NOTHING, JUST NOTHING

 What is left to say when the world has crashed around our shoulders? What is left to say when America has chosen a convicted felon, a sexual predator, a man of limited intellectual capacity severely ravaged by a growing dementia, a man sociopathic in actions with a thunderous lack of moral spine, as a leader, the President, of this nation. Again. Four more years of hate and violence. Four more years of increasing JewHatred and aren't the Proud Boys so smug as their ally won this election! 

Actually, it can and probably will be worse than anticipated. Trump is old, with health issues amid a rather unhealthy life and habits, He could very likely die in office and then OMG! OMG!!! Vance!!! A fascist at heart with backwards thinking   and young to boot. Where thence America? 

What have we done? What have we caused? What awful trend of thought or lack thereof have we set in godawful motion? What horrendous acts and rules will be perpetrated upon this nation?  Will we see those armed forces roaming the streets of America? Will we see a prioritized formation of firing squads as promised? threatened?   

Even worse, we can seriously contemplate a shredding party wherein every copy, hard and soft, of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence will be torn to pieces. Literally and figuratively. I have no doubts that Trump will attempt to put in place his most outrageous plans   buoyed by the sycophantic terrorized cowards of Congress and governmental structure of the nation.

I worry for my daughters, my granddaughters and all the women of this nation. Troglodyte thinking will prevail with an attempt to reintroduce as national policy, stated or implied, of kinder, kirche, and kuchen. Shall we all need to invest in the purchase of red gowns, and wide brimmed hats? 

Yet another concern - what about Kamala Harris and all the opponents. Are they in existential danger? Do we believe the threats of Trump, of revenge and retribution, of imprisonment and suppression, mass deportations? Will the rights of citizenship be torn and declared invalid? Are political opponents of Trumpism in actual existential peril - as promised? If so, the resultant damage to this nation to its democracy, to Democracy, might be irreparable.

Will Americans become used to living under suppression and oppression? I worry greatly for Israel and other endangered nations, for Trump Is notoriously mercurial in thoughts, words and deeds and cannot be trusted to maintain a steady hand at the wheel. The awful life dampening shadows of the dictators of the world will be empowered. The nation which once stood for all that was good, stood proud in its role, the nation of the Lady of the Harbor, will have disappeared.  

What have we done, America? Cry my once beloved country. Those of us who have spoken out, are we to await an early morning call and bag over the head? A ruling of suppression? Imprisonment as traitors? How ironic that would be! What have we done, America? What new awful path of history have we set in motion? Who the hell knows in this rather ugly new world of ours.

 I sincerely hope I am wrong. I pray we can eke out some kind of positivity from this whole mess. I am, for all intents and purposes, presently speechless. I hope and pray I do not have to say, "I told you so!"

Dear Lord, please excuse your foolish creations. A tad more patience would come in handy.  Perhaps some enlightenment, along with strong displays of displeasure. Majestic thundering and lightning. Whatever would work. Just enough to remind humanity of their responsibility. and of Your power. Enough to stave off permanent damage.

There is nothing more to say in the face of this disaster.

Nothing. Nothing at all.

"BEAT DOWN" OR "LIFT UP"

Such was the choice presented to America in one   of Harris's closing speeches prior to the election. With a clearcut stark difference, the choice was presented as a definite differential. Harris's 'lift up' philosophy with a culmination of victory for one who would be a "president for ALL Americans". Trump's victory meaning an America touted as the shame of the world, broken down, last legs, needful of an administration championing the idea and practice of revenge and retribution, with firing squads primed to shoot people "in the face". Lift up vs beat down. Civil and civic behavior vs savagery and authoritarianism.

While I have doubts as to the rather Pollyannish view of an America consisting once again of a union of its various tribes, able to discourse in civic and civil tones, these doubts fade into insignificance when compared to the guaranteed dystopian world of a Trump presidency. He would be the last duly and democratically elected president of what would become a defunct USA. 

Instead of attempts to reunite this country, to remind us of all of our shared 'Americanness', this nation would further devolve into terrorized sectors. ruled by firing squads primed and ready to shoot enemies of Trump in the face, as promised. From the horse's mouth direct. As extreme as that sounds, I have no doubt of its implementation based on past behavior and the ever-rising decibels and frequency of shrill hate and vows of revenge emanating from his twisted mind and mouth. 

Violent rhetoric inevitably leads to violent deeds. So history has taught us, so history has bled us. There are those who treasure those terrible lessons of history. They strive to recreate them, to reinstall terror, and amass unbelievable wealth and power, to rule via fear and threat. To stifle and brutally crush all attempts to better the condition of mankind and restore rights and hopes and dreams. It is time, way past time that we wake up and see reality and its truth, clearly and undeniably. It is time we recognize the hard work which must be in place, ever ongoing if we are to save ourselves from ourselves and the consequences of our own stupidity. It is time.

America is not perfect. It was not born of perfect motive. It is not perfect and will never be so. That is because Mankind is not perfect and is charged with the responsibility to ever strive to reach perfection. What must be perfect is our realization and acceptance of that fact and its import. We are in control of ourselves, our fates, our future. We can pray to the G-d we call by many names, ask for   help, to 'have our collective back', but bottom line- we must grow up and accept the yoke of responsibility that is the burden laid upon us.  

We now stand on the cusp of history. We have a maximum choice. It is a choice of a future of our own creation. Personally, I await the results of the election with great trepidation. Will those trained to stop the election actually attempt to do so? Could they actually succeed in halting the counting, changing the totals? Will they use physical violence to achieve their misbegotten aims? Are we so far from what we once were supposed to be? Are we actually standing on the brink of another Civil War?      

Can we? Will we? Do we want to wake up in time to understand our precarious condition? We are standing on a crumbling ridge. The ground beneath our feet is broken. The grains of sand no longer hold together. The rocks below await us. Or do we have the sense and enough time to grab hold of each other and take one giant, two giant, three giant steps back, in unison and confidence and trust and come to our senses? There are so many problems in this world that need solution. Bringing about those solutions will not be easy. But then again, what is? We are holding ourselves hostage. We are the captors of ourselves. Only we have the key to unlock the cells and the shackles which bind us. Only we. Only with sacrifice and understanding  can we stop tragedy in its tracks and build a better future for all. 

Maybe. Let's see what Wednesday morning is all about.

Vote.

THE NUMBERS GAME

Numbers do not lie. We have been so informed and so we are told until we believe its premise. However, it is a false statement, for numbers, statistical data, can be manipulated and in fact are, very often. Why? To prove or disprove a point. To gain sympathy or increase enmity. Whatever the purpose, numbers can be made to tell different stories, even the same numbers can be interpreted at odds. 

Multiple times a day we are reminded of the deaths in Gaza. We are told to weep for the dead, for they are apparently all 'innocents", caught in the brutal crosshairs of Israeli fighters. Yes. there are thousands of casualties in Gaza, but what do those numbers actually mean? No breakdown is provided, merely an implied understanding that the casualties are mainly noncombatants. women and children. So where are the men? Fighting for Hamas. Battling the Israeli army and incurring casualties. Their dead and wounded are presented to the public as innocents. Never mind their gleeful bloody participation in the. October 7 massacres. Never mind the slaughter. Ignore the captives, children, infants, elderly and terrified cadets, men protecting their families. Now either dead and/or dying or remaining in brutal captivity in airless tunnels or private homes. Perhaps only 51 remaining alive -and for how long? But never mind those numbers, or the sum of 395 days in captivity. No end in sight. Much of the same in Lebanon with Hezbollah.

Numbers indeed. Truth? Not so much. 

Numbers also fall into categories. Who and what determines the categories and interpretations of them and their numbers? Beats me. In fact, it appears to be that anyone can decide, a free for all, and is a 'never mind' state of mind. Even if the claims are absolutely ridiculous, based on absurdities or even nothing at all. And all the while, new words and accusatory phrased are ginned up, new idiotic categories of offense conveniently given life when they should have been stillborn. 

