text:
Statutory Authority: 14 Delaware Code, Section 122(d) (14 Del.C. §122(d))
REGULATORY IMPLEMENTING ORDER
505 High School Graduation Requirements and Diplomas
I. Summary of the Evidence and Information Submitted
The Secretary of Education seeks the consent of the State Board of Education to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 505 High School Graduation Requirements and Diplomas to add specific course names. The addition of the specific course names is aligning the graduation requirements to the Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System (DCAS) end-of-course exams.
Notice of the proposed regulation was published in the News Journal and the Delaware State News on May 3, 2011 in the form hereto attached as Exhibit "A". Comments were received from Governor's Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens and the State Council for Persons with Disabilities related to sentence structure and more clearly defining the World Language assessment related to speaking to better accommodate American Sign Language.
II. Findings of Facts
The Secretary finds that it is appropriate to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 505 High School Graduation Requirements and Diplomas in order to align the graduation requirements to the Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System (DCAS) end-of-course exams.
III. Decision to Amend the Regulation
For the foregoing reasons, the Secretary concludes that it is appropriate to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 505 High School Graduation Requirements and Diplomas. Therefore, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §122, 14 DE Admin. Code 505 High School Graduation Requirements and Diplomas to add specific course names attached hereto as Exhibit "B" is hereby amended. Pursuant to the provision of 14 Del.C. §122(e), 14 DE Admin. Code 505 High School Graduation Requirements and Diplomas hereby amended shall be in effect for a period of five years from the effective date of this order as set forth in Section V. below.
IV. Text and Citation
The text of 14 DE Admin. Code 505 High School Graduation Requirements and Diplomas amended hereby shall be in the form attached hereto as Exhibit "B", and said regulation shall be cited as 14 DE Admin. Code 505 High School Graduation Requirements and Diplomas in the Administrative Code of Regulations for the Department of Education.
V. Effective Date of Order
The actions hereinabove referred to were taken by the Secretary pursuant to 14 Del.C. §122 on June 16, 2011. The effective date of this Order shall be ten (10) days from the date this Order is published in the Delaware Register of Regulations.
IT IS SO ORDERED the 16th day of June 2011.
Lillian M. Lowery, Ed.D., Secretary of Education
Approved this 16th day of June 2011
Teri Quinn Gray, Ph.D., President
Gregory Coverdale
Jorge L. Melendez, Vice President
Terry M. Whittaker, Ed.D.
G. Patrick Heffernan
James L. Wilson, Ed.D.
Barbara B. Rutt
"Career Pathway" means the three (3) credits of pre planned and sequential courses required for graduation designed to develop knowledge and skills in a particular career or academic area. The Career Pathway shall be included in the Student Success Plan.
"Core Course Credit" means a credit in an English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science or Social Studies course.
"Credit" means the acquisition of skills and knowledge at a satisfactory level as determined by the district and charter school boards through 135 hours (a Carnegie Unit) of actual classroom instruction or through locally approved options contained in Section 8.0.
"Credit for Computer Literacy" means credit granted toward graduation at any point when the student can demonstrate competency in the required skill areas either through an integrated approach, a specific course, or a demonstration of accumulated knowledge over the student's educational career.
"Department" means the Delaware Department of Education.
"English Language Arts" means those components of reading, writing and oral communication that are included in the State Content Standards for high school English Language Arts as required in 14 DE Admin. Code 501.
"Health Education" means those components that are included in the State Content Standards for high school health education as required in 14 DE Admin. Code 501.
"High School" means grades 9 through 12.
"Mathematics" means those components of number sense, algebra, geometry, statistics and probability combined with problem solving, reasoning, communicating, and making connections that are included in the State Content Standards for high school mathematics as required in 14 DE Admin. Code 501 either through integrated courses or in courses titles such as Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Trigonometry. Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Discrete Mathematics, Statistics, and Probability.
"Physical Education" means those components that are included in the State Content Standards for high school physical education as required in 14 DE Admin. Code 501.
"Science" means those components of the nature of science which include inquiry, materials and their properties, energy and its effects, Earth in space, Earth's dynamic systems, life processes, diversity and continuity of living things, and ecology that are included in the State Content Standards for high school science as required in 14 DE Admin. Code 501 either through integrated courses or in course titles such as Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
"Social Studies" means those components of civics, economics, geography, and history that are included the State Content Standards for high school social studies as required in 14 DE Admin. Code 501 either through integrated courses or in course titles such as United States History, World History, Geography, Economics, and Civics.
"Student Success Plan (SSP)" means a plan encompassing a minimum of five years including one year beyond high school developed and updated at least annually by the student, the student's advisor, at least one other staff member and the student's parent(s) guardian(s) or relative caregiver. The student's plan includes courses needed in preparation for immediate entry into the work force or opportunities in post secondary education. The plan also includes the support services necessary for the student to graduate from high school. An additional year of high school may be an option for inclusion in the Student Success Plan.
"Support Services" means those educational interventions such as tutoring; extra time before school, in school, or after school; summer school, an extra year(s) of high school or any other strategy to provide student educational assistance.
"World Languages" RESERVED
12 DE Reg. 934 (01/01/09)
2.0 Current Graduation Requirements
2.1 A public school student shall be granted a State of Delaware Diploma when such student has successfully completed a minimum of twenty two credits in order to graduate including: 4 credits in English Language Arts, 3 credits in mathematics, 3 credits in science, 3 credits in social studies, 1 credit in physical education, 1/2 credit in health, 1 credit in computer literacy, 3 credits in a Career Pathway, and 3 1/2 credits in elective courses.
32.0 Graduation Requirements Beginning with the Class of 2011 (Freshman Class of 2007-2008) Credit Requirements for the Graduation Class of 2011 (Freshman Class of 2007-2008) through the Graduation Class of 2014 (Freshman Class of 2010-2011)
32.1 [Beginning with For] the graduating class of 2011, a public school student shall be granted a State of Delaware Diploma when such student has successfully completed a minimum of twenty two (22) credits in order to graduate including: four (4) credits in English Language Arts, four (4) credits in Mathematics; three (3) credits in Science, three (3) credits in Social Studies, one (1) credit in physical education, one half (1/2) credit in health education, three (3) credits in a Career Pathway, and three and one half (3 ½) credits in elective courses.
32.1.1 Students shall complete mathematics course work that includes no less than the equivalent of the traditional requirements of Geometry, Algebra I and Algebra II courses.
32.1.2 Scientific investigations related to the State Science Standards shall be included in all three science course requirements.
32.1.3 During the senior year students shall maintain a credit load each semester that earns them at least a majority of credits that could be taken that semester including one (1) of the four credits required in Mathematics. A credit in Mathematics shall be earned during the senior year.
32.1.3.1 Senior year credits shall include regular high school course offerings, the options available in 8.0, or a combination of both.
3.1.3.1.1 Options for the senior year in 3.1.3.1 that the districts and charter schools provide shall be submitted to the Department with a copy to the office of the State Board of Education for review.
53.0 Credit Requirements Beginning with the Graduation Class of 2015 (Freshman Class of 2011-2012)
53.1 [Beginning with For] the graduating class of 2015, a public school student shall be granted a State of Delaware Diploma when such student has successfully completed a minimum of twenty four (24) credits in order to graduate including: four (4) credits in English Language Arts, four (4) credits in Mathematics, three (3) credits in Science, three (3) credits in Social Studies, two (2) credits in a World Language, one (1) credit in physical education, one half (1/2) credit in health education, three (3) credits in a Career Pathway, and three and one half (3 ½) credits in elective courses.
3.1.1 The student shall complete mathematics course work that includes no less than the equivalent of the traditional requirements of Geometry, Algebra I and Algebra II courses.
3.1.2 Scientific investigations related to the State Science Standards shall be included in all three science course requirements.
3.1.3 During the senior year the student shall maintain a credit load each semester that earns the student at least a majority of credits that could be taken that semester. A credit in Mathematics shall be earned during the senior year.
3.1.3.1 Senior year credits shall include regular high school course offerings, the options available in 8.0, or a combination of both.
53.2 World Language: (RESERVED) Students may fulfill the two (2) credit World language requirement by either:
3.2.1 Earning a minimum of two (2) World Language credits in the same language or,
3.2.2 Demonstrating Novice-high or higher proficiency level on a nationally recognized assessment of language proficiency, except English, in the skill areas of [speaking oral or signed expressive and receptive communication], reading and writing, that uses the levels of proficiency as identified by the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Language, or as approved for use by the Delaware Department of Education.
4.0 Credit Requirements Beginning with the Graduation Class of 2016 (Freshman Class of 2012-2013)
4.1 Beginning with the graduating class of 2016, a public school student shall be granted a State of Delaware Diploma when such student has successfully completed a minimum of twenty four (24) credits in order to graduate including: four (4) credits in English Language Arts, four (4) credits in Mathematics, three (3) credits in Science, three (3) credits in Social Studies, two (2) credits in a World Language, one (1) credit in physical education, one half (1/2) credit in health education, three (3) credits in a Career Pathway, and three and one half (3 ½) credits in elective courses.
