April 7, 2015

The Bad Logic of a deal with Iran has little to do with the Specifics

By davidgroen1

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One of the arguments I’ve heard for making a deal with Iran is that there is no other viable option.  Those making that argument believe that bombing Iran sets them back a year at best and that enforcing sanctions tightens the noose around what would then become an even more aggressive regime subsequently hurting the Iranian population and driving them further away from reform.  They believe in a perfect world the agreement would delay Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions long enough to see a more tolerant government and an Iranian people unwilling to go to war.  Needless to say, we are not living in anything close to a perfect world, and the logic behind this agreement represents so much of what is wrong with the current U.S. Administration’s foreign policy.

First of all, an American government should never negotiate with terrorists.  Technically speaking some may want to make an argument that dealing with the government of Iran is not dealing with terrorists, but when you look around the Middle East and see all the terrorist organizations and regimes funded and supported by Iran, calling them anything other than terrorists is at best misguided.  Their ambitions have been very clear, and allowing them to move forward with nuclear energy only strengthens their ability to see these ambitions through to the end.

As a Jew and a Zionist, it has always been my personal view that no discussions should ever take place with any regime that does not recognize Israel’s right to exist.  Iran goes many steps further when they not only call for Israel’s annihilation, they say that Israel’s destruction is something they deem as non-negotiable. This leads me to ask this question.  How can the president say he is “absolutely committed to making sure they (Israel) maintain their qualitative military edge”, while simultaneously strengthening a regime committed to her destruction? Make no mistake.  This strengthens Iran in all the wrong ways.  Besides the most obvious and potentially devastating way in which it allows them to maintain a nuclear program, the relieving of sanctions provides a regime of murderers to increase their funding of worldwide terrorism.  To make matters worse, and the significance of this may be lost on people, the perception of the Iranian people is that their leaders are heroes for making this deal.  Any hope of seeing this regime go away internally any time soon has subsequently been destroyed.  This is actually the most negative immediate result of the deal.  The other more devastating results would take longer to play out.

So for those who might say to me, it is easy to be against the deal and provide no alternative solution, here is what I propose. Political and economic pressure from as many directions as possible.  The immediate outcome of this deal almost proves why continuing sanctions is the best immediate choice.  Sanctions would put a stranglehold on the Iranian regime creating discontent among the Iranian population, making it more and more difficult for Tehran to continue exporting terrorism.  Although I believe war is inevitable, I also respect and appreciate every effort to avoid or at least delay that inevitably. That is as long as it keeps America and Israel safe, something I believe this deal does not do.  All it really does is lay the groundwork for allowing one of the most devious and evil governments in the world a place on the world stage.  A place they are less than likely to use for any good.

 

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April 6, 2015

Are we being Divided and Conquered?

By davidgroen1

 

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So you like to fight do you?  You want to go after the enemy? It’s very possible that many will not even pay attention to this post once they find out what it is really about. After all, a call for peaceful interaction between people isn’t any fun.  What’s interesting about that?  It’s a lot more fun to attack someone for their views.  Everywhere I look I see Jews attacking each other over their politics.  It is my view that the biggest problem facing the Jewish people today is lack of unity, and at this point, and I am sure this will raise some eyebrows, I don’t even care whose fault it is.  The bottom line is that it MUST stop.  If it doesn’t we will continue to play into the hands of the true enemy, the one that actually openly calls for our death, and in the process we will become more and more divided until we are ultimately conquered.

Although I don’t know the number, nor do I care, let’s say for argument’s sake that 4 million of the 6 million Jews murdered by Hitler were Liberal?  Would an angry Conservative say they only mourn 2 million because the rest brought it on themselves? Would an angry Liberal say that the 2 million caused the hatred of the Jews with their right-wing approach? Would we ever mourn someone more or less for their level of religious observance? Fortunately I’ve never heard anyone from either side say anything so heinous, but the way people talk today you would almost be led to believe that the value of each person’s life is directly connected to their political view. Maybe I’ve never hears it because in retrospect, when speaking against a specific enemy defeated 70 years ago it is relatively safe and there’s no reason not to attack those who deserve to be attacked.  But today, given a choice between going after the real enemy, a very dangerous one, or going after each other, sadly it seems people have chosen to go after each other.

