Monthly Archives: August 2014

Open Letter to the Jewish survivors condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza

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Dear Friends,

If there is one thing you learn being a child of Holocaust survivors, it is that no matter how much you try to put yourself in their shoes, you just can’t.  It is with that knowledge and awareness that I write this letter to you, those survivors that are condemning Israel over its actions towards the Palestinian people.  Despite the shock your comments and sentiments have caused to so many of us, (CLICK HERE TO READ STATEMENT) out of the respect I have for what you went through I have chosen to write this letter as more of a plea for you to come to your senses than a criticism of your actions.  I will make it a given that your intentions are pure, even if I and many more like me believe they are misguided.

No one who survived the horrors of Nazi Germany needs a lesson from me or from anyone else of my generation as to the actions committed during what is one of the blackest mark in the history of humankind.  Having spoken often to my parents, my father of blessed memory and my mother who is, thank God still alive and well, I have as good of an understanding as I can in my position, as to what took place.  I know that Hitler hated the Jews from the start.  Targeted them, scapegoated them, dehumanized them, and ultimately murdered them in massive and devastating numbers.  He made the elimination of the Jewish race more than just an emotional cause, he made it a government sanctioned law.  Even before the mass murdering started, he left no doubt that he wanted Jews to be no part of society, not only in Germany but everywhere his Nazi party occupied.  As is so clearly stated in the definition of Genocide, once he managed to rally the support of a desperate German nation behind him, Hitler specifically targeted the Jews in a deliberate and systematic attempt to exterminate the Jewish people.  I will spend the next paragraph outlining the similarities between what Nazi Germany did to the Jews and what Israel is doing to the Palestinians.

It will be a very short paragraph.  THERE ARE NO SIMILARITIES!

As I previously stated, this is more than a letter to all of you.  This is a plea.  I am practically begging you to come to your collective senses. Israel has not been perfect in its treatment of Palestinians, but it’s not only done more for them than many other nations do for a minority population, it’s done more for them than any Muslim nation in the world has done.

Please read the Hamas charter.  It calls for the elimination of Jews from Israel and the murder of Jews worldwide.  With that in mind I ask you this question. Had there been a Jewish army in 1943 or 1944 would it have been wrong for that army to bomb Berlin, even if in targeting official government locations it would have killed German women and children?

I appreciate and agree that dead women and children dying in war is always a tragedy.  I just urge you to realize that the deaths are not always the fault of the ones dropping the bombs.

In the name of God and all that is good and decent I ask all of you to stop this madness.  The last line of your statement may be the most important one in that it references the phrase “Never Again”.  I agree that “Never Again” means NEVER AGAIN FOR ANYONE, but it also means that sometimes actions, often harsh and painful actions, need to be taken to back up that phrase.

Sincerely,

David Groen

 

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It’s all Fun and Games until someone loses a Head

isis-videoLet me start by making something very clear.  I am by no means making light of the horrific and graphic murder of journalist James Foley.  I am however asking two very important questions.  My first question is why did it take till now for everyone to take the threat of ISIS as seriously it should have?  And my second question is, as the United States debates bombing a second country after the beheading of one journalist, why has it been so hard for the world to accept Israel’s reaction to the murder of three teenage boys?

The questions seem very different but the answer may be the same.  Regarding the subject of terrorism, Muslim extremism and the threat it poses to the entire civilized world, the Israeli government and its supporters, in Israel and throughout the world, are ahead of the curve.  As much as I dislike them on a personal level, the celebrities who proudly display their anti-Semitic sentiments through opposition of Israel’s actions don’t understand how much they are hurting themselves in the process.  I dare say that to some this is a new Muslim Chic.  Captivated by the culture, the music, the hum of the call to prayer, the smooth talking Palestinian leaders have them taken in by what they see as the Palestinian’s plight.  I am not going to berate Liam Neeson for expressing his attraction to Islam because he did so in a positive context, but I may also want to say to him, come take a look at Judaism.  We don’t have large factions within our ranks looking to take over the planet through brutal violence.

Criticizing the realities that exist within Islam is not racist, its realistic and practical.  Celebrities and politicians who have bent over backward to ignore those realities until now are partially to blame for James Foley’s death and for those who will be murdered by these factions in the future.  When the two young stars, Rihanna and Selena Gomez tweeted messages along the lines of “Free Gaza” or “Free Palestine”, did they ever stop to consider how young women like them are treated by the Hamas government and the society they are defending?  In contrast are they aware of the equality and opportunities provided to young women in Israel, even going as far as being important contributors in the military?  I am sure they didn’t.  They posted it on Twitter because it seemed like a fun, neo-humanitarian thing to do at the time.  Not so much fun anymore when there’s a video of an American journalist being beheaded on YouTube is it?

