Tag Archives: American
The most recent piece of bad news regarding the relationship between the United States and Israel is troubling regardless of which way it is spun. It seems when presented with the choice of once again appearing incompetent on foreign affairs or publicly appearing at odds with Israel, the current administration prefers the latter, but in truth it is clearly both.
The worst thing about this story requires a moment of total objectivity, which means I will look at this as the American that I am without any consideration for my love of Israel and the Jewish people. Unless I read this wrong, and I pray to God that I did, the White House and State Department were blindsided by the transfer of weapons to Israel on the authority of the Pentagon and stated that the White House and State Department need to be consulted before any future transfer of weapons takes place. The idea that the administration does not know what the Pentagon is doing scares me silly. That degree of incompetence is ominous at best and proves we are anything but safe.
On a more subjective note, as a Jew and a staunch supporter of Israel I am tired of this administration’s technique of taking one step forward and two steps back when it comes to its relationship with Israel. Yes they have done some positive things for Israel, but this recent turn of events is one more example of an administration that seems to be doing everything it can to damage a relationship that past administrations not only appreciated, but understood the importance of, and in doing so is empowering the wrong people. It’s not only bad for Israel, but bad for America and the entire Western World.
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Leave a comment | tags: American, Hagel, Israel, Jew, Jewish people, Kerry, Obama, Pentagon, State Department, United States, Western World, White House | posted in Uncategorized
This post is a follow-up to my open letter to George Clooney. I’ve probably received more comments on this post than any other till now, possibly with the exception of my Lionel Messi post during the World Cup. It is fair to say that even though the greater percentage of the comments have been positive, this post has received more negative commentary than any I have ever written. And I find that quite fascinating.
First of all, I stand by the letter 100%. I believe it is justified to ask his views under the circumstances and even more justified to apply pressure when Jews are being unfairly targeted. What fascinates me is how this letter struck a nerve with so many people. There are those who may have disapproved because they felt the letter useless or disagreed with my tactics. I can respect that even if I don’t agree with that. But I believe that some who disapproved did so because I crossed the line. I attacked a movie star, and movie stars are meant to be honored, even worshipped. Each individual knows the truth about what makes them feel as they do, but some comments show that in attacking a matinée idol, I just went too far.
My response to that is as follows. I’ve been a fan of certain musicians and actors my entire life, but I will never allow my appreciation for their talents cloud my judgment. If they take stances that are bigoted, show bias against Israel and the Jewish people, or a disdain for the good people of the world, I will stop being a fan quicker than Hamas breaks a cease-fire. Sadly I can prove it. One of my favorite rock bands used to be Pink Floyd, and till a short while ago one of my favorite actors was Gary Oldman. The following links show you how my feelings change when you slander my people.
CLICK HERE TO READ MY RESPONSE TO ROGER WATERS OPEN LETTER
CLICK HERE TO READ MY COMMENTS ON GARY OLDMAN
The point is simple. Yes I am a fan of many musicians and actors, but before that I am a Jew, a Zionist, an American, and a human-being. What I am not, is a matinee idol worshipper.
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Leave a comment | tags: American, Gary Oldman, George Clooney, Hamas, idol worship, Jew, Jews, Lionel Messi, movie star, Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, World Cup, Zionist | posted in Uncategorized
In the name of integrity I must start by confessing that I voted for this administration twice. So when I criticize its actions I also on some levels criticize my choice. Be that as it may, there are many issues to consider when analyzing an American administration’s attitude towards Israel. In fairness it needs to be said that the United States of America has always been a friend of Israel’s, and the funding of Iron Dome under the Obama presidency clearly needs to be appreciated. With that said, why is Israel’s most important friend trying to push it towards unacceptable agreements with a terrorist organization? There are 3 possible reasons and none of them make the U.S. look good nor are they helpful to the overall situation.
The first possibility, and clearly the most cynical one, is that a President who is a master fundraiser is in some ways fundraising by showing poor support for Israel. When we hear that Qatar, a wealthy nation with money to burn, is supporting Hamas, it has to be considered that they are using their financial clout to influence the president and this government. With a U.S. economy floundering and an Arab nation with the potential ability to hold financial leverage over many people, companies and even nations, the power of money can’t be ignored. I stop short of making accusations of personal financial corruption because such claims being made without evidence is irresponsible, but to say that Qatar can use its money for influence is not only accurate, but realistic.
