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.

NOPE - NOT THAT WAY

Is there in fact any way that is acceptable? You might ask to what end - the end of America as such. The end of a dream of centuries, the dissolution of hopes, of a chance for the fulfillment of dreams. Instead of forward progress, we have turned to a past rife with ugliness of outmoded, dangerous, savage thinking. This should be obvious to all and rejected by all. Yet that is not the case. In fact, we have pushed aside every warning, even as the horror of its actual realization, comes ever closer. When extremists of the right say if Trump comes home, they come home, and the twisted perverted of the world find a champion in Trump, when the deluded of the nation looks to Trump as their savior, we are in   deep trouble. And the last life preserver is floating away swiftly carried on an evil current. We persist in telling ourselves it can't happen here. It won't happen here. Well, I hate to inform you, to bust your bubble, but it is happening here, right now.    

 The use of the standing army in deployment against the citizens of this nation, the threat to find and destroy "the enemy within", the images of people with black bags over their head being taken away in the middle of the night to be 'disappeared'. The demand to stop fact checking. The lies that must not be denied and must be held as truth. No better than the worst nations of the world, present, past and most probably the future as well. Does that not send horrid images into your mind knowing that is his plan and our future should this man win. He is not only demented; he is dangerously so with evil the base and basis of his world and ambitions.  

  In fact, the choice of what the future will be is the main issue of this election. Other issues will resolve themselves one way or another, even fall by the wayside in the service or disservice of the immediate glaring question; What is the fate of America? Who will she be? Who will govern America? Even as we know the truth of the nation, its flaws, we also know and value its progress and humanity, the hope it extends to the world. Will we be able to continue to strive and try and succeed and fail and try again?  

Will women have their rights? Will we discard the stupidity of discrimination? Will we understand the commonality of humanity? Will we provide education for all and gain from the ideas of these newly educated kids and people? Will we or will we not be America? Will we or will we not accept the true meaning of the United States of America? Or will we trash it? The end. 

The choices are not the best, not the ideal. But such is the reality. We must reject the extreme and work to find bipartisanship. That is possible only with one candidate as imperfect as she is. But at least there is that possibility whilst there is absolutely not a single chance of progress other than in backwards movement by the other candidate, a convicted criminal, sexual pervert, fraud and blatant demented fascist. To depend upon Trump, to think that he will keep his word, is equivalent to the security of walking on a rotting board over the quaking waters of a quicksand bog.   

 Yesterday I came across an article re the return of Queen Esther as a role model. For Christians. We Jews have beaten you to the punch. We have long understood the heroism of Esther. So why now for the "Christain women"? The answer is because she is a woman of modesty, remains in the shadows, not in the spotlight, and is obedient to the commands of her husband, the King. A role model for the evangelical Christian woman. The modest heroine behind the curtain, keeping it all together. However, there came a time when she had to step up, step into that limelight. and tread on dangerous ground. Throughout the entire selection process, wherein she was chosen to marry the king it was a closely held secret that she was of Jewish faith, a member of the Jewish nation. It was better that way. However, there came the time of danger for her people, and she had to reveal herself as such. She     would not be immune to the threat of existential peril. She had to step forward, gather her courage to the "sticking point” and endanger her own life in the attempt to save her people. She did so cleverly and successfully and gained the most important right for her people - to fight back. The same right that people are denying to Israel.

Now we call upon all the Esthers to step forward, to stand up for women, to stand up for their children, to stand up for a future. A future in this country where all children will be educated and have a future. To deny this truth is a bottom-line loss and a ridiculous way to conduct life on this planet. 

The only enemy within is us. That famous line "we have seen the enemy, and he is us". is an absolute unvarnished truth in this situation. To hide the truth, to stay in the shadows, to say nothing and do nothing, is futile. Esther had to step forward, speak up, speak out, fight for survival - not only of the Jewish nation, but of herself. That is a lesson to the Jews of today who think they can remain silent and hidden. Discard their Jewish identity, stand beside their enemy and agree with their calls for death to the Jews. They will stand and shout "Judaism. Yes. Zionism No" - an impossibility, for Zionism is an integral part of the Jewish faith and cannot be taken out or away from it. It is of the faith and in the faith, forever. Through all the good and the bad of the millennia - always Zion, always Jerusalem, always the Ingathering of the exiled. And always. the outing of those who would rather remain hidden and think themselves safe. Instead, one must stand up and be proud. Be open. Be joyful and be of the faith.   