Here is the latest brouhaha and be sure to shake your head in sympathetic commiseration with the aggrieved. I kid you not on this one. At a time of blatant overt physical and oral vicious events and attacks reeking, dripping, of in-your-face antisemitism are claimed to be needful of investigation as to whether they are indeed hate crimes, where is a balance when an actor in a Broadway play claimed to be highly offended and suffering from " “bullying” and “racially microaggressive”   language. What exactly was that powerful word capable of inducing this awful feeling? Warning: possible trigger word. (Yet another stupidity of modern times.) A statement made by Patti Lupone that the music of the play was "too loud”. Please note that this is not an unusual statement or complaint made by playgoers   particularly when the play is about modern. music. "Micro aggressive!!!" Give me a break.    Now remember, if we were to use the applicable numbers here, that of the decibels of the music being played, Lupone would most probably have been proven correct. However, this is a time when numbers were deemed not as important, far less important than the ridiculous attention-grabbing claim of "microaggression".

The media gives us every day, sometimes on an hourly basis, new 'breathtaking" accounts of such egregious incidents, 'aggressions' of implied racial bias, even though most cannot see it, but hesitate to say so in this rather toxic area of modern society. We have reached a point where we denied the obvious. We refused to address actual important topics and instead direct our words, thoughts and efforts to trifles and no-account trivialities. We ignore planks and concentrate on splinters. We are blind to violations of decency and humanity and expend our energies and attention upon concerns of nitpicking value.  Bottom line, we will get nowhere fast. In fact, we will probably go backwards at a much faster rate. Check the numbers on that and see how the numbers of haters have grown - along with the streams of money.

Obviously, we need new mathematicians. We need new interpreters of data. We need to check our eyesight and our hearing. We need to clean up the clots in our brains and the spiderwebs of our minds. We need to decalcify our hearts and find room within for others. We need to see ourselves in others and others in ourselves. We need to play the music of life at proper decibels. We need to make room for truths over falsehoods. We need to have the courage of quixotic attempts to right wrongs, to not only dream the impossible dream, but in fact and effort, help to make it possible. 

These are hard, difficult charges made upon us. Some are perhaps out of reach at present, but we cannot give up. We cannot cede victory to the negative, to the haters, to the deniers of humanity. 

We simply cannot do that. We cannot give up. That is the cost of life, the numbers game of our existence upon this planet. The rent is due, even overdue.

 

THE HOUR THAT WAS

  One hour. 60 minutes. 36,000 seconds. Imagine what could have been accomplished in that one hour. Yes, I know we actually gained an hour, but it feels as if I, we, lost an hour. What could have been accomplished in that one hour. As I look back over the year, I think what could I, should I, have done if I had been given all the time of that one hour, with permission to do anything within its bounds. Think about what you would have done if you had been gifted that treasure. One. hour. A great responsibility. Unlike the fisherman's wife who wasted her three wishes, we cannot afford that error. Each change, each direction taken, must be thought out carefully. In addition, this is not an endless hour. Once those 36,000 seconds are used up, spent by the ticking of the clock, there are no more second chances. No ability to go back, erase and redo.

I am sure that each and every one of us have some very similar wishes. The temptation to make some grandiose wish is very clear, sharp, and dominant. Think about it. What good would it do if you wish to be the richest person even as the world remains in this very precarious state of being. You might have asked, understandably so, for peace to reign.  Think of that peace. Would it be an imposed peace wherein all dissent and opposition are suppressed, and punished? Would it be a peace of understanding? A mutually shared idea of peace and the benefits of peace. Wishes and dreams and thoughts must be extremely explicit lest they be twisted and turned into something completely other than what one wished for or had in mind.

Perhaps selfishly, though I am sure the fulfillment of this desire would actually benefit the world as a whole, would be the cancelation. of the death of my grandson Yitzy. He had so much beauty, talent and promise. Think of what his life, continued on his same unbelievably beautiful track, could have, would have, meant for our very troubled world. If at the age of 13 he had accomplished so much, how much more could have been accomplished had he   lived in multiples of those 13 years. To be honest, even though there is a wider consequence of benefit via cancelation of his death, my main purpose would be to eliminate this constant ache in our hearts and the empty space between. our arms meant to hug him and hold him tight. 

 What else would I have attempted to accomplish during this gift of an hour? That too is simple. Clear as day. I would have canceled October 7,2023. The screams of terror and pain. The raucous raspy sounds of bloodlust, of people who have forgotten humanity, who instead indulged and wallowed in the basest of all instincts and desires. The horrific consequences of that day - think of it. The lives lost on all sides of this conflict. The waste of the creativity of the human brain. Of the potential of our potentiality. Of all that could have been built with the. money and materials funneled into Gaza, so that instead of building tools and weapons and paths of destruction, tools and paths to resurrection and rebuilding and prosperity and peace could have been engendered instead. Why do we humans continue to pour our resources always into the wrong places and to the wrong ideas? And then wonder at the horror we have created. Here is a more definitive wish. There will never be another October 7. 2023. Not in any shape. Not in any way. Not in any form. Not in any desire. Not in any actualization.

In order to make that an actual reality, another act of that hour would be to somehow defray and discard, actually prevent any reasons for the bloody enmity amongst the people who live in that region. Somewhere, somehow, there must be people of Solomonic wisdom who can clearly see the way through the morass of the bog in which we now find ourselves. They see the possibilities of missteps, the traps awaiting, and they avoid them. And along with them comes the multitudes of hordes of people who desire not blame, not a bloody future, but a peaceful future, one with hope for their children. Unfortunately, as part of this wish and its realization, the distorted minds of many will have to be reformatted. Brain cells of hate and anger and bloodlust would be disappeared. Humanity within all would prevail. 

Ha, is the cynical following thought. If wishes were those proverbial horses, we would have a mammoth herd thundering over the plains of the Earth. But instead of those horses of peace we have the thundering boots of human beings marching off to war. So instead of wishing for this nebulous and false and shallow peace, we must dig and delve deep within and make great strides and efforts to achieve real, true peace. Of and for the world and   the soul. Would that I have the power to make this so.

Is there time within this hour for yet another wish? A little, perhaps grandiose puff of wind into the air? I certainly hope so, but this wish would entail the opening of eyes and minds. The growth of understanding of human beings as to the harm we have done to our environment, how we have endangered ourselves to the point of almost existential end. Could that actually happen? Think of it. Our little orb spinning through space, rebirthed, gifted with life, reformatted for a promising future. It is a dream of beauty. It is a dream of life. And unfortunately, at present, it's a dream of futility. But maybe, maybe in the magic of that one hour, maybe....

In the waning settings of that gifted hour, I would address my selfishness. I would wish not for obscene amounts of money but enough so that I could ease the lives of my children and my grandchildren and my great grandchildren. Lives of friends and family would be better. In fact, the lives of all the peoples of this earth would be better. for one cannot pull oneself out of the crowd of humanity that lives upon the surface of this planet. It's simply impossible. 

I would love to buy my house of dreams here. I would love to buy my house of dreams in Israel. I would love to have a mammoth private library in my homed with beautiful wooden sliding ladders and platform upon which stand. as I seek a   favorite book or two. Very selfishly, even as I wish for the cure to the myriad diseases which plague humanity, I would wish for an end to those which plague me in particular. Think of that. The boulder of Sisyphean weight now pressing me down       would be lifted. While that is of little matter or import to the world at large, it is of great import in my own little universe.

Back to reality. Unfortunately, the gift magical imaginary thinking withers and dries up by the time we hit adulthood. In fact, by that time there was very little of it left. Would that we would be able to keep some of it. To pluck it from within the swamp where it is drowning and breathe new life into it. New uses, inspired by possibilities. Would that humanity even without that magical wishful thinking, actually attempt to bring about the changes that are possible. One hour of time. One hour of magic. Millions of years and lives benefited.

