A recent, fascinating article in the New York Times focused on the growing divisions between Israeli and American Jews. The differences between them are real, and the implications of those differences for American foreign policy and Middle East peace deserve examination–but I took a somewhat different lesson from the “schism” being scrutinized.
That lesson has two parts: national cultures matter, and stereotypes rest on a profound misunderstanding of the relative influences of biology and culture.
It isn’t only bigots who ascribe certain behaviors to discrete groups of people; even folks who would never impose a quota or paint a swastika on a synagogue wall often stereotype marginalized groups, believing that all Jews–or gays, or blacks, or “Polacks” or other identifiable populations– have particular, inborn characteristics. How many times have you heard someone refer to a minority group as “those people”?
To the extent that minority groups do have observable “markers” of attitude or behavior, those characteristics are almost always the result of history and culture rather than genetic traits. (In an echo of the old nature/nurture debate, it’s hard to disentangle, for example, the emphasis Jews have placed on education from a history that highlighted the value of an asset you could take with you when the powers-that-be confiscated your property and ran you out of the country.)
Marginalized groups develop coping mechanisms that observers often assume are inborn characteristics of “those people.”
Jews who live in Israel, where they are the majority, occupy a very different culture than we American Jews. The threats they face from hostile countries on their borders, the requirement that almost everyone serve in the military, and the theocratic elements of Israel’s governance combine to provide an environment that is dramatically different from the environment experienced by American Jews.
It shouldn’t surprise us that different national cultures shape different perspectives and behaviors, even among people who share a long history. Scholars tell us that the worldviews of the cultures into which we are socialized are enormously consequential.
The truth of the matter is that all groups composed of “those people” are the products of a specific history, time and place. Any group of people who shared that particular history, time and place would be likely to exhibit similar behaviors and attitudes.
Stereotypes are based upon the assumption that certain identifiable groups are monolithic, that all of its members have recognizable, inherited similarities.
The differences that have emerged between Israeli and American Jews should remind us that humans are a mixture of genetics and culture–of nature and nurture–and efforts to cram our differences into silos marked “those people”–or simply “us” and “them”–aren’t simply pernicious.
They’re wildly inaccurate.
Dear Sheila, I would invite you to add to your bookmarks a site in Tel Aviv Israel: ‘TLV1 radio’. Just search it out. Liberal and very in depth with their reporting and discussing – you might find that there are indeed more ‘alikes’ between Israel and the United States – we are both confronting corruption and despotism, and besides – it is a really good listen. Might help to better inform you from ‘that’ side of the fence. ~8)
There are different denominations of Jews just as there are different denominations of Christians, Muslims and Atheists. There are “those people” among “those people” who are considered “different” and are thereby to be viewed as suspicious.
“Stereotypes are based upon the assumption that certain identifiable groups are monolithic, that all of its members have recognizable, inherited similarities.”
This country, over the past three years, has reached a very dangerous level; we now have “those people” within our own family structures…whatever their religion or their politics. What may have begun as a difference of opinion has reached chasm proportions; threatening to weaken our very foundations. President Abraham Lincoln’s words, “A House divided against itself cannot stand.” has taken on new meaning and has reached international levels endangering government structures and destroying their very foundations. All due to one man and one party of government in this country which is still leading the world…but leading us into destruction if not stopped.
The growing divisions between Israeli and American Jews is but one symptom of what is become a political and religious pandemic and it is infecting all of us.
JoAnn. Bravo! Perfect!
I live one block from the synagogue here in Basel and there is an small outbuilding just inside of the steel fence around the main building and courtyard. This small outbuilding, that looks like a toll booth with bullet proof glass, has armed guards in it 24/7/365. There is a museum around the corner from me and it too, has an armed guard standing outside. There’s a Jewish history exhibition about 2 blocks away and it too, has an armed guard in front of it anytime it is open to the public. In the building connected to ours, which is literally on the other side of our living room wall and down two floors, has a very large meeting room where they hold parties for their people.
