Tony Robbins, the motivational speaker, tells a story (in his book Awaken the Giant Within) about a criminal, a drug addict, crook and murderer, who had two sons. One was just like "dear old dad", a criminal spending a large chunk of his life in prison. The other was a family man, pillar of his community, never touched drugs or alcohol, loved his job and found it very rewarding. Unbeknownst to each other, they were both asked how they turned out that way they did and both gave the same answer, "What else could I have become, having grown up with a father like that."
We all know people who blame all their "transgressions" on others. It's never their fault; it's always something outside of their control that led to their downfall. King Saul of Biblical fame was like that -- it wasn't his fault that he hired a witch to contact Samuel after he died, it wasn't his fault that he didn't wait for Samuel to start fighting the Philistines.
I'm hearing the same sort of talk coming out of Europe these days. They are blaming Israel (and, by extension, Jews) for the terrorist attacks happening all over Europe. Excuse me, but this makes no sense whatsoever. European politicians left and right (well, ok, mostly left) have been blaming Israel for the recent ISIS attack on France.
It makes no sense to blame the victims for these attacks. How can Israel, where Arabs have more rights and live better lives than in any other country in the Middle East. Those Arabs who live in Israel have all the rights that every other resident of the country has.
People who do not take control of their own lives find a way to blame others for their failures. The violence erupting across Europe is a sign of the failure of the European Union and the Nations thereof to protect the citizens of Europe from the infiltration of members of the Hydra-Headed Terror Machine bent on the destruction of the civilized world. And, since the European leaders failed, and continue to fail, so miserably, it clearly can't be their fault. So it has to be someone else's fault and that someone else has to be Israel. After all, this is just the new generation's way of being Antisemitic in sheep's clothing. The whole "oh, I don't hate Jews, I'm just against Israel's suppression of "Palestinian" rights" just won't fly anymore. Take off the angel costume and admit that you're just a bunch of Antisemites.
This is not just a problem of hatred, by the way. The European Leaders are slitting their own throats. By blaming Israel for their problems, they avoid taking responsibility for fighting terrorism. By blaming Israel for their problems, they avoid protecting their people from violent Islamist attacks. By blaming Israel for their problems, they avoid taking the steps that might actually get the attacks to stop. And they deflect the blame from their own inadequacies.
Europe's current legacy is the same legacy that Neville Chamberlain tried to leave 80+ years ago. You can't placate terrorists, whether the terrorists are Nazi Germans or Islamist extremists. Unless Europe can turn their actions around, can begin to realize that the only way to fight demagoguery and terror is by actually fighting it. Unless Europe's leaders fight the fight and stops blaming Israel for its problems Europe will become a satellite of the Islamist world. The Europe of the Magna Carta and the French Revolution, of Peter the Great and Napoleon, of Berlioz and Mozart will cease to exist.
Israel and Europe have the same "father". Both have dealt with terror attacks. But Israel doesn't blame others for her terror problems. Israel realizes her responsibility to protect her citizens and guests. Israel fights her enemies. Europe invites its enemies into the house to have tea and then says it's Israel's fault the enemies attack. Europe needs to wake up and stop coddling murderers or the only legacy they will leave their children is honor killings and suppression.
We all know people who blame all their "transgressions" on others. It's never their fault; it's always something outside of their control that led to their downfall. King Saul of Biblical fame was like that -- it wasn't his fault that he hired a witch to contact Samuel after he died, it wasn't his fault that he didn't wait for Samuel to start fighting the Philistines.
I'm hearing the same sort of talk coming out of Europe these days. They are blaming Israel (and, by extension, Jews) for the terrorist attacks happening all over Europe. Excuse me, but this makes no sense whatsoever. European politicians left and right (well, ok, mostly left) have been blaming Israel for the recent ISIS attack on France.
It makes no sense to blame the victims for these attacks. How can Israel, where Arabs have more rights and live better lives than in any other country in the Middle East. Those Arabs who live in Israel have all the rights that every other resident of the country has.
People who do not take control of their own lives find a way to blame others for their failures. The violence erupting across Europe is a sign of the failure of the European Union and the Nations thereof to protect the citizens of Europe from the infiltration of members of the Hydra-Headed Terror Machine bent on the destruction of the civilized world. And, since the European leaders failed, and continue to fail, so miserably, it clearly can't be their fault. So it has to be someone else's fault and that someone else has to be Israel. After all, this is just the new generation's way of being Antisemitic in sheep's clothing. The whole "oh, I don't hate Jews, I'm just against Israel's suppression of "Palestinian" rights" just won't fly anymore. Take off the angel costume and admit that you're just a bunch of Antisemites.
This is not just a problem of hatred, by the way. The European Leaders are slitting their own throats. By blaming Israel for their problems, they avoid taking responsibility for fighting terrorism. By blaming Israel for their problems, they avoid protecting their people from violent Islamist attacks. By blaming Israel for their problems, they avoid taking the steps that might actually get the attacks to stop. And they deflect the blame from their own inadequacies.
Europe's current legacy is the same legacy that Neville Chamberlain tried to leave 80+ years ago. You can't placate terrorists, whether the terrorists are Nazi Germans or Islamist extremists. Unless Europe can turn their actions around, can begin to realize that the only way to fight demagoguery and terror is by actually fighting it. Unless Europe's leaders fight the fight and stops blaming Israel for its problems Europe will become a satellite of the Islamist world. The Europe of the Magna Carta and the French Revolution, of Peter the Great and Napoleon, of Berlioz and Mozart will cease to exist.
Israel and Europe have the same "father". Both have dealt with terror attacks. But Israel doesn't blame others for her terror problems. Israel realizes her responsibility to protect her citizens and guests. Israel fights her enemies. Europe invites its enemies into the house to have tea and then says it's Israel's fault the enemies attack. Europe needs to wake up and stop coddling murderers or the only legacy they will leave their children is honor killings and suppression.