If only. What a waste we have made of the gift of creation of man and its myriad possibilities. Instead of a world of beauty and benefit to all, we have created a world of shattered glass and broken cement. Heaps of fragments of what could have been, what should have been, what would have been if only we had paid more attention. If only we had followed all threads of possibilities through to the end and acted accordingly. But instead of building and rebuilding in a positive manner, we destroyed our habitats. and those sharp edge fragments shredded our dreams.

Dear God, one hour. One measly little hour.

IN MY OWN LIFETIME

 In the play The Rothschilds Hal Linden sang that very sad, yet hopeful song. A song of hope and a song of despair. A song of life's achievements against all odds and a song of bitter knowledge of the ease of instantaneous disappearance. It is a song of the eternal truth. No matter how high, how well integrated into society, no matter how long they have lived within that nation, the certainty of it remaining in place is actually a delusion. History has taught us so time and time again throughout the millennia.

We are living in times easily comparable to earlier times of terror time. Times of massive death. A raucous conglomeration of harsh hate fueled voices   echoing the past and threatening the future. A constant flood of maxims of hate and violence. A once again reawakened and revitalized tactic of blaming the victim. Once again Jews are cast as threatening outliers determined to take down society. The very nation which has given so much to the world and continues to do so, is portrayed via horrific verbal and actual grossly frightening portraiture as the foe of civilization. 

Never in my own lifetime did I think I would be rejected by my nation. Always there was no conflict between the parts of me which made up the whole.  Jewish. American. Woman. Contributing member of society. Raised a family with the same attributes. Educator. Friend. Zionist. Never did I ever feel a conflict among these delineating facts.  No cross purposes. Always my identity was comfortable in the resultant mix. And why not?

However, an ugly muck of the past has managed to ooze its way through the cracks in time and found a comfortable niche where it can reside in safety. There it will also nourish itself, fed by the leavings of a sick and troubled society. Increasingly, its stinking corrupted rotting tentacles of hate are breaking through, more and faster.  In direct relationship my shoulders are rising ever closer to my ears. It is a reaction of fear, tension, uncertainty, and confusion. It is in fact. a reaction to reality.

Once I thought that despite very visible aberrations, society was well on the path to a better, finer, world of true civilization. People embraced their creativity. They understood more and more the interconnectivity of humankind. It was understood that we all shared the same fate on the same planet. Yes, there were huge gaps. Yes, there were many deniers. Yes, there were and are many backward thinking people. But yes, there was a fresh pride, a growing optimism. Look how far we had come and how open was the road ahead. 

And then we tanked. In our own lifetime we began to reject the good possible, so close to us. The bright light of the sun and enlightenment turned instead to the darker side of humanity. Why? That is for wiser heads to answer. To parse, understand, explain, and perhaps avoid repetition. Those efforts are being increasingly waged in a world dimmed of light, threatened by ever lower, ever darker layers of clouds. 

In our own lifetime we have seen a rejection of progress and a growth of negativity. New ideas and patterns of thought are deemed harmful. Increasingly we are banning, destroying, rejecting the best of the past even as we resurrect the uglier segments. Once again, we are burning books. Once again, we are having the ironic and so very sad case of creative minds calling for the boycotting of other creatives of the world. In our lifetime we have turned back to the idea of the limitation of rights. In our lifetime we have taken the beauty and the faith of religion and grossly perverted it. In our own lifetime we propose once again to highly restrict all immigration, even legal. The echoing sound of knocking fists and pleading voices of the denied continue to ring loud and clear, even as we remain deaf. All of us must think where would we be, even if we would be, if our ancestors had been denied entry in time of desperate need. Think also of those consigned to be returned to the killing fields of the world because this nation is selfish.

In my own lifetime. In our own lifetime.

A world of sun and hope. 

A world united in humanity.

In my own lifetime.

In all of our own lifetimes.

    

AFFRAY

 The title is a British legal term for public fighting. It is used to describe a fight in Heathrow regarding the wearing of a MAGA hat. The hat itself was a symbol of the depth of a chasm within the American soul. It has changed America. It has cut off political discussion in private, with families and friends banning political discussion. The election, in fact, has now became more than a choice between two candidates. It has become a choice between two conflicting philosophies. 

 Will America abandon democracy, turn to authoritarianism? Will we remain true to the wishes and dreams of those who fought for it over close to three centuries.  It is a choice of and for the future. It is a decision fraught with fear, confusion, and deep veins of animosity. Its invective is rife with words of hate and intolerance, brimming with actual and planned violence, even unto Civil War, a sampling being January 6th. 

One of the worst aspects of this entire phenomenon is that hate has grown into just about uncontrollable proportions. Choose any ISM of negativity and hate. Every single one has flourished within the past decade. Both parties are guilty, implicitly and complicitly, encouraging and/or enabling its growth. Most refused to expend the energy and commitment to stamping it out. Instead, they allowed the flames to burn high and wide, to spread and no fire breaks possible. The lowest common denominators of both parties assumed leadership roles. People saw only two choices. One was to go along, for personal gain and advantage. The other was to walk away, a self-defeating choice. 

For many, many years I have been calling out against Trump and his followers, waiting for the rest of the world to catch up. I was told I had gone too far, overstated facts. But there was something about this man that set off all the warning bells.  I could see no soul within. I saw no ethics, no moral core. I saw signs of undiagnosed and/or unaddressed mental illness. I saw a man buffeted and driven by a malignant narcissism overlaid by sociopathic traits. (Recently validated in these thoughts by a consortium of very concerned mental health professionals.) His verbiage was drowning in disconnection, nonsense, words of hate and disparagement, and bathed in a soup of hate and antagonisms. It is clear to those who would see the truth, a continued decline of mental acuity, a growth of negativity and hostility, common traits of those descending into the world of dementia.     

Most shocking is the huge number of deniers and even believers. Those who know better. For reasons known and unknown, they back a man of obvious danger to America as such. Why? Perhaps people see him as more supportive of Israel even as we now know he gave Netanyahu a deadline.

It is impossible to rely on this man. It is, in fact, dangerous. Even before debilitating. effects of dementia began to be in evidence this is a man who never made a decision based on morality, but always and forever based on what is good for Donald and never mind the rest of the world. This is not a man upon whom one can lean. Certainly not with any security and confidence.  

Please go back and check his statements, his behavior, his supporters. Discard passion and use only pure thought and analysis. Weigh all very carefully. This is not a standard presidential election campaign. This is an existential choice. It is not a perfect choice nor necessarily a reassuring choice, but a choice it is. A most serious one. It's not a perfect choice. It's not necessarily a reassuring choice, but a choice it is. And most important.

Dig. Think. Vote.

UNCOMMITTED? I THINK NOT

  So. As an educator out of the Language Arts classroom and a lifetime of voracious reading from the backs of cereal boxes to scholarly treatises, I have been fascinated by the living language. That involves the constant. changes made to language. Words disappear and then reappear with different meanings. New words are created. Words become passe, meaningless. Connotation and denotation change. At times language is confusing, perhaps purposely so. Finally, language can be used for positive or negative goals even as the words to describe those goals are constructed and employed to confuse, mislead, and cloud the area with obfuscation meant to hide truths. Language and its interpretation are extremely critical. Too often we forget how difficult it is to properly interpret and properly discern the message sent.  

Depending upon your conversational partner, the policy decisions of Kamala Harris, re Israel, its survival, its defense, its behavior, its warfare, its everything, are either pro-Israel or pro-Palestinian or the opposite. The same words. However, however. the understanding, the interpretation of those words are rooted in the minds of the listeners. They hear what they wish to hear. They speak via the same parameters as they hear. The policies of Kamala Harris face the same interpretation effect. 

