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Saturday, November 27, 2010

OISE's Jenny Peto in her own words. You judge

Jenny Peto seems to think that my mini-analysis of her thesis, titled:  "The Victimhood of the Powerful: White Jews, Zionism and the Racism of Hegemonic Holocaust Education" was unfair.

In this debate, who better to make the pro AND con arguments than Jenny Peto?

Jenny Peto, who is ethnically Jewish and says she isn't a Jew-hating polemicist:

"My thesis is not a Jew-hating conspiracy"*
                                           VS

Jenny Peto, the OISE Master's degree candidate (the following are just from the introduction to her thesis):

 "the organized Jewish community makes claims about Jewish victimhood that are widely accepted within that community and within popular discourse in the West. I propose that these claims to victimhood are no longer based in a reality of oppression, but continue to be propagated because a victimized Jewish identity can produce certain effects that are beneficial to the organized Jewish community and the Israeli nation-state" (Abstract - pg.ii) 
"the oppressive beliefs of my parents, teachers and religious leaders" (pg.2)
"I started to understand the violence that was necessary to establish the Israeli state and the violence required to maintain its existence as a Jewish-only state"** (pg.3) 
"becoming an anti-Zionist Jew can be extremely painful because it requires Jewish people to stop seeing themselves as victims and to accept that by supporting Israel, they are supporting a brutally oppressive regime"(pg.3) 
"As someone who had experienced violence and oppression within my own Jewish community, it was not very difficult for me to accept that Jews could be oppressors and by extension, that the so-called ‘Jewish state’ could itself be oppressive and violent" (pg.4) 
"a fight against all forms of oppression, including Zionism"***(pg.5)  
"Worldwide, the organized Jewish community works tirelessly to support the racist Israeli state and in doing so, aligns itself with oppressive forces in their own countries." (pg.6)  
"My research is therefore aimed at answering the question of how can we explain the existence of a tremendous educational apparatus dedicated to teaching about the history of Jewish suffering within a mainstream Jewish community that is dominated by racist and Zionist ideologies?" (pg.6) 
"Rather than asking the morally loaded question of why most Jewish people seem not to have learned from their history, I instead want to ask what are they learning from the history they are being taught? In other words, what are the effects of education projects that focus on Jewish victimhood? Given the privilege – and I would call this white privilege – now enjoyed by Jews of European descent, how and why has Jewish identity continued to revolve around victimhood? Who benefits from the construction of a victimized Jewish identity? " (pgs. 6-7) 
"Having shown that Ashkenazi Jews are now privileged white people, I will then work to expose some of the tactics that are used to perpetuate the idea that Jews are inherently and forever victimized. There are a wide range of tactics used to (re)produce the ‘Jew as victim’, but I am going to focus on hegemonic Holocaust education because I believe that the Holocaust is central to these claims of victimhood." (pg 8) 
"My work is based in the understanding that Zionism – the belief that Jewish people have a right to a nation-state built on top of the ruins of Palestine – is a racist, imperialist ideology that can only effectively be challenged through anti-racist, anti-imperialist theory and activism." (pg 10)



Debate result:  In my opinion, OISE and the University of Toronto still have a lot of 'splainin' to do.
     
                         ______________________________________


* Ms. Peto apparently fails to understand that I never wrote that her thesis is a conspiracy. I wrote that she alleges a conspiracy by Jews or to quote myself, which is something I seldom do, "One of the reasons that this matter is of concern to me is that the theses in question are not at their core simply critiques of Zionism, but their abstracts suggest a Jewish conspiracy" (The headline "Jew-hating Conspiracies 101" used in the National Post was catchy, but I can't take credit for it. That headline was written by the NP editor.)

** Ms. Peto misrepresents Israel as a "Jewish-only" state. While Israel is a Jewish state, the term "Jewish-only" suggests that only Judaism can be practiced there and that of course is blatantly false. All religions can be practiced without hindrance from the Israeli state and that includes Islam and Christianity. This is distinctly different from Islam-only states like Saudi Arabia, or states like Iran and Pakistan where religious minorities suffer the most extreme forms of persecution.

