Article in Times of Israel

Has it become perfectly okay to demand a"white doctor" as naturally as asking someone to pass the Kleenex?

Racism has been legitimized.

This week a woman in Mississauga, Ontariowent on a public racist tirade at a medical clinic. She demanded to see a"white doctor" who speaks English and does not have "brownteeth." She had little shame in her overt racism and obvious hatred. Worse,she somehow knew there would be little repercussion against her overt displayof racism, even in a full waiting room.

What can we expect these days when positive andstrong social influences advocating respect and common decency are overwhelmedin a world replete with ethnic strife and politicized environments? Westernsocieties which have been traditionally advocates for pluralism and co-existenceare slowly moving in a downward direction, as faith and trust is lost inpolitical leadership focused on divide and conquer ideology. 

A divide and conquer ideology – an us versusthem – mentality is emerging throughout the world. This generally happens whenpeople become fearful and threatened – they tend to “circle the wagons” andlisten to fear mongering. We saw this divide taking place recently over the US presidentialelection, followed by an equally compelling divide in the French election andthen an election shakeup in the United Kingdom, which surprisingly strengtheneda radical leftist oppositional ideology – in as much as world affairs areconcerned.

Terrorism throughout Europe and North Americahas created legitimate fear and anxiety in the populace. Expanding conflictzones which remain unresolved for years – Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, NorthKorea, Sudan, Yemen, Turkey, Iran and the everlasting situation in the MiddleEast – have brought to question if peace is attainable anymore. Is this the newnormal?

Refugees streaming out of conflict zones orstuck in massive aid camps for years; expanding white nationalist movements inEurope, France, Hungary, Netherlands, USA and Canada (e.g. the medical clinicwoman and “Your Ward News”) on one side – and radical Islamic movements on theother (e.g. "Al Quds Day") – are tearing at the very fabric ofsociety.

As a result, citizens are pitted againstcitizens and hate speech and crime become prolific. Is it any wonder that hatecrime stats around the world are increasing?

This meltdown and divisiveness has impactedeveryone. Has it become perfectly okay to demand a "white doctor" as naturally as asking someone to pass the Kleenex? Evidence ofthis attitude is most prolific online – especially in social networking sites –where people who can be identified post hateful messages and images for theirown friends to see and "Like"; they call others names like"dirty Jew" and of course use the platforms to recruit would-be terroristsand fighters. What has happened to self-respect, friendship and compassion?

The Jewish community has been warning about thisdownward trend in civility for a number of years now. As a minority group witha long history of racism against us, we have developed an internal "earlywarning system" (really a gut feeling) that identifies a shift of normsand attitudes when it comes to civil society. The allowance of antisemitism onuniversity campuses, for example, or its inclusion within unionized frameworksor churches and mosques for that matter, have a spillover effect intomainstream society. 

If a propaganda violence promoting mural hangingat York University's Student Centre is allowable – why not everything else?

The racist tirade in the medical clinic showsthat we are hardly immune in Canada. This weekend, the annual "Al QudsDay" will take place in Toronto – a hate-fest that celebrates the Iranianregime's quest to retake Yerushalayim and destroy Israel. As history reminds,tremors like these in the fabric of our peaceful society should never bedisregarded, for like a virus they have an ability to spread. By then, it’s toolate.

Shabbat Shalom,

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Avi