Antisemitic incident at Blair

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
My kids went/go to Bethesda-area MCPS schools. There have been swastikas drawn on walls and desks over the years.

Nazi symbols are co-opted by kids who want to rebel against "the establishment". I very much doubt that they are specifically antisemitic, or anti-Israel or anti-Jew. I do not believe that this wealthy area, full of opportunities for everyone, has a population that suffers economically such that they would need to level hate against a specific group. I would like to remind you that historically, that sort of backlash happens under intense stress - Covid lockdowns for anti-Asian crimes, severe economic and social trauma in pre-WWII Germany leading to the rise of the Nazi party.

Un-prepared or rebellious adolescents who are bored and looking to find themselves and belong to a tribe will lash out against LGBT+, Jews, Muslims, any group perceived to be "other" than the tribe they aspire to belong to.

Exercises in wellness and tolerance can be a double-edged sword, because you can certainly educate the majority of kids who respect authority, but you're pushing the rebels to act out just because they've been told not to.

So in that context, a swastika isn't a "I hate Jews" sort of thing, but a "I just had yet another stupid assembly and I'm going to spray a swastika on this school wall to let everyone know I won't be brainwashed." The symbol is guaranteed to provoke everybody. If there was an easy anti-LGBT symbol, or an easy anti-Muslim symbol, they'd use them too! This is why the "gay" slur is the verbal equivalent of the sprayed swastika. The kids are looking to trigger their communities into outrage. They're little trolls.

The response has to be consistent education on tolerance. But it shouldn't lead you to clutch your pearls and panic, because otherwise you're just giving them what they want: attention.

If this was anti LGBT, this would be dealt with. Any hate against Jews, Muslims and Asians gets ignored. I don't care what the reason is. MCPS is claiming to they don't tolerate hate when they just don't tolerate it for specific groups that they are impacted by or scream the loudest.

The police were called, there is an investigation, a letter was sent to the Blair families, and now a news article. What more do you want?!?

I’d like people to stop questioning whether this is actually antisemitism.

You just said MCPS only responds if it’s LGBT. That’s completely untrue.

That wasn’t me.

Then identify yourself as a DP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids being kids. Blah Blah

I assume you’d say the same thing if someone scrawled an anti-Black or anti-LGBTQ slur on the wall of a school, right?

Who cares. It is racist to be upset. When I was a kid we call each other a dirty blank, Cheap, blank, dumb blank and write people we say Dago, Polock, Mick etc.

Then we all go play basketball together or pinball and hangout.

Now it is a race crime to be a kid. Do you guys ever watch Archie Bunker? His neighbor was black he lived in a neighborhood of all races and religions and as such said things big deal. He could say it as they were his friends. Archie Bunker was kissed by a Black Man on TV!!

Damn you, Poe's Law.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not minimizing an anti-semitic incident. I said it should be taken seriously and the kids should be disciplined EVEN if it was unintentional, because I think you have to take this that seriously. My sense is that the incident probably made Jewish students feel very uneasy and that alone is enough to justify disciplining these kids, even if their actions were the result of ignorance or stupidity rather than actual anti-semitism.

But I think it's worth it to stop and ask ourselves if we really think a group of Blair students got together in the middle of the school day, decided to do a Hitler salute, practiced it in front of other students, and then went outside to take a photo of themselves doing it. I just think it's worth noting that this sounds implausible in this community because this would be a level of overt Nazi sympathizing that does not make sense with what I know of the community. There is of course anti-semitic sentiment around here, but it is much more covert than that and the people who share those sentiments generally don't view themselves as Nazis and in fact would condemn Nazism.

I just think we should maybe consider that this was more of an unfortunate misunderstanding than evidence that Blair harbors a group of Nazi students.

Just stop. You keep digging yourself into a deeper hole.

There's no hole. Do you really think there is a neo-Nazi group at Blair? There is not. These were dumb kids doing something they shouldn't have, they are being held accountable, but it is not a sign of a Nazi uprising. Extremely strong chance it was a misunderstanding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
My kids went/go to Bethesda-area MCPS schools. There have been swastikas drawn on walls and desks over the years.