If the rest of the western world had put the same value on the lives of  Naftali Frenkel,   Eyal Yifrach, and Gilad Shaar as Israel did, and supported the operation in Gaza as it should have and understood its importance, it would have sent a message to groups like ISIS and Hamas, and even the oft ignored ringleader Iran, that it understood what is at stake.  But not only did they not do it then, some continue to not do it today.  But to those who needed to see it in front of them to make it real, the beheading of James Foley was a wake up call.  Not so Chic anymore is it?

 

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Join these celebrities in signing this pro-Israel Statement

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Hey Hamas, you can have the pitiful Arthur remake and the worst Batman ever, we have Rocky, the Terminator, and Bob Marley’s son.  I didn’t realize how amazing this was till I looked through the list of celebrities that signed this statement.  It is an absolutely beautiful statement and the extent of the list is even more remarkable.   Besides Arnold and Sly some notable names for me were Eriq La Salle, Kathy Ireland, Bill Maher and Ziggy Marley.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE STATEMENT FROM CREATIVE COMMUNITY FOR PEACE AND FRIENDS

Click the above link to sign the statement. I did and it felt great!

 

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Genocide and Gaza

stop7Until his death almost 5 years ago, author and journalist William Safire was best known for his column “On Language” in the weekly New York Times Sunday magazine.  I could never come close to matching his brilliant writing skills particularly in picking apart the misuse of words and phrases.  I will say with the word Genocide being thrown around so liberally when discussing Israel’s actions in Gaza, I miss him now more than ever and will take a shot at what he might have said.

It would be morally wrong to attempt to speak for someone who has left this earth, but when I look up Mr. Safire’s background and the history of his political views, I tend to believe he would have been supportive of what Israel has been doing in Gaza.  With that in mind, in honor of his memory I will attempt to deconstruct the most despicable and ridiculous argument made by Israel’s detractors.  The claim of Genocide.

I’ve addressed this before in previous articles but never have I made this one issue, the meaning of the word and its proper application, the primary focus.  I started by looking up the definition.  The definition as stated by Merriam-Webster is as follows: “the deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group.”

The first and important word in the definition is “deliberate”.  In genocide’s throughout history, the governments committing them have made no secret of the desire to exterminate a people.  Israel’s killing of civilians is not only not deliberate, it’s just the opposite.  Israel is publicly stating that it is making every attempt possible not to harm civilians, and is only doing so when Hamas places rockets in area where they are given no choice.  Genocide is not defined as the murder of civilians when given no other choice.

The second word is “systematic”.  This adds another element to this ridiculous claim.  The population in both Gaza and the West Bank is growing at a faster rate than the population in Israel.  If Israel really is committing genocide it’s doing a pretty bad job.  Even the people who hate Israel don’t question its military efficiency and capabilities in accomplishing its goals.  Ironically the only people who do question Israel’s strategy are hardliners within Israel that may actually be in favor of harsher military action, and even they are not trying to wipe out a race, they merely feel the only way Israel will be safe is through a more severe military approach.

The last part of the definition can be just as easily rebutted; “destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group.”   Seriously? What nation that has committed genocide in the past against a group of people allows that group into its parliament? What nation committing genocide goes after this “political or cultural group” only when attacked first?  I guess there may be some credibility to this part of the statement if you are to say that Israel would like to systematically destroy Hamas.  But that only works if rather than realizing Hamas is a terrorist organization you somehow have chosen to see it as a political or cultural group.

I’ve seen signs that say, “Well done Israel. Hitler would have been proud.”  I actually agree with the second part of the sign.  Hitler would have been very proud of all those people going after Israel for no reason other than the fact that it is run by Jews, and the fact that one of the most devious clever forms of anti-Semitism today is comparing Israel to Nazi Germany.

I am sure William Safire would have said it much better than I just did, but all we can do is imagine how well he would have picked apart this ridiculous and cynical argument. An argument we need to stop in its tracks.

