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If it wasn't for the media I'd not have a clue what Anelka's gesture was and I'd say probably 99% of the UK population wouldn't have either.

Not saying he did nothing wrong or what he did was right,but when he did it I bet not many on here had a clue what his gesture was.

Now after the media has had its pound of flesh out of it there's a sense of faux outrage coming from the general public and this I find as sickening as any anti semitic gesture

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comment by Respected ttliv87 (U11882)
posted 2 minutes ago
"Who decided the quenelle was anti Semitic?"

As an educated guess I'd say the same kind of people that said the Hodgeson monkey joke was racist. Too many people out there actively looking to be offended in things that are not offensive.
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Exactly

Are you confirming that anti zionism and anti semetism are indeed one in the same and excusable?
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I don't know enough about this subject but from what I've read these are two different things and Anelka gesture was more towards Anti-Zionism and not to offend Jewish believers.

Anyone what happens at White Hart Lane every game from both home and away fans is much worse than this anti-establishment gesture.

comment by (Kash) Coutinho's Through Ball #freeanelka (U1108)
posted 1 minute ago
Are you confirming that anti zionism and anti semetism are indeed one in the same and excusable?
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I don't know enough about this subject but from what I've read these are two different things and Anelka gesture was more towards Anti-Zionism and not to offend Jewish believers.

Anyone what happens at White Hart Lane every game from both home and away fans is much worse than this anti-establishment gesture.
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Really. no offense mate but you clearly have not researched the subject and therefore are not qualified to offer an opinion on the subject.

Let me know when you have and ill continue.

I actually find it funny when the same people who demonise the media use their propaganda to make their own arguments. It's quite silly.

Anelka was stupid to do what he did. Anti semitic or not, wtf pays his wages?

comment by ValenciaY (U9868)
posted 3 minutes ago
Let me know when you have and ill continue.
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That's because I like to keep an open mind. I don't believe the media and I don't follow the conspiracy theorist. I say it how it see and this is nothing more than a media driven agenda.

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Make a political/ideological statement like that and you have to accept the consequences. Anelka was foolish, knew exactly what he was doing and is hoping the general ignorance of the British public will save him.

I personally couldn't give a dam but Anelka gave the FA little choice except in how severe they punish him.

Exactly Rap.

Anelka is not completely innocent here. He took a risk and should have been aware of the likely consequences.

The fact those consequences are probably somewhat harsh doesn't change the fact that it's Anelka's own fault.

A thief who gets their hand chopped off for stealing is still a thief.

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Without the media nobody would know what the Quenelle was so you'd have to be a fool not to blame them to some extent.

As for the comparison to bigoted goings on abroad. It is very relevant. Without a foreign perspective the Quenelle would be meaningless.

Most of what's being said anti Anelka is ambiguous. There's only two facts that matter:

a) The Quenelle, as stated by the French authorities, is a gesture which has a "vague" meaning. Not my words but the words of the French authorities where the Quenelle originated.

And

b) Only Anelka knows what he meant by the gesture. He didn't go it in an anti semitic context and he says that it wasn't intended as anti semitic either. Who are we to doubt him.

Why on earth can't we give the guy the benefit of the doubt?!

Anelka gesture was more towards Anti-Zionism and not to offend Jewish believers

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Yes thereby Zionism being a political ideology, and not an exactly "clean" one at that, this gesture is NOT racist.

Some of the comments here I find truly shokking.
People who are claiming Israel have a victim mentallity, and get world wide protection from the UK / USA because of that, clearly need to follow current politics a wee bit more, including the significant rise in anti-semitism in (Western) Europe, and the comments of current Muslim leaders in the Middle East, who are still denying the holocaust ever took place, and still are publicly declaring Israel will be destroyed!

I am not even Jewish, but Dutch, from a country where 85% !!! of the Jewish population was murdered in WO 2.

I also suggest people read into how the Palestinians are being treated by the Arabs / Muslims in the Middle East, not just the Israeli's.

Maybe see what the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) have to say about this matter?

"The abuse of Palestinian refugees by their fellow Arabs for political ends continues to this day. In nearly every Arab country where Palestinian refugees have sought shelter, have been denied the most basic of human rights. The total number of Palestinian refugees, instead of declining, has been multiplied six times over, due largely to the fact that the Palestinians are among the only nations in the world whose descendants also qualify as refugees. In fact, no Palestinian has ever lost their refugee status."

Not saying what Isreal is doing is OK, far from that. But victim mentallity? Come on.
And tbh, if my (grand)parents generation has been prosecuted and murdered like that, I don't know what I would do to make sure my children would grow up in save environment.

^ let me clarify, as Anelka was doing this as an anti establishment / anti Zionist gesture, it cannot be classed as racist.

However would probably fall foul of political gesturing etc..

comment by righteous1 (U7048)
posted 13 minutes ago
Exactly Rap.

Anelka is not completely innocent here. He took a risk and should have been aware of the likely consequences.

The fact those consequences are probably somewhat harsh doesn't change the fact that it's Anelka's own fault.

A thief who gets their hand chopped off for stealing is still a thief.
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I'd agree he was foolish but it doesn't warrant being labelled an anti semite and being banned for 5+ matches.

An anti zionist who gets their hand chopped off for being an anti semite is not an anti semite!

Hail israel.

comment by Redinthehead - At least we didnt finish 13th! (U1860)
posted 28 seconds ago
^ let me clarify, as Anelka was doing this as an anti establishment / anti Zionist gesture, it cannot be classed as racist.

However would probably fall foul of political gesturing etc..
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Agreed. Presuming political gestures are considered an offence then he should be punished. But he shouldn't be labelled an anti semite or racist (is Judaism a race?).

comment by Ilori (U18764)
posted 2 minutes ago
Hail israel.

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Hail palestine

There are some who call me.........Tim (U7708) ]

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There are Victims on both sides. I also really dont think a Football forum is where you should be preaching all this. I can garantee there will NEVER be an agreement between those who are for/against or whatever so really no point in debating this....So for that reason am OUT

comment by Ilori (U18764)
posted 2 minutes ago
Hail palestine
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Hail is a form of solid precipitation.