As a leader in the Jewish community, I am particularly alarmed by today’s McCarthyist tactic of manufacturing an antisemitism scare, which, in effect, turns the very real issue of Jewish safety into a pawn in a cynical political game to cover for Israel’s deeply unpopular policies with regard to Palestine – For the Safety of Jews and Palestinians, Stop Weaponizing Antisemitism – By Bernie Steinberg
Betrayal most foul
One of the life traps I don’t fall into, is defining myself politically. Apart from the vagaries of meaning, there’d be the difficulties in resolving the contradictions of any espoused politics with life in a crony capitalist society. Who needs that self-imposed drama?
If someone for example, professed to be an Anarchist, you’d hope their lifestyle choices gave some indication of their political bent. Rather than it just being ‘a stage they were going through’, or a theatrical flourish to their otherwise staid existence.
Known a number of self-professed Anarchists over the years. Many of them comfortably middle-class and unaware of Bakunin and Emma Goldman’s existence.1 Which brings me to Oscar Wobbly, another middle-class Anarchist, with a well-paid job in University administration. “Wobs” would know who Bakunin and Goldman were.
– Insert –
It’s been suggested “Wobs” has embraced the dark side of Israeli genocide and terrorism
because he fears any association with Dingo News might jepordise his university job. That tracks.
Been associated with Wobs for a few years through social media and have published a number of his articles on Dingo News. Research and academic rigour are “normally” his strong points. Obviously, we are au fait with each other’s political beliefs.
So imagine my shock when this ideological comrade not only turned on me but countenanced an accusation I was a “Nazi”.
My crime? Using the term “Jewish Lobby“. According to Mr Wobbly and his pissant comrades, this undoes decades of anti-racism, trade union and ecological activism and immediately transforms one into a “Nazi”. I’ll address its usage later.
First some hysterical pissant posted this insulting defamatory dribble…
Then my former ally weighed in with this condescending authoritarian crap.
Yeah, I’ll just delete my posts and redo my article to please some supercilious wanker who thinks he has moral authority over me.
Mr Wobbly neglected to disavow the “Nazi” comment. This despite his knowing it to be patently absurd. My publishing his articles about fascism on Dingo News should have been a clue.
Remember, this guy revels in his “intellectual” status, which supposedly incorporates academic rigour and integrity. Clearly he didn’t want to dilute the intensity of the pile-on he knew would eventuate.
Upsetting the “pissant Left” is a doddle
The ability to upset and anger racists, conservatives (includes Labor), Leftist cults and assorted bigots is a gift I cherish, despite the resultant fallout. Decades of death threats, physical confrontations, social media pile-ons, betrayal and hatred, all making me stronger apparently.
Twitter (fuck X) is a great arena to push ideas and receive feedback. It’s also a great place to make enemies of people who would destroy your life if they could. People who never forgive. Never forget slights. Real or imagined. In this instance, I am of course referring to those pathetic little cliques that infest and splinter the Left. Whose passionate energy could transform society, if directed somewhere useful en masse.
Let’s face it, the Left is in a sad state in this country (and elsewhere) thanks to our failings to unify and grow. Caitlin Johnstone sums it up in her usual brilliantly incisive manner…
To say I have little faith in the Left would be an understatement. An impending climate disaster, the mass extinction of species, the perpetual war footing of the American Empire and the unnecessary suffering of billions of people to satisfy the insatiable greed of the super-rich, still hasn’t been enough to galvanise us.
Now this defamatory garbage.
Let’s examine my critics “claims”
Despite clear evidence of my support for Jewish people…
…and my oft expressed disgust for Nazis
Victoria Police should have arrested Nazis – Mick Lawless
…the Nazi accusations continued for about 8 hours.
It doesn’t matter what evidence you present to defend yourself or how absurd their accusations are.
– Insert –
As Israel Gets More Murderous, We’ll Be Hearing Even More About “Antisemitism” Caitlin Johnstone
“You’re like “It’s bad to murder children by the thousands” and someone tells you “Ah so you hate Jewish people then,” and you say “No I definitely do not,” and they say “Yes, yes you most definitely have very strong negative opinions about the members of a small Abrahamic religion.”
And you obviously know they’re making a false claim, because you’re you; you are the world’s foremost authority on what you feel and what opinions you have. You know with absolute 100 percent certainty that you have never at any time harbored any negative feelings toward this religious group you see around in your society whose members look and act pretty much the same as all the other pale-skinned people you run into.”
116 Human Rights and Civil Society Organisations, Academic Institutions, and groups Condemn Israel’s Targeted Smear Campaign Against Respected UN Special Rapporteur, Francesca Albanese – the latest manifestation in a pattern of Israeli attacks aimed at silencing any legitimate criticism of the inhuman manner in which it treats Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) – Source
That’s the nature and intent of these vicious defamatory attacks – to destroy one’s reputation and make people fearful of supporting you. Francesca used “Jewish Lobby” and compared Israel’s actions with the holocaust but none of the clowns who attacked me are game to call her a “Nazi”.