I have to admit, it makes me nervous to be this close to a terrorist magnet area but the fire station is next door so that’s some relief I guess. The city of Basel has decided that they will assist the congregation (or whatever they are called) in paying for the armed guards. Sorry, I don’t know much about the religion or the proper words to use.
This is why I always say, tax the churches (in the US). These religions are attracting madmen to not only try to terrorize the members but the neighbors as well. I feel that religion only brings to the surface all of the pent up anger humans have when they can’t understand why they are born and why they have to die. We have to figure out a way to help humans love each other instead of hate. Considering how long these religions have been around, I think my thoughts are futile. I look forward to moving far away in about 6 weeks.
Wish I lived a block away from a synagogue. If I did I would beat a path to its door in order to gain just a bit of a welcome that would afford me some time to listen to some of the most profound moral and ethical teachings on earth.
Over the past few days I have been watching two 1998 Frontline videos that were created to explain the beginning of Christianity. I have learned so much.
It features biblical scholars from respected universities. They answer many questions and explain some of the issues with accuracy in the books of the new testament. If anyone is interested in a more accurate history of the beginning of Christianity and the times that lead up to it they should refer to Josephus’s historical account, rather than trying to figure it out from the first few books of the new testament. Those books contain conflicting stories because they were written decades after Jesus’ life and there is no proof that the authors personally lived/experienced what they wrote about.
I do plan to read the New York Times story that Sheila refers to in today’s blog.
However, I would be interested in knowing the thoughts of the Jewish readers/commenters on this blog regarding your views of the divisions between American and Israeli Jews.
Sorry while I play catch up…hat tip to Kathy Mc for this beauty, “Jesus was an American.”
It would require an eye roll or some other emoticon but would make an awesome bumper sticker.
I hear “those people” all the time in Muncie, Indiana. And if I told you it was divided by a river, many would laugh… “it’s the railroad tracks, silly.”
I would hope there is a difference between Jews because if the state of Israel is the model for Jewdom, I don’t want anything to do with those people.
How’s that for a stereotype?
And there’s a very good reason why the Zionists in Israel have countries/people wanting to retaliate against them, don’t you think?
As for American Jews and Christians and Buddhists…it’s all ONE big happy family.
The trick is not allowing my brain to sort others so I can quickly evaluate them. It’s a matter of how our analytical brain functions. It judges and sorts when processing data.
I had an excellent mentor once tell me…”Todd, you are not your brain. It’s a tool used for problem-solving. You must use your mind to turn it on and then turn it off.”
For a second or two, all time seemed to stand still and I knew exactly what he meant. Then it passed and I started “thinking about it” and it faded. It wasn’t until months later that it hit me.
We are all products of our experiences and beliefs. Our experiences are processed by the brain but stored in our minds to become part of our higher selves.
Religious beliefs and culture are a very small fraction of who we truly are as individuals. One thing I’ve learned in recent years is I have to let go of many beliefs that I once held because they are no longer who I am. Today, I have the free will to choose for myself.
As often stated in this blog, tribalism is very ancient. I refer once again to the fine book by Rebecca Costa, “The Watchman’s Rattle”. The thesis of that book is that we humans have evolved much faster socially than we have biologically. The tribalism, as I’ve mentioned several times, has its roots in our barely human history of about 200,000 years ago.
So, however you want to slice that orange, it’s still tribalism.
AgingLGrl,
You have good reason to live in fear of a terrorist attack since even the city of Basel believes it is necessary for armed guards to protect the buildings near you.
You mentioned moving in six weeks – are you just relocating within Basel or are you moving to another city/country? No need to answer if you prefer not to.
Right after the ’67 War the Israelis involved themselves with the good Reverend Jerry Falwell. What good would you expect to come after that other than $$$$ for Israel in exchange for uncontrolled hatred against American Jews? Nothing comes for free in this world. Right?
