EDITORIAL – Russian parliament letter anti-Semitic

Coinciding with the 60th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation by Soviet troops, 19 members of… Coinciding with the 60th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation by Soviet troops, 19 members of Russia’s parliament signed a letter demanding that all Jewish organizations in Russia be dissolved.

The Associated Press reported that, in a letter to Russia’s prosecutor general, 19 members of Russia’s lower house of parliament, along with about 450 public figures and academics, demanded an investigation into what they considered acts by Jewish organizations to be dangerous. Their rationale? They thought these acts promoted anti-Semitism.

Banning Jewish organizations, they said, would end “the statements and publications against Jews that have incriminated patriots.” Or basically, in their view, the best way to end discrimination is to outlaw those discriminated against.

It’s easy to write this off as totally ridiculous, a grab by people wanting to exploit Russia’s historic anti-Semitism for political gain. But this is also indicative of the anti-Semitism simmering in many parts of Europe, not just Russia.

To much of Eastern Europe, World War II isn’t just an entry in a history book; it’s the defining event of the 20th century, and one whose ramifications are still being felt.

Russia, which bore the brunt of much of the war’s action, never quite recovered from the war. Jewish people are an obvious scapegoat to blame for the country’s economic woes. In times of crisis, rather than building towards solutions, it’s easy to blame others, especially those religiously or ethnically different.

The letter came to light as President Vladimir Putin was readying to commemorate the liberation of Auschwitz, the Nazis’ largest concentration camp. Putin has been praised for his religious tolerance.

This is the first time in recent history that Jews have been tolerated in Russia. Before the Soviet era, Jewish people were routinely ghettoized and attacked in pogroms, waves of violence against them. During the Soviet era, millions were shipped to Siberia or killed.

It’s clear that Putin’s tolerance has not permeated the rest of Russia. Although, amid outcry, the 19 members of parliament withdrew their support of the letter late yesterday, this shouldn’t be taken as a fluke event. Anti-Semitism is rampant in much of the world, and this letter shows that.

Tolerance for minority religions is a fundamental part of democracy. If Russia is to extract itself from the political and economic mire it’s currently in, it needs to get out of the past and abandon these old hatreds.