  So no, nope, not that. way. Not in any way. We of the Jewish faith acknowledge that in every generation there arises an enemy whose desire. overarching all is to wipe out people of the Jewish faith, to erase their memory and history.    Well, sorry, folks. Actually, not sorry. It doesn't work that way. The rest of that statement says that He who is Holy and Above All will save us from the hand of the enemy. So it has been. So it is. So it will be. It will be rough going. Yes, for sure. We know that; we are used to that, but we are also stronger, more confident, more insistent on claiming our rights and fighting for them if need be.

 We will stand against the liars, the deniers of the world. Here is a warning sent via the Christian women who are finally realizing they have might, strength and the power of their role within their own society as well as the society of the world and can have a great positive effect upon the world if they truly emulate Queen Esther.

 Time for all of us to be an Esther. Time for us to accept the timeliness of that name and all that it stands for. Am I Esther in that context? In that manner? I don't know. I write this blog and wonder sometimes re consequences of some of what I write. But I take courage from my great grandmother named Esther, a family name, who held the hand of her sister, my great aunt, as they were thrown onto a stinking cattle car to be transported to the killing center known as Belzec. We have been told by witnesses that she never, ever bowed her head for those Nazis, this ancient woman, resisted those murderers, with her blood on their hands. May G-d punish them for eternity within the flames of Hell.    

Yes. Esther is a good role model. We should all take note and behave accordingly. We are the enemy, and we are the saviors as well. We can in unity, we cannot in disunity and hate. Think about it. Read the Megillah, the story of Esther and Purim. Read and think and understand. 

May we all know better times. 

Soon. Very soon. 

 

WHO ARE WE?

These days we live in a dichotomous world. One world where there are random acts of kindness and understanding, sometimes from the most unexpected quarters. On the other hand, we live in a world, the same physical world, with people who are cruel and nasty, who perpetrate and perpetuate violence and hate, who cheer on violators of humanity. Which is the world that is dominant? I believe that varies in time, though if we understand history, it is the world of cruelty and inhumanity which is the most prevalent dominator. Apparently, it takes far less energy to initiate such a world, far less than it takes to envision, build. and support a world of peace. Construction always takes second place to the visceral immediate trills of pleasure enabled by or via destruction.  

This morning, in the wee hours, I finally had the time to peruse various news postings. I had missed a terrible report of a massive attack by drones within Israel, the awful mass casualty numbers, yet more dead, more young lives tossed out and away just as they should be flourishing and contributing.   I had to seek hard, sift through so many reports, to find mention of that attack. Nary a word of sympathy. Merely more of the "Israel says" reporting. Tunnels unseen or discounted. 

Also ignored is the truth of the presentation of the futility and worse, the collaboration of the UN “peacekeepers” who do not keep peace, who do not repel enemy soldiers, who do not to keep the area between the border with Israel and the Litani River clear of "militants”, as directed within the "permanent ceasefire", with Lebanon and Hezbollah. Worked oh so well, did it not? As well as the "permanent ceasefire" with Hamas, which Hamas violated on October 7. Great partners for peace, correct?! That violent dominant world again.

Present also were views of vigils held throughout the days since October 7. On that very day of murderous obscenity Israel became the oppressor rather than the oppressed. The invader, rather than the invaded. The slaughterer rather than the slaughtered. Twisted history at work again. Yet again the world bought into the violence and hate, willingly and enthusiastically.  Once again, the world shifted on its axis and tilted more to that dominant world of violence and hate.

Most shocking to me and many others was to see co-opted Jews join in the chorus of hate and violence, and the death of their own brothers and sisters. Who thought perhaps to exempt themselves from similar fate, foolishly, dangerously deluding themselves with thoughts of exemption as targets of the hate and a shared fate. History yet again.     

 In contrast to those arenas of violence and hate, were the vigils of the counter protests calling for peace, for return of the hostages dead and alive, for a ceasefire which was truly meant and enforceable.  To an end of these cycles of bloodshed. Once again, the world tilts even more towards validation of violence, the dominant trait of an ugly hostile world. Once again, another loss chalked up for humanity. Prayers and hopes trashed, even as the rite of Yizkor is invaded, tainted by their very presence. Demanding that mourning Jews not remember their own dead, their own slaughtered martyrs of the millennia, and remember only   Palestinian dead. For sure, as soon as they mourn those they killed. And concede their complicity and guilt. And a return of our people.  

Oddly, in this very hostile world in which we dwell there are also random acts of kindness, threads of peace and care. Yesterday I was the recipient of these random acts of kindness from absolute strangers. People who gained nothing from helping me. They did not answer vocal calls for help as there were none, but who perceived a need and simply reached out to help someone they thought needed it. And I did. JFK yesterday was a horror, poorly planned, two opposing streams of people burdened with luggage, children, elderly, pets and language barriers, needing to know where to go and how to get there. Time deadlines to make flights shortening and the security lines long. 

