So, good afternoon fellow campers! It is the weekend at last and we can luxuriate in the splendor of the weekend. There is more, of course. Antisemitism is sweeping our little town. There will be demonstrations today on the other side of the big river. The protests are wide-wide in scope and intensely, which is unusual and not seen in years. In the case of the antisemitic incidents, most consist of verbal abuse, online slurs or threats, graffiti, and defacing of Jewish properties, businesses and sites of religious significance. Physical assaults represent a significant proportion.

One common thread is that anger over the deaths of thousands of Palestinians as a result of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza is invoked as justification for verbal or physical aggression towards Jews in general, often accompanied by the use of slurs and tropes rooted in the long history of antisemitism.

Here on The Patio we are opposed to the violence. The Israelis are doing a fair job of knocking the Palestinians around, and we are not supportive of that task either. We will see how that plays out on the world stage, but it is unlikely to be pleasant for anyone.

Copyright 2023 Vic Socotra

www.vicsocotra.com