The second possibility, which is one that many Jews and supporters of Israel gravitate towards is a dislike for Israel, particularly towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. I won’t analyze this because the actions are very clear and out in the open, and since some are supportive of Israel and some are not, without a clear declaration of intent we just don’t know how Obama and his cabinet feels. I can only hold out hope that there is enough competence in this administration to at least make decisions based on assessment on what is the best move and not on personal likes or dislikes. We just can’t be sure.
The third choice, and the one I will go on record as thinking is the most likely one, is fear. Fear on many levels. Fear of escalation, fear of confrontation, fear of terrorist reprisals on U.S. soil, but most of all basic fear of the enemy. I know there are those who will read this that feel President Barack Obama is complicit with Islamic fundamentalists, but for the sake of sanity I will work from the assumption that this president does not intend to destroy the United States and western civilization. I do however feel that he is scared of the consequences connected with opposing Muslim fundamentalists. It shows with his inaction in Iraq, where the rise of ISIS may be the single most dangerous thing happening on the planet today, it shows with his approach towards Iran and North Korea, and it shows with his lack of conviction against Hamas, a terrorist organization very capable of organizing attacks on the United States in the future.
Here’s the concerning catch to all of this. Despite the fact that blaming it on fear is less cynical and callous than the other choices, it may be the most dangerous. An American government working from fear gives strength to the forces of evil that previously were held in check by this great country. If America as a nation shows fear, it emboldens the enemy, and once they get too strong there may be no turning back.
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Leave a comment | tags: American, Barack Obama, Benjamin, Hamas, Iron Dome, ISIS, Israel, Israeli Prime Minister, Muslim, Obama, president, Qatar, U.S. economy, United States of America | posted in Uncategorized
In comparison to previous crises involving Israel, the United Nations has behaved in a somewhat less one-sided way over the past few weeks. The same can be said for the American President Barack Obama. The support of the administration has been there as has the support of Congress and the American people. However, at the end of the day the government of the State of Israel is committed to a specific result. That result is the establishment of a peaceful life for all residents of Israel free of Hamas missiles and terror attacks. Heroic soldiers of the Israeli Defense Forces have made the ultimate sacrifice in the early stages of Operation Protective Edge and I am certain that the leaders of Israel’s government have no intention of allowing their lives to be lost for nothing. In making demands that the fighting stops, the United Nations and President Obama are making demands that have no substance. If we were to assume that the motivation was purely to put a stop to the deaths of innocent people, the demands contradict the motive. The only way innocent people in Gaza and Israel will live in peace is by destroying, or at the very least incapacitating Hamas.
Furthermore, by what authority does anyone makes demands from Israel when it comes to protecting their people? If your best friend demanded you not protect your family so as to not harm others, would you listen? No. You would protect your family. You would also realize that any true friend, or at least a friend with good judgment would never ask that of you in the first place. The reaction you must have in such an instance is a simple one. You continue to do what is best for your family.
This for all intents and purposes is what I suspect will be Israel’s response to what I see as nothing more than hollow demands.
Leave a comment | tags: American, Barack Obama, congress, Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Israeli Defense Forces, Operation Protective Edge, President Obama, State of Israel, United Nations | posted in Uncategorized
Dear Mr. Secretary General,
Despite my understanding that it is not only a one in a million shot that you will ever read this, but equally unlikely that you will care what I have to say, as a Jewish man, an American citizen, and as a supporter of true human rights all over the planet, I feel compelled to write to you.
I am increasingly perplexed by the approach taken by the organization you lead. It may be that since the organization is called the United Nations, and not the ‘United Nations of Morality and Fairness’, that all that truly matters is that there is an understanding and agreement among the representatives. Therefore it would not matter if the statements and inquiries made would be fair and equitable, merely that they would be convenient to those encouraging or enforcing them. My point being that fair treatment of Jews all over the world is not something many of your member nations concern themselves with as evident in continuing UN policies.
