Jews: Why the animosity towards them?

[Rhyfelwyr]

I suppose its basically the fact that their religion has been around for so long, and that for much of that time they have been living in societies into which they were never allowed to integrate, not having their own homeland since the Khazar Khanate IIRC.

I remember at a couple of lectures on anti-semitism in the midde-ages the fact that Christian rulers felt responsble to accept Jews as the 'chosen people', but at the same time physically sectioned them off with walls into small areas of the various towns and cities led to a lack of understanding between the two religions and allowed the 'demonising' of the Jews.

And since then they've been ideal scapegoats for whoever needs them.

EDIT: As for the race thing, I think we've got to accept that we have characteristics inherited from our ancestors, the debate is just over how far down the family tree you would draw a line and saw thats where your genetics can be said to have been reasonably impacted from.

'Race' and genetics should only ever be used for things such as medical purposes. Finding out why some groups of people are particularly resistant to certain dieases and things like that.

It should never have an impact on society and the way people are viewed. The effects 'race' would have on a persons characteristics and abilities is as far as I can see in the modern world is just about non-existent.

And it is ridiculous when racists talk about themselves as being the master race. Take Scotland for example. People may initially think they are 'Celtic', but in reality they are a combination of Britons, Goidils, Picts, Norse, Saxons, Angles, Jutes, and probably many more ancient peoples. And of course you can in turn trace them back. Goidils for example have thier links to the Basques, and according to other posters here they are linked to sub-Saharan Africa.

EDIT 2: Not that I've ever heard talk of a Celtic master race, just an example.

Fear your ginger-haired overlords!