4.1.1 The student shall complete mathematics course work that includes no less than the equivalent of the traditional requirements of Geometry, Algebra I and Algebra II courses. The student shall complete an Algebra II or Integrated Mathematics III course as one of the Mathematics credits.
4.1.2 Scientific investigations related to the State Science Standards shall be included in all three science course requirements. The student shall complete a Biology course as one of the Science credits.
4.1.3 The student shall complete an English II course as one of the English Language Arts credits.
4.1.4 The student shall complete a U. S. History course as one of the Social Studies credits.
45.0 Monitoring Student Progress (Personalizing the High School Experience)
45.1 Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, every eighth and ninth grade student shall have a Student Success Plan (SSP) developed by the student, the student's advisor, at least one other school staff member and the student's parent(s), guardian(s) or relative caregiver. Each school year thereafter a grade shall be added so that by the 2011-2012 school year, every student in grades 8 through 12 shall have a Student Success Plan. [For a student with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) the Student Success Plan (SSP) shall also incorporate the other aspects of the transition plan required by 14 DE Admin. Code 925.
45.2 Each local school district and charter school shall establish a process for developing Student Success Plans that includes:
45.2.1 Actively monitoring student progress, on an ongoing basis and, at a minimum, by the end of each marking period in those courses required for graduation,
45.2.2 Providing support services if a student is failing or in danger of failing courses required for graduation, and
45.2.3 Annual updating of the Student Success plans Plan by the student, the student's advisor, at least one other staff member and the student's parent(s) guardian(s) or relative caregiver] and others as appropriate.
45.2.4 Following the guidelines for Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs of study outlined in the CTE State Plan.
45.2.5 Reviewing each student's transcript at the end of the first and second year of high school to determine if the student is on track to graduate based on the following criteria:
45.2.5.1 At the end of the first year of high school the student has earned at least three (3) core course credits and two (2) other course credits for a total of five (5) course credits; and
45.2.5.2 At the end of the second year of high school the student has earned at least six (6) core course credits and four (4) other course credits for a total of ten (10) course credits.
45.2.5.3 For a student with an Individualized Education Program (IEP), on track to graduate shall be consistent with 45.2.5.1 and 45.2.5.2 unless otherwise determined by the student's IEP Team.
6.0 Career Pathway
6.1 Local school districts and charter school boards shall establish policies concerning the purpose, content, development, and approval of Career Pathways.
7.0 Additional Credit Requirements
7.1 District and charter school boards may establish additional credit requirements for graduation above the minimum number of credits required by the Department.
8.0 Options for Awarding Credit Toward High School Graduation
8.1 District and charter school boards are authorized to award credit toward high school graduation for the following activities, on the condition that the activities incorporate any applicable state content standards. Before awarding credit for any of the following activities, the districts and charter school boards shall have adopted a policy approving the activity for credit and establishing any specific conditions for the award of credit for the activity. Such policy shall be applicable to each school within the district or each charter high school.
8.1.1 Courses taken at or through an accredited community college, two or four year college.
8.1.2 Voluntary community service as defined in 14 Del.C. §§8901A and 8902A.
8.1.3 Supervised work experience in the school and the community which meets the educational objectives or special career interest of the individual student.
8.1.4 Independent study.
8.1.5 Correspondence Courses.
8.1.6 Distance learning courses. These courses may be delivered by the teacher to the learner in real time, online or by video.
8.1.7 High school courses taken while in the middle school in conjunction with an articulated agreement between the district middle school and the district high school(s). Such credit shall also transfer to a high school in another district or to a charter school.
8.1.8 Course credit transferred from another high school.
8.1.9 Course credit earned through summer or evening school classes, as a member of the military service or as part of the James H. Groves Adult High School.
8.1.10 Tutoring programs taught by a teacher certified in the subject being taught.
8.1.11 Course credit awarded by agencies or instrumentalities of the state other than public schools which provide educational services to students. A description of the program provided to the student, grades given, and the number of clock hours of instruction or a demonstration of competency must be provided to the school district or charter school prior to receipt of credit.
9.0 High School Diplomas and the Certificate of Performance
9.1 A State sanctioned diploma shall be granted to students who meet the state and local district or charter school requirements for graduation pursuant to 14 Del.C. §152.
9.2 A State sanctioned Certificate of Performance shall be granted to students who meet the requirements of 14 Del.C. §152.
9.3 Diplomas from one school year shall not be issued after December 31 of the next school year.
9.4 Duplicate diplomas or certificates of performance will not be issued, but legitimate requests for validation of the diploma or the certificate of performance will be satisfied through a letter of certification. Requests for diploma information from graduates of Delaware high schools should be directed to the high school the student was attending at the time of graduation. If the school does not have the records then the student should contact the Department in Dover for a notarized letter of certification that contains the name of the applicant, the name of the school, the date of graduation, and the diploma registry number (if available).
9.5 State High School Diploma for World War II Veterans Pursuant to 14 Del.C. §159
9.5.1 "World War II Veteran" means any veteran who performed wartime service between December 7, 1941 and December 31, 1946. If the veteran was in the service on December 31, 1946, continuous service before July 16, 1947 is considered World War II.
9.5.2 The Department shall provide a high school diploma to any World War II veteran who:
9.5.2.1 Left a Delaware high school prior to graduation in order to serve in the armed forces of the United States.
9.5.2.2 Did not receive a high school diploma, or received a G.E.D., as a consequence of such service and,
9.5.2.3 Was discharged from the armed forces under honorable circumstances.
9.5.3 The diploma may also be awarded posthumously if the deceased veteran meets the qualifications in 9.5.2.1 through 9.5.2.3.
9.5.4 Applications for this high school diploma shall be made on forms designated by the Department and the Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs and shall have a copy of the candidate's honorable discharge papers attached to the application.
7 DE Reg. 1344 (04/01/04)


Protected special way leads to old cemetery in West Tisbury.
A pair of homeowners on Rogers Path in West Tisbury will be required to move a fence they built on the specially protected ancient way.
At a well-attended public hearing last week, the town zoning board of appeals upheld a decision by the building and zoning inspector ordering Scott Bermudes and his wife Cynthia Cornwall to remove fence posts that were installed three to four feet from the center line of the path. Mr. Bermudes said the fence replaced an existing fence he had installed in 1995 because of problems with trespassers. The existing fence ran 300 feet along Rogers Path he said, and he wanted to continue it for another 350 feet.
Once a cart path that connected Middletown and Christiantown, Rogers Path also leads to a town cemetery, where some headstones date to the Civil War. The path is about a mile long, running past a handful of private homes. It has been permanently protected as a special way by the town and the Martha's Vineyard Commission, and survived court challenges in 2010 and 2011 over its historical use as a public way. Fences, walls and excavations are prohibited 20 feet on either side from the center line of the path.
Zoning inspector Joseph Tierney Jr. notified the homeowners in early February that the fence violated the bylaw.
"It seems really straightforward, no one is stopping you from building a fence, just put it 20 feet back," said zoning board member Anthony Higgins Jr. said at the hearing last week.
Mr. Bermudes said the bylaw allows for gates, bars or stiles to be built, and he interpreted that to mean a fence.
He said not being able to put in a fence restricts his ability to use his land for agricultural purposes. His property already has an electric fence set back from the path to contain livestock.
"We're going to put up woven wire, we breed pigs we breed ponies — baby ponies don't stay in an electric fence, they need woven wire," he said.
About 15 people attended the hearing, and the board had received 20 letters about the issue, most of them advocating for removal of the fence.
During public testimony the discussion grew heated at times as neighbors described clashes with Mr. Bermudes.
But in the end board member Tucker Hubbell said the only question before the board is whether to uphold the zoning inspector.
"I think we could listen to testimony and we've had a ton of letters, but it really comes down to, from the perspective of this board, did the zoning inspector make the correct call and in my opinion he did," he said.
Sometimes good fences do not make good neighbors.
A few years before Herb Putnam died, he and his friend Peter A. decided to clean up that cemetery - privately, they worked to stand up the headstones and clear the brush and mow. Herb believed the cemetery should be respected and the way to it protected. He would be pleased to know the Town supported this.


Considered one of quite possibly the most prevalent electrical wiring questions is on how to wire a swap. Even though making use of switches at your home is kind of effortless, wiring one particular may not be that simple for everybody. An ON-OFF switch is really quite simple to wire. There are actually different types of switches, but for this example, let us say that you are installing a single-pole toggle switch, an exceptionally common change (and the most basic).
There are actually 3 shades of wires within a usual single-pole toggle switch: black, white, and eco-friendly. Splice the black wire in two and hook up them to the terminal screws - 1 on top and the other about the base screw from the change. The white wire serves as a resource of uninterrupted power and it is ordinarily related into a light-weight colored terminal screw (e.g., silver). Hook up the environmentally friendly wire for the ground screw of your respective switch.
These techniques would typically be sufficient to generate a typical switch function without having a trouble. However, in the event you are usually not self-assured that you simply can complete the process adequately and safely you improved allow the pros get it done instead. Following all, there's a purpose why this endeavor has become the most typical electrical wiring concerns questioned by most people.
