(Jewish Group) How good is your anti-Semitism detector? [View all]

[Behind the Aegis]

(THIS IS THE JEWISH GROUP! RESPECT!!)

When it comes to anti-Semitism, everyone’s an expert. They know who is and who isn’t an anti-Semite. They know some countries are good for the Jews, and some aren’t. One political party is safe, the other is seething with anti-Jewish and anti-Israel sentiment. And they would never, ever be fooled by someone who faked an anti-Semitic attack.

The problems with being so sure about who our allies and enemies are is twofold. First of all, left-wing and right-wing Jewish partisans alike have, of late, been put in the uncomfortable position of explaining why their particular “team” has experienced a recent upsurge in anti-Semitic language and deeds.

But more importantly: the enemies of the Jewish people claim that we use the charge of anti-Semitism selectively, ignoring some slurs but not others, to further our own agenda. This is a ridiculous charge, to be sure – as the infighting between groups of Jews puts the lie to any notion of a singular “agenda” – but being able to call a spade a spade when it comes to anti-Semitism would go a long way towards taking the wind out of our enemies’ sails.

So how sensitive, and how accurate, is your anti-Semitism detector? I’ve selected 20 quotes that one could reasonably expect Jews to find offensive, if not clearly anti-Semitic. Five of the speakers come from the political left, and five from the right. Five are real quotes spoken by fictional characters, and five originated from real people who faked, or fraudulently downplayed, anti-Semitism. Can you tell who is who?

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