BLACK THUMBS

 Black thumbs are the appellations granted or given to one who cannot keep a plant alive within the home. Outside is another story, as I was able to grow plentiful garden vegetables, except for cabbage. However, I could swear that the poor plants actually winced when I walked by one, shivering at the thought of entering my realm. Poor things. No matter how I tried, the plants had a short life with me, no advice helping, though try I did.

Unfortunately, there are other black thumbs, dangerous ones to all living things. These are the people who have a knack for setting people against   each other. These are the ones who inspire hate and negative thoughts among too many, even as they are lauded by the deluded who themselves are the victims as well of these black thumbed people. Finding fertile ground for their venomous thoughts, grounds ripe for planting, never seem to prove difficult for them.

The black thumbed human meshes well with the concept of hate and the unfortunate common trait of the welcoming of such thoughts, the willingness   to be taught these horrid precepts. However, the most egregiously evil thing these black thumbs do is to kill off the kindness, the gene of acceptability of shared humanity.

We are not born with hate in our hearts unless one has a mutated gene. We are not born unaccepting of others of a different physical appearance or belief. Watch children as they mix together, asking each other frank questions generated by curiosity and then shrugging it off as they play some esoteric game apparently known to all children. 

Actually, that is not always so. Sad to say, there are adult humans carrying that virus, growing that gene of hate who need to transfer that hate, that nastiness, that evil, to their children and anyone around them. One who finds a place within their circle is generally tainted with that virus, and the hate inside. The goal? To inculcate this virus, its accompanying hate, within the genetic structure of the children, enjoying it so when these kids spout the same ugly mottos in childish voices, voices meant to sing songs rather than chants of hate. 

Yet how often do we see this phenomenon -innocent faced children with words of negativity rolling off their tongues, ugly, palpable evil strongly present, boding no good for anyone and certainly not for humanity in general. Particularly on a planet besieged and challenged, where cooperation is the only possible method by which we might be able to ameliorate issues we have caused and ensure the continuation of humanity, though at times I do wonder if we actually deserve that.

Unless one has been the target of actual, active, palpable hate and invective, it is difficult to understand the sharpness of the cuts, the acidity that eats away at one's innards. I can remember the word "Jew" being practically spit at me on Halloween as we were chased by chalk bag bearing Gentile kids, the same kids who would play with us outside on a warm spring or summer night. I can recall how Iwas egged, painfully, from a passing car with teenage boys within, as they screamed antisemitic tropes. But it was not pervasive within society in general, or at least I was not aware of it at that time. Perhaps it was not so generalized nor encouraged, at least out loud. 

Today, it is an approved proven successful political meme, able to attract vocal support and lots and lots of dollars -and the power that goes along with it. Frightening it is when one realizes the ugly scary hostile fact as to the presence of so many of our legislators are virulently, loudly, anti-Jewish, immersing themselves in the fetid swamp of Jew hatred up to their miserable damned necks. Nor is it acceptable to turn these words on Israel, using that nation as a substitute for antisemitism, deny it as they will. To criticize a nation is okay, but to hold to impossible double standards, to curse its existence, along with the existence of Jews, to dehumanize, delegitimate the nation - no, that is antisemitism.

Ugly, blatantly so. Seemingly eternal.

A Miss Hitler contest in Rome.

Israel gone awry, yes, but the same awryness in other nations is ignored.

We ignore our own ethically challenged openly partisan Supreme Court even as we comment so knowingly about the issues in Israel, so not the same.

We are outraged by Netanyahu even as we allow the oft indicted alleged criminal, even treasonous Trump go unchecked, even admired, free to run again!!!!

We openly are now up to our necks in a national fascistic movement to eliminate school libraries and in those remaining, as well as in public libraries, censor books, even burning them. What next - the people?

Hezbollah, Iran, Islamic Jihad and myriad other Arab and Moslem countries and terrorist organizations openly preach elimination of Israel, the world condemns Israel for its 'occupation' of disputed land even as it ignores or approves the annexation and occupation of disputed areas by other nations. 

Israel is called a "cancerous gland" that must be removed. The world? Shhhh! As usual.

Remember South Pacific? Look at some of its lyrics from "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught".

"You've got to be taught
To hate and fear,                                                                                                                                         It's got to be drummed                                                                                                In your dear little ear                                                                                                                Before you are six or seven or eight,                                                                         To hate all the people your relatives hate                                                            You've got to be carefully taught!"

The only way to defeat this hatred consuming our souls is to work together to combat it. Multiply the power of our voices.

There is no other way. None.

Together.

It is our moment or moments in history. Let us rise to the standards and place where we belong, where we must be.

That is only done together.

Or we will destroy ourselves and have only ourselves to blame.

In the meanwhile - Together. B'yachad.

Together. Together. Together.

Together we can heal the nation.

HEAL THE WORLD.

HEAL YITZY!

Yitzchak Elimelech ben Chana Sarah

May he be granted refuah shelaymah bimheyrah beyameinu. 

 AMEN. AMEN.