Bad Men Need Nothing More to Compass Their Ends, Than That Good Men Should Look on and Do Nothing

ב"ה

I was looking around Wikipedia for quotes about how good people doing nothing leads to the triumph of evil and I found the above quote from John Stuart Mill. I've been rolling this sort of idea around my head lately, particularly now that one of Israel's staunchest supporter on the world stage, Stephen Harper, was defeated in his bid to be re-elected Prime Minister of Canada. 

Another "Good Man" bites the dust. And another one's gone and another one's gone, another one bites the dust. 

If you've been listening to the news lately, you have probably heard about the daily knife attacks in Israel. Or perhaps you haven't since the media chooses to ignore terrorist attacks. These knife attacks are just the most recent spate of attacks aimed at Israeli civilians by terror mongering "Palestinians". 

It's bad enough that Mr. Abbas (aka Arafat in a suit) incites the populous of his "nation" with lies that Israel has executed a boy (who was sitting in a bed in an Israeli hospital at the time -- he's now home while the boy he stabbed is fighting for his life in the same hospital) or that Israel was planning on changing the status quo on the Temple Mount (not only is Israel NOT changing the status quo, Israel is vigorously maintaining the status quo to the detriment of Jewish Israelis) or that Israel was going to raze the Al-Aqsa Mosque (Israel is the only country in the region that protects the religious sites of all religions). Abbas is inciting his people in what he's calling the "Knife Intifada". This, as I said before, is bad enough.

What makes this even worse is that people like John Kerry saying things like "both sides" need to "calm down". Excuse me? Israel has to more calmly protect her guests and citizens from murdering knife wielders? Israel has to more calmly protect her guests and citizens from murdering knife wielders?  Or maybe just that we should give the "Palestinians" and their friends what they want -- Jews marching suicidally into the sea. 

When a huge group of world leaders is giving Mr. Abbas's ravings legitimacy, he gets away with calling upon hatred, calling for murder, calling for destroying the enemy in a "noble, sacrificial" gesture. When good people don't call Abbas on his hatred, his murdering of innocents, from tiny babies, to young parents, to holocaust surviving great-grandparents, Abbas feels emboldened, as so do the blade thrusting thugs roaming the streets of Jerusalem. The rule, "never take a knife to a gunfight" doesn't apply here -- the world is criticizing Israeli use of guns against knifers. It also doesn't apply because the people who are bringing knives don't care if they're killed -- if they die, they will get paradise in heaven. 

World leaders, get off your thrones. Understand your contribution to the situation in the Middle East. By ignoring the evil in the region, by blaming Israel you are contributing to your own country's refugee problems, by taking the one country willing and able to fight the oppressors out of the equation. Support Israel, vocally, and you will be working for your own country as well as a more stable world.

"You Have No Right to Live"

ב"ה

A child was born, once upon a time. There should have been joy, but from the time this child was born, everyone who saw her told her she had no right to live. On her way to school or to the park, other children would hit her, or try to kill her, yelling as they attacked, "You have no right to live!" But none of this made her turn into a hater. When she would see someone attacking another child, she would come to that person's aid. When she saw someone get hit by lightning or pass out from the heat, she would help.

Over time, she taught herself to defend herself. She became good at taking on the hating children. But every time she did that, other people would yell that she had attacked someone. They would never take her side, never try to help her. The people who attacked her were by and large evil people who would use the attacks to obscure their own evil deeds.Someone robbed a bank? It was her fault. Someone was killed? It was her fault.There was a bad auto accident? It was her fault.

That child is Israel. No other country in the world has had it's "right to exist" questioned, not Iran, not Iraq, not China or North Korea, not Libya or Hugo Chavez's Venezuela. No country, no land, no tyrannical leadership, no genocidal regime has had their right to exist questioned. Only Israel, peace-loving Israel, the same Israel who was one of the first on hand when there was an earthquake in Haiti, when there was a tsunami in Japan, when there were miners trapped underground in Chile. Israel, little Israel, 153rd in the world in land mass and 96th in population, about the size of New Jersey. Only Israel has been told it has no right to exist.

Secretary of State John Kerry, who either flip-flops with the wind or lied to us about his stand on Israel while he was running for president, called for the end of senseless violence but acts as though Israel is equally culpable for this round of violence (please list for me, Mr. Kerry, 5 incidents of Israelis stabbing Palestinian civilians -- I haven't heard of any). 

Delegitimize the "other", that's a way of hiding your own illegitimacy. The leaders of the countries that hate, the countries who question Israel's right to exist, have a vested interest in "their people" believing that Israel is the evil, that Israel is suppressing their rights, that Israel took their land because (land that was never theirs legally), in reality, it is their own leaders who are evil, their own leaders who suppress their rights, their own leaders who keep them in squalor, don't allow the refugees to be absorbed, like the 586,000 Jewish refugees exiled from Arab countries that tiny Israel took in. The evil regimes' governments keep their people in squalor so they have a ready supply of cannon (or homicide bomb) fodder, people whose lives they don't value, who they can send to fight their enemies. These regimes don't need tanks and aircraft carriers and bombers, they send their human automatons to do the dirty work. And when they do blow themselves up, or get themselves killed by soldiers protecting the Israeli populace, their leaders, those people who supposedly care so much about them, use their deaths as a call for vengeance.

There is a cycle of violence. It's not Israel protecting itself by attacking terror mongers. It's Hamas and the Palestinian authority realizing they need to obscure their dirty deeds, so they stir the pot and incite hatred (which is easy because their people have been fed a steady "diet" of hatred from the time they are tiny babies). And anyone who chooses to believe the lies they spread, the lies the media spreads, about Israel and Jews is contributing to the evil that keeps these people suppressed and oppressed. 

Where Have You Gone, Lois Lane?

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When I was young, I loved reading superhero comic books. One of my regular comics, however, was not about a hero with super powers, it was about Superman's "girlfriend", Lois Lane.

Lois Lane made me want to be a journalist. She would find the truth and print the truth. She would fight to get the truth and she would fight to keep her journalistic integrity, to remain an unbiased reporter.

Nowadays, it's hard to find journalistic integrity. Terror attacks in Israel are reported in ways that make it seem as though the victims initiated the attacks against the terrorists rather than the other way around. For example, Honest Reporting shows that many news sources clearly bias their news to make Israel look bad and the murderous Terror mongers look like "innocent" victims of Israeli prejudice. 

I realize Lois Lane is a fictional character, but where is the barnstorming reporter who fearlessly tells the truth? Where are the "crusading" reporters, intrepid standard bearers of the truth, lovers of veracity? Why are they hiding behind the guise of "Anti-Israel" sentiment, claiming Israel is the most evil evil on this earth, worse than Syria or Iran or China or North Korea, claiming they aren't Antisemites, not haters, just "pursuing justice" for the murderous terrorists. Why are they not pursuing justice for the victims? Why are they not pursuing justice for the nation that opens it's doors to everyone but for the nations who ban everyone? Why are they not pursuing justice for the children who have lost parents, the parents who have lost babies, Israeli or Palestinian? Why are they not pursuing justice for the women, victims of dis"honor killings" at the hands of their "loved ones"? Why are they not pursuing justice for the gay men and women who need to flee their lands and are accepted in Israel, no matter what their ethnicity?

