Reply #46: I don't think that was the point at all

[LeftishBrit]

The point is that criticizing what someone says is *not* the same as suppressing it. In a way, that's exactly the same sort of argument as calling all criticism of Israel 'antisemitism'. How does telling someone who disagrees with you on the extent to which free speech is being suppressed, "You're for the attempted suppression of free speech" differ morally or logically from telling someone who disagrees with you on Israel, "You are motivated by antisemitism"?

People on all sides of the debate criticize those on other sides of the debate. Sometimes the criticisms are justified. Sometimes they are silly. Sometimes they border on a form of emotional blackmail. But none of this is the same thing as 'suppression of free speech'.

Personally, when pro-Israel people try to tell me what Jews ought to think about Israel, and imply that I'm antisemitic or suffering from the 'Jew flu' if I think differently, it has the effect of making me just that bit *less* pro-Israel than before. Rah-rah-rah tribal sentiments, and especially demands that I should share them, tend to have that effect on me, whether with regard to Israel or Britain or anywhere. Then I become a little more pro-Israel again whenever I read passages that imply that Jews are not to be fully trusted as loyal citizens, or that Jews or Israel are responsible for other countries' wars and other misdemeanors. Such sentiments remind me of why some sort of Jewish homeland is still necessary.

Perhaps my reactions are reasonable; perhaps they are passive-aggressive. At any rate, these are my reactions, and they are generally in the opposite direction of what the shriller advocates on either side would like or expect. Thus, far from 'suppressing' me, they are having the reverse effect. I suspect the same is true of quite a few other people!