on publishing,Julie. You excel in pinpointing the issues at play. We need so much more media exposure. Perhaps you could invite Ms Tingle to an on-air debate, or seek a seat on the “Insider’s” couch one Sunday morning.
Cheers Tom! That's an interesting, and pretty funny, idea.
Tingle gave herself away by including the words "its alarm about" in the subject sentence. Plainly, she intended to smugly convey that nobody else with any sense (i.e. ABC viewers/readers) shared that alarm, which seems to be rather at odds with her casual indictment of Australia as a racist country. Surely if that accusation be correct, we should ALL join in the alarm concerning the obvious rise in antisemitism since October 7, rather than suggest it was merely a matter of opinion held by one journal.
I have long rolled my eyes at the demented howls of racism that regularly punctuate what passes for public debate in this country. Racist people may be found in every country in the world, so it is no distinction to declare a country racist unless you can point to nationalised, institutional racism, as a result of deliberate government policy and legislation. This can still be a matter of opinion or interpretation, so I favour weighing up such accusations by means of comparison. When that is done with any sense of neutral rigour, Australia isn't even in the conversation when compared to literally dozens of other blatantly racist countries around the world. Certainly, as a country, we could improve our attempts to combat racism in many respects but to simply damn the nation as some hopeless case as Tingle appears to do is a rather pathetic example of useless hand wringing and not the flex she thinks it is.
So well put David. And yes the "its alarm about" gave the game away.
Tingle and her cohort seem to actively delight in "denouncing their own". This is the direct equivalent to HRC's deplorables blunder - but its not a blunder here, as the progressive elites who have attained institutional power play this game almost as a sport. A kind of progressive Bullingdon where one affirms one's membership of the clique by ever more clever put-downs of the great unwashed.
I have honestly tried to understand the dynamics of why cultural elites in Anglo nations have developed this performative self-loathing, but I have no firm answer. Claiming the West is racist etc is like a cult mantra now, mandated to be repeated by anyone seeking entry into the milieux these people control. I am facing my first job interview gauntlet in over a decade and dreading what DEI mental contortions I will be required to perform.
A terrific piece of writing.I fully agree with you Julie. The approach in the media is that of appeasing the aggressor and minimising the impact, and even the existence, of anti semitism.
Part of this is driven by the oppressor/oppressed mindset.
If the Israelis are the oppressor, then any rage and aggression directed at them, or to Jews, is legitimate.And standing up to this is simply too scary, as the rage will then be directed to that person. What a gutless, hopeless HRC.It is intensely destructive not to stand up to this early.It has let this poison flourish and spread, as has the current federal government.
In a tolerant and decent society, the lived experience of all of its groups is important ,and needs to be acknowledged and respected. I wish we lived in such a society.vOnce I thought we did.
Yep so did I Pia.
Such a good article, but so depressing. I used to be such an avid follower of the ABC, and although I still watch and listen to it regularly, now I see so much bias around this issue not to mention the trans debate.
I also see that this has been building for years. Melbourne University has been a recruiting ground, first for the Socialist Workers party, and now the rebadged socialist alliance for years. It’s like a rerun of what happened in Iran when the socialist teamed up with the Islamists, to overthrow the Shah, and then the islamists killed all the socialists.
I watched a YouTube last night when Nova Paris was in Israel and supporting the Israelis and Jews more generally. It was interesting to hear her talk about the Jewish lawyers who supported Aboriginal land rights for years. Unfortunately, we more often hear the ignorant opinions of Lydia Thorpe. They were also some interesting comments on the YouTube video. One that spoke about an Aboriginal activist who protested Krystalnacht.
Thanks Cheryl. The ABC needs to understand that people are frustrated with it. I'm not sure it does.
This entire episode has actually greatly enhanced my view of Nova P. I used to see her as just another plodding Labourite parachuted from the sports field into politics. But the fact she has stood up on this is very encouraging. The Jewish community has historically been hugely supportive of Indigenous advancement and I presume there is a sense of betrayal the former feel since the Aboriginal left has nailed their flag to the Palestinian cause.
Brilliant, trenchant, necessary. And yes, I too would dearly love it were you to take on the Tingles of this world, both at the ABC and her equivalents in our halls of academe.
