news…

Ha-emet:
Curb your hysteria. Anti-semitism is as widespread in Norway as our muslim immigrants’ plans to take over our government. The only case of anti-semitism, (if it can be called that,) I can recall lately is the one where a jew was beaten up by a muslim. (Who, apparently, was in turn angry for the actions of Israel, and decided to take it out on someone who has nothing to do with the country, go figure.) And historically, on account of Norway being OCCUPIED by NAZI forces, many inhabitants were understandably angry, and so twarthed some of the deportations by sneaking the jews, and other people who were deported, away. (Police forces were also included in this, but had to be very careful since they were being closely watched by their superiors.)
If by growing anti-semitism you mean that people don’t like Israeli policies, then yes, anti-semitism is growing. If you mean by growing anti-semitism, actual growing anti-semitism, then no, there isn’t. I’m sorry I had to be the one to tell you this, but people just don’t care.

On the article:

“We laugh at this people’s fancies and weep over its misdeeds…”
Actually I do this. I laugh at people who believe in sillyness. Don’t you? Take for example when the giraffe thought the zebra was hidden in the hole in the ground in that movie that I found moderately entertaining. What a silly giraffe, surely the zebra could not hide in such a tiny hole! Oh, what a thrill to see him believe that the zebra could fit in a hole that is obviously too small for a zebra!
Seriously, if you think jews are hurt because you find their beliefs stupid or funny or unbelieveable, think again. They don’t care.

“so israelis are child killers in the name of their god…”
No. The statement is that there is no divine or HISTORICAL excuse/mandate for the killing of innocent children (or civilians, for that matter).
But thank you for illustrating how we can pull the worst anti-semitic meaning of a written phrase. Also, if you read the sentence it says:
“We call child murderers ‘child murderers’ and will never accept that such have a divine or historic mandate excusing their outrages.” (Notice it says ‘we call child murderers child murderers’, not ‘we call jews child murderers’.)
And if you disagree that there is not a historic or divine mandate for child murder, then I guess there’s bigger problems in this world than anti-semitism.

“behold gaardner’s prophecy…”
Uh, you ARE aware that the opinion piece was shaped after the words of the prophet Amos?

“a call for action. i appreciate his call for mercy for the civilian population of israel. some collateral damage probably can not be avoided, but probably a small price to pay for the destruction of israel.”
Are you trying to make this sound like I think it sounds? Like this:
“a call for action. I appreciate Israels call for mercy for the civilian population of Lebanon. Some collateral damage probably can not be avoided, but probably a small price to pay for the destruction of hezbollah.”
Because if you are, it’s pretty funny. If it’s not though… Well, it’s still kinda funny.

“zionists=terrorists. this equation has been true for over 2,000 years”
Yup. Exactly what gaarder meant. This is a fact like muslim = terrorist is a fact.

“this paragraph is so good…”
Let me spell this paragraph out for you:
“We do not believe that Israel mourns forty killed Lebanese children more than it for over three thousand years has lamented forty years in the desert.”
Ok, so 40 years in the desert was tough, right? According to my jewish sources, those 40 years were a necessary trial. A necessary evil to be overcome. So I would think the meaning here is that in gaarders point of view, Israel, or it’s government, would see the death of 40 children to be a necessary evil to be overcome.
The rest is pretty much reference to old texts for which I have no interest.

“judaism is a religion of war. in great contrast…”
Yes if there’s one thing we don’t want, it’s to learn from history. Come on, you can do better than this. How many wars has Norway started after 1906? And, yes, I know that we live in a more stable corner of the world, but that is beside the point. (Since it is the claim of gaarder that Israel carries its own blame in the conflicts we’re seeing.)
You see, the “you peed your pants 15 years ago, so you should still wear dipers” argument is flawed, and nothing else.

“”we” have been humanists for the past 2,000 years (maybe some…”
It is no mistake that the history of europe fraught with conflict. Which could be why gaarders statement read: “For 2000 years we have REHEARSED the syllabus of humanism…”
You know. Rehearsal. The refinement of our knowledge on a subject.

“zionists=nazis ”
“whites=racist/anti-semite/neo-nazi/corporate business owner/rich” yada yada yada.

“unfortunately “we” may have…”
The rest of this is becoming ridiculous, although since you apparently was not aware that the opinion piece was modeled after the words of Amos, some shepherd prophet of some place I don’t care about, I guess you couldn’t be expected to notice the similarities.

As a Norwegian Jew i am considering to seek political asylum if this is not dealt with soon, at least now we have Israel to flee to when the Norwegian police come to “deport” us again like they did in the 1940’s!

By comparison at least Mel Gibson was absolutelly wasted when he came with his anti semitic remaks , I doubt Herr. Gaarder was when he wrote his “protocol of the elders of Zion” !

The translation was done fairly quickly and posted before the major brouhaha began. In hindsight I can see a room for improvement here and there, but mostly on details; e.g. the Norwegian ‘griller’ could be rendered ‘obsessions’ rather than ‘fancies’ (the latter being suggested by a standard dictionary). The expression ‘jamret over’ is more accurately be rendered ‘wailed over’ than the term I used, ‘lamented’. That said the translation certainly isn’t “totally wrong.”