1/An excellent new article reviews this summer’s controversial pushback against efforts to remediate the antisemitic mistreatment of Mountain Brook Jewish youth, by other youth. I will share some comments as a regional resident too atlantajewishtimes.com/adl-embroiled-…
2/First, antisemitic comments or mistreatment of Jewish students in suburbs south of Birmingham is the “modal experience”, ie most Jewish students hear comments denigrating their religion, from peers. This doesn’t mean most non-Jewish students say such things or harbor such views
3/I base my statement that it is the “modal” experience from talking with Jewish youth who grew up here and with their parents and confirming with multiple Rabbis. And *none of this is unique to Mountain Brook* - it typifies *all the bourgeois suburbs south of Birmingham*
4/One thing that shocked me: the subset of Alabama students who express antisemitism are disturbingly well-informed about antisemitic tropes that were unknown in my Calif. high school. ie Throwing 💰 at Jews (even a Rabbi!), invoking the Holocaust approvingly. Who taught them?
5/I have spoken to enough Jewish high schoolers to know their reactions are variable & often much more charitable than mine.
While some have been hurt & lost friends, others see this not so much as “antisemitism” but as “idiots being idiots, cause they are high school idiots”
While some have been hurt & lost friends, others see this not so much as “antisemitism” but as “idiots being idiots, cause they are high school idiots”
6/Mountain Brook’s school board sought to act after a more visible incident (swastikas, students, social media). They initially chose curricular materials from the ADL “No place for Hate” program. 
7/A protesting contingent in Mountain Brook - some parents, others not, linked ADL materials to “Critical Race Theory” (the cartoon of it) & fostered anger based on a pamphlet that characterized (I would say, mischaracterized) the ADL materials. @jewishtimes summarizes here:
8/The ADL’s historic mission was to oppose antisemitism in all its forms.
Reality is problematic: ADL has shifted clearly in a left/Democratic/progressive political direction in ways that really do impede its work on antisemitism. I’m not surprised there was a hostile reaction
Reality is problematic: ADL has shifted clearly in a left/Democratic/progressive political direction in ways that really do impede its work on antisemitism. I’m not surprised there was a hostile reaction
9/So ADL was jettisoned. But when MtnBrook school district rapidly (a) acceded to protestors & (b) declared it was “dissociating” from ADL, that language disturbed me. Their words seemed to prioritize dampening projected fears over the long-term actual problem: antisemitism
10/many locals do feel a local solution is possible. After all, most people in bourgeois suburbs South of Alabama are not antisemitic at all
Most are good folks.
The communities are strong in many ways.
But there are wrinkles to address. from my perspective
Most are good folks.
The communities are strong in many ways.
But there are wrinkles to address. from my perspective
11/First, there’s denial that the antisemitism expressed by some doltish local high schoolers is disturbingly “well-informed” in terms of the evil historic antisemitic tropes used, however doltishly. That should raise alarm. But that aspect is not seen. al.com/opinion/2021/0…
12/2nd, I believe the matter of prejudicial treatment by race is a lot bigger - but if we can’t get adults to organize themselves to oppose rankly antisemitic misbehavior without a Fox-infused protest, we have to expect even greater resistance to addressing racism head-on.
13/3rd, Mountain Brook is not unique from our other local suburbs in terms of racial & religious issues.
The only 2 differences are (a) something egregious made it onto Instagram
(b) the school board, to its credit, actually attempted to address it in a way that was *public*
The only 2 differences are (a) something egregious made it onto Instagram
(b) the school board, to its credit, actually attempted to address it in a way that was *public*
14/Of course that brings up the 4th and final concern:
Alabama has a history of antipathy toward publicly naming & addressing problems (remember MLK’s Letter from Birmingham Jail).
We tend to love quiet solutions. They sometimes work,
But when they fail, they fail quietly
Alabama has a history of antipathy toward publicly naming & addressing problems (remember MLK’s Letter from Birmingham Jail).
We tend to love quiet solutions. They sometimes work,
But when they fail, they fail quietly
15/My suggestions for Jews here: speak up, attend meetings, speak to the JFederation & clergy.
For Christians: try to find out where some of your kids are learning 600-year old stereotypes because that is not typical elsewhere. Is it only YouTube, or Youth Group, family?
For Christians: try to find out where some of your kids are learning 600-year old stereotypes because that is not typical elsewhere. Is it only YouTube, or Youth Group, family?
16/For anyone who is sure that there is nothing unique to address in Alabama - be open minded. We have extraordinary beauty, and mostly warm, supportive communities.
But our biggest triumphs have come when we allowed our problems to be named openly and we addressed them head on
But our biggest triumphs have come when we allowed our problems to be named openly and we addressed them head on
Post script: I should have tagged the Atlanta Jewish Times
@AtlJewishTimes
, rather than "Jewish Times". Sorry.
Others who may be interested:
@ADL
@tabletmag @RutiRegan @URJPresident
@AtlJewishTimes
, rather than "Jewish Times". Sorry.
Others who may be interested:
@ADL
@tabletmag @RutiRegan @URJPresident
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
