Ridiculous "Study" Supposedly Finds Widespread Anti-Semitism on Progressive Websites

[StarfarerBill]

By Joshua Holland, AlterNet

"Given how ubiquitous unsubstantiated charges of anti-Semitism have become in the debate over the Middle East conflict, I’m tempted to ignore the Institute for Global Jewish Affairs’ recent “report” supposedly exposing the liberal blogosphere as a teaming hotbed of raw Jew-hatred.

"It's easy to dismiss. It may dress itself as some sort of empirical research project, but the "study" is transparently devoid of any informational value, intellectually bankrupt and clearly the product of working backwards from a conclusion arrived at on ideological grounds.

"But I won't ignore it, because the strategic decision to pin one's political opponents with charges of anti-Semitism only dilutes the power of that word. Then, like the boy who cried wolf, when real anti-Semitism rears its decidedly ugly head the word loses its all-important power to shame. I'm Jewish, and I don't fear sharp-elbowed criticism of Israeli policy on websites, so it's not in my interest to allow it to be conflated with true anti-Semitism, which is absolutely no joke."

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/144724/ridiculous_%22study%22_supposedly_finds_widespread_anti-semitism_on_progressive_websites/

[Goldstein1984]

1. This is not an uncommon scenario

A group organizes along ethnic lines for political purposes, and anyone who disagrees with their political agenda is labeled a bigot.

One can disagree with Israel's actions as a nation without being anti-semitic.

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. We have changed. I'm proud of liberals.

It use to be that anything from Israel was given carte blanche from criticism. That didn't help us in the long run if we were truly going to examine the facts. It also left us open to manipulation.

PC has changed in ten years, and I'm glad of that.

[CoffeeCat]

3. Progressives are being purposely demonized...

This is only the beginning.

We are the enemies of the corporate greedmongers (in both parties). They'll be
slandering us a great deal as we fight back.

[glitch]

5. Fascists always go after Progressives first.

But we'll still survive and evolve and they'll still go extinct.

[FLAprogressive]

4. If you dare question Israeli policy you are called an anti-semite, a bigot, etc.