It is the epitome of arrogance to believe that just because someone disagrees with you on how to keep Israel safe, that the same person cares less for Israel than you do.  Sitting with my family over Passover, I heard one person who believes in no compromise whatsoever and that the Palestinians should be part of Jordan, one that believes a two-state solution is critical but hates the deal with Iran and no longer cares for Obama, and one who was hopeful over the deal with Iran and believes the details were promising.  Every single one of these 3 people are strong supporters of Israel and proud Jews.  Yet if any of those 3 would post their views on social media, someone out there would call them an idiot, or even worse a traitor.  Ironically, the person who would attack them, very often does nothing other than come online and talk garbage, while these 3 individuals have done a lot more than just talk about supporting Israel.

Yet here we are thinking we are helping by berating each other. I do not claim to be perfect.  I am by no means a moderate. But I don’t believe someone who disagrees with me is an idiot or a traitor.  We need to start from one basic premise and understand that it is that premise that should bring us together no matter what.  The premise is the safety and security of Israel and the Jewish people.  If we are to debate the strategy to achieve this goal, and we will, we must do so with a mutual respect and appreciation for those that want this goal achieved as we do.

Are we to sit in judgement over people whose viewpoints we find to be misguided or even harmful?  Can we not debate the argument without attacking the individual?  There are some who will see this post and immediately comment on how Liberals are tolerant for everyone but Conservatives, and Liberals that will call Conservatives vicious people with irrational views, and use that statement as a distorted way of supporting this piece.  Here is my absolute statement in response to anyone who does that.

If it is more important to you to show yourself to be better than your fellow Jew and fellow-man than it is to protect your fellow Jew and fellow-man, your very actions are an indication of your failure. If you are more concerned with showing a few dozen people how tough you are online than you are with doing something constructive, it is not Israel or the Jewish people you care about, it is only yourself and your ego.  I have an ego. Everyone reading this knows that I have an ego. I continuously write my feelings on issues and actually believe that what I am saying is important enough for others to read.  That is unquestionably ego and I am very willing to admit it.  But I can also say with confidence and a lot of evidence that I primarily go after people whose viewpoints are clearly anti-Israel and anti-Semitic.  I don’t come on here to berate my fellow Jew and Zionist.  That’s easy to do.  All they are most likely to do is berate me back.  I much rather go after those who make no bones about being against me and my people.

It is time for all of us to do some serious self-examination.  Are we here to show how smart we are or are we here to make a difference for this generation and future generations.  If we are only here for the sport of arguing than have fun and while you are doing so, please stay out of my way.  I have better things to do with my time than argue just for the sake of arguing.  I rather do my little part in making things better.

 

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April 2, 2015

A Deal with the Devil

By davidgroen1

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Sometimes it is hard to say anything that hasn’t been said already.  When it comes to a nuclear deal with Iran, this may be one of those times. With that in mind I will try, while also making this short and not so sweet.

1-A deal with Iran is a deal with the devil.  Somehow this country has gone from not negotiating with terrorists to a day when we would be led to believe we should feel safer. We’re not.

2-Some believe this is the only viable alternative.  I still go back to the concept of negotiation with terrorists.  How is that viable?

3-Is this the beginning of a Nuclear Arms Race in the Middle East?  For all the talk of Israel’s evil imperial ambitions, other than Iran that makes no bones about wanting Israel wiped off the map, the unofficial knowledge of Israel’s nuclear capabilities didn’t cause one. It wasn’t till now that other countries in the region expressed any urgency for nuclear weapons.  That would tell people a lot, assuming it was something they would want to know.

4-If we lived in a world with any degree of common sense, rather than negotiating a deal with Iran we would be tightening sanctions.  I won’t sit here today and call for military action, although I do believe it will come to that, instead I would call for an attempt at strangling Iran economically.

Unfortunately today’s events take us in a different, one that opens the door wide open for global calamity.  Let’s hope it never comes to that.

 

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April 2, 2015

How the Lessons of Passover Still hold true

By davidgroen1

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As we approach the beginning of the holiday of Passover, I am struck by the fact that that many of the lessons learned from the holiday still hold true today.  It is very possible that the most significant lesson is that hatred towards the Jews is more often than not for the mere fact that we exist, not because of the actions we take.

What is so remarkable about the phenomenom of anti-Semitism is that when you look at it closely, it is rarely about the things Jews do wrong.  This is an important point. I do not claim that the Jewish people are perfect by any means.  Like any group we have some character traits that are appealing, some that are not.  We have produced criminals like any other group of people. Yet the rampant growth of anti-Semitism is not generated by a reaction to a Bernie Madoff, someone who actually caused harm to many people, it is more likely because of the religious Jew living in Brooklyn or the West Bank. The reason for this has nothing to do with behavior.  It has to do with growth.