 *** the cultural dictionary definition of Zionism, which Peto characterizes as a racist form of oppression, is  "The belief that Jews should have their own nation; Jewish nationalism. Zionism gained much support among Jews and others in the early twentieth century, and the hoped-for nation was established in the late 1940s in Palestine, as the state of Israel. Zionism is opposed by most Arabs."  The Random House definition is "a worldwide Jewish movement that resulted in the establishment and development of the state of Israel."

19 comments:

Blazingcatfur said...

Whenever I hear the words Jenny Peto I reach for a hand sanitizer.

Anonymous said...

Surely you are giving this person too much consideration? I mean, if we have to react to every half witted grad student (arts students esp) we will spend all our time at it. I know from my own experience that the higher educated some people get, the more foolish and ignorantly proud they get. In perspective, Ms Peto is really nothing more than one of a million low quality grad students. lets leave it at that. Besides, folks in such circles thrive under the spotlight. There will always people who will promote her based on their agreement with her questionable positions. (ok the last two words were being politic. I think she is an idiot.)

Richard K said...

Anon at 1:14, I do in fact agree with you. The reason I put this up is that there have been assertions and counter-assertions, and rather than rely on them or hope that people will check the source, here is a fraction of the text in question.

I think it speaks for itself, and indeed, it's time to move on.

Revnant Dream said...

Has Jenny been reading the News latley?

truepeers said...

That was a very weak response from JP. Sad, it seems she only "knows" one thing, and it ain't much. Sure, one can say she is just typical of grad students, so let's move on. But sometimes we have to stop, look, and reflect on how poorly our very expensive education system performs and helps many young people get messed up. (Then we have some idea how or where to move on.)

No doubt we rich Canadians can indulge a certain amount of white guilt and in the process defer some of the resentment of the other. But at a certain point white guilt becomes suicidal, and also, I suspect, deadly for the resentful Others/others we would appease.

Anonymous said...

Shalom, Daniel Moshe Johnson writes:

Zohar 1:83a describes to us Reb.Shim'on describes that the nightime journey of the soul that goes upward from the sleeping body, "flying, she encounter those, (qumrin tehirin)- Heb. of defilement". There are many translations and opinions of what this means, those of us who endeavor to respect and reflect from the old text believe that, "there are malevolent forces that block ascension or the rise of the soul. In Heb. we term it "hevel" a band of hooded demons, destructive powers that seek to destroy Torah. And this is where we continue to battle. We have heard from those not inclined to this old battle, now it's time to give it back to the authority of those who have been prepared by Hashem to fight this battle until Rabbeinu appears. The secret is to embrace the garden " Ein Gedi", but the temple of our consciousness must be cleared of idolatry and false images. In order for objects to become clear, they must be ratified in what scientist call density, "the mass per unit volume of a substance".

Jews, like Jenny, who have either abandoned Hashem because of a weak family Jewish pride upbringing, and or assimilation, due to the mainstream goyim world, who overall still deem Jews as Christ killers has damaged our flight.

This is a deep wound for Israel, we will only continue to bleed if we continue to look to those not inclined with Torah, nor ordained with the wisdom of Kabbalah and Zohar. The Torah contains 70 facets that pertains to living and appreciating life, and the Talmud says, that peace should never become a lie.

What Jenny and many other self haters fail to recognize, is that as long as you continue to live outside of Israel, your mind will become further from the law. Any Jew born post Nazi occupation in North America, owe all those exterminated in the death camps, to give Israel a chance. I think the younger and in many cases older leftist Jewish crowd, or those who hate morality and the law givers descendants, fail to acknowledge that the enemy, Nazi Germany and her allies, were not totally destroyed. The very fact Germany has been allowed to bare a name and flag indicates a quiet continuity.

Maybe if Jenny was in Israel during the 1st intifada, or had friends killed at club Daniel's near the sea, and see the dead bodies of innocent young Jewish lives killed in a modern day concentration camp in our homeland, she would change her mind, or maybe if she was in the north in 1998, when Lebanon sent rockets into Kiryat Schmona, that killed many, I was.

Lesson, only those who live in the Middle East, can be journalist and voice relevant opinion, until then, walk it, before you talk it.

