TV Christmas message to address antisemitism in Britain
NewsThe actor Stephen Fry is to use his alternative Christmas message on Channel 4 to focus on the current tidal wave of anti-Jewish hatred in Britain and around the world.
Stephen says: ‘There is real fear stalking the Jewish neighbourhoods of Britain,’ he says. ‘Jewish people here are becoming fearful of showing themselves. In Britain, in 2023. Can you imagine, Jews afraid to be themselves in the open for fear of reprisal?
‘Shop windows smashed, Stars of David and swastikas daubed on walls of Jewish properties, synagogues and cemeteries. Jewish schools have been forced to close.’
Yes, Stephen. Time to rethink your leftist thinking. Better late than never, eh? All power to you and welcome back to sanity.
There’s more one way to think leftist. So don’t get too excited Mr sayer, the right doesn’t have too a good a track record when it comes to anti semitism either, remember?
They called themselves National Socialists.
A dog can call itself a duck. It’s still a dog.
I grew up in leftist thinking and anti-Semitism was non-existent in my (largely Jewish) circle. I am an expat Scot living in Canada and I have to say I never associated the left with anti-Semitism before Corbyn and the Labour party he leads. I am still mystified as to where it comes from in these circles — it is entirely antithetical to everything that was the doctrinaire leftism I knew.
These issues do not boil down to right/left. The woke are the most fascistic of people. Leftish thinkers like Stephen Fry — who is Jewish, BTW — are not anti-Semitic any more than they are anti-any other group as a group. And he fervently opposes cancel culture, and all that cones with it, as well as trigger warnings and some of their other timorous approaches to their traumatic little lives.
It comes from one K Marx himself…..Marx presents the Jew as a nationless, money-worshipping huckster who rules the world through his financial power. Try some Googling and you will see in Marx’s early writings a quite appalling (to this reader) antisemitism suggesting ultimately that liberation from Judaism is the only way forward…………….it’s really ugly stuff. While born a Jew, Marx was a baptised Christian though hardly a practicing one……..
And how many of these people do you suppose has read Karl Marx? Or could begin to articulate any of his ideas?
See also: Martin Luther
It’s partly down to recent identitarian politics which only see oppressor and victim, another convoluted, baseless, senseless export from the USA. Lionel Shriver describes it as ‘set menu politics’: sign up to be aspect, believe the lot.
I’ve often pointed out to Jewish friends that the left has turned their backs on them. As you correctly observe, it’s a recent phenomenon, dating back no further than Jeremy Corbyn’s inglorious leadership of what was once an essential party, but all the more virulent for its sudden explosion onto the geopolitical scene.
Bravo to you downvoters. Ever lived in the real world?
“swastikas daubed on walls of Jewish properties”
Yeah, nazis would NEVER do that.
Are you well?
What a disgustingly idiotic thing to say. It is a tragedy that support for Israel has become a badge of honour for the far right. All power to Mr. Fry.
Time to rethink your fascist thinking,Mr,Sayer..your comments never fail to make me throw up.
Cut the abuse. Final warning.
Thought police, eh? Happy to help your digestive problems.
I am not anti-Jewish, but I am opposed to Jewish people terrorising and murdering Palestinian people.
I am not anti-Palestinian, but I am opposed to Palestinian people terrorising and murdering Jewish people. In a confrontation when both sides are aiming to eradicate the civilian population of the other, then both have lost all moral basis.
What has happened to our world that this can be a controversial position to take ?
Sorry, but it is a bit insane to simply put Hamas terrorism on an equel to Israel’s attempt to get rid of it. These are not compatible things at all. History is more complicated than that.
Interesting that Jewish people don’t terrorize and murder Jews, but many Muslims terrorize and murder Muslims. The biggest enemy of peace is Hamas; with peace and stability Hamas would have no enemy on which to build its political platform. Many in the West are only just now beginning to understand this complicated region. If the Middle East were the US, Israel would be analogous to Boston, New York City, and San Francisco, and LA, all at once, while the rest of the Middle East would be nothing more than the Bible (eh hem Quran) Belt. The failure of the Western Left to recognize this reality demonstrates its limited knowledge on the region (see: Queers for Palestine)
It’s just a partially incorrect position. Hamas is indeed aiming and working to eradicate the Jewish people, as made clear by their actions and by their founding charter. The same can be said of Hezbollah in Lebanon and various other regional groups, all spearheaded by Iran. Israel is not however aiming to eradicate the Palestinians – many of whom come to work inside of Israel every day including in positions of importance and responsibility, and whose population has grown greatly in recent decades.
An entirely correct statement.
The cognitive dissonance of the left never ceases to amaze! If you insist on hitching your wagon to the muslim train, with its genocidal anti jewish and anti homosexual religious dogma, wtaf do you expect…?
Sadly, too many people are too stupid to realise this. Cognitive dissonance indeed…
Seems a bit bonkers for a Jew to give any Christmas message. What next – Keir Starmer presenting a Party Political Broadcast for the Tories?
I know Jews who celebrate Christmas.
I do.
So do I. One of my Jewish university (and leftish) friends was the instigator of all sorts of Christmas jollities — he loved carols, liked the tree, the Nativity story, presents, etc. — he liked it secular and had no problem with its religious base. My Jewish friends — I had a lot as I opted for a secular college in a university that still had a number of religiously-affiliated colleges so attracted a lot of Jewish students — all said “Merry Christmas,” not the weaselly (or politically correct) “Happy holidays.”
It’s a seasonal message – but I look forward to Rishi Sunak’s next Hannukah message…….
What has any of this got to do with “CLASSICAL MUSIC NEWS?” Enlighten me, please.
I was wondering about that. Perhaps there should be two blogs, one for music and one for politics.