Special Guest Post (David Draiman): Why We Must All Stand Against Antisemitism, Now More Than Ever

david_draimanAs frontman for Disturbed, David Draiman has captivated millions of fans worldwide. Draiman’s versatile voice fuels a salvo of anthems for the Grammy Award-nominated multi-platinum selling Chicago quartet. As a proud Jew, David is using his voice to fight against the Jew-haters and Israel haters of the world.

The last 24-48 hours for me have been a rather frightening and revealing look into how much anti-Semitic sentiment has permeated our global society.

I am not someone who is easily offended; I’ve got big shoulders. Truth be told, I myself have been critical of the P.C. obsessed mob, those who seem to yearn for, and look for reasons to be offended by, seemingly anything from anywhere (I actually agree with Jim Norton’s piece in Time magazine regarding the Trevor Noah controversy to a certain degree, thank you again for the courteous back and forth Jim).

I am a staunch supporter of free speech and freedom of creative expression, even if the words spoken or manifested creativity is something I do not agree with, I will, as Voltaire said, “fight to the death for your right to say it”.

However, many people confuse the right to “free speech” as being a license to say whatever they want without consequence. That simply isn’t reality. Your right to free speech prevents the government from being able to prosecute you for such words, but it does not, and should not, prevent the court of public opinion from then being able to judge you based on those words, to respond accordingly, and potentially even protest those words, in a peaceful/non violent manner. That’s true free speech, it’s a two way street. That’s true freedom.

As Winston Churchill said, “Some people’s idea of free speech is that they are free to say what that they like, but if anyone says anything back, it’s an outrage”. That simply isn’t true. Besides, if speech were suppressed, we may not know who some of the true wolves in sheep’s clothing are out there. People being allowed to speak freely, enables us to find out who they really are, and I would never trade that right for anything.

I supported the Je Suis Charlie campaign when the Charlie Hebdo terrorist massacre happened, because even though I think insulting other people’s religions is in incredibly bad taste, it doesn’t justify acts of terrorism and murder (lets call a spade a spade here, Charlie Hebdo has published a plethora of anti-Semitic cartoons over the course of their existence, but no acts of terror were committed and no physical attacks made, nor should there have been). I would take just as much issue with images that incite hatred of any race, creed, or religion, but as I said before, I have, and will continue to, fight for the right to express them/make them. I appreciate it when people take their masks off. This way I can prepare accordingly.

I also supported the #GamerGate online campaign against the censorship of creative expression in the video game space, because I still do not believe that anyone has the right to tell anyone else what they can and cannot do in their leisure time. I don’t want another Tipper Gore style PMRC scenario where people feel they have the right to choose what music and art you listen to or enjoy.

I would however like you to try an experiment. Type the word anti-Semitism into your search engine, and see what comes up.

The results will shock you.

The number of anti-Semitic incidents and attacks that have been perpetuated over the past year worldwide is staggering. They are at levels I have not seen in my lifetime, and they are not only directed at “The State of Israel”, or “The Israeli Government”, or even “Israeli’s” in general. They are directed at Jews, all Jews, all over the globe, whether they are of Israeli descent or whether they support the State of Israel or not.

The horrific events of the last Gaza war have enabled sleeping anti-Semites all over the world, who have been relatively subdued for some time, to reveal themselves. Thanks to freedom of speech, we now know who many of them are (all they needed was an open door and an excuse to continue spewing their baseless hatred). I would never take away their right to expose themselves. I like it when people take their masks off. At least I know who is a threat and who isn’t.

So why then did I take such strong issue with the prospective new “Daily Show” host, Trevor Noah’s history of “Jew jokes”?
Things like, “Almost bumped a Jewish kid crossing the road. He didn’t look before crossing, but I would have felt so bad in my German car!” or, “Muslims don’t hate Jews, Jews hate Muslims”, or “Behind every successful Rap Billionaire is a double as rich Jewish man” or, “South Africans know how to recycle just like Israel knows how to be peaceful”.

Surely these aren’t the worst anti-Semitic slurs/jokes that I have ever heard, why take such offense?

Because I am tired of seeing the “tastemakers” of the world continue to perpetuate the anti-Semitic stereotypes and notions expressed in the “jokes” above. I’m tired of today’s youth thinking that it is “en vogue” to hate on the Jewish people. I’m tired of seeing people frightened, hiding their heritage for fear of anti-Semitic persecution.

