Hedy Fry: We must combat the disturbing rise of anti-Semitism
By Hedy Fry
In February, the British foreign office sponsored a meeting of the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism in London to discuss the current disturbing rise of anti-Semitism globally.
Parliamentarians from 35 countries heard clear evidence of an “escalating, sophisticated, virulent rise” in anti-Semitism, not seen since the Second World War.
While this “new anti-Semitism” is increasingly evident in communities and campuses, more alarmingly, it has sprung into state-sanctioned political discourse under the guise of anti-Israeli, anti-Zionist rhetoric. Its most extreme form can be seen in fundamentalist Islamic nations like Iran, where Holocaust denial and genocidal rhetoric has become virulent. But in North America and Europe, anti-Semitism is clothed in “politically correct” language that lashes out at the State of Israel, while singling out all Jews as targets for ire.
While all would agree that universities and colleges are the fallow ground where debate and new ideas should flourish, on Canadian campuses Jewish students are increasingly harassed and intimidated, and debate is replaced by diatribe under the guise of “freedom of speech”.
Speaking against actions of the Israeli government or any nation-state’s administrative decisions is encouraged in democratic discourse. World outrage at the Bush administration’s war in Iraq comes to mind. But calls for the destruction of the State of Israel, which is the homeland of Jews, is barely disguised anti-Semitism that could result in genocide.
The London Declaration on Combating Antisemitism, signed on February 17, called for signatories to create committees to combat anti-Semitism in their own countries. The Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism, which is a multi-party committee, was formed to gain an objective understanding of the nature and extent of anti-Semitism in Canada and develop strategies to combat it.
The CPCCA is independent of government and Jewish or other NGOs. We have submitted a request for funding from various departments of the federal government that are mandated to combat discrimination and hate.
The right of all people regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, language, culture, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and age is fundamental to Canadian values, human rights, and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We have global histories that in every instance, beginning with simple stereotyping, escalated to genocide. We need to learn from those tragic lessons of the past.
Hedy Fry is the Liberal MP for Vancouver Centre and a member of the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism.
Comments
8 Comments
Brandon
Jun 16, 2009 at 3:43pm
Specific races of people are not responsible for the worlds problems. It is the financial elite that are the ones calling the shots. They use issues like race, religion and economic disparity to cause division and conflict between people to keep us all distracted from what is happening to our world. It doesn't matter if you are Jewish, Islamic, Christian or any other religion we all live on the same planet and we must find a way to get along and live peacefully together and in harmony with planet.
beelzebub
Jun 16, 2009 at 4:24pm
I am waiting for the "crosses are burning right now in Prince George" type of rant from her.
Leotard
Jun 16, 2009 at 6:33pm
Amen, Beelzebub - not only is Ms. Fry a politician, she's a particularly slimy one
Orest Slepokura
Jun 16, 2009 at 7:58pm
Meanwhile . . . Independent Jewish Voices of Canada has voted to join the growing international campaign in support of the Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel, at its first Annual General Meeting this past weekend. This decision makes IJV the first national Jewish organization in the world to do so. The adopted resolution states that IJV will "Support the Palestinian call for a campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions until Israel meets its obligation to recognize the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and complies with the precepts of international law, including the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194."
Jimy
Jun 16, 2009 at 10:03pm
After everyone watched Israel bombed the crap out of the Palistinians for no good reason, its gonna be hard to foster any real support for them.
andrew
Jun 17, 2009 at 10:25am
Fry says: "But in North America and Europe, anti-Semitism is clothed in “politically correct” language that lashes out at the State of Israel, while singling out all Jews as targets for ire." Later she says "Speaking against actions of the Israeli government or any nation-state’s administrative decisions is encouraged in democratic discourse. World outrage at the Bush administration’s war in Iraq comes to mind. But calls for the destruction of the State of Israel, which is the homeland of Jews, is barely disguised anti-Semitism that could result in genocide."
Her letter is unclear as to whether criticism of Israel equates to anti-semitism. Criticism of Israel is not anti-Semetic. Independent Jewish Voices of Canada is severely critical of Israel and it's members cannot be considered to be anti-Semitic.
Amish Rake Fighter
Jun 19, 2009 at 3:46am
Hedy Fry is an embarrassment.
Nestor
Aug 6, 2009 at 10:54am
How nice of the above commentators to drive Ms. Fry's point home and prove how desperately an intervention into the more than gradual discursive decline - forever selectively confusing cause and effect, victims and perpetrators - is needed in Canada, as well.