When slavery began in Egypt the Pharoah rallied his people with the following words: ‘Behold the Children of Israel are more and mightier than we. Come, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply.'” But the Jewish people were not violent, they were not aggressive or ambitious, they were merely members of the Egyptian community that were growing and developing.  They were actually more beneficial to Egypt than they were harmful. But despite the lack of reasoning behind this thinking, they were considered a threat.  How were they more and mightier?  They were a minority in Egypt.  But in their structure and cohesiveness they were strong and productive.  This was threatening to the Pharoah.

When we hear of Iran preaching the destruction of Israel, I always wonder how any reasonable person doesn’t ask themselves why Iran would care? Why would anyone care? Israel is a speck of land compared to the land surrounding it. Yet in its hard work and productivity, but most of all in its growth, it is considered a tremendous threat.  The truth be told, most of those calling for Israel’s destruction won’t say, destroy Israel unless Israel gives the Palestinians anything they want, they clearly call for Israel’s demise regardless of what actions Israel does or doesn’t take.  Ultimately it is for one simple and very sad reason.  It is a Jewish nation.

On paper a two-state solution might work if Israel was at war with the United Nations.  However, Israel’s enemies do not merely call on their departure from what they refer to as the “occupied territories”, Israel’s enemies call for its complete and total destruction.  The Palestinian people, the people the world seems to want to believe is persecuted by Israel, are actually the pawns in a much more devious and cynical game.  They are being used to create one of the most disgusting public relations farces in history.

For Israel, a prosperous and peaceful Palestine would be wonderful. But it’s not Israel that doesn’t want to see this happen, it’s those wishing to see the region rid of the Jewish people.  The Muslims and Arabs in the region don’t need Israel’s land.  They control over 99% of the territory in the Middle East. Yet somehow Israel is the cause of all the regions problems. Why?  Just as it was in Egypt at the start of all the troubles, it is merely because it exists.  “Come, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply.”  In the end, that is what is really about.  Not an occupation, not settlements, and not Benjamin Netanyahu. What it is really about is that not only are the Jews not going away, they are actually having the audacity to multiply. Something which was not acceptable to Pharoah, and not acceptable to the anti-Semite of today.  One can only hope and pray that today’s anti-Semitic leaders see the same fate as the Egyptian ruler did so many years ago and that  the Jewish people and all decent civilized people are allowed to live in the freedom so many have sacrificed so much to achieve.

 

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March 30, 2015

Open Letter to President of Virginia State Bar regarding cancellation of trip to Israel

By davidgroen1

 

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Dear Mr. Martingayle,

Let me start by putting you on notice.  My actions regarding this perversion of ethics will not be limited to this letter.  I intend to take every action necessary to lobby as many people as possible behind the process challenging the Virginia State Bar’s cancellation of its trip to Israel.

I wish to start however by challenging the very ambiguous wording in your statement regarding this matter. You made the following statement. CLICK HERE TO READ HIS STATEMENT

It was stated that there are some unacceptable discriminatory policies and practices pertaining to border security that affect travelers to the nation.

What practices are you referring to exactly?  Are any of these “practices” as you call them recently implemented?  I suppose they must be seeing that I  am certain you would not have made a decision to travel to Israel originally if they were in place at the time. When you say discriminatory do you mean these policies are targeting specific people merely because of what they are or, seeing that you do use the term border security, would these policies indeed be responsible as opposed to discriminatory?  You also say these policies affect travelers to the nation.  Could you please clarify what impact any of these policies would have on any member of the Virginia Bar Association?  Muslims belong to the Israeli Knesset, so I am certain the Muslim members of the Virginia State Bar would not have to be concerned with having their movements restricted.

You went on to say the following:

Upon review of U.S. State Department advisories and other research, and after consultation with our leaders, it has been determined that there is enough legitimate concern to warrant cancellation of the Israeli trip and exploration of alternative locations.

The strain in the relationship between the United States and Israel is well documented, but that didn’t stop me from checking further into your claim.  I know I’m not as smart as you are, after all you are the President of the Virginia State Bar and I’m just some dumb Zionist with a big mouth, but I usually am pretty good at finding information on websites.  I looked on the State Department website and could not find anything resembling these advisories you are referring to in your statement.  Maybe you found them in the same location you found your “other research.”  I’m also curious as to which leaders you are referring to in the statement.  Leaders within the State Bar?  Community leaders? Political leaders? I am not a resident of Virginia but I do believe if you are going to make a statement such as that one, people have a right to know.

