The Word That Haunts Us: How Antisemitism Became a Modern Myth

The Word That Stops Conversation

Antisemitism is a word so powerful that it often brings conversation to an abrupt halt. It conjures images of unfathomable horrors and mass violence, leaving many gentiles anxious, silent, or defensive.

But what if the term “antisemitism” today no longer accurately describes an active threat in our modern Western societies, but instead survives as a shadow from a brutal, ignorant past like a ghost manipulated, more often as a weapon than as a genuine warning?

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What Real Antisemitism Looked Like

To understand why modern usage of the term antisemitism can be misleading, we must first vividly recall what genuine antisemitism historically entailed. In Strasbourg, 1349, amid the panic of the Black Death, Jewish residents were accused, without evidence, of poisoning the wells to kill Christians. On Valentine’s Day of that year, approximately 2,000 Jewish men, women, and children were burned alive by their neighbours, friends, and fellow citizens, their deaths justified by a collective hysteria rooted in superstition.

In York, 1190, antisemitism manifested again through a siege at Clifford’s Tower. Jews were given the choice to convert to Christianity or face death. Many chose collective suicide rather than betray their beliefs, knowing the mob outside was waiting eagerly to spill their blood. These incidents weren’t isolated; rather, they exemplified a persistent medieval European practice of scapegoating Jews for societal ills.

Then we have the infamous Dreyfus Affair in France (1894–1906) which further exemplifies historical antisemitism. Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish military officer, was falsely accused and convicted of espionage. Publications like Édouard Drumont’s “La Libre Parole” openly incited hatred. Drumont’s newspaper printed chilling letters, such as one from a subscriber described as “a cook who would like to put the Jews in her ovens.” Such sentiments weren’t just whispered—they were openly embraced by society.

Context: The Retrospective Stupidity of the Past

These horrific events occurred in societies plagued by profound ignorance. Europeans during the medieval era believed illness was caused by an imbalance of the “four humours”: blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile. Treatments involved bloodletting and the application of leeches, and bathing was often considered sinful. High child mortality rates, frequent disease outbreaks, and widespread illiteracy compounded the general misery and confusion.

The medieval mind readily accepted that women were property, children were labourers, and witches roamed freely. Anything unfamiliar was suspect. Jews, easily identifiable by their distinct culture and religion, became convenient scapegoats for unexplained catastrophes. People who genuinely believed Jews poisoned wells also believed the world was guided by magical forces and demonic influence. To modern eyes, their beliefs seem laughably primitive, yet they tragically justified brutal violence.

The Holocaust: The Final Chapter of Real Antisemitism

The Holocaust was the horrifying culmination of centuries of such ignorance and superstition, weaponized through modern propaganda and state mechanisms. Nazi Germany didn’t invent antisemitism—it perfected it. Drawing on age-old myths like “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” Nazis institutionalized antisemitism into a genocidal campaign that systematically murdered six million Jews. The Holocaust was not merely prejudice; it was industrialized hatred, the last and most severe manifestation of authentic antisemitism.

What We Call Antisemitism Today

Contrast these historical realities with modern accusations of antisemitism, such as criticism of Israeli government policies or social media controversies over insensitive language. Such incidents undeniably involve prejudice, misunderstanding, or insensitivity—but do they truly constitute antisemitism?

Today, the term antisemitism frequently silences criticism and debate rather than sparking meaningful conversation. Critiquing the Israeli state’s actions in Palestine is regularly equated with hatred of Jews. Harmless and factual commentary can become career-ending scandals.

In October 2020, following an Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) investigation that found Labour under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership guilty of “unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination” against Jewish members, Corbyn responded with a statement that proved career-ending:

“One anti‑Semite is one too many, but the scale of the problem was also dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents inside and outside the party, as well as by much of the media.”

This comment—insisting the antisemitism issue had been “dramatically overstated for political reasons”—led to his suspension from the Labour parliamentary party and removal of the whip. It was widely interpreted not as a defence of Jews, but as a dismissal of their concerns and an attempt to minimize institutional failings—undercutting the severity of documented abuses.

The fallout included a formal apology by Labour’s then-leader Keir Starmer, with Jewish groups condemning the remark as a betrayal, and Corbyn eventually being barred from standing for Labour in subsequent elections. These situations dilute the real meaning of antisemitism, making it difficult for the modern (read: uninformed) citizen to distinguish accurate description from genuine prejudice or mere ignorance.

Why the Word is Misused—And Why That Matters

This misuse thrives because contemporary society lacks comprehensive historical awareness. We know vaguely of “terrible things” done to Jewish communities but lack specifics of when, where, and why. Thus, the powerful emotional reaction to the word “antisemitism” becomes exploitable. Powerful interests and political agendas weaponize the word to shut down legitimate criticism and dissent in a heartbeat.

By doing so, society mistakenly equates non-violent disagreement with historical atrocities, trivializing genuine suffering. Such tactics prevent us from engaging in honest, necessary discourse about issues of race, religion, policy, and power.

MAGA? – Truth Requires Memory

Real antisemitism was horrific and undeniable—a testament to humanity’s darkest impulses. But we do a disservice to history and truth when we casually label modern disagreements as antisemitic. By accurately remembering and understanding what antisemitism truly involved—superstition, ignorance, hysteria, and mass violence—we recognize it as a historical relic, a brutal lesson of our collective past.

To genuinely honour those who suffered and to meaningfully combat prejudice today, we must reserve the term antisemitism for its real historical atrocities, not deploy it casually for contemporary convenience. Only by recognizing its true, historical weight can we ensure it remains a powerful reminder rather than a misused weapon.

Thank You for Reading!

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If you’re interested in diving deeper into topics like this, don’t forget to check out the Donc Voila Quoi Podcast, where I discuss these ideas in more detail. You can also follow me on Pinterest @doncvoilaquoi and Instagram @jessielouisevernon, though my accounts have been shut down before (like my old @doncvoilaquoi on Instagram), so keep an eye out for updates.