B"H
There is a synagogue I like to stop at on the way home from my own synagogue. When I get there, I often find people learning Talmud and other Limudei Kodesh (religious studies). Recently, I stopped by and a father and son, both of whom I consider friends, were learning mussar (loosely, I would say that mussar is the study of making yourself a better person). I joined them in their learning.
We were talking about how people blame all their problems on G-d and I mentioned that this reminded me of how people were angry at G-d for 9/11 rather than aiming their anger at the true villains of the story, the terrorists who crashed the planes into the towers.
It also reminds me of how people talk about Israel. The "ethnically, linguistically and culturally identical to all other Arab/Muslims in the Middle East" people generally referred to as "Palestinians" live appalling lives. They are suppressed, they are terrorized, they are kept in horrible living conditions. But it is not Israel that is responsible for this crime against humanity; it is the "Palestinians'" own leadership.
The leaders of the "Palestinians" keep their people in ignorance. They spread the lie that their squalor and terror are the fault of Israel. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Israel and the Israeli people not only don’t suppress these people, they give them jobs, they give them food, they give them hospital care. And the money that countries give to the "Palestinians" ends up translated into weapons aimed at Israel or lining the pockets and populating the Swiss Bank Accounts of their leaders.
There is only one reason to be anti-Israel. Being anti-Israel is a more politically correct way of expressing anti-Jewish sentiment. "I’m not an anti-Semite," the Jew-haters will say, "I just object to Israel." What do they object to about Israel? Israel isn’t suppressing the "Palestinians" or keeping her own citizens in squalor. The people of Israel have taken a desert area and made it flourish. They have taken a land which Golda Meir described as the only place in the Middle East without oil and turned it into a scientific giant, a country that can economically and technologically "play with the big boys". Israel is a country to be emulated, not scorned.
If the people aiming their disdain at Israel were truly concerned about the "Palestinians", they would also care about the millions of people in the world living in worse conditions or with more right to a land than the "Palestinians". They would be protesting the treatment of non-Muslims in Darfur. They would fight for the Tibetans, whose land was annexed by China. They would join the struggle for the Afghanis who are still at war with the Taliban. They would speak out against the treatment of women under the current corrupt Iranian regime. They would campaign for the Basques, who are ethnically, linguistically and culturally different from all other people in the world but are refused a land of their own by France and Spain.
If the people aiming their disdain at Israel were truly concerned about the "Palestinians", they would not aim their contempt at Israel since Israel is powerless to change the status of the "Palestinians". We have evidence that proves this.
A few years ago, Israel vacated Gush Katif, their settlement in Gaza, leaving families who built the area from a wasteland into a showplace, a place where families had homes and lives and what we in the United States would call "the American dream". Did the leadership of "Palestinians" use this area as towns for their people? Did they employ the homes and offices and infrastructure the people of Gust Katif had created for themselves? Did they resettle their own refugees in this garden spot? No. They razed all the homes and gardens and farms and dug in their heels because all they really want is for Israel to cease to exist. They took the area and turned it into a military outpost, a place to lob bombs on Sederot and other populated areas of Israel. They don't really want homes for their people. They only want to destroy us and create hatred.
So next time you hear someone say they aren't anti-Jewish they're anti-Israel, remind them that this is not possible. Remind them of all the countries in the world who are suppressing other nations. Remind them of what Israel has done for peace versus what the "Palestinian Authority" has done for war, terror and hatred. And tell them you’re wise to their subterfuge.
Israel is a beacon of hope for the world. Israel has proven that a nation, a people and a land can rise Phoenix-like from the ashes of hatred, from the ashes of Buchenwald, Treblinka and Auschwitz, from the hatred of the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Pale of Settlement. Israel has shown the world that there is hope for suppressed peoples, for nations who are living under corrupt regimes, for people living in exile from their lands. Israel should be lauded and copied. And anyone who thinks otherwise is anti-Jewish. Period.
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Who's Buried in Grant's Tomb?
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Sunday, January 24, 2010
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Let's PREVENT another 9/11 in addition to the memorials!
B"H
With another 9/11 anniversary approaching, I find myself thinking of just how far we’ve come, and not in a good way. I remember how, right after the attacks, people were so upset about what had happened, so resolved to prevent its recurrence. I remember how much people wanted the perpetrators punished, the organizations that backed them up and sent them destroyed, the leaders of those organizations made to pay.
But 9/11 seems to have gone the way of the Holocaust; people get brownie points and have photo-ops by attending and speaking at memorial services but no one is doing anything to prevent either from recurring, far from it. The recent release of the Lockerbie bomber and Qadaffi's visit to the Nations-United-Against-Israel-and-the-US (aka the UN) show just how uninterested people are in standing up to and fighting terrorism.
The only way to fight terrorism and terrorist acts is to fight. We can’t back off. We can’t allow any of the terrorist demands to be met. We can’t even appear wishy-washy. We need to stand up to the haters of freedom.
I’ve been reading Cokie Roberts’ book “Founding Mothers”, about the women who helped this country gain our freedom from British tyranny. I wonder what they would think, after being there for so many sacrifices by boys and men and girls and women to win our independence. I wonder what they would think about the world’s tacit capitulation to terror forces, forces we could easily defeat, forces that have proven they have only the “best interests” of a small group of despotic leaders at “heart”. I wonder if the spirits of these “Founding Mothers” are looking down on us from heaven and crying over the squandering of our liberties and the Western world’s autonomy and free-will.
The picture in Europe is bleak. Just about every country in Europe has regions where the Muslim minorities have taken over, suppressing the rights of women, violently suffocating the free will of Muslims and non-Muslims alike, not only in these districts but in their entire countries. People are losing their rights to a free press and free speech as Islamist extremists, who have taken over by spreading fear and panic, riot and murder at the slightest “insult”.
This picture will become even gloomier if we don’t prevent this from happening here in the US. We need to defend our freedom. We need to defend our way of life. We need to defend the free world, the Western world, the world of George Washington and Patrick Henry, of John Hancock and Benjamin Franklin, of Samuel and John Adams, and Eliza Pinckney, Deborah Franklin and Abigail Adams. We need to, as Abraham Lincoln said in the Gettysburg Address, “resolve that these dead [those of the World Trade Center attacks, Lockerby and other terrorist attacks] shall not have died in vain…. That government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” We need to preserve our legacy to our children; we need to give them a world where their differences are celebrated, not suppressed. And we need to protect our bequest from our founding fathers and mothers. We need to maintain our oasis of freedom, the place where oppressed people can escape their subjugation; the country of liberty, the country of choice, the country of openness and opportunity.
As our forefathers and mothers learned, this freedom doesn’t come cheaply. And it isn’t defended by weakness and appeasement.
If we don’t prevent it, 9/11 could happen again. Memorial services don’t prevent attacks or genocidal holocausts. Memorial services don’t fight our fights or defend our children. We need to make these memorial services more meaningful by doing battle with our enemies, the perpetrators of these atrocities, and preventing the need for further memorial services. We need to be strong and remember that our children are worth fighting for. And we need to press our leaders to strike at the adversaries of freedom and liberty.
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Check out my other blogs:
Israel and it's Place in the World
Jewish Singles
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NEW!! Jewish Wedding Customs
Going to a Wedding Single
Strong Biblical Women
Strong Biblical Women 2
Strong Biblical Women Part 3
Ruth and Naomi
Strong Biblical Women 5: Tamar -- Mother of Kings
Strong Biblical Women 6: Yocheved -- Mother of Moshe (Moses)
Strong Biblical Women 7: Miriam
Why Be Vegetarian
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Creating new recipes from old
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Presidents1: George Washington
Passover: Holiday of Freedom
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Why I'm a Red Sox fan
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Eat a Healthy Breakfast
My experience on Jeopardy
Project:Runway and how it got me excited about designing again
Who's Buried in Grant's Tomb?
My Vocational Experiences
Check out my Stress Release Mix list
With another 9/11 anniversary approaching, I find myself thinking of just how far we’ve come, and not in a good way. I remember how, right after the attacks, people were so upset about what had happened, so resolved to prevent its recurrence. I remember how much people wanted the perpetrators punished, the organizations that backed them up and sent them destroyed, the leaders of those organizations made to pay.
But 9/11 seems to have gone the way of the Holocaust; people get brownie points and have photo-ops by attending and speaking at memorial services but no one is doing anything to prevent either from recurring, far from it. The recent release of the Lockerbie bomber and Qadaffi's visit to the Nations-United-Against-Israel-and-the-US (aka the UN) show just how uninterested people are in standing up to and fighting terrorism.
The only way to fight terrorism and terrorist acts is to fight. We can’t back off. We can’t allow any of the terrorist demands to be met. We can’t even appear wishy-washy. We need to stand up to the haters of freedom.
I’ve been reading Cokie Roberts’ book “Founding Mothers”, about the women who helped this country gain our freedom from British tyranny. I wonder what they would think, after being there for so many sacrifices by boys and men and girls and women to win our independence. I wonder what they would think about the world’s tacit capitulation to terror forces, forces we could easily defeat, forces that have proven they have only the “best interests” of a small group of despotic leaders at “heart”. I wonder if the spirits of these “Founding Mothers” are looking down on us from heaven and crying over the squandering of our liberties and the Western world’s autonomy and free-will.
The picture in Europe is bleak. Just about every country in Europe has regions where the Muslim minorities have taken over, suppressing the rights of women, violently suffocating the free will of Muslims and non-Muslims alike, not only in these districts but in their entire countries. People are losing their rights to a free press and free speech as Islamist extremists, who have taken over by spreading fear and panic, riot and murder at the slightest “insult”.
This picture will become even gloomier if we don’t prevent this from happening here in the US. We need to defend our freedom. We need to defend our way of life. We need to defend the free world, the Western world, the world of George Washington and Patrick Henry, of John Hancock and Benjamin Franklin, of Samuel and John Adams, and Eliza Pinckney, Deborah Franklin and Abigail Adams. We need to, as Abraham Lincoln said in the Gettysburg Address, “resolve that these dead [those of the World Trade Center attacks, Lockerby and other terrorist attacks] shall not have died in vain…. That government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” We need to preserve our legacy to our children; we need to give them a world where their differences are celebrated, not suppressed. And we need to protect our bequest from our founding fathers and mothers. We need to maintain our oasis of freedom, the place where oppressed people can escape their subjugation; the country of liberty, the country of choice, the country of openness and opportunity.
As our forefathers and mothers learned, this freedom doesn’t come cheaply. And it isn’t defended by weakness and appeasement.
If we don’t prevent it, 9/11 could happen again. Memorial services don’t prevent attacks or genocidal holocausts. Memorial services don’t fight our fights or defend our children. We need to make these memorial services more meaningful by doing battle with our enemies, the perpetrators of these atrocities, and preventing the need for further memorial services. We need to be strong and remember that our children are worth fighting for. And we need to press our leaders to strike at the adversaries of freedom and liberty.
Compugraph Designs web site
Check out my other blogs:
Israel and it's Place in the World
Jewish Singles
Strong Jewish Women
Check out my Hub Pages articles:
NEW!! Jewish Wedding Customs
Going to a Wedding Single
Strong Biblical Women
Strong Biblical Women 2
Strong Biblical Women Part 3
Ruth and Naomi
Strong Biblical Women 5: Tamar -- Mother of Kings
Strong Biblical Women 6: Yocheved -- Mother of Moshe (Moses)
Strong Biblical Women 7: Miriam
Why Be Vegetarian
Vegetarianism: Getting Started 1
Vegetarianism: Getting Started 2
Rosh Hashana
Quick Vegan Cooking
Creating new recipes from old
Hanuka
About the Jewish Calendar
Witches and Morality
Presidential Trivia Quiz
Christmas and the Jewish Single
Math Hints 1 -- Adding Fractions
Presidents1: George Washington
Passover: Holiday of Freedom
John and John Quincy Adams
Television Trivia Quiz
Jewish Perspective of G-d
Purim, Esther et al
Being an internet small business owner
Why I'm a Red Sox fan
Pythagorean Theorem
My Blogs
Top 10 Presidents
Bottom 10 Presidents
How Can We Appeal to G-d for Forgiveness?
Math Tips 2
Searching for a Fashion Partner
Math Hints 3
One Actor, Two Shows (TV Quiz)
Presidential Tidbits
Why Should anyone hire Me?
Eat a Healthy Breakfast
My experience on Jeopardy
Project:Runway and how it got me excited about designing again
Who's Buried in Grant's Tomb?
My Vocational Experiences
Check out my Stress Release Mix list
Friday, June 12, 2009
Pope Un-Pius
B"H
I guess I was spoiled. The first pope I remember was a good guy. So I guess I expect the Pope, who is supposed to be a holy man, to be something like the Dalai Lama, a spiritual man who loves all humanity. I’m somewhat surprised when the Pope turns out to be a terrible person.
But I really shouldn’t be surprised. This man was a member of the Hitler Youth and no matter how much he puts on the "pope uniform" and no matter who holy he tries to look, he’s just an old Nazi in a Halloween costume.
Though his "visit to the Holy Land" (as the news media have been putting it) started off in less than holy Jordan (as Arab countries go, perhaps Jordan isn’t the worst, but the statement this Islam-loving Jew-hating practice Pope makes by going first to Jordan is very telling), and he’s bending over backwards to kiss the "you-know-whats" of the "ethnically and linguistically identical Arabs popularly referred to as Palestinians", I found something else more offensive than either.
