Monday, November 11, 2013

Some thoughts on anti-Semitism.

This New York Times article on anti-Semitism brought back some painful memories.  Growing up in the Bible Belt meant that I met more people than I'd have liked who really did believe that the Jews killed Jesus and that Jews were devils.  Yes, I heard "show me your [devil's] horns--I know you have them."  Yes, I was beaten up regularly (until I learned how to defend myself) for being Jewish.  Yes, even my "friends" would say unkind things about my religion.  The fact that anti-Semitism hasn't declined, and may in fact be on the rise again, is horrifying to me.  But kids learn what their elders teach them, and--like every other type of prejudice--knowing that one of their friends is Jewish, or gay, or otherwise "different" from them may not be enough to help erase all of those years of teaching that "others" are evil.

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