Criticism not Racism
THE strong reaction to the Gunter Grass poem illustrates the very point he makes, that it has become impossible to criticise Israel without being labelled anti-Semitic ("What must be said remains unspeakable", Opinion, 19/4). There is nothing anti-Semitic about proposing a nuclear-free Middle East, and there is nothing anti-Semitic about calling for an end to Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian territory.
Tom Griffiths, Ascot Vale
Allow me to suggest that Mr. Griffiths most likely didn't even take the time to read or digest the excellent Op Ed What must be said remains unspeakable by Nick Dyrenfurth about which he is ostensibly commenting in his letter. Had he done so, he would have understood the difference between valid criticism and the racist anti-Jewish sentiment underpinning Gunther Grass' very ordinary piece of poetry and why Griffiths' own pithy little effort is so shameful.
4 comments:
Wilbur,
You're absolutely right. He could not possibly have read the article but that's the way with anti-Israel propaganda these days.
Here's some criticism of Israel that evidently Griffiths has no problem with and which he doesn't consider antisemitic - http://www.timesofisrael.com/iranian-cartoons-mock-holocaust/
Gunther Grass - another German who can't forgive the Jews for Auschwitz.
Hey Tom,
If I were to write a poem that included references to nearly all the world wide conflicts involving Muslims, nearly all the kidnappings, Piracy, suicide bombings, sectarian killings, religious intolerance ,racism mainly being perpetrated by Muslims Worldwide mass immigration in order to change cultures and influence Governments politically mainly by Muslims I bet Tom would be the first to write a letter claiming the author was Islamaphobic.
Yet it seems it is open season on Jews to be constantly criticized for taking a tough stance against those that wish them harm.
Faygale
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