(Jewish Group) Condemn antisemitic acts, but don't destroy Black men

[Behind the Aegis]

Unpacking Kanye and Kyrie: Condemn antisemitic acts, but don’t destroy Black men

What exactly was antisemitic about the tweets and statements of Kanye West (now known as Ye) and Kyrie Irving over the past few weeks? Despite being antisemitic in tone, did any of these statements contain some degree of truth? How appropriate was the reaction against both Black men? And could the Jewish reaction to antisemitism by Black celebrities have unintentional consequences to relations between Black gentiles and white Jews?

There have been several attempts to unpack the events of the past few weeks and the reactions to them. Here is mine. I’ve numbered them like a legal briefing, though I have no intention of appearing in any courtroom.

1. Kanye’s original tweet was antisemitic. Threatening to go “death con 3” against any group of people is unambiguously hate speech.

2. But Kanye’s reference to African Jews in antiquity needs to be unpacked because it may not have been antisemitic, at least initially. It’s offensive to state that Black Africans are the real Jews and that European Jews are impostors. But that’s not what West said in his initial tweet.

He stated, “The funny thing is I actually can’t be Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jew also.” Parsing Ye may be a fool’s errand, but by “also” — italics mine — he could have meant “Blacks are Black, and they also are Jews,” or “Blacks are Jews, along with European Jews.” Although that remark immediately sparked outrage, he did not then state that European Jews are not Jews.

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I have mixed feelings about his opinions and conclusions, but it is worth the read IMO.

[Deep State Witch]

1. Maybe He Was Referring To

The Ethiopian Jews, Beta Israel?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_Israel

Then again, the dude is off his meds and needs serious help.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. Will read later when I can absorb

in depth. I have zero tolerance for anti-semitism. These two black men in particular are straight up asshole anti-semites.

[wryter2000]

3. Not every black man in the world is nice

My personal experience with black man is that they're likely to be helpful to anyone in trouble, white or black. They are upstanding, hard-working people who value their spouses and families. But every group of people will have some assholes.

[JustAnotherGen]

5. My father was one, uncles, my brother, nephews are black men

None of them were or are broken, pathetic, anti Semitic black men.

[Beastly Boy]

4. While there are many Jews who are black, Kanye's statement implies something very different.

First, being a Jew of any race does not absolve anyone of antisemitism. A self-hating Jew is a known stereotype, which doesn't depend on the race of the person in question.

Which brings me to: Second, being a Jew is not a racial characteristic. The land of Judea and Israel, being situated at the crossroads of Africa, Asia and Europe, has had, at least in its pre-Christian days, probably the most racially diverse population. It is no secret that the history of the Jews is closely tied to Egypt and Ethiopia, among other African countries. However,

Third: Kanye's claim of "black people are actually Jews also" is grossly inaccurate. Being black doesn't by default make you a Jew. Being a Jew doesn't by default make you black. His statement smacks of cultural appropriation of the worst kind: to excuse himself from being a bigot.

Finally, fourth: while there are blacks who are Jewish, and there are Jews who are black, it doesn't reflect on Kanye the individual. He, Kanye, despite his opinion to the contrary, CAN, easily, be not Jewish and antisemitic.

No doubt in my mind: Kanye's entire tirade is definitely antisemitic, and he must be held accountable. No excuses.