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Antiracists claim right to define Jewish identity, author says
🇸🇪 Sweden /Culture & Society

Antiracists claim right to define Jewish identity, author says

From Dagens Nyheter · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Opinion Named sources Context piece
  • Antiracists are criticized for dictating how Jewish people should define themselves, ignoring antisemitism.
  • The author argues that antiracist movements have historically protected minority rights but are now failing Jewish people.
  • The piece calls for upholding the principle that minority members should define themselves without external pressure or threats.

Antiracist activists are increasingly dictating how Jewish people should define themselves, a trend that Christer Mattsson, director of the Segerstedt Institute, finds deeply concerning. Mattsson argues that these self-proclaimed antiracists appear blind to antisemitism, contradicting the core principles of the movement he has been part of since his youth.

Antiracists take the right to determine how Jews should be.

— Christer MattssonThe title of the opinion piece, reflecting the author's main argument.

Mattsson highlights that minority protection is a cornerstone of Swedish democracy, granting individuals the right to self-definition and protection against discrimination. Historically, the antiracist movement has amplified the voices of vulnerable minorities. However, Mattsson observes a disturbing shift, particularly after the October 7th attacks, where the movement seems to have abandoned its commitment to Jewish people. He cites examples of rhetoric within the movement that dictates Jewish identity, such as "real Jews are not Zionists" or "Jews belong in Poland."

real Jews are not Zionists

— Unspecified antiracistsCited as an example of how the antiracist movement dictates Jewish identity.

This approach, Mattsson contends, undermines a fundamental tenet of antiracism: that every minority member should define themselves freely and without fear. He warns that antisemitism, a persistent historical poison, reappears in new forms, and current generations must recognize and reject it, just as past generations failed to see through its manifestations. The author's opinion piece, published in Dagens Nyheter, calls for a return to the movement's foundational values of protecting minority self-determination.

Jews belong in Poland

— Unspecified antiracistsCited as an example of how the antiracist movement dictates Jewish identity.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dagens Nyheter in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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