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April 03, 2008 - Image 30

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish News, 2008-04-03

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

World

Anti-Semitism

U.S. stats better, but still a concern.

Alan Hitsky

Associate Editor

I

ANOTHER KNOCKOUT

AT THE NEW DIA.

From bars to beaches to boxing, Ashcan artists caught
Americans at play I00 years ago. Use your free time
to see how they spent theirs. Life's Pleasures: The
Ashcan Artists' Brush with Leisure, 1895-1925.
March 2—May 25, 2008

Tickets, dia.org or Box Office
Members see it FREE, 313.833.7971

This exhibition was organized by the Detroit Institute of Arts. Support has been provided by the

Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the City of Detroit. George Bellows. Dempsey and

Firpo, 1924, oil on canvas. Purchase with funds from Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (31.95). Whitney

Museum of American Art. New York.

771C!

arts "dm, 4.7

n a speech last week for the Anti-
Defamation League's Michigan
Region, ADL Associate Director
Kenneth Jacobson drew a distinction
between racism and anti-Semitism:
"With racism,
what you see is what
you get. With anti-
Semitism, what you
see is not what you
get?'
He explained that
racists use skin color
as their determinant.
Kenneth
For anti-Semites,
Jacobson
Jews look like every-
body else, "only they're really different,
evil, all-powerful, conspiratorial ..."
This alleged conspiracy has proven
handy for despots for several millen-
nia.
He cited the statements by
Malayasia's prime minister during that
country's severe recession in the late
1980s and '90s. While there are virtu-
ally no Jews in Malayasia, the prime
minister blamed Jewish money lend-
ers for the country's troubles.
Any time there is unease in soci-
ety," Jacobson said, Jews become the
all-powerful problem. Other com-
mon themes for anti-Semites are that
American Jews are more loyal to Israel

Demonstration

CELEBRATE THE 50TH
ANNIVERSARY OF
THE CITY OF SOUTHFIELD WITH US!

We are creating a special homage
to this community and the
significance that Jewish Metro
Detroit has had in its growth.

Issue Date: April 24, 2008

Early Bird advertising specials available!

Call 248-354-6060 for
advertising information

A30

April 3 . 2008

Attendees at a scheduled speech
by ADL's National Director
Abraham Foxman at Birmingham's
Community House on March 26
were greeted by approximately
50 sign-carrying, peaceful pickets
from the local Armenian commu-
nity.
The pickets were protesting
Foxman's stance last year oppos-
ing legislation in Congress that
would prod Turkey into recogniz-
ing the Armenian Genoide that the
Ottoman Turks perpetrated dur-
ing World War I. Some 1.5 million
Armenians died in 1915-16.
Foxman, a Holocaust survivor,
was torn by the issue but backed
the Bush administration efforts
to kill the congressional resolu-
tion. Foxman cited the impact it
might have on Turkish-Israeli ties,

than to the United States and that Jews
control the media, university cam-
puses and Hollywood.
Recent ADL opinion surveys show
that the American people are not buy-
ing the anti-Semites' message, he said,
"but we can't be complacent!" He cited
Iran as a threat "that people aren't tak-
ing seriously enough?'
• The recent surveys show that only
15 percent of American have anti-
Semitic beliefs; 30-33 percent believe
Jews are more loyal to Israel.
• First-generation Hispanic immi-
grants can be as high as 44 percent
biased, but recently that figure is at
30 percent. Among second-generation
Hispanics in America, the percentage
for anti-Semitism drops below 20.
• University faculty have a very low
percentage of ant-Semitism, but by
2:1 they favor Palestinians over Israel.
Among the general U.S. population,
Israel is favored over the Palestinians
2.5:1.
The newest tool for anti-Semites is
the Internet, said Jacobson. Europeans
complain that racists and anti-Semites
use U.S. sites because of Europe's laws
against hate speech.
He said the biggest differences for
Jews in the world today over earlier
times in Jewish history are:
• Israel exists
• The comfortable situation of

Anti-Semitism on page A31

Turkey's support of U.S. efforts in
Iraq and Afghanistan, and on the
Turkish Jewish community.
On March 26, Foxman was
unable to appear in Michigan
because of the illness of his son.
ADL Associate National Director
Kenneth Jacobson spoke in his
place. In response to a question
after his speech on anti-Semitism,
Jacobson expressed regret over
the Armenian issue, labeling it
"competing morality."
ADL Michigan Region Director
Betsy Kelman told the JN she had
contacted Edward Hagopian of the
Armenian community and planned
to meet with him this week to
discuss the issue. Hagopian placed
a full-page advertisement in a
suburban newspaper criticizing
Foxman ahead of his scheduled
speech.

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