If we wanted to ask people their opinion of the Holocaust, we could ask them to agree or disagree with a true statement such as “Six million Jews were killed during the Holocaust.” Or we could ask them to agree or disagree with a false statement such as “The Holocaust is a Jewish fabrication to get international sympathy for Zionistic expansionism.” Are these questions equivalent in their impact? The first question reinforces the truth, the second creates doubt concerning the truth. Someone who may never have questioned the Holocaust as a real event may begin to do so by the false statement.
The bottom line is that survey questions are sources of information for those being surveyed. They teach and influence as well as detect. Negative surveys, like the one the ADL used, can create the very problem it is trying to assess.
Imagine if the questions asked were positive statements about Jews instead of the harmful stereotypes used. It could have asked, for example, if one agreed or disagreed with the following statements:
Jews are responsible members of society in every culture in which they live.
Jews are a proud people who have survived for thousands of years despite adversity.
Jews are known for their philanthropy and kindness toward the poor and suffering.
Jewish people feel a personal responsibility for creating world peace.
Jewish people are passionate, intelligent, and kind.
People admire Jews because of their rich heritage and high sense of morality and ethics.
I wish I were a Jew.
The Holocaust, in which 6 million Jews were killed, was a loss for all of humanity.
If questions like these had been asked of non-Jews around the world, it may have produced a lasting positive impression. And that is what is needed to counter anti-Semitism.
Jews have to stop telling everyone why they hate us and start telling them why they like us. We need to be positive in a negative world. That is the Jewish way. We are a light in a world of darkness and shadows. Let’s shine our best on the world, instead of telling the world how dark it is.