Merkel warns of rising anti-Semitism on Holocaust remembrance day

[oberliner]

German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned of rising anti-Semitism in her country on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, calling the need to protect Jewish buildings "shameful".

It is important to remember the millions of Holocaust victims because "anti-Semitism, racism and the hatred of others are more relevant" recently, Merkel said in her weekly podcast on Saturday.

"It is inconceivable and shameful that no Jewish institution can exist without police protection, whether it is a school, a kindergarten or a synagogue," she said.

https://www.thelocal.de/20180127/merkel-warns-of-rising-anti-semitism-on-holocaust-day

This is true throughout Europe (and in much of North America) that Jewish institutions (schools, synagogues, etc.) require police protection.

[C_U_L8R]

1. Donald.

[oberliner]

2. Are you saying Donald Trump is the reason for worldwide antisemitism?

If so, I would respectfully disagree with you.

[John Fante]

3. Donald appreciates you sticking up for him.

Heartwarming stuff, really.

[oberliner]

4. My assertion is that Donald Trump is not the cause of worldwide antisemitism

If you would like to dispute that assertion, I would be interested in reading your counterargument.

[John Fante]

7. He and his ideology can definitely be blamed for the RISE

in anti-Semitism. When the leader of the free world has neo-nazis counseling him, it's inevitable that racists will become emboldened.

[oberliner]

8. In Germany?

As referenced by Angela Merkel in this OP?

[Mosby]

11. the rise is germany is due to recent immigrants

And the far right response.
-------------

Yet Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision in 2015 to open the nation's arms to 1 million mostly Muslim refugees has created a double threat for Germany's roughly 120,000 Jews: rising anti-Semitism from the newcomers and a resurgent right-wing nationalist movement spawned by the arrival of so many immigrants.

Snip.

In 2016, Germany recorded 1,468 anti-Semitic incidents, an increase from previous years that has put Germany's Jewish community on edge, According to a recent survey by the Bielefeld University in western Germany, 62% of Jewish respondents said they experience anti-Semitism in their everyday lives, while 28% said they were victims of verbal attacks or harassment in the past year.

The survey points to increased anti-Semitism by Muslim newcomers and a strengthened right-wing nativist movement, said Andreas Zick, who led the study.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/12/21/anti-semitism-germany-jews-discrimination-muslims-right-wing-nationalists/962383001/

[EllieBC]

10. There were already plenty there in Germany.

And they exist as they have for hundreds of years and they are never short on an excuse. And some even hide under the transparent veil of anti-Zionism. Those of us who are Jewish aren't fooled.

[Behind the Aegis]

12. People always try to give the easy answer.

The most common reason, IMO, for the rise is "apathy". People simply don't give a shit about anti-Semitism, and others see this apathy and feel emboldened. So, while people blame the POS "president", Israel, immigration, or even Jews, ourselves, too many look past the history of anti-Semitism and continue to ignore it and its repercussions.

[C_U_L8R]

5. Not the reason...

but he's a purveyor and the world notices.

[oberliner]

9. He certainly encourages them

But the problem exists without him.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. Trump blows. His followers blow.

Trump buys into a lot of anti-semitic tropes but I don't believe he has genocidal tendencies. The problem is when you traffick in anti-semitic tropes it encourages the bad guys.

[Initech]

13. No but I think about what he's influencing.

One of the reasons Hitler got as far as he did was that he had the youth movement. The republicans and white supremacists are going after that same movement. Which is why they are targeting colleges and universities. A lot of the people they're targeting are just barely old enough to vote. Think about what they will be like when they're old enough to run for office. Then you will really see the shit hit the fan. After all, the Nazi party didn't appear overnight. It was a slow downward spiral that took decades to achieve what they did, and it started with capturing the youth movement.