Thanks, Maxine, an interesting perspective from LinkedIn, although I've seen other less accommodating views from the Jewish community. I think an initial reaction was surprise on reading (or hearing of) this letter - I know a number of people who would normally support Ms Abbott who were, for want of a better word, mystified that she wrote it. I noted earlier she did apologise and retract immediately, and I personally didn't think it was intended to be anti-Semitic, just clumsy, but perhaps that's not for me, a non jew, to say?With regard to another earlier (slightly flippant) comment I made, I wouldn't criticise her (or anyone) for having an M&S G&T on her way home after a grueling day at the HoC. I was just drawing on my own experience of having a red wine or two after a difficult day in the office and perhaps drafting an email that was either never sent, or was radically modified before hitting the ether the next day.An aspect I don't feel qualified to judge is whether there was something in the Observer article the letter was responding to that might have triggered a particular tone or bias in her phrasing? Was there something she felt the need to respond to quickly although busy doing other things and just worded it badly?Racism seems a complex, multi dimensional subject; recently we've also had Baroness Warsi accusing Braverman of being racist, and Warsi has had her own issues with Islamophobia within the Tory party. A subject I know I - and I suspect many others - are still learning about as it's something as a white male I've not experienced, although I have seen others affected by it.
Michael Ixer ● 1015d