Terrorists are terrorists, no matter what their supposed provocation. If you murder to "protest", you are a terrorist, not a "freedom fighter" or a "militant". Get off it. Stop defending murderers. That's what REAL reporters would do. 

And I Ran, I Ran so far away......

ב"ה

I'm thinking of writing a story about a big-city mayor sitting down with the area crime boss. After several days behind closed doors, the Mayor comes out of the meeting claiming to have solved the problem of organized crime in the city. The hoods were given license to carry machine guns, and the police were required to defend them if anyone they were threatening were fighting back. The Mayor hailed it as a day of acceptance. 

Most of the people of the city were appalled. They wrote to their City Council members urging them to vote against this ill-advised pact. But the Mayor kept strong-arming the City Council members, particularly the ones who were in his party. Many City Council members, though, even ones from the Mayor's party, started standing up and proclaiming their opposition to the deal, listing their reasons. I don't know yet what will happen with the vote.

I don't know yet what will happen with the vote because the vote hasn't come yet. I don't know yet whether Congress, in each house, will have enough votes to override any presidential veto of the Iran "deal". 

How can anyone think this "deal" will prevent war? How can anyone think that a deal with the devil is good (Haven't they heard of Faust? Haven't they heard of Neville Chamberlain?)? How can anyone out there be thinking it's a good thing to give the "keys to the kingdom" in the form of nuclear weapons to a country who WILL USE THEM -- by their own words. They WILL use nuclear weapons against Israel. They WILL use nuclear weapons against the US. They WILL use nuclear weapons against anyone who doesn't agree with them and their twisted version of Islam. 

I joined "Move-On" many years ago, probably before 9/11 and the visible, growing threat of Radical Islam, because I agreed with their domestic agenda (women's rights, reproductive rights, gay rights, etc.) but they called for members to join a demonstration in front of my usually level-headed, pro-Israel, anti-Terror Democratic Representative to convince him to vote for the treaty from Hell. I hope he isn't swayed, but I worry.

How can so many people be so blinded? How can it take so few people to approve such a far-reaching measure? 

Think about this very carefully, people of the US, Representatives of the people of the US, Senators of the people of the US, DO YOU REALLY WANT THE WORST OF THE WORST TO HAVE WEAPONS THAT CAN DESTROY THE ENTIRE WORLD?

Who is Disrespecting Whom?

ב"ה

I don't consider myself a Democrat even though, for the most part, I agree with what the Democrats support when it comes to issues domestic. I don't consider myself a Republican even though, for the most part, I agree with what the Republicans support when it comes to issues international (Israel and the Middle East, fighting terrorism, etc.). [Noto Bene: Both of my state's senators and my district's representative are Democrats and do strongly support Israel]

I've been following this "letter" controversy. From my perspective, it's part and parcel of the whole Iran issue. The President, in his infinite (lack of) wisdom, has decided to pull a "Neville Chamberlain" by negotiating with Iran. Iran, one of the biggest supporters (emotional and financial) of the Hydra-headed Terrorist Monster, one country in this crazy world that has more than enough energy to support itself, one country that has no need for nuclear energy, one country that would use nuclear energy for one purpose and one purpose only, that being to murder and destroy, this is the country that Mr. Obama seems to think he can work with. And, knowing how congress, particularly many of the Republican members of congress, feels about this attempt to placate the devil, the president is "going it alone", abusing executive privilage, to make a deal to allow the most dangerous country in the world to have the weapons (nuclear) they can use to destroy the world.

So, when this came across my desktop (in my e-mail), I was moved to comment:

New York Times: Republican Idiocy on Iran

The Republicans are so determined to insult President Obama that they sent a letter to Iran to undermine him.

It’s not only monumentally disrespectful, it’s dangerously dumb. The New York Times reports that the Republicans’ letter was “disgraceful and irresponsible” – they even call it “IDIOCY.”

Now, I can't speak for all Republicans (particularly since I'm not a Republican) but from my perspective the Republicans who sent the letter are not trying to undermine or insult the president; they are trying to protect their constituents, they are trying to protect all of the US, they are trying to protect Israel, they are trying to protect the entire free world.

So get off your high horse, New York Times. Give up your name calling. Stop the character assassinations. Some of us, even registered Democrats (like me), support those politicos who have our security as their number one concern.  

It's funny (that's ironic) that the issue of Iran or the Middle East in general or Israel's security does cross party lines. There are Democrats who support Israel; there are Republicans who don't. I'm glad the founding fathers were wise enough to create a system where the president can't run roughshod over the will of the people. I'm glad there is freedom of speech in this country so we are all free to tell the New York Times (or even the president) to take a long walk off a short pier. And I'm glad we have people in our government who have our back even when the President doesn't.

Europe, are you Awake?

ב"ה

There has been, for many years now, a return of Antisemitism (though I'm not sure it ever left) in Europe. Europe was the center of Nazi based Antisemitism in the middle of the 20th Century. During the middle ages, Europe was the place where Jews were expelled from country after country. 

In a world where Roman Catholicism reigned supreme, it's a bit easier to point to Jews as the "other". It was a bit easier to get away with saying you will not protect the Jews, you will eliminate the Jews from your country. But in the 21st Century, with melting pots of religions, races and nationalities in just about every country in Europe, if you can't protect the Jews, you can't protect anyone. 

Antisemitism in this day and age is often masquarading as Anti-Israel sentiment. Yet in all the world, what other country elicits so much hatred, so much vitriol, so many protests, so many condemnations? Can it possibly be that this tiny little country, about the size of New Jersey, can be so evil that its evil dwarfs China, Syria, Iran, North Korea, even Libya? Can it be that the "Palestinians" so highly deserve their own country, are so unwelcome in the 22 Arab and Muslim countries that the only answer is to give them Israel?

It's just another guise for the old Antisemitism.It's the oldest and longest lasting "hatred with no reason". So many people don't question the newspapers and other media outlets because they have heard in their churches and mosques that Jews are evil.  

But any country, any nation, any group that cannot protect its Jewish population can't protect itself. Talk is cheap, but I'm still waiting to see action. I'm waiting for the European countries, the countries that will lose a lot if their Jews depart, to bring in their military to protect Jews (and everyone else) from terrorist attacks. We know you know how to do this (or can find out from the US and Israel). 

So, Europe, if you want to remain part of Western Civilization, if you want to maintain your standard of living and way of life, you better protect us Jews. If you don't, your countries will never be the shining examples of civilization they once were.

Freedom of Suppress? (With apologies to Hawkeye Pierce)

ב"ה

I'm seeing in my mind a young child. He goes to school every day and in his school there is a bully. Despite seeing this bully beat up boy after boy in his class, he says nothing, he tells no one, even when asked. He thinks by doing this the bully won't hurt him.

But bullies don't work that way. Inevitably, one day, the bully finds him and beats him up. But all those boys who've been beaten up have moved away and can't tell anyone about the bully. So the boy stands up and says he's going to fight to bully. But it's just talk. 

Europe, as a whole, needs to get its act together. In the same week I read that England and France were both going to start fighting Antisemitism, France has multiple terror attacks. I sort of feel as though Europe's reaction to all this seems just like that boy fighting the bully.

