[Dena]

Is it possible for me as a black person to join an anti-Semitic group? I recently was courted by groups telling me the Holocaust really didn't happen and was a ploy by the Jews to extort money from various countries. They also said that Jews began slavery. This group made compelling arguments - and they were a mixture of white and black people who believe the racial divide was orchestrated by Jews. I'm also pro-Palestine. My question is, can a black person join a racist organization and still be called racist - even though racism is about power and blacks don't have much?

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Name : Dena, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Atheist, Age : 17, City : Upstate, State : NY Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Upper class, 

[C.]

If you don't believe blacks can be racist, what word would you use to describe a black person who dislikes, distrusts, resents, prejudges or denigrates a person on the basis of his or her color, ethnicity or religion? Unfortunately, SOME Jews were involved in slavery - just as some black Africans were willing purveyors of other black humans for involuntary servitude. No racial, ethnic or religious group has clean hands on the sordid issue of slavery.

Regarding the Holocaust: there's far too much documentary evidence establishing its occurrence, and you might check some history books, because if I'm not mistaken, African Americans were among the blessed, wonderful soldiers who liberated the death camps.

Your being 'pro-Palestine' doesn't necessarily equate with being anti-Jewish, unless you make it so. A number of Jews - in America, Israel and elsewhere - are troubled by the Palestinian issue.

Before getting your membership card in this organization, do some self-examination. Are you against Jews as those who practice a monotheistic religion based upon the first five books of the Old Testament (the Torah), or are you dissatisfied with Israeli political policies regarding Palestinians? Only you can answer that question. It's worth noting that a number of traditionally anti-black groups, notably the KKK, had no more affection for Jews (or Catholics or other religious or racial minoritie) than they had for blacks specifically. The same hotel ballrooms that blacks had to enter through a service door before performing onstage were often 'restricted,' meaning they did not allow a Jewish clientele. Jews died alongside blacks during the struggle for civil rights in the United States, a fact your recruiter probably 'conveniently' forgot to mention.

This posting saddens, far more than angers, me, because this 'divide-and-conquer' approach further estranges two groups with far more in common than recognized. It's interesting that your new group is blaming Jews for the racial divide, when that is exactly what it is doing to minority groups. Knowledge is power, and clearly you have internet access. If you're still serious about joining, research each of the group's allegations, and try to find multiple sources to support - and knock holes in - each position.

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Name : C., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 40ish, City : Galveston, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : attorney, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Seamus28222]

It seems to me that you already have the answer. If you really do not feel black people can be racist because of what you have stated as fact, then you are not racist. However, if you go by most people's definition of ethnic prejudice, then your feelings would definitely be considered anti-Semitic or anti-Jewish. I don't know the current multicultural buzz about power and anti-Semitism, though I imagine you can find some political organizations defining the two for you.

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Name : Seamus28222, Gender : M, Age : 23, City : Charlestown, State : MA Country : United States, Occupation : Construction/Student, Social class : Lower class, 

[Wayne24380]

Great response, Cari. I really can't add anything -- just wanted to say I agree with you, and your response was well-written.

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Name : Wayne24380, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 43, City : Parsippany, State : NJ Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Nelson-A20163]

I wonder what Sammy Davis Jr. (a black Jew) would have advised you, or the thousands of black Ethiopian Jews who were airlifted by the Israeli government during the famine? OK, be pro-Palestine if you believe that Israel should not exist and Palestine should be in its place, but please don't be anti ANY ethnicity or culture. On the other hand, being black, you should be AGAINST the hate groups, not join one. Don't let these guys use you. Just approaching you is already an insult. 'Hey, let's approach this 18-year-old gullible girl and let's do it with one of our other brainwashed negroes so the recruitment will be easier.' C'mon. Hundreds of American soldiers (many black) died liberating the 'non-existent' extermination camps. I know many Venezuelan Jewish families (now Hispanic/Latinos after 3 generations) who lost family in the Holocaust. Are you going to hate a Hispanic/Latino guy just for being Jewish? Are you going to hate the black Jews? You're 18, you have time to research and mature. Please, don't waste your productive energy and youth on joining any hate group; it will be a waste that you will grow to regret.

