--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: While there are perfectly legitimate…" description: "\"While there are perfectly legitimate criticisms that one can make of Israel or the actions of its government - and I have never been shy about making t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/bari-weiss-7138_anti-semitism_while-there-are-perfectly-legitimate-cri_2046518.jpg" --- # While there are perfectly legitimate criticisms that one… ![“While there are perfectly legitimate criticisms that one can make of Israel or the actions of its government - and I have never been shy about making them - those criticisms cross the line into anti-Semitism when they ascribe evil, almost supernatural powers to Israel in a manner that replicates…” quote by Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/bari-weiss-7138_anti-semitism_while-there-are-perfectly-legitimate-cri_2046518.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/bari-weiss-7138_anti-semitism_while-there-are-perfectly-legitimate-cri_2046518.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/bari-weiss-7138_anti-semitism_while-there-are-perfectly-legitimate-cri_2046518.jpg) > “While there are perfectly legitimate criticisms that one can make of Israel or the actions of its government - and I have never been shy about making them - those criticisms cross the line into anti-Semitism when they ascribe evil, almost supernatural powers to Israel in a manner that replicates classic anti-Semitic slanders.” [Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticizing Israel becomes anti‑Semitic when it attributes supernatural evil to the state, echoing classic slanders. **In simple terms:** Criticism turns hateful when it demonizes a whole people. Key Takeaway Separate policy critique from hateful stereotypes. Themes politics anti‑Semitism criticism stereotypes Mood critical defensive Type opinion controversial When to use this quote - public discourse - academic debate - social media commentary - policy analysis Key Concepts ethics media studies history Questions to Reflect On - How can we critique policies without invoking harmful tropes? - What language signals a shift from critique to bigotry? A Different Perspective Legitimate criticism can be misread as hate if language is extreme. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anti semitism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-semitism/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) ## Related quotes > [ “\[Israel's military occupation is\] in gross violation of international law and has been from the outset. And that much, at least, is fully recognized,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/israel-s-military-occupation-is-in-gross-violation-of-international/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Today again the teacher is the important thing, but on the other hand anti-Semitism is growing today. No doubt about it. All over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/today-again-the-teacher-is-the-important-thing-but-on-the-other-hand/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“On April 1, armed SA men took up positions in front of Jewish businesses and tried to prevent customers from spending money in them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolph-herzog/on-april-1-armed-sa-men-took-up-positions-in-front-of-jewish/) [Rudolph Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolph-herzog/) > [Seriously, I faced a lot of anti-Semitism playing hockey as a kid. It motivated me to play well and to punch everyone who was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-pasternak/seriously-i-faced-a-lot-of-anti-semitism-playing-hockey-as-a-kid-it/) [Harley Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-pasternak/) > [When one set of Jews labels another set of Jews 'anti-Semitic,' they are trying to monopolize the right to speak in the name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-butler/when-one-set-of-jews-labels-another-set-of-jews-anti-semitic-they-are/) [Judith Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-butler/) > [I had written a book called "Boston Boy" some years ago, and that took me from the time I could speak, I guess, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/i-had-written-a-book-called-boston-boy-some-years-ago-and-that-took/) [Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/) > [Though anti-Semitism had been only one of several sources of Nazi voting strength, after 1933 Hitler placed anti-Semitic ideologues, the most important of whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-herf/though-anti-semitism-had-been-only-one-of-several-sources-of-nazi/) Jeffrey Herf > [“But even as the police have clamped down on demonstrators, banning slogans that target Jews instead of Israeli policies, a spike in the number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-even-as-the-police-have-clamped-down-on-demonstrators-banning/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Lawyers earn their bread in the sweat of their browbeating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-huneker/lawyers-earn-their-bread-in-the-sweat-of-their-browbeating/) [James Huneker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-huneker/) > [And the venality of those Judaized is incapable of explaining anti-Semitism as a social phenomenon, we will call it the anti-Semitic theory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-cuza/and-the-venality-of-those-judaized-is-incapable-of-explaining-anti/) [A. 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Despite the considerable horror they had felt when the SA men were bellowing crude anti-Semitic slogans, in retrospect the joke-tellers were very much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolph-herzog/despite-the-considerable-horror-they-had-felt-when-the-sa-men-were/) [Rudolph Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolph-herzog/) ## More by Bari Weiss > [I thought I would come to Australia and learn to surf. Instead, I learned to walk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/i-thought-i-would-come-to-australia-and-learn-to-surf-instead-i/) [Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) > [The best movie theater in the world is in a dingy basement on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The worn seats are painful. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/the-best-movie-theater-in-the-world-is-in-a-dingy-basement-on/) [Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) > [Ever since Eve gave Adam that forbidden fruit, demonizing and disbelieving women has been the planet-wide policy. 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We - men and women both - are just getting better at pretending it's not happening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/our-culture-hasn-t-stopped-objectifying-women-we-men-and-women-both/) [Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) > [Australians have more fun. They just do. I guess I should not be surprised by this fact given that this is the place that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/australians-have-more-fun-they-just-do-i-guess-i-should-not-be/) [Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) > [I am a serial denier. I try not to be. I tell myself, 'You are going to die.' I repeat it. I grasp it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/i-am-a-serial-denier-i-try-not-to-be-i-tell-myself-you-are-going-to/) [Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) > [Israel's highest aspiration may be to be a light among the nations, but it is also a normal nation, where regular people want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/israel-s-highest-aspiration-may-be-to-be-a-light-among-the-nations/) [Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) > [When Kendrick Lamar blasts Mr. Trump, he is preaching to the choir. When Eminem does it, there's a good chance Trump voters are actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/when-kendrick-lamar-blasts-mr-trump-he-is-preaching-to-the-choir-when/) [Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) > [There's no question that Ben Shapiro loves to provoke college students.