Besides totally putting down Judaism and its role in working for a moral and civilized world (not to mention Judaism’s role in the creation of both Christianity and Islam), which is a slap in the face to Jews and our belief base, this statement implies (or, at least, I infer from it) that secularism is evil and that the Muslims are shining lights of morality in this world.
There are two parts to the world, Ruhniyut (spirituality) and Gashmiyut (the mundane). Without the gashmiyut (the day to day living, our jobs, our cars, our houses, etc.) there can be no ruhniyut. The Talmud says "Im ein Kemah, ein Tora" (if there is no "flour" -- food -- there is no Tora -- no time to learn). The pursuit of parnassa (making a living) is secular for most of us. This is something the Pope does not know. He also doesn’t understand that there are secular people who are good and "spiritual" people who are evil. He doesn’t comprehend the power of goodness to transcend belief in G-d.
Belief or trust in G-d can be the basis of a good life. But so can a strong secular sense of morality. There are many people in this world who live very good, moral lives, treating people with respect, helping others, living their lives by a strong moral code.
Conversely, there are people who claim to believe in G-d who treat others like second-class citizens. Many in the Muslim world treat women, gays and non-Muslims, for example, as subhuman, as not worthy of existence. In the Muslim world, honor killings (murder of daughters, sisters, mothers, nieces, etc. for not following their strict code of subservience or murder of gays just for being gay) are common and rarely punished. Non-Muslims (Jews of course, but Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and any other non-Muslim) are regularly murdered for no reason other than their continued existence. And those who aren’t murdered are stolen from, beaten, cheated, arrested, jailed, tortured. Any Muslim who sells land to a Jew, writes articles condemning honor killings or terrorism, "fraternizes" (romantically or platonically) with non-Muslims, for example, is harassed, beaten, arrested, murdered. Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, a Bangladeshi journalist, is being tried for treason. His crime? Defending Israel in his newspaper and wanting to visit Israel.
This is not unusual in the repressive Muslim world. We in the United States take it for granted that criticizing the government or anyone else, for that matter, won’t land us in prison and certainly won’t end with us on trial for our lives. But in the demagogic world of Islamists, you never know what could cause the "police" to arrest you or just shoot you. You never know, especially if you are a woman or girl, what word you say, what outfit you might wear, what deed you might do that will wind up with you in jail, tortured or dead.
This is the world the Pope is defending, supporting, kissing up to. This is the evil that the man who represents one billion plus Catholics worldwide and, by extension, two billion plus Christians thinks will be his bastion of religiousness, his ally in G-dliness. These are the suppressive regimes and terror mongers that the Pope has hitched his star (or should I say "black hole") to.
We need to see the Islamist world for what it is. We need to see the Pope for who he is (and not blame the people he purports to represent). We need to fight his unholy alliance. We can’t allow the cowards of the world, the kowtowing governments, media outlets and so-called religious leaders, to put us in any more danger than we are. Just by our existence we anger the Islamists. Sitting back and allowing them to come in and kill us and destroy our way of life is not the answer. We are in a war, a war of words, a war of ideals, a war of ethics. And it’s a war we can’t afford to lose.
Check out my squidoo lenses:
Strong Biblical Women
Strong Biblical Women 2
Strong Biblical Women Part 3
Ruth and Naomi
Strong Biblical Women 5: Tamar -- Mother of Kings
Strong Biblical Women 6: Yocheved -- Mother of Moshe (Moses)
Strong Biblical Women 7: Miriam
Why Be Vegetarian
Vegetarianism: Getting Started 1
Vegetarianism: Getting Started 2
Rosh Hashana
Quick Vegan Cooking
Creating new recipes from old
Hanuka
About the Jewish Calendar
Witches and Morality
Presidential Trivia Quiz
Christmas and the Jewish Single
Math Hints 1 -- Adding Fractions
Presidents1: George Washington
Passover: Holiday of Freedom
John and John Quincy Adams
Television Trivia Quiz
Jewish Perspective of G-d
Purim, Esther et al
Being an internet small business owner
Why I'm a Red Sox fan
Pythagorean Theorem
My Blogs
Top 10 Presidents
Bottom 10 Presidents
How Can We Appeal to G-d for Forgiveness?
Math Tips 2
Searching for a Fashion Partner
Math Hints 3
One Actor, Two Shows (TV Quiz)
Presidential Tidbits
Why Should anyone hire Me?
Eat a Healthy Breakfast
My experience on Jeopardy
Project:Runway and how it got me excited about designing again
Who's Buried in Grant's Tomb?
My Vocational Experiences
Check out my Stress Release Mix list
Check out my other blogs:
Jewish Singles
Strong Jewish Women
Everything Goes
[Disclaimer: What I'm saying here should not be interpreted as a "dig" against all Catholics, all popes or the papacy. Just the opposite, I have an enormous respect for Catholics and the papacy. I am reacting to the current pope who has shown his true colors by hobnobbing with the enemy.]
I guess I was spoiled. The first pope I remember was a good guy. So I guess I expect the Pope, who is supposed to be a holy man, to be something like the Dalai Lama, a spiritual man who loves all humanity. I’m somewhat surprised when the Pope turns out to be a terrible person.
But I really shouldn’t be surprised. This man was a member of the Hitler Youth and no matter how much he puts on the "pope uniform" and no matter who holy he tries to look, he’s just an old Nazi in a Halloween costume.
Though his "visit to the Holy Land" (as the news media have been putting it) started off in less than holy Jordan (as Arab countries go, perhaps Jordan isn’t the worst, but the statement this Islam-loving Jew-hating practice Pope makes by going first to Jordan is very telling), and he’s bending over backwards to kiss the "you-know-whats" of the "ethnically and linguistically identical Arabs popularly referred to as Palestinians", I found something else more offensive than either.
"Benedict was full of praise for Islamic faith and culture," wrote Father Raymond J. de Souza for an article in the National Post. Father de Souza added, "Benedict argues for open religious worship and witness precisely because he thinks of Islam as an ally of Christianity in resisting secularization. Religious practice and the role of religion in public life are much more robust in the Arab world than it is in largely secularized Europe." (Quoted in the National Post)
Besides totally putting down Judaism and its role in working for a moral and civilized world (not to mention Judaism’s role in the creation of both Christianity and Islam), which is a slap in the face to Jews and our belief base, this statement implies (or, at least, I infer from it) that secularism is evil and that the Muslims are shining lights of morality in this world.
There are two parts to the world, Ruhniyut (spirituality) and Gashmiyut (the mundane). Without the gashmiyut (the day to day living, our jobs, our cars, our houses, etc.) there can be no ruhniyut. The Talmud says "Im ein Kemah, ein Tora" (if there is no "flour" -- food -- there is no Tora -- no time to learn). The pursuit of parnassa (making a living) is secular for most of us. This is something the Pope does not know. He also doesn’t understand that there are secular people who are good and "spiritual" people who are evil. He doesn’t comprehend the power of goodness to transcend belief in G-d.
Belief or trust in G-d can be the basis of a good life. But so can a strong secular sense of morality. There are many people in this world who live very good, moral lives, treating people with respect, helping others, living their lives by a strong moral code.
Conversely, there are people who claim to believe in G-d who treat others like second-class citizens. Many in the Muslim world treat women, gays and non-Muslims, for example, as subhuman, as not worthy of existence. In the Muslim world, honor killings (murder of daughters, sisters, mothers, nieces, etc. for not following their strict code of subservience or murder of gays just for being gay) are common and rarely punished. Non-Muslims (Jews of course, but Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and any other non-Muslim) are regularly murdered for no reason other than their continued existence. And those who aren’t murdered are stolen from, beaten, cheated, arrested, jailed, tortured. Any Muslim who sells land to a Jew, writes articles condemning honor killings or terrorism, "fraternizes" (romantically or platonically) with non-Muslims, for example, is harassed, beaten, arrested, murdered. Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, a Bangladeshi journalist, is being tried for treason. His crime? Defending Israel in his newspaper and wanting to visit Israel.
This is not unusual in the repressive Muslim world. We in the United States take it for granted that criticizing the government or anyone else, for that matter, won’t land us in prison and certainly won’t end with us on trial for our lives. But in the demagogic world of Islamists, you never know what could cause the "police" to arrest you or just shoot you. You never know, especially if you are a woman or girl, what word you say, what outfit you might wear, what deed you might do that will wind up with you in jail, tortured or dead.
This is the world the Pope is defending, supporting, kissing up to. This is the evil that the man who represents one billion plus Catholics worldwide and, by extension, two billion plus Christians thinks will be his bastion of religiousness, his ally in G-dliness. These are the suppressive regimes and terror mongers that the Pope has hitched his star (or should I say "black hole") to.
We need to see the Islamist world for what it is. We need to see the Pope for who he is (and not blame the people he purports to represent). We need to fight his unholy alliance. We can’t allow the cowards of the world, the kowtowing governments, media outlets and so-called religious leaders, to put us in any more danger than we are. Just by our existence we anger the Islamists. Sitting back and allowing them to come in and kill us and destroy our way of life is not the answer. We are in a war, a war of words, a war of ideals, a war of ethics. And it’s a war we can’t afford to lose.
Check out my squidoo lenses:
Strong Biblical Women
Strong Biblical Women 2
Strong Biblical Women Part 3
Ruth and Naomi
Strong Biblical Women 5: Tamar -- Mother of Kings
Strong Biblical Women 6: Yocheved -- Mother of Moshe (Moses)
Strong Biblical Women 7: Miriam
Why Be Vegetarian
Vegetarianism: Getting Started 1
Vegetarianism: Getting Started 2
Rosh Hashana
Quick Vegan Cooking
Creating new recipes from old
Hanuka
About the Jewish Calendar
Witches and Morality
Presidential Trivia Quiz
Christmas and the Jewish Single
Math Hints 1 -- Adding Fractions
Presidents1: George Washington
Passover: Holiday of Freedom
John and John Quincy Adams
Television Trivia Quiz
Jewish Perspective of G-d
Purim, Esther et al
Being an internet small business owner
Why I'm a Red Sox fan
Pythagorean Theorem
My Blogs
Top 10 Presidents
Bottom 10 Presidents
How Can We Appeal to G-d for Forgiveness?
Math Tips 2
Searching for a Fashion Partner
Math Hints 3
One Actor, Two Shows (TV Quiz)
Presidential Tidbits
Why Should anyone hire Me?
Eat a Healthy Breakfast
My experience on Jeopardy
Project:Runway and how it got me excited about designing again
Who's Buried in Grant's Tomb?
My Vocational Experiences
Check out my Stress Release Mix list
Check out my other blogs:
Jewish Singles
Strong Jewish Women
Everything Goes
Saturday, May 16, 2009
The Pope "heart" s Palestinians
B"H
The first thing the Pope said when he entered Israel was that a Palestinian state should be established. HUH????? I guess he hasn't seen what the "Palestinian Authority" aka the murdering terrorists known as "Hamas" have done to the former Gush Katif (aka the present launching site of explosive shells on population centers for Israel, most notably, but not exclusively, Sderot). Gush Katif was a beautiful area. The Israelis had turned it into a garden spot, literally. This desert community was growing hydroponic organic produce for use all over Israel. And now?????
Haven't the "ethnically identical Arabic people generally referred to as Palestinians" proven beyond a shadow of a doubt (not the trial point of beyond a reasonable doubt, but even further into the "no doubt" area) that they are NOT ready for self-rule, that they are NOT ready for their own country? Haven't these people proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the sole, singular and only reason they want a "Palestinian" state is that they want it instead of Israel?
Really? Wow. What a concept. A group of people totally identical in language, culture (and I use that term VERY loosely), ethnicity, religion, etc. to every other group in the region (EXCEPT for the people in the tiny, eensy-weensy country of Israel, smaller than the state of New Jersey, which is, BTW, 46th in area of the 50 US states, which is peopled by Jews of every race and creed, Christians, Muslims, and other Gentiles also of every race and creed) want to be the ONLY ethnic group in the region, want to remove the ONLY group, tiny as it is, from what they have decided is their land (read: the entire earth.....). So they make up a name using the geographical area's old colonial name, making it seem as though they, not the current residents, are the "True" residents of this ancient land and guess what? The world (especially Europe and the Pope) fall for their c**p hook, line and sinker.
Come on, people, think about it..... Tell me about those "ancient Palestinians" -- Did they speak "Palestinian"? If so, can you tell me a few words of this language??? What did this "once proud" people do? Tell me about their history, literature, way of life.....
What, you can't???? Could that possibly be because the existence of the "Palestinian people" as an ethnically separate people is a myth! That's right. It's a myth.
So stop feeling sorry for these people (except for having their brains and their lives controlled by demagogues who want to keep them in refugee camps so they can use them as a tool to destroy Israel). Stop recommending, calling for, demanding a "Palestinian State". It will only lead to Israel's destruction, and the subjugation of these people by their own leaders. It will also lead to the destruction of the free world as the enemies of peace and freedom become emboldened to complete their "final solution" (which doesn't stop with the Jews) which is the subjugation of the entire world as the world becomes one big Sharia State.
