It's not considered racism or even anti-Semitism by people who I generally consider right-thinking people. Because the stereotypes are still accepted as true, because in many cases perhaps they are true, because oh what can it possibly hurt they have all the money and power anyway, ad nauseam.
This is one of the things that I hate the most, the way people can go straight from Jews to money, in about two seconds flat, and not even realize how offensive they're being. They smile at you like they've said something nice, like you should be pleased with them. And yes to the way these stereotypes are all over.
...and that there's a lot of people like me who mean what I mean when they say they're not Zionists but end up saying or getting sucked into saying things like "the entire idea of Israel is racist" blah...
I think you're giving people more credit than I do, here, although I'm sure you're right that some people end up saying things that they wouldn't mean if they thought about them -- but then, it bothers me that they can say these things without thinking about them, and often without being called on it.
I agree that it's hard to insert your (our) own experience into discussions of racism, especially of racism in the US, and that it isn't appropriate in every context, but... You know, sometimes it does have to be said, just to keep from being overwhelmed in the discussion.
no subject
This is one of the things that I hate the most, the way people can go straight from Jews to money, in about two seconds flat, and not even realize how offensive they're being. They smile at you like they've said something nice, like you should be pleased with them. And yes to the way these stereotypes are all over.
...and that there's a lot of people like me who mean what I mean when they say they're not Zionists but end up saying or getting sucked into saying things like "the entire idea of Israel is racist" blah...
I think you're giving people more credit than I do, here, although I'm sure you're right that some people end up saying things that they wouldn't mean if they thought about them -- but then, it bothers me that they can say these things without thinking about them, and often without being called on it.
I agree that it's hard to insert your (our) own experience into discussions of racism, especially of racism in the US, and that it isn't appropriate in every context, but... You know, sometimes it does have to be said, just to keep from being overwhelmed in the discussion.