I try to be objective and see it differently but then I hear about another brutal attack in France and the world is silent. I hear about a Swedish man become the latest supporter of Israel to be attacked in Malmo, Sweden, merely for putting out an Israeli flag and once again the world remains silent. You are unquestionably intellectually superior to me, so I am sure you know this, but the number of Jews in Malmo is less than 1,000, probably closer to 500, while the number of Muslims in Malmo is about one-third of its population which would put it in the 100,000 range. And yet I never hear a statement of how there is a disproportionate act of aggression being committed against the Jewish people in European cities like Malmo and Paris.
What I do hear from you is a comparison of the kidnapping of 3 Jewish teenage students, far away from any frontline, kidnappings we later learned were almost immediate murders, to targeted attacks by Israel on Hamas locations in the Gaza Strip. With all your intellect and understanding Mr. Secretary General, how do you justify comparing the attack on terrorists to the kidnapping and murder of 3 innocent children? As I indicated in the beginning of this letter, I realize the unlikelihood of you even seeing this question, let alone caring, but despite that I feel it to be an important question and one that really does need to be asked.
I also need to address the bizarre inconsistency in an organization such as yours, taking votes, many that result in condemnation of Israel, a democratic country, by representatives of countries that are actually non-democratic, totalitarian dictatorships. It is the most cynical twist on the democratic process I’ve ever encountered, yet somehow it seems to work if it means the demonization of Israel.
In conclusion I would like to say that I am an open-minded man who understands that the government of Israel does not do everything correctly when it comes to the Palestinian issue. However, on what basis does the United Nations demand fairness from Israel when they insist on not giving Israel any unbiased fairness in return? Or is it just that the member nations are indeed “United”, united against Israel.
Sincerely,
David Groen
Leave a comment | tags: American, European, France, Hamas, Israel, Jewish, Jews, Malmo, Muslims, Palestinian, Secretary General, United Nations | posted in Uncategorized
As a Jewish American I felt somewhat guilty focusing my attentions to the triviality of the World Cup. My guilt made me pause before posting anything about my excitement and enjoyment surrounding the efforts of The Netherlands in this year’s tournament. Yes I paused, as I did not wish to be insensitive to the harsh realities facing all of us, but in the end I rationalized or justified my decision, not all will agree on which one it is, and chose to enjoy Holland’s World Cup victory. It made me question the morality of putting importance on those things that clearly do not hold the same importance as our most pressing personal and communal issues.
There are some events or activities no one questions as important nor do they question the joy these events bring to individuals and families. Weddings, childbirth, recovery from illness, even special moments with friends and family, are all occurences no one ever disputes as important. Sure there are people who have emotional issues that may prevent them from getting joy from these moments, but as a general rule people agree that all of these things are important and therefore should bring one joy, even when surrounded by unpleasant realities.
I am one of those people who believes life is made up of moments. Many are good, many are bad. Unfortunately the bad moments seek us out, finding us without mercy or timing. The good moments sometimes do the same, just not with the same persistence. I am not being negative in this statement, merely realistic. I am also using it as a springboard to make the point I wish to make. The moments in life that bring us pleasure, the movies we love, the meals we savor, and yes the sporting events that thrill us, are the moments we need to seek out. These moments fuel us, strengthen us, and yes indeed, even if only momentarily,can make us happy. Brasil is a nation struggling with discontent and yet it comes together in excitement to celebrate the FIFA 2014 World Cup. Do I believe the World Cup matters when mothers are mourning the murders of their teenage sons? Of course I don’t. But I also know that the day will come when they may turn to something as unimportant as a soccer match to bring them some needed joy. Not today, but when the time is right. Maybe that is why we sometimes call our athletes heroes. Not because they live by higher standards, but because they sometimes give people a very necessary respite from the more difficult moments in life.
Just take a moment to think about how much better the world could be if everyone worried a little bit more about those things so many deem as unimportant.
