There is Something in the Air

October 4, 2015

I know that from time to time over the years since World War II people have worried for themselves, their children and their families based on the then current events. I acknowledge that there have been many trying times and crises, and I am not downplaying any of them. But for me, a middle-aged American Jew, I believe that what we are now witnessing is different than what we have experienced in the recent past. It is something we have not seen in many decades. There is definitely something in the air. And, I am afraid, it is a dark and evil force enveloping the world.

For starters, today, evil is absolutely gushing out of radical Islam. Radical Muslims are today's Nazis and today's villains. Murder, beheadings, rape and torture are just several examples of the evil that is emanating from radical Islam. Radical Muslims are killing everyone in sight--Jews, Christians, other Muslims and members of other religions. No one is safe. Iran and the Islamic State are competing to establish Islamic caliphates. Neither is letting anything stop or impede their progress. They believe in and act with savagery and barbarity to get their way. A quarter of a million people, including women and children, have been killed in Syria alone. Chemical weapons have been used in many of these killings. There are not thousands, but millions, of refugees fleeing Muslim countries.

Seeing Iran and its terrorist proxies use missiles, rockets and now chemical weapons on innocent civilian populations, President Obama and his puppet Administration, and the international community, are rewarding Iran with a lopsided nuclear agreement that provides Iran with tons of cash and a clear and legitimate path toward nuclear weapons. As if Iran was not having enough success on its own, it is now getting another huge boost by closely partnering with Russia. The same Russia that Obama frequently pointed to as favoring the nuclear agreement with Iran to garner American support for the deal. Russia and Iran will next strengthen their presence in Iraq and embolden Iran's other terrorist proxies. Do not be fooled by the smoke and mirrors being used with the Islamic State. They are not a real threat. The only reason they have flourished is because they have been allowed to do so. The real threat is from Iran. And Iran is on a mission and on the march. The same is true of Russia.

We also have an American president who does everything he can to promote his pro-Muslim ideology while weakening America. The deal with Iran is so bad it is too hard to believe that it is really happening. But, the frightening thing is that it is done and the world already appears to have moved on. With all of the violence being committed in the Middle East and Africa by radical Muslims on a daily basis, the only country that Obama criticizes is Israel. The only leader in the world that he is tough with is Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Why exactly is that? With as much danger as Israel is in now, from within and outside of its borders, the only thing you get from Obama is his obsession with trying to force Israel into a bad and destructive peace deal with the Palestinians. If Israel defends itself, he is outspoken against Israel. If Palestinians murder Jews in cold blood, as is happening now throughout Israel, he either ignores it, blames Israel when it responds or tries to morally equate the Israelis and Palestinians. America, the foremost super power in the world up until the time of Obama, is being rendered impotent by Obama as his leading from behind really means apologizing for America's past and not leading at all.

Ok, by now you may be saying that the world has recently faced serious threats (I am focused on the period since World War II) and today only the names and faces are different. Unfortunately, I do not believe that this is the case. There is something more sinister in the air today as I will attempt to demonstrate.

To me, the world seems to be possessed. So much of the world today does not think or act logically or rationally. Common sense and reason no longer exist. It is as if the world is now on autopilot headed for a predetermined destination, unable to change its path.

It is one thing to sit idly by and watch radical Muslims rampantly kill and torture innocent people. It is quite another story though for the reaction to be an obsessive fear of Islamophobia. The real fear for Muslims should be from other Muslims. But it is not. Instead, it is a concern for the harsh treatment of Muslims by members of other religions. So let's get this straight. Radical Muslims are killing Jews, Christians, other Muslims and members of other religions at a rapid pace. This is happening all across the globe. Jews and Christians are not targeting members of any religion. But the concern of the world is over imaginary Islamophobia. It does not make any sense.