The final quote I wish to address is this one:

Undoubtedly, this news will disappoint some VSB members.  But we are a state agency that strives for maximum inclusion and equality, and that explains this action.

I read your subsequent statement clarifying that this is not an anti-Semitic action, and assuming you believe what you are saying I will make the following observation.  Although I have no way of backing up this statement with facts, and unlike some who are far more intelligent than myself I always feel the need to do so, I would guess that the majority of those disappointed by this news are indeed Jewish.  Clearly their needs and desires don’t carry the same weight of the other members the Bar Association is bending over backwards to appease. I speak of the nameless 37 that many claim coerced the State Bar into this decision. If you truly are, as you claim to be a state agency that strives for maximum inclusion and equality, I have two questions for you.  Would this inclusion include giving in to the political demands of a group of people whether their demands were justified or not?  And how does turning your back on the only democracy in the Middle East help to increase this maximum equality you claim is so important?

I am sure when you made this statement you expected controversy, but I am not sure you expected to be challenged on the specifics. For all I know the position of President of the Virginia State Bar is a more ceremonious position and you don’t so much make policy as much as you represent the policy once it is implemented. Maybe you are just following orders.  Of course we all know what happens when people take that approach, and it is nothing resembling “maximum inclusion and equality”.

This action on the part of the Virginia State Bar is without any merit whatsoever and establishes a precedent damaging to the country’s entire legal system.  To take this extreme action against an important ally, and to insult an important segment of the legal community without clear explanation damages the credibility of an organization that is nothing if it is not credible.  I hope you see that, and then I hope you respond, but frankly every element and carefully worded nuance of your statement tells me that you won’t. But with the help of many more who feel as I do, this will not go away.  I care too much about America’s legal system to allow that to happen.

Sincerely,

David Groen

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March 28, 2015

My Evolution to Radical

By davidgroen1

never-sell-a-liberal-the-same-way-as-a-conservative-02-14-2012-road-sign

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The title is somewhat tongue in cheek because I really don’t see myself as being a radical, but in order to keep the interest of those on the far left who may see me that way, I chose to acknowledge what is very possibly going to be their claim.  The purpose of this piece is to explain how I, David Groen got from Liberal Clinton Democrat who voted for Obama twice, to writing articles and letters that seem to align me far more with the Republican right.  By the time you finish reading, whether you a Conservative or a Liberal I suspect I will surprise you, and very possibly disappoint you.

If it sounds like I am confused let me be clear.  I am more certain of where I stand on most issues than I have been my entire life.  I have not changed my views on some of the most polarizing issues of the day.  As soon as I state my stances on abortion and gay marriage I am certain to get some ire from a large portion of the Conservatives reading this. When I state my views on Israel and Foreign Affairs I am certain to get the same from many of the Liberals.  If this article seems like it is designed to make everyone angry at me, rest assured it is not.  I’m merely someone comfortable expressing his political views and since I try not to be a hypocrite, I see no reason to hide my politics.  In the end it is up to the reader to decide if he or she cares about my views, not me.

Most of the issues I intend to glance over quickly, while those dealing with Israel and Foreign Affairs in particular I will go into more detail. Here are some of the main issues that tend to define today’s Liberal and Conservative, not necessarily in the order stated. My order is based on how much I intend to say about the subject in this particular piece.

 

1-Abortion      2-Gay Marriage       3-Gun Control  

4-Foreign Affairs   5-Israel; (specifically for Jews, but often for non-Jews as well).

 

1-Abortion: I am pro-choice. I believe a woman has the right to decide what to do with her own body.

2-Gay Marriage: I really don’t care who people sleep with and since I believe one of the reasons America is a great country is the separation of Church and State, and since the only reason to ban this is a religious one, I believe it’s not the government’s business.  If a religious institution chooses not to marry gay people they have every right to make that choice.

3-Gun Control: I used to be so anti-gun that I would say that Americans had lost the right to bare arms based on our overall behavior with guns.  I believe strict and enforced regulations are important, but in today’s worldwide political climate I see how the need exists for individuals to carry a gun, and since that may even mean me, it would be hypocritical of me to hold the same views I once held.

Before I go on I will take a moment to explain my voting history back to the first Clinton presidency.  Actually the first part is easy.   For right or for wrong back then I didn’t feel the need to analyze it too deeply. I voted for who I liked the most.  I can say I voted Democrat across the board, and that would be true in local elections, but I also voted for Ronald Reagan(at least I think I did. I may have missed an election).

