In Oz, BDS Bigots Not Playing by the Rules

Adelaide BDSers campaiging against Israeli-made irrigation systems in Oz

The Facebook page BDS Australia comes with a statement that declares, inter alia: 

"This is a page for open discussion, and comments should not be assumed to reflect the views of BDS Australia.
Comments are moderated and will be removed if they:

1. are off topic, i.e. derail discussion about the post or are unrelated to BDS and a just peace for Palestinians
2. are defamatory or inflammatory towards individuals or groups
3. are racist, sexist, homophobic or use other offensive stereotypes
4. contain threats or personal attacks, or explicit language and/or images
5. are spam, repetitive or disruptive, or attempt to close down reasonable debate
6. spread lies, misrepresentations, false analogies or stereotypes
7. are commercial in any way
Moderation is at the discretion of admins."

A cursory look at the site, however, suggests that "open discussion" attempted by pro-Israel commenters does not stay up, and it shows that comments which are covered by some of those points, particularly comments that are anti-Jewish, are allowed to remain.

Why, there are even "lies, misrepresentations, false analogies" in the shape of the "Jesus was a Palestinian" chestnut.  Just look at the contents of this egregious example, provided to the BDS site by this fella, an American!

A comment following a post regarding Bethlehem has drawn what is surely "an inflammatory" remark by this bloke from Hobart, Tasmania, who I see is a Facebook friend of British 9/11 Truther and Reading PSC founder Tony Gratrex:

 Other inflammatory comments spotted include:

Poison regarding Jews:

This, incidentally, is a recent post by Nugent in his/her Facebook page: note the scum (more of Kelly's antisemitism here as well as here, on the timeline of one of his four Facebook friends)  it's attracted:

On the BDS Australia page:

A sample of comments (note, incidentally, the odious one regarding Australia's tragic bushfires):

Rowland joins in:

Some more quick-sample smears and falsehoods on the BDS Australia page:

 

I could go on.  But I think I've made my point. Yes, it's clear that there's no "open discussion" or systematic moderation on that grubby site!

Antisemitism in Australia (video)

In the wake of the recently revealed antisemitic bullying of Jewish schoolchildren, and the supine response of the schools involved, here's the head of the right-of-centre Australian Jewish Association, Sydney medico Dr David Adler, on that topic:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWdsY9SpjiM&t=

Butterfield 'ate

In Oz, and beyond, at least 15 minutes of infamy for "comedian" Isaac Butterfield (no, I've never previously heard of him either), who thinks the Shoah is a suitable subject for "comedy".

Melbourne Herald Sun, 22 April 2019

Butterfield claims on his social media accounts that he's been misrepresented in that press report and will duly respond on his "channel".

Meanwhile:

As we read here, Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dvir Abramovich said Butterfield should apologise for the comments. 

“It’s never OK to spew such hate rhetoric, and Isaac Butterfield should be ashamed for his hideous remarks that crossed all lines and which trampled on the memory of the dead,” he said.

“It is beyond shocking to exploit the extermination of six million Jews in the Holocaust to generate despicable jokes.

“When you consider that the corpses of those killed with the poison gas were often cremated in ovens, Mr Butterfield’s email response of ‘get out of the oven’ is disturbing and vicious.”

He urged the festival organisers to consider whether he should be given a platform in future.

However, a Melbourne Comedy Festival spokeswoman said performers are able to express their views, even those deemed offensive.

“The festival does not censor artists’ work and the annual event represents the individual views, observations and humour of the artists involved,” the spokeswoman said.

“Melbourne audiences have the intelligence to make calls about the work of various comedians and either support them or hold them to account for their views.”

Mr Butterfield declined to respond to questions by the Herald Sun.

His performance Why So Serious? is said to “explore the PC culture of our ever so changing world — from the good, the bad to the ugly”.

Almost 20,000 people have signed an online petition for him to be elected to the House of Representatives this May to challenge “this crazy left-wing agenda and politically correct world”.

But is the near-annihilation of European Jewry an appropriate subject for levity? Most reasonable people must surely think it monstrous.

