Reporter's hidden-camera video shows rampant anti-Semitism on Paris streets

[Metaphor]

I had a similar initial reaction to the catcalling video, although that one did have far more incidents over the 10 hour period, and included the creepy guy following the girl for several blocks. I agree these aren't particularly severe, but what do you classify as severe? Getting in their face and trying to start a fight? Actual violence? None of that occurred in the catcalling video.

The loudness, verocity and tenacity of the verbal harassment play a role in my view. These were all relatively quiet. Plus, I think with the catcalls, it was clear those were harassment and I could see how being followed was perceived as really threatening. Frankly, nothing in the OP video looked even remotely threatening to me. Harassing - yes.

The very first comment was threatening. "Are you a Jew?" Given the long history of Jewish persecution, that's on par with "Are you gay?". If someone on the street asked me that, my first thought would not be "Oh, what a total nonthreatening question".

 

[AthenaAwakened]

Pluralism isn't the problem.

Here's an example that might make it clearer.

When four black girls died in a church bombing in Birmingham Alabama, their blackness wasn't the problem. Dynamite Bob Chambliss's hatred of black folk getting uppity was the problem. A rise in attacks against Semitic people, be they Arab or Jewish, is not about the people being attacked but the attackers and a perception that the broader community will accept those attacks as OK.

Europe has a bigot problem, not a multiculturalism problem.

I never said multiculturalism or pluralism was a problem. I said the rise in hate and bigotry is a "blow" to multiculturalism. What I meant by that is that it makes different groups and cultures living among one another peacefully less likely, there will be more social strife among the groups, and all the problems that brings about, etc.

The economic problems Europe is experiencing is one contributing factor to the rise in hatred and bigotry. The other main contributing factor is terrorist events and geopolitical events (such as Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ISIS, Islamic extremism, etc.)

it is only a blow to multiculturalism if you also think thievery is a blow to the legitimacy of property ownership. The only way to get rid of bigotry is keep the spotlight on the bigot, on the acts of bigotry. the bigotry is wrong.

 

[Axulus]

I never said multiculturalism or pluralism was a problem. I said the rise in hate and bigotry is a "blow" to multiculturalism. What I meant by that is that it makes different groups and cultures living among one another peacefully less likely, there will be more social strife among the groups, and all the problems that brings about, etc.

The economic problems Europe is experiencing is one contributing factor to the rise in hatred and bigotry. The other main contributing factor is terrorist events and geopolitical events (such as Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ISIS, Islamic extremism, etc.)

it is only a blow to multiculturalism if you also think thievery is a blow to the legitimacy of property ownership. The only way to get rid of bigotry is keep the spotlight on the bigot, on the acts of bigotry. the bigotry is wrong.

I agree. I'm not advocating for enforced racial or cultural segregation if that's what you are thinking. Unfortunately, it seems to be happening voluntarily to a greater extent - more Jews are choosing to leave France to go to Israel than in the past.

 

[laughing dog]

The loudness, verocity and tenacity of the verbal harassment play a role in my view. These were all relatively quiet. Plus, I think with the catcalls, it was clear those were harassment and I could see how being followed was perceived as really threatening. Frankly, nothing in the OP video looked even remotely threatening to me. Harassing - yes.

The very first comment was threatening. "Are you a Jew?" Given the long history of Jewish persecution, that's on par with "Are you gay?". If someone on the street asked me that, my first thought would not be "Oh, what a total nonthreatening question".

We are different. I have been asked the very same question a number of times by people I don't. I never felt threatened. The question in the video was not asked in an overtly threatening manner.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Thought this would be of interest... as it occurred in Paris, but by English football fans.

Chelsea fans stop black man from boarding Paris train

 

[Keith&Co.]

The very first comment was threatening. "Are you a Jew?" Given the long history of Jewish persecution,

That's incorrect.
It's not the history of the persecution that makes being identified as a Jew on par with being threatened for one's Jewishness. It's the individual's sensitivity that interprets it as a threat.

I'm part of an interracial couple. For a long time, that's seemed to be very important to people in certain areas, and a fairly rare sight to people in other areas.

I've been called a nigger-lover. That's threatening.
I've also been pointed at by people who were surprised to find that we were a couple. That's not necessarily threatening. In many cases, they were just trying to figure out which of our children were 'ours' and which were 'mine' from a previous marriage.

I don't think the simple question of 'are you a Jew?' is automatically threatening. Maybe they just want to know if you have a religious reason to wear the funny hat or if there's a new fashion trend they weren't aware of.