I liked Bill Clinton. The Monica Lewinsky issue aside, I still do. When Al Gore was running I found myself truly getting excited about politics.  I thought he was going to be a tremendous president. Whether or not I was right or wrong we will never know because Florida and hanging chads happened and George W. Bush became president instead.  With the devastation I felt when Gore did not become president and my 3 straight presidential elections voting Democrat, no one would ever have thought I would ever vote for W. That however, is exactly what happened in the next election. Since I greatly approved of his reaction and handling of 9/11, I voted for him when he ran for a second term.  Besides, I wasn’t particularly impressed with John Kerry anyway.  At least that is something that hasn’t changed.

When Barack Obama first hit the scene I was not a supporter.  But not so much because I had a problem with him, but because I was big time for Hilary.  When he defeated her in the primaries I was uncertain of my vote.  I liked John McCain’s toughness and patriotism but I put a lot of stock in who a candidate chooses for Vice President. So when McCain picked Sara Palin it became a much easier decision for me.  I voted for Obama.  When Obama came up for reelection I once again looked at the opponent.  I didn’t like Mitt Romney at all.  I didn’t believe a word he said.  Not because I believed he was necessarily so much less honest than everyone else, but because it always seemed that whatever he said was only designed to win the election.  I never felt like he was true to anything.  I also held out hope and wanted to believe that Obama did actually like Israel and that the things that looked bad were just part of his strategy to bring peace in the Middle East.  His actions still may be designed with that purpose in mind, but since it looks more and more like he is selling Israel out in whatever this process of his is, I’m subsequently not too happy about that vote.

I can’t tell this history without admitting that in retrospect I made some mistakes, but everyone’s truth is what it is, and this is mine. Who knows?  Maybe this piece will make some people admit votes they otherwise would have kept private.  With that said I go back to my list.

4-Foreign Affairs: On no issue have I “radicalized” more.  We all know the phrase history repeats itself.  I believe that history is not as likely to repeat itself as it is to mimic itself.  The difference may seem subtle but it is extremely significant and very important. As a son of Holocaust survivors, the history of the Jews in Europe has always been doubly personal.  Both as a Jew and as the son of Dutch Jews.  The Nazis rose to power under the unsuspecting noses of a hopeful Europe and somewhat detached America.  By the time it was too late, Hitler had put together a juggernaut of evil and terror that ran over the continent and caused a war that saw the death of tens of millions of people, including 6 millions Jews killed in genocidal manner.  The enemy was devastatingly powerful and ruthless.  The tactics of the Nazis were as evil as anything the world has ever seen. They were organized, cohesive and powerful.  But the allies had one advantage in attacking them. They were based in one country.  Yes there was a 5th column, the “ordinary people” placed in other countries to do a form of reconnaissance, but for the most part Nazi Germany was based out of Germany.  Although today’s evil uses some tactics very similar to the Nazis, and similarly their 2 main enemies are Americans and Jews, Muslim extremists are spread out in so many parts of the world, able to attack in so many different locations at any time, that the rising threat may have similarities to 1930s Europe, but nothing is a better example of history mimicking itself instead of repeating itself as the threats we face today.

That being said, the similarities are significant enough that I have formed the belief that negotiation and trust are just not a reasonable option. It hurts me to say that this is a fight I believe can only be won by force, but what do we see to tell us otherwise?  If we are only looking for history to repeat itself, we can make the argument that this is nothing like 1930s Europe and the rise of Nazism. But the language is similar, the lack of morality which justifies killing is similar, and the growth is even faster.  I don’t want to see innocent people get hurt, but innocent people needed to get hurt in Germany to stop the Nazis, and had that not happened millions of more innocent people would ultimately have gotten slaughtered.  To me and to all civilized people that is something that should be unacceptable.

5-Israel: I have made a very clear statement that I have no intention of wavering from. My next vote for president will be for whichever candidate I believe is most pro-Israel and toughest in foreign affairs.  I have been very vocal in my support of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.  The other day I decided to listen to a J Street video regarding the need for a two-state Solution.  I think J Street is divisive and disingenuous, but in many ways I don’t believe a desire for a two-state solution is a bad thing necessarily.  Much of the statements in the video carried a lot of merit. The status quo will not be good for Israel.  It does create an even more dangerous future.  The prices that have been paid by so many are very high, and yes, it is a lot easier to speak this way from the United States than it is from Israel.  All that being said, it is not that I am opposed to a two-state solution per se, it is that under the current conditions a two-state solution is not a road to peace, it is a road to another Final Solution, not that different from the one attempted, and carried out to a large extent in devastating fashion by the Nazis against the Jews. 

