Antisemitism is unacceptable
What is Antisemitism?
Antisemitism is discrimination, prejudice, hostility or violence specifically against Jewish people.
Most of us think of the Holocaust when reflecting on antisemitism; however, antisemitism predates the Holocaust and continues in our society to this day.
And concerningly, antisemitism is on the rise in Canada - there has been a serious increase in reported hate crimes in the past year.
Recent blatantly antisemitic statements by public figures like Kanye West and Kyrie Irving - and those who give platforms to antisemitism like Alex Jones - are directly inciting violence against Jewish people. These words are an open invitation to white supremacists and neo-nazis to be bolder and more vocal about their hate. Antisemitic statements have real-life consequences for Jewish people.
Antisemetic violence in present day Canada
In October 2022, multiple vehicles were vandalized with swastikas and hate symbols in Toronto - a literal hate crime.
Another similar case of vandalism occurred in August, where antisemitic graffiti and Nazi iconography were discovered on a bridge in Quebec and took over a week to remove. Many outraged residents questioned the lack of urgency from officials.
And let's not forget the Convoy-that-shall-not-be-named, where swastikas, neo-Nazi symbols, and confederate flags were displayed freely and with little-to-no repercussions.
In fact, antisemitism has reached record levels in Canada, with the largest increases in British Columbia and Quebec.
This is not just an 'American problem.'
Dismantling White Supremacy, together.
Fifteen global Jewish Groups, including Jewish Voice for Peace, joined together to develop five principles for dismantling antisemitism and aligned it with fighting bigotry and antiracism everywhere.
5 Principles for Dismantling Antisemitism:
Do not isolate antisemitism from other forms of bigotry, oppression and prejudice.
Challenge political ideologies that foment racism, hate, and fear.
Create environments that affirm and celebrate all expressions of cultural and religious life.
Make undoing all forms of racism and bigotry both policy and daily practice.
Practice safety through solidarity, not law enforcement.
We cannot isolate antisemitism from other forms of yt supremacy
Antisemitism is inherent in white supremacy - and the same systems, structures and tools that target BIPOC communities and other religious minorities are used to target Jewish people in Canada. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," and it's essential we take action to dismantle white supremacy in all forms.
That means including Jewish communities in your advocacy work - it also means committing to applying an intersectional lens to fighting antisemitism which dismantles all forms of hate and oppression.
“Act from the principles that oppression is intersectional and that justice is indivisible.”
Prejudice vs Oppression
Fighting antisemitism MUST be included in our advocacy work - part of that involves applying an intersectional lens.
Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) distinguishes between prejudice and oppression - they note that there is still individual prejudice against Jewish people in Canada, which can (and has) resulted in violence and hate. However, Jewish people in countries like Canada are largely not systemically oppressed anymore. In Canada and most of the West, antisemitic discrimination, statements, and acts have been outlawed, and those who commit them are officially censured - as they should be.
For example, Jewish people largely do not face systemic barriers and are prominent in the arts, politics, academia, commerce and other fields. In comparison, Indigenous people, Black people, Muslims, and other minorities in Canada still face codified and systemic oppression and barriers to success. Not to mention many Jewish folks have intersecting identities.
Just because it isn't systemic doesn't mean it isn't prominent
A survey conducted by Abacus Data this year said
44% of respondents (equal to 13 million adults in Canada) said they believe a secret government comprised of elites are masterminds behind international events. This is a popular antisemitic belief because these 'elites' are often made out to be Jewish people.
When we think about how quickly antisemitic people came out to show their support for Kanye West's beliefs and how his words were an open invitation to yt supremacists and neo-nazis to be bolder and more vocal about their hate, it becomes even clearer that he, and others like him, are intentionally inciting hatred. Clearly, antisemitism is still a deeply entrenched belief.
Hold them accountable
We cannot let yt supremacy and antisemitism become the norm.
Political influences (like Trump or our very own Pierre Poilievre) and social media have created space for neo-Nazis to gain confidence and spread their hate. We need to shut that shit down.
We need to have those awkward conversations with friends and family when the 'little' things come up, like stereotypes and harmless 'jokes.' We need to call out celebrities and our politicians on their shit and make sure they know what they're doing is unacceptable.
We need to call on our government to make ending antisemitism a priority and to take accountability for their past (and present) failure to protect Jewish people. The alt-right and neo-nazis are organizing and mobilizing their hate, so we need to push back and push back harder.
Rejecting the IHRA Definition
Over 100 leading scholars in antisemitism are opposed to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition of antisemitism and have called on the UN not to adopt IHRA's definition.
The IHRA's definition suggests that demonizing Israel is antisemitism at its purest, and the definition centres and protects the State of Israel from international criticism rather than the experiences of Jewish people at an individual level. No government is perfect; therefore, we shouldn't be okay with a government being protected from criticism.
Part of standing up against antisemitism is ensuring that our government adopts a definition that protects Jewish people from violence and hate without supporting the genocidal and apartheid acts of the Israeli state.
It's worth noting that Canada has already adopted the IHRA's problematic definition of antisemitism, and as a result, sometimes criticism of the Israeli government can be called antisemitism or a hate crime, which can take away from the real hate crimes experienced by Jewish people.
Commit to Your Own Unlearning & Broaden Your Solidarity
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@ifnotnoworg
“At a time when violent white nationalism poses a grave threat to Jewish people, Muslim people, Black people and all people of color, we require bold action to build real safety for all of our communities.”