G-d forbid.
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Strong Biblical Women Part 3
Ruth and Naomi
Strong Biblical Women 5: Tamar -- Mother of Kings
Strong Biblical Women 6: Yocheved -- Mother of Moshe (Moses)
Strong Biblical Women 7: Miriam
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The first thing the Pope said when he entered Israel was that a Palestinian state should be established. HUH????? I guess he hasn't seen what the "Palestinian Authority" aka the murdering terrorists known as "Hamas" have done to the former Gush Katif (aka the present launching site of explosive shells on population centers for Israel, most notably, but not exclusively, Sderot). Gush Katif was a beautiful area. The Israelis had turned it into a garden spot, literally. This desert community was growing hydroponic organic produce for use all over Israel. And now?????
Haven't the "ethnically identical Arabic people generally referred to as Palestinians" proven beyond a shadow of a doubt (not the trial point of beyond a reasonable doubt, but even further into the "no doubt" area) that they are NOT ready for self-rule, that they are NOT ready for their own country? Haven't these people proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the sole, singular and only reason they want a "Palestinian" state is that they want it instead of Israel?
Really? Wow. What a concept. A group of people totally identical in language, culture (and I use that term VERY loosely), ethnicity, religion, etc. to every other group in the region (EXCEPT for the people in the tiny, eensy-weensy country of Israel, smaller than the state of New Jersey, which is, BTW, 46th in area of the 50 US states, which is peopled by Jews of every race and creed, Christians, Muslims, and other Gentiles also of every race and creed) want to be the ONLY ethnic group in the region, want to remove the ONLY group, tiny as it is, from what they have decided is their land (read: the entire earth.....). So they make up a name using the geographical area's old colonial name, making it seem as though they, not the current residents, are the "True" residents of this ancient land and guess what? The world (especially Europe and the Pope) fall for their c**p hook, line and sinker.
Come on, people, think about it..... Tell me about those "ancient Palestinians" -- Did they speak "Palestinian"? If so, can you tell me a few words of this language??? What did this "once proud" people do? Tell me about their history, literature, way of life.....
What, you can't???? Could that possibly be because the existence of the "Palestinian people" as an ethnically separate people is a myth! That's right. It's a myth.
So stop feeling sorry for these people (except for having their brains and their lives controlled by demagogues who want to keep them in refugee camps so they can use them as a tool to destroy Israel). Stop recommending, calling for, demanding a "Palestinian State". It will only lead to Israel's destruction, and the subjugation of these people by their own leaders. It will also lead to the destruction of the free world as the enemies of peace and freedom become emboldened to complete their "final solution" (which doesn't stop with the Jews) which is the subjugation of the entire world as the world becomes one big Sharia State.
G-d forbid.
Check out my squidoo lenses:
Strong Biblical Women
Strong Biblical Women 2
Strong Biblical Women Part 3
Ruth and Naomi
Strong Biblical Women 5: Tamar -- Mother of Kings
Strong Biblical Women 6: Yocheved -- Mother of Moshe (Moses)
Strong Biblical Women 7: Miriam
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Jewish Singles
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Everything Goes
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Popularity Contest
B"H
Imagine you're a teenager. In your class is this very popular young woman. Everyone wants to be like her, everyone wants to be in her circle of friends. People dress like her, people sit near her in classes and at lunch.
She, on the other hand, doesn't even realize how popular she is. Even though she dresses like she just walked out of a Vogue pictorial, she asks her circle of friends every day, "how do I look? Does this outfit look good on me?" She is always looking for validation.
There are a bunch of people who want to be like her, but they don't like her. So whenever she asks one of her inferiority complex questions, they purposely lie to her. They purposely play on her insecurities. They tell her her clothes don't match, they tell her she looks fat, they tell her she's ugly and stupid. And, because of how badly she's been abused over the years by people who were jealous of her brains, beauty and style, she believes them and thinks she's stupid and ugly.
Have any of you known a popular young woman like that? Well, I know two: The US and Israel.
If you go around the world, in just about every country, what do you find? People trying to live like "Americans". Between the jeans, the McDonalds and other fast food restaurants, the elections (that try to emulate our elections here in the US but never quite make it), you can see people want to live like "Americans". But the governments of these countries, from Europe, to South America, to the Middle East and other areas, people criticize every step our government takes. We deserved the 9/11 attacks, these people claim. HUH?????
It's the same with Israel. People come to Israel from Europe to use the mud and swim in the Dead Sea (it's good for their skin). People come to Israel from Christian countries on pilgrimages to Christian shrines and places of interest (which the Israeli government protects, but the PA destroys). People from eastern Asia come to Israel for jobs. And people from other Middle Eastern countries envy Israel's standard of living and freedom and equality for all citizens.
So why are the US and Israel trying to please the world? They are already trying to emulate us. They already think we're the best. Their actions should speak louder than their words.
Why are the US and Israel putting up with the United Nations and their one-sided sanctions? Why doesn't the US kick the UN out of NY? Why is Israel trying to please a world that will never be pleased by her actions?
Let's stop listening to the anti-American crowd. Let's stop listening to the people trying to hide their anti-Jewish feelings behind anti-Israel lies. Let's stop caring what the world thinks of us. They're too envious of our way of life to ever admit they want to be like us.
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Strong Biblical Women 2
Strong Biblical Women Part 3
Ruth and Naomi
Strong Biblical Women 5: Tamar -- Mother of Kings
Strong Biblical Women 6: Yocheved -- Mother of Moshe (Moses)
Strong Biblical Women 7: Miriam
Check out my other blogs:
Jewish Singles
Strong Jewish Women
Everything Goes
Imagine you're a teenager. In your class is this very popular young woman. Everyone wants to be like her, everyone wants to be in her circle of friends. People dress like her, people sit near her in classes and at lunch.
She, on the other hand, doesn't even realize how popular she is. Even though she dresses like she just walked out of a Vogue pictorial, she asks her circle of friends every day, "how do I look? Does this outfit look good on me?" She is always looking for validation.
There are a bunch of people who want to be like her, but they don't like her. So whenever she asks one of her inferiority complex questions, they purposely lie to her. They purposely play on her insecurities. They tell her her clothes don't match, they tell her she looks fat, they tell her she's ugly and stupid. And, because of how badly she's been abused over the years by people who were jealous of her brains, beauty and style, she believes them and thinks she's stupid and ugly.
Have any of you known a popular young woman like that? Well, I know two: The US and Israel.
If you go around the world, in just about every country, what do you find? People trying to live like "Americans". Between the jeans, the McDonalds and other fast food restaurants, the elections (that try to emulate our elections here in the US but never quite make it), you can see people want to live like "Americans". But the governments of these countries, from Europe, to South America, to the Middle East and other areas, people criticize every step our government takes. We deserved the 9/11 attacks, these people claim. HUH?????
It's the same with Israel. People come to Israel from Europe to use the mud and swim in the Dead Sea (it's good for their skin). People come to Israel from Christian countries on pilgrimages to Christian shrines and places of interest (which the Israeli government protects, but the PA destroys). People from eastern Asia come to Israel for jobs. And people from other Middle Eastern countries envy Israel's standard of living and freedom and equality for all citizens.
So why are the US and Israel trying to please the world? They are already trying to emulate us. They already think we're the best. Their actions should speak louder than their words.
Why are the US and Israel putting up with the United Nations and their one-sided sanctions? Why doesn't the US kick the UN out of NY? Why is Israel trying to please a world that will never be pleased by her actions?
Let's stop listening to the anti-American crowd. Let's stop listening to the people trying to hide their anti-Jewish feelings behind anti-Israel lies. Let's stop caring what the world thinks of us. They're too envious of our way of life to ever admit they want to be like us.
Check out my squidoo lenses:
Strong Biblical Women
Strong Biblical Women 2
Strong Biblical Women Part 3
Ruth and Naomi
Strong Biblical Women 5: Tamar -- Mother of Kings
Strong Biblical Women 6: Yocheved -- Mother of Moshe (Moses)
Strong Biblical Women 7: Miriam
Check out my other blogs:
Jewish Singles
Strong Jewish Women
Everything Goes
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Cartoon Insurance
B"H
When did cartoons become so nasty? When did it become ok to project the worst prejudices and the worst lies by hiding behind "art"?
I find it amazing that the "Ethnically/Culturally/Linguistically Identical to every other group of Arabs" commonly referred to as "Palestinians" have managed to pump up the propaganda machine to such an extent that a previously respected in my mind political cartoonist like Oliphant actually believes that Israel protecting her citizens from murdering terrorists is equal to Nazis murdering innocent people (6 million of which were Jews). Personally, I wish that Israel had such a find propaganda machine. I wish Israel could even get people to believe the truth, never mind how well the "Ethnically/Culturally/Linguistically Identical to every other group of Arabs" commonly referred to as "Palestinians" (led, now, by Hamas, but, to be honest, Fata is no better and Abbas is just Arafat in a suit) has gotten the world to believe that:
I have news for you, phony "Liberals" out there. The terrorist conglomerate of the world won't spare you simply because you defend them and hate Israel. The terrorist conglomerate of the world won't spare you simply because you send them extortion money. The terrorist conglomerate of the world won't leave you alone because you create and the support the creation of anti-Jewish anti-Israel political cartoons or op-ed pieces. You will be swept up too if you don't fight back. You will be put in the position of having to defend your body from their invasion. And you will be next.
We Jews are the "canary in the coal mine". We are the ones who get attacked first, but, mark my work, just like Hitler started with the Jews and moved on to other groups (gays, gypsies, political enemies, etc.) the terrorist conglomerate of the world will too. Oh, wait, they already have. They've moved on to Movie goers in Mumbai, night club patrons in Bali, British diplomats in Istanbul, train riders in Madrid, school children in Beslan, Russia, and, of course, World Trade Center and Pentagon workers and hijacked airplane passengers in New York and Washington.
When are the people of the world going to wake up to the threat posed by the media's continued attacks on Israel and support of terrorists? When are the people of the world going to realize their lives are in danger? When are the people of the world going to stand up and be counted for democracy, freedom and equality?
I don't know when that day will come. Oliphant and his anti-Jewish cartoon, perpetuating the myth that Israel is like Nazi Germany in any way, is just another nail in the world's coffin. Please don't allow yourself to be an accessory to the murder of Western culture and Democratic society.
Check out my other blogs:
Jewish Singles
Strong Jewish Women
Everything Goes
Jewish Sandwich
Check out my squidoo lenses (articles):
Strong Biblical Women
Strong Biblical Women 2
When did cartoons become so nasty? When did it become ok to project the worst prejudices and the worst lies by hiding behind "art"?
I find it amazing that the "Ethnically/Culturally/Linguistically Identical to every other group of Arabs" commonly referred to as "Palestinians" have managed to pump up the propaganda machine to such an extent that a previously respected in my mind political cartoonist like Oliphant actually believes that Israel protecting her citizens from murdering terrorists is equal to Nazis murdering innocent people (6 million of which were Jews). Personally, I wish that Israel had such a find propaganda machine. I wish Israel could even get people to believe the truth, never mind how well the "Ethnically/Culturally/Linguistically Identical to every other group of Arabs" commonly referred to as "Palestinians" (led, now, by Hamas, but, to be honest, Fata is no better and Abbas is just Arafat in a suit) has gotten the world to believe that:
- They and not the Jews are the true heirs of Abraham, and, therefore, the true guardians of Israel
- Israel, "tiny little 14 million in population vs. 1 billion Muslims" Israel, is the aggressor
- The world needs to send them money so they can build an infrastructure (when all of the money the world is sending them goes NOT to building an infrastructure or helping their lied to, inculcated, death loving, oppressed people to survive but to murdering still more Jews and Gentile Israelis)
I have news for you, phony "Liberals" out there. The terrorist conglomerate of the world won't spare you simply because you defend them and hate Israel. The terrorist conglomerate of the world won't spare you simply because you send them extortion money. The terrorist conglomerate of the world won't leave you alone because you create and the support the creation of anti-Jewish anti-Israel political cartoons or op-ed pieces. You will be swept up too if you don't fight back. You will be put in the position of having to defend your body from their invasion. And you will be next.
We Jews are the "canary in the coal mine". We are the ones who get attacked first, but, mark my work, just like Hitler started with the Jews and moved on to other groups (gays, gypsies, political enemies, etc.) the terrorist conglomerate of the world will too. Oh, wait, they already have. They've moved on to Movie goers in Mumbai, night club patrons in Bali, British diplomats in Istanbul, train riders in Madrid, school children in Beslan, Russia, and, of course, World Trade Center and Pentagon workers and hijacked airplane passengers in New York and Washington.
When are the people of the world going to wake up to the threat posed by the media's continued attacks on Israel and support of terrorists? When are the people of the world going to realize their lives are in danger? When are the people of the world going to stand up and be counted for democracy, freedom and equality?
I don't know when that day will come. Oliphant and his anti-Jewish cartoon, perpetuating the myth that Israel is like Nazi Germany in any way, is just another nail in the world's coffin. Please don't allow yourself to be an accessory to the murder of Western culture and Democratic society.
Check out my other blogs:
Jewish Singles
Strong Jewish Women
Everything Goes
Jewish Sandwich
Check out my squidoo lenses (articles):
Strong Biblical Women
Strong Biblical Women 2
Saturday, February 14, 2009
"Perfect 10"??????
