Sunday, June 06, 2010
HELEN THOMAS IS PAST HER SELL-BY DATE
Helen Thomas, the doyenne of the White House correspondents - the senior White House correspondent, in fact - made the most heinous remarks about Jews this weekend. Did anyone hear her? She said (and I paraphrase) "Jews do not belong in Israel - Israel is not theirs - they should go back to Poland or Germany -- or America -- where they belong".
Why is no one outraged? Why am I hearing nothing on the television? All I hear on TV is the talking heads still arguing the Flotilla mess. The same yada-yada-yada. The poor Palestinians - the fact that the Palestinians are "starving" in Gaza. Nothing, of course, about what Hamas has perpetrated upon Israel from Gaza.
Why is my email not jammed with people expressing their outrage? Why is this just allowed to pass?
Do you recall the white policeman in Boston who made an honest mistake and stopped a black man whom he thought was breaking into a house? President Obama was very quick to blame the policeman. Sure he was! And was so wrong that he had to invite both men to Washington to drink a beer and make shalom (peace).
Where is his outrage at the vitriol spewing from the mouth of Helen Thomas?
What would I do? Condemn her immediately. Have her issue an apology - although that's probable worth nothing. And have her removed - immediately - from attending any more White House press conferences or briefings.
It is clear that she is not a disinterested reporter without an agenda. Time to take her off the shelf - her sell-by date is long long past
Yalla, Bye.
Why is no one outraged? Why am I hearing nothing on the television? All I hear on TV is the talking heads still arguing the Flotilla mess. The same yada-yada-yada. The poor Palestinians - the fact that the Palestinians are "starving" in Gaza. Nothing, of course, about what Hamas has perpetrated upon Israel from Gaza.
Why is my email not jammed with people expressing their outrage? Why is this just allowed to pass?
Do you recall the white policeman in Boston who made an honest mistake and stopped a black man whom he thought was breaking into a house? President Obama was very quick to blame the policeman. Sure he was! And was so wrong that he had to invite both men to Washington to drink a beer and make shalom (peace).
Where is his outrage at the vitriol spewing from the mouth of Helen Thomas?
What would I do? Condemn her immediately. Have her issue an apology - although that's probable worth nothing. And have her removed - immediately - from attending any more White House press conferences or briefings.
It is clear that she is not a disinterested reporter without an agenda. Time to take her off the shelf - her sell-by date is long long past
Yalla, Bye.
Thursday, June 03, 2010
"FREEDOM FLOTILLA"
"Israel is guilty - until we are proven guilty". No - that is not a typo - go back and read that sentence again. "Israel is guilty - until we are proven guilty".
That, for me, was the highlight sentence in Bibi's address yesterday. It's what I have been saying for years. No matter what the problem - it's Israel's fault. I can't remember where it started - or if it's the punchline of a joke - but we always spoke of the "Elephant and the Jewish Problem". Doesn't matter what it is - it's our fault.
By the way - I don't know how you feel about FOX News in general or Glen Beck in particular - but he presented an absolutely outstanding, balanced report on Israel last night.
Yesterday the world was very quick to condemn Israel for the loss of lives during the attempt to stop the "Freedom Flotilla". Before the truth became known - before the film clips were shown all over the internet. It was our fault.
No matter that we asked for the ships to sail into Ashdod so we could check the cargo and then send it on to Gaza. No matter that there is a good, strong economy going on in Gaza. No matter that a good deal of the destruction in Gaza is because Hamas was hiding in - and shelling us from - civilian areas. No matter, no matter no matter.........
Those of you who are reading this in countries other than Israel - ask yourselves - what would your government do if, for example, a flotilla of ships approached New York Harbor with the intent of bringing in goods to destroy New York. Would you simply sit back and say - "B'vakasha (please) - come into our country - bring your contraband goods - and try to destroy us"? Or - would you do everything in your power to ensure that you continue to live?
Come on - you know the answer to that one.
Yalla, Bye.
