German central banker criticized for anti-Semitic remarks
German government leaders condemn central bank executive Thilo Sarrazin for saying that all Jews share a particular gene.
By ReutersGerman government leaders condemned a central bank executive on Sunday for making anti-Semitic remarks before the publication of his book on Monday that takes a critical look at Turk and Arab immigrants.
Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg said Thilo Sarrazin was out of line for comments about Jews, remarks that were also criticized by Jewish leaders in the country responsible for the Holocaust.
"All Jews share a particular gene, Basques share a certain gene that sets them apart," Sarrazin told Welt am Sonntag newspaper ahead of the release of his book "Deutschland schafft sich ab" (Germany does away with itself).
Sarrazin, a Bundesbank board member, denied he was stirring racism. He has faced heavy criticism for making disparaging comments about Muslim immigrants. Sarrazin has repeatedly created uproar for criticizing Turks and Arabs in Germany.
"There's no room in the political debate for remarks that whip up racism or anti-Semitism," Westerwelle said.
"There are limits to every provocation and Bundesbank board member Sarrazin has clearly gone out of bounds with this mistaken and inappropriate comment," Guttenberg added.
Stephan Kramer and Michel Friedman, leaders in Germany's Jewish community, also criticized Sarrazin, 65, a member of the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) and former finance minister in the city-state of Berlin.
"Someone who tries to define Jews by a genetic make-up is consumed by a racist mania," Kramer said.
"Enough already!" Friedman wrote in Bild am Sonntag newspaper. "No more tolerance for this intolerance. It's okay to provoke thought but enough of this baiting and defamation. We don't need any hate preachers, especially in the Bundesbank."
Almost 3 million people of Turkish origin and an estimated 280,000 of Arab extraction live in Germany.
Leaders in Sarrazin's SPD have called for him to quit the party and resign from the Bundesbank.
Sarrazin's comments have also embarrassed Bundesbank President Axel Weber, who some German leaders have backed to succeed Jean-Claude Trichet as president of the European Central Bank next year.
The Bundesbank has tried to distance itself from his remarks, saying they are his personal opinions and not linked to his role at the bank. The central bank requires evidence of "serious misconduct" to bring about Sarrazin's dismissal.
The central bank last year stripped Sarrazin of some of his duties. If the central bank's board voted to remove Sarrazin, the move would then need the approval of the president.
In the book, Sarrazin argues that Muslims undermine German society, marry "imported brides" and have a bad attitude. He said young Muslim men were aggressive due to sexual frustration.
"Sadly, the huge potential for aggression in this group is obvious. The Arab boys can't get at their Arab girls," he said.
"In the end, they use the German girls from the underclass who are easier to get, and then they hold them in contempt because they're so readily available."
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German Central Bank executive Thilo Sarrazin |
| Photo by: AP |
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Ever heard of the Law of Return? (Only the Jews: returning to a place they've never been to.) How do you think you get in?
That's like saying all Germans share a genocidal gene for murdering Jews (full sarcasm intended).
two months ago there was a post on a certain right-wing site that claimed exuberantly: "New Research: One People! Jews the world over share age-old genetic ties." now that same site has an article criticizing this man for saying that... jews the world over share age-old genetic ties. it's only okay when jews say it, i guess, even when it's the truth.
bring down the hammer. But, is there truth in what he is saying? Does it matter? If he speaks truthfully, that is.
yet it is very true, when the haredim marry their children they make sure that they do not make a mistake and conduct a DNA test just to make sure they do not have an interfate marriage.
His remarks are more anti-muslim and anti arab than anti-semitic
Reporting this as a case of anti-semitism: Regarding that many scientific and non-scientific discussions are held AMONG JEWS about their genetic code, then what Sarrazin said is hardly covered by the anti-semitic theme.
Well, I guess, that Jews may have particular gens, everybody got some particular gens, where is the controversy? I suspect that Lefties try to use an inofensive remark about Jews, to destroy an opponent to islamofashism. Using Jewsih hands to take hot popatoes out of fire.
Do you think Germany cares about the Jews they killed Germans only regret is not seeing their Nazi empire last 1,000 years
your Ovadia Yosef which wants the death of palestinian people.