For some rationale, ways to wire a ceiling fan is also one among by far the most widespread electrical wiring issues. To simplify this process, you can use just one change for just a single ceiling fan. To wire the fan, it is really just a issue of connecting the black wire with the ceiling fan to your black wire on the swap. When there is a lightweight, the blue wire should be connected on the black wire from the switch in addition.
You'll find factors why they are by far the most typically asked electrical wiring thoughts. One particular, numerous consider it truly is uncomplicated to complete, and two, these are the common electrical jobs at your home. But then you really shouldn't set your protection at risk in the goal to save cash. The stakes could even be much greater when you try to lower your expenses and do an electrical wiring work without ample awareness or encounter.


Foster Yeoman is one of Europe's largest suppliers of Asphalt and is part of Aggregate Industries Ltd. O&C have been responsible for the continued maintenance of the 400 volt site based in Acton for the past thirty years which is maintained and backed up with a 24 hour call out service. Over this time this heavy industry site has gone through multiple changes to update the old distribution systems with more modern control systems.
The operational nature of the site means that it is largely in continual use requiring a custom set of services from O&C to maintain the site. This has included installing a programmable logic circuit control panel to operate a high level conveyor belt system for discharging aggregate materials direct to trains.


An informational website has been set up for the Biblical Greek Language & Linguistics (BGL&L) section. The address is: http://greeklanguageandlinguistics.wordpress.com/ Right now the site contains mainly information that can be hunted down from the SBL website. However, this information is organized around & focused solely on the Biblical Greek Language & Linguistics section, including past session information (from 2004 to 2010), future session information (mainly program information for 2011), and preliminary abstracts for the 2011 sessions. We plan to post occasional updates and announcements on this site.
Thanks for alerting me to the fact that the content of this e-mail announcement may be helpful to site visitors other than the people on our SBL e-mail list. I have adapted & augmented this announcement into a new post on the site to provide a better road map on how to use the site & on what we hope lies ahead.


text:
The Mind of a Mnemonist - A little book about a vast memory by A. R. Luria
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Imagine having a long list of made-up nonsense syllables read to you. And imagine being able to remember them and repeat the list in any requested order. Impressive, isn't it? Now, imagine being asked, without any prior warning, to repeat the performance a decade later. How much would you be able to remember? S. did not only remember the exact setting where the original testing took place; he could also repeat the original list without any errors in recall. Thanks to A.R. Luria's fine work we get a view of the mechanism behind the apparently limitless memory of S. Further, Luria examines the consequences of living with such a memory; how does it impact personality and what are the weak contra strong points of such a person? The result is a classic book and a highly fascinating glimpse into an amazing mind.
Luria's first encounter with S. came as S. was working as a journalist. His boss noticed that S. never seemed to write anything down, yet always seemed to remember all information given. This marked the start of a scientific study that stretched over decades. Rather than trying to identify the limits of S's memory, Luria tried to understand how it works by means of qualitative studies of the psychological structures behind it. Quite soon it became apparent that the memory of S. was based on synesthesia (synesthesia is a condition where a sensory stimuli activates another sensory modality, e.g. hearing a word triggers seeing a picture representing that very word, perhaps also accompanied by a taste unique to that very word). Interestingly enough, when S failed to reproduce a certain word is was because he'd been distracted during the encoding and thus failed "to see" the word clearly.
As Luria concludes, S. memory was actually more about attention and perception than traditional memory processes. This had the consequence that S. memory worked radically different than what we're used to. For example, forgetting was almost impossible for S. He actually tried, with quite mixed results, to work out strategies that would allow him to forget. Another problem was that S. had huge problems with abstract concepts since each word inevitably triggered a picture (how do you visualize the concept of "nothing"?). Again, this is radically different from how we normally function. Normally, we focus on the key elements that provide the most information. We also identify patterns and abstract from them. I would say that S. perfect memory was an impediment since he never had to develop this fundamental ability to abstract. Since childhood, S. could remember all the details. Thus, he could get along with a sort-of brute force approach to remembering.
Luria paints a fascinating portrait of a man with an amazing memory and the effects it had on his personality and life. It's a highly readable book whose story stays with you for a long time. Spontaneously, most of us would probably consider such a perfect memory a blessing. I find it fascinating that such a memory actually turned out to pose severe problems. In conclusion, The Mind of a Mnemonist is a phenomenal and influential book that has earned its well-deserved status as a classic.
Reviewed February 2011
tinch++: Interfacing Erlang from C++

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism
Gilbert Ramsay 5 June 2011 On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism2011-06-05T09:00:34+01:00 Global 34 Comments
On March 12, two students at the University of St Andrews, where I work, visited the room of a third, who was living in the same hall of residence, and had what appears to have been an intense conversation on the subject of the state of Israel and its policies towards the Palestinians. At some point in the course of this conversation, it is alleged, the two visiting students placed their hands down their trousers and rubbed them on the large Israeli flag which the student whose room it was had on his wall. As a consequence of this, they have been charged with acting in a 'racially aggravated manner intended to cause alarm or distress' and making 'comments of an offensive nature… contrary to the criminal justice act'. The case – which has been postponed twice – is to be resumed in August.
I do not know the students concerned, or the facts of the matter (which are presumably, in any case, sub judice). The closest I get is that my wife, who is a Palestinian refugee ran into one of them who told her that, if convicted and sent down from the University, he intended to do voluntary work at a refugee camp in Gaza.
I find the matter highly unfortunate regardless of what happened on that occasion on March 12, because it strikes me as antithetical to what being a university undergraduate ought to be about. As an undergraduate I remember with great regret occasions on which I was intellectually arrogant, pugnacious and naïve, and when I have no doubt I hurt some people's feelings greatly. I hope that they have forgiven me since. Some, I like to think of as still being friends. But it is through experiences like this, far more than any lessons in citizenship, which teach people the skill, tact and sensitivity that are needed to live in a multicultural society. If conversations like this land one in court, then the vital space needed to produce this awareness is lost.
But – while I would like to make people aware of this case – my purpose in this piece is to talk about a wider issue. Not very helpfully, I think, The Courier – our local newspaper – as labeled the case from the outset as being about 'anti-Semitism'. It strikes me as highly unlikely that the accused are indeed anti-Semitic – at least not in their own understanding of the term. And (assuming that there is no actual evidence to the contrary), that should presumably be the end of that matter. Criticism – even aggressive criticism of the State of Israel – is not anti-Semitism. This is, of course, despite that consummate skill with which supporters of Israel try to imply that criticism of that country is tantamount to hatred of Jews in general.
But does that mean that there are no limits to what is acceptable when it comes to expressing one's criticism or citizens of Israel and their country? To give one example, a friend of mine who lives in Dundee – a Palestinian citizen of Israel – has expressed to me his concern about the extent to which Israelis manning stalls in that city's Overgate shopping centre sometimes feel intimidated by pro-Palestinian protests against their work. To give another anecdotal example, I learned from an Israeli I spoke to in Jerusalem who claims that a sister of his who lives in Britain is too frightened to reveal her nationality.
I suppose that some will feel little sympathy for these people, whose discomfort is perhaps analogous to that felt by Apartheid South Africans. They may argue that it is precisely this sort of stigma that ultimately helped to propel change in this case.
I don't necessarily deny this. But what worries me is that, by creating a radical separation between anti-Israelism and anti-Semitism we do two things: first, we risk ending up producing categories of 'good' and 'bad' Jews much is the same way as the anthropologist Mahmood Mamdani perceptively describes the production, by the Western media, of categories of 'good' and 'bad' Muslim. It is easy enough to say that one does not have anything against Jews as Jews but that one does have a problem with Zionism. But what do we then do when we are confronted with living, breathing Zionists? Realistically, many Jews do in fact support the state of Israel, including its violent actions against Palestinians. Realistically, many people are born into Israeli citizenship. For these people, Israel is their country. And the prospect of its potential dissolution is understandably terrifying. To express to such a person views which (as it happens) I myself hold – that Israel does not have (as nor does any other country have) a 'right to exist'. That it certainly does not have the right to be recognized 'as a Jewish state' (any more than I expect other countries to recognize the right of my own to exist as a Protestant state), that it was founded on the ethnic cleansing of another people and that, practically speaking, its policies of illegal occupation and expansion in territories which once upon a time might have provided for a viable Palestinian state have now made impossible any solution that would not lead, in effect, to the end of Israel as we know it – to express these views to such a person in a certain kind of way might indeed be tantamount to intimidation.
I am certainly not talking here about what kinds of speech about Israel should be subject to legal sanction. I personally believe that the right to freedom of speech should be restricted only in the most extreme of circumstances. But I do think that it is worth considering at what point certain kinds of language directed at people who happen to be Israelis, or people who happen to be Jewish supporters of Israel ought to be considered socially unacceptable. I don't think that the glib response of 'I'm not anti-Semitic, I'm just anti-Israeli policies' is necessarily enough.
