And you thought the Redskins controversy was bad.
There are reports this week is of a bizarre confrontation where the Simon Wiesenthal Centre has asked the French government to rename a small village in central France that is currently called “Death to Jews” (La Mort aux Juifs). However, the town is resisting the efforts to change the name that dates back to the 11th Century.
The conflict has some strong similarities with the Redskins controversy to the extent that defenders are insisting that the name is now a harmless historic relic. Marie-Elizabeth Secretand, deputy mayor of Courtemaux (a village of 289 people that oversees the contested hamlet), insisted that “It’s ridiculous. This name has always existed,. No one has anything against the Jews, of course. It doesn’t surprise me that this is coming up again. Why change a name that goes back to the Middle Ages or even further? We should respect these old names.”
What the town views as historical, others view as genocidal. The Center’s director Shimon Samuels asked the French government to step in to change the name. That raises a question of who makes such a decision. In the United States, this would be entirely a local matter but in France it appears that the federal government may have more authority to force such a change.
The name could reflect a particularly infamous period in France when Jews were expelled on July 22, 1306 by King Philip IV — known incongruously as Phillip the Fair. (They had actually been expelled in 1182 from France by the earlier King Philip but they had returned) In 1290, Jews were expelled from England by King Edward I and many moved to France. Then the Lateran Council of 1215 summoned by Pope Innocent III forbade the living or working together and trading between Jews and Christians. In 1242, the people even burned 20 cartloads of the Torah in Paris in 1242.
This name is unfortunately not unique. Just a couple of months ago, a Spanish town named Castrillo Matajudios (Little Hill Fort of Jew Killers) changed its name to Mota de Judios (Hill of the Jews).
Putting aside such curious questions like the mascot for the local schools in such places, there remains the fact that the name of these towns clearly contain a genocidal message. Where Redskins is viewed as offensive, these towns are named after homicidal religious pogroms. Perhaps it is time for a new history to be written?
Source: Time
There is an exchange student who just entered the admission desk at Chicago School of Law. The student is from France and is with her husband. “Where are you from?” The clerk asks. “We are from France!” “And how did you get the… ah.. cone on your head?” She replies: “We are from France!” The clerk looks through the papers and sees the town name of La Mort aux Juits. “I see.”
“Admission denied!”
“Next!”
Of course we coneheads from Remulak always respond with “We are from France! ” when asked. We cannot explain to these humans on Earth that we are from Planet Remulak. It was just bad luck that we chose such a town of great distinction in France. We should have said Paris.
True story. The reason we say France is because the Frogs are forgiven a lot of sins. We could not say Germany or Holland. Ou su trouve une toilet?
@bigfatmike
Because what I said is true. European Muslims are behind the rise in anti-Jewish hate crimes. To wit:
Relations between Muslim and Jewish communities are overwhelmed by the extension of the Middle East conflict to European shores. The hatreds, jealousies, and historic disputes are now playing out in new lands. The conclusions of the European Monitoring Center’s “Summary overview of the situation in the European Union 2001-2005” only reinforce this conclusion.
There has been some evidence to support the view that there is some link between the number of reported anti-Semitic incidents and the political situation in the Middle East. … Moreover, some of the data indicate that there have been changes in the profile of the perpetrators. It is no longer the extreme right which is seen as solely responsible for hostility towards Jewish individuals or property. … Instead, victims identified ‘young Muslims,’ ‘people of North African origin,’ or ‘immigrants’ as perpetrators.
The study concluded that in Europe, “Anti-Semitic activity after 2000 is increasingly attributed to a ‘new anti-Semitism,’ characterized primarily by the vilification of Israel as the ‘Jewish collective’ and perpetrated primarily by members of Europe’s Muslim population.”
http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/11/fomenting_antisemitism_in_euro.html
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
” reduce the hate crimes by getting rid of the Muslims!”
You just stated that hate crimes are not on the rise: “it isn’t that anti-Jewish hate crimes that are on the rise”.
And isn’t there plenty of evidence that antisemitism in Europe is widely based including Christian groups?
Why not just work on a message of tolerance instead of identifying other out groups to ostracize?
Maybe it isn’t that anti-Jewish hate crimes that are on the rise, as much as it is that the number of Muslims in Europe is on the rise. Sooo, reduce the hate crimes by getting rid of the Muslims! There, problem solved!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
” I think it is silly to have to change names after so long.”
I have often thought that such names sometimes serve the useful purpose of reminding us of the past and the progress we have made (hopefully).
In addition I think taking offense is often over rated and sometimes rises to the level of affectation.
I would argue that more important than the emotional response of offense is whether the word has political force, is it historical or does it serve as a rallying cry, does it name a place of does it indicate a political position?
If you believe that offense is always the guide we should follow, then perhaps you should consider my deep discomfort with the n-word and Ta-Nehisi Coates defense of it – at least sometimes, in some cases, by some people.
If you believe that offense is always the guide then you might want to consider that some of us believe that constructions like ‘sinister politician’ tell lies about left handed people everywhere.
Some of you might even have some sympathy for the emotional distress that some left handed people feel when they hear speech of a ‘sinister shadow’. But you might also counsel those left handed people to check a dictionary.
Language changes and so should our response to it.
