Jews Talk Racial Justice - S2E2: There is no Jewish Space Laser. Period.
QUICK EPISODE OVERVIEW
After Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene's tweet about the 2018 California Wildfires being caused by a space laser controlled by the Rothschild family ignited a slew of jokes on social media, April and Tracie take some time to think about different reactions to antisemitism.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
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At the opening of the episode, April points out the difference in reactions to antisemitism depending on whether the comments are coming from a white person or a Person of Color. Have you witnessed or participated in this? Explore the dynamics at play when a white woman in congress says something antisemitic (that’s also completely ridiculous), but when PoC congresswomen who criticize the state of Israel are condemned widely as being antisemitic?
April reminds us of how “antisemitic tropes have been absurd distractions for a long time that have led to great hard.” What examples can you think of? What are they distracting us from?
April reflects on folks’ public reaction to a Black Philadelphia football player who tweeted something antisemitic over the summer of 2020: “he didn't need to have his job in danger, he just needed to be brought into accountability, and he would likely be self-motivated to correct it.” In the past, how have you found yourself and those with whom you are in community reacting to antisemitism from popular figures or figures in power? How might that be different from how you’ve reacted to other forms of oppression, like racism or sexism?”
It is clear that there is deep-seated trauma in the jokes that have been made about absurd antisemitic conspiracy theories, like those from Marjorie Taylor Greene. How do people, Jews in particular, use humor to help cope with fear and anxiety? Do you ever use humor or make jokes when you’re afraid? In what contexts does this work or doesn’t work?
Reflecting on what April and Tracie speak about, why is the phrase and concept of “Black antisemitism” harmful? How does white supremacy benefit when non-Black Jews direct anger towards Black folks?
Referencing Eric Ward, Tracie brings up how fighting antisemitism is bound up in everyone’s liberation, particularly Black liberation. How does this idea sit with you? How does your antiracism practice embody this? And/or, what are ways or reframe that you can use to adjust your antiracism practice so that it reflects this reality?
April shares with us that she believes that all people on this planet “are inherently good.” Do you see most or all people as inherently good? How have your life experiences shaped your thoughts around this?
INSIGHTS FROM THIS EPISODE
“Antisemitic tropes have been absurd distractions for a long time that led to great harm.”
“When people show you who they are, believe them. ”
“So there are no Jewish space lasers. There are strong Jewish grandmothers. There are funny, sweet, and brave Jewish men. There are resilient and funny and sweet Jewish children. There are Jewish transgender folks who bring so much light and analysis and courage to this world. There are Jewish women who come in all races and flavors and varieties of intelligence and courage. Those things are all real.”
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
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