The Jewish Federation in our area, like the Federations in most parts of the country, work on Israel Advocacy. I don’t know about your Federation, but ours follows the two state solution platform exclusively. Nobody will be invited to speak who doesn’t support that view. No “right wing extremist” who lives in a “settlement” will be invited to speak at your average Federation or synagogue, not even if he’s an MK, a scholar, and tzaddik, except maybe now and then at Chabad. Nobody who warns about the fast developing dangers of Islamic Jihad is going to be invited to the podium or the bima, even at Chabad, no matter how strong their expertise and evidence is.
Is it because these views and these speakers are false and unworthy? Who knows, their views are banned. We who pride ourselves on democracy and open mindedness exercise heavy censorship in this area. I can only think it is through fear, that hearing non-Labor type speakers expressing their views and reasoning, and presenting their case, some members of the Jewish community might believe them, diverge from the party line, and G-d forbid, become fervent for some non-progressive cause, or fervent for the survival of Israel.
The two state tolerance drum beats incessantly and we row along in rhythm, like galley slaves in the ship of state. A tidal wave is on its way, and a few stand up and point at it, saying it looks like a tidal wave–they rock the boat and angry people tell them to shut up and sit down. We should not look at it or call it that, until it smashes us against the shore.
But of course, it isn’t just us Jews that have this problem. Listen to the professors, the politicians, the diplomats and rappoteurs, UN representatives, the Human Rights activists, the lawyers guild, the unions, the reporters and editorialists, the Arab media and imams, the left wing spokespeople, the mainline Christians…listen to the droning of deception, endlessly repeating itself.
It is a drum beat, tedious, insistent, unending, meant to work its way into the consciousness of the world. Governments, International organizations, NGO’s, media, synagogues, churches, Jewish organizations, professors, unions, political parties beat the same drum in order to deaden the public mind and spirit for the new doctrines:
Zionists are dangerous extremists, worse than Hamas or Hizbullah. Hamas and Hizbullah are faithful people responding to injustice. Jewish claims to Israel are illegitimate, Arab claims are legitimate. A “two state solution” is the only way to peace. Peace at any price. Islam should not be criticized, Jews run the world. Arab international interference and racism in the world is acceptable. Jewish nationalism in Israel is racism. A single global government and economy, a new world order, is necessary and will bring world peace. Global warming, the financial crisis and Israeli “settlements” are global emergencies that will bring the fall of all civilization if not dealt with forcefully and globally. Jihad is not caused by ambitions, fanaticism and delusions of grandeur in the ummah, but by the injustice of Israel, Jews and the US. There is no god, just a natural force, and only two sins: “intolerance” and non-Muslim “extremism”. From birth the drum beats and the caskets of the dead are covered in its rhythm.
What can disrupt the monotonous beat and break the spell?
Will blogs and talking heads fix it? Should we move to Israel? Will a revolution be necessary? Will enough become righteous to overcome evil with good? Can it be infiltrated and changed from within? Should we sit tight and wait for the Messiah? Is it too late, or is there time to save the world? Is it really that bad, or is it worse? What would it mean to save the world? Everybody thinks they will save the world, especially those who want to rule it.
The questions are too big to answer, and if we wait for somebody to activate a grand solution we will sit immobilized. But everyone who doesn’t waltz to the drum beat, who considers and does what is true and just rather than what is expedient, who has courage and a clear head, is a remedy already. As the delusion and its results become more obvious the answers will also become more obvious.
