Daphne Anson: No Reprinted Jewish Vermin For Warsaw's 2012 Calendar

Eretz Israel is our unforgettable historic homeland...The Jews who will it shall achieve their State...And whatever we attempt there for our own benefit will redound mightily and beneficially to the good of all mankind. (Theodor Herzl, DerJudenstaat, 1896)

We offer peace and amity to all the neighbouring states and their peoples, and invite them to cooperate with the independent Jewish nation for the common good of all. The State of Israel is ready to contribute its full share to the peaceful progress and development of the Middle East. (From Proclamation of the State of Israel, 5 Iyar 5708; 14 May 1948)

With a liberal democratic political system operating under the rule of law, a flourishing market economy producing technological innovation to the benefit of the wider world, and a population as educated and cultured as anywhere in Europe or North America, Israel is a normal Western country with a right to be treated as such in the community of nations.... For the global jihad, Israel may be the first objective. But it will not be the last. (Friends of Israel Initiative)

Monday, 2 January 2012

No Reprinted Jewish Vermin For Warsaw's 2012 Calendar

In including an antisemitic advertisement for the weekly Rozwoj dating to 1925 as one of the images of Warsaw's 20th century cultural heritage, the city's municipal leaders appear to have trodden a fine line between showcasing history for history's sake and exploiting shocking propaganda for its publicity value.

The poster depicts a Polish soldier disposing with a powerful blowtorch of rats wearing (according to a description, though I must need Specsavers urgently for I fail to see them) yamulkes decorated with the Magen David. The captain, in translation, partly reads: : "Rozwój is fighting for the welfare of Poland, promoting national solidarity ... defending Poland against the Jewish influx..."

Unsurprisingly, given the furore unleashed by a page in a calendar promotiong Warsaw that shows Jews as vermin, and the knowledge of where such depictions led, the calendar has sold out.

A case can certainly be made for the inclusion of such an image, in a collection that purports to display the theme specified.

"The poster is antisemitic but the idea behind the project was to show the emotions of old Warsaw," said a municipal spokesman. "Let's not pretend we have nothing to be ashamed of - in those days, antisemitism was quite strong."

But an equal and perhaps far better case can be made for not including so terrible, and perhaps even inflammatory, an image on a commercial calendar. It could be interpreted as, however unwittingly, a recruiting sergeant for neo-Nazi thugs of extreme right. Better, it seems, to leave the image in the Museum that houses the original.

At first, the civic authorities reacted with phlegmatism, and even bravado, when challenged over their inclusion of the image, and vowed to go to a second print run.

But now they have reconsidered, and overturned their vow to print more. Theirs was arguably a lapse of good judgment, and it is probably right they have done so. Such an image is surely best omitted from material that purports to promote a city.

Read more here and here and here

3 comments:

Anonymous15 January 2012 at 16:08
Jewish anti-Christian sentiments are displayed in the streets of American and Israeli cities, in the press and TV programs every day. Culturally insensitive programs are shown as we speak in Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv.
What's the big deal. This poster shows just one aspect of Polish life in the II Republic.
Anti-semitism was widespread (nothing unusual at that time) everywhere, and it had its reasons. This is history. Do you ever apologize for your comments about Poland, Polish people or catholicism? Do you accept criticism about Israeli soldiers' actions in Gaza and West Bank>
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Anonymous17 January 2012 at 23:45
Anonymous smackdown!
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'For as long as these antisemites wrap themselves up in the Palestinian flag, too many people are willing to turn a blind eye. Only against Jews is this type of racism openly tolerated. It is flourishing in schools, colleges, universities, unions and in city councils. In fact, so rampant is the disease now, in some settings you can be ostracised if you do not partake in the frenzy yourself. Bashing Jews has becomes a trendy position for the ignorant social justice warrior. "Palestinianism" is a viral "ponzi scheme" and as it spreads, it carries antisemitism in the undergrowth.' David Collier (2017)

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https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/9685/britain-little-lies

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Islamophobia is a false allegation of prejudice which is deployed to silence rational criticism based on actual facts about attitudes and practices within the Islamic world.
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The "Apartheid" Slur

The division of Judea and Samaria (West Bank) into three separate areas “A”, “B” and “C” was agreed on by Israel and the PLO pursuant to the Oslo Accords.
95% of the West Bank Arabs live in Areas A and B and their daily lives are under the total administration and control of the PLO since the Palestinian Authority was disbanded by Abbas in January 2013. The PLO has total security control in A and shares security control in B with Israel. Israel has total administrative and security control in C.
Israel is entitled to and will continue to take responsibility for the security of Jews living in the West Bank.
Jews were given the legal right to settle in the West Bank under article 6 of the Mandate for Palestine and article 80 of the UN Charter. They did so for decades until they were driven out in 1947 and not able to return there until 1967.
There are Arab roads only in the West Bank that Jews are not allowed to use. Jews are also forbidden from entering Area “A”. Selling land to Jews is forbidden by the PLO under pain of death. The PLO runs the daily lives of 95% of the West Bank Arabs and Hamas runs the daily lives of 100% of the Gazan Arabs. They have been under occupation – and subjugation – by these two evil groups for the last ten years and given no say in their future or any opportunity to elect others to lead them following the disastrous political decisions of their leaders over the past ten years. Hamas and the PLO do not accept the continued existence of a Jewish State and call for its disappearance.
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Iran and ISIS are competing for the crown of militant Islam... In this deadly game of thrones, there’s no place for America or for Israel, no place for Christians, Jews or Muslims who don’t share the Islamist medieval creed, no rights for women, no freedom for anyone... [T]he greatest danger facing our world is the marriage of militant Islam with nuclear weapons. To defeat ISIS and let Iran get nuclear weapons would be to win the battle, but lose the war. We can’t let that happen...[T]he days when the Jewish people remained passive in the face of genocidal enemies, those days are over. We are no longer scattered among the nations, powerless to defend ourselves. We restored our sovereignty in our ancient home. And the soldiers who defend our home have boundless courage. For the first time in 100 generations, we, the Jewish people, can defend ourselves....Even if Israel has to stand alone, Israel will stand. But ... I know that America stands with Israel... You stand with Israel, because you know that the story of Israel is not only the story of the Jewish people but of the human spirit that refuses again and again to succumb to history’s horrors. Bibi Netanyahu (12 Adar 5775; 3 March 2015)

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The State of Israel boasts a commandment that, in one of the darkest hours in the fight for liberty Winston Churchill taught: "Never give up". Israel has proven to be a key ally in the fight against Islamism and also an example of how a liberal democracy can resist the jihadist stake and thrive as a Western nation ... Not only France but also all the West should look to Israel to defeat Islamism...
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I am duty-bound to defend freedom, culture, peaceful coexistence, the civic education of children, and all the principles that the Tablets of the Law have rendered universal. Principles which Islamic fundamentalism systematically destroys. This means that, since I am a Gentile, a journalist and a leftist, I have a triple moral commitment to Israel. Because, if Israel were to be vanquished, modernity, culture and freedom would also be crushed. Even though the world has failed to wake up to this fact, Israel's struggle is the world's struggle. Pilar Rahola

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