Given erroneous information Gerry ran ahead. I trailed behind. Slow, not so steady, trying to propel myself and two carry-ons along with me. Suddenly an arm reached out and took my them from me and asked me where I needed to go. A woman, a stranger who perceived the need and answered the unvoiced call. My gratitude was profound. As was our appreciation of an agent who did not make me walk all the way and id'ed and validated me, gave us the boarding passes and sent us on our way. Nary a wheelchair in sight. Oy! However, at security a wonderful TSA agent called me to cut the line. The TSA agent who simply extended her arm to help me up and down into the machine, something I haven't done for years. A pusher who took one of the wheelchairs he was pushing, handed the rest    to other pushers and insisted on taking us to our gate, talking of the need for more kindness and G-d in this world. Amen to that. The flight attendant who extended her arm to me and walked me to my seat. The man who extended his hand to help me balance on the plane. The pusher in PBI who scolded a woman insistently asking me for opiates or "pain killers". The elderly woman who decided she was going to help me find a seat and sit! as I waited for pickup. Never mind, I did not want to sit. It was the thought that counted. Yes, yesterday there were many random acts of kindness. A good feeling in a very difficult day in a very difficult time. All from spontaneous acts of kindness, nothing great just there at moments needed. 

So. A dichotomous world. Even as we despair at the events of the day, we can also take heart. Is there a possibility to meld together all the goodness, the righteousness, the kindness to be found within human beings and build a better world. A world with thoughts of community overcoming thoughts of disunity and extreme nationalism. 

Is there any hope of peace? Will there come that time when we indeed do beat swords into plowshares? Today a dream but maybe, maybe ...    If not - whose fault?  Is it the fault of G-d who refuses to send us a little aid, a few hints to reach that point? Or is it our fault? Do not all of us or enough of us wish to give up those swords and   walk upon the rather more difficult track of creating peace? Perhaps when we are tired, all of us so tired of sacrificing our young to the greedy gods of war and their servants on this earth. Probably a combination of both causes.

I have no answers, only hopes and dreams.

The answer to the title question is up to us. I hope we choose the correct one.

 

YES, IT WILL ,,,

  ...WE HOPE. Certainly, I do. What will come out? The truth. And again, we hope. Are we sure? No. We have hit upon spots of light, we thought and then they quickly dimmed. But perhaps now we will be lucky. In the name of truth, mea culpa, for the lateness of this posting as I overslept after a late night for a good cause. In any case, why the optimism this morning, hopefully not to be dimmed by this afternoon? The demand by the National Women's Law Action Center Fund to reopen. the investigation re Kavanaugh, and the “investigation” done -more truthfully not done - by the FBI with regard to the complaints that were submitted concerning the abominable, even possibly criminal behavior of then candidate Brett Kavanaugh for instatement as a Supreme Court Justice.  Little did we know then how corrupt and sans ethics that court was to be, how false it was and is to justice, to honesty, to righteousness in its most positive presentation. 

We now have the eternal question raised. Who policies the police? Who actually oversees all investigations, all decisions, all results as they are presented. Once, at that moment in time, we thought maybe, just maybe, Washington would hitch up its pants and be better than it has been. Particularly during the era of Trump and MAGA. However, we were disappointed. Once again.

" The FBI investigated and dismissed allegations about Kavanaugh’s behavior 27 years after a similar-looking phalanx of men in dark suits dismissed Anita Hill’s reports of sexual harassment by now-Justice Clarence Thomas."

 Does it ever end? Are women forever to be silenced? Discounted, demeaned? Pushed aside? Is the world to be dominated by those who continue to use sexual assault as a weapon of war, as a weapon of power, be it as an individual or as a nation? Shall we constantly be under the lashing false tongues of those who supposedly abhor sexual assault even as they themselves implicitly and/or complicitly aid in years of a flourishing of that brutality?  The time has come to vanquish it. Destroy it. Extirpate by its roots from the thinking of anyone.

Will there be an opening, a reopening, of the investigation that was not performed by the FBI, of its rampant falsehood? In fact, why don't we tie it together with a reinvestigation of Clarence Thomas? Rid the Supreme Court of at least two perverts. Two pathetic puppets of Trump and  MAGA  and any other backward philosophy to be discarded? Will the truth out? Lord, I certainly hope so. I pray so. A lesson to all future thinking about it, for a deep reversal of current thought re sexual attacks and attackers. May we finally be able to live in a cleaner friendlier world. In a society where one's gender does not say open season on me all the time, wherever, whenever.

