Anti-Semitic poster kills debate on Zionism in Belgium

[oberliner]

A Belgian municipality has cancelled a debate on Zionism following complaints about organizers’ use of anti-Semitic imagery to advertise the event.

The event, planned by the Brussels branch of the Belgian Socialist Party, was cancelled on Monday following criticism of a poster showing a caricature of a snake-eyed Israeli soldier wearing the mask of an ultra-Orthodox Jew. The soldier is depicted holding one finger on the scales of justice, tipping it toward a single white man. A group of people of color are depicted on the other side.

“This kind of caricature that stigmatizes an entire community is of course unacceptable in form and essence,” Vittorio Mettewie, the Socialist Party president for the area of Molenbeek, is quoted as saying on Sudinfo.be, a news website.

Mettewie also said there were "Nazi overtones" to the caricature, which advertised the event titled, “Let’s talk freely and seriously about Zionism.”

http://www.jta.org/news/article/2013/03/05/3121191/anti-semitic-poster-kills-debate-on-zionism-in-belgium

[Scootaloo]

1. I'm with Mettewie on this one. Here's the image

There's no "but..." to be said on this one. Whoever commissioned that needs to be out of a job.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

11. Yup. There's no need for this ever.

Now that is anti-Semitism and shouldn't be tolerated.

[King_David]

12. AntiZionism is an extremist anti semitic stance

And most anti Zionists in the USA are extreme right wing antisemites.

So there's no surprise here.

[Scootaloo]

14. Well-argued!

If anyone's an expert on far-right extremist antisemitism, it's gonna be you, I figure. Please, share your wisdom.

[King_David]

15. Hardly an expert

But have studied antisemitism and "new"antisemitism / antiZionism

[Scootaloo]

17. Okay, I guess you're right. You're as ignorant as they come

Sorry, didn't mean to erroneously portray you as having your shit together.

[King_David]

18. That nasty reply doesn't deserve any response

Ayn baayot

[Scootaloo]

19. Hey, don't cry when someone slings your shit right back at you.

If you want to call me a far-right extremist antisemite in response to a post of mine condemning antisemitism, then you have no room to complain when I respond in kind.

Harahefet sh'eli mele'ah betzlofahim

[King_David]

20. Which part was you ?

Which part did you self identify with and think I was talking about Scootaloo ?

[Scootaloo]

21. Dave, we both know I have an antizionism position

In fact I've gone into some detail about it with you. So, when you state that it's an "extremist right-wing antisemitic position" you are calling me an extremist right-wing antisemite.

Which I guess is fine, I think the same about you and the rest of the "Lyin' 4 Zion" bunch around here, fair is fair. But at least have the spine to own up to it, and don't expect polite replies in turn.

[King_David]

22. Who is "Dave" ? nt

[King_David]

24. "we both know I have an antizionism position"

I must admit its shocking to find such a position on a liberal website such as DU especially one that supports the USA Democratic Party ideals and positions and those of our Zionist suppprting president .

[Scootaloo]

25. Again, you're not making an argument, just an appeal to authority.

And it's not even an honest appeal. You're conflating diplomatic relations with endorsement of a political philosophy. By this logic, the Democrats are Right-Center-Left-Communo-Social-Capitalist, Islamo-Zionist National Republican Federal Monarchical Fascists... and so are the Republicans, for that matter.

...Which is probably represented by political parties in both Italy and India.

[holdencaufield]

2. Isn't that the official poster from the Durban Conference?

Were they concerned about accusations of plagiarism?

[Scootaloo]

3. Actually via google image search...

It's probably "borrowed" - it's a piece done by the French artist "Zeon" - and it predates 2009, at least.

Some other examples:

[geek tragedy]

26. Real charmer, that cartoonist. nt

[Scootaloo]

28. Seems like he just tosses everythin together and calls it a day. No finesse.

[DonCoquixote]

29. truly vile

and hateful, especially the obama image

[Scootaloo]

30. I can't figure that one out

I feel like I should be able to, but it wooshes past my head.

[geek tragedy]

31. I think we wanted to call Obama a racial slur

without using words.

[DonCoquixote]

32. My best guess

and the word guess is the key is that he is making fun of people hoping Obama would be different than the white people.

