This is a dictionary and not an encyclopedia. As such it reports on the usage of words and language, irrespective of whether we agree with a particular usage. Most of the material that has been added should be removed. Eclecticology 18:42 Jan 27, 2003 (UTC)
Few people know that the word antisemitism was created by an antisemite, Wilhelm Marr. Marr's intention was to replace the German word Judenhass (Jew-hatred) with a term that would make Jew-haters sound less vulgar and even somewhat scientific.
Unfortunately, the term Marr created is particularly misleading since it conveys the impression that antisemites oppose Semites. But for Marr, and all subsequent enemies of the Jews, antisemitism has always been a code word used exclusively against Jews. For this reason, many writers today have adopted the practice initiated by several Jewish and Christian scholars, and write antisemite as one word; spelling it "anti-semite" in the conventional manner, only fosters the false impression that there is a wider ethnic entity against which "anti-Semitism" is leveled.
— Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, Jewish Literacy →ISBN, p. 513-14. (--dmh)
I don't really agree with this definition. Like Dmh, I am not sure whether the second meaning is legitimate. I also think the first meaning is defined too narrowly. I think anti-semitism can mean prejudice against Jews; it doesn't have to mean hatred or discrimination. And I think the usage note is wrong. I think any anti-Jewish prejudice is anti-semitism, and we shouldn't have a usage note telling people that it isn't. It's inappropriate to discourage the use of the term anti-semitism for anti-Jewish prejudice, just as it's inappropriate to discourage the use of the term racism for racial prejudice. Should racism have a usage note saying "be careful of this term because some may interpret it as accusing someone of favouring slavery or lynchings"? No. If someone dislikes blacks, they are a racist regardless of whether they favour slavery. If someone thinks Jews are greedy, they are are an anti-semite regardless of how strongly they oppose genocide. So the usage note is wrong. -Richard 10:28, 16 Jan 2005 (UTC)
In an effort to help, I often try to look at category:Requests for Cleanup. This one appeared there, yet the article appeared syntactically correct. I removed the {{rfc}} and asked for comments here. There was apparently more than meets the eye, as the resulting discussion shows. I am glad to see the discussion progressing, and I wish you well at reaching a concensus on what the article should look like. I do not think this is the appropriate place for encyclopedic length articles. As evidenced by the vitriolic tone of Richard's post, this is clearly a very touchy subject that must be approached with caution and reserve. As I am lacking in both those talents, I am removing this article from my watchlist. Farewell, and good luck. --Connel MacKenzie 21:53, 17 Jan 2005 (UTC)
Antisemitism is about Jews, not people who subscribe to the fictitious notion of "Semitism."
Here are a few references (in order) that a quick google search of antisemitism produced when combined with the terms define, definition, dictionary or thesaurus:
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/anti-Semitism
1. Hostility toward or prejudice against Jews or Judaism. 2. Discrimination against Jews.
http://www.answers.com/topic/anti-semitism
1. Hostility toward or prejudice against Jews or Judaism. 2. Discrimination against Jews.
http://www.wordreference.com/definition/anti-Semitism the intense dislike for and prejudice against Jewish people
http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861586058/anti-Semitism.html behavior discriminating against Jews: policies, views, or actions that harm or discriminate against Jews
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/anti-Semitism 1. Hostility toward or prejudice against Jews or Judaism. 2. Discrimination against Jews.
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/spbr/40347.htm In recent years, global anti-Semitism has had four main characteristics, all of which are interrelated: The first is the traditional anti-Jewish prejudice, which includes the views of ultranationalists and others who assert that the Jewish community controls governments, the media, international business and the financial world; we have also, more recently, seen anti-Jewish sentiment being expressed by growing Muslim communities in Europe; strong anti-Israel sentiment that crosses the line between objective criticism of Israel and its policies and demonization of Israel and Jews; and finally, criticism of the United States and globalization which spills over to the Jewish community which is seen as aligned with the United States.
In effect, anti-Semites seek to gain support for their perverse agenda by identifying the issues that cause disaffection amongst various groups in a population and then skillfully blame Jews for the existence of such problems.
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/40258.htm The definition of anti-Semitism has been the focus of innumerable discussions and studies. While there is no universally accepted definition, there is a generally clear understanding of what the term encompasses.