B"H
When I was growing up, I used to read Olameinu (Hebrew for "Our world"). Olameinu is an Orthodox Children's Magazine that makes learning fun. They used to have Tora theme riddles and one of those riddles was about a Judge in the Sanhedrin (Jewish Court) – the judge, as part of the Sanhedrin, was judging a capital case. If this judge votes "guilty", the man is set free, if the judge votes "not guilty" the man is put to death. How can this be?
The answer to the riddle is that if all 70 judges agree that someone is guilty, it means the case is too perfect and there must be some problem (for example, the defendant wasn’t adequately represented). (Noto bene: the voting is done secretly so no one knows what the other 69 judges will vote.)
One of the things I’ve always liked about Judaism is that our heroes aren’t perfect. Look through the Tanakh (Jewish Bible) and you will see that nobody, not Avraham, not Yitzhak, not Yaakov, not even Moshe, was perfect. They all made mistakes. Other religious groups don’t have that. They portray their heroes as perfect, flawless, someone not to be questioned. From the perspective of a former Yeshiva girl, that seems ridiculous. In Judaism, only G-d is perfect (and even G-d can be questioned, even argued with – Avraham and Moshe both argued with G-d and won).
The consequence of the "Our Heroes are Perfect" syndrome, in my opinion, is that people spend too much time trying to bury their mistakes and never giving their lapses a chance to teach them anything. Most Millionaires have in common that they failed in business (often multiple times) before they succeeded. They learned from their fiascoes.
Georges Santayana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." I would add to this "Those who cannot admit their mistakes are condemned to repeat them." If you cannot admit that Neville Chamberlain made a mistake in handing over land to the power hungry Adolph Hitler, if you cannot admit that Ariel Sharon with his unilateral, "no concessions asked" withdrawal from Gush Katif (Gaza) made a huge misstep, if you cannot understand that ending the Gaza War without surrender from Hamas was an error of magnificent proportions, then you will continue to make the same mistakes over and over and over again.
Placating terrorists doesn’t work. Whether the terrorist you’re talking about is head of a governmental body of a sovereign nation (like Hitler) or an organization that co-opted its people’s election to get voted in as their leader, despite their lack of a country (like Hamas) terrorists aren’t looking for logic or negotiations. Terrorists aren’t reasonable people. Terrorists haven’t even thought through what things would be like if they got their demands met. For example, what would Hitler have done if he had, G-d forbid, succeeded in killing every Jew on the planet? Do people really think he would have left his job, bought a nice little house in the country and retired there with Eva Braun? That’s highly doubtful. More likely he would have turned to Catholics or Baptists or Quakers or homosexuals or disabled people or _________ (fill in the blank with your idea of a group). Hitler’s thirst for blood would never have been quenched.
Because the Muslim faith looks at Muhammad, "The Prophet", as perfect and infallible, Islamists can never admit that something they did was wrong or bad. They have to continue along their road believing they are totally right and totally good, no matter how many people they murder. And why should they question their deeds when most of the world lauds them and condemns Israel?
Why indeed. Yet there are some Muslims who are beginning to question. In addition to high profile people like Salmon Rushdie, Nonie Darwish, Irshad Manji and Sheikh Prof. Abdul Hadi Palazzi, Director of the Cultural Institute of the Italian Islamic Community, there are organizations of anti-terror Muslims like Muslims Against Sharia at http://muslimsagainstsharia.blogspot.com and American Islamic Forum for Democracy at http://www.aifdemocracy.org/. These organizations and others like them are beginning to be heard.
Many anti-terror Muslims and Muslim organizations are trying to spread the word about the dangers the West faces from pro-terror Muslims and Muslim organizations. We need to listen to them. We need to realize that we are not perfect and that we need to learn from our mistakes (and the mistakes of European governments). We need to stand up for our freedom and our democracy. We need to fight the tyranny, despotism and oppression left in the wake of terror activities. We need to fight for ourselves and the rest of the world, including the people under the rule of the terror organizations. We need to find a way to reeducate people who live under these regimes, who feed them a steady diet of hate. We need to plan our future and the future of Western civilization. If we don’t, that civilization will cease to exist.
Check out my squidoo lenses (articles):
Strong Biblical Women
Strong Biblical Women 2
Check out my other blogs:
Jewish Sandwich
Jewish Singles
Strong Jewish Women
Israel and its place in the world
Everything Goes
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Other merchandise
Ties, Shoes, etc. on Zazzle
When I was growing up, I used to read Olameinu (Hebrew for "Our world"). Olameinu is an Orthodox Children's Magazine that makes learning fun. They used to have Tora theme riddles and one of those riddles was about a Judge in the Sanhedrin (Jewish Court) – the judge, as part of the Sanhedrin, was judging a capital case. If this judge votes "guilty", the man is set free, if the judge votes "not guilty" the man is put to death. How can this be?
The answer to the riddle is that if all 70 judges agree that someone is guilty, it means the case is too perfect and there must be some problem (for example, the defendant wasn’t adequately represented). (Noto bene: the voting is done secretly so no one knows what the other 69 judges will vote.)
One of the things I’ve always liked about Judaism is that our heroes aren’t perfect. Look through the Tanakh (Jewish Bible) and you will see that nobody, not Avraham, not Yitzhak, not Yaakov, not even Moshe, was perfect. They all made mistakes. Other religious groups don’t have that. They portray their heroes as perfect, flawless, someone not to be questioned. From the perspective of a former Yeshiva girl, that seems ridiculous. In Judaism, only G-d is perfect (and even G-d can be questioned, even argued with – Avraham and Moshe both argued with G-d and won).
The consequence of the "Our Heroes are Perfect" syndrome, in my opinion, is that people spend too much time trying to bury their mistakes and never giving their lapses a chance to teach them anything. Most Millionaires have in common that they failed in business (often multiple times) before they succeeded. They learned from their fiascoes.
Georges Santayana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." I would add to this "Those who cannot admit their mistakes are condemned to repeat them." If you cannot admit that Neville Chamberlain made a mistake in handing over land to the power hungry Adolph Hitler, if you cannot admit that Ariel Sharon with his unilateral, "no concessions asked" withdrawal from Gush Katif (Gaza) made a huge misstep, if you cannot understand that ending the Gaza War without surrender from Hamas was an error of magnificent proportions, then you will continue to make the same mistakes over and over and over again.
Placating terrorists doesn’t work. Whether the terrorist you’re talking about is head of a governmental body of a sovereign nation (like Hitler) or an organization that co-opted its people’s election to get voted in as their leader, despite their lack of a country (like Hamas) terrorists aren’t looking for logic or negotiations. Terrorists aren’t reasonable people. Terrorists haven’t even thought through what things would be like if they got their demands met. For example, what would Hitler have done if he had, G-d forbid, succeeded in killing every Jew on the planet? Do people really think he would have left his job, bought a nice little house in the country and retired there with Eva Braun? That’s highly doubtful. More likely he would have turned to Catholics or Baptists or Quakers or homosexuals or disabled people or _________ (fill in the blank with your idea of a group). Hitler’s thirst for blood would never have been quenched.
Because the Muslim faith looks at Muhammad, "The Prophet", as perfect and infallible, Islamists can never admit that something they did was wrong or bad. They have to continue along their road believing they are totally right and totally good, no matter how many people they murder. And why should they question their deeds when most of the world lauds them and condemns Israel?
Why indeed. Yet there are some Muslims who are beginning to question. In addition to high profile people like Salmon Rushdie, Nonie Darwish, Irshad Manji and Sheikh Prof. Abdul Hadi Palazzi, Director of the Cultural Institute of the Italian Islamic Community, there are organizations of anti-terror Muslims like Muslims Against Sharia at http://muslimsagainstsharia.blogspot.com and American Islamic Forum for Democracy at http://www.aifdemocracy.org/. These organizations and others like them are beginning to be heard.
Many anti-terror Muslims and Muslim organizations are trying to spread the word about the dangers the West faces from pro-terror Muslims and Muslim organizations. We need to listen to them. We need to realize that we are not perfect and that we need to learn from our mistakes (and the mistakes of European governments). We need to stand up for our freedom and our democracy. We need to fight the tyranny, despotism and oppression left in the wake of terror activities. We need to fight for ourselves and the rest of the world, including the people under the rule of the terror organizations. We need to find a way to reeducate people who live under these regimes, who feed them a steady diet of hate. We need to plan our future and the future of Western civilization. If we don’t, that civilization will cease to exist.
Check out my squidoo lenses (articles):
Strong Biblical Women
Strong Biblical Women 2
Check out my other blogs:
Jewish Sandwich
Jewish Singles
Strong Jewish Women
Israel and its place in the world
Everything Goes
Check out my other merchandise:
Other merchandise
Ties, Shoes, etc. on Zazzle
Thursday, January 29, 2009
I hate to say "I told you so" but.....
B"H
I try not to be the sort of person who says "I told you so". But there are just some times that I feel the need to remind people that I warned them.
In one of my previous blog entries (The Fault Lies Not in our Stars) dated April 23, 2008, I gave an analogy to what happens with Israel in the press and in the world.
Interestingly enough, this analogy is precisely what happened during the recent Gaza War. Israel is required, by public opinion and the opinion of the world press (including some of Israel's own journalists) to endure every attack on her people -- every homicide bomber, every falling missile, every soldier kidnapping/torture/murder, every personal attack/murder, every school or Yeshiva attack/mass murder -- without a preemptive strike, without a defensive attack, without a complaint or a whimper. All this is required of a people who comprise such a tiny percentage of the world population. (Jews make up about .2% of the world's population -- Muslims make up somewhere around 17% to 23% of the world's population, depending on whose estimate of the Muslim population you take.)
It seems rather ironic to me that people feel that, to be open-minded and politically correct, they need to bend over backwards to a group that makes up 17% to 23% of the world's population while criticizing and lambasting the group that makes up .2% of the world's population (mind you, this means, basically, that there are around 100 times as many Muslims as Jews).
So, keep in mind whenever you read those articles saying what horrible people the Israelis are and how they are overreacting and how the numbers of "Palestinians" killed is disproportionate (notice how they never count in this total all the Israelis murdered during the two intifadas or the difference between Israeli civilians, who are easily separated from the military, and Palestinian civilians, who are used to protect their cowardly leaders from harm because they know the Israelis don't want to kill civilians -- but I digress....) that Israel is defending herself and her citizens and her visitors from the hatred and murder of a racist, xenophobic, militaristic, misogynistic regime that keeps it's own people in squalor so that they can feed on hatred and death, so they can be their willing sacrificial lambs marching to slaughter, their own slaughter and that of their victims. Keep in mind when you are bombarded with anti-Jewish (masquerading as anti-Israel -- make no mistakes, anti-Israel is anti-Jewish -- if it weren't, people wouldn't be criticizing Israel for defending herself and they would be much more concerned about Darfur and other places where Muslims are killing Christians and other non-Muslims) Israel-criticism in the media that Israel would be the first to live in peace if her neighbors would stop attacking. Israel would like nothing more than to not lose the best and bravest of her people. Israel would like nothing more than to be left alone. But that's not the reality Israelis live in. That's not the reality we in the US live in. This is not the reality of the world as it is today in the 21st secular century in a post 9-11 world.
When the paradigm shifts and peace is beloved by all, then Israelis can lay down their guns. But, while I pray for this paradigm shift, I don't expect it in my lifetime. So I act accordingly.
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Why Be Vegetarian
Vegetarianism: Getting Started 1
Vegetarianism: Getting Started 2
Rosh Hashana
Quick Vegan Cooking
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Strong Biblical Women Part 3
Hanuka
About the Jewish Calendar
Witches and Morality
Presidential Trivia Quiz
Christmas and the Jewish Single
Math Hints 1 -- Adding Fractions
Presidents1: George Washington
Passover: Holiday of Freedom
Ruth and Naomi
John and John Quincy Adams
Television Trivia Quiz
Tamar -- Mother of Kings
Jewish Perspective of G-d
Why I'm a Red Sox Fan
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Israel and its place in the world
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I try not to be the sort of person who says "I told you so". But there are just some times that I feel the need to remind people that I warned them.
In one of my previous blog entries (The Fault Lies Not in our Stars) dated April 23, 2008, I gave an analogy to what happens with Israel in the press and in the world.
Interestingly enough, this analogy is precisely what happened during the recent Gaza War. Israel is required, by public opinion and the opinion of the world press (including some of Israel's own journalists) to endure every attack on her people -- every homicide bomber, every falling missile, every soldier kidnapping/torture/murder, every personal attack/murder, every school or Yeshiva attack/mass murder -- without a preemptive strike, without a defensive attack, without a complaint or a whimper. All this is required of a people who comprise such a tiny percentage of the world population. (Jews make up about .2% of the world's population -- Muslims make up somewhere around 17% to 23% of the world's population, depending on whose estimate of the Muslim population you take.)
It seems rather ironic to me that people feel that, to be open-minded and politically correct, they need to bend over backwards to a group that makes up 17% to 23% of the world's population while criticizing and lambasting the group that makes up .2% of the world's population (mind you, this means, basically, that there are around 100 times as many Muslims as Jews).
