A lot of Jewish people are looking to leave the UK. They are well aware of the points Eve Lugg makes This is a companion problem to the perception of two tier justice. We are going to have to work very hard to ensure equal safety for everyone and equality before the law. A problem is that even when we have shifted the reality the perception of the problem may linger on.Peter Taylor
I am not sure that what follows is entirely relevant to Ms Lug's piece.
I was born in Enfield in the early 50's. Just north of Golders Green. I knew quite a few Jews. Several in my class at Grammar school in the 60's. One or two were mates. And yes, there was antisemitism around. I can recall one lad in particular. But overall, the area was peaceful and prosperous. (And clean and tidy - that is a separate but related issue). There were definitely no random stabbings. What's more in my Grammar school class of about 25 lads there was a complete mixture of people, white Anglo Saxon - me, Jews, Irish Catholics, Afro-Caribbean, Greek Cypriot, British Indian, British Pakistani, I cannot remember any Islamic lads, but there probably were. And we all got on - within the limits of what children do. Played games together - playground cricket and football and so on. The key thing was that all these people thought of themselves as 'British' - British Indian for example. Obviously there is a bit of a rose tinted view of the past here, but that area of North London was a very pleasant place to live and it was very prosperous and not overtly racist. (Although my dad's golf club did 'black ball' a then famous actor who had applied to join, because he was Jewish. I can recall my dad's anger as he told me the story - he was on the committee.)
So the $64K question. What has gone wrong between 1969 when I left that school and now? Where is that peaceful, orderly and prosperous society with no random stabbings?
Thanks for this piece Eve. I am not Jewish, but I am a staunch supporter of Jewish people and of Israel's right to exist.
What I have observed and experienced recently is that antisemitism is prevalent in places where I did not expect it to exist. I am referring to white middle class virtue signallers. I say this because I have friends who fit into this category. They don't somehow equate antisemitism with racism. What I get is - look at me I'm not a racist I'm pro-Palestine. This has of course been encouraged by two-tier and look what has happened. Thoughts & Prayers & lessons to be learned all round.
Well, anyone coming to my house and drinking my wine and giving off even the merest hint of antisemitism gets it both barrels.
Maybe I need some new friends - help I'm running out.
A lot of Jewish people are looking to leave the UK. They are well aware of the points Eve Lugg makes This is a companion problem to the perception of two tier justice. We are going to have to work very hard to ensure equal safety for everyone and equality before the law. A problem is that even when we have shifted the reality the perception of the problem may linger on.Peter Taylor
This event got me thinking.
I am not sure that what follows is entirely relevant to Ms Lug's piece.
I was born in Enfield in the early 50's. Just north of Golders Green. I knew quite a few Jews. Several in my class at Grammar school in the 60's. One or two were mates. And yes, there was antisemitism around. I can recall one lad in particular. But overall, the area was peaceful and prosperous. (And clean and tidy - that is a separate but related issue). There were definitely no random stabbings. What's more in my Grammar school class of about 25 lads there was a complete mixture of people, white Anglo Saxon - me, Jews, Irish Catholics, Afro-Caribbean, Greek Cypriot, British Indian, British Pakistani, I cannot remember any Islamic lads, but there probably were. And we all got on - within the limits of what children do. Played games together - playground cricket and football and so on. The key thing was that all these people thought of themselves as 'British' - British Indian for example. Obviously there is a bit of a rose tinted view of the past here, but that area of North London was a very pleasant place to live and it was very prosperous and not overtly racist. (Although my dad's golf club did 'black ball' a then famous actor who had applied to join, because he was Jewish. I can recall my dad's anger as he told me the story - he was on the committee.)
So the $64K question. What has gone wrong between 1969 when I left that school and now? Where is that peaceful, orderly and prosperous society with no random stabbings?
Thanks for this piece Eve. I am not Jewish, but I am a staunch supporter of Jewish people and of Israel's right to exist.
What I have observed and experienced recently is that antisemitism is prevalent in places where I did not expect it to exist. I am referring to white middle class virtue signallers. I say this because I have friends who fit into this category. They don't somehow equate antisemitism with racism. What I get is - look at me I'm not a racist I'm pro-Palestine. This has of course been encouraged by two-tier and look what has happened. Thoughts & Prayers & lessons to be learned all round.
Well, anyone coming to my house and drinking my wine and giving off even the merest hint of antisemitism gets it both barrels.
Maybe I need some new friends - help I'm running out.