England and France are beginning to realize what some of us realized from the beginning: those who attack Jews also attack freedom, including freedom of the press and freedom of speech. These are the very freedoms that terrorists attacked in France this week when they murdered cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo (see cartoons about the attack) 

The only way to defeat these bullies on adrenaline, these destroyers of mythic proportion, is to fight them. If all the free world's forces were brought to bear, if all the military forces in the Western World were to unite and fight this evil together, if we, non-military freedom lovers all, could unite and turn to G-d, do good, pray, show the "evildoers" what good is, show the world, show the people, that what we do matters, living a good life, a life where we love each other and help each other and give the rest of the world hope matters, then we could destroy evil. 

To all the Jews out there who think that Antisemites only hate "religious" Jews (something I call "The 'Miss Daisy'" syndrome after the character in "Driving Miss Daisy" who couldn't understand why her reform temple was bombed when there was an Orthodox synagogue nearby), wake up. Keep just one Shabbat, eat just one meal at a kosher restaurant, buy only kosher food for one week, show the world that bullying won't make us give up our precious way of life. And maybe, just maybe, putting all that goodness out there will reach up to G-d and show G-d we're ready to work with Him/Her. We can do it if we only work together.

[Thank you to "Michelle Nevada" for the idea in the last paragraph. Thank you to the writers of M*A*S*H for the title of this blog entry]

Don't Let History Repeat Itself

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I am a student of history. I love reading book about history, particularly those things that take something we think we know but that our history classes have sanitized or outright lied about and tell you what really happened.

Don't Know Much about History is just such a book. I was reading it yesterday and I was reading about the Indian wars, the 19th Century Genocide of the Native Americans by the Americans who originated in Europe. It was a horrible thing and, while there's not a lot we can do about it at this point, we can do what we need to do, which is learn from history.

One of the things that hit me about this was that often one tribe would be promised "friendship" or other benefits for joining the Euro-Americans against another tribe. Those promises weren't worth the paper they were written on because as soon as the Euro-Americans "finished off" the first tribe, they would turn around and do the same thing to the other tribe (one big perpetrator of this sort of action was 7th President of the United States, Andrew Jackson, not my favorite president, but I digress). The Native American tribes, therefore, would contribute to their own destruction (just as the Africans did by turning over members of other tribes to be brought over to the new world by the slave ships -- the slavers didn't care what tribe their slaves came from). 

I was thinking about this today when I was doing something so mindlessly boring that I needed to give my mind something to do. And I had an epiphany. 

If we are going to learn from history, which we rarely do, we need to learn that The enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend. In other words, if you don't like Jews or Israel, don't think that the Palestinians and/or ISIS (or other terrorist group) is your friend!!!!!! 

That's right. No matter how much you hate us, we Jews are your best chance of saving yourself from the Hydra-headed Terrorist Monster.

The Hydra-headed Terrorist Monster is already trying to inveigle the American people to accept them as allies, by making the downtrodden minorities, the people who, whether true or not, think they are being singled out for persecution and prosecution, trying to make them think that under their Sharia law (one of the most, if not the most, oppressive, suppressive, bigoted, Anti-Black, Anti-Women, Anti-Gay, Anti-Christian and Anti-Jewish "justice" system in the world) will be the salvation of the inner city black.

But it will never work. You can't expect civil rights from terrorists. Just like the Native American population should have unified against the Euro-Americans back in the 19th Century, African Americans need to join together with Latinos, Jews, Indians (Native Americans and those from India), East Asians, Women, Gays and all other people who in the US have to or have had to fight to get their rights in this initially Landed-White-Anglo-Saxon-Germanic-Protestant-Male country. We have come a long way (and, if you check it out, so have you) since the 1820s, the 1890s, the 1900s, even the 1950s and 1960s. Bad things happen when people want too much too soon. Susan B Anthony never did legally vote (she died in 1906), neither did Nat Turner. But now there are African Americans, Women, East Asians, Latinos in congress, there was even an African American President. There are no longer signs in stores that say "No dogs or Jews" and people of any ethnicity and gender can sit where they want in restaurants and on buses. Schools are desegregated. 

This isn't a perfect world, but it can get better only if we work hard to make it better. IMHO, this means caring more about a 14 year old Moore Oklahoma girl or a 5 year old Milwaukee girl both of whom were killed in drive by shootings than we do about a dangerous criminal who is on videotape stealing from a shop and shoving the shopkeeper and who forensic evidence has shown was running at the police officer who shot him. This also means caring more about Tibetans, whose country is truly occupied by invading China; Indonesian Christians who are being persecuted (to the point where their lives are in danger) in Muslim Indonesia; "Palestinian" people who are being kept in squalor and poverty, taught only hatred and how to kill themselves and others; Syrians being slaughtered day in and day out by ISIS; or any of a number of other groups of people (Khurds, Basques, etc.) than you do about Hamas terrorists killed by Israel defending Israel. Just as the people supporting Ferguson marchers are only enraged and "up in arms" by the death of an African American because it was caused by the gun of a white police office and not by the gun of a black drive-by gang-banger, the world is only enraged if Israel kills people (in self-defense) and not bothered in the least when Hamas kills Palestinians or uses their children as human shields.

We need to know what side our bread is buttered on. We need to know who is the better ally in our fights to make the world a better place. If we don't, we just might end up in some distopic "Hunger Games on Steroids" Totalitarian Dictatorship of the Haters. In such a world, civil rights have no meaning and life is cheap. We are each only given one life. Make sure you know who you are spending it on.

Klinging to Their Lies

ב"ה

A number of years ago, New York's local PBS station, WNET Channel 13, decided they would air a very pro-Palestinian anti-Israel program. Within a few months, WNET was feeling the financial pinch of offending New York's Jewish population.

The Metropolitan Opera in NY is about the feel the same pinch. Having decided they will include "Death of Klinghoffer", an opera about the murder of Leon Klinghoffer, an elderly Jewish man in a wheelchair, who was a passenger on the cruise liner Achile Lauro when it was hijacked by pro-Palestinian terrorists (yes, TERRORISTS). The terrorists singled out Mr. Klinghoffer because he was Jewish; period, exclamation point. 

Lest you think that these terrorists are only after Jews and Israelis (whether or not they are Jewish, by the way), these terrorists are part of the hydra monster that IS the base of Al Qaida, ISIS (ISIL, Islamic State, whatever alias you want to use), Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Aksa Brigade, you name it, they're part of the Terrorist Monster -- cut off a head, 3 more grow back in its place. 

So the Metropolitan Opera, despite non-violent protests, is determined to put this Antisemitic, pro-Terrorist work on the stage, to give a platform to a work that was written, according to John Adams, who wrote the Opera along with Librettist Alice Goodman (born a Reform Jew, now an anti-Semitic Anglican minister), to “humanize” the terrorists -- their goal in writing this work was to "humanize" the inhuman, lionize the murderers, minimize the murder of a defenseless eldery gentleman and make this proud Jewish man appear to be the evil one. The Met is becoming a purveyor of lies that ranks right up there with "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" and they don't seem to think anything of it.