Let's focus on Israel now. It is the only democracy in the Middle East. It peacefully accepts arabs into society despite all the terrorism it has endured for decades. There are arabs in the Knesset and arab doctors, nurses and professors in Israeli society. Arab students can attend the best Israeli universities even as they preach hate of Israel. Arabs live better in Israel than they do in any Muslim country. Arabs, particularly arab women and gays, have more rights in Israel than they do in any Muslim country. Unlike in Muslim countries, Israel does not summarily execute political opponents or innocent women and gays. Israel is not invading any countries. It is not acting aggressively or belligerently. If all countries would be like Israel, we would have world peace. Let these facts digest for a while. Then consider that, defying any and all logic and reason, it is Israel that is boycotted across the globe. It is Israel that is accused of apartheid. It is Israel that is accused of being racist and intolerant. It is Israel that is condemned by the international community, including through the disgraceful and despicable UN. The only explanation for this is that there is something evil in the air.

Despite Israel's acceptance of arabs, arabs in Israel (and every other country) do not tolerate Jews and do not want any Jews in their midst. Israel is the one and only Jewish country in the world. There are approximately 1.8 billion Muslims in the world with numerous countries of their own. In Israel today, Palestinians are waging jihad against innocent Israelis--men, women and children, young and old. Cold blooded murder of Jews by arabs once again is in full swing in Israel. As this disgusting, morally reprehensible Palestinian terrorism of Jews in Israel escalates, the world sits silently. That is until Israel takes defensive measures to protect itself. Then the international community gets on its moral soapbox to condemn Israel. Again, there is no logical or rational reason for this.

Incredibly and foolishly, Israel allows the holiest site in Judaism, which happens to be located in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, to be governed by Muslims. Arabs, in turn, do not want to share this site with Jews or Christians. They are terrorizing, intimidating and harassing Jews at this site and are trying to prevent them from praying. Jews are not even allowed to move their lips there. Radical Muslims are destroying sites holy to many religions, including Islam, across the Middle East. These are the facts. Are Palestinians or Muslims condemned for any of this? No, instead the international community threatens to divide Jerusalem to ensure that the holy sites of that wonderful city are open to all. It is as if the threat to these sites comes from Israel or Jews and not Muslims. This, too, is totally twisted. It defies logic or reason.

Then there is Europe. Anti-Semitism is continuing to escalate. Most, but not all, of the violence is committed by Muslims. There is no outrage or concern though for Europe's Jews. One would think that a continent that boasts of tolerance and multiculturalism, and that is soaked with the blood of Jews going back for generations, would express some concern for its Jewish citizens. But that is hardly the case. Instead, Europe, despite its huge Muslim problem, is opening its arms   wide to Muslim refugees. Germany, of all countries, is leading the charge to flood the continent with more Muslims. Already, there have been numerous reports of violence committed by Muslim refugees. This is not surprising as there is no vetting process and radical Muslims are getting into the mix, as they vowed to do.

How does one explain this European outreach to Muslims and shunning of Jews? Why do the typical stereotypes of Jews continue in perpetuity? Only 70 years after the Holocaust, the world has already forgotten. Anti-Semitism, somewhat dormant for a period of time, is again rearing its ugly head. But why? What have the Jews done now? They have done nothing wrong, yet evil is again in the air.

Returning to the United States and Obama, who would have thought we would be in the situation we are in now? After suffering too many terrorist attacks from radical Muslims ourselves, particularly 9/11, who could have predicted that America would have a president with an obsessive pro-Muslim ideology who embraces radical Islamists, while condemning Israel, Jews and Christians and fostering and promoting their plight? Who would have expected the policies of American leadership to lead to an abandoning of Israel, competition for Islamic caliphates and Russia pushing the United States out of the Middle East? How could it have happened so quickly? Then again, how could America be totally transformed so quickly? When did we become a country that fights for granting illegal immigrants full benefits and rights, but let's its veterans rot without saying a word or lifting a finger? When did we start marching and protesting for the benefits and rights of illegal immigrants, but staying silent when innocent Americans are killed by illegal immigrants with criminal records? When did we go to war against our law enforcement and when did it become acceptable to resist arrest? When did we become a country that has presidential candidates who feel the need to apologize for saying all lives matter instead of only black lives matter? And when did America decide that it was perfectly acceptable to tolerate and promote a racist, intimidating hate group? All of this too is illogical and irrational. That the United States has been transformed so quickly, when so few saw it coming and many are still in denial, also strongly suggests that there is something evil in the air.

