What a Difference President Trump Makes

 

Unfortunately for us, we are not consulted by the very important and thus must comb through all the news articles we can find from sources we trust. This was how we came upon the following information from which we made further commentary, as this is an editorial blog which attempts to rely on facts as much as we are able. This article was very interesting as it verified ideas and our assessment of the individuals who are compared within by Hezki Baruch who relates his interview with David Bedein, the head of the Center for Near East Policy Research, as he spoke to Arutz Sheva. The information related speaks of the completely diverse reaction of two candidates for the position of President of the United States representing the same party to exactly the same briefing and exact information. Their reactions are very telling and depict the radical difference between those who derive from a political background and those who come from the real world, and trust that these are two completely separate realms. One realm has certainties which cannot be contradicted and will persist no matter how much information piles up proving these positions to be radically counter to reality because politics is not about reality, it is about people with massive power over the lives of millions despite many having minds so certain of their validity placing reason as unnecessary.

 

The above article should be read as it contains direct quotes beyond any that we will include. Imagine sitting with somebody in a house which had been struck and destroyed by missiles and being told that the missiles came from the so-called Palestinian territories. Further, you had been presented with the actual material being used by UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) and in Palestinian Authority schools. Sitting in this setting, you ask, “…well, how do you react? Will you change your position now that you’ve seen what happens when Israel hands over territory to the other side?” How shocked would you be to have the angry response of, “No. You have to understand: Israel has a peace partner. Israel had better withdraw as soon as possible from the West Bank and give it to Abbas. Abbas is a man of peace.” That is the response of a closed mind which is completely unable to process any material which contradicts their set conclusion. This was the reaction to the Israeli position by a reputed ‘friend of Israel’ who had a near perfect record of supporting Israel. That record was mostly made up of approving funding for equipping the Israeli military and support the Israeli economy in the areas where Israel also provided the United States with precious military and scientific research which was clearly of great and bountiful value. This was the response from Presidential candidate in 2008, Senator John McCain. Yes, Senator John McCain, the same man who had earlier given an interview to Amir Oren from Haaretz where he talked about his commitment to “push Israel for unilateral withdrawals from Judea and Samaria.” This was a man, who despite voting for Israel for political expediency, would have been almost as bad for Israel as the man who eventually won that election. The difference is Senator John McCain would have been treated and accepted as being a friend and this would have given him trust which might have led Israeli leaders to vacate the Shomron on guarantees given just as Israel vacated and turned over Gaza under another friend of Israel who gave promises, President George W. Bush. Instead, Israel faced an identifiable belligerent in President Obama who proved to do what he was able to cripple any Israeli claim to the Shomron.

 

David Bedein also tells of his meeting with a woman who was an advisor to President Trump in December of 2016 who we believe would have been Becky Norton Dunlop who was in Israel at this time. She was shown and told exactly the same details which had been provided eight years earlier to Candidate McCain. When she saw the texts which were being used by UNWRA and the Palestinian Authority she requested to take the books to show the President and the other people in the administration and Mr. Bedein complied. These actual textbooks reached the President and the article states, “This got directly to the president of the United States, and he blew his stack, because he was told by the Peres Center for Peace … that the Palestinian Authority has a peace curriculum. They just didn’t tell them that the Palestinian Authority and UNRWA had vetoed that peace curriculum.” For reasons which should be obvious, we had no problem believing that the far left Peres Center for Peace would be regurgitating the Palestinian Authority agenda as it continues in the same dream state that peace is possible without one side proving totally victorious but simply through negotiating and, as Simon Peres was when alive, completely believing the taqiyya which comes from the mouth of Mahmoud Abbas. Just as Abbas stated recently, “I want a demilitarized Palestinian state along the 1967 borders without an army, I want unarmed policemen to hold clubs and not weapons. Instead of planes and tanks, I prefer to set up schools and hospitals and allocate budgets and resources to social institutions.” Well, how nice but why has he not done anything even slightly resembling this for the past twenty-five years? That is because instead he has been paying imprisoned terrorists and terrorists families and is insistent that he will never end such pay for the slaying of Israelis. This and the other truths provided to President Trump by the Center for Near East Policy Research is what has led to the upcoming announcement by President Trump of a new policy effectively canceling the Palestinian Authority Arabs’ claim to the “Right of Return,” The Administration recognizes that there could be a few tens of thousands of real refugees and the remainder are the following generations of the original refugees, a rule which only applies to these refugees and only to those under UNWRA while all of the remaining refugees in the world are handled and resettled often within a decade by the United Nations Refugee Agency. Lastly on this part, Nikki Haley announced at a conference in Washington hosted by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, stating that the United States cannot be faulted for cutting funding to UNRWA, when countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait don’t give more to the organization. Ambassador Haley reiterated that the Trump administration wants to see UNRWA reformed before it can resume its support for it. She further stated that the Trump administration was going to change the discussion over a Palestinian “right of return,” although she did not elaborate.