Nazi symbols are co-opted by kids who want to rebel against "the establishment". I very much doubt that they are specifically antisemitic, or anti-Israel or anti-Jew. I do not believe that this wealthy area, full of opportunities for everyone, has a population that suffers economically such that they would need to level hate against a specific group. I would like to remind you that historically, that sort of backlash happens under intense stress - Covid lockdowns for anti-Asian crimes, severe economic and social trauma in pre-WWII Germany leading to the rise of the Nazi party.

Un-prepared or rebellious adolescents who are bored and looking to find themselves and belong to a tribe will lash out against LGBT+, Jews, Muslims, any group perceived to be "other" than the tribe they aspire to belong to.

Exercises in wellness and tolerance can be a double-edged sword, because you can certainly educate the majority of kids who respect authority, but you're pushing the rebels to act out just because they've been told not to.

So in that context, a swastika isn't a "I hate Jews" sort of thing, but a "I just had yet another stupid assembly and I'm going to spray a swastika on this school wall to let everyone know I won't be brainwashed." The symbol is guaranteed to provoke everybody. If there was an easy anti-LGBT symbol, or an easy anti-Muslim symbol, they'd use them too! This is why the "gay" slur is the verbal equivalent of the sprayed swastika. The kids are looking to trigger their communities into outrage. They're little trolls.

The response has to be consistent education on tolerance. But it shouldn't lead you to clutch your pearls and panic, because otherwise you're just giving them what they want: attention.

If this was anti LGBT, this would be dealt with. Any hate against Jews, Muslims and Asians gets ignored. I don't care what the reason is. MCPS is claiming to they don't tolerate hate when they just don't tolerate it for specific groups that they are impacted by or scream the loudest.

The police were called, there is an investigation, a letter was sent to the Blair families, and now a news article. What more do you want?!?

If only they did this much every time this goes on at a W instead of sweeping it under the rug.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not minimizing an anti-semitic incident. I said it should be taken seriously and the kids should be disciplined EVEN if it was unintentional, because I think you have to take this that seriously. My sense is that the incident probably made Jewish students feel very uneasy and that alone is enough to justify disciplining these kids, even if their actions were the result of ignorance or stupidity rather than actual anti-semitism.

But I think it's worth it to stop and ask ourselves if we really think a group of Blair students got together in the middle of the school day, decided to do a Hitler salute, practiced it in front of other students, and then went outside to take a photo of themselves doing it. I just think it's worth noting that this sounds implausible in this community because this would be a level of overt Nazi sympathizing that does not make sense with what I know of the community. There is of course anti-semitic sentiment around here, but it is much more covert than that and the people who share those sentiments generally don't view themselves as Nazis and in fact would condemn Nazism.

I just think we should maybe consider that this was more of an unfortunate misunderstanding than evidence that Blair harbors a group of Nazi students.

Just stop. You keep digging yourself into a deeper hole.

There's no hole. Do you really think there is a neo-Nazi group at Blair? There is not. These were dumb kids doing something they shouldn't have, they are being held accountable, but it is not a sign of a Nazi uprising. Extremely strong chance it was a misunderstanding.

Who was misunderstanding what? It looked like the Nazi salute but it was actually a yoga position? It was the Nazi salute but they thought "Nazis" were a TikTok dance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not minimizing an anti-semitic incident. I said it should be taken seriously and the kids should be disciplined EVEN if it was unintentional, because I think you have to take this that seriously. My sense is that the incident probably made Jewish students feel very uneasy and that alone is enough to justify disciplining these kids, even if their actions were the result of ignorance or stupidity rather than actual anti-semitism.

But I think it's worth it to stop and ask ourselves if we really think a group of Blair students got together in the middle of the school day, decided to do a Hitler salute, practiced it in front of other students, and then went outside to take a photo of themselves doing it. I just think it's worth noting that this sounds implausible in this community because this would be a level of overt Nazi sympathizing that does not make sense with what I know of the community. There is of course anti-semitic sentiment around here, but it is much more covert than that and the people who share those sentiments generally don't view themselves as Nazis and in fact would condemn Nazism.

