Back on December 28, 2003, Abraham H. Foxman of the ADL penned a column in the Los Angeles Times that appeared under the conclusory title: "Jews Face a Widening Web of Hate."

In his column, Foxman asks "Where does this hatred [of Jews] come from?" He then answers his own question in the following way: "Historically, anti-Semitism shares many characteristics with such forms of prejudice as racism and xenophobia. What makes it different--and what lies at the core of the disease -- is the notion that Jews may appear to be people like you and me but are, in fact, alien, conspiratorial, all-powerful evil beings." (emphases added)

Contrary to what Foxman may think, anti-Semitism is not necessarily a product of "prejudice," as I explain a little further on. Also, Foxman uses the term "racism" and fails to define it. A reader, taking the column as a whole, is probably right in thinking that Foxman is using the term to mean "racial hatred." Of course, this is really something different than "racism," but non-Jewish white people are used to this misuse of terms. Then, there's the matter of calling anti-Semitism a "disease," which is just plain silly. Oh well, let's move past the cartoonish hyperbole.

I took Foxman's question at face value and sent a letter to the Times with an answer to his question. I chose to narrowly limit my answer to troubling recent news reports that seem to indicate that non-Jewish white people are being repressed and not being allowed to freely express themselves. In most of these reports (hundreds more could be cited) there appears to be a Jewish cause of, or Jewish nexus with, the repression. Of course, I knew I wasn't writing anything that others haven't also noted, but I thought I'd give it a try to see it the Times would publish my letter. Not surprisingly, the Times failed to do so, and chose instead to print a slew of letters that mostly just parroted the usual old clichés about blind hatred of Jews being motivated by nothing but, well, blind hatred of Jews. That's the same sort of grade school argument used by many people who seem to think that terrorists are terrorists because they like terror, or that people around the world hate the U.S. because we are "free."

Most of the following paragraphs are from my letter to the Times. I've also included a more recent example of this repression, that was in the news this week.

Assuming arguendo that there is widespread hatred of Jews, as Mr. Foxman seems to believe, I would suggest to Foxman that he might find a clue to this in the way free speech and free expression are being repressed in various nations and how it very often seems to be as a result of requests from certain Jewish individuals and Jewish pressure groups. Intelligent, freedom loving people know that free speech and free expression are usually the things that true haters and tyrants are first to attack, and that these true haters and tyrants are often most easily seen by their efforts in this area. It is when this repression is seen that resentment and hatred for those who are stopping free speech and free expression really starts growing.

Could this be one cause of what Foxman thinks he is seeing in the world? In other words, could it be that anti-Semitism is not a primary action born of prejudice or disease as Foxman wants readers to believe, but, rather, a secondary and predictable reaction to an earlier primary action taken by some of those identified as Jews? Are enough Jews doing things to cause others to believe that most Jews feel the same way, and that, if true, the repression is thus properly characterized as "Jewish," even though not all Jews countenance such repression?

Here's just a few of hundreds of examples:

In Germany this month, a singer in a rock band was sentenced to prison for three years because of so called anti-Semitic and/or hate lyrics in his songs.

Also in Germany, a man was arrested because his dog gave a Nazi salute.

In France, it's against the law to criticize Jews or to even question historical facts and figures about the Holocaust.

In Canada, you can be arrested for criticizing Jews.

In an Orange County California High School, popular surfer shirts manufactured by two major surfwear companies were banned because they had drawings of Iron Crosses--this, after a power point presentation by a Jewish group that wanted the symbol banned. A representative of one of the companies said that the small minded people who want the symbol banned should take a look at local fire trucks which also have the same symbol.

A model toy maker, known for making precise and exact replicas of planes and military vehicles, was forced to remove its historically correct swastikas from some of its WWII models because of Jewish complaints.

In Hungary, recently, Jewish groups tried to get a law passed that would have made it a crime punishable with jail time for anyone who criticized Jews. The president of Hungary refused to sign the law because he believed it would stifle free speech and would be unconstitutional.