 

President Elect Trump Advisor Becky Norton Dunlop
Visited Israel in December of 2016

 

The stark difference between the reactions of these two Republican representatives is stunning. We believe that one basically represents the political establishment and the other depicts the thinking of true conservatives, particularly those from the Evangelical Movement. This was probably part of the reason that so many did not turn out and vote for John McCain while these same people turned out in masses to support Donald Trump. We realize and understand the questioning of people of faith about supporting President Trump due to his moral conduct or lack thereof morally. The easy answer for the Evangelical Christians and most other religious people can be represented by a single word, forgiveness. If you really need more, allow us to add this, President Trump’s acts since receiving the Presidency have been, to the best of the media’s reports, free of the abominations which were a part of his past. Have his actions been completely pure as the driven snow? Has anybody been capable of that much piety, especially inside the Beltway? What has become quite obvious is that those who like President Trump look at what he does and states in official speeches and not what he Tweets or says at rallies, while those who hate President Trump look at what he Tweets or says at rallies and not what he does and states in official speeches. The other truth is that very few from either group are ever going to change to the other side and no amount of argument or attempts at proof will sway the vast majority in this contentious argument. The real problem comes from those using the displeasure over President Trump and the feeling that Hillary had to have actually won and was robbed by Russian interference just as the mainstream media claims in order to whip up massive demonstrations with confrontations where violence becomes all too possible. There is a fair amount of fear that there are people working behind the scenes whipping up frenzied posting on social media keeping fevers high and even attempting to raise them even higher. What is really behind this is those being used by the political operatives, which have very likely united from the two major parties, the Democrat Party and the ‘Never Trump’ core of the hierarchy of the Republican Party, who also fear having any further people from outside the controlled political environment ever running for President or even high office, are all making an example of President Trump to dissuade others from following in his footsteps. We would likely get people claiming, ‘look at rising Democrat Party star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’ who did not come from a political background and defeated an established politician. Rising Democrat Party star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez comes from a nonexistent background, as she had not actually held any position which was not dripping with political operations. She was a community organizer which is another phrase meaning operative for the Democrat Party and nothing more or less. All community organizer really is, is a means of getting to be known within a location usually a Congressional District or State Office region to be used to become a name within the region and to be used as a springboard for political office, thus Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had been completely drenched in political operations and had followed a well used track in the Democrat Party to reach office if one’s actions as a community organizer excite the people and they show the photogenic qualities and are readily capable of reading a prepared script, especially such scripts which are provided in order to answer questions which are planted with CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS and other sympathetic shows and media.

 

The initial few interviews with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez depicted somebody who was in need of handlers who could assure she was properly prepared as were those who were to interview her. This was probably the idea behind her Townhall meeting where she banned any media presumably to provide a safe space for her constituents. This would also allow for any questions from those attending to be provided her by operatives placed sprinkled throughout those attending and be the only people actually allowed to provide questions. She will be elected, as her district is about as safe a region as might ever be imagined. And, oddly enough, she will not be the least intelligent person in the House of Representatives history as we have had Representative Hank Johnson (video below) who said he feared that stationing 8,000 Marines on Guam would cause the island to “become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize.” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez may rise to the occasion and surpass Representative Hank Johnson’s somewhat strange and inexplicable commentary, but this remains to be seen. Perhaps, in many circles, President Trump’s early morning Tweet of ‘covfefe’ was obvious proof he honestly needed a cup of coffee and fast. After erasing the presumably embarrassing Tweet, President Trump challenged with a new Tweet asking, “Who can figure out the true meaning of “covfefe” ??? Enjoy!”

