Isn’t most of the world blinded by the entertainment, that desenistizes us to violence, and makes us think that all the world really is a stage, as if Shakesperean actors are performing for us on television in the movie theatres, and even in real life, which is actually more fascinating than the illusions on the screen, if we venture to learn about what is really happening in the world.
Does art imitate life or life imitate art? Two sides of the same coin. However, the more that I follow the details news and developments each and everyday for the past several weeks, I get the viscereal sense that this is a real life drama, building up in the Middle East.
If we shut out the news by tuning out, turning off the television and shutting down our computers, and electronic devices it is still happening. And America is not immune, nor a place of refuge from the realities of the Acharit HaYamim (the End of Days) that have been transpiring on earth, especially with the onset of the Covid Plague.
Perhaps, the revolution will not be televised; and, even moreso, we are already within the midst of it. Woke ideology permeates almost every facet of society, and those who endeavor to uphold the truth in their lives need courage to stand strong against the tides of change. “And every eye will see G-d’s return to Zion.”
“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver”
– Proverbs 25:11, JPS
Raise me up above my thoughts, so that I do not equate ideas with personhood. We are more than our beliefs, ideologies and political views. Perhaps, if more of us realized this, rather than falling prey to the unspoken adage, “the personal is political,” the world would be less divisive. A word well-chosen is better than an onslaught of personal opinions, or flow of ideological ideas. A barrage of convictions held, delivered as a statement of faith, may truly get the point across to another person who holds different views; however, this does no make for good conversation, nor bridging the divide between the entrenched positions have lurking below their personas.
I, myself, and included as one who needs to hear these words, written partly from personal experience, as well as from an understanding gained through what others have recommended for the sake of conversations. Meeting another person where he or she is at is crucial. Although, sometimes, I have to backtrack in a conversation, and explain directly that I’d rather learn more about the other person’s viewpoints than espouse my own, I am making my way closer the better conversation. Sometimes silence for the sake of peace is the best remedy.
Yet, when, it is more a matter of defending truth, especially that of the existence of G-d and the authority of scripture, as well as the actuality of Biblical events, like the revelation on Mount Sinai, I can hardly keep silent. For the sake of conscience, I must speak my mind, as well as a deterrent against being influenced by the words of others, intended to undermine my own faith. Yet, can I do any of this with a smile on my face, and compassion in my heart toward the other? It is challenging to maintain a balanced approach to open and honest communication, for sure.
If there is one thing that I do not tolerate, it’s any type of aggression from a man toward a woman. What kind of society promotes, under the banner of social justice, the advantages of biological males over women in sports? There’s a reason why there are men’s and women’s sports. It is absurd to think that a biological male identifying as a woman was permitted to compete against a biological woman in a boxing event at the 2024 Olympics.
This is disgraceful. The seriousness of the imbalanced match cannot be overlooked. That is why I am speaking up and out about this, although the issue, with plenty of examples from the past, had not caught my attention and incited my ire to the degree that this instance has done. Where is the outrage? Kudos to J.K. Rowling and Caitlyn Jenner for speaking out about this unfair condition imposed upon a female Olympic participant.
Is this the “enlightened road” that Woke Culture is leading the world down? It is not a path that will lead to “the right side of history.” It will continue to further a dystopian view of reality where morals are nigh, and fairness has been cast aside for an unyielding totalizing ideology that allows for no exceptions.
Many years ago, I competed in collegiate karate tournaments as a brown belt. There were always separate men’s and women’s teams and individual competition. To think of female students going up against men college students is absurd. By comparison, I am astounded that in the Olympics, this was permitted: wherein for the sake of social justice, women are placed in harm’s way in an unfair competition.
Angela Carini deserves all of the compassion the human heart can muster, as she is the most recent high-profile victim of this moral conundrum. Not that she would like to be seen as a victim, as she herself said, she stopped the fight, so that she could hold her head up high. I know what goes into training for a tournament, as I was the member of a three-person karate team. I can hardly imagine what goes into training for the Olympics; and, for all her effort, she was not given a fair chance.
As long as I am contributing to the world, something of importance, I am content in my efforts to bring awareness, positivity, and renewal with a conscience focused on the values that I uphold as a human being with the temerity to speak boldly about what is important amidst the chaos.