There is, however, a corollary to this, which some may find rather shocking. I also think that we need to start adding some nuance to how we react to anti-Semitic discourse. Some may be drawing a breath at this moment. But that, in a way, is precisely my point. In the liberal pantheon of post-World War II liberalism, Adolf Hitler is Satan, and anti-Semitism is pretty much tantamount to Satanism. This, I think, is entirely reasonable in a sense. Satan, after all, is a myth, whereas the Holocaust isn't. But it does depend, I think, on the anti-Semitism proceeding from a person who is embedded in a particular tradition – the same Western tradition which, through a particular set of historical and ideological circumstances, ended up being collectively responsible for murdering nearly six million Jewish people, together with some hundreds of thousands of gypsies, gay people and people with learning difficulties.
To make my point with regard to a faintly less controversial topic, let us consider for the time being the issue of racism in general. After all, whatever else it is, anti-Semitism is itself clearly a form of racism. Now racism is of course always utterly unacceptable. But not all racism is equally bad. There is awful racism (for example, as when a Syrian television series thought it was amusing to black up its actors and have them perform an ape-like dance in the context of a well-meant story about colonialism), and there is really awful racism (as when, reportedly, Japanese gangs roam the streets of Tokyo looking for Korean immigrants to beat up, and there is simply unimaginably awful racism, as when gangs in the Congolese civil war believed that eating pygmies gave them magical powers, and that it was therefore OK to hunt them for their flesh. Moreover, the badness of racism cannot simply be reduced to the extremity of opinions expressed. It also relates to complex issues of historical power relations. If a white British person says something a bit rude about French people in general, that is clearly not as bad as if she or he says something roughly similar about Pakistanis in general. Yesterday, my wife and I witnessed a couple of people in downtown Amman throw a racial jibe at a car full of black girls. That was bad, not least because of the historical difference in power relations between ethnic Arabs and black Africans. But I still submit that it would have been worse if the same slur had come from me.
The problem is that, in the present day, the proliferation of discourses of classic anti-Semitism in the Middle East is eagerly seized on as a way of utterly condemning a wider range of Islamic actors, a pretext for shutting off any possibility of dialogue. Given their own liberal insistence on the conversation stopping evil of anti-Semitism, this in turn forces apologists for these actors to change the subject, or gloss over its existence. Many times, I have come across pro-Palestinian Western activists who correct me when I turn to the subject of anti-Semitism among Palestinians and Arabs. I have got it wrong they say. These people are never anti-Semitic – only anti-Zionist. But this is simply not true. At almost any bookstall in the Middle East, one can find a copy of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Time and time again, I have listened to people tell me about how the perfidy of the Jews from the earliest times, about the Jewish plot to control the world. When I sacrificed a sheep to celebrate the birth of my son, the butcher joked – when I commented on the skill with which he dispatched the animal 'if only we were dong this to the Jews'. The man was being deliberately extreme, I think, trying to shock me. But even so.
It upsets me to hear this from people. It worries me. And apart from anything else, it frustrates me that the people who say these things to me are so utterly unaware of how counterproductive the things they are saying are. But I think that it is very important to understand two things. First: these sentiments, as grotesque as they are, don't come out of nowhere. Palestinians – unlike Germans in the 1930s, or Russians in the 1890s, or English people in the 1190s actually have the experience of having really very significant crimes committed against them by people who, while they did not represent all Jews, did try to claim to. These claims also undoubtedly have played a role in shaping the anti-Semitic discourse of some Arabic people. Moreover, it is important to recognize that as widespread as they are, these discourses have a significant amount of plasticity. Quite apart from the fact that (well, obviously) all Palestinians (most Arabs I know are Palestinian) don't hold the same opinions about Jews, my experience has always been that even individual Palestinians often express multiple, sometimes conflicting narratives, ranging from the liberal (the irony is the Jews, who were themselves victims, came to become oppressors), the modern anti-Semitic (a sinister Jewish conspiracy runs the world and is responsible for all the evils of modern life), the Islamist (Jews coexisted peacefully under Islamic rule for hundreds of years, only an Islamic state can solve our present-day conflict), the neofundamentalist (the Jews have always been a bad lot; they killed the prophets God sent down, and gave the prophet Muhammad no end of trouble). Which narrative is adopted often seems to have as much to do with contingent and emotive factors than any immovable set of beliefs. For example, even the most die hard Arabic holocaust deniers can, in my experience, be persuaded to reconsider their positions when one makes it clear that the holocaust does not in itself justify the Zionist project. The underlying formula, I would suggest, is simple: as long as Israel refuses to acknowledge the historical and ongoing victimization of Palestinians, Palestinians are damned if they will concede an inch of victimhood to Israelis, which logically requires denying it to Jews in general as well.
Am I simply trying to excuse the inexcusable? Well yes, in a way I am. By this I mean that while racism in general and anti-Semitism in particular is never 'excusable' as such, an understanding of how people come to express such views does, I think, help to move us away from the idea that anyone of any background in any context who can be shown to have some anti-Semitic opinions must on that account be utterly anathametised.
My point in the end is, I suppose, a simple one. For all we may talk about the profound inequality of power relations between Israelis and Palestinians, the total unbalance of a media discourse which equally apportions blame, we must still view pro-occupation Israelis as victims of their own circumstances – with understanding and a measure of sympathy. We must recognize (from our own position of relative comfort) that their fears have some justification, and that their present situation is a difficult one – however much of their own making. At the same time, if we are to shift the discourse on Israel-Palestine towards a more genuinely balanced recognition of the enormous underlying injustices which are locked into the present media narrative, we must start to confront the anti-Semitism issue head on, rather than just talking around it.
anti-semitism, Equality1, Israel, Middle East
The Green Party needs to get serious about antisemitism
Tzipi Hotovely becoming Israel's ambassador to the UK shows the true face of Israel
Eyes on the occupation: In the Jordan Valley, there's nowhere else to look.
About Gilbert Ramsay
Dr. Gilbert Ramsay is a lecturer on terrorism at the University of St. Andrews.
View all posts by Gilbert Ramsay →
34 Comments Already
Raphael - June 24th, 2011 at 10:14 am none Comment author #13659 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
Hi Rangjan
Sorry if I was unclear. I am not against "evaluating intent in anti-semetism". I am against evaluating whether something is antisemitic or not based on intent.
If, for example, someone targets Jews for abuse in the street of a UK city because of his anger at Israel, this is antisemitic, eventhough the intent is maybe to act in solidarity with Palestinians. Maybe that someone will not use the word "Jew" but the word "Israeli" or "Zionist"; that we still be antisemitic.
You write: "If I am anti-semetic and engage in abusive behaviour in an intention to humiliate you then it is more difficult to resolve than if my intention is to create a just resolution but I am engaging in hurtful and dangerous language."
Yes, indeed. It will probably be easier to resolve, everything depends on whether both sides are open to rational dialogue. If when you are challenged about "hurtful and dangerous language" you step back and try to understand why that language is "hurtful and dangerous" then there is a possibility of dialogue. If instead you say "this is an old trick of Zionists to prevent criticism of Israel", then the possibility of dialogue is closed as it has been replaced by an accusation of bad faith which is impossible to answer ("you would say that isn't it").
Ashley Erdman - June 22nd, 2011 at 5:30 am none Comment author #13658 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
Just a quick response to Andrew Tindall
"I think it's a major distinction that is lost on many people, especially americans."
As an American who has lived abroad for the past four year I think you should consider that Americans themselves often are the subjects of the very same lack of distinction from people from other countries. American bashing has become quite a favourite sport of those who don't bother to seperate out US government foriegn policy and other actions from the individual people living there.
Rangjan - June 18th, 2011 at 6:35 pm none Comment author #13657 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
Raphael (14) argues against evaluating intent in anti-semetism. However I would say that this is the key.
If I am anti-semetic and engage in abusive behaviour in an intention to humiliate you then it is more difficult to resolve than if my intention is to create a just resolution but I am engaging in hurtful and dangerous language.
Gilbert extends this even further in his argument that we should do things that "help to move us away from the idea that anyone of any background in any context who can be shown to have some anti-Semitic opinions must on that account be utterly anathametised."
Rosie - June 17th, 2011 at 9:13 pm none Comment author #13656 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
First of all, congratulations on being able to discuss this subject soberly and reasonably. Nothing throws people into crazed shouting as much as Israel & anti-semitism.
A few thoughts:-
Re the students outraging a flag – it's crappy behaviour but I think turning this into an official complaint is a bit much. They were grossly offensive but that shouldn't be a crime. In fact, if it hadn't been two against one, I think it would have been healthier to punch the offenders rather than making official complaints.
Re Middle Eastern anti-semitism:- yes it is a shock. I was in Aleppo and saw this bookshop display in a busy shopping street:-
http://rosiebell.typepad.com/rosiebell/2010/11/book-display-in-aleppo-syria.html
On seeing Middle Eastern anti-semitism differently from Western anti-semitism:-
We have just had the affair of the supposed Gay Girl in Damascus being shown to be a fraud set up by an American pro-Palestinian activist, Tom MacMaster. Most of the Gay Girl's blog was about the Syrian protests, but when he spoke about Israel in the guise of a Syrian it was in virulent and anti-semitic terms.