To make peace you either need more than one willing party or for one party to be significantly stronger.  Those who criticize Israel the loudest do so because Israel, at the moment at least is stuck with the second choice.  Being a more powerful nation Israel is still able to win their wars.  With the lack of a willing peace partner Israel has 2 choices.  Keep the enemy down or die.  Forgive us “radicals” if we find the 2nd choice unacceptable.  No reasonable caring person is blind to the price Israel has to pay.  I can say with utmost confidence that the overwhelming majority of Israelis and Jews worldwide would gladly accept a two-state solution if it was with a party that truly wanted peace with the Jewish people.  If I felt Jewish lives would be saved I would support it.  But I believe, as do many like me, that more Jewish lives would be lost as a result of a two-state solution under the current conditions.  And it’s just plain anti-Israel cynicism to believe it falls solely on Israel to change these conditions.  

I can not and will not be moderate if I feel that a moderate viewpoint puts my people in danger.  

People who truly know Israelis and truly know the Jewish people as a whole, know that we are a people who desire to live in peace.  My lack of moderation is not based on some irrational hatred of Arabs and Muslims, my lack of moderation is based on those in power who talk about wanting to annihilate Israel and murder Jews while declaring a desire for peace for political or public relations expediency.  It’s baffling to me that anyone would believe the intentions of those calling for the murder of innocents were good at all, and to be quite honest it baffles me that the view opposing Israel somehow became one more often affiliated with a liberal status.   Maybe these people need to listen a little more to Alan Dershowitz.

So there you have my evolution to “radical”.  Make no mistake though.  This is one radical that hopes and prays that one day people will wake up and no longer allow their leaders to be preachers of death and destruction.  When that happens I suspect  I will no longer be seen as a radical, for I will be excited and supportive of what would then be a genuine peace process.

 

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March 26, 2015

Open Letter to Lena Dunham

By davidgroen1

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Dear Ms. Dunham,

To be honest with you, I’ve never watched the show Girls.  My understanding is that it is a show which is somewhat controversial inasmuch as it pushes the envelope when it comes to what many consider acceptable behavior.  I really don’t care if it is or not. It’s a TV show which people have the choice of either watching or not.  So whatever role you play in its creation is of no importance to me. When however you transform your celebrity into expressions of anti-Semitism, I not only care, I get deeply embarrassed and infuriated by the fact that the words are actually coming from a woman who is born a Jew.

In your article in the New Yorker Magazine you start by asking the question, Do the following statements refer to a) my dog or b) my Jewish boyfriend?  Your next line should be; He is no longer willing to be associated with me due to mindless and offensive insult of the Jewish people.  If it is your dog that applies to I can understand it, but if it is your boyfriend than I ask myself, why would any decent person, particularly one who is Jewish wish to be that close to you?

You see Ms. Dunham, you’ve crossed the line.  Clearly you think you are funny, but neither I nor many others who think like me are laughing.  In trying to draw a comparison between your dog  and your Jewish boyfriend you are either showing tremendous insensitivity, mind-boggling stupidity, or immense hatred for my, excuse me, our people.  Although I have not watched the show, it is my understanding that it is meant to empower women. Apparently you are a feminist, an idealist, and a thinker.  Or so you claim.  It seems to me that what you might actually be more than any of these things is a hypocrite.

You can’t really claim ignorance.  I am sure you know this is a rough time for the Jewish people.  Anti-Semitism is on the rise, Israel is threatened, and somehow people think it’s OK to treat us anyway they like while talking about us in the most insulting fashion.  As you are a feminist I ask you this; is this how you want women to be treated? With total disregard for their feelings?  With an undignified comparison to a dog?  You claim to be fighting against that sort of thing yet here you are doing it yourself.  Would you show that same insensitivity and thoughtlessness to other women?  What you may be saying, be it consciously or not, is that being a woman is important to you, being a Jew is not.

We live in a global climate in which people who say they want to massacre Jews and annihilate Israel are being considered parties with which to negotiate openly.  It is a world in which a growing number of Muslim extremists believe that Jew are the descendants of pigs and dogs.  Your comments show that standing up for what is right just isn’t as important as you portray it to be, for if it was, you would use your public persona for all things positive, not just for a big paycheck.

Of course you will probably get away with this behavior without any serious consequences because us Jews are not only generally civil in our reactions, to put it in your terms, our bark is a lot worse than our bite.

