Jesse and the jews

Clueless equalities communities bore, Labour Social Services supremo Peter Hammond is at it again. News that Jesse Jackson is visiting the city has got Bristol’s Mr Diversity almost wetting his pants with joy at the thought of someone black, American and famous to be photographed with.

His hastily put together press release gushes:

”Reverend Jackson’s visit is a great honour for the city and a recognition of the work we have been doing to engage all our citizens in our democratic processes; ensure full participation and equality of opportunity for those from the Black and other ethnic minority communities and tackle racism and racial prejudice.”

Really Peter? Is that so? And what does Bristol’s jewish community, for example, make of your talk of Jackson’s visit symbolising this city’s work tackling racism and racial prejudice then?

While Jackson’s record in the US civil rights movement, supporting Afro-Americans is highly impressive, his record on race relations and supporting “other ethnic minority communities” is not. Jackson, especially, has a history of outbursts against jews.

He said of Nixon’s lack of interest in Afro-American issues: “four out of five [of Nixon’s top advisors] are German Jews and their priorities are on Europe and Asia”; he used to charmingly call New York City “Hymietown” and happily refer to jews as “Hymies”; he once announced he was “sick and tired of hearing about the Holocaust” and claimed that there are “very few Jewish reporters that have the capacity to be objective about Arab affairs”.

Or how about: “Zionism is a kind of poisonous weed that is choking Judaism”. Or Jackson’s view that the Democratic Party’s traditional support for Israel is because of “the Jewish element in the party … a kind of glorified form of bribery.”

Then of course there’s Jackson’s long-term dealings with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, a dismal, old unapologetic anti-semite. He threatened the black Washington Post journalist, Milton Coleman – who printed Jackson’s “Hymie” remarks – in a radio broadcast accompanied by a public warning to Jews in general, made in Jackson’s presence: “If you harm this brother [Jackson], it will be the last one you harm.”

Nice.

It’s unlikely, however, that any of this will be a problem to Hammond and his fellow equalities communities crackpots wallowing around on the left of the Labour Party and the trade union movement.

This little lot, through a combination of years of kow-towing to Islamism and various theocratic nutcases; obsessing over a non-existent “Islamaphobia” and by making increasingly hysterical and irrational “anti-zionist” outbursts have been at the forefront of making anti-semitism respectable once again on the left.

So don’t expect much discussion of Jackson’s dirty little secret from the Bristol Labour Party or their trade union friends. Instead look out for those white men queueing up for their photo-op with Jackson and claiming they are tackling racism and racial prejudice on our behalf.

Thanks a lot.