Michael D shows his claws ... respect!!!

[imokyrok]

I find the idea that any comparison of the actions of Israel to nazism can be called antisemitic ludicrious. I see no reason why the appalling behaviour of that state should not be compared to other historical instances of oppression especially nazism given the continued use of that atrocity to excuse and justify those now perpetrated in the name of Israel. Likewise I have no time for those who call the comparison of South African apartheid to Israel antisemitic. It is a hysterical catchall cry used against any and all who are perceived by Israel and its supporters not to be 100% docile.

Those who are appalled by the treatment of Arabs in that region are under no obligation to be constantly on the lookout for antisemitism. That's a separate issue and actual antisemitics are generally easily spotted and dismissed from consideration in any case.

[Pig Destroyer]

I find the idea that any comparison of the actions of Israel to nazism can be called antisemitic ludicrious. I see no reason why the appalling behaviour of that state should not be compared to other historical instances of oppression especially nazism given the continued use of that atrocity to excuse and justify those now perpetrated in the name of Israel.

The comparison is completely inappopriate because the opression and the crimes are on a completely different scale. The tendency to compare anything and everything one doesn't like to Hitler and Nazism cheapens and trivialises some of the most heinous crimes in the history of mankind and seems to argue that actually, the crimes of the Nazis weren't anything special or unusually, since "modern nazis" (be they Israel, Islamic extremists, Saddam Hussein, Milosevic, the Protagonists of the Rwandan Genocide, the British in Northern Ireland, The IRA.... or whoever you want to choose depening on your point of view) carry out nazi-like actions all the time.

[imokyrok]

The comparison is completely inappopriate because the opression and the crimes are on a completely different scale. The tendency to compare anything and everything one doesn't like to Hitler and Nazism cheapens and trivialises some of the most heinous crimes in the history of mankind and seems to argue that actually, the crimes of the Nazis weren't anything special or unusually, since "modern nazis" (be they Israel, Islamic extremists, Saddam Hussein, Milosevic, the Protagonists of the Rwandan Genocide, the British in Northern Ireland, The IRA.... or whoever you want to choose depening on your point of view) carry out nazi-like actions all the time.

Yes people do commit nazi like evil all over the world which is precisely why I believe it is appropriate to use that atrocity as a catchall term for truly evil actions - certainly more appropriate than claiming antisemitism for any criticism of the Israeli regime. As for the argument regarding scale - the Israeli government sees no reason to give consideration to matters of scale in it's actions against Gaza and Lebanon. Far from it.

[Pig Destroyer]

Yes people do commit nazi like evil all over the world which is precisely why I believe it is appropriate to use that atrocity as a catchall term for truly evil actions

No it is not, because the bare fact that a deed is evil does not make put it on the same level as the crimes of the nazis which were not just evil in their intent but also unprecedented in the way they were meticulously planned and systematically carried out with then intent of wiping out an entire group of people, unleashing the worst war in the history and mankind, laying to waste a large part of Europe etc etc.

certainly more appropriate than claiming antisemitism for any criticism of the Israeli regime.

Is that what I'm doing in your opinion or why do you bring that up?

As for the argument regarding scale - the Israeli government sees no reason to give consideration to matters of scale in it's actions against Gaza and Lebanon. Far from it.

Completely and utterly irrelevant to the discussion at hand.

[imokyrok]

I disagree that it is irrelevant. Israel constantly cries foul when people compare the atrocity in say Gaza to nazism and they use the argument that you put forward. However when people state that the slaughter of civilians in Gaza is out of all proportion to that suffered by Israeli citizens they consider scale irrelevant.

Complete disregard for the humanity of communities will always be seen as reminiscent of nazism whether they are the responsibility of robert mugabe, idi amin, ariel sharon or the current Israeli administration.

[imokyrok]

I disagree that it is irrelevant. Israel constantly cries foul when people compare the atrocity in say Gaza to nazism and they use the argument that you put forward. However when people state that the slaughter of civilians in Gaza is out of all proportion to that suffered by Israeli citizens the israel apologists consider scale irrelevant.

Complete disregard for the humanity of communities will always be seen as reminiscent of nazism whether it is the responsibility of robert mugabe, idi amin, amin gemayel ariel sharon or the current Israeli administration . People felt constrained from calling Israeli acts for what they are for a very long time but can no longer ignore the obvious and those who constantly harp on about antisemitism can and should be ignored. Human rights and human lives are at stake and yet those who cry stop are compared to bigots who draw cartoons of hook nosed jews just like in this interview in the OP. That is what make a mockery of the suffering of Jews in WW2 - not calling disregard for human life nazism.

[Pig Destroyer]

I disagree that it is irrelevant. Israel constantly cries foul when people compare the atrocity in say Gaza to nazism and they use the argument that you put forward. However when people state that the slaughter of civilians in Gaza is out of all proportion to that suffered by Israeli citizens the israel apologists consider scale irrelevant.

"Israel" isn't here. As long as no one has made the argument you mention, it is irrelevant. It is inappropriate to compare the actions of the Israeli government to those of nazi Germany the quality, quantity and dimensions of the wrongdoings are on a completely different scale.

Complete disregard for the humanity of communities will always be seen as reminiscent of nazism whether it is the responsibility of robert mugabe, idi amin, amin gemayel ariel sharon or the current Israeli administration .

Again, this is one aspect but not the whole story. None of those mentioned started the worst war in history, laid waste to a whole continent and planned and carried out the systematic extermination of millions of people, employing the most modern methods of technology and organisation to do so.

[imokyrok]

"Israel" isn't here. As long as no one has made the argument you mention, it is irrelevant. It is inappropriate to compare the actions of the Israeli government to those of nazi Germany the quality, quantity and dimensions of the wrongdoings are on a completely different scale.

Again, this is one aspect but not the whole story. None of those mentioned started the worst war in history, laid waste to a whole continent and planned and carried out the systematic extermination of millions of people, employing the most modern methods of technology and organisation to do so.

[imokyrok]

The efficiency and scale of the suffering inflicted was remarkable certainly. The disregard for humanity was the same as that we see in Gaza and that which history has seen countless times before. Indeed one could argue that gengis khan, stalin and the khmer rouge were equally efficient. However the term nazism has come to represent the mentality behind such atrocities and you will not convince me that it is verboten to use it to describe current actions which flow from the same mentality. I guess we will have to agree to disagree on this one.

[Pig Destroyer]

The efficiency and scale of the suffering inflicted was remarkable certainly. The disregard for humanity was the same as that we see in Gaza and that which history has seen countless times before. Indeed one could argue that gengis khan, stalin and the khmer rouge were equally efficient. However the term nazism has come to represent the mentality behind such atrocities and you will not convince me that it is verboten to use it to describe current actions which flow from the same mentality. I guess we will have to agree to disagree on this one.

I think there is an important difference in the mentality. The Nazis were hell bent on systematically exterminating certain sections of the population who didn't fit into their world view...