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BBC CHAIRMAN RICHARD Sharp will be grilled by UK MPs next month, following the disclosure that he helped then prime minister Boris Johnson to secure a loan of up to £800,000 (€906k).
Sharp has said that he believed his selection process was conducted “by the book” and denied he had misled the advisory panel or MPs on the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee when he appeared before them.
The BBC chairman will appear again before the same committee on 7 February to face questions, with acting chairman Damian Green writing to Sharp on today to invite him to attend.
The former banker has been facing calls to stand down after it emerged that in late 2020 he had introduced his friend Sam Blyth to the Cabinet Secretary Simon Case to discuss whether Blyth could act as a guarantor for a loan facility for Mr Johnson.
But he insisted he would remain in place and was confident he was given the job on merit.
In a brief letter to the BBC chairman, Green said he was being asked to appear “following the recent media reports regarding your appointment”.
“The Committee intends to cover the issues raised in your pre-appointment hearing and any developments since then.”
Yesterday, public appointments commissioner William Shawcross announced he is to investigate Sharp’s appointment as BBC chairman in February 2021 to ensure the process was conducted “fairly, openly and on merit”.
Asked if he should stand down while the investigation is carried out, Sharp said: “No, I’m confident that he will determine that I was appointed on merit.
“That’s obviously for him to conduct that investigation and process.”
The appointment was a “highly rigorous process” with “very tough interviews”, he said.
In an interview with BBC News, Sharp said he was “comfortable” with the way the process had been carried out.
“Having had a discussion with the Cabinet Secretary about avoiding conflict, and the perception of conflict, I felt comfortable and I still feel there was no conflict because at that stage what I was seeking to do was ensure that the process was followed exactly by the book, and that the process hadn’t started, of any kind, in terms of any support that Sam (Blyth) was going to provide to the prime minister,” he said.
“I had clarified and agreed with the Cabinet Secretary, both of us had the judgment that I’d avoided a conflict or a perception of conflict.”
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Another nonsensical survey that in no way, shape or form represents the opinion of the Irish public. Who pays for these surveys??!
30% in the headline, ‘roughly 20%’ in the story. Which is it? I’m dying to know..
Who comes up with these crazy surveys?
Agreed Mark…probably the next one is we Irish talk too much of the Famine or how “we wuzz robbed” by Thierry Henri’s handball.
Damn you Thierry!
Jews have too much power in the business world because they work hard for it, unlike many of the benefit boppers who have no ambition to work and who wouldn’t have a clue what a days work is.
Sorry mark this was not meant to be in relation to your comment.
Probably them flippin’ Jews…
A family survey……gems like “Jews are more loyal to Israel” is ad surprising as “Irish Americans are more loyal to Ireland”. This article is actually offensive and should be taken down.
Precisely.
The headline should have been “Half of all Muslims are anti-Semitic”.
but then, we wouldn’t want to offend anybody, would we?….
Homer Simpson said “People come up with statistics to prove anything, 14% of people know that”
It’s no conicidence that anti-semitism in Europe has risen,as the Muslim population in Europe continues to increase.
Who can forget the brutal murders of the Jewish school girls in Marseille.
An insidious and leading survey that surveys nothing but populist ignorance.
I notice the survey was not carried out in Israel, while the majority of citizens are Jewish over 25% are not……….
It’s not an Irish survey.
100% of people drown in water.
If people disagree with how many died in the potato famine does that make them anti Irish?
And sharks only attack you when you’re wet johnr
Bob your talking it isn’t the end of the movie yet
The day the ADL comes out with a survey that says people don’t hate Jews and that 6000000 Jews died in the holocaust, is the day they’re out of a job.
The holocaust gravy train/extortion racket stops running, and they have to answer the hard questions about Palestine and nuclear weapons without the fig leaf of victimhood to hide behind.
Johnr…does that mean I have to rethink my plans to die, peacefully, in bed?
100% of politicians, are honest and hardworking.
I’ve never heard one not even one Jewish person speak about the Holocaust , also growing up in the 50′s in Ireland never heard my parents or grandparents generation speak of the Irish Famine ….probably for the same reason, some things are just too horrific to speak about …..
You’ve already said too much silentbob2012…
What famine ? Was there a famine? Am I a famine denier ?
’100% of people drown in water.’
Not true. Some people have died from choking on, or technically drowning, in their own vomit. Or in the case of one of Spinal Taps drummers, someone else’s vomit!
“Dry drowning” was described where laryngospasm was precipitated by water hitting the vocal cords. Once profound hypoxia occurs the laryngospasm is relieved and water flows in.
I don’t think that pulmonary oedema or a ventilatory issue could ever be described as “dry drowning” despite what the article says.
Johnr, so that means there is no-one left alive. Or, if you meant that all those who drown do so in water that is also untrue, at least on a global scale.
You could be a journalist.
Ah, author,
Have you really nothing better to do other than trying to spark a hate debate, with a misleading headline and a negatively slanted story. Shameful stuff. As low a quality of journalism as I’ve seen on this site.
They’re two different figures. The headline refers to responses to one particular question, while the body of the article refers to how many answered yes to a majority of the slate of questions asked.
This survey will Shatter many people’s perceptions on this subject.
Anto Semetic? I am just anti apartheid. If I was polled on these questions I would be attacking the company to ask some serious questions like Israelis handling of Palestine, in council voting record, weapons of mass destruction dissarment. These polls are but a distraction.
