Europe's Slow Surrender to Intolerance

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

A few pieces taken from the article on the Bloomberg site:

I find myself most bothered by what seems to have been, on the surface, a relatively minor incident. The episode took place last weekend at a Sainsbury’s supermarket in central London. Protesters assembled outside the store to call for a boycott of Israeli-made goods. Quickly, the manager ordered employees to empty the kosher food section. One account suggests that a staff member, when asked about the empty shelves, said “We support Free Gaza.” Other reports suggest that the manager believed that demonstrators might invade the store and trash it. (There is precedent to justify his worry.)

the Sainsbury’s incident is disturbing not so much for what it says about the nature of European anti-Israelism, but for what it says about the broader response within Europe to forces of intolerance and hatred. Employees of the Sainsbury’s branch in central London seemed to have understood, based on an accurate reading of recent events, that anti-Israel activists posed a threat to their store, and perhaps to their own physical well-being. And so the manager made a decision to surrender to the mob and engage in what could only be called an act of self-preservational, but objectively anti-Semitic, preemption.

Cowering of this sort is a sign that a country is losing the ability to stand for the values it professes to maintain. In the U.K., it is also a sign that a society hasn’t fully grappled with the radical intolerance exhibited by some of its citizens.

The entire article is here:

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-08-22/europe-s-slow-surrender-to-intolerance

Edited August 22, 2014 by OnMyWayID

[TBoneTX 43,058]

It might be too late for the U.K. ...

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Strangely, one event isn't a barometer for the test of the country. I'm not even sure why anyone could think that it would be - it's certainly the premise for an op ed piece, but does it mean anything in real terms? I doubt it.

It might be too late for the U.K. ...

What do you mean?

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

unexpectedly, many other events are mentioned.. But much like people who are trying to lose weight and weigh themselves everyday, when you reach a new low it stands out.. This one stood out because of how knee-jerk the response was from both the store and the general public. Sometimes an event like this can cause a snap-back as people realize what they were doing and make the mental correction. I do understand the "one event does not mean anything" - the article is about a trend that was noticed and evidence to the authors eyes that it is trending the wrong direction. I hope he is not right.

[GBCW 397]

european culture is in its lame duck stage. its rain is almost over and it has no succesors!

thnkafully for mankind europeans of past yrs were smart and insiteful enough t colonize this continnetn so their vision wil live on here, wile europe succumbs to the steady advances of the caliphate

european culture wil live on these shores while bing gobbld up in their aboriginal lands

[OriZ 3,157]

Strangely, one event isn't a barometer for the test of the country. I'm not even sure why anyone could think that it would be - it's certainly the premise for an op ed piece, but does it mean anything in real terms? I doubt it.

What do you mean?

If only it was one event...

[Sousuke 1,214]

*

Edited August 24, 2014 by Sousuke

[Curmudgeon 227]

If only it was one event...

What do you know specifically about the rates of antisemitism in the UK? Not just anger directed towards Israel, but actual antisemitism? There is a difference, not that I expect everyone to recognize it as there seems to be a trend amongst certain media to portray a support for civilian Palestinians as antisemitic which is, well, not a valid conclusion without some evidence that this is so.

[Boiler 43,434]

What do you know specifically about the rates of antisemitism in the UK? Not just anger directed towards Israel, but actual antisemitism? There is a difference, not that I expect everyone to recognize it as there seems to be a trend amongst certain media to portray a support for civilian Palestinians as antisemitic which is, well, not a valid conclusion without some evidence that this is so.

The issue was kosher food, not food from Israel.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

It's quite overblown. There is no mainstream acceptance of anti semitism in the UK.

Edited August 24, 2014 by Hail Ming!

[Boiler 43,434]

Take a trip to Tower Hamlets.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

What's your point? I think most people can find a rough area or two in major cities.