"As soon as I post this, I know, the defenders of the Holy Nation will come and denounce me, will ask why it is that I do not see their cause as holy and my own people, my own heritage, my own history, as nothing more than the squawkings of baboons.
"So when the lying liars and propagandists, the makers of hasbara and singers of paeans to the so-called Chosen claims that "Bashar tricked us into killing people (if you can call mere Arabs humans and not two-legged dogs) so as to distract from his own crimes", tell them to stuff it. They lie."
This virulence would not be allowed in respectable discourse about Israel in the UK. MacMaster was using his disguise to write in this fashion – because after all, he was supposed to be Syrian, and this will be overlooked.
MacMaster is, or was, is very active in Edinburgh University's Students for Justice in Palestine. I don't think he would have expressed such views in say, a publicity leaflet for that group, or on their website.
All pressure and political groups have some members who have strong, fierce views and who are full of hatred for their opposition. Some animal rights groups have members who really would like to kill all human beings. There are no doubt on the fringes of Greenery those who would like society to go back to subsistence agriculture (sorry if that's not right as regards to Greens, but I think you know what I mean). These members learn to keep quiet, to tailor their message so as not to cause discredit to the main movement, and are slapped down by wiser members. It is the same with the anti-Israeli groups. In their case though the extremist side falls into a very ugly tradition with deep roots in Europe and the Middle East of anti-semitism,. So you get "Zionists" controlling the media, "Zionists" controlling the government – an updated version of an old hatred.
Some anti-Israeli activists are aware of this and try and fight it. Others dismiss it as a tale put round to railroad discussion on the actions of the Israeli government . It's astonishing in fact how the efforts of Zionists always to shut down debate is so ineffective considering how powerful and cunning they are supposed to be.
@Kate Harris
"some members of SPSC (Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign) came along, which was great, BUT one of them kept describing Khalid as a Nazi, which was at best misguided and at worst *incredibly* offensive. I really regret that happening. If he thinks what the Israeli government and army is doing is tantamount to ethnic cleansing, it's better to say that than bring up a party that killed millions of Jews. Apart from anything, it's just factually inaccurate."
I had a conversation with a Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign once, in which he tried to explain the origins of World War I by the way of the activities of the Rothschilds. Mind how you go with them.
Simon - June 14th, 2011 at 6:44 pm none Comment author #13655 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
When I sacrificed a sheep to celebrate the birth of my son, the butcher joked – when I commented on the skill with which he dispatched the animal 'if only we were dong this to the Jews'.
The hatred of Jews has always run deep in Is lamic and Arab discourse from pre-Zionist days right back to the obsession with Jews in the Koran.
Raphael Levy - June 12th, 2011 at 11:40 pm none Comment author #13654 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
I agree with Adam's reply to Mod: what Gilbert has read (or not) is not relevant to this post.
Kate loves what Jacob, "as a Jew", has to say. I don't. Here is why.
Jacob writes: "Sometimes the first thing that happens after I say I'm Jewish (or often people will just assume because you can tell I'm Jewish from about ten miles away) will be "How can Israel do this?" or "Don't you feel freaked out by pro-Palestine protesters too?". It sucks to have to constantly explain to people that being a Jew does not equal being a Zionist."
I agree with Jacob up to, and including, the word "sucks".
It sucks indeed.
It sucks because it is indeed ordinary and common racism. Not holocaust denial or "Kill the Jews" type racism, just the ordinary racism which consists in applying stereotypes to people, and, in the case of Jews, requiring of them to demonstrate that they are part of the "Good Jews".
It sucks also in Jacob internalization of the "Zionism = evil" equation.
I am French and before coming to the UK a couple of years ago, no one had ever asked me if I was a Zionist, and frankly that word did not mean anything to me. I have now been called one so many times that I could not count anymore. Being named "Levy" and opposing the exclusion of Israeli academics (and no other academics from any other country) proposed by my Union and supported by my Green Party, has been enough to achieve this result. "Zionist" – a word which, historically, refers to a range of diverse political movements which, in the end of the 19th and first half of the 20th century, had in common the desire, achieved in 1948, to establish a Jewish state – has now become a common insult.
The SPSC have gone a long way towards antisemitic criticism of Israel (as opposed to legitimate criticism of Israel). A non-exhaustive selection here.
http://www.engageonline.org.uk/blog/article.php?id=1752
Alasdair,
You write "No one's uniquely denying the Jews the right to their own state." And then: "I'm against all religiously defined states, for example." I am sure you appreciate the considerable jump between these two sentences. The first is a considerable and frankly indefensible claim, the second is a perfectly reasonable one, restricted to your own political views, and which you then go on to illustrate.
If you look around, you will not find any campaign for the end of the very large number of states which make reference to religion or ethnicity in their constitutions. The UK for example is quite happy to have a head of state who is also the head of a Church. It has no problem with religious education "of a broadly Christian nature" in its state schools. There is no organization in the UK which militates for the dissolution of Islamic states, or for the abolition of Christian references in many European states constitutions.
There is such a campaign against the Jewish state. Such a campaign includes states such as Iran and Syria, their proxy Hezbollah, large sections of Hamas, as well as a number of anti-zionist organizations in the UK. That campaign, bizarely, brings together some people who, like you, have a general opposition to religion, and others, who would rather replace Israel by an Islamic state.
Alasdair Thompson - June 12th, 2011 at 11:23 pm none Comment author #13653 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
OK, sorry not to be clear there Raphael. Of course there are some people in the world who think a Jewish state should not be allowed but that other religious states should be. But I don't think anyone here was arguing that.
And, in fact there are organisations arguing against the Christian nature of the British state, see, for example, the NSS – http://www.secularism.org.uk/secularcharter.html – and I am very much against the head of state being the head of the church, bishops sitting in our parliament and broadly Christian religious education.
There are also plenty of people who want to bring down the clerical religious Islamic states and replace them with secular, democratic alternatives, see, for just one example, the AWL – http://www.workersliberty.org/story/2009/07/01/secular-democratic-iran – or the call for not two states, or one state in Israel/Palestine, but no states, on Libcom – http://libcom.org/library/no-state-solution-gaza
I reject the idea that by being against the same entity as certain Islamist groups in any way affects my own arguments, I'm sure we can find objectionable people who support almost any political position when taken in isolation. But my opposition to the actions of the Israeli state in no way means that I support alternative nationalisms.
Kate Harris - June 11th, 2011 at 11:03 am none Comment author #13651 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
I love Jacob 🙂 Had to say that.
All this is very interesting.
I'm in SJP (Students for Justice in Palestine), and think that while keeping my principles and beliefs about solidarity with Palestinians I may moderate my behaviour in future. We shut down an event where Ishmael Khalid was speaking, and I stand by that completely, but perhaps we were a bit too aggressive and may have come across really badly to some members of J-Soc (the Jewish Society here at Edinburgh). Specifically, some members of SPSC (Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign) came along, which was great, BUT one of them kept describing Khalid as a Nazi, which was at best misguided and at worst *incredibly* offensive. I really regret that happening. If he thinks what the Israeli government and army is doing is tantamount to ethnic cleansing, it's better to say that than bring up a party that killed millions of Jews. Apart from anything, it's just factually inaccurate.
Adam Ramsay - June 11th, 2011 at 2:43 am none Comment author #13650 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
Jacob – just a quick correction, the post is by Gilbert, my brother. I agree it's a great piece, but I don't get the credit!
Modernity – I suspect you'll have to wait to get your answer on what specific things Gilbert has read on the subject, I don't think he's got internet access for a few days (he's travelling at the moment). However, I don't see why that matters entirely – he is clear that the position you ask about is an opinion he is developing rather than a fact about which he is certain. Surely pitching ideas is a good thing, not something to be at a loss for words about? Feel free to explain why you disagree, but as someone who doesn't know a huge amount about this subject – who I suspect knows less than either you or Gilbert, and as someone who may well not manage to read as many of the books on the subject as I would like, I would be interested in knowing why you think this is wrong (if you have time to explain below) rather than in just hearing an implication that some books somewhere imply this. Genuinely, it's an interesting point for me, I don't know where I stand on it. Please do explain why you disagree rather than just asking people to read more…
In general, thanks everyone for the comments – I'm glad we've managed to have a civilised and interesting discussion here about this.
anon - June 10th, 2011 at 11:16 pm none Comment author #13648 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
It is anti semitic to uniquely deny the Jews the right to their own state out of all the peoples of the world.
Alasdair Thompson - June 11th, 2011 at 1:54 am none Comment author #13649 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
No one's uniquely denying the Jews the right to their own state. I'm against all religiously defined states, for example. I don't like Jewish states, I don't like Islamic states, I don't like Christian states. To be honest, I'm not too keen on secular states either, but religiously defined states are clearly discriminatory.
Anyway, that's far from the point of Gilbert's very considered and careful article. Please try to actually engage with the argument if you're going to comment here.
