Why is the Right attacking Michael Rosen – again?
JVL Introduction
Michael Rosen, renowned author, teacher of creative writing, who has, among many other things, helped make the Holocaust’s horrors accessible to children has been attacked by the right wing once again. Of course, all his many years of contribution, his research into and writing about his own family’s experience of the Nazi Holocaust, his support for the NHS, especially following his serious experience of COVID, his helping to bring many children to the joy and excitement of reading and writing and much more count for nothing because he broadly supports Jeremy Corbyn and supports justice for Palestinians.
The attackers are trying to link the tragedy of Peter Newbon taking his own life with Rosen’s complaint about the scurrilous attack Newbon made on Jeremy Corbyn. Newbon is a University lecturer who was involved in Labour Against Antisemitism. The complaint related to Newbon posting what had been an image of Corbyn reading one of Rosen’s best loved books “We’re Going On A Bear Hunt” to a group of primary aged children and making it appear as though he were reading them Protocols of the Elders of Zion.
Skwawkbox has published this clear article about this latest attack, making the right points and asking the right questions. JVL published Michael Rosen’s own blog piece on the incident in May 2021 (see related articles below)
This article was originally published by Skwawkbox on Mon 24 Jan 2022. Read the original here.
The right’s attack on Michael Rosen – and the questions they are ignoring
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So sad that the lovely Michael Rosen has to face this vicious bullying. Solidarity x.
Because there are some ‘journalists’, so spiteful, they should never have been allowed anywhere near a newspaper, in the first place.
Michael Rosen – another man among the best of us.
I have always always enjoyed Michael’s poems and other articles in the journal of the NUT and now NEU. They kept me going both as a serving teacher and now I am retired.
Naturally Michael has been attacked for standing up for decency and justice. It struck me recently that it must be very stressful for those who maintain the myth that Jeremy Corbyn is an anti semite knowing that allegation is untrue.
The effect on a person’s mental health should not be underestimated.
Whoever was most at fault here, Pete Newbon, who was sincere in trying to counter antisemitism where he believed he had found it, is dead.
In your anxiety to clear Rosen’s name, it would be more decent of you to grant a space for grieving and reflection.
Hazel Seidel
Those responsible for these latest attacks have not waited for the facts of Newbon’s death to be ascertained before giving vent to their assumptions. The claim that Corbyn is a proven antisemite is taken as a given; ‘left-wing MPs’ are blamed for whipping up hatred of Israel with ‘lies’ about the treatment of Palestinians, and Rosen is accused of having orchestrated a pile-on of his followers, when all he did was object to the way his book was used to associate both him and Corbyn with the authors of a disgusting anti-semitic libel on the Jewish people. Surely it is those who have exploited Newbon’s tragic death to launch these new attacks on Rosen who should be allowing space for grieving and reflection.
The bullying that Michael Rosen and Jeremy Corbyn have received by the right wing is an absolute disgrace. Making the victim look like the bully and the bully look like the victim. Solidarity Michael a brilliant author and thoroughly decent human being.