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My earlier thread about Labour member John Pocock's Holocaust denialism arose from a Facebook discussion started by Redditch-based Alan Mason where the notion that we might have a problem with #antisemitism in the party was roundly dismissed. /1 
I summarised the views expressed in that Facebook discussion with this collage of comments. /2
A couple of months ago, I chipped in to say that I had encountered antisemitism in the party. I also cited a friend of Alan's whose Facebook timeline was replete with antisemitic content. But my contributions didn't receive any acknowledgement. Such is life. /3
I recently tweeted about three Labour members with antisemitic beliefs and noticed that Alan Mason was friends with all three. I couldn't assume he'd seen their racist posts but thought it would be useful to draw his attention to them as real examples of a/s in the party. /4
And then I drew attention to the antisemitic comment that John Pocock had posted earlier in the same thread. Alan Mason had after all 'liked' that contribution. Comrade Mason was not best pleased, but his ire was directed at me, not at the person whose racism I had called out. /5
Had I accused Alan Mason of anything? I don't think so. I'd tried to show that antisemitism is indeed a problem that shouldn't be dismissed. But he seemed determined to turn it into a matter of personal honour, suggested I must be mentally ill and demanded an apology. /6
John Pocock joined the foray too and the thread followed a trajectory that will be familiar to many Labour members who've tried to discuss these issues. Alan Mason's friends denounced me, declared they were blocking my Facebook account and then comrade Mason blocked me too. /7
Of course it's up to Alan Mason who he associates with. But his apparent interest in hearing other Labour members' experience and seeing the evidence seems rather shallow if that's how he and others react to anyone who contradicts their preferred narrative. /8
I enjoyed this comment, though. Posted by Wendy Smith after I had been ejected from the discussion but with all my comments still in place. Comrade Smith said she too was waiting for people making allegations of antisemitism to produce evidence! Er, how did you miss it, Wendy? /9
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