But deliberately misunderstanding the term antisemitism is also quite frustrating.
Given how the term is broadly understood in modern usage, I wouldn’t say the players are misunderstanding it; I think it’s more a question of misidentifying where the pushback is actually coming from.
And I am sympathetic, given all the reasons both modern and historical that might make it easy to infer antisemitism. But starting there shuts out any possibility for nuance or discussion or learning.
What frustrates me is how hard it is to get people out of that mindset - of taking things other people are communicating and adding one’s own assumptions on where they’re coming from. You have to be able to recognize how your behavior is limiting your ability to empathize and grow, and that kind of change can be so challenging.
It feels like an uphill battle, but positive change doesn’t happen overnight.
I wouldn’t say the players are misunderstanding it
No, neither would I.
The people who are deliberately misunderstanding the term antisemitism are those who pretend they don’t know that it means hatred towards jews by quibbling about the ‘semite’ part of the word. That whole comment was just about definitions of relevant terms, per the comment it was a reply to.
The israeli players are maliciously mischaracterising support for the palestinian cause as antisemitism. As a jew who frequently does not support the actions of the state of israel, this is a phenomenon I’m personally acquainted with and have quite strong feelings about.
Given how the term is broadly understood in modern usage, I wouldn’t say the players are misunderstanding it; I think it’s more a question of misidentifying where the pushback is actually coming from.
And I am sympathetic, given all the reasons both modern and historical that might make it easy to infer antisemitism. But starting there shuts out any possibility for nuance or discussion or learning.
What frustrates me is how hard it is to get people out of that mindset - of taking things other people are communicating and adding one’s own assumptions on where they’re coming from. You have to be able to recognize how your behavior is limiting your ability to empathize and grow, and that kind of change can be so challenging.
It feels like an uphill battle, but positive change doesn’t happen overnight.
No, neither would I.
The people who are deliberately misunderstanding the term antisemitism are those who pretend they don’t know that it means hatred towards jews by quibbling about the ‘semite’ part of the word. That whole comment was just about definitions of relevant terms, per the comment it was a reply to.
The israeli players are maliciously mischaracterising support for the palestinian cause as antisemitism. As a jew who frequently does not support the actions of the state of israel, this is a phenomenon I’m personally acquainted with and have quite strong feelings about.