I read an article about Miriam Adelson (sp) a few days ago. Sorry, I can’t remember where it was.
It gave a short biography of her and notes that she most likely controls their wealth and where it is spent politically and otherwise. It also pointed out how much money and political pressure she exerted on our Congress and the prez to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. Can someone enlighten me about why this was so important to her? I already understand that her money bought what she wanted, I just don’t understand why she wanted it.
Marv –
You just explained why the evangelicals feel so strongly about the country of Israel. I never understand where that came from.
Actually, even the local protestant churches have jumped on that train and I don’t believe the members of those congregations who support all of that Rapture crap really understand it or where it originated. They just mindlessly believe and do what they are told to do by their leaders.
Are we experiencing the death of reason in both of our countries and in countries throughout the world? I hope not, but I fear the worst every time I see an interview of the so called “man on the street.”
Nancy, Marv,
It isn’t that the Evangelicals love Israel; it’s that they hate the Muslims.
And Theresa; I would love to accompany you to that synagogue…if you wouldn’t mind taking notes for me to learn their message. Something inside me has always been drawn to the Jewish religion; wanting to know more about it and where their undying, centuries old, inner strength comes from. One thing I know in my heart, as you expressed, is that welcome you know you would be met with at their door.
Theresa,
“Nancy, Marv, It isn’t that Evangelicals love Israel; it’s that they hate Muslims [and their oil].”
Ditto +
RE “Any group of people who shared that particular history, time and place would be likely to exhibit similar behaviors and attitudes.” Seems a bit simplistic? Good way to somewhat excuse Germans in the Nazi era and Trumpublicans now?
Nancy: Hi there, we’ve moved 12 times in 12 yrs (we lived in Indy for 3 yrs but had to stay in temporary housing several times and each counted as a move for me). My spouse got a permanent contract (finally) and we believe we’ll be here for some time so we found a permanent house to move to. I’ve been living out of my suitcase since June and will fly back to ship our things later this month. I can’t wait to leave the city. We will live in a small village with about 1200 Swiss in the hills about 5 miles outside of Basel with the cows and fields and most of all, the quiet. The sirens are frequent as we live near the hospital too. I’ve tried but I’m not a city girl and have no need to live in a multi-story apartment building that has no place for me to walk in the grass and grow things. I start German lessons on Monday so hopefully, I can feel confident about speaking it some day. Thanks for asking. My regards to you and yours.
Todd,
“I would hope there is a difference between Jews because if the state of Israel is the model for Jewdom, I don’t want anything to do with those people.
How’s that for a stereotype?”
I wouldn’t brag about it. Based on your theory, no one should have anything to do with the U.S. because of that “jerk” in the White House. I agree that Benjamin Netanyahu is not much better, but there is probably just as much opposition to him as there is to real opposition to Trump here in the U.S.
Unfortunately, there are FOOLS everywhere.
“those people” is an expression of tribalism as Vernon correctly asserts. It in turn, is necessitated, by self-awareness which creates the Other for each of us. It is biologically based in what human beings are, rooted in evolution. It is inevitable and and inescapable. Culture just gives us the content.
Stereotypes have utility. See “Thinking, Fast and Slow”. They may be wildly inaccurate but their formation is spontaneous and innate. We can’t wish them or think them away. We can construct social norms and rule based societies that mitigate them when they becomes “pernicious”.
AgingLGrl,
It sounds like you will soon be living in a beautiful setting in the countryside where you can enjoy scenic views and live in peace and quiet. Best of luck with the German language lessons so that you can speak the local language.
I had recalled that you moved to AZ a year ago and wasn’t sure why that didn’t work out, so am glad that your spouse has a permanent contract and you can feel settled into a home for a change.