I am not nearly completely satisfied with her policy toward Israel. Frankly, I'm not quite sure what that policy is, what it actually means. As an aside, I do believe she will provide a steadier approach than would Trump so deeply enmeshed is he in a deepening voyage into the last goodbye. I believe she is committed to the emergence of a new Middle East, emerging from the horror of this past year and ongoing. I see her as a woman with an understanding of other women and will build upon that to try to bring about some peace even if fragile, to this eternally challenged area. There is no pain like that of a woman who says goodbye to her children, to her son, her daughter, not knowing when that child will return. The voice, the scream of 'Ima shekula', a mother bereft of child, cuts the air with its keening sound. It drives nails into the hearts and ears of those who hear it. The sound resonates, forever, the pain eternal. And yet...

Taking the above paragraph into account, I therefore wonder about the Arab mother whose son is borne back home only to be taken away and consigned to the ground. How does this mother, in the midst of grief so deep it cannot be expressed in words, nor ever be expunged from the soul, how then does this mother celebrate the death of that   child and wish for her other children to follow that same deadly path. I simply cannot wrap my head around that. Golda Meir said that "peace will come when the Arabs love their children more than they hate us". That is one of the saddest statements ever made. That is one of the most telling statements ever made. And it offers a crucial, critical sharp understanding into the mindset of those who call themselves "Pro Palestinian" or for 'justice', or    "Uncommitted", when actually they are committed. Words are betrayed by actions. Words cannot mitigate the violence, and the hate found in other words, particularly when that hate is neither   canceled, nor ameliorated, nor tempered, and these words/actions carry bloodstains unable to be cleansed.    

The truth in this situation is that all these committees actually are committed. To support murderers. To support the extermination of Jews.  To support those who wish to make Judenrein the 'land from the river to the sea' even if they have no idea what river, what sea! Clear beneath the attempted obfuscation of the truth is that their words and goals drip with blood and venom. They are indeed committed to hate and slaughter, to gross inhumanity. These protesters now scream for Intifada, a period of rampant ugly terror focused on the killing of civilians. They follow the hate of Sinwar, now dead and gone to his just desserts! Children in schools and pizza places and bars. People standing at a bus stop. Or walking in the street. Or strolling in the mall.  

No, the uncommitted here definitely are committed. Kamala Harris has rejected their support.  Does that mean that she sees the situation via Israeli eyes?   No. She sees through the vision of American eyes. Eyes of one who proposes to lead this nation and in so doing. also do the best she can for the rest of the world. We are part of that world. Contrary to Trump we cannot shut the gates, lock the doors, seal the windows, put fingers in our ears and intone lalala.  The world is too complex for that. It is an understanding, that is difficult for many to accept. But be that as it may, I do not believe that Kamala Harris as president of the   United States of America, would throw Israel under the wheels of a heavy-duty bus. I believe   as a woman she feels the pain of other women who have lost sons, daughters, family members. She sees the loss of life in Gaza as well as the destruction of northern Israel. 

While we would understandably wish the world to see and hear through our eyes and ears, that is unrealistic. She is an American with responsibility towards America and her citizens. They are primary, as it should be. However, I do not believe she holds any hatred in her heart for Israel, for Jews. She will attempt to do the best and the fairest that she can. While she is not my ideal pick, at least she will defend democracy, for only within a democratic state can Jews thrive. Jews do not do well under authoritarian government. That is a fact of history. 

We will not do well here nor in Israel should she lose this fight. While we wish more of her vision were via our eyes, we must understand reality. I do believe that she feels the pain and horror of war and would do the best to fairly adjudicate and move peace forward.  I think she knows that this cycle of   war was not at our behest nor instigation. Not in Gaza, nor in Lebanon. The situation of "permanent ceasefire" was violated by our enemies. Israel and the United States share that enemy. I hope that wise heads will be able to employ the proper language to make that very clear. I hope that clear and distinct immutable language will present the truth that those who begin wars cannot pick and choose the battlefields upon which that war will be fought. All collateral death, all collateral destruction is upon the shoulders and the souls of those who began this war. 

We are living in a time of great uncertainty. We are living in a time where language is not clear nor is it always properly employed. Unfortunately, too many are committed to kill and destruction, to the rule of hate. The rest of us must combat it together. We must void our differences or ameliorate them to the point where we can cooperate and do what must be done. We must cherish and protect both Israel and the United States of America and any other right-thinking nation. To do otherwise is anathema. We have a choice. We must make a choice Even if we do not like either candidate. We must choose the better one. At least there is one who will strive to keep this nation a democracy and can be trusted to keep a steady hand on the helm, even if we sometimes have to nudge that hand just a bit. To keep our other country, Israel, safe, alive, well, thriving, prosperous, productive, committed to world safety.

That is the choice- like it or not. No shouts, no threats, can change that choice. Reality is as reality does. Follow those threads. Think. Think again. and vote.      

   

20,000 43,000,000 "DON'T TELL ME"

Numbers and words. Data and opinion. Confusion reigns and fires burn. Where are we at, and where are we going? Will we recognize the 'end of the line' stop when we get there? Who will be the last remaining passengers and what will they do? Confusion continues to intensify, aided by the intensifying pontificating voices of know-it-all egos. In the interim, figuratively and literally, much to our shame, blindness to the perils ahead reigns supreme.

Within the next week, Americans will proclaim themselves to the world - and to themselves. Will we remain true to the core of America, or will we cede all responsibility, rights and all loyalty to those whose ultimate goal is to "de-America" America. It is quite alarming to actually see how close we are to in fact to the unthinkable and vote the extinction of democracy in America and in turn stand helplessly by as the nations of the world, emulating the proverbial dominoes fall into the same pit.  

How did we get here? Even as many claim to have been sideswiped, taken by surprise, my opinion is that the truth, the deterioration of America, of the American character, was clearly visible to those who would see and approved of the chosen path forward - or backwards, actually. Sadly, too many in position for clear views chose to obscure that view. It was a refusal to acknowledge a once unthinkable thought. America could deride and refuse Democracy. That America would be consigned to the trash heaps of the past, fade away into the obscurity of passe failed thoughts.

This past Sunday Madison Square Garden was packed with 20,000 believers. They believed in every negative ism and shouted and cheered for authoritarian government. They exuded loyalty to a man in the throes of severe malignant dementia.   The rise of fascism in America was clear, yet there were deniers. Some denied that America had reached the point of valid comparison of Trump and Hitler. One said, "Don't tell me".  He could not, would not, hear it. Thoughts are free to think, but it cannot be denied that the eyes and memories of survivors reflected a rising horror. Hitler and his evil cohorts rode again, only this time in America. The streets of America were growing closer to the streets of Berlin, Warsaw, Vienna, Paris, Amsterdam Budapest, Belgrade, Kaunas, Riga -anywhere in Hitler's realm where violent hatred was encouraged and rewarded.

43 million Americans have already voted - myself included. What is the import. and impact of this number? No one can be sure, but it does highlight the importance of the election and the necessity to think, to follow threads and vote wisely. It is also incumbent upon us to pay attention to that which roils around us. In Portland, WA and other areas there has been a spate of fires via planted explosive devices planted on drop ballot boxes. Hundreds of ballots have been destroyed. Could they have changed the race? Certainly, if the race was that close. That thread can be followed. 

Understand that the hate now permeating America has gone violently toxic. Only with a true and honest realization that the ugliness and toxicity have gone viral can we address the issues.  It is not enough to pay attention to the symptoms. Far more urgent and productive is to attack the roots, seeds and blossoms of hate, forestalling any symptoms. And the urgency is beyond words.  

Now is the time. I can only hope that we immediately realize the immense perils inherent in a second Trump presidency. Look at the issues - not only one. The results are inclusive of all. Trust must be there, at least for a majority, but certainly there must be a clear sense and confidence that the president and cohorts will not destroy this nation. That the president places the needs of this nation over his own desires. Without that trust and faith in the ultimate righteousness and loyalty to America of the candidate -well, follow the thread.

Think.

Vote.

America's future is at stake.

Your future is at stake.

