Make Your Argument

I’m a retired Army officer with three combat tours. I served honorably, and bled, for my country. Unfortunately, today, these actions mean little. I am now the enemy: I’m a Jew. If I wear a kippah (Hebrew), yarmulke (Yiddish), or skull cap (unknown origin) in public I immediately become a target for derision.

It is demonstrably racist to attribute Middle Eastern-instigated acts of terror to all Muslims. So, what exactly is the argument against Jews in general? Palestine?

World History Encyclopedia “Palestine: Definition. Palestine in the ancient world was part of the region known as Canaan where the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah were located. The term `Palestine’ was originally a designation of an area of land in southern Canaan which the people known as the Philistines occupied a very small part of.”

Connemara is a region of western Ireland. It is not a nation-state or province. Many speak Irish while some speak English and like Palestine, it is simply a geographic region. The word Palestine does not appear in the Bible, Quran, or Torah. The word Israel appears in Egyptian texts published twelve hundred years before the birth of Christ. The region of Palestine has been governed by no less than ten nation-states in its history, none of which were Palestinian.

It seems appropriate I write this during the Passover season when all Jews are reminded of the exodus from Egypt and the fact that every generation for over two thousand years has faced an attempt to rid the world of Jews.

A great Lubavitcher Rebbe was once asked by a reporter if he believed there could be another holocaust and he responded “Yes. Tomorrow.”

Recently I saw a young person on the news say, “I am with hamas.” (No capital letter on purpose.) Being old and, hopefully, wise, I’m convinced this child has no idea who hamas is or what it represents. Possibly she was paid by some organizer to say it, who knows? The problem is she’s part of a mob. The mob is governed by fear: if you’re not with us, you’re against us. Some join to feel safe from the mob. Mob mentality makes people do things they would never think of doing on their own. That’s dangerous. Elected officials support the mob, prosecutors release offenders and the media lauds their conduct. Across America, the mob grows larger daily. This is how Hitler started the purge using his Brown Shirt followers.

If you have a problem with Israel, take it up with Netanyahu, I’m an American. If you want to differentiate yourself from the KKK or the likes of the Proud Boys: make your argument. What was it about the Jewish Columbia schoolgirl that made you so angry you stabbed her in the eye with a Palestinian flag pole? What about the old Jewish man shuffling home from the synagogue that made you so angry you punched him out? Make your argument.

There are now numerous members of Congress who are openly anti-Semitic. Not anti-Israel, anti-Semitic. I look at my children and grandchildren and fear the time has come again when purging the world of Jews looks like a good idea. Do I think there could be another holocaust: Yes. Tomorrow.

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Geoffrey Robinson is a published author who also writes for magazines and blogs. He retired from the military with multiple combat tours and then spent a career in the contract industry. He’s spent years living in Asia, Europe, and time in the Middle East, and South America. Geoffrey is an avid marathon runner who has competed in races from Anchorage to Cairo. He affectionally calls Dun Laoghaire, Ireland home. He currently lives in Maryland to be close to his children and grandchildren.

As the Voice of the Veteran Community, The Havok Journal seeks to publish a variety of perspectives on a number of sensitive subjects. Unless specifically noted otherwise, nothing we publish is an official point of view of The Havok Journal or any part of the U.S. government.