Sheila has today explained something I was wondering about in myself – why I was pro-Israel but anti-Netanyahu, Israel’s oft-indicted leader, just as I am pro-USA and anti-Trump, our budding Adolf. Where you live and the society you inhabit do indeed make a difference in how one meshes civil and religious life (if any), and this has application to all nationalities, religious views, races, colors et al. American Jews are Americans in more ways than one. Religion is only one interface with civic environment.
Falwell, Robertson and their ilk have come a long way from preaching Christian hatred of Jews as Christ-killers and now invite them to do programs on their preacher channels since they know that over time money overwhelms prejudice. In that sense even the Christian religion and its attendant prejudices of old have been privatized and swallowed up in the Midas pits of capitalism, led by such greedy hucksters as Falwell, Robertson and others who employ medieval monks’ views of a religion about Jesus rather than that of Jesus.
Parenthetically and in the world of pure theory, it occurs to me that perhaps atheists and agnostics could become religious if they were not constrained by the Judeo-Christian definition of God as if there were no other alternatives; that there may well be a God but not the one scribes, pharisees, monks and preachers have foisted off on us to the exclusion of all other possibilities. Just a thought.
Nancy; yes, we thought hubby would get a transfer to CA but it never came. So we sold the house last summer and left everything behind. The contract finally came in late September and it took a couple of months to find a house. Thanks for your good wishes. I hope this is the last move for a decade. (I also hope the gov’t is back open so we can feel confident about flying back in a couple of weeks! Yikes.)
I’m an advocate of root cause analysis. With that in mind, I’ll refer you’ll to this literary root:
“The Real Anti-Semitism in America” by Nathan & Ann Perlmutter (Nathan Perlmutter was a past National Director of the Anti-Defamation League [ADL]( Arbor House, New York, 1982) pp. 180-1:
“In conclusion, we need not agree with fundamentalists in their millennial theology, to accept their proferred friendship on shared worldly concerns. And although we differ with many of them on particular secular and sectarian issues, we can no more rationally ascribe deviltry to them than Godliness to ourselves. Given to the actuality their political and social diversity and the perjoration in the stereotype of them as monolithic, they and fairness merit fresh evaluation by Jews even as Jews have pled for bias-free consideration of their own diversity, and have insisted on the secular merit of their own religiously shaped values.”
“Oscar Cohen has observed that today the fundamentalists are on our side, but if Jews work hard at it, they won’t be.”
“Who needs that? And to what end?”
***Important note to all of this is contained in the Forward on page 10:
“This manuscript was read in whole or in part by ABRAHAM FOXMAN, Theodore Freedman, Philip Perlmutter and Joseph Rosner. For their thoughtful suggestions, we are warmly grateful and lasting indebted. Rochelle Amera was of invaluable assistance in the preparation of this manuscript.” ~ Nathan Perlmutter and Ruth Ann Perlmutter
The Anti-Defamation League under the Direction of the above Abraham Foxman have been partners with Morris Dees and the Southern Poverty Law Center, since the early 90’s.
AND WE CONTINUE TO SIT AND WONDER WHY DEMOCRACY APPEARS TO BE “UP SHITS CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE.”
$38 billion in military funds this year to isreal,were being held hostage,to boycott in name,isreal. im not into us and them,but the track record,and the treatment of Palestinians by isreal should be seen as a war crime and not hidden as it well is. imagine literally povertizing a people for thier own good. seems the great wealth of other arab nations do little to help, but rely on opportunity over needs of others. we started this in 1948 and only supported it. if people cant see the needs of others,and have the resources to help,no, isreal is dead set against it. they wont allow others to help,and our state dept will list you as supporting a terrorist org. get some real looks, how these people are treated,and the living condistions in a world of 2019
that alone is terroism,by isreal.
Marv,
Interesting comment at 10:29.
I think that I have mentioned before on this blog that I don’t have much understanding of the Jewish religion because there are no Jews in the rural area that I reside in, or if there are Jews there is no synagogue here.