Apartheid is a system of racial segregation.There is no racial segregation in Israel.20% of Israeli’s are Arabs with full representation in the Knesset.There are obviously human rights issues regarding Palestine but to label it as apartheid is misleading.
As for disarming their weapons of mass destruction,that would be extremely foolish when they are surrounded by countries that wish to annihilate them.
Labelling all the nations surrounding Israel as wanting to anihiliate them is a little racist in itself… Based on mistranslations and propaganda. The most famous example being former Iranian president Ahmed Amedinijad’s (Sp?) quote having been mistranslated to mean wiped off the map… Wasn’t there a piece about that last year?
“apartheid” is a Dutch word for “separation”… You can use it when talking about any separation…. From vegetables to imprisioning people on a piece of land… No difference. … Some of the questions are difficult… Having lived for three years in a Jewish area in Antwerp I found the traditional jews to be the rudest neighbours I have had. .. They have no respect for non-jews…and totally ignore you… according to this survey I would be labelled anti-semetic… but I’m not. ..I just have an opinion based on my experience. .. it wouldn’t mean that all are disrespectful.. I keep an open mind…
I think you mean Mahmoud Ahmadinajad.They’ve been invaded more then once with the invaders expressing the intentions to ‘drive them back into the sea’.There’s nothing racist about it at all.
Petes I agree,the fundamentalists are insular and a lot of them can be rude.But they make up only a small percentage of Jews overall,and are despised by a lot of atheist or more moderate Jews
Yes thank you, exactly who I mean. I don’t for a second want to brush Over the history, but there is more than one side to every story. Many people have pointed out the loaded style of the questions in the survey… Likewise simplifying as currently wanting to wipe off map is loaded.
The reality was there was a group of people displaced and a new nation forcibly established… The neighbours didn’t like that. It led to violence. However, now people have gotten used to the idea, there hasn’t been as much… except where those are still actively oppressed as they are in the case of the Palestinians.
Petes the use of the word in this context is used with the intentions of invoking memories of the apartheid system in South Africa,which of course is highly misleading.The two situations have no resemblance and the comparison does not stand up to close scrutiny.
Re European Infidel
You do not have a grasp of certain facts regarding Israel. That much is evident. Israel will not allow Jerusalem to have less than 72% of a Jewish population. There are many more such instances.
http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUKBREA2K1JM20140321?irpc=932
That link is to an accusation not a fact.
EI didn’t I see you making the point elsewhere that Jews were a race? Only 7% of land in Israel is in private hands. The rest is owned by the State or the Jewish National Fund. The JNF’s role is to reclaim and hold lands for the Jewish people. In practice this means that non-Jews find it difficult to buy land. While I can appreciate the reasoning of Israel’s founders in wanting a Jewish state I think It’s still valid to see such practices (the provision of superior rights to one race) as a form of apartheid. Eventually Israel needs to decide whether it wants to be a Zi0nist state or a full constitutionally liberal democracy.
Petes I agree,the fundamentalists are insular and a lot of them can be rude.But they make up only a small percentage of Jews overall,and are despised by a lot of atheist or more moderate Jews”
– Yes – there are moderate Jews – but Netanyahu wants a Jewish state – and that is ok ?????- but it is not ok for Muslims to want Egypt to be a Muslim state ??.
Personally I think such ideas are wrong – as States have many religions [ unfortunately]- but there are still plenty who want R.OI to be a papist state .
I am curious- is being an “atheist Jew” similar to being a “lapsed Catholic” i.e. you’re assumed to remain in your faith even though you claim to have left it.. unless you get excommunicated..?
Or is it that being Jewish is the racial equivalent of being Irish.. assumption of a single source race, despite the probability of us all being a melting pot of Celts, Fir Bolg, Picts, Vikings etc etc..?
European Infidel
Do you ever wonder why it is Israel is so loathed, both in the ME and further afield? Perhaps if Jewish lobbys such as the ADL spent their time and resources focusing on WHY people hate them and not IF they hate them, then the daily murder and subjugation of innocent men women and children in the West Bank might cease and then there would be no need for these unedifying self-pitying surveys
@Petes Tuppence I have to correct you on this. Apartheid is derived from the Dutch language but it is never used for separation. We use the word “scheiding”. Apartheid is a political term created in South Africa and is never used in the Dutch language for anything but the SA regime.
I think you’d probably find that the moderate Jews are probably despised by the atheists as well.
I once knew an Anto Semetic. He was a mad yoke
53000 people were surveyed over 102 countries. So on average about 520 people per country. And that 520 are supposed to accurately portray the feelings of our nation as a whole? I have a feeling that the results of this survey wouldn’t be considered to be externally valid in a first year college assignment.
And the fact that they answered with ‘probably true’ is an accurate statistic.
500 in an election poll would give error rate of 5%.
However I severly doubt those 53000 people were divided evenly. As in I assume America got a a few thousand of that. So I’d guess the error rate would be up around 10%. As a guess.
Poll concluded that 80% of Irish people are not anti Semitic!!
And the remaining 20%’s opinions are hard to tell as the question was deliberately leading and vague…
Yes, I agree. Can you think of any other historical event that we are reminded of so much. Not a month goes by that we aren’t reminded of the famous “six million” yet these same hypocrites have been happily slaughtering Palestinians for decades but will enjoy victim status because of the Jewish control of the news and entertainment industry in America. And if you say otherwise they’ll beat you over the head with the Holocaust and label you an anti-semite.
