Safety Insanity

If you live in America today, you will know one thing about us; we are obsessed with staying safe any way we can. From not letting our kids go outside to play out of fear they might be kidnapped by a pedophile, to having an entire government agency, the FDA, banning certain foods and products just because they might be dangerous. And the most blatant example of safety insanity in recent years is the US Patriot Act, which gave the government new and unprecedented powers. All under the guise of keeping us safe.

But, I often tend to wonder, would America even exist if the founders were as safety conscious as we are. I don't think anyone can deny what the founders were doing was certainly dangerous to their health. My point is, America was built on taking risks. And if we build a society that is obsessed with eliminating any possible danger or risk, by any means necessary, I think it's going to hurt us as a nation. I think that taking risks is a part of what being an American is all about.

It's Very Hard to Argue with a Traumatized People

     In recent years I've heard many on the American left begin to, in my opinion, relentlessly criticize the state of Israel and its supporters under the belief that the Palestinians are unfairly occupied. I find this odd, considering that Israel is the only country in the middle east where homosexuality is not illegal, and women are given far more rights than in any other middle eastern country. And furthermore, even though it is technically considered a Jewish state, most Israeli citizens and government officials consider themselves secular. 

      So, it is disturbing to me that many on the left seem to be blindly sympathetic to the cause of the Palestinians, when most likely in Palestine, women, gays and other minorities would be put to death. Lastly, the most annoying thing to me, is that they claim to be opposed to Israel aggressively building on the West Bank. I can't say I totally disagree with them on this, but I can also see why the Israelis would so aggressively protect what was legally given to them. If you've ever been the victim of a physical attack, or home invasion, you know how frightening that is. Now imagine that not just you, but your entire family have been going through this for hundreds of years, in the form of purges and genocides. You can't tell me, that wanted or not, you wouldn't at least buy a gun. In my opinion we are not dealing just with a crisis of land, but an emotionally scarred and, not surprisingly paranoid people. And this is what I don't think anti-Zionist activists understand. It'

Forgotten Voices Speak Out

     When Deborah Feldman published her memoir in 2012, "Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots, it caused quite a stir in the ultra orthodox Jewish community, resulting in her rejection from the community. Especially considering the physical and sexually abuse by her grandfather. She was even compared to Joseph Goebbels. The same could also be said for Lucinda Schmidt.
     When she published her memoir, "A Separate God," about her life as a young Amish girl, and the abuse she encountered from her husband, she soon found herself exiled from her community as well. Another book, "Infidel" by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, recounts her struggles growing up as a fundamentalist Muslim in Africa, subjected to genital mutilation and other horrors.
     There's a pattern with these books. All three of these women come from communities which see them as second class citizens. Which, inevitably, will make them the loudest critics. And that's why these communities made the mistake: By viewing women as less than, they created a very strong counter point. It's easy to praise a community, when you're held in high esteem. Only time will tell if these exposees have any impact on the communities their written about, forcing them to look at their ancient cultures and ultimately force them to join the 21st century.