Antisemitism is defined as hostility towards or prejudice against the Jewish people. Yet, this simple term fails to capture the much more complex manifestation of a blanket hatred that has persisted throughout history. This definition falls short of describing where that hatred has led and can lead -- from silent, overlooked bias, to dehumanization, war, and genocide. This definition does not convey how awareness of this hatred could partner equally and always in the mind of every Jewish person, along with their identity, rich history, and very existence.

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Xenophobia, in general, and antisemitism, in particular, have been a part of world history since the dawn of civilization. Dennis Ross, an American diplomat and author, wrote, “These attitudes foster an ‘us versus them’ mentality. The ‘other’ is a threat. And once you have singled out groups, the leap is small to imposing limits on them, quarantining them and imposing violence against them.” It is our duty as citizens of the modern world to more actively attempt to raise awareness about intolerance, to foster communication between people, and to eradicate harmful biases.

 

We must as a population remain informed and aware in all aspects of our daily lives, from the products we use, to the shows we watch, and to the public figures we choose to represent us. Henry Ford, Coco Chanel, Roald Dahl, and Richard Wagner have all been publicly recorded as engaging in antisemitic speech or action, and yet, as a population, Americans still drive Ford cars, wear Chanel products, share Dahl’s literary pieces with children, and listen to works composed by Wagner. Does this make us antisemitic ourselves? Will not driving a Ford car make us any less complicit in fostering antisemitism? 

 

To properly answer these questions, we must take a closer look at what makes someone an antisemite. We must also understand that we sometimes have to measure a person’s accomplishments separately from their persona. Although Roald Dahl may not have published works that were antisemitic, his words spoken in interviews were hateful and dangerous. He once stated outright, “I am certainly anti-Israel, and I have become anti-Semitic.” We, as a society, must be able to discern between when we are praising and teaching his literary works, and when we are commemorating him.

 

Similar to Dahl, Coco Chanel’s genius, and her ability to achieve fame were not hindered by being an antisemite. The iconic French fashion designer was a not-so-secret Nazi supporter. The French editor-in-chief of Marie Claire magazine was quoted after an interview with Chanel: “Chanel’s anti-Semitism was not only verbal, but passionate, demoded, and often embarrassing.” So do we all stop admiring or wearing Chanel’s designs? Do we purposely refuse to wear the signature scent she developed? In response to the question: “Given Coco Chanel’s wartime past, what do you make of the prominence and popularity of the Chanel brand today? Should anyone still wear Chanel?,” Hal Vaughan, a newsman and author who wrote Sleeping with the Enemy: Coco Chanel’s Secret War, “I have no feelings against Chanel......Chanel was very simply put, an enormous opportunist who did what she had to do to get along.” Vaughan distanced the woman from her successful and much acclaimed brand. Although not always possible, Vaughan does highlight a separation that suggests using Chanel products does not mean he shares or supports her personal biases.

 

Although impossible to undo the past, to bring back lives unjustly taken from this world due to antisemitic or xenophobic sentiments left unchecked, we can do our best to prevent the proliferation of hatred by starting at the roots -- the unspoken biases against a people that, allowed to grow, can result in dire consequences. 

 

Dennis Ross also wrote, “In the United States, diversity of peoples and opinions is our strength as a democracy.” To foster that strength, we must be discerning and conscientious in our choices. It could be said that one unintentionally supports antisemitism by using products, reading books or being patrons of art generated by artists with known antisemitic leanings. But really, it is our own thoughts and actions, the choices we make in raising awareness of prejudice, in fostering communication and tolerance among people, that count the most.

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References

Ross, Dennis B. "Memories of an Anti-Semitic State Department." The New York Times. The New York Times, www.nytimes.com/2017/09/26/opinion/contributors/valerie-plame-antisemitic-state-department.html. Accessed 1 Nov. 2019.

Glassman, Thea. "The 5 Most Anti-Semitic Things Roald Dahl Ever Said." The Forward, 13 Sept. 2016, forward.com/schmooze/349771/the-5-most-anti-semitic-things-roald-dahl-ever-said/. Accessed 8 Jan. 2020.

McAuley, James. "The Exchange: Coco Chanel and the Nazi Party." The New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2011, www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-exchange-coco-chanel-and-the-nazi-party. Accessed 19 Jan. 2020. 

McAuley, James. "The Exchange: Coco Chanel and the Nazi Party." The New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2011, www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-exchange-coco-chanel-and-the-nazi-party. Accessed 19 Jan. 2020. 

McAuley, James. "The Exchange: Coco Chanel and the Nazi Party." The New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2011, www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-exchange-coco-chanel-and-the-nazi-party. Accessed 19 Jan. 2020. 

McAuley, James. "The Exchange: Coco Chanel and the Nazi Party." The New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2011, www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-exchange-coco-chanel-and-the-nazi-party. Accessed 19 Jan. 2020.

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