The point of the survey is????? Who actually commissions such surveys anyway? In all my years, I was never asked anything for a survey.
The Jewish people, like the Irish have a far greater influence in Business than most nations, per population. Especially in the US. “Jews have too much power in the business world”, this statement seems bizarre to say the least, on one hand, like us, the Irish, they have a far larger influence than what would seem fair compared to most states so one could argue it’s not fair but on the other hand ‘too much’ seems like you want to take it away, or that it should be taken away, it’s sort of a loaded question isn’t it? If you say yes, you’re branded antisemitic and if you say no you’re not reflecting the true facts.
Jewish people definitely don’t mention the holocaust too much, no one should forget what happened, losing half a religion’s worldwide population is shocking and leaves deep, understandable scars.
The phrasing of the questions and the possible answers seem skewed to give certain results. I assume the answers were of the “agree, strongly agree, neither agree nor disagree….” kind of thing. Asking if Jew’s have too much power in business and then not giving an opportunity to give a more thorough answer is asking for people to answer yes, it’s true. We all know there are a lot of Jewish people in positions of power in the business world so how can we say we disagree with the statement? Maybe what we want to say it yes, it’s true there are a lot of Jewish people in business but how can you measure power and what constitutes “too much” in the business world? We’re not experts on “business” and we don’t really know what the ratio of Jewish to non Jewish businesses are on a global scale so in reality we don’t have enough information to answer this question correctly and as such decline to give an answer. I doubt there was a box to tick for that though.
No Tony – Hollywood and Madison Avenue are very un-biased and broadcast the holocaust as much as they broadcast the millions killed by the Communists in Eastern Europe – a disproportionate amount of whom were Jews. Of course they do! And I’m Peter Pan.
Honestly I can’t see the point you’re making, you’re on about a European bias, something this article or my statement don’t mention. If you mean ex-soviet states wallpapered over their Atrocities and mistreatment of the Jews I agree with you, a bit of a tangent tbh but what are you saying ‘No Tony’ to?
Basically! You said Jews don’t go on too much about the Holocaust, but it’s the one historical event that we are just reminded of again and again. Holocaust education programs in Ireland and Holocaust memorial ceremonies in Ireland? We had nothing to do with the war, why does the Holocaust have this special status above all other atrocities in History.
The Jews are always reminding people about it, especially the Americans and the Germans. If you point out something the Jews are uncomfortable with, like their treatment of the Palestinian people they’ll cry “oh vey, you’re an anti semite, vosn’t six million enough” – this is supposed to embarrass you into shutting up and sitting down.
I’m sick of hearing about it at this stage. It’s also funny that it’s the one historical event that questioning it can land you in jail
They replay world war 2 on loop on the documentary channels how could we ever forget! Why don’t they have a few documentarys about vietnam and Korean wars? , and wars in the middle east that are accutally happening now?
JR Wolf I seriously doubt you have ever met a Jewish person in your life.They way you talk about them as if they are one homgenous group; ‘the Jews say this,and the say that’ it makes it obvious to me the closest you have to a Jew is on RTE news.
Guess what there a millions of them and their opinions are vast and varied.It’s obvious to me you have some serious hang-ups about Jews.
Philip – Did you see that documentery on the History Channel about the Israelis’ war of terror on the Palestinians? Me neither.
European Infidel – you mean the way you have serious hang-ups about Muslims?!
I have serious hang-ups on the religion of Islam .Individual Muslims?Certainly not.
So what are your thoughts on Muslims immigrating to Europe from non-European countries Infidel?
That six million people were eradicated because of their race/religion in the space of a few years should sadden anyone and make us all reconsider what lies at the root of such evil. That is the value of Holocaust education. You can try and see whatever ulterior motives you like in such programmes but what it all comes down to is a people remembering a human catastrophe. What did Ireland have to do with it? Maybe we all as Irish people should take a moment to consider why we didn’t take in (or hardly took in) Jewish refugees during WWII. Now there may have been lack of information there but I’m sure prejudices were at work too.
Buying into common stereotypes doesn’t make you anti-Semitic, if anything it maybe shows that Irish people have a low level of understanding of the Jewish people and religion. There’s a very small population of Jewish people here, I myself don’t think I’ve ever met a Jewish person. Does that make me anti-Semitic? No. There’s a much larger Jewish population in the UK, chances are most people, or more people, are in daily contact with Jewish people and would therefore have a better understanding of which stereotypes are true or not.
You can interpret poles anyway it suits you. If you set up a pole to show how anti-Semitic people are you’re results are only ever going to show how anti-Semitic people are. This survey could have been sent out under the heading “How Much Knowledge of the Jewish People do Countries Have?” and the exact same results could be interpreted to show a lot of countries have a very low understanding of it.
It’s highly likely the vast majority of Irish people have very little contact with people of Jewish extraction
Agreed on most of your points but that’s the beauty of a survey. You can typically find whatever response you want based on the questions you ask.
*Poll
Why blame the Poles? What have they got to do with this?
Bigotry is due to ignorance so I don’t see the distinction between people being bigoted and people being ignorant.
The survey in itself is racist by implying antisemitism only applies to Jews. Most Arabs are semites, especially Syrians etc… The list of semite languages is long. Now if the poll had really set out to define people’s attitudes to antisemitism and they included all semites then the picture would have been different. We have antisemitic comments every day in the western media and is not about Jews. It’s time the semitic label was taken back and used to include all semite peoples.
