It's the same in any lingo

בַּת-בָּבֶל, הַשְּׁדוּדָה: אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁיְשַׁלֶּם-לָךְ-- אֶת-גְּמוּלֵךְ, שֶׁגָּמַלְתּ לָנוּ
אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁיֹּאחֵז וְנִפֵּץ אֶת-עֹלָלַיִךְ-- אֶל-הַסָּלַע


How can one be compelled to accept slavery? I simply refuse to do the master's bidding. He may torture me, break my bones to atoms and even kill me. He will then have my dead body, not my obedience. Ultimately, therefore, it is I who am the victor and not he, for he has failed in getting me to do what he wanted done. ~ Mahatma Gandhi
If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am not for others, what am I? If not now, when? ~ Rav Hillel, Pirke Avot

This Red Sea Pedestrian Stands against Judeophobes

This Red Sea Pedestrian Stands against Judeophobes
Wear It With Pride

26 December 2008

Happy Frickin' Chanukah


Time for a Chanukah rant.  First, let's set the record straight.  The OMV readership is a pretty sophisticated bunch; intelligent, well read, great taste in music, politically active, with a penchant for jokes involving poo poos and wee wees...my kind of people.  Most of you will already know this, but for those who stumbleupon this blog, here's a note:  Chanukah is not the Jewish Christmas.  It has nothing to do with Christmas at all...no, not even remotely.

Chanukah is one of those hybrid holidays.  It is a celebration of Jewish nationalism; celebrating the Hasmonean defeat of King Antiochus and his legion of pig eaters who banned the study of Talmud, tortured, raped and murdered Jews, and defiled the Temple in Jerusalem with pigs and idols.  But Chanukah is not simply another marking of a moment where outnumbered and outarmed Jews kicked goyishe ass.  

The word chanukah means "re-dedication."  It is a reference to the retaking and cleansing of the Temple.  This is where the miracle of the oil comes in.  The menorah (the seven branched candelabra described in the Torah) needed to be rekindled.  Olive oil, inspected by a priest, was used.  There was only one cask of oil still bearing an intact priestly seal, the only way to verify that it had not been contaminated by goyishe cooties, which we all know contain lard based nucleotides.  This amount of oil should only have lasted one day (I have always wondered whether this is because the casks were so small, or because the menorah's system was inefficient...when Pampers assumes his messianic mantle and the Temple is rebuilt I hope that one of his first decisions is to make the menorah more fuel efficient).  Instead, the oil lasted for eight days, long enough for more oil to be produced (the production of oil for Temple use was banned under the occupation, as opposed to the banning of all olive oil production, which would be plain stupid as olive oil is the elixir of life), and inspected by a priest.

Ah, the priests.  Here's an oft looked aspect of the story.  The Maccabees, a family clan led by Mattathias, were Hasmonean.  They assumed control of the Temple Priesthood, as well as the throne of Judah, which apparently caused a great deal of controversy among Jews, and precipitated the conflict between the Pharisees and Sadducees, which eventually led to the Jewish joke that if you put two Jews together you'll have three opinions...it's true...what, you never saw Fiddler on the Roof?  On the other hand.......

If the Hasmonean revolt has proven anything it's that you can't keep people perpetually separated from their freedom.  If you try you will get screwed one way or another.  Just ask Israelis and Palestinians.  There isn't anyone in Israel who truly thinks in their hearts that the status quo is good, or that the security barrier is good, or that Palestinians living in abject poverty is good, with the exception of those who are making a lot of money on all three ventures; on either side of the barrier.  

What?  That's right, there are Arabs in the territories making money, and lots of it, as a direct result of the current situation in the territories.  Here are the names of two of them: Saeb Erekat, and Mahmoud Abbas.  Erekat is a negotiator for the Palestinian Authority (you remember them, they used to be called the PLO, a terrorist organization dedicated to the destruction of Israel...whoops!  they still are...ho ho ho).  Mahmoud Abbas is the head of the PLO.  Both of these guys drive fancy foreign cars and wear Italian suits.  They are doing quite well for themselves while their so-called brethren live in abject poverty.  Why?  Because the PLO has the guns and they like it that way.

Historically, the single largest benefactor of the Palestinian people was the State of Israel.  Millions of dollars of medicine, food, materials, cash, and even weapons were sent to the Palestinian "leadership."  Finally the Israelis wised up when the guns got turned on them by the Palestinian "security forces."  Like here in the United States, and just about everywhere else in the world, the thugs in charge of the Palestinians have no vested interest in using this aid to help anyone.  Instead they drive the aforementioned cars, wear the aforementioned suits, and continue to fund the posh Parisian lifestyle of Yassir Arafat's widow, if she is in fact still alive.  Very telling isn't it that the wife of the so-called founding father of the Palestinian people doesn't even live on the same continent.  What was that, let them eat pita?

