Antisemitic trends?

The media channels report that many people, but specially youngsters, use the word “Jew” as a derogatory word.

This means that loathing of Jews still exists, but also of other ethnic groups. We have conducted a survey in the 9^th grade of the Verbund School in Hille. 48 students took part in the survey and chose answers from possibilities that appeared in the questionnaire.

1. Question: when someone says “You are a Jew” or “You are Jews”, is it an insult?

Answer:

1. True 29%
2. Not true 7%
3. I know some people who use this phrase to insult others: 65%
4. Not interested: 10%

1. Question: the meaning of the word “Jew” for me is:

   Answer:

   1. An insult without knowing who the Jews really are: 16%
   2. Only people who belong to a certain religious community: 27%
   3. Nothing special: 17%
   4. The Holocaust victims under Hitler: 46%
   5. People who suffer from racism today too: 19%
2. Would you assign the following traits to “Jews”?
   1. Rich: 13%
   2. Poor: 25%
   3. Smart: 27%
   4. Not talented: 8%
   5. Merciful: 8%
   6. Cunning: 6%
   7. Strangers: 40%
   8. Persecuted: 60%
   9. Familiar: 4%
   10. Like everyone else: 54%

It can be seen that many people know others who use the word “Jew” in a pejorative manner and in some case they themselves use it as such. Many associate the word “Jew” with the Nazi persecution during the Second World War; therefore the word for them is derogatory, since no one wants to be persecuted or killed. Nevertheless, a large number of them see the Jews as entirely ordinary people, but also as persecuted and as strangers.

No one should be called “Jew” since the word reminds of the murder of the Jews, thereby connecting between the word and the interminable suffering of a religious community.

Julian Vatimo