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.
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