AROUND THE BLOCK
I learned…
I learned today that President Trump said that Jewish people who vote for Democrats are either ignorant or disloyal as he railed against two congresswomen who have been critical of the U.S.-Israel alliance.
"I think Jewish people that vote for a Democrat — I think it shows either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty," Trump told reporters during an Oval Office meeting.
Here goes:
I am Jewish. I am not a genius, but I’m not ignorant. And I certainly don’t have “a total lack of knowledge.”
I am not disloyal. In fact, I am incredibly loyal.
I served as a U.S. Navy officer from 1967 to 1969. When I volunteered for Officer Candidate School, I was a 21-year old college graduate, the oldest brother of three – one in middle school, the other in elementary school, with a widowed mother with no job and no prospects. Unlike some more privileged, more connected people at the time, my family situation was not sufficiently dire to qualify me for a deferment. And unlike some other people of my age, I could not get a doctor to diagnose me with “bone spurs” to keep me out of the draft. So, I volunteered and honorably served my country.
As a loyal American, I support the Constitution and what America stands for. But, importantly, that support is qualified; my support does not mean I agree with everything the American government says or does. That’s what great about our democracy, the key to our democratic society: We have the right to opposing views as part of our healthy discourse. And, with that healthy discourse comes the right, yes, the right, to espouse those views in any legal way, conversations, in blogs like Around the Block and in protests, small and large. And, of course, the right to change things through the electoral process (when it's not corrupted by illegal foreign influence and partisan attempts at voter suppression).
As an American Jew, I enthusiastically support Israel. But as someone who believes in democracy, just as in my own country, that does not mean I support everything the government of Israel says or does. I am disappointed in some Israeli government policies. I am fearful about the country's future. I wish I had a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian problem. But my disappointment and my fear for the future does not make me an anti-Semite; it does not make me a “self-loathing Jew.” It actually makes me a Jew who doesn't just follow the "religious" line, but one who can think and make informed choices.
As a non-ignorant, loyal American Jew, I will not vote for Trump and will vote mostly Democratic. Clearly, I am appalled by Trump’s admonition to my fellow Jews. But, unlike Trump, I will not disparage my fellow Jews by suggesting how they should vote. I would only ask…think hard about the man and what he stands for, before you pull that lever (or here in Florida, unhang that chad).
2 comments:
The Trump has accused Democrat/Jews as disloyal. Disloyal to whom? If we fiercely support our country’s right to free speech, does that make us disloyal to Israel? To America? I am a Jew. As a teenager, I always told people I was an American first and secondly a Jewish American. I had to correct the misunderstanding voiced by Christian friends that “Jewish” was a nationality rather than a religion. In the recent past, Jews were chastised for having divided loyalty to Israel and the U.S. Now our fearful leader wants us to be loyal to Israel first and foremost. That is not going to happen. Like my cousin, Ted Block eloquently expressed, we are American Jews. While The Trump has attempted to divide us yet again, we stand strong for Democracy and against its detractors.
Cool, but does Israel have an island to sell?
;-)
Post a Comment