I just think we should maybe consider that this was more of an unfortunate misunderstanding than evidence that Blair harbors a group of Nazi students.

Just stop. You keep digging yourself into a deeper hole.

There's no hole. Do you really think there is a neo-Nazi group at Blair? There is not. These were dumb kids doing something they shouldn't have, they are being held accountable, but it is not a sign of a Nazi uprising. Extremely strong chance it was a misunderstanding.

Who was misunderstanding what? It looked like the Nazi salute but it was actually a yoga position? It was the Nazi salute but they thought "Nazis" were a TikTok dance?

Do you really not see how kids born in 2009-2013 might not realize that raising your arm at a certain height is a Nazi salute? Or might be not realize how closely a dance move or a pose for a photo resembles a Nazi salute? It's entirely possible they've never seen photos of it or had anyone explain to them what the salute was. Even if they know what Nazis are.

This incident is distinct from situations where a clearly anti-semitic statement has been made or written in graffiti, or incidents involving swastikas which are very specific and don't get accidentally drawn places.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not minimizing an anti-semitic incident. I said it should be taken seriously and the kids should be disciplined EVEN if it was unintentional, because I think you have to take this that seriously. My sense is that the incident probably made Jewish students feel very uneasy and that alone is enough to justify disciplining these kids, even if their actions were the result of ignorance or stupidity rather than actual anti-semitism.

But I think it's worth it to stop and ask ourselves if we really think a group of Blair students got together in the middle of the school day, decided to do a Hitler salute, practiced it in front of other students, and then went outside to take a photo of themselves doing it. I just think it's worth noting that this sounds implausible in this community because this would be a level of overt Nazi sympathizing that does not make sense with what I know of the community. There is of course anti-semitic sentiment around here, but it is much more covert than that and the people who share those sentiments generally don't view themselves as Nazis and in fact would condemn Nazism.

I just think we should maybe consider that this was more of an unfortunate misunderstanding than evidence that Blair harbors a group of Nazi students.

Just stop. You keep digging yourself into a deeper hole.

There's no hole. Do you really think there is a neo-Nazi group at Blair? There is not. These were dumb kids doing something they shouldn't have, they are being held accountable, but it is not a sign of a Nazi uprising. Extremely strong chance it was a misunderstanding.

Who was misunderstanding what? It looked like the Nazi salute but it was actually a yoga position? It was the Nazi salute but they thought "Nazis" were a TikTok dance?

Do you really not see how kids born in 2009-2013 might not realize that raising your arm at a certain height is a Nazi salute? Or might be not realize how closely a dance move or a pose for a photo resembles a Nazi salute? It's entirely possible they've never seen photos of it or had anyone explain to them what the salute was. Even if they know what Nazis are.

This incident is distinct from situations where a clearly anti-semitic statement has been made or written in graffiti, or incidents involving swastikas which are very specific and don't get accidentally drawn places.

Do you realize that some of our kids lost their great-grandparents and what that symbol means to us? You can make a joke of it and minimize it but it is clearly hate.

[Anonymous]

My first thought reading the article was that I was grateful a student reported it! Thank you for not just looking the other way! That part was more important to me than how many people were notified by MCPS

Jewish Parent with child at Blair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not minimizing an anti-semitic incident. I said it should be taken seriously and the kids should be disciplined EVEN if it was unintentional, because I think you have to take this that seriously. My sense is that the incident probably made Jewish students feel very uneasy and that alone is enough to justify disciplining these kids, even if their actions were the result of ignorance or stupidity rather than actual anti-semitism.

But I think it's worth it to stop and ask ourselves if we really think a group of Blair students got together in the middle of the school day, decided to do a Hitler salute, practiced it in front of other students, and then went outside to take a photo of themselves doing it. I just think it's worth noting that this sounds implausible in this community because this would be a level of overt Nazi sympathizing that does not make sense with what I know of the community. There is of course anti-semitic sentiment around here, but it is much more covert than that and the people who share those sentiments generally don't view themselves as Nazis and in fact would condemn Nazism.

I just think we should maybe consider that this was more of an unfortunate misunderstanding than evidence that Blair harbors a group of Nazi students.

