What's that all about....Just caught a bit of the news at work?!?!

Banter with a Jew

Did he threaten to slap him?

Oh dear

Oh boy. Only the easy questions!

Lots of people (the Jewish community, the Parliamentary Labour Party, sections of the media) are up in arms because Livingstone said that 'Hitler supported Zionism.' Zionism was a Jewish political movement to re-establish a Jewish state in Palestine, which achieved its goal with the foundation of the state of Israel after World War Two.

People who support the rights of Palestinian Arabs and are not very impressed with the way the state of Israel conducts itself towards the Arabs have tended in the past to use 'Zionist' and 'Zionism' not as terms of endearment to describe Jewish/Israeli nationalism in the Middle East. This is especially true of old school Lefties like Ken Livingstone. Student politics in the 1970s (when I was at uni) was very pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist.

It goes without saying that Hitler had a pathological hatred of Jews, which led him to try to exterminate all the Jews in Europe during World War Two. But in the 1930s, before they could get away with mass murder, the Nazis hated Zionist Jews a bit less than Jews who wanted to remain in Germany, because the Zionists believed that it was time for the Jewish people to relocate to their God-granted homeland in Palestine. Which was quite convenient if you were a Nazi who wanted the Jews out of Germany.

This is a matter of fact, as you can find out for yourself by nipping into Waterstones and looking at pages 95-96 of David Cesarini's current best-seller Final Solution.

The thing is, even if its true, why on earth would Livingstone feel the need to say such a thing? He's not a historian. He's a politician who should know that we are living though times when hate speech directed towards any minority is going to be condemned, for very good reasons.

Surprised someone so worldly wise could be so careless and crass.

Normally a man who talks sense for the most part, he must have known he was on dangerous ground.

Its all very strange.

Any Jews leaving for Palestine were required to turn over all their assets and money to the State before leaving.

God forbid anyone stands up for what they believe to be the truth. That's just not on in this day and age

I think the problem is too many people are standing up for what they believe to be the truth these days and in the most part it tends to be ill informed and from a position of general ignorance (based on some social media comments or lies in the Daily Mail).

Snowy makes the most relevant point in this narrative about the situation above

Couldn't agree more with the above. It seems that people love bashing their gums about so called 'political correctness' and whilst there are some daft examples I'm sure, if the concept of political correctness means generally people have less leeway to abuse people based on gender, sexuality, race disability then I'm all for it.

I'm no bloody snowflake but this current trend of people blaming a concept for stopping them airing their underlying cruel and old fashioned attitudes is rife.

Oh and hat doesn't mean no free speech!!!!

The key phrase is ..what they beieve to be the truth doesn't necessarily mean it is the 'truth'. While we're on the topic, Hitler thought he was telling the truth, sadly, he convinced an entire nation it was the truth too.

I'm hardly on the same page as red Ken politically but his words were taken out of context and he's been very shabbily treated.

He's an experienced politician dabbling in an emotive subject, he should have trod more carefully. He has a talent for dancing in a minefield to prove there's mines there.
I don't mind him to be honest, but sadly he sometimes has to press the red button marked 'DON'T PRESS!'

I said I don't mind him... away from politics. Like I said he has a self destruct button and never compromises.

I have one of them buttons

Was he suspended over his "controversial comments about Adolf Hitler and Zionism"? First time hearing about this, hilarious.

John

Your button's marked 'DON......... ESS!' ....you've worn the letters off with constantly pressing it.