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Name : Nelson-A20163, Gender : M, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Religion : Catholic, Age : 34, City : Caracas, State : NA Country : Venezuela, Occupation : Lawyer/Teacher, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Lauren26091]

Racism, which is based on broad assumptions and irrational hatred, is not just the province of people who have power. There are blacks who hate whites, Arabs who hate Jews, Jews who hate Arabs, etc., ad nauseum. It is all racism. I would question some of the assertions of this group that has approached you. I wonder where they got the idea that Jews invented slavery when slavery is known to have existed long before monotheism, and Judaism was the first of the major monotheistic religions. And of course the book of Exodus is all about the Jews' escape from a long period of being slaves to the Egyptians. If you look around with an unbiased mind, you will find Jews in all sorts of places. Communists in Europe looked around and saw Jews as the worst, most exploitative of the capitalists. Capitalists who hated communists pegged Jews as the leaders of communist and socialist groups. It's called scapegoating. Black people should be familiar with this concept. How many times have black men been accused of crimes they didn't commit, only because the accuser knew they were playing into the powers of prejudice? Do you know the story of Leo Frank, a Jewish man who was lynched in 1915 in Georgia, accused of raping and murdering a 13-year-old girl? In 1984 his name was finally cleared when a witness came forth to identify the true murderer - a white, Protestant man who had testified against Frank. Blacks and Jews have stood together in resistance against intolerance and racism. In 1964, three 'Freedom Riders' were murdered by the KKK - black activist James Chaney along with two young Jewish men. At a time when most Christian leaders had their heads in the sand, Jewish Rabbis stood up with Martin Luther King Jr. for equal rights. (Read 'The Temple Bombing'). Blacks have helped out Jews, too. King disdained black anti-Semites, and was supportive of Israel and Soviet Jews trying to resettle in America. Please beware of the distinction between being against the way the Israeli government treats Palestinians and being anti-Jewish. This is a really frightening and destructive trend. Do you want to be associated with or blamed for every atrocious act your government commits? No racist can call himself an intelligent, civilized, compassionate person. Hate is never the right answer. May we all be brave enough to judge people as individuals - by their actions - not by their race or religious affiliation.

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Name : Lauren26091, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 34, City : Atlanta, State : GA Country : United States, 

[John29208]

Are you talking about slavery of Black Africans in modern times? Cuz the first European power to do so was Portugal, who just before colonizing Africa, kicked out most their Jews and Muslims and made the remaining Jews convert to Christianity. And sure, you can be racist. You already are.

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Name : John29208, City : Rockland County, State : NY Country : United States, 

[Kathy]

Racism is about power, and racists don't have any either. Please don't, no matter how compelling their arguments seem, join this group! There is always a thread of truth to what they say, but don't fall for it. I am a former racist and their ideology turned my heart black. Some anti-Jewish groups do accept blacks into their ranks. I am pro Palestinian also and I know how hard it is when you try to resist what these people say when you agree with some of it. Don't get pulled in, it will end up consuming you and it will ruin your relationships with those you love. It is true there was Jewish involvement with the slave trade, but you'd be hard pressed to find any ethnicity in the world who didn't participate in enslaving other human beings. I want you to look at all the Jewish people who opposed slavery and those brave souls who try to help the Pelstinian people. I don't want to be singled out as a member of the 'evil' race and I resent it. So do Jews.

