Monday, February 26, 2018

Algemeiner: Jews Should Boycott Poland Economically

Zev Friedman, writing in Algemeiner, recommends that Jews not spend one zloty in Poland. He recommends other destinations. 

13 comments:

  1. Another visceral protest resulting from a misreading of the law. According to Mr. Friedman, it “outlaws anyone from speaking out about the collaboration of Poles in the persecution of Jews during the Holocaust.” He then contradicts himself by reciting the law, which says it outlaws anyone who publicly accuses “the Polish nation, or the Polish state, of being responsible or complicit in the Nazi crimes committed by the third German Reich...”
    “Many believe that the major killing camps were specifically located in Poland — because it was fertile ground for antisemitism, and it was thought that the murder of Jews would be readily accepted there.” Unsurprisingly, we see the same damning assertions parroted as historical fact, typically employing deceptive generalizations and the passive voice.
    “Poland alleges that Poles were not involved in the persecution and killing of Jews during World War II.” To the contrary, Polish leadership and academia have often confirmed the opposite.

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  2. I have made a couple of comments on the link - politely of course - for all the good it will do.

    What is eye-opening in the furore about this new law, this outpouring of hatred and contempt, is how young some of the participants are.

    It does make me extra grateful for my parents, who, whatever their scars from WW2, did their best not to pass them on.

    I wrote a poem about it - well it was actually about growing up a child of the post war baby boom years - food still rationed, bomb sites to play on, the feeling of hope, that we were going to build a brave new world, and how we don't learn anything from our past. But it does include the point about not passing hatred down the generations. I wrote it many years ago, in my poetry writing days.

    Grown-ups?
    by me

    Grown-ups had made us
    bombsites to play on
    Wasn't that grand?
    They'd sown the sea
    with fireworks
    to explode on the sand.

    Us kids played at war
    But who were the Baddies?
    Now no-one was sure
    Was it the Germans?
    The big boys said "No.
    Baddies were Russians"
    But how did they know?

    "Don't call people enemies!"
    Daddy said it with passion
    We didn't go shopping
    We went for our rations.

    Clinic juice was orange
    Treacly and free
    We Journeyed Into Space
    on the wireless
    There was no TV

    Daddy went to work
    six days of seven
    To Silverdale, Jordanthorpe
    Planning new Eden.
    We always found mummy
    at home, in the kitchen.

    Then farewell Coles Corner
    Au revoir trams
    Goodbye bomb site,
    Hello building site
    The brave new world began.

    Grown-ups soon made us
    landmines to play on
    Sunk into sand
    Finely adjusted
    for leg or small hand
    Us kids played at war
    But who were the Baddies?
    Now no-one was sure.


    I have to say I never thought back then that us Poles/Polonians would turn out to be the baddies of WW2!

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  3. Friedman’s article contains the usual distortions of the historical record and anti-Polonism. I submitted a comment that was written in the same spirit, but it was removed after 5 minutes, “The Poles and the Mufti created the Final Solution; Hitler and the Germans wanted to save the Jews, that’s why they invaded Poland; the Jewish Councils compiled lists of Jews (all poor) to be saved; the Jewish police (the only police force in history made up of Jewish lawyers) smuggled them across the border; the French transported them across the Atlantic on Greek ships, where they were welcomed with open arms by the Americans and Canadians. The Jewish organizations and the Rothschilds financed the whole operation. The Swedish sold metal to the Germans because they needed it to save Jews. And the British and Americans bombed the infrastructure near the Polish death camps to stop the transports. Jews should definitely boycott Poland and Palestine and take their tourist dollars to Germany, Austria, and the other countries to show their gratitude.”

    Apparently, the following comment submitted by “Rabbimfriedman” was more consistent with Algemeiner’s content submission guidelines and thus it’s still there, “I suggest we start here in USA to boycott Poles! Why is it Boro Park Chasdish landlords rent out to Pollack stores fronts? The Pollacks are used as construction workers, maids and care workers by heimsh yidden?? Then do not visit Poland. Polish War criminals should be prosecuted! NO ISRAELI DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH POLAND!!!!”

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  4. Yes, like your comment! I think my comments have been removed. They were polite of course, but clearly not on-message. I wonder where all this is going?

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  5. I have read Friedman's article.

    So Jews would not come to Poland any more? I am tempted to say, "Good riddance."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jan Peczkis I do not share your opinion on this matter.

      Delete
    2. In my opinion the most ridiculous part of that article was comparing German-occupied Poland with German-allied Bulgaria.

      Rabbi Friedman should focus on talmudic study and leave history to historians. Real historians, not frauds like one Jan T. Gross.

      Delete
  6. Hello,

    Another article on Polish-Jewish relations. Just to maintain the balance.

    http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/How-Israel-the-Diaspora-and-Poland-can-overcome-Holocaust-debate-543804

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  7. Does anyone know whether there is a similar level of resentment between Jews towards Lithuanians, Latvians and Ukrainians as towards Poles? And if not, why there is not, given some representatives of those nations were also involved in the extermination.

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  8. That sounds fine and dandy. I'll do them one better. Permanently sever diplomatic ties between Israel and Poland. Say yes to dignity.

    Chris Helinsky

    ReplyDelete

Bieganski the Blog exists to further explore the themes of the book Bieganski the Brute Polak Stereotype, Its Role in Polish-Jewish Relations and American Popular Culture.
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