[Livia]

Originally Posted by MaRuDolph

There is truth to this, I think. I was raised in the middle through environment. Hub every now and then has to explain some anti-Semetic comments or stereotypes I have never heard of (usually references that go over my head). I consider myself blessed, I guess?.. because it still doesn't make sense to me. It all has to be learned from somewhere, I think.

The worst I had heard was from my Jewish bestie in my early teens, is some other girls would bully her relentlessly. Like one time, they all sat with her and took her pencil... told her she needed to pray to Jesus to be saved or they wouldn't return her property. She was exploring atheism which was a thing for young people to do then, sure, but then she clearly was a practicing Jew so can't help but think there is some link.

I feel for your friend. I was terribly bullied at school and those kids learned it from somewhere. Some people feel enabled to say the most outrageous, insulting things, but if you tell them their comments are anti-Semitic they get bent out of shape. Even on the forum I've been told I'm scared of my own shadow because the pro-Palestine marches in London every Saturday are worrying to me and there's always someone to try to dismiss anything that might be construed as anti-Semitic and point out that I'm over-sensitive. The vast majority of people have only a passing interest when they find out I'm Jewish... it's definitely the minority who have a problem with it and feel emboldened to speak out want to educate me on what is and isn't insulting to me.

The last thing on my mind when I meet someone is what religion they are.