Since the 4th century AD (and possibly before), Jews had been regarded by Christians as the killers of Jesus Christ. With the rise and eventual domination of Christianity throughout the Western world, discrimination against Jews on religious grounds became universal, systematic and social anti-Judaism made its appearance.
“… Christian Europe had regarded the Jews as the ‘Christ killers.’ At one time or another Jews had been driven out of almost every European country.” (Adapted from source one of the evidence pamphlet).
I have studied the source of evidence and have done ample research, and to conclude there is much evidence that shows scapegoats are made whatever the problem or purpose. The most unpleasant that can be identified is undoubtedly the Holocaust. The Holocaust was the attempted Nazi genocide of European Jewry between 1933-45. The most recent term that was invented in 1879 is Anti-Semitism. This is the political, social and economic agitation and activities directed against the Jewish people. The term is used to include speech behaviour that is derogatory to people of the Jewish origin, whether or not if they follow the Jewish religion (Judaism). Although, as I researched deeper I found that Anti-Semitism has a much older history:
“It was in the Christian Europe that Anti-Semitism became a deeply rooted prejudice. In medieval Europe the Jews were officially and popularly regarded as being guilty of Christ’s death on the cross in the 1st century Roman Palestine…” (Adapted from Cohn, Norman: warrant for Genocide, London 1967).
Cohn goes onto say that the ‘murder of God’ was an “explosive accusation” which carried onto the 20th century resulting in many deaths of innocent Jews. The sources of evidence booklet, source five, reinforces this view:
The implication here is that the Jews were wholly to blame for Germany’s economic problem. This has led to poverty and unemployment both of which are common causes of scapegoating. The Jews were also blamed for Germany’s defeat in World War 1 and at that prejudice and discrimination became more noticeable. This intensified during the economic depression, which followed. Whenever scapegoats are created, a culture of blame, resentment and often-crude stereotypes are found beneath the thin covering of excuses used to justify the persecution which follows:
“Accusations against Jews included the charge that they desecrated the sacred communion host; that they poisoned well; that they were gluttonous, lewd blasphemers of Christ.” (Davidowitz Lucy, The War Against the Jews, New York, 1975).
In modern times, and especially since World War 11, colonisation has become a subject of intense moral and political controversy. Although some Governments have attempted to justify the colonial system of exploitation, imposed on them by stronger powers and responsible for economic backwardness, racial conflict also social and cultural disorder.
(Adapted from Encarta.)
“Rooms to let no coloured men”: the notice on this lodging house in early 1960s Britain is a blatant example of the racism that was allowed public expression before the introduction of antiracist legislation.
(Adapted from Encarta.)
This is just a taster on how incompetent the white people are. Another is that all whites think that the British jobs should be for them as they are the right colour. Many people from British Commonwealth countries were invited over to the ‘mother country’ to help create less suffering and pain. Despite, usually being moved to the poorest housing and being left with the worst paid jobs, immigrants found themselves competing with the poorest of the white people who already lived there. This lead to mass conflict:
“Many whites, who already looked down on the blacks as ‘inferior’, now feared them as rivals.” (Scott J. The World Since 1913, London, 1982).
This, whites competing with black is also shown in the source of evidence pamphlet. Source 11 is adapted from a National Front leaflet and states that
“British jobs for British workers!”
This tells me that the National Front thinks that they British people should be first in line for employment. The National Front leaflet also describes Britain as a “dumping ground” for the surplus population of the West Indies, Asia and Africa.
What is evident from my research is that scapegoating can occur for many reasons such as, cultural differences, religious fanaticism, socio-economic envy and resentment. The struggle to create a free, democratic, fair, and rational society is still the main political and social issue of human life. Those targeted as outsider groups take the blame for others. Even though some societies are multicultural, scapegoating and it’s horrific consequences seems to be a problem that is unlikely to be eradicated in the future.