I'm a Jew of color if you will, and as a Black Zionist if you will, my opinion is more powerful than yours, why, becasue the only reality, is that Hashem set forth the law upon Sinai, and gave unto a people called by "shem", and those people will be victorious, because the physics of Kabballah will reign again in the halls of our government.

Shalom

Richard K said...

This is an instance where I have to disassociate myself from a reader comment (which isn't to say I agree with every other reader comment that I don't do this with). Daniel at 7:33 am is, quite apparently, reflecting a religious perspective and his own opinion.

And he does make a critical point in observing that someone who had a better understanding of Israel's legitimate security concerns and the violence it has and continues to face, would likely have reached more rational conclusions than Ms Peto.

But I don't think it is particularly helpful to place any of this issue in messianic terms or those of degree of religiousness. If anything, the extremist religious parties in Israel, just as on the Palestinian side, are counterproductive forces in the peace process.

The first step is for both sides to recognize the other's right to exist, to commit to stop killing each other just because they are the "other," and to stop inciting violence and contempt for the other side as a people.

Once that starts, then the rest will be a matter of protracted, but achievable, negotiations.

Anonymous said...

Have you lived in the region, have you talked to those on both sides in Israel and abroad, I have, and guess what, when individuals bow to peer group or cultural pressure against another group, in this case Zion, you can chose to ignore it, or turn the other cheek like Jesus did, which is not r4eally a Jewish thing, or you can address it like a man/woman.

Many like to ignore there problems, hoping it will go away, many like to abandon the moral history and obligations given unto Jews by the designer of the Universe. Is you are an atheist, which I gathered, then Israel, Jewish or not, should not be of your of your interest.

For those of you, including the writer, who deny a higher authority, that gave mandates in the way of law codes or moralistic principles to govern life and human relations, I advise you, to relocate to any of the Arab states which comprise of 57 in total, and practice your atheism there, and see how fast you will be beheaded.

SYou see, I have called your bullshit, yoiu have no argument, and if you deny the scene at Sinia and the Red Sea as acts of nature, you share no prt in Shamayim, and will therefore not comprehend.

Israel represents a promise, and if you remove the law, of which every civilzed nation with a Judicial process was buitl on, derived from TORAH, then we can write off the world. So, this war is not yours, if you deny God as a Jew or Goyim, then you are not relevant.

Richard K said...

Whether or not I have an argument, to get into an argument with religious zealots about religion is generally a waste of time.

What I'll tell you is that my support for Israel is based on reason and not ancient superstition.

If the sole basis of your beliefs are that of "divine promises" from ancient texts that you choose to interpret literally and not natural justice, then there really isn't much difference between what you're saying and what the ancient Sadducees (Tzidukim) said, and things didn't turn out all that well for them.

Anonymous said...

Daniel Moshe Johnson responds

There should be no argument if you are a Jew by blood, but if you are by just your name, I understand. Israel wins is a statement, and a reality whether you agree or not, and soon there will be extra terrestil and celestial beings in well view soon, then this bullshit lack of knowledge communication will be a thing of the past.


Just like there are those that can build rockets and space crafts, there are those of us who possess spiritual wisdom as well. I will pledge to do whatever in my life to make sure I never allow ignorance to stand in front of reality.

Your words and tone in this blog indicates and outlines your life, and many parts of your human chracteristics. You probably hate morality, cheat on your wife and tax if married, you are probably never give the right away, a rat, problebly struggle with ethinticity, indoctrinated by a white surpremist culture, instead of developing your own mind, but not your fault totally.

It's okay, no, I'm not here to argue with anyone, just voicing my opinion, and standing up as a man who is Jewish in a dark brown costume, a costume that many struggle with, and often misjudge, I careless, I'm a child of Rabbeinu, the only reality in the galaxy.

Well, that's okay, if you write off ancient law codes to superstition, this is due to the material composition of this interim occupation, under the leadership of Satan. Well, you have told me indirectly the purpose of your life through your word related equations presented here online.

Your words indicate selfishness, an unwillingness to draw your own conclusions about the Torah and other books of Jewish learning, are you a Holocaust denier as well, I heard that those kind of Jews exist as well.

What I 'm coming to realize, is that many Nazi took Jewish identities after the war, and of course hid it from the next generation, and surely, it would explain why mindsets like yours feel no spiriutal connection to Zion, or as an adult never endeavored to truly get familiar with the source of all sources.