On Facebook, in the meantime, beneath a female poster's criticism of Butterfield's Holocaust "humour", fans of Butterfield have written such contemptible comments as these:

In Oz, A "Hatchet Job on Israel"

A "hatchet job on Israel".  That's the way Danny Lamm, president of the Zionist Federation of Australia, justifiably described an execrable report, "Holy Real Estate", by Tom Steinfort on Channel Nine's Sixty Minutes current affairs show last Sunday evening, which, incidentally, aired in the week that Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese spewed some of his wonted anti-Israel propaganda  

A searing analysis of Steinfort's biased reportage, and a very able demolition job on the program, has been written by Australian Jewish News journalist Rebecca Davis here

Meanwhile,

from members of this Facebook group a hatchet job on Israel of a most sustained and despicable kind.  A selection of images posted by group members:

.

.

Whacko conspiracy theories laced with raw antisemitism.

Hardly the sort of company an Anglican priest should be keeping, but, lo and behold, one apparently is: none other than that Sydney associate of Stephen Sizer, Father Dave Smith, one of Sizer's cronies on the Peacemakers Trust organisation and the man who coordinated Sizer's recent trip Down Under.

A Cry of "Wolf" against Eddie McGuire

A few years ago a terrible insult to an Aboriginal footballer, Adam Goodes, quite rightly landed Aussie media mega-star Eddie McGuire in hot water.

Now, in a ridiculous beat-up abetted by the chairman  of the Anti-Defamation Commission, who has done much sterling work in the past, especially in defending Israel from obloquy, but who is beginning to show a disquieting tendency to cry wolf too often, Eddie McGuire is being accused of antisemitism.

Regular viewers of the popular general knowledge quiz show Millionaire Hot Seat will know that a rather endearing larrikin humour from host McGuire is part of the show's fabric, and no doubt of its appeal.  Indeed, I'd be willing to bet that his presence in the show, where his easy rapport with the contestants and the audience is palpable, has won him a legion of fans who have never watched him in the Footie Show that made him a household name.

On Thursday's episode of the Hot Seat contestant Serena Greenberg, who had said that if she won the $20,000 she was playing for she would like to treat her parents to a trip overseas, was asked by Eddie, in characteristic genial fashion: "Your Dad’s not Jewish, is he?" "Yes," she replied. Joked Eddie, who's of Scottish parentage himself: "So you have a Jewish father and a Scottish mother. I reckon it would have been hard getting pocket money from them!"
Just a throwaway line to lighten the mood, as is Eddie's habit.


But it's copped him a stern haranguing lecture from the chairman of the now oh-so-politically correct-and-censorious Anti-Defamation Commission, a sermon that may be apt in other contexts but which is inappropriate in this instance.

Unsurprisingly, this intervention has been condemned by many in the Jewish community, recognising Eddie McGuire's remark for the lighthearted piece of banter it was.  (And, yes, many Jews thought it was funny, and laughed!)

Also unsurprisingly, this intervention has been counterproductive, stirring examples of genuine antisemitism in online responses to it.

In order to win friends and influence people those who purport to speak for the Jewish community should have the wisdom to know what is trivial and what is serious, and when to speak out and when to stay silent.

Instances of genuine antisemitism merit unequivocal challenge and denunciation.

Eddie McGuire's joke was not one of those instances.

The ADL and its chairman need to heed the salutary tale of the boy who called "wolf" too often.

Jennifer's Jesting? "Turnbull Must Urgently Clarify Whether or Not He is Entitled to Israeli Citizenship"

The Australian "Dual Citizenship" debacle, which has seen several federal policians departing their parliamentary seats because they are dual citizens of Australia and another country grew ugly during the past week or so with suggestions, lauded by antisemites, that energy minister Josh Frydenberg, may be ineligible to sit in parliament because his mother was born (1943) in Hungary, a claim roundly denounced by prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Now, antisemites and anti-"Zionists" are jubilant over the issue of whether Mr Turnbull himself is ineligible to sit in Parliament owing to the Israeli Law of Return!