In Florida this week, a billboard company was forced by Jewish pressure groups to remove a billboard along Florida's Turnpike about 35 miles from Orlando that simply said: WHO RULE$ AMERIKA? along with the website address NATVAN.COM

The high I.Q. award in this Florida incident goes to the folks who put up the message and the low I.Q. award goes to the ones who forced the message down. Consider: If a billboard claims that you control America (including billboards) and you are able to force the message down, doesn't that just provide evidence that the claim may be true?

The tales of this repression of free expression could fill many pages of the Los Angeles Times, and it seems that much of this repression does have a Jewish nexus; either because those behind the repression are often Jews and/or the free expression that is being enjoined has a nexus with Jews. So, Mr. Foxman, why would people not resent those who they believe are repressing them and keeping them from freely expressing themselves? The most uniquely human organ is the human brain, and from the human brain arises the mind and the products of the mind--ideas--ideas that demand to be expressed. Expressing our ideas is as natural for our species as barking is to canines. To stop the expression of ideas is to dehumanize humans and treat them as lower animals.

You don't stop hatred of a group by letting that group repress others. Trying to stop free speech and free expression has the effect of trying to stop steam from escaping from a tea pot. Eventually, the steam builds up and there is an explosion.

Furthermore, you don't make people like you when you first complain that "they" banned your books (The Talmud was banned in many European countries centuries ago) and that "they" burned books in the town square (as the Nazis did) and then you turn around and try to do the very same thing yourself as some identifiably Jewish individuals and groups are now doing.

Let all ideas flow freely and let people hear various arguments and see all symbols. We shouldn't fear freedom, Mr. Foxman. Let all ideas compete freely for the minds and hearts of all people. People yearn for freedom and for their natural right to express themselves. I don't like all the ideas I hear, but instead of trying to stop people from expressing those ideas, I try, in my own small way, to show what I think is wrong with many of these ideas. I'm doing that here with some of your ideas, Mr. Foxman.

It is wrong to try to stop people from freely expressing themselves on things that concern or interest them when such expressions do not call for imminent harm to others. Generally, with reasonable exceptions, notably for calls to violence, if humans can think it, they should be allowed to say it.

What many non-Jewish whites are apparently sensing in the world today is that some Jewish individuals and groups first try to stop these whites from expressing themselves, and then when the non-Jewish whites fight back for their natural rights, many of the same Jewish individuals and groups claim they are the victims of hatred to try to justify even more repression of the non-Jewish whites. This is absurd and dishonest.

We live in a cause and effect universe. If the effect is hatred of Jews, then what is the real cause? Could part of the answer be found with some Jews, themselves? Are they putting out a negative and repressive, oh, karma, that is simply coming back to bite them? Will they stop the hatred by stepping up the repression of others? Don't count on it. People will be free.

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• References: (Note: links may expire and content not necessary endorsed by H. Millard
  or New Nation News but presented for further study for those interested in the topic by the NNN editor.)
• arguendo
• Assuming arguendo a basic agreement on what constitutes a "hate crime," the question arises as to how much of it occurs.
• "Jews Face a Widening Web of Hate" - by Abraham H. Foxman
• Neo-Nazi Genre Lands Band Leader In Prison
• Man in court for dog's salute
• HUNGARY'S PRESIDENT VETO'S HATE SPEECH LAW
• Canadian Jewish Congress outraged by virulently antisemitic article in BC Muslim newspaper
• Owner To Remove White Supremacist Billboard
  The Jewish Defense Organization launched the campaign against Sunshine Outdoor of Florida and its owner
• Banned Books : The Talmud
• Laughing at the Expense of the ADL: Part I: Jesus and the Talmud - A Rejoinder by Michael A. Hoffman II
  
  
• Israeli Rabbis Seek Pope's Help with Anti-Semitism
• Rapper calls on blacks to combat anti-Semitism
• Chirac: France is doing its best in fight against anti-Semitism
• European Commission President Romano Prodi Defends Cancellation of Anti-Semitism Seminar
• Omaha: White Supremacists Show Up At Anti-Defamation Meeting