Mr. Noah was picked to be the host of a widely watched television show, and with great power/reach also should come at least some responsibility. Many have said that since some of the statements were made years ago, that means they shouldn’t really matter; I wasn’t aware that there was an expiration date on hatred. If these were just “jokes” as everyone is insisting, let him also say publically that he denounces anti-Semitism and baseless hatred in all its forms. He had the right to say those things, he said them, shouldn’t people directly affected by them be able to respond to such statements with justifiable disdain? If you want to say that comedians are comedians, and that creative expression is absolute, and that no apology should be necessary for such statements (although friends sometimes mistakenly push things too far with one another/cross a line, apologize and move on), don’t these statements at the very least merit some explanation and clarification beyond saying that, and I quote Trevor here,

“To reduce my views to a handful of jokes that didn’t land is not a true reflection of my character, nor my evolution as a comedian”.

Is that enough? Does that convince anyone that he doesn’t truly believe the things he was implying in those “jokes”?

In this free society that we have created, some have insisted that people’s right to free speech justifies hate speech. Having the freedom to say it, and it being “justified”, are two entirely different things.

The recent rise of global anti-Semitism, people’s general “laissez-faire” attitude towards it, and the liberal Mainstream Media’s virulent anti-Israel narrative and agenda, has enabled it to spread and grow like wildfire. So in this troubling time, perhaps it is more prudent to avoid making “jokes” about it?

I don’t want to censor anyone for any reason, but I also don’t want a potentially anti-Semitic host of a popular television show perpetuating the sorts of stereotypes that only increase hatred. So clarify, if not apologize at the very least?

In the midst of this fervor, I decided to conduct an experiment using the #GamerGate movement as a test audience, who are for absolute freedom of speech and creative expression.

After a few of them had tweeted rather abrasive and anti-Semitic supporting statements regarding my original tweet to Trevor, a statement I made in anger, admittedly, and my request for support, I decided to test them.

I had gotten reports from people on all sides of the spectrum that many #GamerGate supporters had anti-Semitic leanings, which at the time I doubted, because I had seen no evidence of such sentiment save a few random “internet trolls” here and there (my sincere apologies to those who informed me of such).

I demanded that all my #GamerGate supporting followers tweet that they stood firmly opposed to anti-Semitism, even if they couldn’t see the harm in Trevor’s statements, that I couldn’t remain supportive of those who did not condemn anti-Semitism, nor were they welcome as followers of my page. I gave everyone one day to pick a side. Do you condemn or condone anti-Semitism? There is no neutrality when it comes to hate.

The response was shocking to say the least. The sudden outpouring of anti-Semitic jargon and venom spewed into my twitter feed was staggering. It seems that you only need open the door for some people and they will just walk right in. By the end of the day, between my exchange with Jim Norton (Still love ya Jim, at least you were willing to say that you fully condemn anti-Semitism), and the flood of hate from #GamerGate “supporters”, I had been forced to block and report over 250+ people.

Something as simple as saying “I condemn anti-Semitism” was apparently too much to ask for most, thankfully not all. Although I will always stand against censorship, in games, in art, in everything, but I will also stand with my conscience and in the defense of my people and my family when the right to “free speech” exposes a hate monger for what they are, and will raise my voice in protest to their words with my own right to free speech. There is no hypocrisy there, and those who do not understand or see that, are blinded by their own “lust to offend” (the opposite exists too Jim).

This is the state of things. Anti-Semitism has become accepted, “en vogue”, and even been “normalized” to some degree.

This status quo is unacceptable to say the least. Many have tried to say Trevor’s statements are ok because his mother is a converted Jew. I know many comedians, even Jewish ones have made Jewish jokes and even jokes about the Holocaust in the past, but given the wave of hatred that is currently engulfing the world, don’t we owe it to ourselves to be more sensitive to this alarming trend and do what we can to change people’s false perceptions, not enforce them? Do we just sit back and watch while innocents are attacked en masse, simply because of their heritage?

I’m a fan of pushing the envelope when it comes to art, music, film, and even comedy; but given the fact that anti-Semitic hate crimes are so rampant now, more than I have ever seen before in my lifetime, is now really the appropriate time for such “humor”?

How can I look in my sons face and not do everything in my power to ensure he can grow up in a world where he does not need fear persecution for simply having Jewish blood in him?

My family are survivors of the holocaust, an event many anti-Semites are trying to say never happened;

This article might give you some insight as to why this is a “hot button” topic for me.

I will not betray my family by standing idle as the trend of media accepted/endorsed anti-Semitism continues to spread.

I will use my right to free speech the same way others have to expose themselves, to condemn anti-Semitism wherever and whenever it rears it’s ugly and incendiary head.