As a rule, we Jews don't come into buildings with sub-machine guns shooting up civilians. We Jews don't go around murdering innocent people. We Jews speak with our words, our protest demostrations and our purses. And, since a lot of the large donors in NY to places like WNET and the Met are Jewish, our voices are sometimes loud. I hope the Metropolitan Opera decides to take this work off their program and doesn't allow itself to get commandeered by the voices of the terrorist apologists, the voices of the people who are trying to "humanize" the evil people who murdered an elderly man just because he was Jewish, the voices of hatred. 

The Value of Jewish Life

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My parents and I were watching the news last night and one of the top stories was about the "escalation of fighting" in Israel. The US is calling for a cessation of the attacks; the EU is calling for a cessation of the attacks; the UN is calling for a cessation of the attacks; the whole world is calling for a cessation of the attacks. Isn't that just sweet and lovely? All these peace-loving people showering the world with love?

Only one problem -- where was the worldwide outcry when, almost the moment that Ariel Sharon (ימח שמו) handed over our beautiful Gush Katif it became a Hamas stronghold and a missile launching pad to shower down missiles on populated areas of Israel in a relentless war against civilians. Instead of having peace for a unilateral withdrawal we got war and more war. Where was the worldwide outcry when three Israeli boys (yes boys), civilians all, walking home from school, were kidnapped? Where was the worldwide outcry weeks later when their murdered bodies were found? And where IS the worldwide outcry when Israel, far from bombing civilians, is warning civilians to leave the area because they will be bombing the missile launchers and other military targets, is dealing with bombings on civilian populations?

I find it amazing (though after all the Antisemitic, anti-Israel bilgewater I've had to deal with over the past 40 or so years you'd think I'd be used to it) that the world is so bent on Israel making unilateral concessions to the terrorists (not, CBS News, militants) for a peace that is tenuous at best, non-existant being more realistic. 

To Obama, the EU and the UN (and everyone else on the "peace" bandwagon) don't you know who these terrorists ARE? They want you, too. They have been murdering Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, etc., their own women and gays, anyone who isn't "one of them" all along. This doesn't seem to make the news either. One Palestinian teen is murdered and the world is up in arms (not that it shouldn't be, just that the world is rather unbalanced in its outrage). Hundreds of Jews are killed and there is silence. Silence, that is, until we fight back. 

I am thrilled that Bibi (Prime Minister Netanyahu) is finally fighting back. I am thrilled that our people are finally saying enough is too much. 

And I hope it continues. I hope G-d gives strength to the IDF and the Israeli people. I hope G-d protects them and all Jews in the world. I hope G-d watches over all the "voices in the forest" who are speaking out FOR Israel. And I hope G-d helps us root out all the evil and leave the world a better and safer and truly peaceful place.

Are We There Yet?

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Have we reached the breaking point yet? Have we reached the point of no return? Have we reached the point where we will start fighting back and stop making excuses for our enemies?

Hundreds of Israelis, thousands of people, millions of Jews worldwide have been murdered just for being Jews or Israelis or someone visiting or living in Israel or helping Jews. Antisemitism is rampant and we worry about the opinions of the Jew-haters. Ours and our children's safety is in the hands of those who think appeasement is the answer. The kidnapping and murder of 3 High Schoolers on their way home from school might just be the murder that broke our straw backs. 

I know I'm hardly well versed in the ways of war. I know that perhaps when it comes to war and defending our people I'm naive. But please tell me, those out there who are more knowledgeable in the ways of war, why can't we start by bombing the missile launchers in Gaza, the waste station that was our beloved Gush Katif? Why can't we attack the terrorist hideouts? Why can't we take back Gush Katif?

And, while we're at it, why can't we work at dismantling the infrastructure (such as it is) of the terrorist regimes? They are, after all, operating in our very own house, our home, our nation, our country, our hope (HaTikva). Can't we clean out our own basement? Can't we fight the enemies living and operating in our own backyard?

Yes, we need to trust in Hashem (G-d) and pray. But we also need to do our own hishtadlut (due diligence).

As I said, I'm not a meivina or a b'kiya (knower or delver into the depths of knowledge) in the area of war or defense. But isn't there something we can do? 

Piece Talks?

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All they want is a piece, right? All they want is a place for their people, right?

Well, not right. Not even close.

So far, the people who don't want peace (aka the Palestinian Authority) keeps making demand after demand from the people who do want peace. They want this, they want that. They want Jewish Israelis to stop building homes (and fixing up the homes they already have). They want "their own country" (which, in actuality, they could have had on numerous occasions -- Israel just doesn't want them to have the entire country, which is, in reality, what they want).

In exchange for just talking about this the "Palestinian Leadership" (and I use that term loosely) wants Israel to release hundreds (is it 400?) murderers. That's just to talk.

I don't understand why Israel is even entertaining this. In the past when Israel traded one person for hundreds of murderers (or anything else for hundreds of murderers) they were rewarded with more murders, more Israeli citizens blown up or shot or families murdered in their beds. Why in heaven's name would they even consider such a lamebrained move?

Seems to me that other countries' leaders are putting pressure on the Israeli government to do this. Why? I don't know. Don't they realize that a strong Israel is in their own best interest? Don't they realize that the Islamists in the Middle East don't just want Israel, they want every country? Don't they realize that the Palestiian people are not to be trusted? They have reneged on just about every agreement they have made. They don't even recognize Israel's right to exist. I wouldn't talk to them, particularly under their conditions. You attack us, we attack you; isn't that how it's supposed to go? Why is Israel the only country lambasted for protecting her own people?

Don't only think about what Israel is to the Jewish people; think about what Israel means to the entire world. Israel is the safety valve. Israel, by its very existance, keeps that part of the world from exploding.

And, remember, also, that Israel can no more make peace than a child's mother can make it snow for him.

Fictional Witches Teaching Morality

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Morality and the Media

The Media lately seems to be a place where morality "goes by the wayside" so to speak. Where does morality shine in the media? Strangely enough, in the TV program Charmed and in the pages of the ultra-popular Harry Potterseries of books.

How "Charmed" and "Harry Potter" show the way to Morality

The popular ideology of late states that there is no such thing as good and evil -- it is all relative. There is a strong "ethic" (if I can use that word for it) pushing moral relativism. "Moral Relativism" basically holds that there is no "good" or "evil", everything is relative and must be taken within the context of the setting of the society in which it happens.

The Tora and people of strong moral fiber know this is not the case. There are absolutes of "good" and "evil". Murder is evil, this is why it is called "murder" and not "killing". "Killing" can be justified; "Murder" cannot. This is why the Tora says "you shall not murder" not, despite multiple inaccurate translations, "you shall not kill".

J.K. Rowling, in her Harry Potter series, makes it quite clear that there is morality, there is a system of "good" and "evil" and there are absolutes of each. Lord Voldemort is evil, not because of who he is or what his standing in the community is. He is evil because he chooses to murder and destroy, control and subjugate others.

There are too many people out there who don't understand the concept of good vs. evil. Thankfully, J. K. Rowling gave us a road map. Her road map is a guide not only to what constitutes good and what constitutes evil; her road map is a guide for the eradication of evil and the ultimate triumph of good.

If the leaders of the free world had read Harry Potter the way millions of children, teenagers and even adults had, they might see that while Harry Potter is a magnificently crafted children's story, a modern fairy tale, it is also an allegory of the millennia-old battles between good and evil.