ONCE

 Once things were different. Once I could get up and out of the house in 15 minutes, an early departure to go to work; now an early departure day is getting up to go to that doctor or the other doctor or the other. And on and on. Once I could get the posting out on time - always. Now I do my best. I promise to do my best to bring that about - once again. Thank you for being patient and I promise to try my best. Once again.

Once upon a time there were other things that were once upon a time. Once upon a time I took for granted that I was an American, born and bred, multiple generations, accepted with no distance between my acceptance as a resident, as a citizen, and that of any other citizen. My country accepted me. Wanted me. No questions about that. That was once. That is not now, most definitely not now.  

Once, I watched the news at 6 and at 11. Once I read a paper daily. Once I did not check myriad times for updates on the reality of a world gone mad. Once that was so. Now it is not so. Today I keep a close watch on the news. Which campus now is erupting in a rampant vile antisemitism. Which professor has been outed as a Jew hater, a proponent of genocide of the Jews once again, even as he cast that aspersion on the Jews themselves - always easy to blame a victim for what befalls him rather than the oppressor. Hate has ugly faces and tongues which fill the air with threats and chants of death.  Once in America this was not so. Today? There it is.

Once I understood that antisemitism still existed, but it was minor. Our people were enmeshed well within society in all levels and in all professions and trades, in business and in the arts. We led good lives. Took care of our own who needed help and extended many arms to the world outside the community. Life was calm. Evidently, that bothered people and there is no longer that calmness, that trust in the future. Instead, there has been a growing sense of confusion and uncertainty. How and when did this ugliness come about? Can we combat it or is this JewHatred so thick, so interwoven into evil hearts and minds and calls for more dramatic responses?

The very fabric of life was being shredded before our eyes, under our feet, over our heads. We no longer were sure of a safe walk down the street or a peaceful stroll through the grounds of the nearby university. Or a blessed session of prayer and celebration. We held our children tighter, closer to us lest we not be there to protect them. Bottom line - we now found ourselves living in a very different world. A world that defied and trashed a once that was, and drove full speed backwards to an uglier once, reviving it in the world of today, a very vicious now.  

Once can bring about awful memories. Once, almost 90 years ago, the arena of Madison Square Garden was rented out and filled with violent Nazis calling for loyalty to Hitler. For America to stay out of the war. Once the air was thick with racist remarks. Blood curdling remarks. Songs boasting of dripping Jewish blood. Once, but not now - until now, once again. Not now. but yes, now.

An ugly once from the past once again filled Madison Square Garden with racist remarks, crazed Antisemitic remarks. An ugly once, rampant again in the world of now. Today. Every Hater has now felt empowered, safe to come out of the closet, shed the disguise and go, loud voice braying into the dark. An ugly once -today, in technicolor. 

America now faces a decision which will affect the world. Who is to be the next President of the United States? Once it almost made no difference for however much they differed in politics and view, a core knowledge was that they had a responsibility to this country, its citizens and to the world at large Not a single one proposed treason. Not a single one riled up the crowds. Not a single one threatened to bring the military out against the citizens of this country. No one threatened imprisonment for opponents. No one calls for days of revenge. But today, now, we have that situation. 

Neither of the candidates are perfect. Neither of them says what people who support Israel need to hear. But one imperils the entire idea and structure of a democratic country, of Democracy.  Threats to defriend, to ghost, to adopt out of a family -no call for that. But here it is for Hatred poisons all it touches. But in any case, you must vote. If you have no vote, you have no voice. and no right to have a voice.

Abdication of responsibility is a go nowhere bottom line or rather a total loss.

Think - think again. Choose.   

  Evaluate the Once and the now. And the to be.

Vote wisely.       

CIRCUSES, MONKEYS, AND JOBS

First, let me apologize for forgetting to note that I would not be posting for three days due to a holiday. My bad. My apologies. However, as of today, I should be able to resume daily postings.

Yesterday I came across an essay written by a well-known writer with a title including this phrase: "Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys". Basically, it presented the argument that we must all learn how to step back and away in certain situations, for it is not within our power to remedy the situation. Certainly not our circus and certainly the participants not our monkeys. 

While attached here to addiction and the efforts made by families and friends to help the addict, to 'cure' the addiction, it is a philosophy which must be examined very carefully. It can lead, it has led, to negative outcomes. Additionally, it also demands a strong determined effort to follow this path, counter to every instinct within one's mind, body and soul, screaming within, "Yes, it is my circus, and it is our monkey.". 

While I actually agree with that theory as it is applied to addicts and the breaking of an addiction, it is a philosophy which can extend its arms and influence into many other areas. Therein is the area of concern. Transferred into the political arena, it can lead to protectionism, nationalism, an isolation grossly harmful to society at large, a denial of the reality and presence of a deeply complex web of interconnectivity weaving together all of the world's populations. It is our circus, our monkeys. We are in fact, part, of those very same monkeys.

Denial of that understanding, shunning the implied responsibilities, leads directly and/or indirectly to a frightening consequence which encompasses all- global war. The combined winds generated by the flapping of the wings of millions of butterflies does indeed have an impact. That impact. can be good, bad or indifferent even as at times it is very difficult to be able to separate causalities, incitements, and the resultant realities. It certainly behooves us all to understand the fragile web of interconnectivity and the constant peril to its necessary balance. 

However, to maintain that balance requires very delicate footwork. It demands a cast of monkeys who both follow orders and correct orders. These monkeys must have strong moral codes and know when something is indeed their job, and not to say, “This is not my job”. These monkeys in fact, are an integral part of the maintenance of the health and relevance of the circus and the integrity of its shared sheltering tent. These monkeys are us. That Circus is ours. Our home, shared by all.

When we turn a blind eye to the truth, when we abdicate our responsibilities, when we pull the blanket over our head or bury that same head in the sand, we reap what we sow. That crop will most likely be diseased and insufficient. The time to resow and re-reap is definitely limited. Too often in a frenzy of fear, we turn to a flawed past, and repeat its errors, engendering a recurrence of the terrors of those times.

At present, this is the state of our circus today. While there were those who are able to pick and choose, to sift within those errors in history and find some positive points, it is all outweighed by the negativity contained within. In fact, the situation is even worse as the very advances that mankind has made actually increases the existential peril we now face. Yet we claim we don't see it. Or worse, a demagogue proclaims that he has the answers, all of them. All we need do is cede all power to him, give him our loyalty - only to him - and the world will be perfect.

Today we are echoing history, a faulty, massively flawed history. Eerily mirroring the horrendous rally of Madison Square Garden pre-WWII, wherein American supporters of Hitler and Nazism   spewed forth toxic phrases of hate, there's to be another rally. In Madison Square Garden. For yet another fascist demagogue. Another plan to use democracy to destroy that same democracy. 

Sadly, terribly, American voters now hold the fate of humanity, of this entire planet, in their hands. It is a choice between two possibilities, neither of which are perfect. HOWEVER - there is a stark difference. One may have policies with which we do not fully agree with. That is a standard of all elections. What is not standard is that one will maintain democracy and encourage vibrant debate. The other has been declared by psychologists as demented, dangerous, with malignant narcissism. He himself has spewed forth antagonistic provocative language. Threats of imprisonment. The cynical use of democracy to bring about its demise. A different America and a vastly different world. 

So - here we are. A circus in danger of being forced to close. A circus crippled by a crew of monkeys. Malfunctioning. Apparently not up to the task. We must remedy that and remedy it properly. Not by weakening democracy, but by strengthening it. By weeding out those who would destroy it from all sides. Left and right. We need to return to a true valuing of morals and responsibility. We need to return to our understanding that we are all humans rolling through space on a tiny little orb we disrespect and mistreat.  

Time to wake up, folks. Time to smell that coffee.

 There is no time like the present. 

The future is at stake.

Do not bet on the wrong horse.

If we do, we might never, ever, have the choice of betting again.    

Let us all do our jobs.

