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
@po
You have to get down on your knees 5 (?) Times a day and bow to Mecca, and you can ‘t marry a non -Muslim, or eat ham. That kind of stuff. Plus not drink alcohol.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Got it, JT.
Sqeek, you CAN marry a non-Muslim!
And how is eating ham and not drinking alcohol driving Europe to that fated collision course? At least would reduce the drunk-driving occurrences!
PO:
You have had a comment removed in violation of our civility rule.
Squeek
“…reduce the hate crime by getting rid of the Muslims…” justifying reducing hate crimes by performing hateful and criminal acts! Nice!
Glad to see that you are different from the Islamist extremists!
It fundamentalism that is a danger to everyone, not Mulims, not Christians, not Jews. Add fundamentalism to either group and they become radical.
@bigfatmike
I think eventually Europe has to decide who they are. If they don ‘t get rid of the Muslims, the Muslims will get rid of them. Christianity can be a once a week religion, maybe even once a year, at Easter. Or something you do at funerals and weddings. Islam demands more, and those two seem to be on a collision course in Europe.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Fromm
what is that more that Islam demands, Squeek?
Give the town $450 million and they will change the name to anything you want.
Back here in the US, that’s how it’s done. Citi Field (Citigroup) or Met Life Stadium Logos go for about $450 million.
If the stated goal of these terrorists is to destroy our “decadent Western culture” and convert the world to Islam. If their goal is to destroy Israel. Then it doesn’t take much knowledge of history to see the comparison to Hitler and Nazism. The world buried their heads in the 1930’s, hoping this crazy movement would die of natural causes. We almost waited too long. I fear we are doing the same now. We need a Churchill and FDR. We don’t have anyone even close.
Islamophobia in America on the Rise, Poll Shows
http://www.newsweek.com/islamophobia-america-rise-poll-shows-262478
Why is it people think they can fight bigotry with more bigotry?
leejcaroll
Why ignore the Islamophobia hype in America?
It’s so ingrained into our society… even Obama’s CIA can’t shake the bigoted language. “raghead” instead of John Doe.
BarkinDog
If I was in London and the rockets were coming in from Ireland
= = =
First, England would have to block any entry OR exit from Ireland.
Second, England would have to limit supplies into Ireland.
Third, England would have to close all port entries to Ireland.
Fourth, England would impose sanctions on the civilians trapped in that open air prison.
Fifth, England would have to incrementally take land and force the Irish from their homes and farms.
Sixth, England would have to take away political power from the Irish.
Seventh, England would need to bomb and destroy ALL airports in Ireland.
Your analogy is way off target…
Odd that the citizens didn’t demand the change after WWII…
This is all part of the worshiping of tradition mentally, something particularly strong among the religious devout. I don’t care about tradition, especially if it is a bad tradition. Policies and institutions shouldn’t be based on tradition. The argument for tradition has been used to deprive women, blacks of the right to vote, and now, gays the right to marry.
It is time for the United States to pull out of the UN and get the headquarters moved out of NYC.
If I was in London and the rockets were coming in from Ireland, I would bomb the rocket sites, even if they positioned them next to Cat O Lic Monastery or school. The idiots who run the UN schools in Gaza need to be tarred and feathered, shot and tethered, burned at the stake.
It is on the rise in the US as well
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/11/04/anti-defamation-league-anti-semitism-on-the-rise-in-america/
Anti-Defamation League: Anti-Semitism On The Rise In America (2011 report)
and thruout world:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/20/anti-semitism-reports-increase-state-department-says_n_3307979.html
WASHINGTON — The State Department appointed a special envoy to monitor and combat anti-Semitism Monday as a new report documents a global increase in incidents of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial
To those saying Israel is killing Palestinians but not many casualties in Israel, it is only because they have the air defense system. watch and listen to how many missiles were able to be defused, destroyed before hitting Israel and its people.
Israel is not using schools to store and use weapons, or human shields.
Israel to my understanding is the only country forced to give back land won in a war. Now on top of that the Palestinians are using that land to launch weapons into Israel.
I think the war is abhorrent, on both sides, but I think to equate Hamas, who has continually broken the brokered cease with Israel is not a fair comparison. Hamas has proven that want this carnage to continue and unfortunately by doing so tey are getting what they want, the world to be on their side, looking at casualties rather then what Hamas is doing and has done.
Nick that is a great quotation and she is right.
(I recall a few years back a friend of mine from Brazil, someone whose husband was a multi timed award winner for his journalism in Brazil (an honor equivalent to the Pulitzer, a couple that dinnered on occasion with the president, so these were not dumb people. My friend was intelligent and traveled with intelligent people told me, seriously and with complete belief, “the jews own all the banks.”
Antisemitism is alive and well and continues throughout the world.
@Squeeky Fromm, Girl Reporter
I think a rise in antisemitism or prejudice toward any group is a matter of concern to all of us.
But still your proposed solution to send them back where they came from seems questionable to me – or perhaps this was just another example of your magical, ironic sense of humor.
leej, There was a Kristallnacht, French style, in France just a couple weeks ago. I find this all very disturbing. I don’t know how much of the support for the terrorist group, Hamas, is being uninformed, anti-Semitism, or a dysfunctional hybrid.
A person I consider to be one of the best leaders of the 20th Century, Golda Meier[a cheesehead], said this almost 50 years ago, and NOTHING has changed. “We can forgive the Arabs for killing our children. We can forgive them for forcing us to kill their children. We can only have peace w/ the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us.”
Anyway, we are generally appalled to see others treat a race, religion or gender so callously, but past Jewish suppression is no excuse for pressent suppression of Palistinians by Jews & Israelis. I think all Americans are appalled by the recent behavior of the Israeli government AND Hamas. Both are despicable terrorists. If Mohamed throws a bomb in your synagogue, shoot him, hang him, jail him, whatever, but don’t kill his mother and blow the legs off his little niece! That’s plain evil! (and also what terrorism does)
Its a nobrainer, unlike Redskins which sounds cool and only offensive if you’re a cry baby. If they don’t change the name, then a synagogue should change its name to DeathToParisians & see how they like that! (That’s really how you spell synagogue?!)