Rising anti-Semitism: ‘The Pianist’ actress considers leaving UK

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

100. In re your 'tough questions'...

The number of terrorist attacks has climbed in the wake of America's attacks on largely Muslim populations in various countries wourldwide. Do you think that increased American violence against Muslim populations, including lots of 'collateral damage', has increased or decreased the anti-American sentiment worldwide? Have America's violent actions decreased the number of new terrorists, or actually created new terrorists? And are these new terrorists careful to discriminate between the American military and government, or do they end up hating all Americans, and do things like kill journalists and aid workers?

Someone upthread said we have to look to history for 'reasons' in growing antisemitism. Here's a historical phrase for folks - Violence begets violence. And that new violence generally isn't very discriminating about whether it simply attacks those who perpetrated the prior violence, or also includes innocents who simply share some common trait with those who did.

It's a demonstration of stupidity, but it's reality. When Netanyahu's IDF slaughters Palestinians, antisemitism will grow. When polls show that the vast majority of Israelis support his actions, antisemitism will grow. Because lots of people aren't logical and rational enough to separate 'the Jewish people' from 'the Jewish state of Israel'.

Is it criticism of Israel that puts Jewish people in danger, or is it the actual violent actions of the IDF under Netanyahu that put Jewish people in danger? Was it the abuses and torture at Abu Ghraib that 'put Americans at risk', or was it the fact that people criticized those actions that 'put Americans at risk'?