Sunday, January 17, 2016

The Lost Instinct to Survive, Part II

President Obama has brought thousands of Muslim refugees to this country. He intends on bringing thousands more. Hillary Clinton says she will bring at least 65,000 more Muslim refugees, and Bernie Sanders wants to bring more than that.

In yet another release of Hillary Clinton's emails there was quite an interesting one from former US Ambassador Thomas Pickering to the then Secretary of State. Pickering suggested using left-wing NGOs (non-governmental organizations) in Israel for the purpose of destabilizing Israel and bringing pressure on the government to establish yet another Muslim state - Palestine. The US has already provided $68,000 to B'Tselem, an NGO whose sole purpose is to document alleged human rights abuses in the West Bank (or, as they say, the "occupied territories").

The Democrats invited two members of CAIR (the Council on American-Islamic Relations) to Obama's January 12 State of the Union address. In 2007/08 CAIR was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation trial. That Foundation was found to be funneling money to Hamas. The founders of the organization were given lengthy prison sentences. The FBI considered CAIR to be a Hamas front. The FBI still refuses contact with CAIR. Hamas runs the Gaza strip in a dictatorial, Islamist fashion. As an aside, the LA Times just editorialized about a reporter there being arrested and beaten for the sin of reporting on actual conditions in Gaza. (January 15, 2016 editorial.)

At his State of the Union address Obama said this: "When politicians insult Muslims, whether abroad or our fellow citizens, when a mosque is vandalized, or a kid is called names, that doesn't make us safer...It betrays who we are as a country." Clearly, Obama's comments were directed at Trump and those who support him. Trump called for a moratorium on Muslim immigration, given what is happening all around the world, and just recently in San Bernardino.

Let's take a look at Obama's assertions. What is the insult to Islam - calling for a moratorium on Islamic immigration? And why doesn't that make us safer. Think of all the terrorist attacks that would not have occurred here. Furthermore, why is he only concerned about mosques being vandalized? Are Muslims singled out more than other religious groups for hate crimes? Far from it. According to FBI statistics, in 2012 Jews were the victims of 62.4% of the religious hate crimes, Muslims were victims 11.6% of the time. In 2013, the number was 60.3% for Jews, and 13.7% for Muslims. In 2014, 56.8% for Jews, 16.1% for Muslims.

And what do the American people think of Trump's proposal? According to a new IBD-TIPP poll, the country is split: 48% favor a temporary ban on Muslim immigration and 48% are opposed. However, a majority, 53% to 43%, favor greater monitoring of mosques for radical activity. That last number even includes 40% of Democrats; with 33% of Democrats supporting the moratorium.

Recently, a Philadelphia police officer was shot while sitting in his patrol car. After being captured, the perpetrator said that he attacked the officer in the name of Islam. He purportedly said that "the police defend laws that are contrary to Islam." Yet, the Democratic Mayor, Jim Kenney, said this: "In no way, shape or form does anybody in this room (apparently at a press conference with the police commissioner and others) believe that Islam or the teaching of Islam" was related to the attempted murder on the officer. When Democratic elected officials so obviously lie (the man admitted he attacked in the name of Islam) is it any wonder why Trump is doing as well as he is.

As to the question raised in the title of this post, let's recap. The Democrats have and will continue to bring in tens of thousands of Muslim immigrants. The Democrats invited members of CAIR to the State of the Union address. The Democrats refuse to acknowledge the threat from radical Islamists, and their ability to radicalize other Muslims. Yet, most of my fellow Jews will vote for Hillary (or Bernie if he wins the nomination). Many non-Jewish fellow Americans will do the same.

It is apparent that left wing ideology prevails over the instinct to survive. Political correctness prevails over the instinct to survive. It is especially frustrating when fellow Jews tell me that they could not possibly vote for Trump or Cruz because...whatever. Large Muslim populations are generally not safe for Jews. Yet, they will vote to increase the risk to themselves and their families. Go figure.

The Lost Instinct to Survive, Part I

I am often asked by my Christian friends and readers why my fellow Jews so frequently vote for Democrats, especially given the Democrats' decreasing support for Israel. And while many have commented on that issue - and there are multiple reasons I believe - we are now way past that. We are now at the point where many Jews (and other Americans) do not seem to care about their own personal survival, nor that of their children and grandchildren.

We already know that Jews have been under attack both verbally and physically throughout Europe. Marseilles, France had been an exception, as Jews felt relatively safe there. But since last October there have been stabbings of Jews there as well. Recently, one of the perpetrators was a 15 year-old boy of Turkish Kurd origin, who explained that his attack had been inspired by ISIS. In October, a Rabbi and two congregants were stabbed outside a synagogue. There have been other attacks as well.

Said one former Jewish leader: "Now every aspect of communal life happens under protection by the military. They are in our schools, in our shuls (temples), reminding us that we are no less threatened here than in Paris - or Israel." A recent French poll (by Etude IFOP) found that 43% of French Jews said they had been attacked for being Jewish, 51% were threatened for being Jewish, and 63% were ridiculed for being Jewish.

The persecution, murder and displacement of Christians living in North Africa and the Middle East is happening to the Jews of Europe. More French Jews left France last year for Israel than ever before. I suspect 2016 will end up with even greater numbers leaving for Israel. The perpetrators against the Christians and Jews have virtually always been Muslims.

Even one who only casually follows the news will undoubtedly know of many of the attacks around the world carried out by Muslims. Jakarta, Istanbul, Cairo, Paris, London, Ankara, Mumbai - to name just a few - have all been targeted by radical Muslims. And now, we can add the small African nation of Burkina Faso to the list.

But there have been many attacks right here in the USA as well. It would take up too much space to list every Islamic terror attack in the USA since 9/11/01. So, here are just a few of the most recent ones. December, 2015, a Jewish shop owner in the upper west side of Manhattan was attacked and hit in the face. Yelled the Muslim attacker: "Fuck the Jews." Also, we had the San Bernardino attack. In July, 2015, four US marines were shot and killed in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In September, 2014, a woman was beheaded in Oklahoma. In April, 2014, two men in Seattle and one in NJ were shot and killed. In April, 2013, we had the Boston marathon bombers. In February, 2013, two Coptic Christians were shot and killed and then beheaded. And in September, 2013, three Jews had their throats slashed in Massachusetts.

Again, this is a very limited list. