It’s true. Duke’s poop slowed it down. But antisemitism ruined it. I wanted to title the post Knowing Jews. A post where I could explore the transition from hearing all about the trials and tribulations of the Jewish people to actually meeting and befriending Jewish people. However, saying “Jews” when you aren’t a “Jew” is at best a grey area—or at least from my extensive polling (one person) that seems to be the case. Actually, I asked two people. One said it was slang and probably inappropriate. The other said I could. And they are both Jewish, so who do I believe? Anyway, I just figured if antisemitism wasn’t an issue I could probably use “Jew”.

Racism and those who are racist have been on my mind for a while and it popped back into my head last week when a person spray painted things like “6 million more” and swastikas all over Jewish centers in Calgary. Aside from how horrifying this is—would it be a generalization of me to think that antisemtic people are usually holocaust deniers? That seems like a strange slogan to spraypaint. In any case, this was a really shocking revelation to have the marginal racism of Calgary so upfront and centre. This is frightening, embarassing and extremely aggravating.

I’m just finishing up the Band of Brothers miniseries, which is about a group of American soldiers during World War 2. I usually watch it once or twice a year when I start to feel too good about the world. It brings me back to a state of nihilism and borderline depression. I just finished the second last episode called Why we fight. In this episode the soldiers discover a concentration camp. It’s one of my favourite episodes. It shows the camps and the people inside of them in ways that I had never seen before. But that’s not the first time I learned about racism.

In grade four or five we read a book about a Jewish girl and her successful attempt to escape the Nazis. A few years later, we read about the underground railroad and slavery in the United States. As a child, I can’t remember all my reactions or if I knew how to react to racism, but I can remember being confused. I just couldn’t understand why. As an aside, of course, we were never taught about the racism towards First Nations people.

I never knew any Jewish people in Regina until my first year of University. And it was very exciting for me. I’ve heard so much about you! Is what I might have said. After reading a bible for years, learning about the holocaust and everything else in pop culture I came to the abrupt realization—Jewish people are just like me (except being the chosen people of God). And that’s all the Jews in Regina. Just one. My friend Danielle (who’s a big shot CBC reporter now in Calgary (so once again Regina is without Jews (I hope my sarcasm is carrying through here))). Then I moved to Calgary and I’ve had the chance to meet lots of Jewish people. I have several good friends here who are Jewish and they are all excellent. And you’ll never guess, but I wouldn’t of had any idea of their background if it hadn’t otherwise come up in conversation.

Today, as an adult, I understand why racism exists or at least I understand national/religious prejudices and how they escalate over hundreds of years and how reason degrades so quickly. I guess, I still don’t understand why. Especially not here. I wouldn’t excuse it anywhere. But here? I suppose it would be naive of me to believe it couldn’t happen here.

I’ve heard about antisemitism and Jewish people for such a long time in a very abstract way and now that I know both concretely I’m extremely horrified (by racism) and grateful to have friends that are Jewish (don’t worry, I still love you gentiles). We’re all in this mess together and divisions aren’t going to get us anywhere faster. Plus, division ruins my titles!