With no personal exposure to this religion I have not been inclined to take the time to understand it. I state this not because it is acceptable to claim ignorance, but because the lack of exposure seems to bring about an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ situation.
Jack,
“$38 billion in military funds this year to isreal,were being held hostage,to boycott in name,isreal.”
This was all planned and executed in the late 60’s by the Baptist Mafia in Dallas. The Jewish Zionist establishment “bit whole line and sinker.” Fortunately, or unfortunately, I was the Corporate General Counsel of the McLendon Corporation, the radio, movie theater, and real estate giant in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Gordon McLendon the famed sports announcer, and one of the founders of the CIA Alumni was the brains behind this whole sordid mess. I saw it unfold from the beginnig; I’ve been warning about this MODUS VIVENDI and its potential, political tragedy, publicly, throughout the U.S. since that time, one way or the other, to no avail.
What is an educated person?
That question occupied the attention of one of my “How to Teach” classes in college for an entire semester. The answer we finally arrived at was:
An educated person is one who has acquired INFINITE DISCRIMINATION.
So, what do you call a person on the path to education? The answer is a SKEPTIC.
Fine…But in pursuit of ever-finer discriminations, the pursuant, the skeptic, the person desiring to be educated, invariably tires, reaches his or her academic energy point of diminishing returns and begins to accept presumption instead of discrimination. Some hit this wall in kindergarten; others in old-age; most somewhere between. Consequently, by now the education-gap has become enormous, in the U.S. anyway. And that gap causes a governing nightmare.
What you have now is perhaps the Grand Finale, the Championship, the last great political contest. In it, all but two contestants have been eliminated. Whigs gone. Democrats gone. Republicans gone. Conservatives gone. Liberals gone. All that’s left to fight it out are the Presumptives and the Skeptics.
The great gap between the minimally educated Presumptives and the maximally educated Skeptics has now become the killing field on which the Championship of the World will be crowned. Perhaps that is evolution in it’s purest form acting out right here and now before our eyes…and hopefully in the realm of our consciousness.
One of the many revelations that resulted from the process of me thinking my way through 76 years of existence is the notion of culture. The revelation was the realization of what Sheila posts about today. We are all the products of many cultures and are probably as unique that way as in our looks. What those cultures are are us learning about how people like us behave in different situations. Our behavior is mostly absorbed by where we’ve been and what we’ve observed. We credit ourselves with being independent thinkers but mostly we are puppets of our own observations of others.
BTW ALG, a tiny part of my culture is working for a company near you in Fribourg and meeting many mostly rural Swiss. Wonderful people which probably means that by accident their culture and mine were pretty compatible in several ways.
Unfortunately culture thought of this way gets less flexible as time goes on and we observe more and more people like us behaving the way that they do and we replicate what we see.
We are in culture wars now and that inflexibility doesn’t bode well. Our progress as a country depends on democracy and our ability to accept cultures similar enough to ours to maintain a voting majority despite all of the attempts by others to lock in power for minority cultures.
Tax the religions.
Pete,
“Our progress as a country depends on democracy and our ability to accept cultures similar enough to ours to maintain a voting majority despite all of the attempts by others to lock in power for minority cultures.”
The big problem is the fact that we’re not a democracy. Periodicals such as “The Economist” know better than to list us as a democracy. Consequently, it takes much more CIVIC COURAGE to fundamentally improve the situation. Anyone attempting to make a fundamental, as contrasted to a technical change, will be treated as a WHISTLE-BLOWER and will endure the financial and possible, physical consequences of that endeavor.
No one is going to do anything until we admit the truth, and the way it looks, it might be never. How many Republican Senators have been willing to be martyrs and speak out other than the two or three long-time moderates.
Well stated, Professor Kennedy. Each person wants to think he or she is unique. We may share some characteristics and flaws, but we cannot, fairly, be grouped together indiscriminately. I am especially sensative to being lumped in with “silly old ladies,” as my idiosyncacies are special & should be appreciated on individual merit. I do not consider myself one of “those people.”