I understand what you’re trying to say (and I agree that there is a lot of prejudice against Arabs too, amongst others) but the term “antisemitism” is a term whose meaning has changed over time and is now solely restricted to Jewish people, just like the word “racism” has changed over time as there is no scientific basis for the concept of “race”. Also, just because somebody speaks a Semitic language, that doesn’t necessarily make them Semitic. To use such a method of categorisation based solely on the spoken language would mean that we in Ireland are not Irish, but English, and that anyone who speaks the English language is an English person, including Aborigines, native Americans, etc.
Hi Brian, I see what you’re saying too. However by classical and contemporary definition a Semite is still someone who speaks a Semitic language. Just because one culture has chosen to own it does not change the historical definition. It would be like any Gaelic speaking people deciding they are the only ones who can be called Gaelic. As we know the Jewish people and Arabs are pretty indeterminable by DNA so it comes down to religion and culture hijacking the definition of Semitic. It would be more appropriate for everyone to be called anti-Jewish or Anti-Arab or even anti-Irish etc. Many Arab people dispute, quite rightly, that they cannot be anti-Semitic as that would be they were anti-self. It’s the hijack of the term I object to. There’s also the confusion nicely blended in that if you disagree with the politics of the government of Israel you are anti-Semitic, as there boards will testify to. I think it’s time for classical definitions to prevail to deal with hate and prejudice. I was taught at school what Semite languages and Semitic peoples were and are and I’m sticking to it. Ironically that’s where I first took interest thanks to the Jewish and Arab friends I went to school with.Thanks for the angle though.
The Jewish people and the Arabs are not necessarily “pretty indeterminable by DNA”. The Jewish people and Arabs from a small area of the Middle East are very close when DNA is analysed. But the Arabs of the Maghreb or the Arabs of the Southern Arabian peninsula are quite different. I’ll give you an example: there is a sizeable group of Arabs in Iran and Afghanistan who speak Farsi/Persian as their native language. According to your categorisation, these people are not Semitic. Yet culturally and ethnically they are. Also, the titular nation of Ethiopia, the Amharas, are Cushitic ethnically and culturally, yet speak a Semitic language. In other words, prejudice against Arabs is not necessarily anti-Semitic, even if you use that term as applied to all Semitic peoples, and not just Jewish people, as not all Arabs are Semitic. However, due to their endogamous and insular nature, all Jewish people (excluding recent converts) are Semitic. I don’t agree with the idea of classical definitions prevailing. A lot of the time classical definitions are wrong, over-generalised or simply misleading (although not necessarily deliberately). A better idea would simply be to remove inaccurate terms altogether and coin new accurate ones.
OK, we’ll agree that there needs to be a change in terms on this one. You do say though that all Jews are Semitic whilst pointing out that the Iranian and Afghan Arabs who use Farsi are Semites. So do the Jews who are and speak English, German and Russian etc ad infinitum have a stronger claim to the term Semite than Syrian people speaking Arabic? What about mixed blood and culture? I have a Jewish daughter who speaks Hebrew, Arabic and many other languages, even Aramaic. What would you call her? Once again, it’s the hijack of the term by one culture I have a problem with. It needs new terminology as ironically the old use of anti-semitism sprang up during the era of colonial powers carving up the Middle East on maps, and then it referred mainly to the Arab peoples they were dealing with, rather than an earlier reported use of anti-Jewish sentiments. To them, Semites could in their work translate as indigenous peoples. My father who was in Palestine in the 1930s used the term Semites for the locals, Arabs and Jews. It should be left as a parallel of the use of the word Gaelic without one language, culture or nationality taking it for itself.
I think the problem here is the tendency for people to lump mass groups of people into strict categories, when both you and I know that humans characteristics are far more fluid and varied. We can’t really say that we here in Ireland are Gaelic, because technically we are an admixture of pre-Celtic, Celtic, Viking, Norman, Flemish, Saxon, Polish, etc. Some of us speak Irish, while most speak English. We adopt cultural and linguistic characteristics and blend, alter and sometimes forget those characteristics. Personally, I don’t like using terms such as Semitic, Germanic, Gaelic, etc. unless speaking about linguistics where a clear and easily identifiable set of criteria are laid out. E.g. Irish is a Gaelic language, irrespective of who is speaking it. English is a Germanic language, irrespective of who speaks it, etc. In other words, how do you define Semitic? Is it based on language? Culture? DNA? Heritage? Common narrative? Is it a combination of some or all? Are there exclusions? What about, as you said, those of two or more cultures/heritages, etc.? My own niece falls exactly into the last question. Also, I think the “need” to label people as “Semites”, “Gaels”, etc. allows for the creation of separation and barriers between people and simply enables prejudice and discrimination. It’s much easier to be prejudiced against a Semite than it is to be prejudiced against a fellow human.
So nice to see a debate on The Journal generating light rather than heat!
It’s based on DNA Brian and quite simple. http://time.com/91081/what-science-says-about-race-and-genetics/
Is this journalism or wind-up-merchantalism?
Maybe there could be a poll to see what Jewish people think of those in Gaza, bet the outcome wouldn’t be an awful shock…not.