A LEARNING THING

 As clear as mud. What precisely are we learning about? What is the 'thing' of reference? What, precisely, have we learned? The answer is as informative as the title and I fear that nothing will be learned other than what we already know. Present day media is a tainted. twisted. biased entity and we can look forward to nothing other than future statements which solidify this current state of affairs. Journalism and journalists have sold their respective souls and for a rather cheap price, for access to " protesters" of the worst kind. 

 In fact, these gatherings of hate, of voices of wild chanting calling for violence of physical nature, are not protesting but rather advocating. The "learning thing" is the knowledge gained that violence works. Hatred conquers all, enveloping all it faces, far more attractive and alluring to all levels of society. An honest, unvarnished truth is that members of these crowds are not protesting. They are advocating for support of murderers and terrorists who not only think nothing of spilling blood, but instead actually treasure that act.

One cannot claim to be "pro-Palestinian” if one is supportive of those who deem slaughter of innocents and civilians as a proper tool of war.  The more violent, the higher the number of these deaths, so much the better. This attitude is given voice and nourishment by the fumes emanating from the stinking rotten core of corruption which have increasingly eaten away at the pillars upholding society. The only question remaining now is not if society will fall, but when will that fall occur. 

The moral spine of humankind has suffered millennia long attacks with few, if any, periods of respite. This is a manifestation of a deep sickness, a stinking rot from deep within the bowels of a terminally ill society. Fevers arise and burn away all opposition to perversions of truth. Blatant   terrorists with blood dripping from their fangs and claws are deemed 'militants'. Leaders of the world who should know better, who indeed do know better, romanticize violent causes and goals and give them wholehearted seals of approval. Lessons of history are denied.  Growing piles of discarded Good and Moral pollute the environment.  Daily the cleansing light of the sun dims, and the only question remaining is have we reached the point of no return or is there yet some space allowing for a radical turnaround? 

Too many mealy-mouthed self-proclaimed purveyors and interpreters of religion prove to be false prophets but not before they have inflicted much damage. Religion becomes a hammer with which opponents can be subdued. It gives rise to an evil zealotry which persistently builds Towers of Babel precluding any understanding and collaboration among nations of the world. It encourages the growth of new generations of Sodom and Gomorrah with nary a pure soul to be found. It ignores the warnings of huge floods and the awesome frightening power of massive fires.

Mankind has lost its way and find itself within a deep and dark forest primeval with no discernible path providing for forward movement and finally, a possible exit. 

 And here we are.

And here we will remain until and unless we come to our senses.

The future?

Any future?

A true and non-compromised leader?

Any 'thing' learned yet?

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IF

 The largest tiniest little word carrying within a mighty power. It is the word that introduces one to an infinite number of other worlds, parallel worlds, limited only by the boundaries of the human mind. Myriad possibilities which in reality have no reality. It evokes images and dreams of a world of hope and a world of despair. It brings about what never was and most probably will never be, but also what might be. It is the most futile useful depressing inspiring invigorating draining word ever. It contains the nadir and the peaks of the history of humankind.

" Faces of October 7th" is a show which contains within it a shouting bloody if.  If he had made a different decision, if she had made another choice. If only he had stayed home. If only she had hidden better. If only we could turn back a clock - but we cannot. All the ifs of the world cannot change what was but will always carom within the echoing chambers of our mind as if it was of the moment. It has become an integral part of the oft repeating history of the Jewish people. If only things were different.

Such is the living if of Benzie Brofman. an artist, who had been at the site of the Nova Dance Festival. but who had left Friday evening rather than staying over into the Saturday morning festivities. "He... finished his artwork on Friday around midday and had a moment when he wondered IF he should stay at the festival, or head home.

“IF my wife or a friend had come, IF I hadn’t just gotten over the coronavirus, I’m sure I would have stayed,” said Brofman.

Instead, he drove home and went to sleep. When he awoke on October 7, his wife was already sitting on the couch, watching the scenes of terror that were unfolding in the south..."

All those ifs culminated in a show containing. black and white portraits and murals of those we lost on that Black Saturday, the kidnapped and those of fate unknown. Those who fell in the year that followed. If and if and if. Was it preordained or was it a jumble of infinite possibilities? Was it an inborn urge? A sense of what needed to be? Was it random? If we only knew, what miracles we could create, the tragedies we could negate.

What must not be lost upon us is the power contained within those ifs. It can lead us to better paths. It can lead us to higher achievements. It can also lead us to further, more intense tragedies. It is up to us. Our energies, our interests, our perseverance, our very natures all contain the possibilities of if. If we concede victory to the negative ifs within, we will reap what we have sown. If we marshal our positive forces, the ifs that could be, that should be, that must be - how far can humanity progress!

Too often, especially of late, we have carelessly rolled and flung the dice and landed on the penalty boxes. We have paid severely on those penalty boxes. We have made payments which can never be repaid or replaced. Then in the 'nacht und nebel' atmosphere we continued to blunder in our choices, constricting the possible ifs of choice, until finally all that was left was a trash heap of negative thinking leading only to madness and hopelessness.

Now the burden has fallen upon those who can discern the increasingly fading lines of the positive ifs, who can muster the drive within, critical to act and to achieve. To have faith and strength to withstand the constant rain of blows dealt to them by the roaring proponents of those blood-stained ifs, as they persist in the horrid ifs of humanity. 

Personally, I wonder. Most people are not driven by a strong inner core, good or bad, to achieve. It is far easier, definitely more comfortable, to indulge our lazy genes and go along with the flow. Buying into the lies and flow of mis and dis information is seemingly easier than trying to climb up that steep slope in defense of truth and the presentation of positive ifs too often so carelessly tossed aside. However, the truth is otherwise. 

As a self-confessed lazy person, I find it far more difficult, ever so much harder work, so much mud to slog through in order to remain current in the latest lies, to constantly check uploads. So much work - and for what end? To sustain nothing which is beneficial to us? Why? It is so much easier to simply remember one truth. Most certainly requires less effort than to retain a rolling roster of constantly shifting conglomerations of falsehood.  Nothing to wonder. Just the truth. Simple. Easy. Less burdensome. I wonder at the stupidity of humanity as we insist on remaining on the rather more difficult energy depleting path of lies which drain us of our energies and lead only to negative outcomes and perversion of possibilities. So much better, so much easier, to choose the lazy way. Remember the truth.

Unfortunately for us, current times favor, encourage the burdensome path of lies. So much so, of such great proportion, that the governor of a state must warn a presidential candidate "to "not share lies or misinformation while he is here."

  Unimaginable, yet there it is in black and white.   

If. If we are to hold onto any hope of a better future, we must begin with a better present. We've got to make up our minds. Which if do we choose? What are the ifs that attract us? And what are the ifs we must shun? I don't know that anyone alive at present times has the ability and/or wisdom to distinguish and know, intensely and intently, how to recognize and differentiate between the good and the bad, the positive and the negative, the hopeful and the despairing.

So many unknowns. so many pitfalls. So many confusing intertwining paths. So difficult to pick one's way through. However, there is no choice. Look around. We're almost at the end of the road. And what end is it? Is there, in fact, an addition to the end of the road? If so, is that addition good or bad, hopeful or not? I have no answers. I do not pretend to have any answers. All I can do is write of my own thoughts. I believe it behooves us all to delve deep within our own thoughts and see if we can't come up with a truth. A real truth. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

If and if and if.

• 
  

ONCE UPON A TIME

 There was clarity in the world. There was an acknowledgement that the power of humans paled in comparison to the power of the Lord, whomever, whatever was considered to be the Lord. Just as today, that Lord went under various names and representations which in turn allowed for much wiggle room for negative feelings to arise. Choose my name, you are my friend; choose another name, you are my enemy. So simple. So basic. So **** **** stupid. So destructive a path, yet over the millennia this was the chosen path, allowing for various manifestations which in turn enabled cruelty beyond all description, all in the name of the Lord. Convenient, to say the least.