Just stop. You keep digging yourself into a deeper hole.

There's no hole. Do you really think there is a neo-Nazi group at Blair? There is not. These were dumb kids doing something they shouldn't have, they are being held accountable, but it is not a sign of a Nazi uprising. Extremely strong chance it was a misunderstanding.

Who was misunderstanding what? It looked like the Nazi salute but it was actually a yoga position? It was the Nazi salute but they thought "Nazis" were a TikTok dance?

Do you really not see how kids born in 2009-2013 might not realize that raising your arm at a certain height is a Nazi salute? Or might be not realize how closely a dance move or a pose for a photo resembles a Nazi salute? It's entirely possible they've never seen photos of it or had anyone explain to them what the salute was. Even if they know what Nazis are.

This incident is distinct from situations where a clearly anti-semitic statement has been made or written in graffiti, or incidents involving swastikas which are very specific and don't get accidentally drawn places.

Blair is a high school. Where are you posting from?

And yes, I would expect high school students to know very generally about Nazis and the Nazi salute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not minimizing an anti-semitic incident. I said it should be taken seriously and the kids should be disciplined EVEN if it was unintentional, because I think you have to take this that seriously. My sense is that the incident probably made Jewish students feel very uneasy and that alone is enough to justify disciplining these kids, even if their actions were the result of ignorance or stupidity rather than actual anti-semitism.

But I think it's worth it to stop and ask ourselves if we really think a group of Blair students got together in the middle of the school day, decided to do a Hitler salute, practiced it in front of other students, and then went outside to take a photo of themselves doing it. I just think it's worth noting that this sounds implausible in this community because this would be a level of overt Nazi sympathizing that does not make sense with what I know of the community. There is of course anti-semitic sentiment around here, but it is much more covert than that and the people who share those sentiments generally don't view themselves as Nazis and in fact would condemn Nazism.

I just think we should maybe consider that this was more of an unfortunate misunderstanding than evidence that Blair harbors a group of Nazi students.

There was no misunderstanding. These kids need consequences as do the others at other schools. Why is it ok to make Jewish kids feel uncomfortable (or muslim or asian) but not other groups? You are racist if you think this is a misunderstanding and is ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
My kids went/go to Bethesda-area MCPS schools. There have been swastikas drawn on walls and desks over the years.

Nazi symbols are co-opted by kids who want to rebel against "the establishment". I very much doubt that they are specifically antisemitic, or anti-Israel or anti-Jew. I do not believe that this wealthy area, full of opportunities for everyone, has a population that suffers economically such that they would need to level hate against a specific group. I would like to remind you that historically, that sort of backlash happens under intense stress - Covid lockdowns for anti-Asian crimes, severe economic and social trauma in pre-WWII Germany leading to the rise of the Nazi party.

Un-prepared or rebellious adolescents who are bored and looking to find themselves and belong to a tribe will lash out against LGBT+, Jews, Muslims, any group perceived to be "other" than the tribe they aspire to belong to.

Exercises in wellness and tolerance can be a double-edged sword, because you can certainly educate the majority of kids who respect authority, but you're pushing the rebels to act out just because they've been told not to.

So in that context, a swastika isn't a "I hate Jews" sort of thing, but a "I just had yet another stupid assembly and I'm going to spray a swastika on this school wall to let everyone know I won't be brainwashed." The symbol is guaranteed to provoke everybody. If there was an easy anti-LGBT symbol, or an easy anti-Muslim symbol, they'd use them too! This is why the "gay" slur is the verbal equivalent of the sprayed swastika. The kids are looking to trigger their communities into outrage. They're little trolls.

The response has to be consistent education on tolerance. But it shouldn't lead you to clutch your pearls and panic, because otherwise you're just giving them what they want: attention.

If this was anti LGBT, this would be dealt with. Any hate against Jews, Muslims and Asians gets ignored. I don't care what the reason is. MCPS is claiming to they don't tolerate hate when they just don't tolerate it for specific groups that they are impacted by or scream the loudest.

The police were called, there is an investigation, a letter was sent to the Blair families, and now a news article. What more do you want?!?