That, for me, was the highlight sentence in Bibi's address yesterday. It's what I have been saying for years. No matter what the problem - it's Israel's fault. I can't remember where it started - or if it's the punchline of a joke - but we always spoke of the "Elephant and the Jewish Problem". Doesn't matter what it is - it's our fault.
By the way - I don't know how you feel about FOX News in general or Glen Beck in particular - but he presented an absolutely outstanding, balanced report on Israel last night.
Yesterday the world was very quick to condemn Israel for the loss of lives during the attempt to stop the "Freedom Flotilla". Before the truth became known - before the film clips were shown all over the internet. It was our fault.
No matter that we asked for the ships to sail into Ashdod so we could check the cargo and then send it on to Gaza. No matter that there is a good, strong economy going on in Gaza. No matter that a good deal of the destruction in Gaza is because Hamas was hiding in - and shelling us from - civilian areas. No matter, no matter no matter.........
Those of you who are reading this in countries other than Israel - ask yourselves - what would your government do if, for example, a flotilla of ships approached New York Harbor with the intent of bringing in goods to destroy New York. Would you simply sit back and say - "B'vakasha (please) - come into our country - bring your contraband goods - and try to destroy us"? Or - would you do everything in your power to ensure that you continue to live?
Come on - you know the answer to that one.
Yalla, Bye.
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
ALL ALONE - YET AGAIN
I won't even go into all the whys and wherefores of yesterday's action against the "Freedom Flotilla". The internet and the newspapers are filled with explanations and conjecture. Whether or not we were right or wrong - whether we botched the job or we were set up - here is why my soul is screaming.
I know - I know - I sound like a broken record. But I begged everyone I know not to vote for Obama. And how does he come into this equation? Because he is not our friend. Because he does not value us. Because he will bow down to the Saudi King - extend his hand in "friendship" to Iran - embarrass our Prime Minister when he came to the States - make very clear that he thinks we are always wrong, wrong, wrong - and has, in the process, implicitly given the world permission to delegitimatize us.
We are sitting in our tiny, miniscule country - we can drive from one end to the other in a matter of hours - we are surrounded by countries which would like to see our demise - and we are feeling very alone.
I cannot imagine what has happened to the American Jews. Has everyone forgotton so quickly? I cannot understand what caused the majority of American Jewery to vote for Obama in the first place - a man who - it was very clear - is not a friend of whites or Jews. Too strong a statement? I don't think so.
We are in a very vulnerable position - both physically and emotionally. Iran has made it very clear that its avowed purpose is to wipe us off the face of the earth. There are many of us who think we are on the brink of a war. We can no longer count on our former friends and allies - the Americans - to come to our aid.
I cannot - I will not - believe that Israel will ever cease to exist. We are not warmongers. We want to live in peace. Why will the world not let us?
I know - I know - I sound like a broken record. But I begged everyone I know not to vote for Obama. And how does he come into this equation? Because he is not our friend. Because he does not value us. Because he will bow down to the Saudi King - extend his hand in "friendship" to Iran - embarrass our Prime Minister when he came to the States - make very clear that he thinks we are always wrong, wrong, wrong - and has, in the process, implicitly given the world permission to delegitimatize us.
We are sitting in our tiny, miniscule country - we can drive from one end to the other in a matter of hours - we are surrounded by countries which would like to see our demise - and we are feeling very alone.
I cannot imagine what has happened to the American Jews. Has everyone forgotton so quickly? I cannot understand what caused the majority of American Jewery to vote for Obama in the first place - a man who - it was very clear - is not a friend of whites or Jews. Too strong a statement? I don't think so.
We are in a very vulnerable position - both physically and emotionally. Iran has made it very clear that its avowed purpose is to wipe us off the face of the earth. There are many of us who think we are on the brink of a war. We can no longer count on our former friends and allies - the Americans - to come to our aid.
I cannot - I will not - believe that Israel will ever cease to exist. We are not warmongers. We want to live in peace. Why will the world not let us?