Unfortunately, we are also witnessing the outing of the always there ever denied bias against Israel to be found well rooted within American broadcasting. Always questioning the claims of the Israelis rightfulness and their impressive gigantic efforts to avoid collateral damage even as the foe magnified it, placing their own citizens in mortal danger. The egregious lies of Hamas and Hezbollah, of Iran, were accepted as words from Sinai and the words and proof of the Israelis discarded as trash. The blazing differences between the two sides were dimmed and never applied. Nor was the very distinct differences between the protesters of the world. One group calls for more bloodshed, for killing the Jews, for making Judenrein the land from the river to the sea. From attacking world Jewry, reveling in bloodshed and violence, attacking the other side. That other side   called for peace. They called for the return of their family members. It calls for return of the dead bodies. It asks for peace. It asks for justice. It did not ask for violence in any way, shape, manner, or form. And yet who gets the positive publicity and who not?

And what is this truth that underlies all? This brutal reality emerging now from the fog of hate and lies?  News staff have been instructed not to mention Jerusalem, for that might prove to be 'controversial'. People might think that Jerusalem is actually part of Israel!  Well, here's a piece of news for you. Wake up and smell the coffee. Jerusalem is part of Israel. So it has been and so it will always be. That is the truth the world must absorb. Jerusalem, the city that contains peace within its name, has been a battlefield over the millennia, yet, its truth is that it has always been the heart of Judaism and cannot be severed from it. Our history, and the history of the world has taught us that much. Jerusalem is a constant in the prayers, the thoughts, the essays, the writings, the philosophy, the actions, anything you could think of. The very essence of Jews and Judaism; to deny it is anathema, equivalent to withdrawal of the major support of the Jewish people. That is genocide, plain and simple, for it is a total denial of our right to exist. 

This is the same old ugly strain of Antisemitism, of toxic JewHatred which has always been with us. CBS journalists are now the first to be outed as being taken to task if they even should so much as intimate that there is right on the side of Israel, justice on the side of Israel. CBS has now become an important outed cooperating partner of the ugliness so rampant within the BBC and the British Press. 

Clearly seen is the growing inclination of the noisy people of America and the world to kowtow before Iranian threats. Will we never learn? We never seem to grasp that appeasement does not work, that it merely puts off that which will inevitably come even more powerful than it was before. Obviously, we do not. There is now a rather more vocal thought, frightening, that it might be better to sacrifice Israel and in fact all Jews rather than face facts and force Iran to back down.  Strike fast and first and rid the world of a probable, very possible,  destroyer of humanity, of this planet.   

Will truth out finally, inevitably? I believe so. I have to believe so. I have to believe there remains goodness in the world. Last night I had validation.   It is wonderful when a teacher learns from a student, can be proud of that student and take heart in the fact that perhaps you had a contributing role. Last night I had such an experience. I took pleasure in the words of his lesson, his deep love and knowledge of Judaism, and a wonderful manner of transmitting it to his audience, And the wonderful, blessed transformation or growth of that adorable, rambunctious, chattering little boy into a true man of Israel.  On a crowning touch was being blessed by him. being validated by my efforts. It is rare to see such a culminative validation of one's life's work. He shone bright with goodness and brilliance. And I shepped nachus, took joy in his achievements, an educational child, one of many who have made me proud. 

These feelings are so much better than the hate which is rife around the world today. I wonder why more of us do not try to find these positive choice feelings rather than engage in the demonic toxic hatred actually being forced upon us. It is a tragedy in so many ways. For me, I hate those who have made me become a hater. I. hate its powerful pervasiveness and promulgation of negativity, so contrary to building a positive life. No one benefits   and in fact, all lose by it. Why can't we have an understanding of that? Why can't we understand the lessons of history, that we must stand together for the right and the just. We must not crawl away in shame when we receive a threat. The time has come to be united, strong in resistance to evil. To acknowledge the presence and power of Evil. Pure Evil.

Will we understand the truth? Will we face an awareness of yet another Yom Kippur, more times of awful threat? We all must pray for a lasting and just peace. We must pray for tolerance  and forgiveness and mean it. That is not in the Lord's hand. To all I might have offended intentionally and non-intentionally I ask for forgiveness and will do my best to reform. I probably will not succeed totally, but I will try.

For those who are praying for forgiveness on this rather solemn day of atonement I wish you an easy fast. I wish your prayers and hopes find the expressway to the ears of the Lord. And for peace to push away the violence and the hate.

May we all be safe and keep safe. May our families and friends be the same. May the Brotherhood of all people finally be recognized acknowledged and lived.

 Shana Tova. and Gamar tove. May we all have a wonderful blessed new year and an end to a rather difficult year.

Yitzy, I still miss you so.

I will return on Monday