The reader, if he or she did not know any better, might think that as a Jew, I am speaking for and making the case made by all Jews. After all, you generally cannot get a Muslim to criticize another Muslim. If radical Muslims kill Jews, other Muslims try to justify their behavior, even in terrorist attacks. There has been silence from Muslims on Muslim killings of Christians and members of other religions too. Muslims do not even denounce the killings of other Muslims. So Jews, too, must be united, especially since they have the moral, Biblical, historical and factual high ground, right? Incredibly, while Muslims are united and support each other no matter what atrocities they commit, Jews could not be more divided. Liberal Jews choose to ignore these relevant factors. Instead, they look for the faults in their fellow Jews and Israel. They engage in painful, agonizing, dangerous and ignorant self-examination and introspection. They ignore any and all extenuating circumstances, such as Muslim violence, Palestinian terrorism and a history of attempts to annihilate the Jewish people. The surprising thing is that many of these Jews are smart, educated people. The best of them lack common sense and are naive, while the worst of them should be viewed as collaborators. That Muslims stand together, while Jews bicker, fight and put each other in greater danger despite their tragic history, also is illogical and irrational.

Scholars and historians look back on the Holocaust and have many questions that eerily cannot be answered. For instance, Germany was a highly cultured, educated and civil society. In fact, Germans prided themselves on that. Germany's Jews had assimilated and most considered themselves more German than Jew. They contributed in every way possible to German society. What could they have possibly done wrong? The answer is that they did not do anything wrong. So the next common question for scholars and historians is what drove doctors, lawyers, teachers, professors, journalists, students, clergy, etc. in a highly civilized society to commit the most sadistic genocide of a people that the world has ever seen? Another question, how could fathers of children butcher and kill innocent parents of other children, and the innocent parents and children of those parents? Another question, how could mothers take their children to watch the cold blooded murder of innocent Jews and sing, laugh and cheer as it was going on as if they were at an entertainment event? How could the murderers sing, laugh and cheer both during and after these gruesome atrocities? How could they face their families knowing what they had done? To these questions, there are no answers. It was as if Germany and much of the world was possessed. One reads about and can readily imagine that, at the time, there was something in the air for Jews in Germany and other European countries. Some sensed the evil in the air early on, more did over time and many when it was too late.

Like at the time leading up to and during the Holocaust, Jews today are accused of many wrongs. Today, it is not enough to only be Anti-Semitic. One also needs to try to crush and destroy Israel as it serves as a safe haven for Jews today. At least, that is one of its designed purposes. In fact, Anti-Semitism today is often disguised as a bashing of Israel. Jews back in the time of the Holocaust were innocent. But what about today, is there anything to the claims of the international community? After all, Israel by far is the most vile offender in the UN, right? If I am sure about anything in my life, I totally believe and say with total confidence that Jews today are as innocent as they were at the time of the Holocaust and Israel should be celebrated and praised for what it stands for and how it survives each and every day.

But, as we unfortunately know, innocence and being a beacon of light does not always lead to survival. It also takes strength and that is one of the reasons why Israel exists today, to be strong, to welcome persecuted Jews from throughout the world and to protect its citizens. Israel is trying, but for some deceitful reason or another, it faces the wrath of the international community. I hope that I am wrong, but in the chaotic times we are living in, with the total lack of logic and reason for what we are witnessing, I am afraid that there is something in the air. And it is not good. It is evil.