@leejcaroll More of hate-filled rhetoric-
http://religiondispatches.org/violent-genocidal-anti-palestinian-rhetoric-moving-to-us/
@joelbwriter Then quite an incredible coincidence, as I (an American) have never heard of this town or of protests against it’s name, ever, but now (at least on this pro-Israeli blog) it’s important news.
@lejcaroll Yes, anger against Jews rising isn’t really surprising while Israeli has a massive population-the people of Gaza- in an open-air prison, “settles” more of their land against international law, denies them enough food (the famous “diet”), medicine, working sewage and clean water, fuel, misc. materials, evict them from their homes, burn their olive trees, and drop bombs on them.
A few hundred incidence that you link don’t really prove some massive resurgence of pre-WWII era anti-Semitism either. But again, good PR.
As for dangerous rhetoric, quote from religiondispatches.org :The statements of Ovadia Yosef, whose recent passing was met with flattering memorials both in Israel and the US, are legendary. The former Chief Rabbi of Israel and spiritual leader of many Middle Eastern Jews, said, among other things, that Palestinians “should perish from the world” and that “it is forbidden to be merciful to them”; of non-Jews in general, he declared that “Goyim were born only to serve us.” Despite comments like these, his funeral last October was the largest in the country’s history, with 800,000 Israelis attending.
Who are the “They” that Ambassador Hada-Handelsman is referring to? Look at the pictures. They don´t look like their names are Helga and Hans.
and another Josh though you can find plenty of articles just by googling anti-Semitism on the rise
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2701365/Anti-Semitic-attacks-rise-Europe-German-French-Italian-foreign-ministers-condemn-growing-hostility-against-Jews-wake-Gaza-conflict.html
Jewish people are being attacked and abused on the streets of Germany as though the country were back in the Nazi era, political and religious leaders warned yesterday.
Escalating violence between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has prompted a disturbing rise in anti-Semitism in Europe in the last few days.
Murderous slogans dating back to the days of Hitler have been chanted at pro-Palestinian rallies in Germany. Jewish-owned shops were attacked and burned in riots in France at the weekend.
The Israeli ambassador to Germany, Yakov Hadas-Handelsman, said: ‘They pursue the Jews in the streets of Berlin… as if we were in 1938.’
Josh
Sharp rise in UK antisemitic attacks since start of Gaza conflict
Figures show hate crimes against Jewish people rose by 36% to 304 in first half of 2014, followed by 130 in July alone http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/aug/01/sharp-rise-uk-antisemitic-attacks-gaza-conflict
Israel unrest: Anti-Semitic attacks rise as Gaza conflict continues
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/07/24/israel-unrest-anti-semitic-attacks-rise-as-gaza-conflict-continues/
Not a distraction. Anti Semitism is a reality. The growing waves of anti Semitism is a reality. When you say we want to rid the world of jews, that’s a reality
Ack… 1000 years old. I can’t type today! Sorry for the spamming of the blog.
Check that… the town is some 100 years old, assuming it’s always had that name. Forgive my math. I’m an English major.
The anti-Semitic climate in France has been there for a long time. I lived in Paris during the winter/spring of 1994-’95, a sophomore in high school. During our spring break, we drove up to Normandy and visited the D-Day memorials and beaches. As anyone can tell you if they’ve been there, it is awe inspiring, thinking about the taking of those beaches and how many men died in that effort. Two weeks after we got back to Paris, some person or persons had desecrated the headstones of all of the Jewish graves (easily recognized as they are shaped as Stars of David). They had been spray-painted and smashed, likely with pipes or chains. It was a terrifying display of hatred of both Jews and Americans, and heartbreaking at the same time.
Antisemitism in France, and most of Europe, is currently at an all-time post-WWII-high. The war between Israel and Hamas only adds fuel to that fire. I don’t think the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s timing on this is coincidental at all. (It also doesn’t sound like it is the first time they have made their demands based on what the French government official said.) It doesn’t matter that the town name is some 900 years old. Hamlets, towns, cities, countries, should neither memorialize hatred, nor honor the memory of bigots. (And yes, I know the United States does the very same thing, especially, though not exclusively, in the South.) Nor should that memory be expunged. They should change the name and create some sort of historical marker, telling the history of the town, its original name and how it came about (if they know), and educate those that visit. Learn, but never forget.
“We need a distraction from the UN schools we’re bombing and civilians we’re murdering in Gaza. I know, there’s a town name we desperately need changed at this particular moment in time. That’ll buy some sympathy.”
PR distractions. And judging from these comments it works, since a 11th century town name is somehow evidence of sweeping waves of anti-Semitism.
Thanks Oxa.
No one has commented on the selective translation. “La Mort aux Juifs” can be translated either as “death to the Jews” (pejorative) or “the death of the Jews” (commemorative).
The name of this town is clearly offensive and should be changed.
I like the rename “Mort à la France”.
No, not offensive at all.
Well, I am extremely pro Israel, and not the least bit anti – semitic, but I think they should leave the village alone and mind their own business. What is it with this conformity of thought stuff on insignificant issues??? Sheeesh, everybody is turning into control freaks.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
The number of matamoros founded in the US was eerily prophetic of the the US foreign policy in the Middle East.