A Rebuttal to Varoufakis' Ranking of Antisemitism as 'the Vilest Among All forms of Racism"
All due respect, Yanis, but refrain from ranking racism.
By Karim Bettache
My journey toward understanding the universal struggle against racism has often found me crossing paths with the words of Yanis Varoufakis, a renowned economist, professor, and former Greek politician. Known for his passionate advocacy for the marginalized and his vocal stance on social justice and equity, Varoufakis's insights have often resonated in the numerous interviews I've encountered.
However, one particular assertion by Varoufakis has repeatedly surfaced, a statement that I've heard him express multiple times across different platforms: his belief that anti-Semitism is "the vilest form of racism". While I greatly respect his commitment to challenging injustice, this specific viewpoint has increasingly unsettled me. I've found myself returning to it over and over again, reflecting on its implications and the message it communicates about the various forms of racial violence and oppression that have scarred our collective history.
And now, I find that I cannot remain silent any longer. It's time for me to articulate my response, to voice my disagreement and to contribute my perspective to this critical discourse. It's crucial that we engage with these difficult conversations in a way that does justice to all victims of racism, without unintentionally creating hierarchies of suffering.
While the horrors of anti-Semitism are undeniable, and the battle against it is of paramount importance, the inadvertent implication that some forms of racism could be ranked in terms of vileness is deeply problematic.
Varoufakis bases his perspective on a deeply disturbing aspect of history – the systematic, industrialized extermination of Jews during the Holocaust. The Holocaust indeed occupies a uniquely horrific place in human history. But it is crucial to understand that every instance of mass racial violence carries with it a unique horror, a unique devaluation of human life, and a unique manifestation of the deepest, darkest corners of human capacity for cruelty.
Indeed, the Holocaust was a mechanical, industrialized extermination campaign of a scale and precision that shocks the conscience. Yet, we must also grapple with the abhorrent reality of the transatlantic slave trade. For centuries, millions of Africans were not only murdered but condemned to a life of relentless subjugation, dehumanization, and ceaseless physical and psychological abuse. It forces us to confront a chilling question: could the swift release of death have been a mercy compared to the unending nightmare of their bondage? Enslaved people, both men, women, and especially children, were often subjected to egregious sexual abuse, reducing their bodies to lust objects of perverse control and exploitation. A life where freedom was an alien concept, where dignity was a forbidden luxury, and where every waking moment was a testament to the enduring spirit of those who survived. This legacy of dehumanization and sexual violence has had long-lasting effects, with the trauma echoing through generations
Similarly, consider the Arab societies that have been decimated by wars rooted in Islamophobia, colonial ambitions, and strategic interests. The fabric of entire nations torn apart, ancient cities reduced to rubble, generations of people growing up knowing nothing but conflict, displacement, and the constant shadow of death. The unique horror here is not just the mass killings, but the systematic destruction of a civilization and the creation of a world where death is a constant companion.
Likewise, the genocide of indigenous populations worldwide carries its own unique horror. The systematic extermination of native cultures, the brutal displacement of people from lands they had inhabited for centuries, and the near-total erasure of entire ways of life all speak to a form of racism that sought not just to kill, but to erase the very existence of these cultures.
Each of these instances of mass racial violence is unique in its horror, each a stark testament to the depths of dehumanization that racism can drive societies towards. To rank them in a bid to determine which is 'worse' is not just futile, it's an affront to the memory of the countless lives lost to these atrocities. It disrespects the survivors and their descendants who carry the weight of this historical trauma daily.
Yet, one cannot ignore what these atrocities share in common: the central instigators were often products of European or Western cultures. Race and racism, born from white settler colonialism, have proven to be among the most destructive forces on earth, tearing at the very fabric of our societies. As we confront the aftermath of these horrific events, it is high time for introspection, particularly for those in the West, to critically examine the role they have played in the propagation of these deeply damaging ideologies.
In the fight against racism, it is not enough to merely recognize these instances of mass racial violence. We must acknowledge the unique horror of each, and understand that they all stem from the same wellspring of racial prejudice, hate, and fear. Only then can we hope to fully understand the scope of the problem we face, and begin to work towards a world where such atrocities are consigned to the pages of history, never to be repeated.
Varoufakis' words, while well-intentioned, serve as a stark reminder of how easily we can fall into the trap of comparative suffering. Instead, we must adopt a more inclusive approach to tackling racism, one that does not rank the suffering of different groups but instead acknowledges that every form of racial hatred is equally destructive.
Whether one fights anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, or any other form of racism, the fight is fundamentally the same - it is a fight for dignity, for humanity, and for a world where the color of one's skin, their religion, or their heritage does not dictate their worth. The struggle against racism, in all its forms, is a struggle against the very idea that any one group is inherently superior or more deserving than another.