Jacob Bloomfield - June 6th, 2011 at 7:50 pm none Comment author #13646 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
I appreciate this post, Adam. As a Jew, I find that people on both sides of this issue tend to throw me into the Zionist camp automatically. Sometimes the first thing that happens after I say I'm Jewish (or often people will just assume because you can tell I'm Jewish from about ten miles away) will be "How can Israel do this?" or "Don't you feel freaked out by pro-Palestine protesters too?". It sucks to have to constantly explain to people that being a Jew does not equal being a Zionist. I've never even been to Israel. So do I think some who express solidarity with the Palestinian people sometimes verge on anti-Semetism? Yes. But, more often than that, I feel like Zionist Jews unfairly take any criticism of Israel as an attack on Judaism.
Also, it should be noted that yesterday there was both a pro-Israel parade and a Gay Pride parade here in New York City, and the Gay Pride parade looked way more fun.
modernity - June 6th, 2011 at 6:29 pm none Comment author #13645 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
"Incidentally, I also think that excessive concern about anti-Semitism expressed by the West actually helps fuel anti-Semitism in the Middle East. Because people here simply cannot grasp the what the Holocaust means for 'us', "
I'm almost at a loss what to say, Gilbert, you manage to erect straw men and make assumptions about people in the Middle East, now I appreciate that this may have been your area of study, but have you actually read any historical literature, quality works on antisemitism? [That's not a rhetorical question.]
It strikes me that a lot of these conversations go on, without any grounding in these complex issues. I'm sure many Greens have probably read numerous works on ecology, even the more political ones would have probably read Gramsci.
Yet many of the points here, rather than based on evidence and reason seem anecdotal, or "this bloke down the pub says" type of argument.
So in the above extract, you would have to identify how Western concerns have actually fuelled antisemitism in the Middle East, tangible evidence (certainly German antisemitism did in the 1930s, and that is well-documented), but I can't see how contemporary concerns over racism would do that, Gilbert possibly you'd want to elaborate on that point?
I don't think that we need to treat people in the Middle East as if they're uneducated or can't grasp the issue, that is as you would know a very Orientalist view.
Certainly leaders in the region have used racism against Jews as prop to deflect social resentment for the past 70+ years, but that's another issue.
There are many in the Middle East who acknowledge these issues, not lest Arab Institute for Holocaust Research and Education.
http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2005/05/06/muslim_opens_holocaust_museum_in_israel/
Steamed Green - June 6th, 2011 at 5:48 pm none Comment author #13644 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
Isn't it interesting – Gilbert takes trouble to write in a sensitive way about antisemitism, and whaddaya know, those domineering 'Zionists' who always try to shut down debate about Israel are somehow nowhere to be seen.
A couple of things. Gordon and Raphael make valid points. I'd add in response to Gilbert's at 2.33pm – it's right to say that antisemitism shouldn't be on a pedestal – as somebody once said, I forget who, piety breeds iconoclasm. That is exactly what is happening now – the Holocaust is being revisioned as something that is exploited by Jews; antisemitism is not actually antisemitism at all – it's rather an accusation that Zionists make against honest Greens. And yet, it's still up there, and people – particularly intellectuals, with antisemitic beliefs consequently go absolutely, viciously, antisemitically spare when challenged. But this stuff is dangerous, because unlike other racisms I can think of, antisemitism doesn't talk down its object – on the contrary, it places its object at the centre of the world – the all-powerful, diabolically scheming, clandestine, tentacled Zionist. I mean Jew. This is why I don't think that excessive concern about antisemitism is a problem. The wrong, pious, kind of concern, maybe. But not too much concern.
Gilbert - June 6th, 2011 at 2:33 pm none Comment author #13643 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
Thank you very much again. I'm really enjoying this discussion, and I hope you still find it constructive. I think there is a point which I didn't really make as well as I would liked to, partly because I couldn't find a way of saying it properly. But I'm going to try now. In the Middle East, while it is true that one comes across a lot of anti-Semitic attitudes, these aren't by any means the only prejudices. For example, it is common to hear things expressed about Shiites as are expressed about Jews. Or again, it is pretty common to hear some dangerous views expressed about Druzes, and so on. Now, the point I was trying to make, I think, was something like this: attitudes of this sort are not by any means harmless. I'm not saying they are. Nor would I say that one shouldn't challenge them. I try to challenge them all the time when I come across them. But when we come across prejudices of this sort, we don't lose our heads in the same way. For example, we still expect Shiites to coexist with the Sunni Muslim majority in Saudi Arabia where until recently it was not uncommon (even, so I'm told, in school textbooks) for it to be claimed that the blood of Shiite heretics is halal – ie, that it's lawful to kill them. We still expect Shiites to coexist with Sunni Muslims in Iraq. And while there has been a lot of blood, and a lot of radicalisation, this still doesn't look impossible at all. We recognise in such contexts that what we have on our hands is a conflict, and the radicalisation and contentious politics go hand in hand. We can do this, because we have no special cultural label which gives anti-Shiism, for example, a special status.
Now, if I were Israeli, I would be very alarmed by some of the views that are widespread in the Middle East. Of course I would. And because Israelis have the choice (for now) of not having mostly to coexist with another, often unfriendly ethnic group, one can see why they are hardly likely to want to do so. (I'd like to point out here that this is not one sided, of course. Islamophobic and anti-Arab racism is hardly absent from Israel, and no doubt Shiites have a thing or two to say about Sunnis). I'm talking mostly about the Sunni Muslim Arab 'side' partly because I'm more familiar with it.
For us, however – those of us who don't identify as Israelis, but who are embedded in a tradition which (as I said, I think, rightly, in its own context) places anti-Semitism on a unique pedestal, I'm not sure it is helpful to apply this yardstick to anti-Semitism in the Middle Eastern context. I think we would do better just to see this as a conflict like any other.
Incidentally, I also think that excessive concern about anti-Semitism expressed by the West actually helps fuel anti-Semitism in the Middle East. Because people here simply cannot grasp the what the Holocaust means for 'us', they can only interpret the level of Western concern about anti-Semitism as more evidence for a Jewish conspiracy that controls the West. That's not to blame the West for being overly concerned about anti-Semitism. I'm just saying that I think that's how things end up getting misread here.
Green Gordon - June 6th, 2011 at 12:27 pm none Comment author #13642 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
I also wanted to address a few issues with personal opinion. It's so important that we try to divorce personal opinion from the analysis of this sort of conflict.
Speaking as a tri-national immigrant (and no, none of those are Israel…) I'm not a big fan of national borders. I don't like what they represent and I don't like how they limit people. But they're not relevant to the discussion unless you explain that Palestine similarly has no right to exist. And if the solution is International Socialism I'm afraid that's not going to be implemented in time to be a realistic part of a peace process.
The idea of a protestant state is also not an effective analogy. As far as I am aware, there is no Protestant-ethnic diaspora. But regardless the conflict needs to be seen through the eyesoif both sides involved. They will be the ones responsible for holding the peace after all.
Both sides are having rockets fired at them. We're in a privileged position to be able to debate the finer points of global conflict without having to worry about it spilling onto our streets. So regardless of some differencesoif opinion, more thoughtful posts such as these are always welcome. But we need to extend this goodwill to working out pragmatic plans for peace in the short term
Raphael Levy - June 6th, 2011 at 11:44 am none Comment author #13641 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
Me again,
It would be great if you could give actual examples of instances of the "consumate skill" below in action; you write:
"This is, of course, despite that consummate skill with which supporters of Israel try to imply that criticism of that country is tantamount to hatred of Jews in general."
You rightly note in your piece that the response "I am not criticising Jews but Israel" is sometimes not quite good enough.
Yet, the standard response when concerns about antisemitism are raised goes even further: it implies, as you suggest in the above quote, that such concerns are raised in bad faith with the dishonest intent of shutting down criticism of Israel.
This is also known as the Livingstone formulation:
http://engageonline.wordpress.com/2010/10/05/david-hirsh-the-livingstone-formulation/
Thanks for this piece. As Jess and others, I disagree with several aspects, and at the same time, I appreciate the tone which gives space for reasoned respectful discussion (and indeed, it has started and I hope it will continue!). Such space has been unfortunately singularly lacking within the party.
I will come back with some more comments, but here is a first thought. I think you give way too much importance to intent in your evaluation of what is racist or not. Maybe the most obvious example of this is the following; you write:
"Not very helpfully, I think, The Courier – our local newspaper – as labeled the case from the outset as being about 'anti-Semitism'. It strikes me as highly unlikely that the accused are indeed anti-Semitic – at least not in their own understanding of the term"
I do not comment on whether or not this incident should be thought of as antisemitic, but I strongly object to the idea that their understanding of the term is relevant in deciding whether or not the incident is. This is a total inversion of Mc Pherson: instead of the victim defining the racist character of the incident, it is the perpetrator.
This focus on intent is then reflected in your entire analysis. It seems to me that you are struggling with the parralel dilemmna of good people / bad people versus good or acceptable opinions / bad unacceptable opinions.
To illustrate that point, near your conclusion, you writes:
"By this I mean that while racism in general and anti-Semitism in particular is never 'excusable' as such, an understanding of how people come to express such views does, I think, help to move us away from the idea that anyone of any background in any context who can be shown to have some anti-Semitic opinions must on that account be utterly anathametised."
