Mild Rover wrote:
Instinctively, I lean towards Starmer’s position on this. Anti-semitism is absolutely appalling and unacceptable. I do feel that this is a little incongruous, given some of the stuff that the Conservative party Is able to shrug off, but it is too serious for moral relativism and whataboutery... like this. It needs to be addressed aggressively.
On the other hand, I think the denial of personal antisemitism compounding charges of antisemitism against someone is illogical. I mean, I am at the ‘ffs Jeremy, get your head out of your bum’ point, but if admitting something means you’re guilty and denying it means you’re worse then it is denying people the right to defend themselves. An argument often employed by bigots, I know.
Also, there being a real problem in the Labour Party and a real human cost, and it being exaggerated for political purposes are not mutually exclusive. Although, it is difficult to have much sympathy when there’s such a glaringly obvious solution.
My take on this is 2 fold.
Firstly, Corbyn had a number of years to deal with this issue and let it fester like some ugly rash and as Leader of Labour he failed quite spectacularly to do so.
I realise that any ant Israeli sentiment is often used to point the finger at people and label them anti-Semitic, when it may well be the Israeli government or their actions that people are objecting to.
However, and far more importantly, Corbyn should be allowed to clear his name (assuming that he can) but, if, as former leader of the party, he need to do this in a way which will not further damage the party.
Labour have to put their individual differences aside and find a way to unite and defeat the Tory government.
Personal differences dont matter a jot in the grand scheme of things and they must put all their efforts to defeat the enemy and not each other.
I actually despair.