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Katy Perry Showing how it’s done

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I’ve said often that I have no problem with those who want peace in the Middle East but don’t wish to assign blame.   Especially when their function doesn’t require it. Katy Perry responded to a young Israeli boy on Twitter asking for her prayers with the following tweet:  “I am! My prayers are for you guys tonight, SHALOM!!! RT”

For this I say Thank You Katy!

When attacked for it she responded with the following message: “A kid asked me to pray for him and I did. I don’t support ANY side of violence in ANY place for ANY reason.”

Just as I commended the Pope for praying to God that the violence would end, I commend and thank Katy Perry for her sentiment.  If everyone felt as she does and spread the love around evenly, the world would be just fine.  Some people who claim to be humanitarians could learn from her.  Caring about people means caring about all people and Katy clearly gets that.

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A Message from a Former Liberal

liberal2I am here to announce to the world that it is now official.  I am renouncing my Liberal status.  Let me be clear that this is not a total overhaul of my views and opinions on all the social issues that could only label me as a Liberal. Those views have not changed. The reason for me renouncing my status is that I no longer wish to be associated with people making excuses for bad behaviors and for those who are tolerant of anti-Semitism masquerading as anti-Zionism.

I recently wrote 2 letters, one to George Clooney and another to Russell Brand.  Although the vast majority appear to have enjoyed and agreed with the tone and content of the letters, I have received more criticism on these letters than on anything I’ve ever written.  I don’t mind the criticism, on some levels I even like it.  I don’t suppress opinions and generally don’t wish physical harm on anyone for having opinions that differ from mine.  What I do have a problem with are people believing they are taking some sort of moral high ground by not criticizing anti-Semites or being so careful to not unfairly demand the opinion of those who could influence the thoughts of millions. I am convinced they take this approach because they either don’t truly understand how high the stakes are or because they are just too frightened to do otherwise.  Either way it’s a mistake.

Let me break it down and explain something everyone needs to understand before it is too late.  Yes I ridiculed Russell Brand.  I insulted him, referenced his mental illness, and attacked his character more than I attacked his words. Although I stand by everything I said to him, let’s say for argument sake my letter was a despicable and unfair defamation of character.  It’s still not even close to being as bad as what he is doing.  Hamas has two things people need to be aware of when looking at the entire picture.  First they have a charter that speaks of its commitment to driving every Jew out of Israel and its mission to kill every Jew alive.  The second is a sponsor, Iran,  with a large supply of weapons and a hatred for Israel, as well as a budding alliance with a rogue and nuclear North Korea.  Hamas has stated that its conditions for a cessation of hostilities includes the opening of a port and lifting of the Naval blockade.  If this would be done under Hamas leadership, it would put the very survival of the State of Israel in jeopardy.  So when Russell Brand gets on his high horse and criticizes Israel for his actions, he is in essence saying that its survival means absolutely nothing to him.  He is saying to me and to the world that it is perfectly acceptable to have North Korea ship nuclear weapons into Gaza.  So now I ask those of you attacking my words and defending him, what is more offensive? One man insulting and ridiculing another or the other calling for actions that translate into millions of dead Jews?

I’m more concerned as to whether or not George Clooney, a man who potentially can influence millions feels as his anti-Semitic fiance does, than I am with whether or not someone thinks I am out of line for connecting her words to him.  That misplaced use of Liberal ideals and so-called tolerance is unacceptable to me.  As I’ve said many times, “Never Again” does not mean Never Again unless it insults George Clooney.

Listen to the words of someone who has called himself a Liberal till now and has done so without apology.  Wake up and start realizing what is at stake here.  I do not have any children of my own, but I have many children in my family who I hope will be able to live a happy and safe life.  Too much tolerance for anti-Semitic behavior and too much concern for the feelings of people who aren’t helping us when they should is what truly offends me.  They threaten the safety of all Jewish children and ultimately all children on the planet, including the very children they pretend to defend.  If that doesn’t offend you more than a personal attack on an actor, I urge you to reexamine your values. Furthermore, this thought process that has people thinking my “nasty” letters somehow contribute to anti-Semitism is dangerously naive.  One person even said that Amal Alamuddin, George Clooney’s fiance, gave us a gift by turning down a spot on the panel as though she did it for any other reason other than her own benefit.  I am not going to thank an ant-Semite for something merely because they took one less action of hatred against Jews.

