Reverse Anti-Semitism

Sami B. Mashney

"I take exception to your statement" said the attorney when I said "I am from Occupied Palestine" in response to his question as where I am originally from. He said so while sitting in my office across my desk soliciting my business. When I inquired with him, he said that the term "occupied" implies that Israel is an aggressor while in fact it is not—in his opinion.

I asked him if it wasn't an irrefutable fact that Israel occupied Palestine using terrorism, colonialism and military conquest. He replied that Israel fought a "war of independence" and it is "anti-Semitic" to hold a view that Israel is an occupying power.

Since he had a foreign accent, I asked him where was he from originally. He said that he is a South African Jew. "Are you a Zionist?" I asked. He said: "I am proud to be a Zionist."

"That's the end of our conversation. You are not getting my business since, whenever I can, I don't do business with Zionists. Have a nice day," I told him making it clear that he must leave.

He asked me if I harbored negative feelings against Jews. I told him: "To the contrary, I have a co-Semitic affinity towards Jews, but I do have a big problem with Zionism, the sectarian chauvinist political movement that perverted the faith of Judaism. As you know, many Jews are not Zionists and even anti-Zionists, and many Zionists are not Jews. It is not about faith. It is about exploiting faith as a justification for discrimination and racism just like the KKK misuse Christianity and the Wahhabis misuse Islam."

He pleaded with me telling me that non-Jewish attorneys in his firm can do the job. I told him again, it not about his Jewishness; it's about him being "proud" of espousing Zionist political views which discriminate against Christians, Muslims and other non-Jews. "It's about Reverse anti-Semitism," I said.

After showing him the door, I started recalling how many well-respected leaders were viciously and maliciously smeared by Zionists as alleged "anti-Semites" for daring to speak against the Apartheid Jewish state's multi-generational oppression of the Christians and Muslims of Palestine. I remembered President Jimmy Carter, anti-Apartheid South African Bishop Tutu, Rev. Jessie Jackson, Senator Charles Percy, Congressman Paul Findley and Pete McCloskey, and the countless courageous others whose only crime was to speak out against the never-ending onslaught of the Israeli occupation army, operating in merciless cold industrial efficiency, against the long-suffering Palestinian civilian population in their undying quest to see the light at the end of the painful, dark and serpentine tunnel of the Israeli military occupation.

I also remembered how the Zionist-controlled so-called "mainstream" media cathartically uses the damaging label of "anti-Semitism" to tarnish and even destroy the reputation of any public figure who dares not to unconditionally support Israel and its lurking Amen Corner in the United States. The usual scenario is a mention in the media that the ADL, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, or some other fake Zionist front, complained that a given person is "anti-Semitic" because of his disapproving views on Israel. The accused is never given an opportunity to respond and refute such spurious and politically-motivated allegations. Such common practice is a slap on the face of honest journalism and is the modus operandi of the fifth column Israeli Lobby in the United States.

Several months ago, I received an email from an Orange County, CA, peace activist who wanted to give me his advice not to use the term "Zionist," "Zionism," and the "Apartheid Jewish state," in political discourse because others may conclude that I am allegedly "anti-Semitic." I asked him if he thought that using these terms is evidence of anti-Semitism. He said no but he still thought that it is risky to do so. I asked him, if he, the political activist, is afraid to use such terms, how would those who are less politically-sophisticated be able to use such terms to neutralize the suffocating influence of the Israeli Lobby. He couldn't answer me.

Many agree that the over abused term of "anti-Semitism" has become a terrifying verbal hatchet used by Zionists and their subservient talking heads surrogates to silence those who have the courage to speak against Zionism and the unrelenting carefully-plotted racist policies of the state of Israel. On the other hand, the term has been used too much and against so many respectable and honorable people to the point that it also became a diluted, empty buzzword and a badge of honor identifying courageous and honorable people who dared to speak against Zionism and to call for an end of the 59 year old Israeli military occupation of Palestine.

Zionism is one of the worst forms of racism because it diabolically exploits the legitimate fight against anti-Semitism. It does so by discriminating against non-Jews while threatening the victims and their supporters of being labeled as alleged "anti-Semites" if they oppose such discrimination. In essence, Zionism is reverse anti-Semitism because it dishonestly employs anti-Semitism to discriminate against non-Jews.

Zionism also is a major factor in stirring anti-Semitism because many who observe the shameful and sneaky dirty deeds of Zionists, emotionally and in a knee jerk reaction, harbor unjustified and unacceptable hatred against Jews.

The most effective way to combat racism is to vociferously speak against it. In the same manner, we speak against Nazism, the KKK, and anti-Semitism; we must also thunderously speak out against Zionism—reverse anti-Semitism.

The writer is a California-based Arab-American journalist and the publisher of The Independent Monitor.

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