Please join us for
Occupy Anti-Semitism
Distinguishing Anti-Semitism from Opposition to Zionism
What is Anti-Semitism? What is Zionism? How have Zionist institutions used the pretense of fighting Anti-Semitism to undermine struggles for liberation?
A workshop at Occupy Chicago facilitated by members of the Chicago chapter of the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network
Sunday, March 25, 2012 - 5:00pm until 7:00pm
Room 700 @ 500 W. Cermak
Workshop Description:
In October, ABC7 featured a news report "focused on a major Jewish
organization expressing concerns about the presence of anti-Semitic
signs and some disturbing statements made
at Occupy protest events in Chicago and elsewhere." We argue that this
was, in fact, a disingenuous claim aimed at discrediting the
Occupy/Decolonize movement and marginalizing the struggle for
Palestinian self determination, as well distracting attention from the
core demands for economic justice. Wielding charges of anti-Semitism
has been a particularly common tactic used against leftist movements,
particularly the Palestine Solidarity Movement--with the intention of
silencing activists and isolating that liberation struggle from other
struggles for liberation.
At this workshop, we will spend a
little bit of time explaining how anti-Semitism has functioned
historically and its relationship to Zionism, racism and white
supremacy. We will define anti-Jewish oppression/anti-Semitism and
discuss how to differentiate between real anti-Jewish sentiment, and
just criticism of the state of Israel or the ideology of Zionism. Within
this conversation we will examine some instances when anti-Jewish
sentiment/anti-Semitism has been privileged over all other forms of
oppression/racism for political ends, as well as engage with the
specific material consequences of different forms of oppression/racism
including anti-Semitism and anti-Arab/anti-Muslim racism.
Finally, we will explore ways in which to recognize and confront the
misuse of allegations of anti-semitism, as well as how to confront real
anti-Jewish sentiment when it occurs.
--
Become a fan on facebook -
http://tinyurl.com/chicagoijan.
Learn more about the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network and the work happening in Chicago -
http://www.ijsn.net/C93/