Gently Chiding Jews
Something that looks suspiciously like anti-Semitism rears its head. Again. Not that anyone was really looking for it. But there it is. A Polish member of the European Parliament, father no less of Roman Giertych, the Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister was issuing a public lesson on the perfidy in society of the Jewish presence.Jews, he would have it, deliberately ghettoize themselves, no one demands it of them, no governments plan to set them apart from other citizens, they take it upon themselves to remain aloof because of the "civilization of programmed separateness, of programmed differentiation from the surrounding communities...Jews form the the ghettos themselves. It was only Hitler's Germany that created the concept of forced separation."
(Handily overlooking the fact that German Jews were the most integrated, the most absorbed, the most proud of being German first, Jews second, of any Jewish populations in the diaspora. Because of their German-first identification they found it particularly difficult to understand why they were being singled out, ghettoized, and finally exterminated, along with all the Jewish-first populations of the rest of Europe.)
Then there is Canada where in every major city there are much-celebrated 'ghettos' of Italians, Portuguese, Chinese, Lebanese, Vietnamese among many others who find comfort in living together with others who share their cultural, historical, traditional and religious beliefs, while at the same time adhering to the larger political, cultural and legal core values of the country. Here we call it pluralism, a mosaic of ethnicities. And Canada honours these groups.
But it's not the physical separation that is his real agenda, which the rest of his tirade reveals: "Jews are not pioneers, but migrate from poorer communities to settle among the other civilizations, preferably among the rich." Such delicate slander. This man, Maciej Giertych, is a member of the ultra-Roman Catholic League of Polish Families party, currently led by his son.
His tract, entitled "Civilizations at War in Europe" claims "integration, middle ground and the 'melting pot' are not possible" in Europe. Most of the continent should retain "the Latin civilization". A spokesman for the European Commission was unequivocal in his rejection on behalf of the Commission, that it "condemns any manifestations of anti-Semitism, racism and xenophobia".
The Commission might want to look into the fact that the tract uses the European Parliament's official logo, presumably to lend it an air of authority and respectability. Evidently, the diatribe was not confined to the place of despicable Jews in society but also took aim at the Muslim world's "despotism", adding that "few Muslims know the Koran".
Mr. Giertych, evidently adds misogynistic beliefs to his rather lengthy list of hates, feeling that modern Western civilization has handed over too much in expectations for women in daily life in the home, in abject surrender to women's liberation.
A man for all seasons.
Labels: Heroes and Villains
posted by Pieface @ Sunday, February 18, 2007
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