On this difficult issue of "understanding" racism, you nearly avoid Ken Loach pitfall nicely analyzed here:
http://normblog.typepad.com/normblog/2009/03/an-understandable-hatred.html
http://rosiebell.typepad.com/rosiebell/2009/03/i-understand.html
But, I think you are addressing a false problem. The problem is not to decide if someone should be anathemized; nobody should, but such views should be challenged if we (i.e., e.g. the Green Party) do joint actions, share platforms, etc. Otherwise, if they are not challenged, then they are normalized and this is currently what is happening. Those views should be challenged whether the person who is uttering them is white or brown, Israeli or Palestian, Jewish, Muslim, Christian or else.
Jonathan - June 6th, 2011 at 6:56 am none Comment author #13639 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
"To express to such a person views which (as it happens) I myself hold – that Israel does not have (as nor does any other country have) a 'right to exist'." I have to take issue with that. The nation state does have a right to exist and to defend itself against external attempts to dismantle it. Only the citizens of a country should have the right to dissolve it as an entity. It's fundamental to the principle of self determination. Some states don't give their citizens the choice (Israel may pursue policies that many of us find abhorrent – and those policies may not be supported by all its citizens – but it is a democracy. However that it imposes its will on another people in violation of international law and denies them self determination that can reult in the creation of a viable nation state is beyond irony) however the choice, when it is made, should rest with those citizens.
Meanwhile: "Yesterday, my wife and I witnessed a couple of people in downtown Amman throw a racial jibe at a car full of black girls. That was bad, not least because of the historical difference in power relations between ethnic Arabs and black Africans. But I still submit that it would have been worse if the same slur had come from me."
That rather overlooks the fact that in the centuries prior to the European domination of the slave trade slaving was dominated by Arabs and it's been claimed that at least as many black Africans were shipped East as West. The history of slavery however is seen as a European/African issue because (among other reasons) a) Europeans documented it more thoroughly b) it was controversial in Europe and N America from the beginning of the 18th Century because there were some very vocal campaigners who pointed out the iniquities of slavery and Europeans had every reason to know it was an evil because it was hotly debated and c) because large numbers of African Americans and Caribbean people have been living with the consequences of slavery every since the emancipation movements of the 19th Century.
The Arab world has never confronted its history of slavery, seems to bear no sense of guilt over it and has no settled african populations descended from slaves.
As an aside we tend to overlook the tens of thousands of Europeans taken into slavery by Arab slavery as well.
And in case I'm misunderstood I am NOT arguing that Arab actions somehow mitigate European ones – just that our impressions of history are often less about historical balance and more about what is recorded and published.
Lastly I'd agree with those who don't like categorising discrimination; we are all entitled to be judged on our own merits and not as members of a (often arbitrary) group. Firefighting the worst instances shouldn't distract from the notion that we are all equally human and all unique individuals and ought to be treated as such.
Aside from that Gilbert – thanks – it was thought provoking 🙂
IrrationalPoint - June 5th, 2011 at 10:57 pm none Comment author #13638 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
@Steve Wilson
While I also expressed concerns about the description of some racist acts as worse than others, I think we should be very careful to note that there is a difference between *racism*, *racist acts in general* and *specific racist acts*. The sexism or misogyny parallel is not to say that some rapes are worse than others (statement most reasonable people have vocally opposed in the last few weeks), but rather to say that some kinds of *sexism* is worse than others: for example, domestic abuse is worse than holding doors for women. It's not that they stem from totally different ideologies, but that one incident causes much more harm than the other.
I don't think it's totally unreasonable to think that some kinds of sexist acts are worse than other kinds of sexist acts, although I think we want to be very careful about when we say this, and even more careful about when it is useful to say this. My concern is that not all situations are so clear-cut as rape-vs-door-holding, and I don't think we should be in a position of saying "[one specific type of harm] is the only kind we should really care about", which, as I understood the original post, is what we should be trying to get away from anyway.
Steve Wilson - June 5th, 2011 at 9:33 pm none Comment author #13637 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
As a lifelong socialist I find these comments very unsettling:
"To express to such a person views which (as it happens) I myself hold – that Israel does not have (as nor does any other country have) a 'right to exist'. That it certainly does not have the right to be recognized 'as a Jewish state' (any more than I expect other countries to recognize the right of my own to exist as a Protestant state), that it was founded on the ethnic cleansing of another people and that, practically speaking, its policies of illegal occupation and expansion in territories which once upon a time might have provided for a viable Palestinian state have now made impossible any solution that would not lead, in effect, to the end of Israel as we know it – to express these views to such a person in a certain kind of way might indeed be tantamount to intimidation."
Not much room for manoeuvre there.
and "not all racism is equally bad"? Bit of a Ken Clarke angle there…?
The question that occurs to me is why has there been such a focus on Israel yet very little focus on the really vitriolic hatred towards jews from so many other nations in the region?
Why have we rightly chided our own leaders for cosying up to dictators in the region over the last 30 years yet overlooked the fact that many on the left have also only really criticised Israel despite there having been these appalling and entrenched human rights abuses in many other countries in the region over a very long time. Why does the 'left' focus so much on Israel?
I'll step back on this, I think there are a fair few notions here which are problematic, but I can see that the author is struggling with these issues and trying to find some meaningful resolve, which I think is commendable.
I don't intend to nitpick, that would be too easy but I'd ask a question of the author and any Greens here:
do people in the Green party actually read about racism, its theories, its history, and in particular about the myths and history that comprise antisemitism**?
[That's not a rhetorical question, I don't know the answer as I'm not terribly familiar with Greens, and I'd welcome a few candid replies, if possible]
** might I suggest in the future that the author uses the unhyphenated form antisemitism, as 'semitism' doesn't exist in English as a real word, etc
Jessica Goldfinch - June 5th, 2011 at 7:47 pm none Comment author #13635 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
I absolutely do not agree with some of this post and its conclusions, but more heartening than anything was the delivery and tone.
What a refreshing and thoughtful piece. Thank you very much. Sincerely, Jessica Goldfinch
Thank you all very much for these comments. I think they're very interesting and constructive. Clearly I'm wrestling with some pretty difficult stuff here, and I can hardly claim to have the final word, even in my own head. I was quite worried in posting this that people would jump to conclusions, so I'm really grateful that you've taken the trouble to read this carefully and in the spirit I intended it.
IrrationalPoint - June 5th, 2011 at 5:25 pm none Comment author #13633 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
This is a really interesting thoughtful piece — kudos for that.
I think you're absolutely right that we have to be able/willing to acknowledge real hurts from everybody.
I take your points about not all racist acts being equal, but I think this is something to be cautious about. I don't think it's always possible to rank racist acts, and in some cases we shouldn't try. This matters to your argument because as long as we're engaged in a contest of "who's suffered more" and "who's the bigger victim", we're not really acknowledging the real worries and hurts in the way that you (rightly) suggest we should, and in a way that ultimately I think opens up avenues for dialogues and negotiations.
On relative awfulness of racism – "If a white British person says something a bit rude about French people in general, that is clearly not as bad as if … "
I'm not sure what this opens the door to. How far do we take it? Do we say that if there were racism on the part of Iraqi Israeli Jews (Jews from Arab lands and their descendents are the largest demographic in Israel) against Palestinian Arabs, that would be less awful than if there were racism on the part of the Israeli Jews from, say, Germany? I wonder if the targets of that racism would distinguish, or whether lump them all together as Jews, or whether feel that the current in the more populous group was more of a threat…
I'm inclined to be equally hard on and equally understanding of the stereotyping and prejudice that is the basis of racism, independent of who is doing it and whom is targeted by it. That really should go for philosemitism too.
I have a number of disagreements with your piece, particularly some of the common sense statements you make to account for your views about Israel. But while facts are very important, the fight against antisemitism won't, I think, be won by engaging in contests of facts, so I will swallow a few times and leave them alone.
Basically your post keeps open possibilities which the Green Party EW, and most recently UCU, closed when they threw out a working definition of antisemitism which allowed for euphemistic antisemitism expressed as anti-Zionism. Kudos to you for that.
Your piece also encourages people not to think of antisemitism as the worst view you can hold (as you say, not Satanistic). This is a good direction. While antisemitism is taboo, it is hard to admit it in ourselves. Concerns about antisemitism related to anti-Israel campaigning currently shut down debate just like this – those who raise antisemitism may want to have a conversation; those against whose acts or words it is alleged are frequently too outraged to countenance a conversation, and so certain that they are untouched by antisemitic beliefs that they make counter-allegations of covering up for Israel, being in a lobby, and so on.
As a political party (or gathering of parties), Greens must work to get Israel in perspective. There are many conflicts and oppressions in this world. To view Israel as somehow emblematic or some kind of world fulcrum would be false. Putting Israel at the centre of the world is also something antisemites do. And yet it looms disproportionately large in Green international politics.
I think your conclusion is a good one – it basically recommends an inquisitive, compassionate attitude to the conflict. That can't go wrong.