So, keep in mind whenever you read those articles saying what horrible people the Israelis are and how they are overreacting and how the numbers of "Palestinians" killed is disproportionate (notice how they never count in this total all the Israelis murdered during the two intifadas or the difference between Israeli civilians, who are easily separated from the military, and Palestinian civilians, who are used to protect their cowardly leaders from harm because they know the Israelis don't want to kill civilians -- but I digress....) that Israel is defending herself and her citizens and her visitors from the hatred and murder of a racist, xenophobic, militaristic, misogynistic regime that keeps it's own people in squalor so that they can feed on hatred and death, so they can be their willing sacrificial lambs marching to slaughter, their own slaughter and that of their victims. Keep in mind when you are bombarded with anti-Jewish (masquerading as anti-Israel -- make no mistakes, anti-Israel is anti-Jewish -- if it weren't, people wouldn't be criticizing Israel for defending herself and they would be much more concerned about Darfur and other places where Muslims are killing Christians and other non-Muslims) Israel-criticism in the media that Israel would be the first to live in peace if her neighbors would stop attacking. Israel would like nothing more than to not lose the best and bravest of her people. Israel would like nothing more than to be left alone. But that's not the reality Israelis live in. That's not the reality we in the US live in. This is not the reality of the world as it is today in the 21st secular century in a post 9-11 world.
When the paradigm shifts and peace is beloved by all, then Israelis can lay down their guns. But, while I pray for this paradigm shift, I don't expect it in my lifetime. So I act accordingly.
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Sunday, January 25, 2009
NY is the UNcity....
B"H
Someone commented on one of the comments I made on the Muslims Against Sharia blog (I mostly agreed with what (s)he had to say, (see the comments on the bottom of this page) but I felt the need to comment anyway...) and this is what I answered:
I personally think the UN has outlived its usefulness as a peace keeping organization. I'm beginning to understand the wisdom of the US not joining the League of Nations (Wilson to the contrary notwithstanding) after WWI.
The problem, as I see it, with the UN is that blocs of nations (such as the former Warsaw bloc and the current Arab/Muslim bloc) can easily co opt the organization and, together with other blocs that are afraid to "anger" them, the business of the UN becomes trying to get the one country that would live in peace without anyone else's intervention, condemning that country and forcing her to make unhealthy (from a security perspective) concessions (like freeing murderous criminal terrorists from prisons so they can kill again and allow an avowed enemy to get the government to agree to force brave, peace loving people from their homes).
IMHO, the UN should be disbanded, kicked out of New York (I'm sure New York City could use the extra revenue that would provide) and change its name to the "union of Arab/Muslim and Muslim-fearing states" to actually reflect what it truly IS.
European governments cower from the Arab and Muslim people living in their lands. What they fail to realize is that these people are doing what they can do anyway -- angering them isn't going to change anything. They are perpetually angry. As a Jew, I know I'm a target anyway, just by existing. I realize that means I don't have to kowtow to them. By doing what they want, we are showing them weakness, in their eyes. Fight for what you believe in. Fight while there is still something to fight for. If things keep up the way they are going, there will be nothing left to fight for all to soon.
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Someone commented on one of the comments I made on the Muslims Against Sharia blog (I mostly agreed with what (s)he had to say, (see the comments on the bottom of this page) but I felt the need to comment anyway...) and this is what I answered:
I personally think the UN has outlived its usefulness as a peace keeping organization. I'm beginning to understand the wisdom of the US not joining the League of Nations (Wilson to the contrary notwithstanding) after WWI.
The problem, as I see it, with the UN is that blocs of nations (such as the former Warsaw bloc and the current Arab/Muslim bloc) can easily co opt the organization and, together with other blocs that are afraid to "anger" them, the business of the UN becomes trying to get the one country that would live in peace without anyone else's intervention, condemning that country and forcing her to make unhealthy (from a security perspective) concessions (like freeing murderous criminal terrorists from prisons so they can kill again and allow an avowed enemy to get the government to agree to force brave, peace loving people from their homes).
IMHO, the UN should be disbanded, kicked out of New York (I'm sure New York City could use the extra revenue that would provide) and change its name to the "union of Arab/Muslim and Muslim-fearing states" to actually reflect what it truly IS.
European governments cower from the Arab and Muslim people living in their lands. What they fail to realize is that these people are doing what they can do anyway -- angering them isn't going to change anything. They are perpetually angry. As a Jew, I know I'm a target anyway, just by existing. I realize that means I don't have to kowtow to them. By doing what they want, we are showing them weakness, in their eyes. Fight for what you believe in. Fight while there is still something to fight for. If things keep up the way they are going, there will be nothing left to fight for all to soon.
Check out my squidoo lenses (articles):
Strong Biblical Women
Strong Biblical Women 2
Why Be Vegetarian
Vegetarianism: Getting Started 1
Vegetarianism: Getting Started 2
Rosh Hashana
Quick Vegan Cooking
Creating new recipes from old
Strong Biblical Women Part 3
Hanuka
About the Jewish Calendar
Witches and Morality
Presidential Trivia Quiz
Christmas and the Jewish Single
Math Hints 1 -- Adding Fractions
Presidents1: George Washington
Passover: Holiday of Freedom
Ruth and Naomi
John and John Quincy Adams
Television Trivia Quiz
Tamar -- Mother of Kings
Jewish Perspective of G-d
Why I'm a Red Sox Fan
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Israel and its place in the world
Everything Goes
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Saturday, December 13, 2008
Saturday, August 9, 2008
"My computer is allergic to smoke"
B"H
I hope by now that those of you who regularly read this blog know that, despite my living in the US, I love Israel. My first visit to Israel, a bit over 20 years ago, lasted 9 months and I have been there three times in the past 4 years. I have family there (whom I adore and miss terribly when I don't see them). One of my nephews, who has lived almost half his life in Israel, is always bugging me to move there. He starts listing all the reasons I should move to Israel (to be near them, it's a Jewish state, etc.) and I give him my list of reasons I don't want to move there. Tops on my list is cigarette smoke.
I know many of you will say the same thing my nephew says ("That's not a good reason.") but he's wrong.
The first time I was in Israel, I worked for a company in Ashkelon. My job was to learn the educational computer language logo (a fun language and easy to teach to young children). I worked in an office with one other person (who also didn't smoke). But other people from the company would come into the office and they would smoke. I would ask them to stop and they would ignore me, poo-poo me, disrespect me, but they would rarely put out their cigarettes.
So I put up a sign that said Na Lo L'Ashein -- HaMahshevim Alergiim l'Ashan -- Please don't smoke, the computers are allergic to smoke. That was the only thing that stopped them -- a person's lungs they didn't care about, but that the smoke could ruin the computers, that they cared about!
A number of years ago, the oldest daughter of a family we know got married in Israel to a smoker. I asked her how she could marry a smoker and she said that she was too old (in her 30s!) to be so picky. A few years back, she passed away (in her 50s) from cancer leaving 6 children (all living at home) without a mother. About a year later, her husband dropped dead of a heart attack leaving these 6 children without parents (one was about bar mitzvah age) living in Israel (the rest of their family, grandparents, aunts/uncles, cousins, all live in the US). I believe the husband's smoking caused this tragedy.
My mother, who never smoked a day in her life, just found out that she has a bit of emphysema. We were wondering how this happened. My mother grew up with smokers all around her (father, aunts, cousins, etc.). She also bowls a lot (and those bowling alleys are a hotbed for cigarette smoke!).
Non-smokers in the US at least have the law on their sides. But non-smokers in Israel don't really have anyone on their side (I was in a restaurant with my family and the smoking section door was open into the non-smoking section -- how were we to avoid the smoke????) When Israel decided to clean up her act and the country's lungs, I might consider moving to Israel. But until then, I'll have to stay here, in the land of the (smoke) free (air).
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I hope by now that those of you who regularly read this blog know that, despite my living in the US, I love Israel. My first visit to Israel, a bit over 20 years ago, lasted 9 months and I have been there three times in the past 4 years. I have family there (whom I adore and miss terribly when I don't see them). One of my nephews, who has lived almost half his life in Israel, is always bugging me to move there. He starts listing all the reasons I should move to Israel (to be near them, it's a Jewish state, etc.) and I give him my list of reasons I don't want to move there. Tops on my list is cigarette smoke.
I know many of you will say the same thing my nephew says ("That's not a good reason.") but he's wrong.
The first time I was in Israel, I worked for a company in Ashkelon. My job was to learn the educational computer language logo (a fun language and easy to teach to young children). I worked in an office with one other person (who also didn't smoke). But other people from the company would come into the office and they would smoke. I would ask them to stop and they would ignore me, poo-poo me, disrespect me, but they would rarely put out their cigarettes.
So I put up a sign that said Na Lo L'Ashein -- HaMahshevim Alergiim l'Ashan -- Please don't smoke, the computers are allergic to smoke. That was the only thing that stopped them -- a person's lungs they didn't care about, but that the smoke could ruin the computers, that they cared about!
A number of years ago, the oldest daughter of a family we know got married in Israel to a smoker. I asked her how she could marry a smoker and she said that she was too old (in her 30s!) to be so picky. A few years back, she passed away (in her 50s) from cancer leaving 6 children (all living at home) without a mother. About a year later, her husband dropped dead of a heart attack leaving these 6 children without parents (one was about bar mitzvah age) living in Israel (the rest of their family, grandparents, aunts/uncles, cousins, all live in the US). I believe the husband's smoking caused this tragedy.
My mother, who never smoked a day in her life, just found out that she has a bit of emphysema. We were wondering how this happened. My mother grew up with smokers all around her (father, aunts, cousins, etc.). She also bowls a lot (and those bowling alleys are a hotbed for cigarette smoke!).
Non-smokers in the US at least have the law on their sides. But non-smokers in Israel don't really have anyone on their side (I was in a restaurant with my family and the smoking section door was open into the non-smoking section -- how were we to avoid the smoke????) When Israel decided to clean up her act and the country's lungs, I might consider moving to Israel. But until then, I'll have to stay here, in the land of the (smoke) free (air).
Check out my squidoo lenses (articles):
Strong Biblical Women
Strong Biblical Women 2
Why Be Vegetarian
Vegetarianism: Getting Started 1
Vegetarianism: Getting Started 2
Rosh Hashana
Quick Vegan Cooking
Creating new recipes from old
Strong Biblical Women Part 3
Hanuka
About the Jewish Calendar
Witches and Morality
Presidential Trivia Quiz
Christmas and the Jewish Single
Math Hints 1 -- Adding Fractions
Presidents1: George Washington
Passover: Holiday of Freedom
Ruth and Naomi
John and John Quincy Adams
Television Trivia Quiz
Tamar -- Mother of Kings
Jewish Perspective of G-d
Why I'm a Red Sox Fan
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Strong Jewish Women
Everything Goes
Bayit and Garden
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Friday, April 25, 2008
Unfortunately, a lot of people share [this] simplistic view
B"H
One of my friends alerts me to blog entries I should be commenting on. This is a comment on a blog entry called Quo Vadis, Israel? by Dana J. Tuszke: (the italicized parts below are quotes from her blog entry)
I have a lot to say about your original post and, while I read a number of the comments, I didn't read them all, so if I repeat anything that has been said before, please excuse me.
I can only hope that your purpose in writing this was to learn more about the subject. I hope the comments you have received have helped in this regard and I hope I can add to your education on this subject.
First of all, I'd like to suggest you read my blog "Israel and its place in the world" for some more insights. I do have a bit of a background. I have family in Israel (I've been to Israel myself 4 times, once for 9 months of a 1 year program, the rest for family celebrations). I learned quite a bit of Jewish History in my years in Yeshiva (Jewish Day School, not after school Hebrew School) and I learn more by working with my tutees. So, perhaps, I have a bit more understanding of the subject.
"I do remember learning about the Holy Land in catechism class, but only as it pertained to the Roman-Catholic faith, the Bible, or Jesus Christ himself."
As a Roman Catholic, I doubt you could possibly understand what Israel means to the heart and soul of the Jewish people. I won't even attempt to explain it in this short (?!?!) forum.
"I once asked a teacher why there were so many conflicts in the Middle East, why people were always fighting with each other, but I never received an answer that made any sense. My questions were often answered with generalizations or personal assumptions."
Sigh. This is a problem. If I were to try to explain the roots of this issue it would sound paranoid. I would suggest you read Brigitte Gabriel's book "Because They Hate". While it's not a Jewish perspective on the issue, it gives you an idea of what happens when open-minded people let the Islamists move in.
"'For Jews and non-Jews alike," Nennhaus writes, "the State of Israel has become the source of disappointment and concern. The world has witnessed the never-ending tragedy that has befallen the Holy Land with its wars, bombings and intifadas, and the United States, in spite of its unmatched influence, has been unable to resolve the crisis.'"
I'm quite surprised that Israel is a source of disappointment. To me, the only disappointment I have with Israel is its government's inability to see the true threat and protect its citizens (especially those in Sderot, but I digress). The wars, bombings and intifadas are caused, quite simply, by the Islamists' aversion to a Jewish presence in a place they consider theirs. Israel, BTW, is a bit smaller than New Jersey and has a population density of over 700 people per square mile (this is a far higher population density than Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Saudi Arabia and far less land and even the smallest of these four). Israel is anything but a disappointment to Jews living there, the technology companies who have branches there, the cell phone customers all over the world (the technology for cell phones was developed in Israel, which probably explains the high per capita cell phone use in Israel).