Lord Voldemort, the main villain in the Harry Potter books, tries to blur the lines. He tries to convince Harry that there is truly no good or evil, only power. But Harry's fight throughout the series is not simply with Lord Voldemort, it is also within himself.

When Harry begins Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry he and the other "first year" students are separated into houses by the "sorting hat". While the hat is on Harry's head, the hat says that he can't decide whether to place Harry in Gryffindor house, the house of the most valiant wizards, or Slytherin house, the house Lord Voldemort and most of his followers come from. Harry says over and over "not Slytherin" so the hat places him in Gryffindor. Later on, when Harry asks Professor Dumbledore, the school's headmaster and Harry's mentor, why he was put in Gryffindor and not Slytherin, Dumbledore tells him it was because he used his force of will -- that HE, Harry, had asked for it. In other words, it's not the situation you are born into that shows who and what you are, it's the decisions you make in your life. Day in and day out we have decisions to make and it is these decisions that show our "house", so to speak. It is our decisions that show who we are.

Perhaps not as popular as the Harry Potter series, but equally moral in its message, is the television program "Charmed". "Charmed" is about three sisters who are witches. They use their powers on demons and warlocks (the forces of evil). They make no bones about their mission in this world -- they are here to fight evil. Throughout the years this series was in first run (it is currently shown in reruns) the sisters "vanquished" (which, basically, means killed) demons and other evil beings. These demons were looking for power and would murder anyone who got in their way (they would also murder people or other beings who could give them power).

What I loved about "Charmed" was that they were unapologetic about the sisters' work. The program didn't get wishy-washy. Even when it seemed counter-intuitive, they fought evil.

And that is what we need to do. We need to realize that there is only one way to defeat evil -- we need to destroy evil. As long as evil is out there, we are in danger. Both "Charmed" and "Harry Potter" ended their series with good triumphing over evil and a look into the future -- a future without evil.

Many people in the world take the easy way out. They think they can placate evil by doing what evil asks of them. But what they don't realize or don't want to realize is that evil can never be placated. Hitler proved this at Munich; Arafat proved this when Barak offered him 95% of what he asked for and Arafat's answer was to start the intifada; the Islamofascists of Hamas and Fatah have proven this by turning the thriving Gaza community of Gush Katif into a launching pad for missiles (missiles they rain down on the population of Israel); Al Qaida proved it when they took credit for murdering people; the Taliban proved it when they destroyed historic statues in Afghanistan and by subjugating women. Evil shows its evil by its actions. And good needs to defeat evil. This does not happen with negotiations. This does not happen with wimpy "all for show" military engagements. This only happens when the standard bearers for good are willing to fight an all out war with evil, a war like the final battle of the final installment of the Harry Potter saga. Only that sort of war will clear the way for good to triumph.

The fight, no matter how horrible, is worth the effort. It is worthwhile to do whatever necessary to destroy evil and returnGood in the essential sense. It is the Platonic Good, the ideal Good, the quintessential Good. And, after all, isn't that what we all want?

Witch Design from Compugraph Designs' Printfection Store

In addition to our Cafe Press and Zazzle sites (see modules above), we also have a store on "Printfection" which includes cutting boards (good wedding or housewarming gifts), mugs and cups, tees, etc.

This stein is only one of several Witch/magic themed items at our store:

Compugraphd Printfection site

(Click on the picture to go directly to this product's page)

Intimacy Rules

ב"ה

The words of a song were going through my head during the recent holiday (שמיני עצרת/שמחת תורה) -- not the entire song, just the following words: "... I found what this world is searching for/ Here, right here, my dear/ I don't have to look no more..."  http://www.lyricsondemand.com/b/barrywhitelyrics/nevernevergonnagiveyouuplyrics.html

I thought a lot about those words and I realized that in that short phrase, in those few words, in that expression of love, Barry White put his finger on just what is wrong with the world. In my opinion, there are too many people who are searching, but they don't know what they are searching for. Because they don't know what they are looking for, they are looking in the wrong place. 

We all crave intimacy. But you can't get intimate with a harem. You can't get intimate when your measure of a relationship is how good the sex was. You can't get intimate without giving part of yourself. 

I think this is why the Muslim world is in the shape it is. They feel entitled and don't want to work for themselves. They rule over the women with an iron hand because they are afraid that if they allow the women to be their best selves they will give up a little bit of power.

The problem with that way of looking at things is that they don't have the support that is part of a good marriage. Happily married/ well-matched couples support each other. They present a united front and become stronger than the sum of their parts. These couples multiply their joy and reduce their suffering by sharing both. They strengthen their circle of friends by having the love and fortitude to support their friends when they're down. When one's society is composed of mostly committed, loving/caring, supportive, intimate couples, the society gains, the society flourishes.

Conversely, when the society is built on fear, it cannot support itself. Fear becomes the driving force of most behavior, including contributions to society. The society darkens and people avoid each other. Intimacy is virtually non-existant. Children cannot depend on their parents for love and support. Husbands treat their wives as chattle or slaves, afraid of an uprising (particularly if there is more than one wife in the mix). Everyone looks for the upper hand, reluctant to give even a millimeter for fear of losing ground and falling to the bottom of the heap. No one helps anyone who has fallen; rather, they trample them underfoot. 

In a society where support is there, those who have received support are happy to give support. This helps those who have fallen to find the help to rise again and contribute to society. In a society where maneuvering is the norm, those who have fallen stay down and few contribute anything worthwhile to society.

It behooves those of us who live in the more supportive, more cooperative societies to see to it that the downtrodden and suppressed people of the non-supportive societies are helped and taught to be helpers and nurterers. If we can teach that, and nurture the people who are finding "...what this world is searching for...", we may be able to turn this world around to a more loving and cooperative world, free of war and good for all.

"I'm not an anti-Semite -- I just hate Israel"

ב"ה

During a time when Israel is suffering daily attacks on her population centers, there are still people who are calling for Israel's condemnation, protesting in front of Israeli embassies and consuls, and generally blaming Israel for all the problems in the Middle East if not all the problems in the entire world.

I was wondering what it is about Israel that inspires so much ire. What is it? It can't be that Israel is the Jewish State. After all, a large percentage of Jews condemn Israel. It can't be that Israel is the Jewish State. Ask anyone who condemns Israel. They insist they aren't anti-Semites, just anti-Israel. So, obviously I'm missing something. I must be missing something that makes Israel such a horrible place that Israel deserves more censure than that bastion of civil rights, China, that oasis of free speech, Iran, that wellspring of liberty, Syria. There must be something about the "Palestinians" that makes them more worthy of support than the Christians in Darfur, women in Afghanistan and Iran, Tibetans under Chinese occupation. What is it I'm missing?

What am I missing that makes Hamas a more appropriate governing body than the democratically elected Israeli Government? Why is it better for the world to have Hamas controlling "The Gaza Strip" by turning it into a missile launching pad to lob bombs on population centers and then hide behind their own civilians so that when Israel goes to protect her citizens, residents and guests, all the reporters and photographers see is dead Hamas citizens? Why does the world want to doom the "Palestinian" people to a country run by Hamas?