 

 

The threat of rash acts being perpetrated against supporters of President Trump has proven valid as people wearing the red “MAGA” hats have been assaulted, known conservatives including President Trump’s Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders have been screamed at in restaurants and other public establishments causing them distress and even to have to leave. Such actions are a simple step to violence breaking out and spreading until unrest might become widespread. This threat could lead to revolution all over having Donald Trump as President. How, you ask, could such actually happen? What would happen if at the 2020 election the Democrat Party takes control of the House of Representatives and President Trump will still be reelected President. Tensions would rise through the roof. Further, let us have it that there are a group of Republicans in the Senate who also claim that they cannot permit another term as President as that would cause too much disruption having this non-politician and uncouth person as the leader of their nation no matter what the vote count might say. The House of Representatives then brings Impeachment against President Trump simply due to the Democrat Party having a majority and always able to keep solid vote discipline. So now the entire Impeachment moves to the Senate where the Vice President is replaced by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to conduct what is the trial. The vote is finally taken after excessively vicious, venomous, hateful and rancorous debate lasting over a month while the nation is riled-up and reaching their boiling point on both sides and the vote comes out with sixty-five Senators voting guilty and thirty-five voting not guilty, a mere two votes short of removing President Trump from office, a literal bullet dodging. The reaction would go viral on both sides on the social media and could easily spill out into the streets and workplaces where people simply refused to even accept looking at those from the other side. Easily, such a situation could erupt into a second civil war which would be horrific. Imagine the cities exploding into open riots where people are being shot just for appearing to be from the other side. What if when the National Guards are called out they are unable to suppress the uprisings as the people are similarly armed as is the Guard. If President Trump requested for the military to be permitted to be used to bring order, that alone could be used to start a second Impeachment which if it ended without removing Trump from office, that would be the step too far. Congress being in such a state would never permit the military to be deployed and President Trump may end up powerless to end the violence and what that would lead to is beyond our ability to guess, but whatever happened, it would likely signal the end of the United States representative governance and who knows what would replace the government. Should at some point declaring Martial Law might be seen as the only solution, but what if the military is so divided that the troops each join the side they support. That would be civil war and the end of America as we know it. For that reason alone, please people, calm down and remember that the United States belongs to all of you and you are all members of the greatest experiment of mankind since Moses. Please do not allow that experiment to die and fail.

 

Beyond the Cusp

 

Democrats Offer Rehash of Same Old Song

 

Rereleasing old songs, as if they were new, works well in Hollywood as we always hope the remake of an old favorite movie will offer more pizzazz and though some do, most just let us down and we leave the theater feeling hollow. The music industry does the same thing with old songs, often over and over, and still the original is often the one we prefer best. But at least Hollywood and the music industry choose successful movies and songs to try to modernize, and still they usually fail the test of time. The Democrat Party is trotting out their oldest theme which has worked by lulling the people with stories of getting everything for free and never having to pay. The electorate soon realizes that there is no free lunch and somebody has to pay. The sad reality is that often the people who were promised that everything was to be free are the exact ones who end up paying. But the Democrats believe that they can win the youth over with their message of redistribution of wealth and everything for free with only the wealthy paying. What the Democrats are not telling them is that anybody who has a job is the Democrat definition of wealthy.

 

The War on Poverty has failed which is proven through the Cato Institute study showing that the collection of federal and state welfare benefit packages could deliver over $30,000 to a family without them working or even seeking employment. Perhaps this free stuff is the incentive to remain taking all the free stuff offered rather than working as if done to the full extent, one could keep the family fed for free. Benjamin Franklin offered some brutal and painful truths when he stated, “I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. In my youth I travelled much, and I observed in different countries, that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer.” Benjamin Franklin allowed for people who were new in poverty, such as those whose job was abolished by unforeseen calamity such as the workplace closing, to receive temporary benefits, as their newfound poverty was not of their making. But as with many such allowances, it comes with a but, and that but is these are to be temporary and none should be supported by other people’s labors permanently, especially over a prolonged period. Franklin firmly felt that making people uncomfortable with poverty was the best remedy for their situation and not making the life of those in poverty comfortable and wanting for nothing. Perhaps it was this position which had the mint place Ben Franklin on the $100.00 Bill pictured below.