Leave a comment | tags: American, Brasil, FIFA 2014 World Cup, Holland, Jewish, The Netherlands, World Cup | posted in Uncategorized
I often feel guilty when I come out in favor of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) taking the harshest of approaches. After all, who am I to say this? I live in New York. I do not live in Israel, I do not live in Judea, Samaria, or Southern Israel. I do not have children being called up to fight and risking their life to do the things I comfortably encourage from a safe air-conditioned home in the United States.
Who am I? I am a human being, I am a Jew, and I am the son of Holocaust survivors. I have made every attempt in my life, both in practicality and in theory to learn lessons from the past. Sometimes successfully, sometimes not. If there is one lesson I have learned, and I truly believe it may be the most important lesson of our time, one that could mean the difference between the death or survival of modern civilization, it’s that we can not apply rational standards to irrationally thinking people. Do I believe the answer is to wipe out anyone who lives by those irrational standards? Of course not. Do I believe re-education of the greatest kind is needed. I do. I also believe that sometimes the only way to begin that re-education is by a show of force of the most enormous proportions.
Two of the most civilized nations today, and strong American allies, are Germany and Japan. Go back 70 years ago to the year 1944 and no one would have thought that to be realistic. Yet the world was saved, at least temporarily by the drastic change in direction initiated by the allied forces basically pounding the two nations into submission. Many people who wanted nothing more but to live a decent life died in the process, on both sides, but the fact remains that with the strong force brought on to both of these nations, history was changed for the better.
We face a similar threat today, at least as far as its potential danger, even if the landscape is very different. Many people such as myself, who believe a powerful approach is needed against our enemies, are getting criticized for our viewpoints. “Jews don’t act like that, the enemies do”, is one of the things I have heard. To that I reply, yes, in the past we did not. But we also say Never Again.
I find the murder of any innocent person to be tragic. But I also believe in the phrase coined by our ancient Rabbis in Ethics of our Fathers, “im ain ani li mi li”, which translated into English means, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me.” As a Jew, my sad assumption is that as a collective, there will be no one. There are many righteous people who have and would sacrifice their lives to protect innocent people, Jew and non-Jew alike, but there are no nations or groups who will look after the Jewish people any better than their fellow Jews will.
So although I feel somewhat guilty for sitting in comfort and speaking in favor of force by the IDF, as a Jew who has learned from history I would feel more guilty if I did not.
Leave a comment | tags: Allied forces, American, English, Ethics of our fathers, Germany, Holocaust, IDF, Israel, Israeli Defense Forces, Japan, Jew, Judea, Judea and Samaria, Never Again, New York, Rabbis, Samaria, Southern Israel, United States | posted in Uncategorized
Dear President Obama,
I am a Jew. I am a Zionist. I am an American. I voted for you twice. I find myself not only disillusioned by your responses to the murder of the 3 Israeli teenagers, but angry as well. This is not a time for packaged responses and clichés. This is a time to utilize the power of your office, a power that extends around the globe if utilized correctly, to make a strong and significant statement impacting not only the well-being of Israel today but the future of the entire planet.
I begin with two questions we are all entitled to have answered.
Question number 1. You coined the phrase “senseless act of terror”. Does that imply that some acts of terror are not senseless? Is that a redundancy overlooked by your speechwriters or is that part of the thinking that allows you to be willing to accept Hamas as part of a Palestinian government? Please keep in mind that the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank is also a terrorist organization transformed into a political organization and the so-called “unreasonable” Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu is willing to deal with them, despite the fact that so many of their leaders formerly took part in “senseless” acts of terror.
Question number 2. In what is clearly the administrations careful wording, since it was uttered in both your initial comments and those of your Secretary of State John Kerry, why do you feel it necessary to caution Israel to not “destabilize the situation”, be it further or at all? I am fairly certain that the mothers of Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar and Naftali Frenkel are not looking at this situation as anything resembling stable. Neither am I for that matter. And I know that most people who share the same concerns that I do would feel the same way.