[Behind the Aegis]

4. Sharp increase of the number of anti-Semitic incidents in Belgium

BRUSSELS (EJP)---Belgium registered a sharp increase in the number of reported anti-Semitic offences in 2012, according to the governmental agency Centre for Equal Opportunities and Fight Against Racism.

Edouard Delruelle, who heads the center, mentioned an ibcrease of 30% with his organisation having received 88 complaints of anti-Semitism last year, compared to 62 in 2011 and 57 the year before that.

“The Jewish community is right to be concerned,” Delruelle told Belgian daily La Dernière Heure.

“The figures show that anti-Semitism persists in Belgium. These figures are merely indicative, the tip of the iceberg, because many victims do not report.”

The figures for 2012 include 11 cases of vandalism, 15 verbal assaults on the street, 13 Holocaust denials and 28 insults made online.

more: http://www.ejpress.org/article/news/western_europe/65155

[hr][hr]

Not all that surprising.

[King_David]

33. Not at all

[MrSlayer]

5. I notice there is an American flag on the uniform as well.

I wonder why he's wearing the mask. The mask says to me that whomever is wearing it is trying to blame the Jews for the injustice and fundamental unfair nature of the rigged system. Who is wearing the mask? If the American flag on the sleeve is there alone I think some might agree with the graphic. As there is also an Israeli flag on the sleeve, I find it confusing.

[Scootaloo]

7. It could be read that way, except for one thing...

The mask conveys no sympathy.

It's the standard "ugly Jew" caricature - gigantic nose, he's hairy, has a sloped brow, wearing a scowl. This is the usual guise used for negative portrayal of Jews as a group. The person viewing the image is supposed to see "Jew," and be repulsed by it. If the mask were to convey the idea that Jews were being blamed or exploited, it would not take the form of a depiction intended to denigrate and dehumanize Jews. If it were the intent of the artist to convey that Jews are being framed, then woah nelly did he fail. Instead it sends the message that Jews are themselves devils in disguise.

[MrSlayer]

23. I think that's the point of it.

Last edited Thu Mar 7, 2013, 10:34 PM - Edit history (1)

It's a hideously ugly caricature because that's the image they want portrayed. How are you going to elicit the hatred and anger necessary to scapegoat someone by painting them with a sympathetic face?

While there are plenty of Jewish people in banking and corporate industry, the real power is with the W.A.S.P. blue blood old money. That's who has their finger on the scale in reality. That's who is wearing the mask in my opinion. Directing the blame from where it should be placed.

The Israeli flag on the uniform is what throws everything into confusion for me. Could it be saying that 1%er Jews are happy to throw their countrymen to the wolves for their own benefit?

Whatever message is being conveyed here is lost because of ambiguous presentation.

[azurnoir]

6. Disgusting poster indeed

too bad it killed the debate

[oberliner]

9. It's not too bad

In fact, it tells you what the debate was going to look like.

The organizer has justified the cartoon, saying it was taken out of context.

[azurnoir]

10. so the fact that Vittorio Mettewie, the Socialist Party president the party sponsoring the debate

is also the one that canceled due to this disgusting poster meaningless
thaqnks I could not have asked for more

[oberliner]

13. "the cartoon could be misinterpreted as it wasn’t put in context or a historical framework”

Among the speakers of the planned event were to be the long-time mayor of Molenbeek and Belgian Senator Philippe Moureaux and Yves Goldstein, head of Cabinet of Socialist Deputy Prime Minister Laurette Onkelinx. A PS official told a Belgian newspaper that ‘the cartoon could be misinterpreted as it wasn’t put in context or a historical framework.”

http://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/news/13230/anti_semitic_cartoon_used_for_brussels_debate_on_zionism

Could be misinterpreted?

[azurnoir]

16. wow must

Last edited Fri Mar 8, 2013, 01:44 AM - Edit history (1)

delegitimize doing the decent thing somehow eh?

[LeftishBrit]

8. Mettewie is right; that's a nasty image.

[geek tragedy]

27. Yikes, that's premium grade Jew hate.

All that was missing was the matzo soaked in blood and the Christ Killer motif.