"Turnbull must urgently clarify whether or not he is entitled to Israeli citizenship

The S44 citizenship saga has thrown up possible queries concerning the citizenship status of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

The first is this interview with the Times of Israel in September 2015, recorded when Turnbull ousted former Prime Minister Tony Abbott and took over the top job:

My mother always used to say that her mother’s family was Jewish, he (Turnbull) told the Australian Jewish News two years ago. Judaism is passed from generation to generation on the mother’s side, so if his mother was in fact Jewish, so is Turnbull.

The second is a piece from the Australian Jewish News, August 2013, headlined “Menachem Mandel Turnbull?” in which the same statement is made by Turnbull about his mother, Coral Lansbury.

If Turnbull is Jewish, he is, as is every Jew in the world with the exception of criminals and terrorists, entitled to Israeli citizenship under the 1950 Law of Return.

How does this bring into question Turnbull’s legitimacy as an MP?

Section 44(i) of Australia’s Constitution disqualifies someone from office if that person:

…is under any acknowledgment of allegiance, obedience, or adherence to a foreign power, or is a subject or a citizen or entitled to the rights or privileges of a subject or a citizen of a foreign power… (emphasis mine)

We know from recent events that:

The High Court’s reading of section 44 is strict and unsurprising. It means that a dual national is barred from Parliament even where they were born in Australia, are ignorant of their other citizenship and have never attempted to use the rights or privileges of another country. A person can even be disqualified where they become a dual national later in life due to legal changes in another country.

Obviously his citizenship status and S44 were far from Turnbull’s mind in 2013 and 2015, when the interviews were recorded. Yet he was, at the beginning of his political career, like any other aspiring MP whose background carries the possibility of dual citizenship or entitlement to that citizenship, required to establish his status before standing for parliament. His failure to do this places his legitimacy as an MP and Prime Minister in doubt.

For the sake of the country’s stability, Turnbull must immediately address these issues, and rapidly and transparently convey his citizenship status to the Australian people. It is unthinkable that we should continue with a Prime Minister who is ineligible to sit in our parliament.

Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg is in the same situation as Turnbull. Frydenberg’s mother is Jewish, and he is also entitled to Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return."

The originally appeared here: the comments below the line there tell their own story.

Its author, Jennifer Wilson, is thus described:

"Jennifer, who has a PhD, has worked as an academic and a scholar, but now works at little of both her careers. She has published short stories in several anthologies, academic papers and book chapters, frequently on the topic of human rights. Her interests and writing are wide ranging, including cultural analysis. Jennifer has written for On Line Opinion, Suite 101 and ABC’s Drum Unleashed. Jennifer is well-known for her long-running blog No Place for Sheep: an eclectic blog that covers politics, society, satire, fiction and fun stuff."

So I'm assuming that it's a clumsy satire on her part, misrepresented by the Jew- and Israel-haters who have shared it on Facebook.

Mr Turnbull is certainly a firm friend of Israel, and as I've written before, he's hinted more that once that he is of Jewish descent on his mother's side. 

To quote the Australian Jewish News in 2013:

'....“My mother always used to say that her mother’s family was Jewish,” the member for Wentworth said....
Asked if his mother’s revelation has shaped his views he said: “Yes, maybe.”
 “I grew up in the Eastern Suburbs and as we all observe there were a lot of Jews in the Eastern Suburbs and I have always been very comfortable.
“There is no doubt that the strong traditions of family and the whole heimishe atmosphere of the Jewish community, which I’m sure some people don’t like, for me – as someone who is a good friend, but not part of it – I find very admirable.”
Reflecting on his mother, he noted, “She had a lot of Jewish friends in Sydney and a lot of Jewish friends in Philadelphia, where she was living when she died.”....'

 But as commenter Max stated on this post of mine, he (Max) failed to find a definitive answer:

'Turnbull's being pretty well claimed as of Jewish halachic descent by half the Jewish press in the world! If he wants to be Jewish - great - who are we to keep him out? As far as I can make out his mother Coral's mother was May Morle whose own mother was Alice Harriet Hawes, born GB 1848, her mother being Sarah somebody - there the trail runs cold.'

And as far as "dual citizenship" is concerned it wouldn't matter if he had! Being eligible to emigrate to Israel under the Law of Return does not an Israeli citizen make.