I can't understand how anyone could be disappointed with Israel -- the people who have lived in Israel have taken a place that was desolate and turned into a garden spot. They took a colony and turned it into a country. They took a place living under despots and dictators and created a democracy. They took a spot in the third world and created a modern country based on freedom, liberty and equality for all. They took a piece of real estate (much of which was paid for by Jewish agencies and private Jews) and turned it into a haven not only for oppressed Jews (eg Soviet Jews, Ethiopian Jews, Yemenite Jews, etc.) but also for oppressed non-Jews (eg Vietnamese boat people, members of the Baha'i faith, etc.). How can anyone be disappointed with that?
"The author believes that peace in Israel cannot be achieved if things stay as they are and always have been, and offers that the solution may lie in relocating the State of Israel to a geographic region where there is no hostility."
Interesting idea, but hardly new. When Theodore Herzl, the father of Zionism, first thought about what would erase anti-Semitism in the world (he had just been witness to one of the most anti-Semitic happenings in his generation, the Dreyfus Affair -- and the people yelled "kill the Jews" -- not "kill the traitor" or "kill the Jew" singular, but "kill the Jews") he thought of having the Jews settle Uganda. That really didn't fly. Zionism is centered in Zion, another name for Israel. Israel is the center of our lives, the center of our relationship with G-d. Any other place is just like living in a dormitory -- it's nice, but it's not home.
"I wonder how this would work? Would it solve the many conflicts that arise between Israelis and Palestinians? Where would the State of Israel relocate? Should the United States end the war in Iraq and assist the Israelis instead?"
By the way, it wouldn't work too well. For 2000 or so year, Jews have lived mostly outside of Israel (there has always been a Jewish presence in Israel since the time of Joshua, somewhere in the neighborhood of 3000 years ago). And we've been kicked out of more countries than I care to list. Each country complained about our presence. Each country, like the world currently, blamed us for all their ills. So finally we decided it's time for us to have our own country again, with G-d's help. So now, these same people (all right, the descendants of these same people) who were for so many centuries, upset that we didn't have our own country, are now upset that we DO have our own country. When you realize that nothing you do pleases others, you realize it's time to please yourself.
I also have a problem with all the people who either say that Israel is the whole problem or that both sides are equally responsible. Think about this truism -- if the Arabs were to put down their weapons there would be no more war; if Israelis put down their weapons, there would be no more Israel.
Israel has spent the past 60 years (and then some) trying to make peace, trying to live in peace, making concessions, defending itself from enemies. When Israel had Gaza, it was a beautiful community. Now it's little more than a launching pad for missiles heading for Sderot or other populated areas. Why are we so anxious to repeat this mistake with Judea and Samaria (aka "the West Bank")?
Unlike the Palestinian Authority (which has shown beyond a reasonable doubt that it doesn't deserve its own country), Israel accepts people of all ethnicities, religions, national origins, races, sexual orientation, etc. Jews have been kicked out of every area given to the Palestinian Authority but Israel doesn't kick out anyone. The existing Palestinian "refugees" left their homes voluntarily at the request of the enemies of Israel. Israel has never forcibly displaced any population (except its own, as in Gaza and the Sinai).
From my perspective, the only solution is for Israel to defend itself, its citizens and its guests (whether they be tourists or people from other countries in Israel to earn a living). Unless the Palestinian Authority, whether it's run by Hamas or Fata, has something to lose, peace will never happen.
Check out my squidoo lenses (articles):
Strong Biblical Women
Strong Biblical Women 2
Why Be Vegetarian
Vegetarianism: Getting Started 1
Vegetarianism: Getting Started 2
Rosh Hashana
Quick Vegan Cooking
Creating new recipes from old
Strong Biblical Women Part 3
Hanuka
About the Jewish Calendar
Witches and Morality
Presidential Trivia Quiz
Christmas and the Jewish Single
Math Hints 1 -- Adding Fractions
Presidents1: George Washington
Passover: Holiday of Freedom
Ruth and Naomi
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Jewish Sandwich
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Strong Jewish Women
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One of my friends alerts me to blog entries I should be commenting on. This is a comment on a blog entry called Quo Vadis, Israel? by Dana J. Tuszke: (the italicized parts below are quotes from her blog entry)
I have a lot to say about your original post and, while I read a number of the comments, I didn't read them all, so if I repeat anything that has been said before, please excuse me.
I can only hope that your purpose in writing this was to learn more about the subject. I hope the comments you have received have helped in this regard and I hope I can add to your education on this subject.
First of all, I'd like to suggest you read my blog "Israel and its place in the world" for some more insights. I do have a bit of a background. I have family in Israel (I've been to Israel myself 4 times, once for 9 months of a 1 year program, the rest for family celebrations). I learned quite a bit of Jewish History in my years in Yeshiva (Jewish Day School, not after school Hebrew School) and I learn more by working with my tutees. So, perhaps, I have a bit more understanding of the subject.
"I do remember learning about the Holy Land in catechism class, but only as it pertained to the Roman-Catholic faith, the Bible, or Jesus Christ himself."
As a Roman Catholic, I doubt you could possibly understand what Israel means to the heart and soul of the Jewish people. I won't even attempt to explain it in this short (?!?!) forum.
"I once asked a teacher why there were so many conflicts in the Middle East, why people were always fighting with each other, but I never received an answer that made any sense. My questions were often answered with generalizations or personal assumptions."
Sigh. This is a problem. If I were to try to explain the roots of this issue it would sound paranoid. I would suggest you read Brigitte Gabriel's book "Because They Hate". While it's not a Jewish perspective on the issue, it gives you an idea of what happens when open-minded people let the Islamists move in.
"'For Jews and non-Jews alike," Nennhaus writes, "the State of Israel has become the source of disappointment and concern. The world has witnessed the never-ending tragedy that has befallen the Holy Land with its wars, bombings and intifadas, and the United States, in spite of its unmatched influence, has been unable to resolve the crisis.'"
I'm quite surprised that Israel is a source of disappointment. To me, the only disappointment I have with Israel is its government's inability to see the true threat and protect its citizens (especially those in Sderot, but I digress). The wars, bombings and intifadas are caused, quite simply, by the Islamists' aversion to a Jewish presence in a place they consider theirs. Israel, BTW, is a bit smaller than New Jersey and has a population density of over 700 people per square mile (this is a far higher population density than Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Saudi Arabia and far less land and even the smallest of these four). Israel is anything but a disappointment to Jews living there, the technology companies who have branches there, the cell phone customers all over the world (the technology for cell phones was developed in Israel, which probably explains the high per capita cell phone use in Israel).
I can't understand how anyone could be disappointed with Israel -- the people who have lived in Israel have taken a place that was desolate and turned into a garden spot. They took a colony and turned it into a country. They took a place living under despots and dictators and created a democracy. They took a spot in the third world and created a modern country based on freedom, liberty and equality for all. They took a piece of real estate (much of which was paid for by Jewish agencies and private Jews) and turned it into a haven not only for oppressed Jews (eg Soviet Jews, Ethiopian Jews, Yemenite Jews, etc.) but also for oppressed non-Jews (eg Vietnamese boat people, members of the Baha'i faith, etc.). How can anyone be disappointed with that?
"The author believes that peace in Israel cannot be achieved if things stay as they are and always have been, and offers that the solution may lie in relocating the State of Israel to a geographic region where there is no hostility."
Interesting idea, but hardly new. When Theodore Herzl, the father of Zionism, first thought about what would erase anti-Semitism in the world (he had just been witness to one of the most anti-Semitic happenings in his generation, the Dreyfus Affair -- and the people yelled "kill the Jews" -- not "kill the traitor" or "kill the Jew" singular, but "kill the Jews") he thought of having the Jews settle Uganda. That really didn't fly. Zionism is centered in Zion, another name for Israel. Israel is the center of our lives, the center of our relationship with G-d. Any other place is just like living in a dormitory -- it's nice, but it's not home.
"I wonder how this would work? Would it solve the many conflicts that arise between Israelis and Palestinians? Where would the State of Israel relocate? Should the United States end the war in Iraq and assist the Israelis instead?"
By the way, it wouldn't work too well. For 2000 or so year, Jews have lived mostly outside of Israel (there has always been a Jewish presence in Israel since the time of Joshua, somewhere in the neighborhood of 3000 years ago). And we've been kicked out of more countries than I care to list. Each country complained about our presence. Each country, like the world currently, blamed us for all their ills. So finally we decided it's time for us to have our own country again, with G-d's help. So now, these same people (all right, the descendants of these same people) who were for so many centuries, upset that we didn't have our own country, are now upset that we DO have our own country. When you realize that nothing you do pleases others, you realize it's time to please yourself.
I also have a problem with all the people who either say that Israel is the whole problem or that both sides are equally responsible. Think about this truism -- if the Arabs were to put down their weapons there would be no more war; if Israelis put down their weapons, there would be no more Israel.
Israel has spent the past 60 years (and then some) trying to make peace, trying to live in peace, making concessions, defending itself from enemies. When Israel had Gaza, it was a beautiful community. Now it's little more than a launching pad for missiles heading for Sderot or other populated areas. Why are we so anxious to repeat this mistake with Judea and Samaria (aka "the West Bank")?
Unlike the Palestinian Authority (which has shown beyond a reasonable doubt that it doesn't deserve its own country), Israel accepts people of all ethnicities, religions, national origins, races, sexual orientation, etc. Jews have been kicked out of every area given to the Palestinian Authority but Israel doesn't kick out anyone. The existing Palestinian "refugees" left their homes voluntarily at the request of the enemies of Israel. Israel has never forcibly displaced any population (except its own, as in Gaza and the Sinai).
From my perspective, the only solution is for Israel to defend itself, its citizens and its guests (whether they be tourists or people from other countries in Israel to earn a living). Unless the Palestinian Authority, whether it's run by Hamas or Fata, has something to lose, peace will never happen.
Check out my squidoo lenses (articles):
Strong Biblical Women
Strong Biblical Women 2
Why Be Vegetarian
Vegetarianism: Getting Started 1
Vegetarianism: Getting Started 2
Rosh Hashana
Quick Vegan Cooking
Creating new recipes from old
Strong Biblical Women Part 3
Hanuka
About the Jewish Calendar
Witches and Morality
Presidential Trivia Quiz
Christmas and the Jewish Single
Math Hints 1 -- Adding Fractions
Presidents1: George Washington
Passover: Holiday of Freedom
Ruth and Naomi
Check out my other blogs:
Jewish Sandwich
Jewish Singles
Strong Jewish Women
Check out my other merchandise:
Other merchandise
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
The Fault lies not in our stars.......
B"H
I got a comment to the blog entry about Sheryl Crow's song that I felt the need to address. It's not that this comment (which was submitted anonymously) surprised me. It's not that this comment is unusual. It's just because it is so common and so often expressed and it shows a total lack of understanding of the situation that I felt I needed to comment on it.
Imagine you're in 5th grade. You're a small boy but you've been learning karate since you were 5 and you're pretty good at it. While you're not exactly a black belt, you are certainly capable of defending yourself. A larger boy comes over to you and tells you that you have to do his homework for him or he'll "beat you up". You know you can defend yourself against him, but you were taught that peace is more important, so you do his homework for him.
After a month of doing your own homework and his homework as well, he comes over to you again and tells you that if you don't give him your lunch money, in addition to doing his homework, he and his friends (who are standing in the background watching this exchange) will "beat you up". You decide that you don't want to start a fight, so you give him your lunch money.
After about a month of doing his homework and giving him your lunch money, he comes over and tells you that he's going to "beat you up" anyway. So he starts to hit you. You block his shots. He keeps trying to hit you, you keep blocking his shots. Finally, you decide that if you land one good shot maybe he will stop trying to hit you, stop taking your lunch money and stop having you do his homework. So you land one good karate kick.
Suddenly, you are surrounded by his friends, several teachers who were watching the entire scene and other students, all yelling at you and calling you the aggressor. All you did was defend yourself, but you are the one being blamed. You did everything you could to avoid the fight. But every time you gave in, the bully wanted more. And you're being blamed.
This is what Israel goes through every day. We've been helping the Palestinians in every way possible (giving them jobs, medical care, food, humanitarian aid, etc.) and yet, they don't want peace with us. You can't make someone want peace. And the Palestinian Authority is currently getting everything it wants without having to live in peace, without making even the smallest concession. Why would they want to negotiate? Why would they want to live in peace?
I would also like to ask the anonymous comment maker this: Do you have the slightest idea how small Israel is in comparison the Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, just to mention a few? Do you have any idea what the population density is in Israel vs. the above mentioned countries? And, by the way, do you also happen to know that in Israel, people of all ethnicities, religions, national origins and sexual orientations live together (Haifa, Israel is the center of the Baha'i faith, for one thing) -- this is not true of Arab/Muslim countries (and, in order for the Palestinians to move into Gaza, all Jews were forced to leave -- no Arabs were forced to leave Israel -- the ones who left in 1948 did so voluntarily)?
