Thread by @shaunjlawson

Yesterday, the excellent blog, Zelo Street (@zelo_street), which I heartily recommend - and certainly not just because it includes stuff of mine from time to time - published an article on CST's latest report. The article is here.

zelo-street.blogspot.com/2019/08/cst-go…

@zelo_street But what particularly interested me was a comment underneath. By a British Jew. I'm reproducing that comment in full here.

@zelo_street Why am I reproducing it? Several reasons.

1. Because it's so hard hitting, so righteously angry about what is going on

2. Because correctly, it calls out the UK Jewish community's leaders for doing nothing about it: standing by and watching the far right rise

@zelo_street 3. Because the current climate is so like something out of Orwell's "1984", so hysterical, so ridiculous and so plain dangerous, just watch some accuse the author of that comment - like me, a British Jew - of "antisemitism".

@zelo_street Look at the comment carefully.

- According to CST, those who - because they believe in evidence, not hysteria - correctly claim that this whole thing has been wildly exaggerated for political purposes are themselves 'antisemitic'. The comment does exactly that.

@zelo_street - The comment treats the British Jewish community as one amorphous mass. Perfectly normal language whenever someone claims to be a leader of or represent that community - but I've seen used as evidence of 'antisemitism' by some when it suits them.

@zelo_street - The comment speaks of many British Jews sitting in "smug comfort in almost what are 'gated' communities" - a passage which, I must admit, jarred considerably with me. But I know what the author's getting at - and what he's getting at isn't antisemitic.

@zelo_street It is, after all, a classic antisemitic trope to view Jews as automatically rich; an offensive one too. Except what the author's highlighting is how many are just standing and watching as the fabric of British society is torn asunder.

@zelo_street It's been torn asunder by austerity: so many families driven out of where they lived and left homeless and/or destitute. Now it's being torn asunder by this wilfully wrong campaign against the Labour Party: because it's turning communities against each other.

@zelo_street - The author's central point is the most important, compelling one: which I've highlighted myself several times, albeit in not such strong, emotive language. It is as follows.

@zelo_street If we are now in a situation in which accusations of antisemitism are thrown around like confetti against seemingly anyone on the left, we're going to end up in a situation resembling The Boy Who Cried Wolf.

@zelo_street Antisemitism is increasingly being stripped of all practicable meaning by the very people in place to protect British Jews... all at the same time as the far right rises and rises in the UK to an extent not seen since the 1930s.

@zelo_street Does the Jewish Chronicle highlight the rise of the far right? Scarcely at all. Do the Board of Deputies of British Jews do so? Nope. Instead, it's all out war on Corbyn: taking on the mosquito and ignoring the elephant in the room.

@zelo_street The extent to which British politics has imploded over the last 3 years has stunned many. Well - where will we be in another 3 years? Or another three after that? Especially if No Deal Brexit comes about?

@zelo_street The only party which will have the power or even the will to rebuild and heal Britain is the Labour Party. Its defeat would allow the far right to run roughshod over the whole country: immediately imperilling Muslims and ultimately, imperilling Jews too.

@zelo_street At times of economic crisis, people always move towards the extremes. Always. The way to stop extremism, racism and fascism gaining a foothold has always been economic prosperity for all. Not for a few; for all. That's what creates social cohesion.

@zelo_street So with things steadily getting worse and worse for so many, what's happening? The one party which could actually do something positive to fix things is being openly demonised, while the enemy within - fascism - is ignored and indulged.

@zelo_street I share the author's fury and indignation at those who claim to lead the UK Jewish community. Their job is to protect all British Jews, without fear or favour. And I don't think they've learned a single damn thing from history. It frightens me, as it should frighten everyone.

@zelo_street Nigel Farage is a menace. Tommy Robinson is a menace. Steve Bannon is a menace. Their supporters are a menace. Boris Johnson's indulgence of them - and of his institutionally racist, wantonly Islamophobic party - is a menace.

@zelo_street And after these monsters come for the Muslims, they'll come for the Jews. That's what fascists have always done and always will do. The entire UK Jewish community should be standing in solidarity with British Muslims against this hideous threat: starting with its leaders.

@zelo_street To instead obsess seemingly forevermore with a microscopic fraction of Labour supporters isn't just absurd. It's quite recklessly dangerous. The consequences if it continues could be grimmer than anyone could imagine.

@zelo_street PS. Here's a new piece on Zelo Street covering this thread, and the issues it discusses. Thanks for publishing it Tim!

zelo-street.blogspot.com/2019/08/anti-s…