I used to believe that the ideal of Liberalism brought people together even when they disagreed on important issues.  Maybe it does that on some levels, but when it becomes a tool with which to hold views that translate into serious harm for the Jewish people and the entire civilized world, not only do I want no part of it, I question why anyone else who loves a peaceful and secure world would.

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Open Letter of Appreciation to Benjamin Netanyahu

gif-leaders-netanyahuDear Mr. Netanyahu,

I am certain as I write this letter there will be at least one moment when tears will come to my eyes.  The things I want to say to you are so heartfelt and I believe shared by so many other Jewish people like myself, that I have no doubt I will have moments of intense emotion while saying them.

I wish to start with two very simple words.  Thank you.  I am the son of Holocaust survivors from Holland and my entire life I have understood the importance of the State of Israel, not only in Biblical terms, but in its role as a national guardian and protector of the Jewish people. Everything you do, each word you so carefully speak, and every life you so clearly cherish does honor to the memory of the 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis.  As I sit here in New York, I feel safer as a Jew knowing you are working as hard as one can work, and with as much competence as one individual can have, towards keeping Jews all over the word safe from today’s version of the Nazis.

I do not have the honor of knowing you personally, but as a Jew listening to you speak of your desire to bring peace and quiet to the people of Israel, and the importance you have always shown for Jewish life, you almost feel like family to me.  It is natural and often justified for us to question the sincerity of politicians, but when you show anger or concern over harm done or threats made to the Jewish people, I never have the slightest doubt it is sincere.

I know you have critics.  You are the Prime Minister of a country where people are allowed to disagree with you.  I have no issue with those people because it is part of what makes Israel a great country.  However, what it does do is give me an even better understanding of how difficult your job is.  That coupled with pressure from the U.S. government and a world often working against you, the challenges you face on a regular basis are not to be envied.  Yet through all of these issues you conduct yourself with a graceful and strong leadership we so desperately need to have not only in Israel but throughout the world today.

Mr. Netanyahu, you are a true leader of the Jewish people.  You make so many of us feel safer during what is emerging as another dark time in our history. My mother who is 92 and lived in Holland during the Nazi occupation has told me this reminds her of 1938.  I challenge her on that statement saying that today is different because we have the State of Israel.  I would add that today is also different because of one other reason.  We have Benjamin Netanyahu.

In case you’re wondering, my first tears started way back in the beginning when I said Thank You the first time, something none of us can do often enough.

May God continue to provide you with the strength, wisdom and courage you need to see our people through these troubled times.

With fondest regards,

David Groen

 

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Palestinian Flag on a New York Bridge

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A little less than a month after 2 American flags were replaced with white flags on the Brooklyn Bridge, a Palestinian flag with the words Boycott Divestment Sanctions was unfurled on the Manhattan Bridge.  For those who do not know,the Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) Movement, is the movement set up by Palestinian Omar Barghouti, ironically a former student of Tel-Aviv University, to conduct economic warfare against the State of Israel.  One of the most high-profile and outspoken members of the BDS Movement is Pink Floyd front man Roger Waters.

I hope this most recent turn of events will be taken seriously by New York City Mayor Bill de Blassio and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton, not only because it is the same breach in security that occurred one month ago, but also because of the hostile message behind the BDS Movement towards not only Israel, but Jews worldwide.

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The Truth Matters Only if You Value it

liesClearly I am not objective.  I love Israel and hate Hamas.  I believe Hamas is to blame for the deaths of not only Israelis but Palestinians as well.  I believe Benjamin Netanyahu is a great man and Khaleed Meshaal is an evil man.  I agree with Netanyahu when he says, “If the Arabs put down their weapons there would be no more war.  If Israel put down her weapons, there would be no more Israel.”  Clearly I am not objective.

I make no claims to be objective.  However, despite my lack of objectivity I do seek the truth.  So much so that I acknowledge that Israel has made mistakes and done some things they should not have done over the past 66 years.  But there is no truth that justifies the attacks Israel has had to endure, be they violent attacks from terrorists or verbal attacks from anti-Semites.  If presented with factual evidence of a certain truth, even one that opposes my views, I would address it honestly and make every attempt to be fair in my assessment.  The question is, why won’t my enemies do the same?