It’s the sort of bullying that has affected people’s mental health unto acute depression and suicidal ideation/suicide. I’m fortunate (I guess) in that my psyche has been tempered in far hotter flame wars.
You know it’s personal when…
I pointed out that everyone from Jewish writers, socialists and numerous people on Twitter used or accepted the term “Jewish Lobby”. Logically, if my using the term “Jewish Lobby” made me a “Nazi”, then anyone else using that term would be a “Nazi”. Don’t think they ever really recovered from that revelation.
Noteworthy that they weren’t prepared to “directly” accuse anyone else of being a “Nazi”.
“In their aggressive, unrelenting attempts to protect the government of Israel, groups such as the Australian Jewish Association, the Australia / Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and the Zionist Federation of Australia have all contributed to a groundswell of anger in Australia over Israel’s shocking treatment of the Palestinians in Gaza and the Occupied West bank (OWB). And in the process have done a great disservice to Australian Jews; possibly stoking a rise in antisemitism.” – Australian Jewish Lobby groups damage Judaism and its followers – By Malcolm Spry – The Conversation
Not sure what I did to provoke such unrelenting hatred from these cowardly people – especially Mr Wobbly, who I’ve always supported. I do know one of us Untermenschen speaking up, angers and scares a lot of people.
And Dingo News punches up. Often into the udders of sacred cows.
Don’t really care. The motivations/agendas of these chancers probably makes as much sense, as their attack on me.
Francesca Albanese, (who the Wobs’ coterie would consider a “Nazi”) stated, “I will not let anyone define who I am and what I stand for.” – relevant Tweet
UN Palestinian rights investigator denies ‘Jewish lobby’ comments are antisemitic
Penny Wong is in Israel shaking hands with the butchers behind the mass murder of Palestinians…
…but let’s concentrate on the nuances of anti-Semitic semiotics instead.
Gaza death toll from Israeli attacks jumps to over 27,000 – Some 66,000 others also injured in offensive since Oct. 7, Health Ministry says – (01 February 2024)
They had a go – they got crushed
The main instigators of this vicious personal attack have put up blocks. The cowardly anarchoauthoritarian (and intellectual bully) @Ozwobbly has gone even further and restricted access to his den of shame.
Some people who thought to join these defamatory clowns – in the Nazi-like group activity of kicking a sole individual in the head – left when I posted this.
Free Palestine From Zionist Occupation!
Addendum
Seems it was a nasty, reputational attack, a pathetic bid to silence Dingo News
People have used “Jewish Lobby” (and compared Israel to Nazi Germany) all over social media – no one has copped 8 hours of abuse for it, from the gutless hypocrites that attacked me
Poor Jenny suffered for it with the PM making political mileage out of it too. “Albo” has had nothing to say on the Gaza Genocide which he obviously considers a lesser crime than accidental antisemitism
Notes
1 I’ve lived with and worked with Anarchists in the past. I’m also subscribed to a number of their publications.
Observations: I know many people prefer to stay out of these cyber battles, but I’ve seen the damage these vicious people can do to their victim’s mental health and reputation if allowed to prevail. Just to be clear, I hate bullies – and Nazis are their political manifestation.
I also believe the “Jewish Lobby” thing is just another attempt to weaponise anti-Semitism. Obviously, it can have anti-Semitic intent but “context and intent” remain the relevant determinants of what constitutes anti-Semitism. Don’t allow vested interests to dictate what you say and write. I won’t.
References
Don’t be caught out by ‘the trick’
Albanese takes a ‘rare but strong’ stance on anti-Semitism following Greens MP comment
Australian Jewish Lobby groups damage Judaism and its followers
Shulamit Aloni, Outspoken Israeli Lawmaker, Dies at 86
The art of deception: How Israel uses ‘hasbara’ to whitewash its crimes
Mikhail Bakunin Reference Archive 1817 – 1876
Gaza death toll from Israeli attacks jumps to 24,448 – Some 61,504 others also injured in offensive since Oct. 7, Health Ministry says – (18.01.2024)
American Jewish Committee – Jewish lobby
Confronting Antisemitism from Perspectives of Philosophy and Social Sciences – PDF
ISRAEL IN THE AUSTRALIAN MEDIA
Articles by Oscar Wobbly – Dingo News
UN Palestinian rights investigator denies ‘Jewish lobby’ comments are antisemitic
The Biggest Problem With The Western Left Is That It Doesn’t Exist
Australia / Israel & Jewish Affairs Council
Executive Council of Australian Jewry
Zionist Federation of Australia
ABC bows to Israeli lobbyists’ demands