You probably hate the disabled, never visit the sick, never visit seniors, never volunteer, why, because these are true chracteristics of a true Jew from Sinai, there are many impostures, and like the once great Sanhedrin, all of you should be saught and stoned to death like the days of old and formwer years.

Selah

Richard K said...

Wow. You need help.

Anonymous said...

And there it is, the demon child of Lilith supremist attitude I awaited for, the words of a warrior, but probably a coward at heart, like many others in transit and on the internet, hermits at heart, who gain confidence online.

Definitely not a Jew, very disturbed, but, that the reality in this secular non-moralistic society, the only grounds I give to the enemy, at least he knows how to expediately defend the law, and execute judgement upon those who try to under take it.

And let me guess, your idea of help is a shrink! I guessed it, another robot in the rat race of life, vanity and striding after the win, like Solomon said, they all go to one place.

I would give you an inch, but I can't renounce my faith in Hashem because of a poor excuse of piece of worthless flesh, who is programmed to speak filth and anger, your destination is sheol, may you meet it soon.

Prince Charles is right, the earth needs to be rid of those who don't produce positively, mass extermination to dormant minds and those not inclined to good moral living and positive participation.

Good day,

Goyim

Anonymous said...

The Holocaust was a horrific event in our history and should continue to remember it. However, I agree with some of the comments made by Peto. In the context of western politics and experience we are no longer discriminated against. We have worked hard to establish our place in the power structure. There is no universal victimization of Jews in this culture. Like it or not we are now part of the dominant class. Unlike our sisters and brothers of colour we can walk the street and not be persecuted because of our appearance because we can all pass as white for the most part. we should start accepting that we have come a long way. As for the state of Israel, we have some serious this to answer to. The very state was formed on oppression and until we stop supporting that oppression our will continue to be killed in the Middle East. We have to take some responsibility for the continued suffering of Palestinians who exist in squalid conditions and have have been deprived of their property so that Jewish state can exist. How can we not see how wrong this is?

Dunk said...

The likes of Jenny Peto understand that their path to success lies in being embraced by Jew haters and professional Israel bashers. They are the modern day kapos.

Richard K said...

To anon at 1:51 am - even Noam Chomsky recognizes that all states were formed in violence and on the basis of taking land. If you live in Canada, then it most certainly includes the land you're "occupying." And to single out Israel alone, given that unlike other countries who commit acts of repression, Israel is surrounded by hostile neighbours and faces existential threats, is rank hypocrisy at the least.

Given that it has the best human rights record in its region and is singled out as a "human rights" abuser certainly suggests that some Jew hate may be involved.

And this notion of "Jewish racism" and your contention that "Unlike our sisters and brothers of colour we can walk the street and not be persecuted because of our appearance" suggests incredible bigotry on your part.

The President of the US is a person of color. Canada in general and Toronto in particular is the most diverse city in the world. Only disgusting bigots persecute another because of their color and if that sort of thing still goes on, it's because of people who view EVERYTHING in terms of race. People going through OISE's "Diversity Studies" program seem to fall right into that category, which may account for their astounding bigotry.

althea said...

To Anonyomous, you possess great ignorance about history, instead you rely upon hystery and the Pallywood version of events. Simply google 'what is Palestine', and you will see what is not and has never been. There is no such thing as palestinian arabs. The area that was called the Palestine Mandate was based on Roman occupation of the area that jews lived in for millenia, and you can see the pre-roman maps of the areas. Enough of the history and geography lesson, go educate yourself and stop spouting nonsense.

Anonymous said...

Amein Althea

So let it be known, that Rome and the General of the Order of The Knights of St. Johns of Jerusalem have final say as well, and there say is bond and bonded in treaties the public knows nothing of, I will leave it there.

To Ms. Peto, move to Gaza, an see if you wont be strung up on a pole, burned and dragged through the streets.

Richard K said...

????????

Daniel Moshe johnson said...

One sequence of events Richard won't escape is the vault and death, lets see what color he ends up being after a few days in the ground. Anyone that thinks they are privileged in regards to classes is a joke, for Solomon said, "don't a go to one place."