 

Ben Franklin on the $100.00 Bill

 

Numerous studies have shown that those in the United States who are considered to be in poverty have a modern flat screen television, computers, a vehicle which is more often previously owned but some have new cars, a microwave and numerous other items which could be considered to be a luxury. We remember the first time such a study was released, which was before flat screens, so then it was just color televisions and stereo systems, we were left somewhat stunned as we did not own a microwave as they were still too pricey for a retail salesperson’s and a secretary’s salaries. We found that one reason was the poverty-stricken were residing in government assisted housing while we resided in the posh suburbs in a spacious two bedroom apartment. The italicized should be read with great sarcasm as the government assisted housing area was less than a mile away across the city limits inside Philadelphia while we then resided in Ben Salem just off Street Road, yes, that was the name of the road. This is not then a new problem as this refers to a survey performed in the 1970’s when even many Democrats feared that those in poverty had become too comfortable in their poverty.

 

The truth which needs repeating, and should be taught to students in their introductory economics classes and political science classes, but that would be considered detrimental and not aiding in the proper indoctrination of the student to expect and support full Europeanizing of the United States, is that socialism has and will always fail. Another item which bares repeating is that the United States was the nation, and even before nationhood, the region where one ran from Europe and its habits, to start a new world where if one worked hard they would succeed and not have governments dictate where their moneys were to be spent. The American Revolution was over a three percent tax on tea. Let that sink in, a three percent tax on tea. It was the principle that they were being taxed to support somebody else’s spending and that this spending was done without their even being allowed a vote to elect the government taxing them to cover its expenditures. Many people in America today did not vote for those who support these seemingly extravagant welfare related expenditures, especially to allow a family to collect a government provided allotment greater than their salaries after taxation. We can fully understand one taking the government handout and not working if in order to take home an equivalent sum annually would require, if our math is accurate, over $42,500 in salary per year. That requires being employed at over $20.00/hr working a forty-hour week. With such generosity provided by the government, one would be foolish to take employment at minimum wage, even if it was the $15.00/hr that the Democrats are pushing. With welfare and other subsidies offering such free money which exceeds even their dreamed of higher minimum wage, it is no wonder that employers are unable to fill minimum wage entry positions. Oh, and guess who pays for all of this largess? Anyone making over $20.00/hr, that’s who.

 

So, where as those who have learned to live off the system may be receiving a free lunch, those who work and pay for it know that their lunch is far from free. We have heard about the degrading system which makes one wait in lines and the shame in paying for groceries with the government card and all the other horrible requirements made for people to collect these funds. We also know the other side of approaching half one’s paycheck being eaten by taxes, federal, state, county and city. Even FICA now goes directly into the general fund as the lock-box has been eliminated as the politicians found leaving little IOU’s on the “Social Security” lock-box far too tedious when stealing what was supposed to be set aside to pay for Social Security in the future. The politicians act like there still is such a lock-box, and there is, it is just no funds are ever inserted as all funds enter immediately into the main stream of cash flowing through Washington D.C. in order to pay for all the goodies they keep enacting. What the systems for eliminating poverty are now accomplishing is guaranteeing that once one reaches the stage of going onto these programs, they become all but impossible to leave simply because it would require quite a cut back in one’s lifestyle as at an entry wage one would have to take almost a one-third cut in their income.

 

Everyone remembers their first paycheck; they waited eagerly those first few weeks, regularly computing all the money they would get, all but spending it on music or the down payment on a super stereo (we were just beginning high school when we went through this calamity), and then we receive the envelope with the check with all our hard earned money inside. Then we opened the envelope and the sum in the box marked, pay to, and the shock went through our young bodies, the mind raced, we felt a little queasy and just knew something had to be wrong. We asked our go-to experts on all things in the real world, we knew them as Mom and Dad, and usually we asked Dad these questions, and Dad explained taxes and how as we were working part time we would get most of those withholdings back sometime next year. Withholdings, next year, whose idea was this rip-off, we wanted names and addresses so we could go and well, go and do something. Time proceeded along its pace and we stopped planning on spending our money until we actually had the check and even got to the point we could estimate what would be left for us. Then you are placed on the sales floor and are paid by commission against minimum wage, which made figuring out your paycheck became calculus. But that shock of the withholdings is one you never get past and when money gets tight, emergencies or whatever, it happens, that is when you really feel that the system is broken.

