brazil84 comments on Stranger Than History - Less Wrong

52 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 01 September 2007 06:57PM

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Comment author: ChristianKl 07 April 2014 10:15:36AM *  0 points [-]

I'm not sure that "Rothschild" is the best example here since the name is far more evocative of extreme wealth than of religion.

Are you really saying that judging someone that way isn't a form of antisemitism?

On of Hitlers main talking points against Jewish was that the big evil Jewish bankers control the world economy and have to be fought. People like the Rothschilds. That talking point was one of the essential elements of antisemitism.

I had the experience talking with someone about Jeffrey Sachs and that person immeditaly going for an ad hominem based on the name. There a point where it's simply clear that one's confronted with antisemitism.

"I'm no racist, but..."

And a desire to boycott Israel is indeed consistent with modern progressive politics, agreed?

Yes, people like Naomi Klein are progressives in good standing.

Comment author: brazil84 07 April 2014 03:57:12PM 1 point [-]

Are you really saying that judging someone that way isn't a form of antisemitism?

Not necessarily. Let me ask you this: Imagine your hypothetical left-winger who won't vote for a Rothschild. Do you think that person would vote for a "Rockefeller"? My guess is he probably wouldn't, but even if he would, he would probably invent some rationalization for it so he could pretend to himself and his peers that he is not an anti-Semite.

By the way, I do agree that much of the time, criticism of "Bankers" or "Wall Street Bankers" or "Elites who Control the Media" etc. is tinged with anti-Semitism, even when it comes from the Left.