When one side has made all the concessions (and is still willing to make more concessions) while the other side has made no concessions are is unwilling to make any in the future it is really difficult to say that there is equal culpability in the hostilities. When one side continues to attack the civilians on the other side while the other side goes out of its way to avoid civilian casualties it is unfair to say that there is equal culpability in the hostilities. Israel has been more than forthcoming and more than willing to make peace. The Palestinians have not. It may take two to tango but it takes only one to attack. The Christian concept of "turning the other cheek" may occasionally work on a personal basis, but Israel's run out of "cheeks". It is clear from their behavior which side wants peace and which side only wants the other in pieces.
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I got a comment to the blog entry about Sheryl Crow's song that I felt the need to address. It's not that this comment (which was submitted anonymously) surprised me. It's not that this comment is unusual. It's just because it is so common and so often expressed and it shows a total lack of understanding of the situation that I felt I needed to comment on it.
Imagine you're in 5th grade. You're a small boy but you've been learning karate since you were 5 and you're pretty good at it. While you're not exactly a black belt, you are certainly capable of defending yourself. A larger boy comes over to you and tells you that you have to do his homework for him or he'll "beat you up". You know you can defend yourself against him, but you were taught that peace is more important, so you do his homework for him.
After a month of doing your own homework and his homework as well, he comes over to you again and tells you that if you don't give him your lunch money, in addition to doing his homework, he and his friends (who are standing in the background watching this exchange) will "beat you up". You decide that you don't want to start a fight, so you give him your lunch money.
After about a month of doing his homework and giving him your lunch money, he comes over and tells you that he's going to "beat you up" anyway. So he starts to hit you. You block his shots. He keeps trying to hit you, you keep blocking his shots. Finally, you decide that if you land one good shot maybe he will stop trying to hit you, stop taking your lunch money and stop having you do his homework. So you land one good karate kick.
Suddenly, you are surrounded by his friends, several teachers who were watching the entire scene and other students, all yelling at you and calling you the aggressor. All you did was defend yourself, but you are the one being blamed. You did everything you could to avoid the fight. But every time you gave in, the bully wanted more. And you're being blamed.
This is what Israel goes through every day. We've been helping the Palestinians in every way possible (giving them jobs, medical care, food, humanitarian aid, etc.) and yet, they don't want peace with us. You can't make someone want peace. And the Palestinian Authority is currently getting everything it wants without having to live in peace, without making even the smallest concession. Why would they want to negotiate? Why would they want to live in peace?
I would also like to ask the anonymous comment maker this: Do you have the slightest idea how small Israel is in comparison the Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, just to mention a few? Do you have any idea what the population density is in Israel vs. the above mentioned countries? And, by the way, do you also happen to know that in Israel, people of all ethnicities, religions, national origins and sexual orientations live together (Haifa, Israel is the center of the Baha'i faith, for one thing) -- this is not true of Arab/Muslim countries (and, in order for the Palestinians to move into Gaza, all Jews were forced to leave -- no Arabs were forced to leave Israel -- the ones who left in 1948 did so voluntarily)?
When one side has made all the concessions (and is still willing to make more concessions) while the other side has made no concessions are is unwilling to make any in the future it is really difficult to say that there is equal culpability in the hostilities. When one side continues to attack the civilians on the other side while the other side goes out of its way to avoid civilian casualties it is unfair to say that there is equal culpability in the hostilities. Israel has been more than forthcoming and more than willing to make peace. The Palestinians have not. It may take two to tango but it takes only one to attack. The Christian concept of "turning the other cheek" may occasionally work on a personal basis, but Israel's run out of "cheeks". It is clear from their behavior which side wants peace and which side only wants the other in pieces.
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Thursday, April 17, 2008
Carter and Arafat
B"H
I don't usually comment directly on news articles, but this one just couldn't go without comment.
Jimmy Carter, the ex-president who saw a UFO and attacked a killer rabbit and lusted in his heart and wrote a book that used out and out lies to paint a very positive picture of the Arab world and a very negative picture (patently false though it may be) of Israel, is at it again. He stopped to put a wreath on the gave of Yassar Arafat. Carter called the godfather of terrorism "... a peacemaker..." Well I guess Arafat is a peacemaker -- look at how many people are currently resting in peace thanks to him and his thugs.
The article also said that he is "eager to hear viewpoints" about peace and the peace process. "Instead of talking, he's doing a lot of listening," said [Carter's trip director Rick] Jasculca. (I quoted this directly from the article Jimmy Carter Lays A Wreath at Arafat's Tomb by Julie Stahl from Newsmax.com) Somehow, I have a feeling that the only listening the ex-president and current liar, Israel-basher and bigoted Jew-hater will be doing is to people who agree with him and hate and blame Israel as much as he does.
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I don't usually comment directly on news articles, but this one just couldn't go without comment.
Jimmy Carter, the ex-president who saw a UFO and attacked a killer rabbit and lusted in his heart and wrote a book that used out and out lies to paint a very positive picture of the Arab world and a very negative picture (patently false though it may be) of Israel, is at it again. He stopped to put a wreath on the gave of Yassar Arafat. Carter called the godfather of terrorism "... a peacemaker..." Well I guess Arafat is a peacemaker -- look at how many people are currently resting in peace thanks to him and his thugs.
The article also said that he is "eager to hear viewpoints" about peace and the peace process. "Instead of talking, he's doing a lot of listening," said [Carter's trip director Rick] Jasculca. (I quoted this directly from the article Jimmy Carter Lays A Wreath at Arafat's Tomb by Julie Stahl from Newsmax.com) Somehow, I have a feeling that the only listening the ex-president and current liar, Israel-basher and bigoted Jew-hater will be doing is to people who agree with him and hate and blame Israel as much as he does.
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Thursday, April 10, 2008
Sheryl Crow and the "Children of Abraham"
B"H
I recently became aware of a song that Sheryl Crow sings called Out Of Our Heads. This song has the words Children of Abraham in it. It basically calls for peace and puts an equal responsibility for this peace on all the Children of Abraham -- Jews, Muslims and Christians. This is a very lovely sentiment and I don't fault Ms. Crow for her words. Except......
Except that it presupposes that each side is equally responsible for the state of hostility that exists. Except that it assumes that equal concession from each party will resolve the issue. Except that it espouses a position that each side has something to lose by not making peace.
Except that, because of the way people look at things, the term Children of Abraham is generally seen as referring to Jews and people who hear this song might interpret it as meaning that Israel is the recalcitrant party, despite unilateral concessions (like handing over the keys to the Gaza Strip to the terrorists who lob bombs on the city of Sderot like they're playing some bizarre and ultra violent PS3 game and planning further "pullouts" from the "West Bank", also known as Judea and Samaria), despite Israeli care in avoiding civilian casualties while Hamas and Fatah target civilians, despite Palestinian racism, despite the adage that "if the Arabs would put down their weapons there would be no more war; if Israelis would put down their weapons there would be no more Israel." Israel has everything to gain from peace; Hamas and Fata have nothing to gain. The world is on their side and by conceding even a millimeter brings them no closer to their goal -- the total destruction of the State of Israel.
I think part of the problem is that, political correctness to the contrary notwithstanding, most people would seem to be happier if we, as Jews, would just disappear from this planet. Come on, all you closet anti-Semites out there, you know it's true. You know you are just picking on Israel because it's more politically correct to hate Israel and criticize Israel for their stubborn desire to survive than it is to say that you hate Jews.
On my cafe press site I have a way to link to other cafe press Jewish designs. This past week I discovered that there is a design on cafe press that is composed of a Jewish star with a "not" sign (circle with a line diagonally through it) on it. This upset me, despite the attempt at political correctness by the owner of this site (he said words to the affect that you should hate the religion but love the people -- pardon me, but that's a boatload of c***) to lessen his hatred and prejudice. (Had he said he was anti-G-d, that wouldn't have bothered me so much because G-d doesn't need people to believe in Him/Her -- and G-d can protect Him/Herself -- but by spreading hatred, this man could cause people to kill people.)
So back to Ms. Crow the crooner. I understand her sentiment and, to be honest, I wish it were that easy (actually, if it were that easy we'd already have peace). But over the past 60 years (and earlier), Israel has done just about everything it could for peace, but no one's joining the "party". Even our so called "friends" spread anti-Jewish sentiment. Radio Jordan, the English language radio station of Jordan that I listened to in the mid 1980s when I was in Israel, refers to Israel as the "Zionist Entity". And they're supposed to be our friend. With friends like them, well, we certainly don't need enemies (even without friends like that, we don't need enemies, but we have plenty of them and no real way to make them friends).
Ms. Crow, I agree with your desire for peace (as in the opposite of war, the opposite of missiles falling daily on the inhabitants of Sderot, the opposite of people coming into our schools and murdering our students for the crime of being Jewish). I'm just not so naive to believe that my desire will cause it to happen.
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I recently became aware of a song that Sheryl Crow sings called Out Of Our Heads. This song has the words Children of Abraham in it. It basically calls for peace and puts an equal responsibility for this peace on all the Children of Abraham -- Jews, Muslims and Christians. This is a very lovely sentiment and I don't fault Ms. Crow for her words. Except......
Except that it presupposes that each side is equally responsible for the state of hostility that exists. Except that it assumes that equal concession from each party will resolve the issue. Except that it espouses a position that each side has something to lose by not making peace.
Except that, because of the way people look at things, the term Children of Abraham is generally seen as referring to Jews and people who hear this song might interpret it as meaning that Israel is the recalcitrant party, despite unilateral concessions (like handing over the keys to the Gaza Strip to the terrorists who lob bombs on the city of Sderot like they're playing some bizarre and ultra violent PS3 game and planning further "pullouts" from the "West Bank", also known as Judea and Samaria), despite Israeli care in avoiding civilian casualties while Hamas and Fatah target civilians, despite Palestinian racism, despite the adage that "if the Arabs would put down their weapons there would be no more war; if Israelis would put down their weapons there would be no more Israel." Israel has everything to gain from peace; Hamas and Fata have nothing to gain. The world is on their side and by conceding even a millimeter brings them no closer to their goal -- the total destruction of the State of Israel.
I think part of the problem is that, political correctness to the contrary notwithstanding, most people would seem to be happier if we, as Jews, would just disappear from this planet. Come on, all you closet anti-Semites out there, you know it's true. You know you are just picking on Israel because it's more politically correct to hate Israel and criticize Israel for their stubborn desire to survive than it is to say that you hate Jews.
On my cafe press site I have a way to link to other cafe press Jewish designs. This past week I discovered that there is a design on cafe press that is composed of a Jewish star with a "not" sign (circle with a line diagonally through it) on it. This upset me, despite the attempt at political correctness by the owner of this site (he said words to the affect that you should hate the religion but love the people -- pardon me, but that's a boatload of c***) to lessen his hatred and prejudice. (Had he said he was anti-G-d, that wouldn't have bothered me so much because G-d doesn't need people to believe in Him/Her -- and G-d can protect Him/Herself -- but by spreading hatred, this man could cause people to kill people.)
So back to Ms. Crow the crooner. I understand her sentiment and, to be honest, I wish it were that easy (actually, if it were that easy we'd already have peace). But over the past 60 years (and earlier), Israel has done just about everything it could for peace, but no one's joining the "party". Even our so called "friends" spread anti-Jewish sentiment. Radio Jordan, the English language radio station of Jordan that I listened to in the mid 1980s when I was in Israel, refers to Israel as the "Zionist Entity". And they're supposed to be our friend. With friends like them, well, we certainly don't need enemies (even without friends like that, we don't need enemies, but we have plenty of them and no real way to make them friends).
Ms. Crow, I agree with your desire for peace (as in the opposite of war, the opposite of missiles falling daily on the inhabitants of Sderot, the opposite of people coming into our schools and murdering our students for the crime of being Jewish). I'm just not so naive to believe that my desire will cause it to happen.
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Saturday, March 15, 2008
"What's in it for me?"
B"H
One of the first rules of negotiating is that both sides of a negotiation are looking to gain something. This is basically true of any negotiation. In order for the process to work, both parties must be dissatisfied with the status quo and, therefore, willing to compromise, give up something to gain something else.
This is why negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (whether we're talking Hammas or Fata is irrelevant) will never succeed. While Israel has a lot to gain by negotiation (and, therefore, is willing to throw in everything including the kitchen sink), the PA has nothing to gain and is therefore unwilling to toss anything into the "pot".
You see, while Israel is being pressured, attacked in the media, attacked physically and losing people every day, the PA is being supported financially, politically, and in the media and is getting unilateral concessions from Israel (e.g. the Gaza Strip -- please tell me what Israel got for giving up that area of land besides more missiles fired at population centers). Why would they want to change the status quo?
In order to get the PA to the bargaining table, we have to make it worth their while. We have to make them want to denounce violence and terrorism. The only way we can do that is to make violence and terrorism not work for them by attacking them, and attacking them hard whenever they bomb Sderot or murder teenagers in a Yeshiva or blow up a bomb on a bus or any of the other terrorist activities they perform day in and day out.
Leaders of Israel (and the rest of the free world, by the way) -- listen carefully: We are at war whether we like it or not. The enemy is attacking US. We need to fight back until they come to us wanting peace. That's the only way we will ever be able to stop the killing.
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Strong Jewish Women
One of the first rules of negotiating is that both sides of a negotiation are looking to gain something. This is basically true of any negotiation. In order for the process to work, both parties must be dissatisfied with the status quo and, therefore, willing to compromise, give up something to gain something else.
