Ive debated this post for a while, but I now feel a need to submit it... I grew up in a rather homogenous middle class neighborhood outside of Cleveland. There were plenty of Jews in adjacent suburbs, but we were a small minority at my school. In middle school, I experienced a great deal of antisemitism - kids throwing pennies at me, swastikas carved into my desk, frequently being called dirty Jew, cheap Jew, and far worse. We went as a class to see Schindlers List and some kids were cracking jokes and heckling without repercussion. I also had antisemitic teachers (well, one in particular) who told me these things didnt bother him and I should deal with it, etc. Through all of it, while I had fear and sadness for myself, I always felt that the Jewish people were safe. Israel had the support of the US and the world, terrorist organizations were the enemy, and I knew we would never see organized rallies in Europe or the US attacking Israel, Jews and/or Jewish neighborhoods. Now, for the first time in my life, I fear for the State of Israel and for the Jewish people. I see posts from people - educated people - Ive long considered friends, colleagues, and/or mentors that wreak of antisemitism and anti-zionism. The media and our government are condemning Israels self-defense. Antisemitic riots are springing up all over Europe and I am afraid it will spread to the US soon. To be clear, a terrorist organization that has as its primary goal the destruction of the Jewish homeland is NOT a victim. A population that elects said terrorist organization to lead them CANNOT claim victim status when their elected leaders do exactly what they promised to and incur the obvious response from Israel. Having superior technologies that allow a nation to protect its innocent citizens is NOT a war crime. Fighting to PROTECT your existence from those who strive to destroy you is NEITHER ethnic cleansing NOR genocide. I ask you this - what is the difference between a civilian who follows his elected leaders direction to be used as a human shield for propaganda to garner public support and the jihadist who straps a bomb to his chest before blowing himself up in a market? To these people, giving ones life in a fight against the Jews makes you a hero. So tell me, why should we mourn either? Please think about this before talking or posting about war crimes, genocide, and ethnic cleansing. How would you expect the US to respond if a group who swore our destruction fired missile after missile into our neighborhoods, dug tunnels under the border to residential areas that would strike the most terror, and celebrated the kidnapping and murder of innocent children?
Posted on: Tue, 05 Aug 2014 01:33:25 +0000
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