Why does mankind resist a worldwide adoption of compatibility and understanding that we are one? No clue. The only 'justifiable' reason for enmity between religions or practitioners of a false, perverted version is when that religion calls for oppression, repression and slaughter of all other religions, generally in some hierarchal ladder of hate. The resultant ugliness is blessed as a Holy War, justified and dedicated to the 'proper' version of a Lord.  This Lord demands cruelty, behavior unacceptable beyond any possibility of approval, and yet it flourishes and is approved by many. Worse, its ugliness, and disastrous outcome is forever present, even sought after, for no matter the prevailing dominant religion, almost all practice that barbaric false religion and oppress each other as each takes its bloody turn at the top of the ladder. Even more outrageous is when these religious wars take place within a religion, each internal sect attempting to dominate and shed the blood of those who disagree with them. When a version of peace is declared it is claimed to be the beginning of a new era. War is set aside. And then, shortly down the line, there we go again.   

This consistency is debilitating to the hopes and dreams and any lasting possible progression of humanity. The other night a Frontline presentation   'neutral', of the year between October 7, 2023, and today was aired. Evidently, we all must recalibrate our dictionaries. Fair and neutral means to trace the thread of cause and consequence. It needs to examine and present the woes on both sides. and keep those threads straight. People must understand that to declare violence upon one group of people and shout of a bloody victory, a horrendous bloody temporary victory, does not shield one from the inevitable consequences of its actions. For every action there is a reaction, and that reaction might not be very pretty, nor to the taste of those who bear its brunt. 

And so it has been over this past year as the armed forces of Israel demanded of Gaza to pay a heavy price for their support of Hamas. A repayment of the self-confessed joy in the streets of Gaza on October 7th documented by their own videos as they reveled in their own bestiality, as they slaughtered civilians, babies, the elderly, raped and attacked, burned alive and beheaded - all to great shouts of victory, ululating "Allah hu akbar" all the while calling for blood. 

Then reality struck. It sank into their heads. It beset their eyes. They no longer felt that joy. There were tears in their eyes as family members were lost due to their own actions. The end would only come about with a surrender by Hamas, a refutation of Hamas and its doctrine by the people of Gaza, a public mea culpa, and most important of all, a return of our hostages alive and dead with detailed accounting of what exactly had happened. Without that taking place - no progress. Truth must be clearly seen and acknowledged. To have otherwise is to lay the grounds for further vile acts and horrific consequences. 

The truth is frustrating beyond belief.  The downplaying of the grief of the bereaved and violated Israelis was outrageous. Once again, I found myself descending to the rather futile act of shouting at the screen. Demanding why they don't portray the truth. Yes, Gazans paid a heavy price, but they had earned it, caused it, initiated it. The results are theirs to own.  For every action there is a reaction and the purveyors of hate, those who cry out for Allah, those who strive to perpetuate a vile JewHatred in the streets of the world need to learn and internalize a lesson. Hit me once and maybe I will look away. Hit me twice - you have my attention. Hit me three times and four, now we will give you what you deserve, what you wished for. War will be waged as it must, not as you wish. Nor as you demand, nor as the weak leaders of the world and the supporters of murderers demand in loud, angry, hate filled voices.  

 Generally, it is those who initiate war who inevitably lose that war. Even the victors can be considered losers, for there are no winners in war.  The consequences are dire and take years to overcome. If even then. Heads will rule on both sides of the issue. And certainly, there has been no movement in any positive direction as a result of this war and its brutal initiation. What was the point? Dear God, what was the point? How dare one invoke the name of the Lord as excuse for egregiously wrong, immoral behavior and for approval of slaughter. One day, maybe, the human race will actually make use of its entire brain potential and finally, see the light. One day. Maybe. I doubt in our lifetime.  We need to do better. We need to stop calling on a Lord to bless our most unholy demands and plans. He is not ours to boss around. Upon that realization we will improve our behavior. One day. Far away day. 

But maybe.  

We can complete that title.  

 Once upon a time -and they lived happily ever after.  

Maybe. One day.   

   

 

A YEAR OF LAST THINGS

 The title phrase was found in a most wonderful book written by Alice Hoffman, entitled When We Flew Away, subtitled A Novel of Anne Frank Before the Diary. Hoffman climbed into Anne's mind, her thinking, her feelings, her behavior and her discoveries. The reader is there, on the page, in every letter and cannot get up and away, even if one would want to. This presentation of Anne is even more poignant as we watch the development of what would have been a most beautiful, productive, creative contributing citizen of the world, all the time knowing what would happen. The relationships with her sister, knowing that sisters are more than friends, along with a deeper more mature understanding of and relationship with her parents, especially her mother, and the depth of her grief at the loss of her champion, her grandmother.     What are the "last things" of the year? It is the loss of innocence of Anne along with the loss of innocence and state of denial of reality of the Jewish community. Furthermore, it was the loss of the parent as the all-powerful protector of family, as both mother and father were helpless against the juggernaut of the Nazis, its strength, and ability to co-opt people of the conquered nations. It is a loss of the time of childhood, a robbery of discovery of a world and finding one's place in it. Instead of that time everything had to be rushed for time was not their friend. It certainly was not on their side.

As the novel unfolds one can see the unstated parallel to our times. More last things. The last time a Jew can feel safe. The last time one can walk with blinders on thinking that people accept us. The last time we can actually believe we have found a home. The last time we can trust our friends. The last time we can believe in the certainty of anything and everything. The last time we have any control over our own lives. The last time we can at least try to craft our own life and its ending. The last time we will be recognized as a human being, treated as such rather than kicked to the curb and burned as trash. And worse. 

"We do not create our own destiny. We participate in its unfolding" (David Richo) 

Yes and no. While one individual can be seemingly powerless before the forces of fate and the inevitabilities of that fate, one individual and another and another and another ...and on and on. we can have some influence upon the unfolding of life around us. We can possibly influence smaller segments of fate, though not necessarily the larger picture, as that picture. is too overwhelming, certainly for a small group.

That was this situation for Anne, her family. and all of the Jews in Netherlands, in fact, all the Jews of the conquered territories. Individual incremental decisions made by the individuals led them to this point and the amalgamation of those decisions could have changed or influenced at least part of their fates. So yes. we participate in the unfolding, often too weak to change it universally, but with an input of our own, apparent inevitable destiny can be affected and changed to varying degrees. If we abandon that belief, we abandon hope.

 Hope is what Anne refused to concede as a loss, and in fact, embraced any and all signs of hope, represented by the magpie who follows her, even as she combats the growing numbers of black moths in her life. Those black moths ever increasing in number, chew away at the fabric of her life and the fabric of all children of the time. She is fierce in striving to live the normal life of a bright and intuitive child, even as we, the readers, stand outside her words, her life, as we shout to her of an upcoming, unable to be stopped or denied force.  We shout, we cry, as we stand by powerless to change the past, weeping for the doomed children.

Some of those tears are unfortunately to be shared with our present and a possible future. Shakespeare tells us in Macbeth that “... oftentimes to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths." It is now upon us to feel the weight of the burden. Will we stand by silently acquiescent in the inevitability of a return of the horror. of the years of the Holocaust. Or do we strive to change it? To forestall it? In fact, to deny it. Do we, can we “rage against the dying of the light" and in fact change a purported ultimate destiny? Will we stand head high, shoulders back, accept the lessons of history, and heed the advice of RBG? “Fight for the things you care about but do it in a way that will lead others to join you”.

Unfortunately, humanity does not have a great record in combating Evil. We deny its existence. We wake up too late down the road and resist the truth laid out before us. In doing so we actually aid the forces of Evil and seal our own destiny. We must change. We must not give up, for the lives of present day and future kids, every Anne, Margot, Peter, 'Hello', calls out to us. Every child born or as yet unborn deserves a life. One with friendly   magpies and black moths nowhere to be found. Every parent deserves to live in a world where they are the successful protectors of their children. 

