A short thread (sadly necessary) on antisemitism accusations and the absurd dishonesty and gaslighting around it.
We hear all the time about tropes and that certain things actually mean something different.
That may be true for some people, but not for everybody.
1/7

Words have meanings and their dictionary meaning should be assumed as the intended one by default.
They can be code for something else, but unless a person explicitly shows a negative attitude towards certain groups, what they say must be taken literally.
2/7

Especially when someone insists they are not racists (e.g. antisemites) and doesn't try to make stereotyping points about an entire group, and even explicitly oppose and condemn those attitudes and anybody who try to bring them into the mainstream, they have to be believed.
3/7

Rejecting the accusation of being racist alone does not prove much since most actual racists don't like to be called racists.
But racists will always try to make divisive points, blanket statements about groups, othering and demonising people based on certain characteristics.
4/7

Some illustrative examples: "I'm not a racist, but Muslims really are different from us and their values are incompatible with ours". Or "I'm not a racist, but black people really are more criminal."
Or "I'm not a racist, but Jews really are manipulative and rule the world."
5/7

Of the high-profile left-wing people accused of antisemitism, has anybody made a statement like that? Even in a less explicit way, but one that clearly indicates they wanted to make a point about "the Jews"? I don't think so. Do they all oppose anti-Jewish prejudice? They do.
6/7

So if they really are antisemites, they must be "secret antisemites" who publicly abhor antisemitism and only very privately hate Jews, but what would be the point of that?

There is no point and therefore the accusations have to be condemned as farcical and shameful smears.
7/7