For the purposes of this report, anti-Semitism is considered to be hatred toward Jews—individually and as a group—that can be attributed to the Jewish religion and/or ethnicity. An important issue is the distinction between legitimate criticism of policies and practices of the State of Israel, and commentary that assumes an anti-Semitic character. The demonization of Israel, or vilification of Israeli leaders, sometimes through comparisons with Nazi leaders, and through the use of Nazi symbols to caricature them, indicates an anti-Semitic bias rather than a valid criticism of policy concerning a controversial issue.
Global anti-Semitism in recent years has had four main sources:
* Traditional anti-Jewish prejudice that has pervaded Europe and some countries in other parts of the world for centuries. This includes ultra-nationalists and others who assert that the Jewish community controls governments, the media, international business, and the financial world. * Strong anti-Israel sentiment that crosses the line between objective criticism of Israeli policies and anti-Semitism. * Anti-Jewish sentiment expressed by some in Europe's growing Muslim population, based on longstanding antipathy toward both Israel and Jews, as well as Muslim opposition to developments in Israel and the occupied territories, and more recently in Iraq. * Criticism of both the United States and globalization that spills over to Israel, and to Jews in general who are identified with both.
http://eumc.eu.int/eumc/material/pub/AS/AS-WorkingDefinition-draft.pdf
http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2004-04/16/article08.shtml
The Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged, defines "anti-Semitism as: "1: hostility toward Jews as a religious or racial minority group often accompanied by social, economic, and political discrimination".
"2: opposition to Zionism: sympathy with opponents of the state of Israel". By all definitions, the term involves hostility toward Jews. But the world edition of Merriam-Webster's dictionary reprinted in 2002 linked anti-Semitism to Zionism and Israel.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, anti-Semitism is hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious or racial group.
http://www.highbeam.com/ref/doc3.asp?docid=1O999:antisemitism hostility to or prejudice against Jews.
http://www2.bartleby.com/59/13/antisemitism.html Prejudice or hatred against Jews, a Semitic race. (See Arab-Israeli conflict and Nazis.)
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=anti-Semitism
hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group
http://concise.britannica.com/ebc/article-9355521/anti-Semitism Hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious group or “race.”
Although the term anti-Semitism has wide currency, it is regarded by some as a misnomer, implying discrimination against all Semites, including Arabs and other peoples who are not the targets of anti-Semitism as it is usually understood.
http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2005/july27/obit-langmuir-072705.html In Toward a Definition of Antisemitism, Langmuir outlined a conceptual framework that differentiated between medieval anti-Judaism, in which the Jew was hated by Christians because he was a Jew (an adherent to a rival religion with competing truth-claims), and medieval anti-Semitism, in which the Jew became an unreal, demonic, invented creature, the product of Christian mythmakers (a child-killer, a poisoner of wells and, consequently, responsible for the Black Death), Dickson said. Langmuir's second book offered a general theoretical overview of medieval anti-Semitism.
http://www.yourdictionary.com/ahd/a/a0349100.html
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=3203&dict=CALD the strong dislike or cruel and unfair treatment of Jewish people: Nazi anti-Semitism forced him to emigrate to the USA.
--Doright 17:06, 18 July 2006 (UTC)
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RFV-sense of two senses:
There having been some discussion throughout the past century about the use of "anti- + Semite" to mean "anti- + ", I suppose there may be uses of the first of those senses (added in diff), though I expect it may be rare and restricted to specific contexts. The second sense I am not familiar with at all. - -sche (discuss) 20:43, 20 March 2014 (UTC)
Just noting that Google search currently produces about 28,500,000 results for "antisemitism" vs About 21,400,000 results for "anti-semitism". BenAveling (talk) 17:08, 6 April 2024 (UTC)
I'm seeing more and more usage of the word antisemite to describe people who object to things Israel does.
e.g. this, from a conscientious objector: "They say I’m naïve and selfish, and sometimes also that I’m antisemitic, a traitor, and that they wish me all kinds of violent things." https://www.972mag.com/sofia-orr-conscientious-objector-israeli-army/
To me, this doesn't match the described usage - it's about Israel, not about Jews in general. And being a conscientious objector doesn't IMHO imply hostility to Jews
BenAveling (talk) BenAveling (talk) 17:15, 6 April 2024 (UTC)