BATHWATER AND BABIES

  We all have been, at one time or another, the target or deliverer of said statement, regarding throwing out the baby along with the bathwater. Simple message - be careful what you discard along the road of life as one can easily throw away that which is good along with the rot that has crept in. Unfortunately, we have lost the impetus of that maxim and in the name of 'philosophies' we have tossed out the good rather than separating and saving it for future use.

The term "woke" has now been 'gifted' with a new meaning. Apparently, for those who oppose it, it means an unfair rebalancing of society, with the results unfair to many. Are these accusations true? Possibly, probably, at times as in correcting we often go too far the other way, before we find a good balance and approach the middle. That is called compromise - another word that has apparently gone out of favor among the extreme viewpoints of extremists and those who follow their troubled way of thinking.

I wake up, with G-d's permission, every morning. I wake up to minor and major concerns, personal and otherwise, concerned about the inequities of society, the returning ugliness which never seems to disappear. I am apparently, 'woke' up about certain things or concepts which bother others who then fight back against these ideas, discarding the good along with that which is not. 

I believe in conservation - saving, treasuring, keeping, living, learning from that which has been, and progressiveness, that which encourages us, impels us, to seek to improve, to be better, always. To keep the used bathwater which has refreshed and cleansed our baby, our society, and use it for another purpose. That is called 'gray water' and in times of drought, a good way to insure proper use and careful evaluation.

Like it or not, humanity has always displayed an unjust attitude or behavior or both. When enough people 'wake' up to the issue and have time and resources to devote to repairing that defect, society moves on and up. At times, in that state of fluctuation, changes in outlooks, there are those who go too far, too fast, and instead of harmony, we often hear atonal harsh tones which interfere with the pleasing music. The trick is to retain the pleasing sounds of harmonic music and discard the harsh unpleasantness which abuses our ears.

It is not easy to change oneself, let alone society. Habits, the favoring of one type of music over another, or the refusal to allow any change in the sounds of preferential music, or the imposition of one music upon and into the ears of others - all can lead to trouble. The orchestra dissolves, losing its role as a unifier, as its conductors lose control of their batons and wands. Ears ringing, headaches pounding away we throw out the bathwater of that disharmonic orchestra, carelessly, thoughtlessly discarding the sweet sounds of the baby as well. 

As a woman, I have seen discrimination in the workplace, be it in having to talk over those who would not hear you, or receive less remuneration than a male equivalent. As a Jew, well, simply read the report of the huge increase in violent hate crimes here and round the world. Open ugly demonization of Jews, along with the strong trend to minimize and downplay antisemitism, refusal to recognize its difference from other biases.  As a person who favors equality, I am at times offended by some paths society has chosen in attempts to right the wrong, creating an ugliness which should not be there. And there goes the baby with the used water.

Our presumed leaders and those who would be leaders if given their way, are not good at their jobs. There are no great, inspirational leaders today. Big mouths, vitriolic spewers of discord, shout, defame, and appeal to the basest of human feelings and motivations. There is such violence, such loud jagged music that there is no longer much, if any, pretense to save that baby. We simply are discarding all that the term America implies.

More and more of the seekers of high and higher office are buying into this ugliness. Venom is the taste of the day, crime and rampant untruthful, openly selfish, biased judges and politicians have escaped the asylum and have wrought havoc. Unease rules the land. 'Anti-Wokers' are already changing curriculums, interfering with teaching, to the point of rewriting history, downplaying, even denying that which displeases them.

 Slavery was, is, awful. Period. It existed, and White and Black people, tribes in Africa, made profits from it. Prejudice has existed here since time immemorial, along with the opportunity to advance, defeat that prejudice and improve society concurrently. There has also been prejudice re any large groups of immigrants, especially those with different customs, strange names, different looks. The Holocaust is real. It happened and no amount of denial will change that ugly fact.

 It is imperative to educate our kids as to the evil of such hate, on whatever base - any fallacy of hate such as racial, religious, gender, lifestyle, ethnicity, skin color.  Not to do so only leads to a society bereft of any future, certainly any fair, encouraging society which treasures all within. And welcomes those who would help build it, reinforce it, enrich it. Inclusion rather than exclusion.

Is this being "woke"? Is this wrong? Not if we follow the threads of thought and actions today, the growth and increase of those who would see us different, living in a gray world, the baby discarded, and the bathwater kept.

That is why I rail against those of the same ilk as DeSantis who has set himself up as the next political Messiah. So not!! So dangerous. Finally, there are those who have the insight and the courage to speak it aloud. The likes of Trump were awful enough; DeSantis is worse. Here are the words of a GOP member, once a Representative from Florida, quickly becoming the parent state for fascist America.

Ron DeSantis I believe actually in his ethos, is a cultural warrior who wants to take us back 100 years and believes he can use the Constitution to that, to that end, and ultimately has a very dark vision of what America will be. ... a very dark figure on the political landscape, far more dangerous ..."

It will take strength to resist the surface appeal of this false music. It will take a desire and strength to see clearly through the obfuscation, the lies. It will take care, and strength to ensure libraries, schools, universities, ideas, find fertile ground and freedom to think as one wishes.

All within the bounds of safety of all.  Advocating, instigating, exhorting, to violence and hate are to be illegal and prosecuted. Safe, nonviolent transfer of power via proper, safe, elections to be the rule of the day. Treason, attempts to overthrow the legitimate government shall be prosecuted.

All this can be ours if, and only if we work together. The synergy of togetherness is of great value. Togetherness means recognition of a common core of humanity, all deserving of equal rights, treatment and expectation. To be safe. A better world for all. 

Woke? Maybe. Should be. Together the goals can be achieved. Together. 

Together. Together. Together.

Only together.

Together.

Together - Together we can achieve it all. 

Together we can

HEAL THE WORLD.

HEAL YITZY!

Yitzchak Elimelech ben Chana Sarah

May he be granted refuah shelaymah bimheyrah beyameinu. 

May he be granted a timely and complete healing.

May Hashem hear all our voices raised in prayer. 

Amen. Amen.