fbpx
Politics Foreign Affairs Culture Fellows Program

French Jews Under Fire

At his Via Media blog, Walter Russell Mead takes notice of a spate of anti-Semitic attacks in France in the wake of the Toulouse massacre. He says that the media, including the NYT, appears to be more worried that the Toulouse massacre could inspire anti-Muslim sentiment than the actual terror French Jews are living with […]

At his Via Media blog, Walter Russell Mead takes notice of a spate of anti-Semitic attacks in France in the wake of the Toulouse massacre. He says that the media, including the NYT, appears to be more worried that the Toulouse massacre could inspire anti-Muslim sentiment than the actual terror French Jews are living with today:

It is certainly true that Muslims face serious discrimination in France and Via Meadia agrees completely that guilt by association is both immoral and unfair. Yet the Jews are clearly the victims here, and with this recent spate of attacks it looks as though they will continue to be at risk. VM is all for attacking religious and ethnic discrimination wherever they are found, but does this really require us to put aside all thought for a small minority now facing a terrible fear? What steps are Jews taking to defend themselves in France? How worried do they feel? Has police protection of Jewish institutions been increased? How are parents explaining this to their kids? Are more French Jews thinking about emigration? What do religious leaders and police authorities say about just how prevalent this climate of hatred is? What makes it so acute in France? These are stories that people would actually read. VM can’t be alone in its curiosity about the impact of these killings on the community most at risk.

More:

Rather than reportage about the obvious (and important) truth that most French Muslims don’t want to kill Jews or anybody else, shouldn’t the press be spending some time on these stories and on investigating the organizations, ideas, publications and financial flows that help nourish a disfiguring hate? … The progressive press has a Lord Voldemort approach to unpleasant realities: talk about them as little as possible and never, ever speak their names. This needs to change.

Advertisement

Comments

Want to join the conversation?

Subscribe for as little as $5/mo to start commenting on Rod’s blog.

Join Now