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Name : Kathy, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 37, City : Fresno, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower class, 

[Sarah]

Dena, I'd like people who don't believe in the Holocaust to talk to my grandmother. She saw her sister killed beside her. Her father, grandfather, 2 aunts, 3 uncles, and numerous cousins were alive in 1938 but were dead by 1942. She lived in a Polish forest for 2 years and at times ate only grass for days at a time. A kind Polish family ended up allowing her to hide out in their attic until the war ended. My grandfather had 2 parents, 5 siblings, a baby niece, and numerous cousins in 1938. By 1942, he had a sister and brother who miraculously survived. Where did all of these relatives disappear to if the Holocaust didn't happen? My grandmother (and my grandfather when he was alive) turned down all German offers of reparations because they didn't want to take what they felt to be dirty money. Others did take it because they felt that although what had been taken from them could not be returned, at least there was some kind of renumeration for what they had suffered. This is a very personal choice, but it is most definitely not extortion. As for your other points, as others have addressed, many Jews fought along with African-Americans for civil rights. I just made plans to meet an African-American friend this Sunday for dinner. As for being pro-Palestine, the country of Israel isn't equivalent to the Jewish religion. Anti-Israel doesn't mean anti-Jewish. (And by the way, Arabs are Semites, too!) As for Jews beginning slavery, I don't even know how to begin addressing this; look at Exodus, where the Jews were slaves in Egypt! There may have been Jews who owned slaves in the south, but there were far more Protestants who were slaveowners. I'd think it had more to do with the culture at the time than religious beliefs.

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Name : Sarah, Gender : F, Religion : Jewish, Age : 27, City : Baltimore, State : MD Country : United States, Social class : Middle class, 

[Shu27993]

Aren't we the same age? Yeah...how come you're dumber than I am? Got it...right. Yes, a black person can be racist and banding with other confused and idiotic individuals will only make you a school of racist black assholes. Congratulations. How would you feel if someone said Slavery never happened? That it was a ploy by Blacks to whine and bitch and never be responsible for their petty worthless lives? You'd be pretty pissed. It sounds to me like you need to read a book for once in your life. Maybe then we can talk. Can blacks be racist...what a laugh...I'm ashamed to even acknowledge you in my race at all.

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Name : Shu27993, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 19, City : Rosslyn, State : VA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Whitney]

Dena, I don't know if it's possible to join, but GET OUT BEFORE YOU GET IN!!! I know God means for us to love EVERYONE and that anyone who teaches you to hate someone else is NOT of God. Being 18, you are just the type groups like this target...young and impressionable. Saying the Holocaust didn't really happen is like saying slavery never happened. There is no way a hoax of this magnitude could have been achieved (this is not the first walk on the moon--no atmosphere but you see a flag blowing in the wind). Jewish people are no more to blame for slavery than anyone. Do you realize that some black tribes sold and traded blacks of other tribes to slavers? You can't blame one race for everything bad that happens in the world. Dena, I encourage you to branch out and try to get to know people of other races. I'm sure you'll find, just as with our own race, there are some you'll like and some you won't. Jewish people are just as nice as everyone else. Get away from these people before they corrupt you and turn you into someone who may end up hating your own kind, including yourself. I mean, you have to ask yourself, if God is love, why would someone teach you to hate? Remember love thy neighbor as thyself?

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Name : Whitney, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 25, City : Tunica, State : MS Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[Mary]

Anyone can be a racist and it has nothing to do with who has the power. If you engage in activities that malign another group based on their race or if you make generalizations or decisions about an individual or group based on race, you are a racist. Thay come in all shades. Please don't justify persecuting others because you or your race have been persecuted.

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Name : Mary, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, City : Greensboro, State : NC Country : United States, 

[Kevin26499]

If you still believe the myth that blacks don't have any power, you will probably be gullible enough to fall for this group's lies too. And yes, blacks can be just as racist as any white.

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Name : Kevin26499, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, City : Kansas City, State : MO Country : United States, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Gene]

Yes. The requirement of possessing 'power' to be racist is a creation of non-white racists such as Louis Farrakhan. Also, though I'm sure there were Jews involved in slavery they did not begin it. Unfortunantly slavery has been around since humans first began to interact. As for the black African slave trade it was the Arabs who you seem to admire so much who were the primary sellers. Of course, white Europeans share equal blame.

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[Barry Wright]

I have noticed that black people are more racist towards whites.They seem to think that just because they were ocne slaves that whites owe them something .Personally I have never owned a slave, and neither have any of my ancestors.In fact I am partially american indian and blacks helped slaughter my people.

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