They’re only Goyim Mike, not God’s chosen people so they don’t count, no need to bang on about them on a daily basis unlike the poor eternal persecuted victims who never hurt a fly
As the terrorists in Gaza are constantly launching rockets into Israeli civilian areas, when they are not carrying out terrorist attacks against Egypt in the Sinai, it’s not hard to understand why Jews and Egyptians would have a very low opinion of Gaza and it’s people who support terror.
it is not Gaza that are the terrorists,, it is Israel
I am an Irishman and a Jew. I saw this survey when it came out and was horrified. Some of the comments I’ve seen on this article have just saddened me deeply – people defending negative stereotypes of Jews as being okay, equating Israel to Judaism (if you look into the details of the survey, they asked about attitudes on Israel separately, and being anti-Israel is no excuse for answering “probably true” to any of the questions asked), viciously attacking Muslims (I’d love to see a similar global poll about Islam, I suspect the results would be equally terrifying), disputing the meaning of the word “anti-semitic” (I mean, seriously) and generally engaging in whataboutery, denial and dismissal rather than looking at why people actually might be anti-semitic.
It’s these kinds of insidious, subtle attitudes that embody what racism is in the modern world and why we need reminders like this survey of the horrible things people do think. The comment section here has done nothing but re-enforce that.
Well said Harry.
Enough, already with the surveys.
An unsurprising survey result. Though it should be remembered other Western countries are more anti-Semitic as the survey shows. Plenty with this attitude in the States also. This prejudice existed before the Holocaust and will continue to exist unfortunately.
This prejudice existed before the Holocaust and will continue to exist unfortunately.”
– which Holocaust are u talking about – the Native American one – the ones in South America [ at the behest of catholic church ] – the Australian one – where Aborigines were near wiped out ??.
– or does only the Jewish one count ??
Yes – it happened – but it has become an industry – see Holocaust Industry by Norman Finkelstein
- himself a Jew
http://normanfinkelstein.com/category/the-holocaust-industry/
Regarding the other events involving genocide, ethnic cleansing etc, yes they are appalling. And of course they should also be remembered. I am not suggesting they should not, or that the Jewish Holocaust is the only such event in history.
You cannot blame Jews for wanting to commemorate such a catastrophe. Just as commemorating the Irish famine is primarily an Irish affair, so too those other catastrophes are primarily going to be commemorated by those groups.
If you believe the Jewish Holocaust gets too much prominence then I suggest you should become a practical advocate (and not just a keyboard moaner) for the Native American peoples and their efforts to achieve greater recognition of their suffering. It might just achieve more than trying to knock another group of victims in history.
Do they have Famine education programs in Israel now?
Just as commemorating the Irish famine is primarily an Irish affair, so too those other catastrophes are primarily going to be commemorated by those groups.”
– FFS -mention of the Jewish holocaust is all over the planet !!
”for the Native American peoples and their efforts to achieve greater recognition of their suffering”
– their suffering is largely over now – thanks to Yankee and UK genocide on them .
But apparently the few left are ” well treated ” – the millions dead – well they are gone murdered by every means available – chemical warfare – via smallpox , starvation by killing bison , and just plain slaughter .
I am not knocking other victims – I am saying they make a meal of it .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSwVz7JTRCA
Jim
The majority of the European Jewish population was eradicated within the lifetime of many living people. It was an horrendous event, and to criticise Jewish people for commemorating it is so crass that it inevitably raises suspicions of more deep seated prejudices.
Well said Eel. Anyone that can say the Jews ‘make a meal’ out of the genocide of approx 6 million of their kin has obvious issues.
And as I’ve said to others who have issues with Jews – all you are able and willing to do is just moan about it. It must be so frustrating not being able to do anything about those pesky, influential Jews, eh?
Love to see a survey on how many nations think Ireland is populated by drunken lazy slobs who think the world owes them a living and who managed to blow up their economy through reckless stupidity, but blamed foreigners for lending them the money to do so.
We all know it’s not true of course, but a street poll in any city in Europe might shock us.
I’d love to see such a poll too!
Couldn’t care less either way
I know. It’s no skin off my nose either.
Something really evil and unimaginable had to happen for the Jewish race to return to the promised land . Rockefeller, Rothschild , Goldman & Sachs all Jews , they make their money on the idea to put country’s in debt , buy up all the oil thru bankrupting a country or thru spilling blood. They have way too much power & political influence .
Tell me which part of my statement is not true
It’s all true Mitch, I green thumbed you – I was making a joke
The vicious murderous Nazi persecution of the Jews should never be forgotten by history, So I have no real problem with them talking about it. They suffered like few other peoples on the earth. Anyone who ever saw film clips of Jewish Mothers caring their little kids unknowingly into the death chambers could not blame them for talking about it.
However if a survey was done on anti Muslim sentiment in Ireland you would find it far higher than 20% because the western media has made enemies of the Muslim people suggesting ridiculous things like they’re main objective is to force Sharia Law on every country. All this is for the continuation of the war on Terror which makes western corporations linked to the armaments industry Billions every year.
Just Saturday a woman on the Journal and her supporters stated the if we didn’t strengthen our immigration policies 350,000 would flow into Ireland in the next few years and they will be allowed to vote…next thing we will have sharia law. Suggesting that they shouldn’t be allowed to vote or allowed in because they were Muslim. Imagine the reaction If she said that about Jews. The truth is most Muslims are moderates and have no interest in Sharia Law.
Most Muslims are ‘moderates’ although I’m not sure there is such a thing as ‘moderate’ Islam.Any religion were the penalty for apostasy is death cannot be considered moderate.But a sizeable minority of Muslims do wish to impose things like Sharia law(40% of British Muslims according to one poll) on areas in which they reside.It already it happens in UK and in other across Europe.And that’s just one in a myriad of problems regarding Islam.Not to mention suicide bomings,FGM,honour killing and child marriage.
