Contributors
Bruce S. Thornton - Contributor

Bruce Thornton is a professor of Classics at Cal State Fresno and co-author of Bonfire of the Humanities: Rescuing the Classics in an Impoverished Age and author of Greek Ways: How the Greeks Created Western Civilization (Encounter Books). His most recent book is Searching for Joaquin: Myth, Murieta, and History in California (Encounter Books). [go to Thornton index]

Selective "Passionate" Outrage
Anti-Semitism is rampant - but not in Mel Gibson's film...
[Bruce S. Thornton] 2/4/04

Two prominent Jewish leaders who got a sneak peek at Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" have branded the film "anti-Semitic" and "incendiary" for its portrayal of Jewish complicity in the Crucifixion. One asserted that the movie will "strengthen and legitimize anti-Semitic feelings," and the other said he was "horrified."

Jews certainly should be concerned about rising anti-Semitism, but fretting over a conservative Christian movie about Jesus is a waste of time and a distraction from the real sources of anti-Jewish bigotry. Modern anti-Semitism focuses not on the medieval "blood libel," the charge that Jews are "Christ-killers," but rather on the perception that Jews are rootless cosmopolitans with no loyalties to anything other than money and other Jews. Certainly the current major expression of American anti-Semitism, which can be found among some in the black community (remember Jesse Jackson's crack about "Hymie town"?), zeroes in on this stereotype of the grasping greedy exploiter of others for his own gain.

If most American anti-Semitism is based on the Jew perceived not as Christ-killer but as amoral, clannish financial manipulator, then why don't these critics protest as loudly each and every production of Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice," whose central character, Shylock, with his demand for a debtor's "pound of flesh," is one of the most insulting embodiments of this stereotype? And if they do, why don't we hear as much about these protests as we've heard about complaints against Gibson's movie? And isn't it interesting that every media report about this issue informs us that Gibson follows a conservative strain of Catholicism that is troubled by the liberalizing effects of Vatican II?

Could it be another sort of bigotry is at work here, one relying on prejudicial stereotypes about "fundamentalist" Christians and their nefarious plots to burn homosexuals at the stake and drive women into the clutches of back-alley abortionists? One of the liberal media's favorite bogeys is this wild-eyed fundamentalist with his primitive superstitions. Every election this monster is trotted out, his machinations warned against, invariably accompanied by the cliché that these repressed neurotics are trying to "roll back the clock." Bush's critics pounce on every mild statement reflecting his faith as evidence of the malign reach these "fundamentalists" itching to establish a "theocracy" in the United States.

Of course, in actual fact conservative Christians have lost the battle on every social issue of importance to them, suggesting that nationally their powers aren't so great. Abortion on demand is still available, public displays of religion are banished, beautiful and happy homosexuals dominate popular culture (while nary a church-going Christian can be found, except for the cartoon Simpsons), and sexual vulgarity runs rampant on television, the movies, the internet, in popular music, and at your local library. Even President Bush, presumed tool of the fundamentalists, has to tread carefully around the issue of homosexual marriage.

Fundamentalist Christian power in fact is a myth that gratifies the media's perception of themselves as fearless Voltaires fighting the forces of oppressive superstition and intolerance. The irony, of course, is that intolerance of Christians is perfectly acceptable, and bigotry directed against believers earns not censure but often social approval of one's enlightened sensibility. No university that touts its "commitment to diversity" wants to increase the number of Christian faculty and students. More typical is the action by the Catholic (sic!) university Gonzaga, whose law school's Student Bar Association was allowed to deny recognition to a Christian anti-abortion organization simply because it's Christian.

Those who are concerned about the very real phenomenon of resurgent anti-Semitism should forget about conservative Christians, who are some of Israel's best friends, and focus instead on Europe and the Arab world. For years now European anti-Semitism has often masqueraded as "anti-Israel," "anti-Zionist," or "pro-Palestinian." No, every critic of Israel is not an anti-Semite, but something has to explain the bizarre obsession with Israel and the Palestinians that dominates the world's and the U.N.'s attention.

After all, if the issue is the unjust occupation of somebody else's land, where is the commensurate outcry over China's appropriation of Tibet? Or what about the 30,000 Syrians parked in Lebanon? If we are concerned about a people denied a homeland, what about the Kurds? If occupying land seized from an aggressor is now deemed unjust, why not make Poland give back the territory taken from Germany and give a "right of return" to the millions of Germans driven out after World War II? If killing Palestinians is wrong, what about the tens of thousands slaughtered by Jordan?

As I say, something has to explain this strange exceptionalism that makes Israel the international community's arch-demon, banned from a U.N.'s Human Rights Council that welcomes thug-states like Syria. Partly it is disguised anti-Americanism, as Israel often functions as a proxy for the United States. Partly it reflects old Marxist bromides about "colonialism" and "imperialism." But increasingly it seems that an indigenous European anti-Semitism, driven underground by the horrors of the Holocaust, has found in Israel-bashing a safe means of venting such bigotry. As someone has said, Israel is now the Jew of nations.

Those concerned with monitoring anti-Semitism, then, should look to Europe, where developments suggest a resurgence of anti-Jewish sentiment. First, the increasing numbers of unassimilated disgruntled Islamic immigrants to Europe are behind much of this resurgence. Just look at the Middle Eastern state-controlled presses, where anti-Semitic drivel redolent of Hitler's regime is given widespread play. Europeans anxious over this restless population might just find in Jews and Israel a convenient scapegoat.

Second, there are signs already in Europe of "guilt fatigue," as younger Europeans not even born during the Holocaust grow increasingly tired of hearing about what they think is ancient history. As years pass and both the victims and perpetrators die off, it will become easier and easier for "revisionist" history to ease Europe's burden of responsibility for the murder of Jews. One example of this process was apparent last year in German books detailing the suffering of Germans during the allied bombardment. In a therapeutic world such as ours, being a victim means never having to say you're sorry.

So yes, Jewish leaders should be concerned about rising anti-Semitism. But obsessing over Mel Gibson's movie because it's faithful to its source is a wasteful diversion. Look instead to those civilized, tolerant Europeans and all those whose hatred of Jews is disguised as hatred of Israel.

copyright 2004 Bruce S. Thornton

Searching for Joaquin by Bruce S. Thornton

Greek Ways by Bruce S. Thornton

Bonfire of the Humanities by Victor Davis Hanson, John Heath, Bruce S. Thornton

Plagues of the Mind by Bruce S. Thornton

Eros: The Myth of Ancient Greek Sexuality by Bruce S. Thornton

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