Introduction

Social Media Antisemitism in the 21st Century

The Rise of Hate

Hate has shown its face countless times throughout history, and continues to do so today. In the past, hate has culminated in horrifying genocides that systematically targeted and killed specific groups. The Holocaust (1933-1945) was one such case, among the darkest chapters of our history. Yet, the Holocaust was not the first, nor was it the last genocide. The Armenian Genocide (1915), Cambodia (1975-1979), Rwanda (1990-94), Bosnia (1992-1995) and others serve as permanent reminders of what hate, in its cruelest expression, can do. Though we say “never again,” we continue to see the ugly face of hate ever again. In Canada, the horrors faced by Indigenous people in the residential school system are continuing to come to light. Oppression of the Rohingya (Myanmar), Yazidi (Northern Iraq), Uyghur (China) and other people are fresh in our memory as hate continues to show its face in every nation. Verbal onslaughts, physical attacks, and more recently, scathing social media posts have all contributed to a rise in hate, both in Canada and around the world.