It’s because the truth has no meaning to them.  Most anti-Israel and anti-Semitic sentiment is not based in truth.  It’s either based in ideology or communal involvement.  People like to be part of something.  Even something motivated by hate.  The ideology however is what drives everything.  It drives terrorism, stirs up the masses, allows the leaders to make statements they know are not true, but justify with their beliefs.  A friend once said to me, “people buy with emotion and justify it with logic.”  Once the masses buy the bill of goods sold to them by the mini-dictators popping up all over the world, they search for the logic to back it up.  For example, the number one lie being told is that Israel is committing genocide.  Once that message is sold to the Muslim masses by the Imans, all they need now is a complicit al-Jazeera or CNN to show a man holding an injured or dead child in his hand in Gaza and the people have their “logic” to back up the sale.

Here’s the problem with that.  When you use that method the truth is irrelevant.  The only thing that matters is pushing your agenda.  Even visual evidence won’t matter anymore.  You passionately sell an ideal, even one of hate, show one image, maybe only make one ridiculous claim that can be used to back it up, and its sold.  Russell Brand goes on a hateful diatribe against Israel on his online channel he calls the Trews, claiming it is True News, and people who like the movie star buy into it, even though he sits there and blatantly obstructs the truth from his listeners.  Hamas sells the idea that Israel is indiscriminately bombing Gaza, targeting women and children, and those who have already bought into anti-Zionism and Jew hatred see a blown up building and they’ve seen enough.  We could have a 10 page document and 100 pictures proving that Hamas put those innocents in harms way by using them as human shields and it would make no difference.  They’ve already decided what they want to believe.  The truth doesn’t matter anymore.

Do we combat this with lies of our own?  I say no.  But I do think we need to be a little less concerned about whether or not we are unfair to those allowing those lies to be spoken and should be spending less time defending those who only express an (anti-Semitic) opinion.  Tolerance is a very charitable trait, particularly in war time, and as we all know charity starts at home.

As I responded in social media when someone criticized my letter to George Clooney, “Never Again” does not mean Never Again unless we insult George Clooney.  Never Again means recognizing the signs and doing all we can to prevent it.  I believe the truth is always the right way, but being tolerant at our own expense is not.

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The Bright side of Ferguson

628x471I have shied away from addressing the situation in Ferguson, Missouri partially out of lack of information and partially out of focus on what it is I’ve been attempting to accomplish with my articles.  It was not till I felt a connection with what is happening there to the bigger global picture that I felt compelled to write about it.

Let me start by saying that the death of a young man of 18 at the hands of police officers is always a tragedy.  Whether you make the argument that he was an unarmed teenager shot merely because he was black and on the streets or whether you make the argument he was involved in illegal activities and put himself into that situation, his death is a tragedy.  However, despite the tragedy, the behavior of both parties since the events took place ironically magnify the morality that still exists in the United States in comparison to the global atrocities we need to fight.

The harshest reactions to this post will come from two opposing sides of the spectrum.  Since I anticipate that, I will address them both in this piece.  One side will say that this is another example of the injustice a young black man consistently has to face.  They will say that there are too many out there, be it the average citizen or the law enforcement official that see a young black man and suspect him to be a criminal merely because he is black.  The other side will say that the behavior of young black men has created this environment and that if the crime level in that demographic was not so high that people would not react that way.

Everyone who knows me well knows that my opinions are never determined by the color of one’s skin.  They also know that I am a supporter of the police. That doesn’t mean I don’t recognize that there are both people of color and police officers that commit crimes.  I say this because other than saying that Michael Brown should not have been killed, I am not using this platform to analyze the more detailed rights and wrongs of what took place here.  The point to this piece is to bring attention to the relative greatness of our society.

This is where the critics on both sides are shaking their hands and wagging their fingers at me.  “Tell that to Michael Brown’s mother”, one might say.  “Try being a cop and never knowing if someone is going to pull out a gun and shoot you”, another might say.  I’m not saying either is wrong nor am I ignoring the problems that do exist in this country, what I am doing is making a larger point.  Other than the looters and rioters on one side and the racists on the other, this case has magnified the way Americans deal with issues.  They scream and shout and protest, go on TV, look to their political leaders, have investigations and most of all, pursue justice.  They don’t always enact justice,  but the pursuit is allowed, not stifled for the most part, and not met with government sanctioned resistance. Yes there are still glaring flaws, and yes both young black men and police officers still have to endure unfair behaviors, but when push comes to shove we still see a society where people are relatively free to express their grievances, and that all that most decent people want is justice.

It’s far from perfect, but it still needs to be recognized and appreciated.  Even by those getting the worst of it.  Because in so many other places it would be, and is a lot worse.

 

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