Protests and Anti-Semitism

 Protests and Anti-Semitism

 I am reasonably intelligent and politically astute and therefore normally aware of what is happening in the world, and why.

 I was a little taken aback to see massive anti-Semitic demonstrations and protests at universities and on city streets which were pro-Hamas, pro-Palestinian, and anti-Israel.  After the October 7 torture and butchery by Hamas of innocent Israeli men, women, children and infants; and the resultant Israeli reprisals against Hamas in Gaza, one would think that the world’s sympathies would be with Israel, rather than with their Hamas attackers.

 So, I set out to research and analyze what was happening.

 One thing that was immediately clear was the left-wing, activist nature of our colleges and universities, and even some of our secondary schools.  Tracking the history, this leftist cult of “oppressed and oppressor” derives from the Soviet communism that effectively died out in its original form, in much of the western world in the early 1990’s.  But Marxism did not disappear.  It morphed, gained philosophical respectability, and found a home in academia throughout many universities in the world.

 Much of the world’s activism emanates from this “oppressed vs oppressor” theme.  Feminism, race, gender, LGBTQ++, and a plethora of social issues relate to this “oppressed” mantra, including Israel as oppressor in Gaza, and Hamas as the oppressed.

 The other piece fueling these anti-Semitic protests, and any populist protest, is social media and the “follow the crowd” mentality of young people.  The “anti-something” or “pro-something” idea appears on Tik-Tok or Instagram or other social media (or is planted by Soros types), and we are “off to the races”.  The word spreads like wild fire, flash mobs are formed, and young people from New York to London to Tokyo are demonstrating at colleges, or in the streets.  

 So, it’s as simple as that.  Pretty much any idea can be transformed into massive populist protests using social media and taking advantage of “follow the herd” mentality.

 In this case, it is good to know about historical anti-Semitism, and about how Sykes-Picot defined the Middle East, and how Theodor Herzl founded and advanced Zionism, but this knowledge does not really explain why millions of young people throughout the world are demonstrating for Hamas, and against Israel.

 If I were a psychologist, I would probably diagnose a general societal malaise and proneness to gullibility.  Many people, including voters that define our country are ill-informed and easily led, even more so now with social media.  And, the “opinionators” know it and take advantage.

 In addition to the Israel-Hamas distortion being perpetrated on society, we have the myths that abortion and free college tuition are rights that somehow derive from the constitution.  Elections have, and will continue to reflect these lies and distortions.

 Ray Gruszecki

November 12, 2023