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/there-s-no-question-that-ben-shapiro-loves-to-provoke-college-students/) [Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) > [Mr. Trump had campaigned on attacking the weakest and most vulnerable in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/mr-trump-had-campaigned-on-attacking-the-weakest-and-most-vulnerable/) [Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) > [Britain beat us to the abolition of slavery; the Isle of Man, New Zealand, and Finland all decided to give women the vote well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/britain-beat-us-to-the-abolition-of-slavery-the-isle-of-man-new/) [Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) > [Most people, including many Jews, think of Yom Kippur as a 25-hour caffeine headache capped off by a lox-and-bagels binge. It's undeniably that. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/most-people-including-many-jews-think-of-yom-kippur-as-a-25-hour/) [Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) > [Victimhood, in the intersectional way of seeing the world, is akin to sainthood; power and privilege are profane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/victimhood-in-the-intersectional-way-of-seeing-the-world-is-akin-to/) [Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) [Explore all 94 Bari Weiss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) ## More Anti semitic quotes > [We witness anti-Semitic attacks in the heart of Europe. We hear anti-Semitic slanders in European media. We feel anti-Semitic hatred in the continent that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayelet-shaked/we-witness-anti-semitic-attacks-in-the-heart-of-europe-we-hear-anti/) [Ayelet Shaked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayelet-shaked/) > [“. 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It was obviously anti-immigrant, anti-Semitic, it was populist. Mosley wanted to replace the parliamentary system of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/oswald-mosley-s-movement-it-was-a-big-movement-it-was-obviously-anti/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [The founder of the BDS movement is blatantly anti-Semitic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-zeldin/the-founder-of-the-bds-movement-is-blatantly-anti-semitic/) [Lee Zeldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-zeldin/) > [I have excellent relationships with Jewish organizations and participate every year in a Hanukkah celebration with my family. There haven't been any anti-Semitic tendencies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-yushchenko/i-have-excellent-relationships-with-jewish-organizations-and/) [Viktor Yushchenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-yushchenko/) > [To stand together against homophobic, sexist, misogynistic, anti-Semitic and racist agendas. I’m an optimist and I can’t help but feel hopeful about the future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-chastain/to-stand-together-against-homophobic-sexist-misogynistic-anti-semitic/) [Jessica Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-chastain/) > [And we've also had now the speaker of the Parliament in Iraq using blatantly anti-Semitic remarks, saying the Jews and sons of Jews are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-schakowsky/and-we-ve-also-had-now-the-speaker-of-the-parliament-in-iraq-using/) [Jan Schakowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-schakowsky/) > [If it's racist, it's racist. If it's anti-Semitic, it's anti-Semitic. If it's anti-women, it's anti-women. If it's anti-immigrant, it's anti-immigrant, and we need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-boxer/if-it-s-racist-it-s-racist-if-it-s-anti-semitic-it-s-anti-semitic-if/) [Barbara Boxer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-boxer/) > [There is no excuse, nor should there be any tolerance, for anyone who thinks or expresses any kind of anti-Semitic remark. I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-gibson/there-is-no-excuse-nor-should-there-be-any-tolerance-for-anyone-who/) [Mel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-gibson/) > [There was no reason to label us as anti-Semitic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-marie-le-pen/there-was-no-reason-to-label-us-as-anti-semitic/) [Jean-Marie Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-marie-le-pen/) > [Jews, I know you're God's chosen people and the rest of us are just 'whatever', but when Israel behaves like a violent, psychopathic bully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-brigstocke/jews-i-know-you-re-god-s-chosen-people-and-the-rest-of-us-are-just/) [Marcus Brigstocke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-brigstocke/) > [As for me, even though I have been accused of anti-Semitism countless times, no one has ever heard me make anti-Semitic statements or engage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-marie-le-pen/as-for-me-even-though-i-have-been-accused-of-anti-semitism-countless/) [Jean-Marie Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-marie-le-pen/) > [There was no reason to label us as anti-Semitic. No reason at all. I do not know one person in the National Front who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-marie-le-pen/there-was-no-reason-to-label-us-as-anti-semitic-no-reason-at-all-i-do/) [Jean-Marie Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-marie-le-pen/) Browse all 129 Anti semitic quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "While there are perfectly legitimate criticisms that one can make of Israel or the actions of its government - and I have never been shy about making them - those criticisms cross the line into anti-Semitism when they ascribe evil, almost supernatural powers to Israel in a manner that replicates classic anti-Semitic slanders.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bari Weiss" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/while-there-are-perfectly-legitimate-criticisms-that-one-can-make-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anti semitic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/while-there-are-perfectly-legitimate-criticisms-that-one-can-make-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/bari-weiss-7138_anti-semitism_while-there-are-perfectly-legitimate-cri_2046518.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/bari-weiss-7138_anti-semitism_while-there-are-perfectly-legitimate-cri_2046518.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db2/bari-weiss-7138_anti-semitism_while-there-are-perfectly-legitimate-cri_2046518.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“While there are perfectly legitimate criticisms that one can make of Israel or the actions of its government…” — Bari Weiss", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bari Weiss", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "While there are perfectly legitimate criticisms...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/while-there-are-perfectly-legitimate-criticisms-that-one-can-make-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/while-there-are-perfectly-legitimate-criticisms-that-one-can-make-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```