 

The reason is simple, by taxing the rich using the income tax you are missing their wealth as the truly rich invest, they do not work for a salary, and the average CEO gets stock bonuses and a car and chauffeur and other perks, not a big salary. They pay little to no income tax as income tax is the way the truly wealthy make sure no regular working stiff ever makes into their ranks protecting their status as those with all the power. They may eventually, if they do not reinvest their funds fast enough, have to pay capital gains taxes but only on the increased value of the stocks, the principle is never touched. Their initial wealth remains untouched and should they decide to buy another mansion, they buy it as an investment such that they get to use it as a deduction against their capital gains taxes. They often have all their expenses taken off their portfolio so as to use them as losses incurred and pay themselves some paltry salary as spending money off a trust fund set up to avoid paying taxes. The only way of touching these wealthy, the truly wealthy, would be a wealth tax, and that will never happen. Just for the record, ever wonder how Congresscritters become so wealthy on what is a mediocre income? The answer is so basic that it will really upset you, Congresscritters and their senior staff are immune from insider trading laws because they have so much insider information that they would not be able to control and invest their wealth if they needed to obey such restrictions. These are the people screaming that Trump is staying at hotels where he owns the property and they make insider deals knowing which company is about to receive billions in tax monies for some government program? Please, give us a break. They are all scoundrels.

 

The whole problem is that the monies one receives in the various welfare systems cannot exceed the take-home pay of a minimum wage earner or there is no incentive to go out and work. But the Democrats have a solution for that. Remember, their solution for high college tuition is for government to pay for college, free college, their solution to high medical bills is for government to pay the medical bills, their solution for the problem of the moment is for government to pay, their solution to all your problems is for government to pay; but the government does not earn any money, they just take it from those who work. We wish to close quoting Margaret Thatcher who once said, “The trouble with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.” That is exactly the problem that Venezuela is suffering, Greece is suffering, Italy is suffering and what eventually killed the Soviet Union and cripples Cuba and most of Europe. That is another reason for the United States not to go down the apparently perfect plan of socialism and instead to return to the Constitution and limited government with the powers accumulated in Washington D.C. being redistributed amongst the individual states where the people have greater control.

 

Beyond the Cusp

 

The True Future of Diaspora Jews

 

The Jews residing outside of Israel run a great risk of assimilation and leaving the faith as described in the article “Dear Israelis, America is not Israel.” This is even more likely when they live outside a traditional Jewish neighborhood, defined as, where all the children attend a Yeshiva, the family attends religious functions, the boys attend daily services preferably with the father and the home is kept properly kosher, will likely leave the religion within the next generation or two, three at the outside barring outside intervention. This will get a howl out of many who will claim that they have the magic formula by which to instill the balance of Judaism and secular community involvement. They may keep kosher at home; but not necessarily when eating out, especially at that great Chinese restaurant that all their friends rave about and where they eat with other families on special occasions. Perhaps the non-kosher outing is monthly pizza night. What about their children when attending school, do they necessarily keep kosher or might they sneak a non-kosher snack every now and again? Are their children hanging mostly with other Jewish children or a mixed crowd? When dating starts, are their dates from known families or sometimes are they dating from an unknown family and if so, what guarantees assure the person they are dating is Jewish? The potential for dangerous situations which will grow more and more prevalent as time progresses and once they are away at college it has become far too late to make corrections. The truth is even if your children are presently retaining a Jewish lifestyle while under your roof, will it be strong enough that they will do the same with their children, and then again through to their children? From what we have seen and even personally witnessed, this is not the case.