You can’t blame these things on Westen Corporations or Western media(a typical Leftist approach),they are an every day reality and to deny them is to take the head in the sand approach.
Thanks for proving my point people with the Red thumbs!! its fine to be anti Muslim but outrageous to be anti Jewish ! I have Muslim friends who like a pint in the local and are well liked by the people of the town…..They and their children do go to the Mosque but the girls don’t wear the Hijab. So I know it suits your argument to ignore this but its a fact they are people just like us……..People used to say ridiculous things about Catholics in the states when JFK was running for President but those who what we Catholics were really like knew the truth. How many Muslim people have you ever bothered to get to know.
You point out the extremes of Islam as a reason for your stance. Like FGM which is disgraceful but What about Jewish forced circumcision of children very similar. Child marriage Which is also a disgrace but the Catholic Church knowingly protected paedophile’s for decades as a policy. You seem to want it to be just black and white and suggest that all Muslims are fundamentalists. Not true and you know its not true so take a look at your real reasoning for your anti Muslim motivations.
And the fact that you say “Typical leftist approach” shows you are clearly not applying critical thinking to your conclusions rather it appears only stereo typing and racist anti Muslim thinking. Which doesn’t really give your arguments any real valid points.
‘How many Muslim people have you ever bothered to get to know.’ Sorry to disappoint you,but I have Muslim friends,worked with Muslims and have visited numerous Muslim countries.
‘People used to say ridiculous things about Catholics in the states when JFK was running for President’
Did Catholics in the US ever perpertrate a religiously inspired, massive terrorist attack which resulted in the deaths of thousands of people?If they did,then your comparison might be based on sound reasoning.
‘What about Jewish forced circumcision of children very similar’
Jewish male children would be more accurate and Muslim men are also circumcised,but you know as well as I do that there is no comparison between male and female circumcision.Male circumcision is even advocated by some medical practitioners,female circumicision is advocated by no one except religious barbarians.But I agree children male or female,Jew or Muslim should not be subjected to these procedures until they are of an age were they can decide for themselves
‘ the Catholic Church knowingly protected paedophile’s for decades as a policy’
Which of course is disgraceful,but I don’t think you will be able to find anything in Catholic/Christian doctrine that condones this behavior.
‘You seem to want it to be just black and white and suggest that all Muslims are fundamentalist’
Where did I suggest all Muslims are ‘fundamentalist’ ?Now you are just making things up.
‘racist anti Muslim thinking’ Since when did Muslims and Islam become a race.There are white Muslims with blonde hair and blue eyes.I think you’re the one incapable of critical thinking esp.when it comes to Islam.
Your mistake is to confuse critiscism of Islam with sectarian bigotry against Muslims.One is acceptable,one is not.
“And the fact that you say “Typical leftist approach” shows you are clearly not applying critical thinking to your conclusions rather it appears only stereo typing and racist anti Muslim thinking”
Speaking of typical Leftist approach,another Leftist tactic is to smear people who criticise as racist (ignoring the obvious fact that Muslims are not a race)and it appears to be one that you are well versed in.
You Wrote:
‘How many Muslim people have you ever bothered to get to know.’ Sorry to disappoint you,but I have Muslim friends,worked with Muslims and have visited numerous Muslim countries.
Get your Muslim friends to come online here and back you up. There is no way you have Muslim friends I’ll await their appearance on here before I believe that.
You Wrote:
“Did Catholics in the US ever perpetrate a religiously inspired, massive terrorist attack which resulted in the deaths of thousands of people? If they did, then your comparison might be based on sound reasoning.”
The IPLO , INLA, IRA are all catholic people backed organisations responsible for the deaths of thousands of men women and children over 30 years… why does it matter where murder like that takes place. Are people from the US more important to you??
You Wrote:
“Jewish male children would be more accurate and Muslim men are also circumcised, but you know as well as I do that there is no comparison between male and female circumcision. Male circumcision is even advocated by some medical practitioners, female circumcision is advocated by no one except religious barbarians.But I agree children male or female, Jew or Muslim should not be subjected to these procedures until they are of an age were they can decide for themselves”
So you agree with me in the end of that one too !! cool.
“Where did I suggest all Muslims are ‘fundamentalist’ ?Now you are just making things up.”
Ahm from above when you said : “I’m not sure there is such a thing as ‘moderate’ Islam.”
“‘racist anti Muslim thinking’ Since when did Muslims and Islam become a race.”
Anti Muslim was the phrase, racist refers to your anti Muslim comments given that most Muslims are not of European decent !
“Your mistake is to confuse criticism of Islam with sectarian bigotry against Muslims. One is acceptable, one is not. ”
Not my mistake I know sectarian bigotry it when I see it. I have no issues with Jewish people but when people do criticise them. its never long before people pop up in Ireland to defend the Jews and rightly so but that almost never happens when people attack Muslim. How is that acceptable???
Only a fool would argue any of those organisations were inspired by Catholic doctrine to commit acts of a terrorism.Another false comparison.
You were the one who muddied the waters by stating ‘Jewish children’ when you know fully well there is no comparison between FGM and male circumcision.
‘I’m not sure there is such a thing as ‘moderate’ Islam.’
And stating that does not mean you believe all Muslims are committed fundamentalists.Moderates being the ones who ignore the more extreme aspects of the religion,like your friend who goes to the pub and whose children do not wear hijab.Like I said,you made it up.