If people truly cared about the "Palestinians", they would support Israel. Israel sends aid to the "Palestinians",treats "Palestinian" (and other Arab/Muslims) with more respect than Hamas. If people truly cared about the people in the Middle East they would support Israel. But, the truth is, they truly are anti-Semites, they truly do hate Israel simply because it is the Jewish State. There is truly no other reason to hate Israel and no other reason to so zealously support Hamas and Fatah. Israel is the only Jewish country in the world. Why is it so vilified? Because it is the Jewish State. That's the only reason. It doesn't matter how much the anti-Israel "crowd" insists they aren't anti-Semitic.

Listen to the words that come out of the mouths of the Israel haters. They sound a lot like the words that came out of the mouths of the French people when French Jew Alfred Dreyfus was framed for treason. They didn't say, "Kill the Traitor" or even "Kill the Jew" (which would have been bad enough). They said, "Kill the Jews" in the plural. Even if Dreyfus HAD been guilty (he was exonerated when the real traitor was uncovered), that would have been an anti-Semitic thing to say.

So let's call an anti-Semite an anti-Semite. If you condemn Israel, particularly if you let other countries "off the hook", you ARE an anti-Semite.

Free Speech Only For the Followers of Muhammad?

ב"ה

Maybe it's because I'm an American. Maybe it's because I've seen, in my life, what suppression of Free Speech has done around the world, the repressive, anti-equality, anti-Freedom, anti-feminist, anti-Jewish, anti-American regimes it has created. But I cringe when I hear about groups of people trying to kill others based totally on something that the other group believes or said.

That's why my feathers are ruffled. That's why I'm incensed that Hillary Clinton is talking and other people are talking about mobs attacking US embassies and talking about the Ambassador being killed in an attack in Libya over a movie that THEY see as being uncomplimentary about Muhammad.

It is time for the talking and the rhetoric and the speechifying to stop. It is past the time of asking Muslim leaders to control their people. It is past the time of diplomacy and negotiations. It is time for us to protect our rights to create a movie that is controversial. It is time for us to protect our television producers and our movie makers. It is time for us to show our enemies that we can "talk their language", that we can fight back and that we have just as much of a right to our opinions as they do.

The only way to do this is to fight for our rights, literally. And, while I don't for one moment underestimate the sacrifice our military people make, but the reason we have a strong military is to protect our freedom, our way of life and our lives. I appreciate the brave men and women who protect our freedom and our lives, but we are not being fair to them if we send them in to do a job and many of them lose their limbs or lives and then we pull out before the job is done. It's sort of like having a virulent, life-threatening infection and only treating part of it. By doing that, you create antibiotic resistant bacteria. By only fighting part of the war, we create an enemy that thinks we are weak and that strengthens them.

We, unfortunately, have a long history of striking hard and moving out. This started with Carter and his washy-washy way of handling the Ayatollah. It continued with Bush hitting but not finishing off Saddam Hussein. And it's still going on today with our indecisive handling of Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention Al-Qaeda, post 9-11.

This embassy attack is a symptom of the problem. It's a symptom of the entitlement that men in the Muslim world feel. It's a symptom of the Muslim world's belief that they are better than everyone else. As long as we appear weak to them, they believe that G-d is on their side. And we can't allow them to believe that. We have to fight for the real Face of G-d, the G-d who gave us an equal chance to succeed, an equal chance to shine in His/Her world. If we allow them to define G-d, if we allow the worst opinion of G-d to hold sway, we do ourselves and this world a disservice. Let's stand up for our values. Let's show our strength. Let's prove to the Muslim world that freedom is something we think is worth fighting for.

The Bloomberg is off the Rose..... Or was it ever there?

ב"ה

There's a commercial that's on the tube in the New York City area put out by the United Federation of Teachers. "Ten years as Mayor, and Mike Bloomberg still doesn’t get it" the commercial begins. While the teachers are referring to his dealing with education, I agree that the Mayor doesn't get it, but also in another venue.

Ten years as Mayor of New York, coming in on Rudy Giuliani's coattails, jack-hammering his way to a third term, despite the desires of his electorate, Mayor Bloomberg still doesn't understand that the US, and, in particular, New York City, is at war. He still doesn't understand that by rolling over and allowing our enemy to dictate to us doesn't help. He still doesn't understand that, by bending over backwards to kiss the tuchuses of Islamists he is putting his city, our nation and the world in grave danger.

By shaming Police Commissioner Ray Kelly into apologizing for training his police officers in the methods and goals of the Islamist Revolution, Mayor Bloomberg gives strength to the enemy.

The Muslims who are on the side of freedom wouldn't use a movie about Islamist terrorism and jihad as an excuse to yell "racism" or "Islamophobia". They understand that a movie about terrorism isn't about them, it isn't about all Muslims; they understand that the movie is about the people who would use their religion to oppress others. So, in general, any Muslim that says that the Police in NY who are fighting terrorism on a daily basis, who are doing their best to protect the citizens of the Big Apple from the worms who would destroy it, are being insensitive by showing a movie about jihad are part of the problem. They are the ones who secretly (or not so secretly) root for the terrorists, the Jihadists, the Islamists.

So, Mr. "Mayor" (and I use that term loosely since I don't think Mr. Bloomberg deserves the title), stand up for your police department. Stand up for educating your first responders. Stand up for revealing the enemy for who he/she is. Show the world that you have a backbone, that you know who you are fighting. If you don't, you are handing New York over the the Islamists. If you don't, more people will die in another 9/11. Do your job, Mr. Bloomberg. Do your job and protect all the people who call New York home, all the people who work in New York, all the people who visit New York on a daily basis. Or you'll have no people left to protect.

Defense! Defense!

ב"ה

Imagine you are living in a house that has belonged to your family for several generations. You have raised your family there as you were raised by your parents. You have some issues with the neighbors, but for the most part they leave you alone. Next door to you is a house you own that you rent out.

One day, the people to whom you rent the house next door start saying the house is theirs. They stop paying rent, don't keep up the outside and destroy the inside. They then say that the house that has been in your family for generations is also their house and they want you out. You ignore them at first, after all their claim is patently ridiculous. But the claim isn't enough for them. Their dog starts pooping on your lawn and when you approach him he growls and bares his teeth. The neighbors start throwing rocks into the yard when you and your family are out back (particularly when your children are playing in the yard). You try to ignore it; then you ask them to stop. The other neighbors suddenly rise up and take the side of your tenants, telling you that you have no right to live on their block.

So you hire a lawyer and take them to court and the judge sides with them! The police start coming to your door, threatening you with eviction (from your family's long time home). What do you do? What would you do?

Israel has been subject to just this sort of badgering since its inception in 1948. In actuality, Jews living in Israel have been subject to this sort of harassment since long before 1948. There were pogroms in "Palestine" in the 1930s, long before Israeli statehood. The people that Israel permits to live in her land (unlike other nations in the region, they don't limit their populace to one religion or ethnic group) are trying to kill Israelis, Jew and Gentile (though mostly Jews).

And yet the world keeps blaming Israel. That Abbas won't return to the peace talks? That's Israel's fault. That Hamas is lobbing missiles at population centers? That's Israel's fault. That the "Palestinians" turned the gift (no concessions were required of the "Palestinian" leadership) of the beautiful Gush Katif into a rocket launching pad that is the current "Gaza Strip"? That's Israel's fault.