 

Youth who were raised with a complete Jewish background, Bar Mitzvah, president of their B’nai B’rith youth chapter, hooked into the Hillel House when attending university, and intermarried and children brought up in both religions which is almost the same as no religion; their children’s children will likely not be Bar Mitzvah and will float even further adrift with the generation after that not even knowing they came from a Jewish background looking back a few generations. We have a Mormon friend whose grandmother in his mother’s side was Jewish. Legally, he could make Aliyah to Israel on his maternal grandmother’s having been Jewish. They are but one example of how quickly a family can drift from Judaism. The reality can be seen ever so clearly just by looking back into Jewish history. The first mass scale assimilation came early on in Egypt. The Jews may or may not have been slaves or an indentured workforce and may have simply been workers whose only available employment was working on the construction projects. This was apparently the case for many Egyptians, so why not the Jews in Egypt. The truth according to most recounting is that a mere 20% of the Jews left Egypt while the majority preferred the security of what they knew over their faith. Then there was the sorry story about the Ten Lost Tribes which went into exile under the Assyrians and were never heard from until the present day. There is no proof these tribes of Jews coming from all corners of the earth are from the Ten Lost Tribes, but it makes for a very romantic tale. Finally, we have the Babylonian Exile. This was brought to an end by the conquest by Persia under Cyrus the Great. He was named Cyrus the Great by the Jews because he permitted their return to their homelands and with instructions to rebuild their Temple, what would in time become the Second Temple. Here the Jews were liberated from a cruel exile and still, once again, 20% returned to Israel, then known as Judea. The rest saw the wealth and glitter of Persia and decided to take their chances with a complete unknown rather than return to their homeland and rebuild their lives. It was easier to simply melt and assimilate into Persian life. Why should this return be any different other than we have already had more than 20% of the Jewish population, perhaps we should say known Jewish population, return to modern Israel. The number is still under 50%, but at least this time it will end up being over 20% and for that, we can be thankful. The sad news is that mostly parents who are not residing in a close knit Jewish neighborhood and whose children are not attending Yeshiva, the likelihood that their grandchildren will be within the Jewish fold is a slim bet. Yes, some will manage to hold on to that slim thread of tekhelet (blue) from their father’s or grandfather’s Tzitzit, but most will lose their grip and wander astray. This will be the sad end of many a Jewish family line.

 

But this is not the only influence that America has on Israel. Much of Israeli culture is Middle Eastern but with a definite American flavor. Nowhere in Israeli law is there a guarantee of free speech yet that is often part of a judicial ruling. Now if only Israel would write a Constitution and even include much of the Bill of Rights as there are worse examples of governmental theories. Israel is a liberal democratic nation with many of the equalities written into her laws. Many come from Britain while others from America and the Weimar Republic, the German governance before the Nazi hijacked the nation and too many of its people. There is also the fable that the United States has supported Israel from her inception. There is a partial truth to that as President Truman did advise the American Ambassador to the United Nations to vote in favor of the formation of Israel, or at least the UNGA Res 181. What people are less aware about is that Truman then immediately signed an arms embargo which included Israel. During the Eisenhower administration there was still an arms embargo on Israel including for the duration of the 1956 Suez War. Israel was also insisted upon to return all lands and properties to Egypt at the conclusion of that war by President Eisenhower. Truth be told, the start of American aid to Israel came in the 1970’s with the initial trickle in the late 1960’s. The earnest beginnings of the aid to Israel came during the Yom Kippur War where Israel was desperate for a resupply of arms from anywhere willing. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger advised President Nixon to wring some concessions from the Israelis before sending any aid. President Nixon ignored him and commanded the Secretary of Defense to send whatever the Israelis required immediately. That did run into a small problem, Europe. Every American base in Europe was immediately closed by their hosting nation to any aircraft resupplying the Israelis. The Europeans saw this as finally the opportunity to have Israel removed from the map and their “mistake” of allowing her formation erased. This threatened the entirety of Operation Nickel Grass as the United States could not fly these provisions directly and air refueling was not a viable option. In the end, despite every European nation refusing American use of their airspace for this operation, Portugal was willing to help allowing the aircraft landing and refueling permission at Lajes Field in the Azores Islands. This was the start of the American-Israeli cooperation and interdependence as Israel provides the United States with a good amount of intelligence which they otherwise might not have and cooperation on some operational missions providing deniability for both nations. Still, the United States is dearly loved by the average Israeli. Even during the Obama administration there was the feeling that Israel would not be sacrificed, as the American people would never stand for such. This was the general belief and it has definitely carried over to the Trump administration whose moving the embassy to Jerusalem sent waves of joy and appreciation of the promise fulfilled through the tiny nation.