Adam Ramsay - June 5th, 2011 at 3:12 pm none Comment author #13630 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
Modernity: did you read the whole piece? This is exactly what Gilbert is saying – that some actions that are anti-Israel rather than meant to be anti-semitic can still be offensive.
We need to think about racism and the wider parallels, hypothetically suppose they took a Jamaican flag and rubbed it on their groins, how would that look?
Further, suppose someone said "I am not anti-Black, it is Jamaicans I can't stand"
How would you view that?
Think carefully, as such comments were common enough in parts of 1970s Britain.
Green Gordon - June 5th, 2011 at 2:00 pm none Comment author #13627 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
This sentence is a bit vague:
"Criticism – even aggressive criticism of the State of Israel – is not anti-Semitism."
It is not always anti-Semitism, but it can be. Rubbing your groin on the Star of David, both as a cultural symbol, and a symbol of the state of Israel is troubling both because of the resonance of the symbol with that race or ethicity, and the ties between the State and an individual's ethnicity (which is not the case in most modern Civic nation states).
Generally though, I agree with a lot of ideas in this post. The problem with arbitrary dividing lines between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism is that they give carte blanche to anti-Zionists to accuse people who feel that they have been treated prejudicially of effectively being liars. More polarity, more argument. And when the people drawing up these definitions are not even personally affected by this prejudice, it's hard to see where they get the moral authority to draw these distinctions from…
Andrew Tindall - June 5th, 2011 at 1:40 pm none Comment author #13626 on On anti Israelism and anti-Semitism by Bright Green
Whenever I talk of or criticise Israel, I will always point out that I am criticising the *government* and/or *army*, and not the people of israel, or israel's right to exist as a state.
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The concept of Industry 4.0 technology requires close cooperation between IT systems and automation. With this development automation systems are destined to meet the challenges the world will face over the next 20 to 30 years.
Automation is the answer to numerous great challenges facing mankind around the world. As the earth's population increases from 7-billion people in 2010 to an estimated 8-billion in 2030, it is forecast that prosperity will grow threefold – which translates to three times the demand for goods. This will require that products have to be manufactured using less energy with fewer natural resources.
Kai Ristau, Beckhoff Germany, Kenneth McPherson Beckhoff SA and Kenan Aktas, Beckhoff Germany at the customer appreciation day.
It is often said that late entrants into an industry have greater opportunities to excel and introduce newer technologies. This is the case with Hans Beckhoff who joined the family business after graduating in 1980 with a diploma in nuclear physics in Berlin and Munster in Germany. His father had started the business doing industrial electrical installations, but for the young Beckhoff that was not what he wanted to do. In the nearby small city of Verl, a number of machine builders approached Beckhoff to help them to develop systems to control their machines. As a physicist his interest was in analysing the problem to find ways to overcome previous limitation and innovate with new ideas. When the transistor became a reality and fuelled the development of the PC he was in his element. From designing and building individual solutions the company started building an automation product range based on PC control.
The concept of Industry 4.0 required close cooperation between IT systems and automation technology, a concept Beckhoff has been focussing on for the past 30 years and what differentiated his company from others in the control industry.
The concept of Industry 4.0 resulted from the search for general development trends to implementing the giant tasks discussed by Ristau. The German federal government under the leadership of Chancellor Angela Merkel, has been working with the Germany National Academy of Science and Engineering on the potential benefits that could result from the production technologies pioneered by Beckhoff. Some critics of Industry 4.0 have labelled it as old wine in new bottles, but Beckhoff considers it to be a good umbrella term and a handy keyword for some basic trends in automation and manufacturing technology as well as information, communication and internet technologies. "Hans Beckhoff believes that optimising the interaction between all these technologies will lead to new levels of quality and result in higher levels of productivity and efficiency in manufacturing", said Restau.
In a media interview with PC Control in 2013 Beckhoff said maximum flexibility and deep integration into existing IT architecture are standard features of the open PC-control platform which the company has delivered since 1986. "The capabilities described in Industry 4.0 have been part of our philosophy from the start. We have lived Industry 4.0 from day one.
"PC-control has another important benefit: since both hardware and software are durable and reliable technologies, system operators enjoy lower life cycle costs. Besides the ability of IPC technology to handle high computing requirements and storage capacities, it is suitable for analysing the large data volumes captured by conditioning monitoring components or for signalling critical data to higher level monitoring systems. This is where traditional PLCs soon encounter their limits: they do not provide sufficient processing capacity for such tasks, which are not directly control related but more future oriented. In addition to performance and stability, the PC-control architecture features exceptional scalability with regards to bus terminals, software and CPUs, which are the great strength of our system," he said.
During his presentation Ristau shared a case study of a manufacturer of plastic bottles in Canada. The company manufactures plastic products from preforms. A requirement is, very tight control of the pressure used in the injection moulding process. Too much pressure for too long will result in too much material applied into the mould. However, if not enough pressure is applied there will not be enough material, resulting in the walls being too thin. It is thus important to ensure that the pressure is applied very accurately. The company had installed Beckhoff control technology ten years ago. "Over the period we have developed what we call XFC (extreme fast control) systems which allows this process to be controlled nearly ten times faster, from 2 ms to 250 µs. Using the XFC systems has resulted in a reduction of raw material used. The machine produces 54-million parts a year. With a reduction of 2 g per part the company achieved a cost saving of $182 000 in materials. The other benefits were that the products met the specification more accurately and consistently.
"Moore predicted in the 1960s that the number of transistors on a chip will double every two years, and we see no end to this. Every two years we see the performance of the CPU doubling. Today the clock rate is not increasing but more cores are incorporated on one chip. By 2020 it is expected that there will be 1000 plus cores on one CPU chip which translates to an increase in CPU power by a factor of 32. We want to use this available power for measurement, for analytical evaluations, for condition monitoring and for robotics", said Ristau.
Beckhoff said that as an industrial equipment manufacturer it is the company's duty to keep an eye on technology trends and understand them, and of course use a good amount of creative thinking in the process. "As an internet-capable communication platform, our TwinCat automation software is completely ready for Industry 4,0. We are planning to add standardised interfaces to Industry 4.0 services in the future.


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text:
Agriphiloides longipalpellus är en fjärilsart som beskrevs av Stanislas Bleszynski 1965. Agriphiloides longipalpellus ingår i släktet Agriphiloides och familjen Crambidae. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


DENVER, Dec. 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Acuity Market Intelligence forecasts that by 2022 more than 5.5 billion biometrically-enabled mobile devices will create a global platform that supports one trillion Cloud-based biometric transactions annually. Acuity expects Cloud-based biometric solutions to drive the mobile biometric market to $50.6 billion in annual revenue by 2022.
"Biometric have become a mainstream convenience for unlocking smartphones and verifying on-device transactions," according to Maxine Most, Acuity's Principal and lead analyst. "But the market is evolving towards a hierarchy of integrated biometric authentication methods that range from simple device-based verification to third-party biometric Cloud, or server-side, solutions. These solutions will replace traditional digital identity schemes and provide more secure and reliable identity assurance on a global scale."
Acuity projects annual biometric transaction revenue will increase from $474 million in 2017 to $18 billion in 2022 exceeding a 100% CAGR. Biometric app revenue will grow at 26% during this period as revenue increases from $9.4 billion to $29 billion annually. Mobile biometric transaction volume is forecast to reach 1.4 trillion annually in 2022 – more than 70% cloud based - as biometric app downloads exceed 16.7 billion that year.
"Pushing biometrics to 'the edge' of the mobile ecosystem with device-based authentication improves the mobile experience, but with limitations," says Most, a biometric identity expert with nearly twenty years of intensive focus on this now burgeoning marketplace. "The big payoff comes from Cloud, or server-side biometrics, that simplify authentication and reduce friction while linking an individual to a device and platform independent Unique Verifiable Identity (UVI)."
Acuity's Maxine Most shares insight into the evolving Cloud biometrics marketplace during the "Digital Identity in the Era of Cloud Biometrics" webinar presented by findBIOMETRICS on Wed, Dec 6, at 11 ET. Register at https://tinyurl.com/ycap9xjs.
Acuity makes the case for Cloud biometrics in "Taming the Authentication Beast: Simplifying and Enhancing the Customer Journey with Biometrics in the Cloud." Download the whitepaper at www.acuity-mi.com/CloudFS.php.
For detailed forecasts and analysis of the mobile biometric market, preview and purchase "The Global Biometrics and Mobility Report" at www.acuity-mi.com/GBMR_Report.php.
About Acuity Market Intelligence: Acuity Market Intelligence (https://www.acuity-mi.com) is an emerging technology strategy and research consultancy with a proven record of accurately anticipating biometric and digital identity market trends. Follow us on twitter @cmaxmost.


text:
Miami Freedom is een voormalige Amerikaanse voetbalclub uit Miami, Florida. De club werd opgericht in 1988 en opgeheven in 1992. De club speelde twee seizoenen in de American Soccer League en drie seizoenen in de American Professional Soccer League.

Bekende ex-coaches
  Wim Suurbier (1989)

Amerikaanse voetbalclub
Sport in Miami


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