Sincerely,

David Groen

 

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March 24, 2015

Letter to the Editor of The Chicago Tribune

By davidgroen1

bbi

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Mr. Kern,

I am a firm believer of free speech.  Although I think there are some grey areas when dealing with messages of blatant hate or incitement, I never call for the removal of anyone’s form of expression, regardless of how distasteful it may be to me personally.  That being said, I believe my responses should be given the same respect and consideration.  Since your newspaper made the choice to publish drivel which I believe helps contribute to the destruction of our civilization, I trust you will give my words equal consideration.

I am referring to the cartoon published on March 24 depicting Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which the creator portrays Netanyahu as saying the words, “the same Bibi who had the Israeli military repeatedly bomb Palestinian hospitals, mosques and schools. Where exactly do they think I stood on a two-state solution?”

I can’t help but wonder the thinking behind publishing this sort of garbage.  Is it considered to be funny?  It certainly isn’t accurate or appropriate.  Last week ISIS claimed responsibility for the bombing in a mosque that killed scores of worshipper.  I wonder how that was dealt with by your newspaper. You see that was an actual specific targeting of worshippers.  It was mass murder for the purpose of destabilization.  Yet somehow I suspect your paper draws some type of moral equivalency between Israel’s actions during the war in Gaza and the actions of a terrorist organization like ISIS.  I suspect this because in publishing this cartoon you have chosen to give a degree of credibility to Hamas, a terrorist organization far more similar to ISIS than you may care to admit.

I do not know you Mr. Kern, so I do not know your personal feelings, but I am addressing you because as the editor you are responsible for what appears in your newspaper.  This cartoon justifies the actions of Hamas, a group cut from the same cloth as ISIS, and with members that would kill you as fast as they would kill me.  Hamas used these locations as human shields in attacking Israeli population centers. Israel’s purpose of bombing Gaza was to stop the attacks on her very own civilians.  You may not want to accept this as fact because then you can’t publish a dumb cartoon attacking Netanyahu, but these are the facts nonetheless, and no skewed political agenda will change that.

Sincerely,

David Groen

 

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March 23, 2015

Bibi Bashing. It’s all the Rage

By davidgroen1

Europe Gaza Protests

 

 

 

 

I don’t claim to have the entire corner on reality.  Although I am by no means deluded, I am a flawed individual and therefore never claim to be that much smarter than anyone else.  I do know however, that if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s not a dog.  No matter how many people say otherwise.

Let me first get something out of the way.  My personal feelings aside, I realize Benjamin Netanyahu is not liked by many people.  He is a strong-minded and ambitious politician who comes off to many as smug and arrogant.  Despite the fact that I do not share their sentiments, I realize there are even people who I have great respect for that feel that way.  That being said, the facts don’t completely change just because of a dislike for a leader’s personality or even his policy.

Popularity or lack thereof often seems to come in the form of a fad. I am by no means saying that there are not many people who have carefully thought out their reasons for bashing Benjamin Netanyahu every opportunity they get, but there are numerous people  out there who have remained silent and are only now speaking loudly about their dislike for the Israeli Prime Minister.  It’s a very polarizing issue.  Families and close friends will disagree vehemently over their feelings for him.  Non-Jews with marginal knowledge of foreign affairs now know who he is, with many having formed an opinion.  As is the case so often, people follow the hoards.

I am baffled by how so much of liberal politics has taken the form of sympathy for the Palestinians against the evil Israeli oppressors. But much of that is also caused by people being followers.  The proof of that lies in the existence of liberals who do indeed support Israel and recognize the fact that Israel lacks a true partner in the peace process.

A friend of mine once said that people buy with emotion and try to back it up with logic.  As the world is being sold a bill of goods regarding the situation in the Middle East, the salespeople are constantly scrambling to back up their anti-Israel rhetoric.  For the sake of making my argument I will pretend I not only dislike Benjamin Netanyahu, but I will go one step further and pretend I don’t agree with his policies.

So I begin by pretending that I agree with the notion that Netanyahu is an arrogant, racist, self-serving politician who has done more to hurt Israel and its relationship with the rest of the world than he has to help it.  I will pretend that I agree with the notion that he has shown American President Barack Obama no respect and is working against him in a way that is diametrically opposed to the great relationship between the United States and Israel.  I am pretending all this is true.  Now that I am doing this I have a few questions.

Has Iran threatened to annihilate Israel?