 

There are things which can reinforce one’s connection to the Jewish faith, though such is not the desired means of having one return to the faith. There are many in Europe who are finding that they are very Jewish, at least as far as those who find hatred of a Jew as part of their callings. When Synagogues in your town or the city just down the highway is being firebombed and Jews who wear an identifying piece of jewelry or clothing are being attacked regularly as happens in certain places and cities in Europe, then one remembers their attachment to Judaism, as they have no choice. It is known that anti-Semites will check birth certificates and trace people’s heritage back even two or three generations and if anyone in your family was Jewish, to the anti-Semite you are Jewish and are a target. Some places in Europe rabbis are advising their congregants not to wear a kippah in public and to remove them when they leave prayers for safety’s sake. When the people around you in the public start to treat you differently because, as they would state it, you have Jewish blood, then you realize that for many once your family was Jewish always your family is Jewish, and this includes you. Even those who intermarried are not free of such hatred but their non-Jewish spouse will be considered contaminated by marrying you. This anti-Semitism is returning to Europe in all of its ugliest phenomena. This disease is growing and it is infecting the youth in Europe, especially the Muslims but it is far from limited to just Muslims. There are still the old right wing anti-Semites, some neo-Nazis and others just neo-fascists. The problem is that there is another form of anti-Semitism rising in Europe which many have tried to ignore or even claim cannot exist, but the reality is there. Anti-Semitism is becoming adopted by the far-leftists and even some presumably liberals. These groups include pro-Communists and socialists as well as the militant left. In too many places the name Jew and Israel are used interchangeably and with equal animosity. Jews will soon come to a choice in Europe, either go underground and hide their having Jewish roots until they are found out or get out of Europe. If leaving Europe is your choice, a small piece of advice, choose Israel for reasons we are about to make evident.

 

The United States also is facing increasing anti-Semitism. Most of it is in the form of anti-Zionism and anti-Israelism, but in the end, it will be played out as anti-Semitism. Even in New York where Joe Crowley in the 14th congressional district just lost the primary to challenger Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, an outspoken BDS supporter who is strongly pro-Palestinian and believes Israel is illegal. Our bet is she probably does not like Jews period. Ocasio-Cortez spoke out strongly against the Israeli army’s actions on the Gaza border on May 14, tweeting, “This is a massacre. I hope my peers have the moral courage to call it such. No state or entity is absolved of mass shootings of protesters. There is no justification. Palestinian people deserve basic human dignity, as anyone else. Democrats can’t be silent about this anymore.” When asked about the Tweet, Ocasio-Cortez replied, “I think I was primarily compelled on moral grounds because I could only imagine if 60 people were shot and killed in Ferguson. Or if 60 people were shot and killed in the West Virginia teachers’ strikes. The idea that we are not supposed to talk about people dying when they are engaging in political expression just really moved me.” She also claimed to support Bernie Sanders who is also outspokenly anti-Israel, and yes, he is supposedly Jewish.

 

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Tweeting as an Outspoken BDS Supporter

 

The waves of anti-Israel protests on major American college and university campuses as well as intimidation of Jewish students with mostly verbal abuse but some numbers have been spat upon and more recently attacks have taken place. Those inciting such actions against Jewish students will also be amongst the leaders in the future after these students graduate and take their place in the society. These positions are taking on a following strongly along the lines of the activist left. Apparently, if one is a Zionist, you cannot be an honest feminist, honest. Some say that supporting Israel bars one from all pro-rights and leftist protests and movements. The writing is on the wall even in some high schools where anti-Semitism has reared its ugly head. These types of things grow slowly and almost unperceived and eventually hit a tipping point, and then people turn around and start asking things like how did this happen and where did it come from. It came from not paying enough attention to what was growing in the shadows simply waiting for the best time to jump out and take center stage. The United States is approaching just such a tipping point when it comes to Jew hatred. This hatred has been festering in the background since the early 1980’s, and had never completely disappeared. Now it is growing with the aid of Islamist groups who are painting hate for Israel as protecting human rights and using that as the introduction to all Jews equal Israel. Even Courtney Love has referred to Linda Sarsour as an “anti-Semitic terrorist” stating in a Tweet, “I won’t follow anything that’s being led by an anti-Semitic terrorist that’s using feminism as a tool to promote her radicalism.” This is going to heat up and catch many Jews, especially those who have wandered from the religion and are completely unaware of what is coming their way.

 

Beyond the Cusp