‘Anti Muslim was the phrase, racist refers to your anti Muslim comments given that most Muslims are not of European decent ‘
Once again your making things up,what is anti-Muslim or sectarian about my comment? I’l repeat one more time hopefully it will sink in this time,Muslims are not a race and millions of people of European descent are Muslims.
Where’s your Muslim friends no sign of them coming to your rescue ?????? what kind of a fool would believe someone with an avatar name like ” European Infidel ” who then says that he has many Muslim Friends. Just by chance you turned up here was it on a topic like this with a name like yours. I’d have a small bit of respect for you if you just came out and said your anti Muslim. Your not fooling anyone only yourself and you accuse me of making things up. Hilarious !!
Ah Martin resorting to ad hominem attacks rather then engaging the issues.
Your argument is redundant and you know it,that’s why you’re referring to my synonym to back up,your assertion that I’m anti Muslim.Pathetic.
An Infidel is a person without faith which is what I am.I comment on a wide range of issues and topics under that name,it’s the first time anyone’s accused me of ‘anti-Muslim bigotry’ on the back of it.You should report me if you feel that strongly.
Lstly Martin as you’re incapable of seeing past my alleged ‘anti Muslim’ bigotry I encourage you to study the writings of Ayaan Hirsi Ali a former Somali Muslim who now lives under constant death threats for her criticism of Islam.
You can back up absolutely nothing you say and as a result you have lost every single point in your comments. Using the word infidel shows obvious contempt for the Islamic word and its Islamic meaning (an infidel is considered unclean and ritually impure.) And you are clearly using it to suggest an aggressive stance in defiance of Islam as you see it. Had you the guts to use your real name I might have given you some credit. But an anti Muslim poster with a blatantly anti Islamic name who is hiding his identity and then laughably refuses to admit his bigotry deserves no respect.
Well argued Martin Byrne.
You’re confusing infidel a Christian term with the Arab word Kafir which is a derogotary term and an insult.You are hysterical and refuse to engage on the points raised.You’re incapable of rational debate and constantly resort to ad hominem attacks.
As I already said study the writings of Ayaan Hirsi Ali and enligten yourself.
Christians have far too much power and influence in business and politics. And they are constantly reminding people of Jesus. You are even expected to buy presents for people on his birthday!
How are some of those opinions Anti-Semitic. Not every negative attitude towards Jewish people is based on Anti-Semitism.
93% in the West Bank & Gaza?! Jeez, what’s their beef?
Their beef is halal. Badum tish!
Catholics have always been accused of putting their loyalty to Rome ahead their home country
And also putting their full allegiance to an ordinary old man dressed up in a religious costume called the Pope instead of trusting in Christ and his waod alone.
Absolute nonSense. I have never met anybody that thought Jews talk to much about the holocaust. The only criticism I would give to Jews is that their culture has been historically very insular, which obviously isn’t very conducive to a healthy multi cultural society. This ultra liberal nightmare will never end. I used to consider myself a liberal, but today I would be embarrassed to say that
How much of our so-called anti-semitism is down to the plethora of US-made tv and film using the same tired old Jewish stereotypes and cliches. I can only speak for myself but I have only one friend who is Jewish who doesn’t live in Ireland and have met maybe 1 or 2 more through work so I wouldn’t be any expert on Jewish people. I have however seen so many tv programmes and movies which portray Jews as power-hungy, money-hungry and wanting their daughters to marry doctors. I guess it’s the same as seeing the US-made movies about Ireland where we’re all mad craic altogether lepping around in our geansais getting locked and being all quaint and wild. Less labelling according to race or origin and more attention to individual people would be a nice change.
So true. It’s reputation-spreading by proxy. I had a Pakistani friend in Dubai. Knew nothing of Ireland but made a comment one day that Ireland is very conservative (he’s Pakistani, remember!). He got that via the Brits. It’s all relative, in the end. In Ireland, we have little or no first-hand experience of the Jews so are barely qualified to have an opinion on this, imo.
I know a few “Jews” and as far as I know none of them ever brought up the subject.
What isn’t talked about so much is Israel’s holocaust that has been perpetrated against the Palestinian population since the 1940′s.
The state of Israel has used the very same methods that were used by the Nazis on the people of Palestine.
That “story” should have all the anti (and pro) Israeli commentators pulling their hair out again! its a little like a Roman Circus!
Perhaps that is why The Journal publish, Taxi Bill. Either to antagonize or earn money as the more comments made, the more money made. @The Journal.ie – what is the relevance of this survey? Is it really necessary? Not a criticism of you. Just wondering. Cheers!!
It’s relevant if it reflects the truth. I would be worried if 30% of Irish people really held anti-Semitic views. However, as we’ve all pointed out, it’s unlikely this reflects any kind of truth insofar as the views of Irish people towards Jewish people are concerned. In which case I can only assume it was posted to provoke debate or to fill a bit of space on the site.
I have absolutely no issue with anyone of the Jewish faith, or anyone from Israel. None. I disagree with some of their policies though.
I also disagree with the labelling of some of these comments as being anti Semitic. Having the view that a Jewish person might be more loyal to Israel than their home country, is largely equivalent to a statement of Catholics being more loyal to Rome or Muslims more loyal to Mecca… I’m sure it’s true in at least some cases, but so what what if they are?? And so what if people think that?? How is that a negative view??
