Managing chaos: antisemitism and anti-islamism
We are currently at the peak of yet another wave rippling that historical sea of accusations of anti-Semitism and anti-Islamism that Europeans have been hurling at or deflecting from each other for centuries with extreme virulence and outrage. But so, who is right?
As usual, I suggest not relying on macro-categories, which are as arbitrary as they are disconnected from reality. Let's leave binary interpretations like good-bad, good guys-bad guys, right-wrong to cartoons. And if you use childish reasoning of that sort, go right back to watching cartoons: there's nothing wrong with that, as long as, like good children, you don't play with serious things because then it messes things up. Socio-political issues — especially delicate ones of the type in question — are made for those who know how to accept and manage chaos, complexity, and randomness. For the others, there are sporting events, traditional recipes, or reality and talent shows.
So, let's stick to a serious approach and judge case by case. Here is the guideline I suggest applying to every single instance.
Accusing Israel, Israeli civilians or military personnel, or in any case individuals of the Jewish faith, for having unequivocally committed specific criminal or even ethically despicable acts — such as hitting innocent children or occupying other people's property — is, in my opinion, NOT anti-Semitism. Just as accusing Muslims for heinous acts of terrorism or for not respecting and perhaps outraging the customs and values of the countries hosting them CANNOT be considered anti-Islamism.
This is for the "no" part. Now let's come to the more sensitive part: the "yes" one.
Attributing responsibility for any geopolitical event to alleged Jewish cabals, Jewish lobbies, international Zionist networks, or Mossad operations, on a hunch, without proof — because come on, they're surely always behind it — this, besides constituting slander, IS, as far as I'm concerned, anti-Semitism. Of the same kind used a few decades ago to spark pogroms or justify exterminations.
In the same way, leveling vague and generalized accusations of barbarism, bigotry, and backwardness at the Islamic world — because come on, it's obvious, just look at them — IS, in my opinion, anti-Islamism. Of the same kind used in the past to ban crusades or witch hunts.
Personally, I stick to the first scenarios. And there are plenty of unequivocally criminal or ethically despicable acts for which to condemn one side or the other.
The scenarios of the second type, on the other hand, seem to me not only squalid, but also quite irresponsible.

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