English is not a
logical language, unfortunately. Although you can talk
about "Semitic people" in English and use it to mean people of a
Middle Eastern
origin, the term
anti-semitism does not actually mean anti-Semitic. Due to
popular usage it has come to mean anti-
Jewish and despite its
etymology
any attempt to say that anti-semitism is hatred or dislike of
all Semitic
people is as doomed to
failure as someone trying to claim that the word "
gay"
is simply a term for a jolly, happy person and has nothing to do with
sexuality.
I personally dislike the term anti-semitism because I feel it perpetuates the
idea that Jews are people of a race, rather than a religion. I have met Jews
who are blonde, blue-eyed and picture-perfect examples of a stereotyped
Aryan. I have met black Jews, and I know there are at least some Asian
Jews. None of these people could be described as Semitic in any shape or form
yet prejudice against them because of their religion would get termed
anti-semitism. The illogicality of English.