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| ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt (JTA) |
That was the first thing I thought of when I read what I can only describe as an outrageous example of the pot calling the kettle black. I had to smile when I saw the following in JTA:
Wikipedia’s editors have voted to declare the Anti-Defamation League “generally unreliable” on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, adding it to a list of banned and partially banned sources.
An overwhelming majority of editors involved in the debate about the ADL also voted to deem the organization unreliable on the topic of antisemitism, its core focus. A formal declaration on that count is expected next…
Moreover, in a near consensus, dozens of Wikipedia editors involved in the discussion said they believe the ADL should not be cited for factual information on antisemitism as well because it acts primarily as a pro-Israel organization and tends to label legitimate criticism of Israel as antisemitism…
The two sides lingered on a controversial definition of antisemitism that the ADL embraces. Authored by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, the so-called IHRA definition has been endorsed by hundreds of universities, companies, and local governments, as well as the U.S. House of Representatives. But the definition has also proven contentious with critics who say the definition is too broad and could be used to stifle pro-Palestinian speech.
The problem with pro Palestinians speech is that it almost always delegitimizes the Jewish state. And often promotes the goals of Hamas whose charter includes the destruction of the Jewish state which is to be replaced with a Palestinian state. A goal to be sought by any and all means available. Which – as October 7th has proven - includes mass murder, rape, dismemberment, torture and kidnapping.
If I didn’t know better I would have said that these Wikipedia editors were actually the ones protesting Israel on campuses all over the country disguised as students.
I have in the past also been critical of the Jonathan Greenblatt and by inference, the ADL. I felt that he focused way too much on right wing antisemitism and practically ignored left wing antisemitism. Although it didn’t surprise me since he was a member of the left leaning Obama Administration before he became ADL director. But he has done Teshuva and a pretty good job identifying actual antisetism where ever it is found.
And by advocating that the IHRA definition of antisemitism be adopted he helped convince the above referenced hundreds of universities, companies, and local governments, as well as the U.S. House of Representatives– to do the same.
Normally I would just shrug this off. But Wikipedia is to big to shrug off. They are probably the most widely used website for information regarding just abut everything. In truth I have used them my self as a source of information. Many times. Wikipedia has thus achieved a degree of reliability .that is truly undeserved.
Jonathan Greenblatt has defended the ADL against Wikipedia's absurd accusation of bias by backing up all of its statements with facts. Which he correctly accuses Wikipedia editors of ignoring. Wikipedia responded by saying that using facts to back up contentions about antisemitism does not mean there is no bias.
This is the world I which we all live these days. A world where political correctness requires giving hate speech a voice under the guise of balance and fair play. Wikipedia editors are clearly a bunch of progressive left wingers who have no clue what antisemitism is all about.
That they have an enormous impact on the e-universe is a tragedy of immense proportion about which I have no clue what if anything can be done. Other than to keep talking about so that biases like this are fully exposed and registers with as much of the American people as possible.