I can sincerely say that I hope Trevor, all artists, and all of humanity, take a stand against this spread of hatred. If he was in fact “just joking”, then I encourage him and others to tweet the following hash-tag;

#iCondemnAntiSemitism

I hope and pray to one day not have to worry about the future my son is growing into, and wish for a world filled with peace, respect, and love for fellow human beings.

Respectfully submitted,

David Draiman

7 thoughts on “Special Guest Post (David Draiman): Why We Must All Stand Against Antisemitism, Now More Than Ever”

  1. This was fantastic. Thank you so much for daring to put yourself out there, and standing up for your beliefs and convictions.

  2. David Draiman, YOU ROCK! (er, well, we know you rock, because well….er, never mind . . . 😉 )

    Seriously, thank you. As a public figure, putting yourself out there as you did/do brings the issue into the light way more than a bunch of comments on a blog. Clearly, it’s not easy, and must take an emotional toll. So thank you for that.

    Interesting how Don Imus got fired because of his offhand comment about “nappy headed ho’s” and was required to bow and scrape in apology while Trevor Noah gets hired despite his nasty comments about Jews and women. Not even an apology, just an explanation that his jokes don’t always “land” right.

    1. As a straight white man, he didn’t have access to…’certain privileges.’ Privileges oddly, that could be utilised by hispanic comedians on BET just as much as the black comedians. I’ve seen lots worse said, implied, and did, on comicview. It’s really ridiculous how much you can get away with just because someone wholly unrelated to you in every way, but sharing the same colour, gets shot halfway across the country. Most people I talk to don’t seem to realise that ‘social justice’ ALSO embraces segregation, just from an atheistic “progressive” root. And things like that are toddler steps towards it.

      I’m glad that Draiman brought up Tipper Gore, hopefully that might wake some young people up to what’s going on just above their heads. The foundation of ‘academic activism’ may only be cracked from within.

      As to where the rise in antisemitism (at least in america) is coming from, I’d say two major root causes were the bank and auto industry bailouts which were heavily anti-capitalistic, and the large push for Common Core in school districts already in immense trouble. Nearly every group tracked by the SPLC has been gaining heavy ground since those two events, and because there are damning reminders of their consequences all around us, they reignite on their own without any input, while a year after the Iraq War began, racism vs muslims fell back to pre-9/11 levels, as the triggering event had passed.

      But it only takes 5% of truth in the conspiracies around Common Core and the bailouts for perpetual reignition, especially if the name Soros crops up, because events relating to both will continue to have lasting impact. The bailouts made big businesses brazen with spending and accounting, believing if their industry crumbles, no harm done the government will foot the bill, while Common Core ensures every subsequent generation becomes more and more ignorant and uncritical. (and while they do not apply to the world at large, the theories and proponents can be pointed out by international groups as evidence that ‘jews are controlling the world’)

      I’m sure anyone who paid close attention to the right heard tales of the Mossad being involved in 9/11. But where are the Truthers now? It died out because the event really only had one major end result, another alphabet soup agency. This was something above normal peoples’ heads, so they didn’t care to look into it too much. But bailing out corporations with failed business practices threatens their jobs, and Common Core threatens their children. They will seek to latch onto any explanation for who is pushing such dangerous precedents and why.

      The best way to fight antisemitism isn’t to attack antisemites, but to find the root causes behind their recruitment drives, and own them yourself. And if you start making far more progress than they are, you may even take current existing members for yourself.

      This happened to one political group in Germany, where a nebulous semi-apolitical traditionalist group, Citizens in Rage (Bürger in Wut) stole away enough of the Deutschvolksunion Partei’s rank&file they were forced to merge with Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands

      Look at what political points your own party agrees with antisemites upon, and then take them over for yourself!

  3. David, great post. I took Trevor’s tweets as obnoxious jokes that landed with a thud, and no more. I can’t count the # of tasteless bad jokes I’ve told in my life. So, I won’t judge the entirety of who he is by a few tweets from years past. But I fully agree, that now they’re out in the open in the way that they are, a clarification and/or an apology for causing pain (even inadvertently) is called for.

    On a different note… Could you PLEASE do cover of Dylan’s “Neighborhood Bully”. I think it’s in the key of A and it’s about 130BPM (ya, I’m a DJ).
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smToCLixZk0

    And Happy Pesach to you and the family.

  4. I could overlook Trevor Noah’s (un-funny) mildly anti-Jewish tweets better if he hadn’t also tweeted happily about all the “Gaza flags” at a pro-Palestinian rally he went to.

    this article, while good, doesn’t mention a main reason anti-Semitism is becoming acceptable: the president of the United States has legitimized it. Obama’s endless insults to Bibi Netanyahu and his selling out of the Israeli people has made other people feel like it’s ok.

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