The Christians lost 1 person 2,000 years ago and they never stop going on about it…the Jews lost 6,000,000 less than 100 years ago…in fairness I reckon they deserve at least another few hundred years before anyone asks them to change the record…
Doesn’t mean we have to patronise the living day lights out of them, though.
They do
I doubt that 30% of Irish people even know a Jewish person, unless maybe they’re all counting Jesus.
Every tried debating Israel with a Jew or Jewish sympathiser? Regardless Off the question you put to them about the middle east, the answer is always “your anti Semitic” if you don’t agree with the Devine right off the state to exist.
Yeah sure did you not hear – God gave promised them that land, the bleedin’ cheek of the Palestinians being there
God promised*
jewish people will always find a movie producer or script writer to remind us of the Holocaust, because they were unjustifiably obliterated by the Nazi’s. The world is aware of the plight of the jews, but it has been overplayed to much, and one can’t help but feel as though they are pasting over the cracks of their international reputation. In Ireland, Limerick at the turn of the century the jews became money lenders who rarely found sympathy for indebted renters and evicted many people. The Limerick Boycott, was just one example of how the jews have constantly used their wealth to control the communities around them. Today their land grab in Palestine is having an adverse effect on their international reputation. They’re sensitivity to perceived anti-Semitism falls back on history and western perceptions of the jews, like when Mel Gibson tried to tell the accurate story of the last days of Jesus Christ, they tried to destroy his credibility and professional reputation, despite being one of the best directors in cinematic history. Maybe Spielberg of JJ Abrams would do a better version? Its not for nothing that Shakespeare’s ‘Pound of Flesh’ 500 years ago resounds with an current relevance.
Isn’t phrasing the question jews are etc……slightly leading a person to think exclusively prejudice? Wouldnt it have been better to say that “Jewish people are less likely to talk about the Holocaust” and have strongly disagree to agreeing as an option to the statement? Havent they learned anything from the F-Scale?
The UAE and Qatar beat Iran for bringing anti-semite by quite a beat but remain better friends with the US and israel while Iran remains enemy no.1, amazing how money changes things.
A critique of the assumptions of the survey: it’s a big leap to say someone who thinks the Holocaust is over-promoted is racist/anti-semitic. If someone was to agree that Liverpool talk too much about the 96 who died in Hillborough, they’re not being bigoted/racist/anti-Liverpool. If someone was to agree that the Jews are over-represented in Hollywood (which they are), that doesn’t imply a hatred of the Jews. Everyone knows the Jewish are the best group of actors, producers, directors, etc, they simply might want to see a scattering of actors from different ethnic groups.
A highly flawed survey which has done nothing but bring the vile Jew-haters out of the woodwork here.
A lot of Irish people get embarrassed when their hypocrisy is exposed.
For example…
They seem to wear it as a badge with pride when it comes to politicians..like a battle scar.
About 150 Irish people gave that opinion Ronan, how is that 30% of Irish people
mein kamp
Was any similar survey carried out re Attitudes to Muslims – who have been slaughtered by western countries by the million in recent years .
Yes – there are Muslim terrorist organizations – but they pale in comparison to Western State Terrorism on Iraq , Libya , Afghanistan. .
Would it be ok if a Muslim politician said the death of 500,000 Jewish children was an ok price to pay for whatever – as Madeline Albright said about Iraqi children killed by US sanctions – but she did say she was sorry for saying it !!
Why does having an opinion that Jewish people may find offensive mean you’re anti-semitic?? You can’t say anything these days.
I can’t tell if the media in Ireland are stupid or they think the public are stupid..probably both.
And 100% of jews think the irish talk too much about the troubles
We all need a mulla or drum to beat.
Like all religions created my man it has many levels of acceptance.
Pick your poison :)
Judaism,Christian,etc
Religion ?
(1) To keep the masses at bay and give them hope.
(2) viewed with suspicion by others.
(3 viewed by the elite ,policy makers and rulers of the worked as useful.
I agree, that’s why I believe in a religion created by God.
97% of women do fart !! there, go on and get it then…
what do 3% do then?
I came onto this page to complain about the lazy poor journalism but see that from everyone’s reaction my view is shared… Take it on the chin and learn from it
Do People forget the Great Famine, (aka the Potato Blight) which killed millions of Irish and made in particular my ancestors flee from the persecution of the English? No, and we still talk about it and commemorate it since 1849. Our land was STOLEN by the English, and countless numbers of our family died. because of their policies, which would have seen all natural Irish dead. Just saying. Of all the European populations, the Irish should be the MOST compassionate and understand of all.
Agenda-driven, shi*e-stirring bunkum.
Ridiculous survey, just adds more race/religious hate, why was this survey conducted?
I support Israel, I have no issue with Jews but to suggest that people feel Jews talk about the holocaust is not a racist or anti semitic, it just is someone expressing an opinion, the holocaust was pure awful evil, we wish it never happened as humans but Jews are a people that always feel on the defensive, I find some can be easily offended and keep the holocaust close to the heart for obvious reasons, but yes there is some anti semitic views that lurk in the odd Irish mind, to Alan Shatter for example, but I mean if my dad had died when I was 5, I could not spend my whole life using his death as an excuse to be moody or never bothered about anything.
Have you ever met a Jew in person who goes on about the holocaust?
Is this 20% of an opinion given to us by a media who is then asking us..so lads what have you taken in?
If we treat the media as our teacher..our exams can only be what they taught us.
Yes and 100% of Irish speak too much of the troubles
have your say