What is the terrible "thing" that Israel (and Jews in the past) has done that has caused so much hatred, so much vitriol? Surviving. Just by existing and surviving, just by trying to live in peace, just by trying to live as G-d wants us to (something that is so "horrid" that many Jews have rejected it and turned away from the ways of the Tora) we are causing all this hatred.

Until the world makes the "Palestinians" and the rest of the Islamist world accountable for their own lives, accountable for all their crimes against humanity, accountable for living in a free and democratic world, a constructive world, a peaceful and loving world, we in the free world will never have peace. Until we stand by Israel, stand with Israel, stand against hatred, murder and tyranny, we will continue to hear people blaming Israel, something that does nothing toward resolving the issue. If you truly want peace in the region and the world, stand with the tiny democratic nation of Israel, now and forever.

How to Create a Spoiled Brat

ב"ה

I have noticed over the past few years or so that, as parents spend more and more time in jobs and less and less time with their children, they often over compensate by giving their children everything they want. What this does is create children who, not only want everything, but ask for things they don't really want just to test their parents. The more they get, the more they want.

So many people are familiar with this scenario that they don't even question it anymore. Perhaps this is why people see nothing strange about expecting Israel to give more land away to the self-same people who they gave Gush Katif (aka Gaza) to and were "rewarded" with shells raining down daily on her citizens.

But I grew up in a more practical generation. I grew up in an age when Mothers never fell for the "but all my friends are 'doing it'" or "everyone will be there" or "if you don't buy me the newest and best video machine I'll hate you". Mothers knew that it didn't do their children any good to give them the impression that they would always get anything they said they wanted. Maybe that (and my knowledge of pre-WWII history) is why I see the immaturity of the constant entitlement expressed by the Muslim world (in particular right now the "Palestinian Authority" aka the terrorist organization in Sheep's clothing, Hamas). I can see how damaging their indolence can be to their own people and to the people of Israel, the US and the rest of the world. And, I am, quite honestly, totally amazed that there aren't more people in the world who don't see this. I am nonplussed by how many people there are out there who think Israel is the villain, Israel is the obstacle to peace. They seem to continue to believe this even after Israel has made all the overtures and concessions while the "Palestinians" have made none.

I feel the need to shake these people and ask them "why"? Why do so many not realize the danger? I can only assume their prejudices and hatreds have blinded them to their own best interest.

9-1-1 -- What's Your Emergency?

ב"ה

I do think it's wonderful that everyone is having a September 11th remembrance day. Yes, I really do. But the best way to remember 9-11 is to do what you can to prevent a recurrence. And that means (drum roll -- this will be really shocking to my regular readers) fighting terrorism. And this is something the elected "leader" of the center of it all, New York City, seems to have forgotten.

New York Mayor Bloomberg, that "bend over backwards" sycophant, who is of the school of thought that is giving the term "politically correct" it's negative connotation, thinks "remembering 9-11" (which, mind you, he undeservingly used to get into the mayor-ship, by riding on the coattails of the true NYC leader at the time, Rudy Giuliani) is inviting the next generation of terrorism teachers, Abdul-Rahman Muhammad, also known as the "Ground Zero Imam", to speak at his "affair". The "Ground Zero Mosque" (aka "The Cordoba Institute") is financed by the same sort of people who finance terrorism. Thank G-d more intelligent opinion prevailed and he was dis-invited (hey, he dissed us, only fair we should dis-invite him). But, while dis-inviting the person who doesn't belong there in the first place, the idiot Mayor dis-invited first responders (except those injured on 9-11) and religious leaders.

On what demented planet is that not making a mockery of the 9-11 experience? On what demented planet is that a normal reaction to criticism? On what demented planet do we coddle the representatives of the very people who destroyed this area in the first place 10 years ago while spurning those who have given others strength and life during those scary days? (If the "Mayor" needs to have a Muslim speak at this event, why not invite someone like Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser? He represents freedom loving true American Muslims.) As bad as the "Mayor"'s support of the ground-zero mosque (aka the monument to the defeat of the Islamists' enemies -- that's us), this puts a poisonous cherry on top of his toxic sundae (or is it "Sunday"?).

Mayor Bloomberg, get a backbone! Stand up to the enemies of Jews, the enemies of women, the enemies of gays, the enemies of freedom of choice, the enemies of freedom of speech, the enemies of freedom of religion, the enemies of freedom. Have a true memorial to 9-11 on this 10th anniversary. And then remember, ever after, who caused your photo-op, who created the space that needed to be filled, who murdered those thousands (and tried on that day, and ever since, to murder more). And stand up to them and fight.

Sitting Ducks in Southern Israel

ב"ה

Retaliation; the word itself conjures up visions of posses hanging mostly innocent people from tree branches. It's a "gut" word, designed to make people think that the "retaliater" is a vigilante, lawless, fighting tit-for-tat.

So the news led with "Israel Retaliates" -- excuse me? Buried in the middle of this story is the fact that there was a terror attack near the Egyptian border during which "Palestinian" terrorists (not "militants") attacked civilians and killed 7 and wounded 25 with guns and bombs. Israel, for some ridiculous "public relations" reason, doesn't attack the strongholds of her enemies when they find out where the terrorists hide; they wait until after people are murdered.

These are not "retaliations" any more than the Nuhrenberg trials and executions were retaliation or the execution of mass murderers like Ted Bundy or Gary Gilmore were retaliation. This is a country's just right to protect itself and its citizens; its visitors, guests and foreign workers.

It was very clear from the tenor of the stories what the media thinks of Israel having the audacity to kill the terrorist leaders who are murdering their people. Just like the Jews have done for generations and centuries, we're just supposed to die.

It is very important, though, not only for Israel and her citizens, not only for all the people in Israel, not only for all the Jews in the world, but for all freedom loving people in the world, that Israel fight back, that Israel destroy the vipers' nests where the terrorists hide, that Israel take back Gush Katif, and that Israel do all these thing unapologetically. Israel shouldn't even attempt to make the world's Muslim apologists understand. The media has its own reasons for writing slanted articles (The Slander of Israel and its Trigger for Antisemitism at the bottom of this link's page tells it all quite well, in my humble opinion). Yes, it would be nice if we could get the people who are "on the fence" to understand why the survival of the free world hinges on the survival of Israel. But there are those who we will never convince. We just need to defend ourselves and fight G-d's fight. G-d will protect us if we meet him halfway and work to defend our people, our nation and our land. G-d gave us this land and only G-d can take it away. And that is why we need to continue to fight and pray for our land and to keep the whole world free.

Let's Wait for the Butter.......

ב"ה

I admit it -- I'm a Trekkie. I'm not really super into sci-fi in general, but I am a Trekkie. I sort of have this fantasy about what would happen if all those of us who support Israel could transport ourselves to another planet just long enough to allow the Radical Jihadists to do whatever they want.

We would need to transport with us supplies and equipment for the next few years (though I'm not even sure it would take that long, but just in case) and a good telescope/observatory because we would need to keep an eye on goings on on the planet earth.

So, one of the members of our group (possibly one of our intrepid reporters or bloggers) would keep an eye on things and report back to the group (our own little commune or kibbutz and we could all kibbitz (gossip) about it.