Now the Israelis aren't helping matters with their inconsistent policies, tearing down olive trees, soldiers violating international law by using Arabs as human shields against people throwing rocks at them, building more housing in disputed areas....but on the other hand, it's hard to get anywhere when the people you are supposed to be negotiating with don't recognize your right to exist and are still dedicated to your destruction.

What?  I thought Abbas was a moderate.  

Ha ha.  Sorry folks.  When you attend your annual events marking what you call "The Great Tragedy" aka Israeli Independence Day, you are not a moderate.  Fatah is just as dedicated to destroying Israel as Hamas.  What's the difference?  Hamas wants to establish a Muslim caliphate in Israel, while Fatah has no religious center other than let's keep taking all the money. 

I'm certainly not going to advocate putting pressure Israel to negotiate with parties that want to destroy her, which is the failure of the majority of leftist peaceniks.  They don't get that.  The solution to the crisis is not forcing Israel to allow the creation of a hostile state on indefensible borders, which is exactly what American leftists want.  The solution is a federation based on security, respect, and economic symbiosis.  This is not going to happen until the international community stops treating Abbas like he's some kind of diplomat or head of state.  He is a terrorist who wants to kill Jews and has shown nothing substantive to prove otherwise.  He has not disarmed the terrorist groups that he controls, nor has he taken any steps to legalize the Palestinian recognition of Israeli sovereignty.  

The international community, if they are so concerned about the suffering of the Palestinian people, which they should be, will move to completely isolate and dismantle Hamas and Fatah and cultivate leadership among the Palestinians that share the goals I stated above.  That is, if they want peace between the Arabs and Jews.  If they want Israel destroyed they will continue pushing the failed roadmap to crap, and dealing with the thugs who are responsible for the poverty and suffering of the Palestinian people.  With the billions upon billions of dollars that have been funneled into the hands of these gangsters by the Israelis, the UN, the World Bank, etc every Arab in the West Bank and Gaza should have a home, running water, electricity, a job, and access to healthcare.  There should be no suicide bombers, rockets, terrorists, etc.  What happened to all that money?  Hmm...maybe that's a task for Diamond Tiger.

So no, the solution is not more concessions from the Israelis, who get screwed every time they make them.  The solution is to get the gangsters out of power.  Who's got the spine to do that I wonder?  Surely not the Resident-Reject.  I'm thinking more along the lines of the lady in the pantsuit.

Senator Clinton, your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to lead the international effort to cultivate Palestinian leadership that will be based on peace with Israel, not predicated on her destruction (the sole modus operandi of the Palestinian body politic since its creation by Yassir Arafat), the economic and social well being of the Palestinians, and the establishment of an open federation that could possibly turn out to be the new economic engine of the region.  But somehow I don't think the Saudis, Syrians, and Iranians are going to like that.  I guess we could always fall back on the old stand by: blame the Jews.

Trying to force Israel to negotiate with the current leadership is only going to lead to more of the same, and the pawns in all this will continue to suffer.  And the torture and killing of Jews in Mumbai, a tiny and obscure population in a greater metropolitan area of 20 million, is further demonstration that a Jewish homeland is still a necessity.  But it seems that the world just takes it for granted that we get killed, and is okay with that.

So this Chanukah, let's dedicate ourselves to the notion that peace can only be achieved through sanity, and cannot be made with greedy megalomaniacs.  Sorry Pampers, you stay home and play with your Wii and let the lady handle this.  You're in way over you head.  I believe the Middle East is above your pay grade anyway.

And please, all those of you celebrating Christmas, tomorrow, stay home with your loved ones.  You don't want to go to the movies or eat Chinese food.  You should be at home in front of the fire, roasting chestnuts, making memories, and listening to Nat King Cole.  Leave the movies and Chinese food to us.  I will have a special Christmas eve post at midnight for those still chuggin' the egg nog, which I happen to like with rum and a little cinnamon and ginger.  Tasty!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Shtuey, your depth and breadth of knowledge always amazes me. Thank you for this historical and political diatribe. I have alway felt a little cheated, as my Sephardic father kept all of his traditions to himself and we were treated to whatever Americanized commercial holiday that came our way. As I married a Christian, we always celebrated Christmas. Now that he has passed away, it is increasingly more difficult to keep the tradition alive, but my son deserves it and I am forcing myself to clean up and start some baking. The rum will make it easier. My dad was so silly, he tried to keep relatively kosher despite my mom's horrible gentile cooking, but he impishly justified eating ham for Christmas or New Years, rationalizing that it had been sterilized by the smoking process. In actuality, he just liked the taste and it was one of the few items that my dear non-domestic mother couldn't ruin.

btw, I've lost contact with my cousins who lived in a settlement village near the Lebanese border. I saw them in the late 70's, and they certainly were not living in the lap luxury. Do you know how the economy is doing for the Israelis?