Criminal charges for hate crimes, expulsion, suspension to start with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids being kids. Blah Blah

I assume you’d say the same thing if someone scrawled an anti-Black or anti-LGBTQ slur on the wall of a school, right?

Who cares. It is racist to be upset. When I was a kid we call each other a dirty blank, Cheap, blank, dumb blank and write people we say Dago, Polock, Mick etc.

Then we all go play basketball together or pinball and hangout.

Now it is a race crime to be a kid. Do you guys ever watch Archie Bunker? His neighbor was black he lived in a neighborhood of all races and religions and as such said things big deal. He could say it as they were his friends. Archie Bunker was kissed by a Black Man on TV!!

This absolutely is a hate crime and you sound like you were raised poorly and one might question your parenting if you think this is ok.

No, we never watched Archie Bunker. It wasn't funny and racist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids being kids. Blah Blah

I assume you’d say the same thing if someone scrawled an anti-Black or anti-LGBTQ slur on the wall of a school, right?

Who cares. It is racist to be upset. When I was a kid we call each other a dirty blank, Cheap, blank, dumb blank and write people we say Dago, Polock, Mick etc.

Then we all go play basketball together or pinball and hangout.

Now it is a race crime to be a kid. Do you guys ever watch Archie Bunker? His neighbor was black he lived in a neighborhood of all races and religions and as such said things big deal. He could say it as they were his friends. Archie Bunker was kissed by a Black Man on TV!!

This absolutely is a hate crime and you sound like you were raised poorly and one might question your parenting if you think this is ok.

No, we never watched Archie Bunker. It wasn't funny and racist.

It was funny. And the whole point about Archie Bunker is that he was a racist and a bigot.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_in_the_Family

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not minimizing an anti-semitic incident. I said it should be taken seriously and the kids should be disciplined EVEN if it was unintentional, because I think you have to take this that seriously. My sense is that the incident probably made Jewish students feel very uneasy and that alone is enough to justify disciplining these kids, even if their actions were the result of ignorance or stupidity rather than actual anti-semitism.

But I think it's worth it to stop and ask ourselves if we really think a group of Blair students got together in the middle of the school day, decided to do a Hitler salute, practiced it in front of other students, and then went outside to take a photo of themselves doing it. I just think it's worth noting that this sounds implausible in this community because this would be a level of overt Nazi sympathizing that does not make sense with what I know of the community. There is of course anti-semitic sentiment around here, but it is much more covert than that and the people who share those sentiments generally don't view themselves as Nazis and in fact would condemn Nazism.

I just think we should maybe consider that this was more of an unfortunate misunderstanding than evidence that Blair harbors a group of Nazi students.

Just stop. You keep digging yourself into a deeper hole.

There's no hole. Do you really think there is a neo-Nazi group at Blair? There is not. These were dumb kids doing something they shouldn't have, they are being held accountable, but it is not a sign of a Nazi uprising. Extremely strong chance it was a misunderstanding.

Once again: would you say it’s just a misunderstanding if a kid used the n-word? You’re minimizing the impact of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids being kids. Blah Blah

I assume you’d say the same thing if someone scrawled an anti-Black or anti-LGBTQ slur on the wall of a school, right?

Who cares. It is racist to be upset. When I was a kid we call each other a dirty blank, Cheap, blank, dumb blank and write people we say Dago, Polock, Mick etc.

Then we all go play basketball together or pinball and hangout.

Now it is a race crime to be a kid. Do you guys ever watch Archie Bunker? His neighbor was black he lived in a neighborhood of all races and religions and as such said things big deal. He could say it as they were his friends. Archie Bunker was kissed by a Black Man on TV!!

This absolutely is a hate crime and you sound like you were raised poorly and one might question your parenting if you think this is ok.

No, we never watched Archie Bunker. It wasn't funny and racist.

It was funny. And the whole point about Archie Bunker is that he was a racist and a bigot.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_in_the_Family

It wasn't funny and you can make a joke of this as it doesn't impact you or your kids but it has a huge impact on our kids who don't feel safe going to school.