It is not impossible, though extremely difficult.  That little bird of hope escaped from Pandoras's box of woes and ills and remains with us. She remains in flight, and we must strive to fly with her, even, especially, in the face of the most daunting of situations. As powerful as fate is, humanity can craft another fate. A better one. We must feel that knowledge in our bones and act upon it. It will not be easy. but is the only way forward. Why was all this to happen? Could it not have been prevented? The answer, unfortunately, is not a sure thing. It is a possible maybe.

 To enable hope means we must acknowledge the presence and reality of Evil. We must learn from our children who see first the black moths so eager to chew up the fabric of life. W.H. Auden tells us "Evil is unspectacular and always human and shares our bed and eats at our table.” No one person walks around with a capital E on a shirt. Evil hides in public and does not ring huge bells to forewarn. In fact, if we hear the tolling of those bells, it is way late. Perhaps too late. Evil can disguise itself and we must be able to see through those disguises no matter how beautiful and tempting they appear. 

We must believe we can make a difference and can change the destiny assigned to us and to others, though only via massive effort. See the truth and act accordingly and swiftly. Undertake to change that which appears to be etched in stone. Every fate, every preordained destiny of an individual that we can change for the better is a victory, albeit it with difficulty. Think how many Annes we could have saved. How many future children would have been born? Perhaps to save this world from its own folly. If only. if only. 

"Anne perished at the age of fifteen in Bergen Belsen concentration camp."

No. More.

Alice Hoffman closes with the following passage. taken from her Afterword.  The very last words echo in my head for they were among the last words spoken by my Yitzy. It is a request. made by people who wish to be remembered. and should not have to be made by a child. Think how many children we could have saved if we had spent the money on research, on fixing this world, rather than by destroying it with weapons of war and playing deadly games of chicken between posturing nations and people of over inflated egos. 

“Anne was special... a brilliant writer and a lively mind, but she was also ordinary. In a way that is precisely what makes her so special to us. She was the girl we all are, lovable and exasperating and smart. She was a dreamer and a realist, but more than anything, she was a girl who wanted a future. That is something she deserved and when we remember her and the fate of her people, we are honoring not only Anne, but all who were lost during the war. Remember us, the diary tells us in every single line, which is why it should be required reading for every child." 

Remember us.

Remember me

 

WRITING - AND SINGING - THE SONGS

Both the lyrics and the notes of songs can send messages - of hope, despair, sorrow, joy, courage and encouragement, et alia. In fact, anything needing to be said can be said with music. Similar to artworks, the message and meaning are open to individual input and understanding. Too often, however, music has been purposely misinterpreted and hijacked to represent that which is opposite of the original intent of the creators of that music.  

A prime example of a misused song is Lee Greenwood's Proud to be an American. I have no idea of Greenwood's original thoughts or purpose, but I used to love it and its patriotism. Today -not so much; in fact, not at all. It has become a theme song of the Trump campaign, of a repressive and oppressive America. No, no pride in being an American of that America. 

Neil Diamond states that he "writes the songs which make the whole world sing". And in many cases, it does. People enjoy his concerts. Enjoy his music. Sing along and feel better for it. He sings of an America of which one can be proud to be an American. In the same manner, the music of Broadway shows also contain meaningful music. One of the most powerful, particularly in these days of hate and outrage, is one from South Pacific. entitled “You've Got to Be Taught”. What 'must' be taught is to hate others not like you. It is a hatred illogical and pervasive and delivers great harm to individuals and the world at large. I wonder how many people sing along with that music, shake their heads in agreement and then proceed to engage in some act of prejudice.

There are many great songs and singers true to this tradition. In fact, every society of this world has music which conveys its traditions, rites, history and legacy. At times, however, important thoughts and events cannot directly be expressed via music. Too huge, too emotional, too horrifying.  As time progresses it might be possible but in the current time, the music might present more of the emotions connected to the events rather than of the event itself. 

Before the music can be written words have to do the job. Words might be abrasive, emotional, condemning, praiseful, whatever is necessary. It can be in the form of a story and a lesson learned. An event and an interpretation. A bare bone presentation or a somewhat disguised one. At times it goes right over the heads of those immune to it. Others take it to heart and act upon it, hopefully in a positive truly progressive manner.  

At present, much of the music scene is overstressing of violence, hate, brutal sex or are totally inane. Too often these words and tunes pander to those of limited intellect. They appeal to a desire to be led, to be freed from decision making and responsibility for those decisions. These are the people who buy into the chants of evil, so prevalent today. These chants are nursery rhymes for those immured and wallowing in hatred and bloodlust.   Easy to remember. Easy to follow. So easy to join in, be of the crowd and add the power of your voice as you spew these words of hate into the public. These chants lead to the belief that these words are to be followed with actions of hate. These words and actions rise to the degree of a purposeful intended genocide. It is frightening to those at whom that hate is directed as the mindless rage of these chanters rise to deafening and dehumanizing level.

All truths are. smothered by the words of these chants of hate. Anything that could serve to deny the power of those words is debased, discounted and presented as lies. Hence, present day current thinking, especially re the Gaza war. The entity which vomited the beasts of Hamas onto Israeli soil to maim and murder, to behave worse than the wildest beasts of Nature. Hypocritical statements that Israel has the right to defend itself and why is that needful to be said in the first place!!  Even as there are constant ever ongoing threats to embargo arms shipments to Israel, thus denying her the actual possibility of defense. Until the last child stands there with his last stone in hand, accused as a war criminal by the UN 'peacekeeping” force. Bottom line, if that were actually to happen, would be the final demise of the state of Israel. Period. World Jewry to follow. Not a doubt in my mind.  

 When Israel, in the midst of fighting for its very survival, is demanded to feed the enemy, to take the blame for the horror of October 7, to tolerate the denial of facts as tens of thousands of Israelis have   had been evacuated, their homes destroyed. The terrorist attacks within Israel, on the streets, the trains, the stores, the roads - ignored, denied. The new revitalized weapon of suicide bombers demanded by Sinwar. How long can this go on? What kind of world is this?  Where is the acknowledgement of the truth? Where are our hostages? Where are the Bibas babies? Why has Amazon not spoken of nor acted on behalf of their employee now held hostage for over a year with no communication. Even as an executive of Amazon sports an obscene Israel denying pendant.   

Words of denial and hate echo in the air. Visible actual proof of the nefarious plans of Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah are ignored or claimed to be fakes or presented as “Israel says” or it cannot be confirmed, even as the numbers of Hamas are accepted as words from Sinai. Even though it is a well-known fact that Hamas lies through its teeth, does not recognize truth if it rose up right before them.      f 

So, what is the truth? Very simple. It is what will be known as the continuation of the Final Solution.    Part two of genocide. It will be another six million plus Jews gone. disappeared, vanished. What has happened to truth? What has happened to be understanding? What has happened to humanity? Where and when did we totally discard the burden and the responsibilities of truth, of true humanity. When did we deny any sense of communality. When did we descend to the depths of this insane behavior leading to a headline such as “Some believe in Trump but without believing he'll carry out threats”. This despite the fact that while he was president, shamefully so, he called for a revolution to overthrow this government. He still will not concede that he lost the 2020 election and in fact, will not commit to a peaceful transfer of power. He actually did set in motion a ban on Muslims, ordered investigations of his foes and plans for much more. For "one really violent day” which   will expand to many awful days. In fact, always awful days. Be it the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe. the medicine we swallow, somewhere, we have gone way off track onto an evil track which leads only to destruction. We must make a concerted effort to reform, acknowledge truth and abandon ancient tropes and memes of hate.

We must heed the words of John Denver in his song, Rocky Mountain High. We can change. There is time, even if it appears to be past time. We can achieve a new understanding and move forward.    "Rocky Mountain High"

"He was born in the summer of his twenty-seventh year
Coming home to a place he'd never been before
He left yesterday behind him, you might say he was born again
You might say he found a key for every door."

Please note that due to Jewish holidays there will be no posts util Sunday morning.

A good weekend to all.

 Stay safe.