Yvonne; thrilled to hear you say so. Thank you.
Excellent piece,
Both types of discrimination need to examined on their own merits.
They do. Thanks Shane.
So so good. Just like Isrsel can never be allowed to win ( per Douglas Murray) So anti semitism can’t be allowed to exist on its own but must have its “ sibling” of homophobia . Sunlight shine on this conduct does nothing . The germ is still there, infecting all.
How good is Douglas Murray? And he just gets better and better.
maybe i will try again.....Nice to see Michel Gawenda's comments....8 werks ago was on thebtrain from TA to Jerusalem...lady next to me (ex Sholem Aleichem parent was reading his book....one of my Melbourne cousin's close friends.
Anyhow, now on the train to Budapest....for shabat, and dinner/Klezmer at Spinozas....THE place to eat, drink and be merru....Apparently Hungary is only country in Europe with more Jewish than Muslim official residents.....belated shabat shalom.....still morning here.
Richard Sicree
I'll be there pretty soon Richard. Lot's to unpack in your comments. I don't really go in for essentialist readings of Islam; the Muslim world was once the centre of tolerance, creativity and a form of enlightenment. But like you say that was a long time ago, and they have had a woeful last century or so.
I've just discovered a great book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lions%27_Den "The Lion's Den" by Susie Linfield. I haven't had a chance to read it yet but it tackles the most frustrating subject of why the Western left has embraced antiZionism. The conclusion suggested in the nailgunning of anti-imperialism and socialism together in the 1950s. I also discovered a noteworthy academic I've never heard of before Albert Memmi (perhaps he's well known to you all?)
I also wonder that we are way too tolerant of the woke warriors....they are know nothing personality disordered folk, whose prime concern is the invitation tobthe next dinner or party in Glebe or Brunswick....their strategy is to scream loudest at whatever is the current fashionable 2 minute hate session.....these are the types who joined tge SA and SS 100 years ago, and maybebits time to deal with them acvordingly.
Perhaps SA & SS aren't the right analogies. Red Guards would be a better fit, or Jacobins if you want to go further back a bit more.
'Perhaps' is generally a fair comment....but they sure lime taking sides sgaunst Jews and Israelis....w/o the brain to know an iota of the history....but guess that goes for Red Guards and Jacobins too....But Mr Orwell sure nailed the types who scream at 2 minute hate sessions.
But its worth focusing on what is meant by Islamophobia......its a great big shutdown on debate who loudly oppose racism....when it suits them.
...failures love other failures....it gives them a chance to virtue signal their concern for "the disadvantaged'...and it's hard to think of a more consistently failing culture than Islam....its hard to find an achievent or great person other than Atatürk since Sulaiman.....a v long while ago....Any suggestions?.....but just hopefully the UAE is a forerunner of improvement.
So the west has v injudiciously imported milliions from failed cultures without pondering that maybe teir cultures failed because they have culrurally awful attitudes to most things....there is a diaster on the way, but we Jews are first because they hate us most....and there is now more of them than us.....v sad.....but modern theiry says lce otic people are nice...not true.
Continuation....awful wifi in train to Budapest..
I wonder if the phrase "anti-Semitism" is overused.....i couldnt care less if people dont like Jews...maybe they are fervent polytheists, dislike prayer on Saturday or have scars from circumcision......
What galls us the putrid illness of brain, heart and soul of those who wint recognise that Israel is much nicer than anywhere in the Islamic world to live....1 8 million Arabs clearly prefer to live there than move 50 miles to Beirut or Damascus.
We all of course know many highly qualified people who have moved to Israel to make a difference....maybe gifted surgeons living in Paris, London or New York feel the same, but i doubt many throw their careers to help the hudfled masses in Beirut, Karachi or Cairo.
Maybe the Islamic world is more likely to attract psychopaths whose life ambition is to be a jihadist murderer for Isis or whatever....we have all heard the tales.
So lets focus on what is great about Israel, and the vile sickness at the heart of the woke who hate it.
Richard
Richard
Is there a length limit?....i wrote quite a bit, pushed Post....and got a Something Went Wrong message.