Here is a link to the story I mentioned about Miriam Adelson, Sheldon Adelson’s wife.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/07/meet-dr-miriam-adelson-the-record-breaking-republican-donor-driving-trumps-israel-policy
She is using their $ billions to influence the Jews living in Israel and has even purchased and become the publisher of the national free newspaper there. Oh, the power of money to influence the masses.
Juan Williams, longtime writer and correspondent for “The Washington Post” and NPR has a new book out entitled: “What The Hell Do You Have To Lose? Trump’s War on Civil Rights (Public Affairs, New York, 2018).
At least someone can articulate our present state of affairs, while still in touch with political reality.
If anyone is interested, here is a link to the Frontline videos that I mentioned earlier. They provide a history of how Christianity began by Jews breaking from their religion even before Jesus was born. Interesting historical information.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/showsreligion/?utm_source=FBPAGE&utm_medium=social&utm_term=20181216&utm_content=2011223257&utm_campaign=Frontline&linkId=61189758
Nancy,
“She is using their $ billions to influence the Jews living in Israel and has even purchased and become the publisher of the national free newspaper there.”
The game never stops.
Angela Davis is the most recent casualty, which will only worsen the tense relations between Jews and African-Americans. Just what the Trump administration needs.
Larry, wow. That’s some deep stuff you went for there. I need to chew on that.
Pete: I haven’t been to Fribourg (CH) or Geneva yet, but I’ve been to Freiburg Germany. We will get there eventually and I’m looking forward to getting settled in among them. There are honest and reasonable simple people here and I am optimist. It won’t be easy but I hope it’s successful.
We humans have to look at each other as neighbors and not “the others,” no matter what how we believe in sky fairies or religions. Sorry, that might be offensive to believers but for us non-believers, sky fairies describes it to a tee. g’night
ALG. Don’t put off a visit to both places (Fribourg and Geneva) any longer than you have to. It has been my great good fortune to have experienced a great deal of Switzerland and it never ceased to please all my senses. Part of the good fortune was someone else paying for it though. It’s an expensive hobby.
DISCLAIMER
With all said and done about my criticism of Israel, please don’t forget the late Reverend Jerry Falwell, who started this mess with Israel and whose son is continuing to inflame the situation, along with his many cohorts from their local pulpits, as well as national TV.
I’m not an enemy of the Jews in America or Israel. Along with representing the Presbyterian Church’s Texas Adoption agency, I also was the Spokesperson for the American Jewish Congress, as well as, the Jewish War Veterans in Dallas; And at the same time, successfully handled the discrimination cases involving Palestinians as well as others from the Middle East for a three-state area. One of my closest friend’s brother was a member of the Jordanian cabinet.
With respect to Israel, I successfully handled their most potentially damaging legal case for the Israeli Consulate in Houston. That’s where Benjamin Netanyahu got his start. I knew him back then and shuddered with the possibility that he might acquire more power.
But on the other hand, I successfully led the movement to prevent Ariel Sharon from entering the U.S. because of his involvement in the massacres that occurred in the two small villages in Lebanon during that war.
I’ve been away from the blog for a while. I had major surgery about a month ago. So I’m just getting back to normal. Everything is O.K. No big problem.
Marv,
Are you saying that Miriam Adelson is funds the anti-Palistinian movement here?
We have to back away from interfering in the entire Middle East. We’re just not smart enough to add improvements to what are their struggles. Give up the oil. Replace it. That’s going to happen no matter what we do but now is a wonderful time to start disengaging a piece at a time.
Nancy,
I don’t know what specifically the Adelson’s do with their money. I’m sure it has nothing to do with goodwill between Israelis and Palestinians. It’s important to understand that the majority of American Jews do not support the policies of the State of Israel. This was the result from a poll taken by a pro-Israel group about ten years ago. I’m sure there’s much less support now than back then.