Recently, I had an experience while reading a book by Viktor Frankl, wherein I resonated with a passage having to do with a man who decided to reclaim his life. I felt as if it was also time for me to do so. These kinds of spiritual motivations occur in real-life situations as well. Those whom inadvertently bring us back to the roots of ourselves, may do so unknowingly; yet, these encounters have been arranged from shomayim (heaven) for the sake of our spiritual growth.
I am reminded how years ago, an activist acquaintance of mine, when I associated with Leftists, told me that I can not remain neutral regarding the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. He framed his statement in a manner that connoted neutrality as a stance that was not moral. Indeed, reflecting upon this now, I concur, in light of what Simon Wiesenthal said, that to remain silent in the face of evil is to be complicit. I am paraphrasing his well-known statement. And, now, I cannot remain silent.
I am disgusted with the video footage I watched of anti-Israel and pro-Hamas supporters outside the Amtrak Union station in Washington D.C. The facsimile of the Liberty Bell was vandalized, as was the statue giving credence to the discovery of a New World by Christopher Columbus. It is here, where a year and a half ago, I spoke with someone who attempted to give me advice, pertaining to my relentless cause of raising awareness of the dangers of Woke Ideology. He seemed to think that in doing so, I was placing myself in the fray, by countering the ideology, as if I was no different than them. This has remained with me ever since, and is why I try to transcend my critiques by making clear my values, and offering a way to higher ground. So, here goes my attempt to contribute something more than reactionary feedback to the chaos that plagued D.C. today when Netanyahu spoke at Congress.
What is the angst that drives protestors? Frustration is a key element, as mentioned by Eric Hoffer, in his book, The True Believer. It is the angst that fuels the fire of activists and would be do-gooders, today’s social justice warriors who rise up against the establishment in general for the sake of so-called vague sense of freedom, with cries of “liberation,” unaware of the original meaning intended. From the Marcusian mentality, liberation is that which frees human beings from the constraints of morals, so that their impulses can reign. That is the underbelly of radicalism that energizes the Leftist rage against the machine.
The same chants twenty years ago, that I heard in Philadelphia and L.A. are being heard in Washington D.C. “The people united shall never be defeated,” and “whose streets our streets.” I would think that they must also be chanting “No Justice No Peace,” the rallying cries of the Left. Yet, the pro-Hamas activists are not the kin of the radical Left, per se; rather they are the ilk of barbarism that plagues the world. It is appalling to witness their support for a terrorist group that committed horrific atrocities on October Seventh in Israel.
I would like to be able to get along with people in my social sphere, including those who believe, think, and live differently than me, depending upon their ideological beliefs or casual attachment to their sense of Jewishness. I am guilty to of a casual attitude toward my own level of Yiddishkeit, and suffer when I deviate from the path. Yet, as conveyed in the above-mentioned poem, both the chaff and the wheat are mixed together within the congregation of the faithful and the faithless. And, outside the perimeter of my very small world, I see humanity through a blurry lens, unable to see seeds of redemption or a spark of renewal in those who condemn themselves by way of their own inhumanity.
I will not take up a sign to protest, nor counter-protest; however, I will take up the pen, figuratively speaking, while I type out these words on my keyboard: To remain silent in the face of evil is to be complicit with the worst traits of humanity as they arise in the hearts of mankind, sentenced to despair by their own unbelief in a G-d who has already promised that through following His commandments, we may transcend our base desires, hateful inclinations, and misguided intentions.
This is the message that needs to be proclaimed, in like manner that a university student paraded a Moshaich Now flag through the U.C.L.A. pro-Palestinian campus encampment, during students protests, only a month or two ago. Of course, I defer to the power of words, rather than any kind of violence, as enshrined in the scene in the Indiana Jones movie, where the historian says, “The pen is mightier than the sword.”
Ultimately, what is needed is compassion toward others, who disagree with us, and forgiveness of those who tread upon our toes. Yet, this only works for certain within the framework of a mutual agreement between those in a group of people committed to the same values. Expressing radical compassion to those who are our enemies is above and beyond the call duty. Even so, at least not partaking in their own sins of hatred and intolerance is a step in the right direction. We are all called toward righteousness in accord with HaShem’s divine vision for the world. It is clear from the scriptural accounts of that eschatological view, that not everyone will agree with The Plan. There are times when we must look after our own conscience, making sure to preserve the values that we uphold, so that we may remain human, in alignment with the Divine Blueprint. This may include speaking our mind for the sake of Truth. Eventually, only G-d will sort out the wheat from the chaff.
The Tree of Life 