--- In [email protected], off_world_beings <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > --- In [email protected], TurquoiseB <[EMAIL PROTECTED]: > > The word is no longer associated with those who hate > > Jews. The word as it's used in modern politics and > > the modern press has, sadly, degenerated into a tool > > used to silence and suppress any criticism of Israel > > and current Israeli policies. > > There is a dichotomy in those two last statements that I can't > get my head around.
That's because, IMO, you're sane and rational. :-) Unfortunately, this is not universally true. And there *are* individuals and groups on this silly planet who throw around the term 'antisemite' in a conscious attempt to stifle criticism of the state of Israel. In very much the same way that a few TMers feel the need to label and stigmatize anyone who dares to criticize either Maharishi personally or the TM organization as an "anti-TMer." Both terms are used in this context as "thought stoppers." The intention is to demonize the critic and convince others to pay no attention to the criticism itself because the critic is an "antisemite" or an "anti-TMer." Don't get me started on modern Newspeak, the words that have been perverted to connote something com- pletely different than what they really mean, or to hide what they really mean. I tend to rant. :-) Just think of the word "collateral damage." What does this near-pornographic euphemism *really* mean? It means killing civilians -- men, women and children -- blowing their bodies into tiny, bleeding pieces. It means blood and screams and suffering and untold horror. But the choice of terminology implies (and is *meant* to imply) that it's just some kind of unintentional "damage" to the "collateral" (the economic value) of the country you've invaded. Sorry. It's probably the Live 8 vibe in the air. I rarely wax political these days, and the world is almost certainly better for it... Unc To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
