Posted by Dena on August 9, 2008, at 19:58:03
In reply to Re: Lou's request to Dr.Hsiung » Lou Pilder, posted by NikkiT2 on October 16, 2004, at 15:35:06
> Don't tell me, I was being anti semetic by being upset with my husband because my husband has a jewish great aunt?!!!!!!!
>
> Thanks Lou, I was so close to breaking point, and you have helped me just HUGELY today. (that was sarcasm by the way)
>
> Cheers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This entire past situation alarms me.
Here, we have a poster using sarcasm to lash out at another person, bringing out a false charge of claiming he objected to her post due to anti-Semitism.
Lou objected to Nikki's mentioning of wanting to commit suicide. THAT was the reason for his objection to the post.
It was assumed, by Nikki and others, that his objection must be due to anti-Semitism, and so this is the lash-out against Lou.
It was allowed to remain.
Then, this, even worse post, in which Lou is accused of being evil (no matter how carefully worded), also which was not sanctioned: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20041012/msgs/404068.html
Finally, we get this, which is supposed to be Dr. Bob's sanction of Nikki, but which only reminds her to not respond to someone who's requested "no posting to me".
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20041012/msgs/404346.html
Why is it permissable to accuse anyone of being evil? During the Nazi Holocaust, Jews were accused of being inferior, sub-human, dangerous, and yes, evil, in a huge propaganda campaign that turned an entire nation against one race of people.
Can any of us imagine what that must have been like? To be turned on by those in power, to be looked at suspiciously, to be demonized by those who could inflict harm? To be at the mercy of frenzied mobs who had the back-up of the official government? To watch helplessly while those you love are abused, beaten, tortured, brutalized and then killed?
And can we be sensitive to those who either lost family to that madness, or who have lived under the fear that such a thing could happen again (particularly when there are those who claim that it never happened!)?
Can we perhaps try to understand how it might feel to hear those words again, "You are evil", which stirs up all manner of fear, and concern that they are, once again, being targetted with accusations and hatred?
If we do and say nothing, then we are like those who tried to be "uninvolved", and turned a blind eye to what was going on. And yet history has shown that the ones who were silent were guilty of not speaking out, not defending those who were being wrongly attacked.
While we do not need to attack people, we must point out when someone's actions are harmful.
And when we do not, we set a precedent for such things to be condoned, repeated, and perpetuated.
Put yourselves in Lou's shoes -- and ask yourself how you would feel, if these things were said about you, and your people.
If we do not stand up for those who are victimized, who will stand up for us...?
Shalom, Dena
poster:Dena
thread:403854
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20080719/msgs/845229.html