We'd be keeping an eye on things; the Islamists would now have no one to stand up to them; their route would be unfettered. They would come into Europe and Asia and Africa and even the Americas and introduce Sharia law. Women would regularly be killed because they do "dishonorable" things like speaking their minds or not wearing Burkhas. Very soon there would be fewer and fewer women to bear the next generation; there will begin to be a glut of men with no women to marry (and subjugate).

Add to this, since the Radical Jihadists really don't contribute anything positive to this world, there would be no technology, no agriculture, no industry, no art. The available food supply would soon run out.

We probably wouldn't even have to unpack our supplies before the Shi'ites would attack the Sunnis and the Sunnis would attack the Shi'ites. Like a very smart young Indian boy in a story I heard many times when I was a child, all we have to do is sit up in the tree until the Tigers turn to butter.

We could then come back to earth and build a more moral world, a world G-d would be proud of.

Terror Firma or "Norway or the Highway"

ב"ה

Absent the fact that the "Palestinians" (as a term referring to the people who are ethnically, religiously, culturally, linguistically identical to all the other Arab/Muslims living in the 22 or so countries, most of which dwarf Israel in size, surrounding Israel, who just so happen to be living in Israel) are a contrived people. Absent the fact that these same people have proven that they do not deserve a country of their own (since they took the land, Gaza, that was handed over to them on a silver platter, the land that its previous residents turned into a garden spot, and turned it into a launching pad for missiles aimed at population centers of Israel). Absent the fact that the people living in those areas under control of the "Palestinian Authority" live in fear, woman are murdered for the flimsiest reasons, gays are murdered just for being gay, Jews who accidentally find themselves there are brutally slaughtered. Absent that the people called "Palestinians" were only "created" and called "Palestinians" so that they could claim that Israel was their land not Israel's, that the coins and stamps and other artifacts from that area of the world that are labeled "Palestine" are proof that they belong there (not that these artifacts were created by the Jews who lived in the British run "Palestine" – what Israel was called before 1948 – pre-statehood).

Even if the "Palestinians" actually had a good claim to the area (which they clearly do not), Terrorism is unacceptable. Terrorism is the murder of innocent people so as to keep people living in fear so that they will be willing to give you anything to get you to stop. Terrorism shows a total lack of respect for life, a total lack of morality. Terrorism should be fought with every ounce of our strength, with our militia and our media outlets. We should never permit anyone to justify the murder of innocent people.

When Norway experienced two terrorist attacks in one day (the Islamists were so used to performing terrorist activities that one or two groups jumped up to take credit for it), instead of using it as a learning tool (as many in the United States did when we were attacked on 9/11 almost 10 years ago) to try to understand what Israel lives with on a day to day basis, they used it as yet another excuse to verbally attack Israel. The Norwegian ambassador to Israel said, basically, that Israel deserves to be attacked but Norway doesn't. (see this article by Alan Dershowitz)

By justifying terrorism (against anyone), Norway helps to create an environment where terrorism is seen as an acceptable way of dealing with people who don't agree with you. Let me explain – the Islamists don't use terrorism because they are truly being suppressed by Israel or the US, they are using terrorism because we steadfastly refuse to live as they do, we steadfastly refuse to suppress others, we steadfastly cling to our beliefs and our way of life and our multiculturalism.

By legitimizing terrorism and deligitimizing Israel, Norway is contributing to an environment where terrorism is acceptable, where terrorists are respected. Terrorists ought to be eliminated, not lionized or given a "pass" (as in "well, this terrorism is acceptable, only this terrorism is reprehensible").

Clearly, anti-Semites want everything to be Israel's fault and will continue to blame Israel even though this can hurt them!. These anti-Semites ignore the Islamists' terror against the Islamists' own people. These anti-Semites ignore the Islamists' terror against the anti-Semites' own fellow country-people. They ignore it at their own peril, and ours.

Israel's major mistake is not defending herself and her citizens and guests better. By giving in to the extortionists, the blackmailing terrorists, we only encourage more terrorism, more extortion, more blackmail. The Israeli electorate voted in Sharon because he promised to not give away Gush Katif (aka Gaza). He betrayed them. They voted in Bibi (Netanyahu) because he promised to not give away Judea and Samaria. It remains to be seen, right now, whether he will betray us and turn Israel into one big bull's-eye. It remains to be seen, right now, whether Bibi has the strength of character to stand up to the haters, the anti-Semites, the “freedom fighters” (that is, the people who fight against freedom) like his brother did. But, giving Hamas the gift of land isn't going to bring peace, and it isn't helping anyone except the despots who rule the region.

So that brings us back to Norway. They are so wrapped up in their hatred that they can't see the forest OR the trees. They don't understand (or don't want to understand) that, by blaming Israel that they are encouraging terrorism in the world. They are encouraging the political extortion that Hamas and Al Qaida and every other terrorist group is afflicting the world populous with. They are encouraging a world where terrorists are considered partners for peace and the nation that wants peace most in the world (Israel, for those of you who can't figure it out) is hounded as an "Apartheid State" and "Racist", where the true haters (like Ahmadinejad) are lionized and feted by the "peaceful" United Nations (aka "Nations United against Israel"). And they say Israel deserves the terrorism? Orwell's "1984" is alive and well and living in Norway. And we need to fight them. We need to fight the haters, we need to fight the propaganda. We need to re-educate people. And we need to do it now.

Scandinavian Scion's Scandalous Scheme

ב"ה

Once again, Phyllis Chesler has hit the nail on the head.

In her The 5 Biggest Lies Told about Oslo Shooter Anders Breivik on Pajama Media, Ms. Chesler, in her inimitable style, debunks the media's myths about Mr. Breivik and his recent attack in Norway.

There may be people out there who secretly (or not too secretly) applaud this man’s actions, but that is not the norm. There are some who see his attack as fighting back (more in the line of self-defense) — I’m not one of them, BTW, but I certainly understand why someone wouldn’t want to be demonized (as I and my people and my land are). I can understand why someone might feel frustrated that (s)he can’t do anything to change people’s minds on this issue. But I’m a pacifist by nature (possibly reanalyzing by "nurture" or by concern for my and my family’s safety).

I doubt Mr. Breivik sees the world as I do. I worry that he has given jihad condoning Westerners more fodder; I worry that by his acts he will cause the evil ones to redouble their efforts. But I also understand the desperation people can feel looking at what appears to be an untenable situation. I in no way support the murder of misguided youth (one never knows if they would repent their evil leanings) nor the planting of a bomb that could kill and maim innocents. On the other hand, I understand a militia’s duty to protect its populous (as Israel does) or people fighting attackers who attack them (or their loved ones) directly. I can’t understand why people find it so easy to blame "Islamophobia" (which, from my POV, doesn’t really exist — it’s not a phobia, it’s a true fear, one that stems from real danger, not an irrational fear). (By the way, there are FAR more anti-Jewish incidents in the US -- let's not even talk about other places -- than there are against Muslims.) It’s so easy to blame Israel and it’s "suppressive" policies (which are what exactly?????). Few people try to find the true cause, the true evil among us, the true suppressors of freedom.

If they did, perhaps the fear of being forced into burkas and Sharia would feel a bit more real.