Being in my situation, i am often curious about the nationality of people i see. But asking them "Are you South African?" is not a precursor to hostility based on the Zulu Uprising...


The closest i've come to antiSemitic hostility, i think, was one day in Floriday when i drove my son to the store and, when we stepped to the sidewalk, attempted to verify that he had made his side of the car secure. An old man started yelling at me, waving his cane, frightening my son.
He accused me of teaching anti-Semitism to my child and called me several bad names. Actually, it was two names and he kept repeating them. I wasn't impressed.
Anyway, it turned out that when i said "Did you lock your door?" i spoke a little quickly and what he HEARD was me telling Adrian to 'Jew-lock' his door. I have no fucking idea what a jew-lock would be or even be intended to mean.
But 'D'you lock th' door?' wasn't intended to offend anyone, however much he enjoyed being offended by my comment.

 

[KeepTalking]

The very first comment was threatening. "Are you a Jew?" Given the long history of Jewish persecution,

That's incorrect.
It's not the history of the persecution that makes being identified as a Jew on par with being threatened for one's Jewishness. It's the individual's sensitivity that interprets it as a threat.

I'm part of an interracial couple. For a long time, that's seemed to be very important to people in certain areas, and a fairly rare sight to people in other areas.

I've been called a nigger-lover. That's threatening.
I've also been pointed at by people who were surprised to find that we were a couple. That's not necessarily threatening. In many cases, they were just trying to figure out which of our children were 'ours' and which were 'mine' from a previous marriage.

I don't think the simple question of 'are you a Jew?' is automatically threatening. Maybe they just want to know if you have a religious reason to wear the funny hat or if there's a new fashion trend they weren't aware of.


Being in my situation, i am often curious about the nationality of people i see. But asking them "Are you South African?" is not a precursor to hostility based on the Zulu Uprising...


The closest i've come to antiSemitic hostility, i think, was one day in Floriday when i drove my son to the store and, when we stepped to the sidewalk, attempted to verify that he had made his side of the car secure. An old man started yelling at me, waving his cane, frightening my son.
He accused me of teaching anti-Semitism to my child and called me several bad names. Actually, it was two names and he kept repeating them. I wasn't impressed.
Anyway, it turned out that when i said "Did you lock your door?" i spoke a little quickly and what he HEARD was me telling Adrian to 'Jew-lock' his door. I have no fucking idea what a jew-lock would be or even be intended to mean.
But 'D'you lock th' door?' wasn't intended to offend anyone, however much he enjoyed being offended by my comment.

Perhaps he heard "Jew, lock the door!", as in "There is a Jew nearby, better lock your door."

Back to the OP, I did not see much there that was actually threatening. The two instances of spitting were certainly expressions of disdain, but it seemed that in both cases they did not actually spit on the man, which I would have considered threatening, but instead spat on the ground near him. As far as the "Are you a Jew?" part of it, who knows what the intent there was, it could have been someone who just wanted to talk about comparative religion. He certainly did not follow it up with anything insulting, or anything at all. Just hearing that single question does not tell us anything.

 

[Sarpedon]

As someone who 'looks Jewish,' I've had some bizarre incidents. For example, while travelling with my sister (who doesn't) through eastern Europe, I was stopped at the border to Bulgaria by an officer who was suspicious of this, and who called back to headquarters about it. Fortunately, the US Passport worked its magic and this guy was told to stand down.

I'm a tad more sensitive to the guy on the receiving end to this. For me it is confusing and bizarre. I can easily see how it can be oppressive and frightening for others.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I find antisemitism kind of ironic, given the holy book of the Jews, how they are said to have treated other tribes, and how they called themselves god's chosen people.

In their defense, the book was written over two thousand years ago. I don't recall Israel waging endless wars on every nation around them.

Exactly. All the Judaeo-Christian holy books are vile. What matters is what people are doing now.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't know what differences there are in the two cultures. Maybe you don't like the term I used? Is pluralism a better word?

Pluralism isn't the problem.

Here's an example that might make it clearer.

When four black girls died in a church bombing in Birmingham Alabama, their blackness wasn't the problem. Dynamite Bob Chambliss's hatred of black folk getting uppity was the problem. A rise in attacks against Semitic people, be they Arab or Jewish, is not about the people being attacked but the attackers and a perception that the broader community will accept those attacks as OK.

Europe has a bigot problem, not a multiculturalism problem.

And the problem Israel has is the same as what you're referring to here--hatred of them getting uppity.