Thilo looks like a Jewish lawyer I know ! The Nazi top in Germany were not blond. They didn't have ze blond gene for it. In our family we are all born circumsized but we don't see ourselves more or less than other people and we don't waste our time hating Nazi's.
Sarrazin go to hell and dont forget your friends.
There is no such thing as a gene particular to Jews. It's just a a very convenient myth used to justify land grab and racism.
This is true for practically all ethnic groups, or else they would not have looked different from one another. This in itself is not anti-Semitic. From the title of the book "Germany does away with itself", I assume that the author complains about the presence of all non-Germans in Germany. He may be a "racist", claiming that German genes are superior to other genes. It is a despicable theory, but the Jewish paranoids don't need to get into this fight. He is not aiming particularly at the Jews.
Actually he would be particularly happy of Jews coming to Germany due to their statistically higher IQ.
this is nonsens. he complains about the failing policy about integration of moslems. We do have really successfull immigrants from china, vietnam, polen, russia and other countries. german genes are not superior. He does not say this at no time.
...those scientists who say that according to latest findings jews share a common signature, must be antisemites, too.... http://www.thejc.com/news/world-news/33213/jews-share-a-genetic-signature
Because he speaks the truth?
Recent studies, published in June, show that most Jews do share a common gene. Most Jews like that idea.
I don't approve of his comments, on the other hand, there was recently a genetic survey, whose results were published in this paper, which proved that Jews are a distinct genetic group with its origins in the Middle East. What is the difference between this and what the German banker said? Guess it's more the messenger than the message.
now Erdogan is at your door again, and this time he brought a new friend: Ahmedinajad. Europe's scenario was different: to get along with Islam just until Arabs finish with Israel, and then turn against Arabs saying this is too much. Problem is, Arabs didn't quite finished Israel, and begin to terminate Europe instead. Iran is Europe's last attempt to finish up the Holocaust it started 65 year ago. Whatever comes out from our fight with Iran, one thing is sure: Europeans gave away their continent to Islam.
...also the scientists, who said that new findings show that jews share a genetic signature (e. g. here: http://www.thejc.com/news/world-news/33213/jews-share-a-genetic-signature), must be considered antisemites!
however they possessed at least two because the gene of hypocrisy they sure have.
Nothing wrong in what he said. Haaretz reported earlier that Ashkenazim have some gene in common. I guess all jews may have something too. Regarding arab and turks in Germany - he is right about their marriges. And yes, all underclass people (germans, arabs, turks etc) behave in the same way (nothing to do with specific genes).
The original German quote is: "Alle Juden teilen ein bestimmtes Gen, Basken haben bestimmte Gene, die sie von anderen unterscheiden." A slightly more accurate translation would be "All Jews share a certain gene, Basques share certain genes by which they differ from others." "unterscheiden" does not have the connotations of "setting apart" (which would be "absetzen"); it means "to differ".
Jews are celebrating genetic markers they claim are unique to them and prove they are the descendents of the ancient Israelites, and thus entitled to the land of Israel. Just recently, they use the results of a genetic study to attack Prof. Shomo Sand. Now they attack someone who effectively agrees with them. How do you say hypocrite in Hebrew?
First of all, I don't see a whole lot of people attacking the guy. Second, there is a difference between saying that statistically Jewish populations share certain genes at a higher rate than others and saying that ever Jew shares a common gene, which is patently false.
Every time a person talks about Jews, Arabs, Blacks or Turks in Europe, a storm taks place. This man may- or may not- deserve attention for what he said and wrote. Yet, he is attacked from all sides. Let people think and speak about what they think important. Try, instead, to counter his thoughts by other ideas. Stop barking! This is what the democracy is all about.
Nobody was criticizing Sarazin for saying that the Basques have a certain gene, only that the Jews. Every comment on Jews is incredibly exaggerated in Germany. He didn't say anything wrong in this context.
The newest poll (of today) shows a 77 % approval of his rermarks. No wonder if you look what the e.g. turkish society is creating including Mr. Erdogan (Our mosques and minarets are the spearheads) But he is an orphant if you compare him with some teaparty leaders. Sad.