One of the main stories in the media in the opening weeks of 2016 has been the public’s outrage over various racist comments that have appeared in the social media. Such outrage is welcome, and indeed overdue. For a long time now, we have seen a steady escalation in online platforms being abused by hate-filled individuals to propagate virulent racism against their fellow citizens.
The SAJBD was one of the organisations that staunchly supported the condemnation of the racist comments in question, but ultimately it is up to South Africans as a whole to take a stand against this kind of offensive discourse, at the very least by vigorously denouncing it, and by naming and shaming those responsible. No cause, whether political or otherwise, can ever justify resorting to racism and/or incitement to violence, nor does the right to freedom of expression ever extend to protecting such behaviour.
It is not news to our Jewish community that the social media is being used in certain instances to propagate racist views, including incitement to violence. Rabidly antisemitic sentiments have become commonplace in such forums, and an increasing proportion of the Board’s time and energy is being expended in dealing with these incidents. Rabid antisemitic discourse is especially prevalent during times of heightened conflict on the Israel front, but even in times of relative quiet, grossly offensive comments continue to surface. As an illustration, one issue that the Board is now dealing with through the SA Human Rights Commission are Facebook comments by one Maureen Jansen, an attorney from Port Elizabeth, who inter alia has referred to Jews as ‘monsters’ and ‘cockroaches’, and expressed the view that Jews everywhere “who support Israel by action or silence” should be ‘exterminated’. As with all previous cases of antisemitic hate speech that the Board has dealt, or is currently still dealing with, we will pursue this matter through all the appropriate channels and for as long as it takes to ensure that the writer is called to account for her comments.