Cold Steel Antisemitism

'Juden verboten in Cairns. This antisemitic business refuses to serve Israelis "out of principle". (Where have I heard that before? ***Cough, Heil Hitler, cough***) Even though Cairns, Australia is a hole in the wall that I never heard of before reading of this outrageous antisemitic boycott, please give this Jew-hating business terrible reviews. Thanks, A Gentile-blood drinking Elder of Zion'

That's just one of the comments by outraged people on the Facebook page of Cold Steel Piercing, the Cairns, north Queensland business which hit the headlines a few days ago for its policy of refusing service to Israelis.

Why any self-respecting person would want to mutilate themselves by getting their nose pierced and the fact that such mutilation contravenes Jewish Law is immaterial.

This boycott of persons for the "crime" of being Israeli is utterly despicable and unconscionable and reminiscent of Nazi Germany.

On the business's Facebook page some people, like the one quoted above, have been telling the business owner exactly what they think of him.

More interesting, however, are the comments of the anti-Israel brigade, including incorrigible pro-BDS activists.  They betray their morally corrupt stance for the antisemitism that it is.

Race enough for Hitler, Lachlan, old mate.

British antisemite Pam Arnold/Hardyment has expressed approval.

Meanwhile, antisemitic Alan Lappin, the Aussie would-be politician about whom I've blogged twice in the recent past, is at it again:

"If Only Adolf Hitler Had Gotten the Rothschilds": Lappin' in antisemitism

Alan Lappin; image credtit: BorderMail.com.au

On 26 May last year, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) adopted a working non-legally binding definition of antisemitism:

“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.” 

It went on to explain that the ancient hatred includes the following modern manifestations:

"Calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion. 

Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective — such as, especially but not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions. 

Accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or group, or even for acts committed by non-Jews. 

Denying the fact, scope, mechanisms (e.g. gas chambers) or intentionality of the genocide of the Jewish people at the hands of National Socialist Germany and its supporters and accomplices during World War II (the Holocaust). 

Accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust. Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations. 

Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor. 

Applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation. 

Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis. 

Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis. Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel."

 And so on.

On 25 April this year, at its Plenary Assembly, the World Jewish Congress (WJC) will present its full report and detailed report concerning antisemitism on social media during 2016, based on the 
IHRA’s definition.

In the meantime, stressing that posts criticizing Israel or Israel’s activities were not counted in the study, it has summarised its findings thus, :

'The World Jewish Congress has found that more than 382,000 antisemitic posts were posted to social media platforms over the course of 2016 – an average of more than 43.6 posts per hour, or one post every 83 seconds.

The WJC survey, conducted by the Israeli monitoring firm Vigo Social Intelligence, also determined that an overwhelming 63 percent of all antisemitic content online can be found on Twitter.

“We knew that antisemitism online was on the rise, but the numbers revealed in this report give us concrete data as to how alarming the situation really is,” World Jewish Congress CEO and Executive Vice President Robert R. Singer said. “We hope this serves as a wake-up call to all internet forums to maintain moral standards, rid themselves of offensive content, and make the digital world a safer place for all.”

The WJC research analyzed tens of millions of posts in 20 languages on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, blogs and other forums. After Twitter, the highest number of antisemitic posts online can be found on blogs, at 16 percent. Eleven percent of antisemitic content online was posted to Facebook, followed by Instagram with 6 percent, YouTube with 2 percent, and 2 percent on other forums...

The corresponding posts were identified through a database of searchable word phrases and terms online, then translated into leading languages and scanned through the internet. A representative sample was read and codified by analysts to refine searches and deepen qualitative analysis. A total of 7,600 posts were read in different languages, indicating a representative sample of 2 percent of the total discourse included in the analysis.

Last year I drew attention to some of the eyebrow raising posts of an aspiring Australian federal politician named Alan Lappin.

I don't know whether the WJC counted any of his posts in its study pertaining to 2016, but the bloke  from Boorhaman North, near Wangaratta, who had his eye on the seat of Indi in the last election, is still at it this year, with such posts as these:

As aspiring pollies go, Alan Lappin is small fry indeed.

But Boorhaman.

What a bonza name for the habitat of an antisemite!

Geddit?