I am aware that you inherited a bad economy, high unemployment and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Much to the dismay of many who will read this, I have been a defender of you and your presidency and have not blamed you for everything wrong in the country, as so many Republicans do. I have however, as have many others, been concerned over your approach towards Israel as well as your responses to acts of terror and terrorist organizations and regimes. My deepest fear going into your presidency was that you would make the same tragic mistake that British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain made when he declared there would be “peace in our time”. He convinced himself he was dealing with a willing peace partner in Adolf Hitler. We all know how that turned out. It concerns me now that in comparing you to Neville Chamberlain I may have been giving you the benefit of the doubt. It is a terrifying and potentially tragic road it leads us all down, and we all can only hope you either wake up to the realities or change your tune, whichever one is necessary to set this in the right direction.
I do not question whether or not you understand the responsibility you have at this moment, but as an American citizen and as a Jew I hope you are aware that your words and actions can make the difference between life and death for so many good people who want nothing more than to live in peace. I can only hope that matters enough for you to change your approach.
Sincerely,
David Groen
1 Comment | tags: 3 Israeli teenagers, Adolph Hitler, Afghanistan, American, Benjamin Netanyahu, Bring Back our Boys, British Prime Minister, Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar, Hamas, Iraq, Israel, Israeli, Jew, John Kerry, Naftali Frenkel, Neville Chamberlain, Palestinian Authority, President Obama, Republicans, Secretary of State, West Bank, Zionist | posted in Uncategorized
Quick answer; it could. If only the politicians and power mongers would let it. In a world filled with violence and hatred, I am one of those who truly believes that the majority of the people watching care more about their country scoring a goal than any territorial conflict or prejudice against people. Despite my belief that FIFA may very well be corrupt, a belief somewhat influenced by The Netherlands’ inability to break through and win it all, I truly believe this tournament, FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brasil, can do a lot more good than harm. In fact, I don’t even think it is close. I am not naive. As a Jew and as an American, I know there are people who hate us. But wouldn’t it be great if all the battles and anger could be left on a soccer pitch? I know my prejudices towards countries like Holland, America and England are based on personal experiences that make me root in favor of their success, just as my prejudices against Iran, Algeria and France are also based on my experiences or perceptions. However, wouldn’t it be great if it stopped there for everyone. I wouldn’t gloat over the death of Iranians, but I certainly gloated over their defeat in a World Cup match. When I say I hate Cristiano Ronaldo and I hate Portugal, it is because he strikes me as arrogant and I see Portugal as a villain in international soccer tournaments, not because I hate the country or people. On the contrary, I have Portuguese blood. My mother’s maiden name is Rodrigues-Lopes, a Portuguese name. And my hatred for Ronaldo wants me to see him fail in football, excuse me, soccer, not fail in life. And yes, as a Jewish man and Zionist I would much prefer Palestinians dancing in the streets because Israel didn’t qualify or because the U.S. got eliminated, not because of a successful terrorist attack that killed Jews.
The good news, I believe the majority of the planet would agree with this sentiment. They just need to fight to create governments that feel the same way. It may be a pipe dream, but to quote my favorite line from the movie Flashdance, “when you lose your dreams, you die.”
Leave a comment | tags: Algeria, America, American, Brasil, Cristiano Ronaldo, England, FIFA, Flashdance, France, Holland, Iran, Iranians, Jew, Jewish, Portugal, Portuguese, Rodrigues-Lopes, soccer, The Netherlands, World Cup 2014, Zionist | posted in Uncategorized
When a man of the intellect of Alan Dershowitz is in your corner, you have an advantage over those pushing an agenda with inaccuracies and prejudices. What makes his stand even more effective in my opinion is the fact that this is a man who has what are considered liberal views on many issues but takes a tough position in defending the Jewish people and the State of Israel when attacked unfairly and with hatred. As a Jew and an American, I say thank you to Alan Dershowitz. Read this article for one of the reasons why.
Leave a comment | tags: Alan Dershowitz, American, Jewish people, liberal, State of Israel | posted in Uncategorized
The most recent piece of bad news regarding the relationship between the United States and Israel is troubling regardless of which way it is spun. It seems when presented with the choice of once again appearing incompetent on foreign affairs or publicly appearing at odds with Israel, the current administration prefers the latter, but in truth it is clearly both.
Holland's Heroes 