This is why negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (whether we're talking Hammas or Fata is irrelevant) will never succeed. While Israel has a lot to gain by negotiation (and, therefore, is willing to throw in everything including the kitchen sink), the PA has nothing to gain and is therefore unwilling to toss anything into the "pot".
You see, while Israel is being pressured, attacked in the media, attacked physically and losing people every day, the PA is being supported financially, politically, and in the media and is getting unilateral concessions from Israel (e.g. the Gaza Strip -- please tell me what Israel got for giving up that area of land besides more missiles fired at population centers). Why would they want to change the status quo?
In order to get the PA to the bargaining table, we have to make it worth their while. We have to make them want to denounce violence and terrorism. The only way we can do that is to make violence and terrorism not work for them by attacking them, and attacking them hard whenever they bomb Sderot or murder teenagers in a Yeshiva or blow up a bomb on a bus or any of the other terrorist activities they perform day in and day out.
Leaders of Israel (and the rest of the free world, by the way) -- listen carefully: We are at war whether we like it or not. The enemy is attacking US. We need to fight back until they come to us wanting peace. That's the only way we will ever be able to stop the killing.
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Friday, January 11, 2008
I Still don't Get it....
B"H
I'll admit it -- I'm a flower child, a hippie, a dyed-in-the-wool Liberal, a Feminist. I feel for the downtrodden (sometimes a bit too much -- when I'm not careful, I get totally wrapped up in sorrow and get to the point where I can't function). I believe it's important for people to cooperate rather than compete.
What I don't get is how the people who I "grew up with" -- the Liberals, the Feminists, the hippies, the flower children -- are now becoming hate-mongers. They are becoming the most virulent anti-Zionist (and, hence, the most virulent anti-Jewish people short of Osama Bin Laden and his ilk).
I'll admit it -- I'm a flower child, a hippie, a dyed-in-the-wool Liberal, a Feminist. I feel for the downtrodden (sometimes a bit too much -- when I'm not careful, I get totally wrapped up in sorrow and get to the point where I can't function). I believe it's important for people to cooperate rather than compete.
What I don't get is how the people who I "grew up with" -- the Liberals, the Feminists, the hippies, the flower children -- are now becoming hate-mongers. They are becoming the most virulent anti-Zionist (and, hence, the most virulent anti-Jewish people short of Osama Bin Laden and his ilk).
What happened to the people who questioned everything? Where are the fearless doubters of the media, the critics of evil? Did smoking grass and dropping acid (which was not part of my hippie-ism, but was a way of life for many hippies) lead to the melting of the center of the brain that defines "good" and "evil"?
I hate to say it, but lately the biggest supporters of Israel are the very same people who feel it is their job to "bring the good news" to the Jewish people. These people, while supporters of Israel, will never be totally happy until every Jew on this planet has accepted JC as his/her personal savior. These are also the same people who, in the US, are the supporters of "big business", "states rights" (a leftover buzz word from the antebellum South which used to mean "pro-slavery" but now means "lower taxes for the rich/less welfare/services/help for the poor") and welfare/services/help for the rich (as in lower taxes to big business, laxer anti-trust laws, subsidies for factory farms and non-organic farms, etc. which lead to higher prices for organically grown/sustainably grown produce).
Mind you, their current leader, Mr. Bush, has proven himself over and over again to not only NOT be a friend of Israel (and, by extension, the Jews) but to be an enemy of Israel. By his choice of and support of Condoleeza Rice he has shown his support for a Palestinian state that will only serve as a launching pad for more missiles at population centers around Israel. The Palestinians don't deserve a state -- they have proven in Gaza that they cannot govern themselves. When asked whose rule they prefer to live under, 2/3 to 3/4 of the people in areas like East Jerusalem (mind you, these people are some of the most vociferous critics of Israel and its government) state they prefer to live under Israel's rule. Some are so convinced of this, they say that if East Jerusalem or the West Bank becomes part of the Palestinian Authority they will move to areas that are part of Israel proper.
So, here I am, back in yet another US presidential election year with little hope of a candidate to call my own, so to speak. I'm leaning toward Hillary, but I'm concerned she may choose Barak Obama (who is committed to the creation of a Palestinian state) as her running mate. If I had my way, she would either choose Joseph Lieberman or Artur Davis. Artur Davis is a representative from Alabama. Generally, in my bubble in NJ, where I avoid the news like the plague, I wouldn't know thing one about a Senator from Alabama, much less a representative. But Artur Davis has shown himself to be a friend of Israel, something very rare these days among African Americans, l'da'voneinu (to our detriment) and among Liberals.
Artur Davis, in my opinion, would make the perfect running mate for Hillary Clinton. That is a ticket I could get behind. Are you reading this, Hillary????
(To see an article written by Artur Davis and a congressional colleague of his, see http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oew-cantor12jan12,0,6398482.story )
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Saturday, January 5, 2008
Craziness and More Craziness
B"H
This week, I heard a couple of things that just made me scratch my head in disbelief. Both had to do with the word "rape" and both are just at a level of stupidity that are impossible to comprehend.
I'm on Naomi Ragen's mailing list. Naomi Ragen is an author (I've read most of her books and love them) and writer for the Jerusalem Post. She doesn't seem to be writing much for JP these days (at least most of what I get from her list is written by others, not her). [as an aside: I totally disagree with her position on American Politics and she's VERY sensitive about people even slightly disagreeing with her position of Bush as god of American Presidents -- as in anything bad Bush does is the fault of the "left" and by extension any Democrat elected to office in the entire United States.]
This week, I received from her an absolutely bizarre article. It was about a Master's student who wrote a paper stating that she has proof that Israeli soldiers are racist because they won't rape Palestinian women. Forgetting that, of course, most Israelis are the same race as Palestinians and, therefore, even if there was something wrong with the soldiers NOT raping Palestinians, it wouldn't be racist (since most Israeli soldiers are the same race as most Palestinians).
Now, I know everyone from politicians to journalists to the anti-Zionist on the street (or, should I say anti-Jewish person????) judges Israel to different standards (as in nothing Israel does is good including trying to defend itself and its citizens), but these are the same people who, if, Has V'Shalom, G-d forbid, any Israeli soldier raped any Palestinian woman, they would be the first to condemn this action (as well they should). So why are they complaining that our "boys" DON'T rape women????
The second use of the word rape that I heard about had to do with a publisher from Israeli newspaper HaAretz (which I call Am HaAretz) told Condoleezza Rice that Israel wanted the US to "rape [us] into a settlement".
Besides my feelings of mortification over this use of such a word for such a situation (shows a total lack of respect not only for Israel but for women everywhere) and my hopes that Ms. Rice, despite previous evidence to the contrary, will not attribute this sentiment to anyone other than this raving idiot, I am appalled that anyone would say this.
I am appalled that people criticize Israel (in this case for not raping women) about its treatment of women when Israel is surrounded by countries where "honor killing" (the murder of women, mostly young women, for supposed "crimes" including being raped, being outside of their houses unescorted by a male relative, doing things her father doesn't want her to do (like dating or learning to read, for example) etc. -- men who commit these crimes rarely get more than a "slap on the wrist") and female circumcision are part of their accepted way of life. I am appalled that women's rights groups (mind you, I am and have always considered myself a feminist, though at times, including/especially now, I often wonder about other feminists) condemn Israel (not, mind you, for its treatment of Israeli women, but for its treatment of Palestinian women -- women who Israelis treat considerably better than their own "government" and their own families). Feminist conferences of late seem to spend more time condemning Israel for non-existent human rights violations than they do condemning anyone else in the world for their treatment of their own women. High on the list of "condemnees" should be all 22 (or is it 23 now if you include areas under Palestinian Authority control???) of the Arab countries for their blatant violation of the rights of women within their countries, for "honor killings" and female circumcision, for keeping women down and illiterate, for punishing women for supposed crimes that only apply to women and not to men (including being raped) and a host of other human rights violations directed only to women.
Some might wonder why I still consider myself a feminist. A feminist is someone who believes that the rights of an individual should not be dependant on that individual's gender classification. It means the same thing even if people mislabel themselves as feminist when their only agenda is condemning one of the few civilized countries in this world. It still means the same thing even if people think it means something else, kind of like Liberal. Liberal still means someone who cares for others and isn't just concerned about the rich. Just because there are people out there who abuse the English language and coopt terminology doesn't mean that I can't use the words in their proper context. The only problem I have with this is that often people mistake my proper use of a word for the inproper definition others have.
As for the comments of Israel's top Am HaAretz, I can only scratch my head in disbelief. I can't imagine how anyone could say something not only that stupid from a political perspective but that inappropriate from a respect for women perspective. To use the word "rape" when talking to a female official of a foreign government is to show a total lack of any level of respect for women. To say that Israel "wants" to be raped shows a level of political flippancy that in any truly civilized world would lead to his forced resignation and his total condemnation.
One of the prophesies about the coming of Moshiah (the Messiah) is that the world will turn upside down -- right will be wrong and wrong will be right. I can only hope that what is happening today is in fulfillment of that prophesy.
This week, I heard a couple of things that just made me scratch my head in disbelief. Both had to do with the word "rape" and both are just at a level of stupidity that are impossible to comprehend.
I'm on Naomi Ragen's mailing list. Naomi Ragen is an author (I've read most of her books and love them) and writer for the Jerusalem Post. She doesn't seem to be writing much for JP these days (at least most of what I get from her list is written by others, not her). [as an aside: I totally disagree with her position on American Politics and she's VERY sensitive about people even slightly disagreeing with her position of Bush as god of American Presidents -- as in anything bad Bush does is the fault of the "left" and by extension any Democrat elected to office in the entire United States.]
This week, I received from her an absolutely bizarre article. It was about a Master's student who wrote a paper stating that she has proof that Israeli soldiers are racist because they won't rape Palestinian women. Forgetting that, of course, most Israelis are the same race as Palestinians and, therefore, even if there was something wrong with the soldiers NOT raping Palestinians, it wouldn't be racist (since most Israeli soldiers are the same race as most Palestinians).
Now, I know everyone from politicians to journalists to the anti-Zionist on the street (or, should I say anti-Jewish person????) judges Israel to different standards (as in nothing Israel does is good including trying to defend itself and its citizens), but these are the same people who, if, Has V'Shalom, G-d forbid, any Israeli soldier raped any Palestinian woman, they would be the first to condemn this action (as well they should). So why are they complaining that our "boys" DON'T rape women????
The second use of the word rape that I heard about had to do with a publisher from Israeli newspaper HaAretz (which I call Am HaAretz) told Condoleezza Rice that Israel wanted the US to "rape [us] into a settlement".
Besides my feelings of mortification over this use of such a word for such a situation (shows a total lack of respect not only for Israel but for women everywhere) and my hopes that Ms. Rice, despite previous evidence to the contrary, will not attribute this sentiment to anyone other than this raving idiot, I am appalled that anyone would say this.
I am appalled that people criticize Israel (in this case for not raping women) about its treatment of women when Israel is surrounded by countries where "honor killing" (the murder of women, mostly young women, for supposed "crimes" including being raped, being outside of their houses unescorted by a male relative, doing things her father doesn't want her to do (like dating or learning to read, for example) etc. -- men who commit these crimes rarely get more than a "slap on the wrist") and female circumcision are part of their accepted way of life. I am appalled that women's rights groups (mind you, I am and have always considered myself a feminist, though at times, including/especially now, I often wonder about other feminists) condemn Israel (not, mind you, for its treatment of Israeli women, but for its treatment of Palestinian women -- women who Israelis treat considerably better than their own "government" and their own families). Feminist conferences of late seem to spend more time condemning Israel for non-existent human rights violations than they do condemning anyone else in the world for their treatment of their own women. High on the list of "condemnees" should be all 22 (or is it 23 now if you include areas under Palestinian Authority control???) of the Arab countries for their blatant violation of the rights of women within their countries, for "honor killings" and female circumcision, for keeping women down and illiterate, for punishing women for supposed crimes that only apply to women and not to men (including being raped) and a host of other human rights violations directed only to women.
Some might wonder why I still consider myself a feminist. A feminist is someone who believes that the rights of an individual should not be dependant on that individual's gender classification. It means the same thing even if people mislabel themselves as feminist when their only agenda is condemning one of the few civilized countries in this world. It still means the same thing even if people think it means something else, kind of like Liberal. Liberal still means someone who cares for others and isn't just concerned about the rich. Just because there are people out there who abuse the English language and coopt terminology doesn't mean that I can't use the words in their proper context. The only problem I have with this is that often people mistake my proper use of a word for the inproper definition others have.
As for the comments of Israel's top Am HaAretz, I can only scratch my head in disbelief. I can't imagine how anyone could say something not only that stupid from a political perspective but that inappropriate from a respect for women perspective. To use the word "rape" when talking to a female official of a foreign government is to show a total lack of any level of respect for women. To say that Israel "wants" to be raped shows a level of political flippancy that in any truly civilized world would lead to his forced resignation and his total condemnation.
One of the prophesies about the coming of Moshiah (the Messiah) is that the world will turn upside down -- right will be wrong and wrong will be right. I can only hope that what is happening today is in fulfillment of that prophesy.
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