Why is there so Much Disagreement Over the Label "Antisemitism"

Musings

Recently I have read a number of commentaries concerning the word Anti-Semitism or anti-Semitic. There seemed to be quite a number of debates going on at different educational institutions and in the government over those words. Of course, there was the infamous House of Representatives committee which was nothing but an excuse by the Republicans in the House to badger several presidents of eastern liberal institutions about whether they were sufficiently attentive to complaints of anti-Semitism on their campuses. Successively there have been a number of articles about efforts to further define anti-Semitism and the arguments over what should receive that categorization, for the purpose of responding to that behavior. I do not understand why this is a confusing issue.

Contemplations

As I understand the word semitic it means a family of languages that includes Hebrew, Arabic, Aramaic, Phoenician, Akkadian and some other ancient Middle Eastern languages. Therefore, I presume anti-Semitic is originally a word that was used to define something opposed to people that spoke those language groups. However, in the context in which it seems to be used today in the United States it doesn't seem to be anti-Arabic Aramaic or Phoenician, etcetera but is meant to be anti-Hebrew, Therefore I will drop the other members of this semitic language group from the discussion.  However, it would be humorous if we returned the word to use its historic meaning and it would include anyone who spoke a Hebrew or Arabic language.  I don't think either of the people in those two categories would agree with that definition.

What are anti- Jewish comments or actions seems to be where the debate lies at this time. To me Anti-Semitic would signify people who were saying or taking actions which were intended to be  about individuals who spoke Hebrew, had a Jewish heritage, followed Jewish customs and/or the Jewish religion. Similarly anti-Palestinian could mean derogatory actions or language toward anyone of Palestinian culture or heritage. But there doesn't seem to be concern about people who say or do anti -Palestinian things, so we won't worry about that.

Using the word anti-Semitism to categorize comments or actions against individuals because they are Jewish is correct and is easy to understand. The issue seems to there have been clouded as there been a number of comments by those who support the Palestinian position with regard to the state of Israel and its treatment of Palestinians. Presumably those statements fall into two categories.  The first is a negative comment about anyone who is Jewish in the state of Israel and the second is about the actions of the state of Israel itself. There is no reason to have anti-Semitic comments about all the Jewish people that live in the state of Israel. That would be just like blaming all of the people that live in Russia for the actions of the Russian government. Presumably the negative comments about Israel are with regard to the actions of the government. Those comments are directed at the policy of the government Israel and are not anti-Semitic. I saw an interesting comment that the US state department's position was that an anti-Israel comment could be anti-Semitic that didn't make sense to me. If if the comment is about all people in Israel then it's anti-Semitic. If it is a negative  comment about  the government, that falls in a different category which we and others around the world make regularly where there is free speech.

Thoughts

Perhaps my thoughts are too simplistic, but I believe there is a simple dividing line between what is anti-Semitic and what is not. If it is a comment or action directed at a person or people who speak the Hebrew language od follow Jewish customs or the Jewish religion they are anti-Semitic. If there are comments about the Jewish people as a whole or the Jewish people living in Israel they are anti-Semitic. If there are comments or actions with regard to the government of Israel then those are political comments and the fact that they are directed against the government of a country that primarily focuses on and supports the Hebrew religion, does not the commentary anti-Semitic any more than complaining about the government of Iraq would make the comment anti-Semitic with regard to its Arab population.

Obadiah Plainman