The line between being a racist and criticising apartheid ‘not that fine’, scientists show

Margaret Hodge has said there’s a “fine line” between “being pro-Palestinian” and “being antisemitic”. Off The Perch asked some scientists to define how “fine” this line is. Their verdict:

Not very.

https://twitter.com/MikeSegalov/status/1030165953034809345

Walk us through this

We couldn’t wrap our heads around this, so we had the boffins explain further:

It’s true there are supporters of the Palestinian cause who are antisemitic. Saying there’s a ‘fine line’ between them and the majority who aren’t implies it’s difficult to criticise killing, oppression, and apartheid without also being antisemitic. It isn’t.

The logic she used is like saying there’s a fine line between wanting Esther McVey to stop oppressing disabled people and being a sexist. It’s like saying there’s a fine line between wanting James Cleverly to stop embarrassing himself on Twitter and being a racist.

You could even compare it to saying there’s a fine line between wanting legitimate debate and just shouting that anyone who criticises Israel is an antisemite.

Comparisons

Hodge also got some flack for a comparison she made between her situation and actual Nazi Germany:

Well. That I'm afraid – and I speak both as someone who is not a fan of the cult of Jeremy, and whose mother fled Nazi Germany – is bollocks. https://t.co/IdaMB5s5Oj

— David Baddiel (@Baddiel) August 16, 2018

Apparently, Nazi comparisons are fine this week. It’s hard to keep up, because last week they were unhelpful / preposterous / the worst thing in the world.

Maybe they should put an ON/OFF sign up at Westminster so we know if Nazi comparisons are ON/OFF the menu?

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Featured image via U.S. Army RDECOM – Flickr [IMAGE WAS ALTERED]