The Palestinian leadership never wanted peace from day one; And the reality is that, eventually, the Israelis acted in kind. They gave up the idea of peace many years ago. Consequently, the only way they can now protect themselves is through the threat of brutality, etc. And much of the funds for that position comes via the U.S. in the form of massive aid.
The result of all of this is the failure of the Jewish establishment to at least announce, with specifics, the source of the mounting anti-Semitism in the U.S., which also leads as a by-product to increased hatred for other minority groups such as the African-American and LGBT communities. To do this will bring a halt to the aid.
An example of this is contained in my website, http://www.TheAlarmReport.info. Because of the effectiveness of that report, the then President, George Bush, who is mentioned negatively in the report, temporarily cut off aid to the State of Israel. Since then, the fear has always been both real and justified.
At this point in time, it has become just one big mess, not only, for America, but also, for Planet Earth.
Marv – I was about to ask Sheila if she knew what happened to you since I hadn’t read anything from you for a while. I am pleased to hear that you have had “major surgery,” that you are back on the blog, and that it was “no big deal.” How about taking and passing the Israeli bar exam and helping prosecute Netanyahu? Tsl!
Marv,
Thanks for the in depth explanation.
I also wondered why you were missing from the blog for awhile. Happy to hear you are on the mend.
Nancy and Gerald,
Thanks.
Gerald: A Netanyahu trial, reminds me of the Adolph Eichman trial. Although they never could prove it, many knowledgeable forces in Israel felt that Netanyahu was behind the Rabin assassination. Rabin was a good man and almost impossible to be replaced.
I can’t remember the date, but I was invited to a special meeting in Dallas arranged by Netanyahu. Maybe, because I had an Economics Degree from Wharton and had been an institutional analyst for a regional investment firm headquartered in Dallas was the reason I was invited. Earlier, I had been retained by the Israeli Consulate in Houston to represent the interests of the State of Israel in an important case, it was strictly a legal matter.
So what was the meeting all about? It was about setting up a special situation in a small Carribean island which would give advantage to Israeli companies. I wouldn’t necessarily be against that idea. I would want to know about it. What was disturbing to me was the fact that it was being set up to give an advantage to Israeli companies at the expense of American companies. I guess, I just wasn’t ready to be an economic traitor. So I walked out. I could be wrong, but I don’t think his big idea went anywhere. This all happened in the late 70’s early 80’s, I think. I could be wrong about the time frame and can’t remember all the facts, after so many years.
This is the same mentality of a Donald Trump, absolutely no concern for Ethics or long -term ramifications all in the name of patriotism. Bullshit! They need to be cellmates. Maybe they both can be tried together in a special tribunal such as the one in Nuremberg. Gerald, maybe you’re the man for the job. As I best remember, the Lead Prosecutor at Nuremberg was from Indiana.
Marv – I have passed three bar exams in my time but I am sure I would flunk one in Hebrew – badly.
Gerald,
I can speak a little Hebrew after observing it in a prayer book, but that’s all. Maybe that’s why I was thinking of a tribunal outside of Israel, for example, a large city in Sweden, where I’ve been tweeting the past few years. Unlike the U.S., it’s a democracy, at least up until now.
You beat me, I’ve only passed two bar exams, Florida and Texas.
Gerald,
I know we both have been joking around about prosecuting Netanyahu and Trump. Maybe it’s not so funny. http://www.TheAlarmReport.info was an indictment created by me, not by any government. However, it was an indictment of the Mayor of Dallas, her brother-in-law Robert Strauss, the Democratic Party insider who was appointed as a Special Ambassador to the Soviet Union by a Republican President a few months after the report, and lastly the Republican President George Bush.
Because I prepared the report and because I’ve never denied that I have partial Jewish blood running through my veins, our great President George Bush decided to cut off aid to the State of Israel.
The Court of Public Opinion can sometimes be just as effective as a real court, maybe more so.