Has Israel ever suffered attacks from terrorist organizations?  Let be more specific with my question. Has Israel been attacked consistently by terrorists from Lebanon in the North, Gaza in the South, and the Palestinian Authority in the east?

Were there terrorists attacks before Benjamin Netanyahu was Prime Minister?

Did anti-Semitism exist before Benjamin Netanyahu was Prime Minister?

Have offers for peace agreements that could have possibly led to a two state solution been made by Netanyahu governments?

Has the Palestinian Authority repeatedly turned away offers made by Israel?

Was Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas formerly a member of the terrorist organization Fatah?

Did Abbas help fund the massacre at the Munich Olympics?

Have close to 200,000 people been killed in Syria’s civil war?

Did Hamas use its people as human shields?

The answer to all these questions is YES.

 

Now I have 2 more questions.

Do most of the people who bash Bibi know the name of the head of ISIS? (without googling)  It’s Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by the way.

Would Israel suddenly have willing peace partners in the region if Bibi was not Prime Minister?

The answer to both those questions is NO.

 

My point is not that Netanyahu is perfect.  I recently had a discussion with someone very close to me who does not share my affection for him at all.  Despite his feelings this person does not bash Bibi for sport.  In fact he clearly gets no pleasure at all in criticizing him.  He has his views, he speaks his views, but then supports Israel and its government with a passion and commitment greater than most of us, myself included.  There’s a difference between being someone with a free voice who utilizes it to criticize their leaders than those who bash a high-profile public figure just because it’s become popular and everyone else is doing it.

No one would ever admit to this, but I’ve watched over the years as opinions get formed, they gain traction, and then all of a sudden countless numbers share these opinions without ever having any facts to back them up.   If you want to disagree with Benjamin Netanyahu and produce facts that back up your argument, than I’ll listen.  If however you want to come at me with a statement like Israel is an apartheid state under Netanyahu, I may just ignore you. If all you can talk about is how evil Bibi is but you say nothing about Syria, ISIS, Boko Haram and many others, I will realize your agenda has nothing to do with bettering the human race.  And I will expect that in many cases, as soon as you find the next fad you’ll probably move on anyway.

 

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March 22, 2015

Open Letter to My Fellow Jew

By davidgroen1

me2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Friends,

I write this letter out of concern for our well-being.  There is a great division growing within our people. We have always been somewhat at odds with each other when it comes to religious observance, something that is still an issue, but of greater significance today is the schism in political viewpoints and the general direction in which our people will not only move forward, but survive.

I call myself a citizen of the world.  I see all people as being equal.  That being said, I have a tremendous pride and love for what I am and where I come from.  I love the Jewish people with all my heart and soul and want to see us thrive in a safe and prosperous world.  This feeling, one shared by so many others, is what drives my political viewpoints.  I am quite certain that there are countless more of my fellow Jews whose love of their people also drive their political opinion, be it identical or very different from mine.

I am very passionate about my views.  I believe, as I am sure so many of you do as well, that there is a tremendous amount at stake at this moment in time.  And like so many of you, I believe my views are the correct ones.  If I did not, I would not hold them.  If I did not, I would not passionately speak them. To me, as I am sure it is to many of you, this is not about me being heard or having intellectual discourse.  To me this is about survival.

We do not have to agree with the method, but we must always remember to agree with the goal.  We must make a concerted effort not to fight among ourselves because as we know all to well, there are plenty of people out there who are more than happy to fight us, hurt us, and kill us.

We must not fall victim to the devious methods and strategies of our enemies.  We must support the one Jewish government in the world and show respect for it leaders whether they hold the views we do or not.  No matter how much one might feel a strategy of an Israeli leader is counterproductive, it is far more counterproductive to work against him.  Please remember one extremely important fact.  Our enemies have always worked against Israel’s leaders, be they left-wing or right-wing, and to believe that has suddenly changed is a potentially devastating and incorrect assumption.    I am not asking all of you to agree with Benjamin Netanyahu or even like him, but as long as he is the Prime Minister of Israel, I pray that you will support and respect him.

I end with one last message.  Next time you have reason to be angry at one of your fellow Jews over a difference of opinion, take a step back and realize that with our unity we get strong and with our division we get weak.  If you are angry and wish to fight, fight those who wish to truly harm you. Debate your fellow Jew but do so with respect and kindness.  Investigate and identify who your enemies are, and when you do you may come to the conclusion that your enemy is not your fellow Jew who disagrees with you.  I for one certainly hope that you do come to that conclusion.

I wish you all well.

Sincerely,

David Groen

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