IT'S A SCARY, SCARY WORLD

     Upon hearing about the basic collapse of any plans to rescue Greece, and then reading of Puerto Rico which used to be one of my favorite vacation places, I told my husband that we were in for a rough ride and accounts would drop precipitously. Unfortunately I was right and today there are several more countries with borrowing problems, including Italy and China - our biggest creditor.
     Add to that the threats of Iran and the going nowhere treaty negotiations, the turmoil in the rest of the Arab world and indeed in the entire Moslem world, the illegal immigrants problem all over the world with hearts going out yet what are swamped countries to do, and one is ready to throw hands up, stock up on food, water and ammunition and head for the hills - which presumably would leave Florida out as it is as flat as a pancake!
     Hatred is rampant throughout the world and while there is delirious joy re the same sex marriage decision among many, it does not cut the underlying hatred and fear of people who are different. People talk of the love of G-d, of the love of Jesus, of Allah, and yet gays are stoned and hanged in Moslem countries, derided and beaten up here in the good old USA, never mind the advancing and progressive rulings, churches are still being invaded and shot and did I not foolishly or naively think that was over and done with, and today I wake up to news of an armed man invading a kollel (a place of learning and advanced study of Judaic matters) in LA threatening to kill all the Jews. BDS, a hateful anti Semitic organization is disguised as a reasonable response to policy differences and grows afoot and today three churches - the United Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church and the Mennonite Church - are all scheduled to debate joining BDS. Jewish students on campuses are threatened and harassed, free speech when it comes to people supportive of Israel is considered null and void, and hecklers and gangs of organized and vicious protesters are brought in, working from prepared scripts. This is a movement funded from deep pockets and not a simple student movement, but its power and its hate and the damage it has already done and will continue to do is ignored - or even cheered on in privacy.
     Hate is a difficult thing to let go of, to be done away with, and religious hatred has been responsible for more deaths in the history of the world than can be accurately counted. Its ugly tendrils extend everywhere and allows for growth of hatred into other areas, such as that which is growing against women - again - as the Moslem world grows, religious extremism grows, and women are beshrouded, "put in their place" once again, and are told and legislated into losing control over their very physical bodies and their possible futures.
     Those tendrils have been exposed here, with ugly comments made based on various forms of bigotry and all from the side of David Israel and Co. Misogyny, religious accusations, gender and sexually based comments, racially bigoted remarks, all have had their place in their comments and reactions. As usual, such hatred arises from a sense of fear that they are less than others, that their domination is coming to an end and just as the world's dictators grew fiercer and more vicious in their last moments, so too do we now have a growth of the viciousness of their opposition and defensive actions against the opposition to them, to the growing ranks of those who demand truth and justice, to the growing exposure of the truth.
     Are we going to go along with this hatred, become part of this crazy world, or will we stand as a beacon of hope and light, not a place for the world to ridicule as they comment on the crazy bunch of loonies, seniors, who are at it like toddlers and bullies in the schoolyard or perhaps it is the growing paranoia amongst the failing powers that be. Only we can fix this situation. We can volunteer properly in the real world and do what we can to fix the ugliness out there, but we can certainly do more, much more in here, if we accept the responsibilities that lay upon us and do something, stand for something that will make one proud of oneself and amaze your grandchildren. Up to you, folks. Think about it. Come to the assembly on Friday and hear some truths. Listen, observe, and if you are a delegate, vote for what is right, not for a fiefdom. For the associations - instruct your delegates and if they refuse - fire them and appoint others who will. That is both the strength and weakness of our system here. Time to change? Now?