Anonymous said...

woops, that is lap of luxury. Happy Holidaze!

Anonymous said...

Sorry to monopolize your comments, but i forgot to add how much I love your beautiful portraits of your doggies and kitties- they look so warm and devoted! And my girl dog would love to join the canine leisure society- she's napping beside me right now, depositing her fur coat on the sofa.

Shtuey said...

It's actually a little known fact that you can justify the eating of bacon by telling people that it grows on trees.

The Israeli economy has been pretty strong in terms of GNP. Israel is one of the world leaders in technology exports...I know, shocker. But there is also high unemployment and poverty numbers are on the rise. One of the results of this was an increase in movement to kibbutzim and moshavim; the only sucessful and sustained working socialist systems on the planet...and no gulags or shabby clothing either. Another reason for the influx was security. I don't know if that trend is continuing. I know that if I made aliyah I would definitely be looking at kibbutzim and moshavim. I'm pretty sure they could all use an influx of potty mouth.

Shtuey said...

I will do a post on the Canine Leisure Society with specifics for membership. Keep an eye out...I mean don't put an eye out, just look for it. It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye.

Anonymous said...

Thanx for the info. Ruthie, or Ruthless for short, can be grand arbiter of treats- all for her and none for the others.

See ya!

Anonymous said...

Egg nog: love it, but too fattening. I bet you're one of those guys that doesn't have to worry about that. If so, and I know I speak on behalf of those of us whose butts expand when we even look at such indulgences, I hate you. And I mean that in the nicest way.

And kibbutzim and moshavim completely rock. Everybody should spend some time in one.

Have you written to Hillary about all this yet?

Anonymous said...

One of the most frightening things about Obama is that he shows signs of being prepared to throw Israel to the wolves.

For over a millennium there has been a strain within both Western and Islamic culture which is, indeed, OK with Jews being killed. That strain survives today, including, disgracefully, among many on the left, who are all too willing to embrace and justify a fascistic, religious-fundamentalist, anti-Semitic mentality in the Islamic world which they would immediately condemn if it reared up in the Western world.

I'm afraid even the lady in the pantsuit probably couldn't get anywhere trying to cultivate a sincerely non-genocidal leadership among the Palestinians. There is simply nothing there to work with.

Israel is one of the world leaders in technology exports...I know, shocker.

There are about 1,300,000,000 Muslims in the world and 13,000,000 Jews. When one looks at the two groups' contributions to modern technology and civilization, one could easily think that the numbers must be the other way round.

Shtuey said...

IP attorney; there was a time that it was nearly impossible for me to break 120 pounds. Then I quit smoking and gained 40lbs...I don't know if that helps or not. I also have hair that I am repeatedly told is wasted on a boy.

Have I written Hillary? I suspect that she knows all this, and like Infidel, understands that there is really nothing to work with. But still, the attempt needs to be made. If the world refused to condone the continued exploitation of the Palestinian people by the people who claim to lead them, perhaps then we could have a beginning. I'm not holding my breath.

Anonymous said...

Shtuey, "hair that is wasted on a boy"? Ya trying to give me a reason to hate you (and I mean that in the nicest way)?

Shtuey said...

Well, you're already on me about the non-expanding ass thing so I figured I'd throw some salt in the wound...;)

Of course that was when my hair was down to the middle of my back...when wet. Then it would curl up. If I pulled it back it would look like I had a static cling rat exploding out the back of my head.

Anonymous said...

Curly hair down to the middle of your back? I...I should hate you...but...I just can't....-sigh-

Anonymous said...

This is one of the best discussions of issues confronting the Palestinians/Israel/Arab states/the world I have ever read.

It is a topic that is very difficult to write about because of the layers of prejudice, bigotry, and hatred of various kinds and toward various persons involved.

You draw an important line in the sand, Shtuey: corrupt and evil leaders cannot lead their people into peace.

I believe that oppressing one's own constituency, the very group one represents (whether it be Palestinians, the people of the United States, rank and file Democrats) is a moral wrong of the highest order; betrayal of the cruelest kind.

Shtuey said...

Heidi Li said: "corrupt and evil leaders cannot lead their people into peace.

I believe that oppressing one's own constituency, the very group one represents (whether it be Palestinians, the people of the United States, rank and file Democrats) is a moral wrong of the highest order; betrayal of the cruelest kind."

I see this as a crucial front in the fight for universal human rights: we have a right to be lead by sane, moral people who work in our best interests, not for their own power and greed. Instead of recycling the same corrupt people from the same corrupt political bodies, we must cultivate a new leadership, and new systems. It's mold breaking time.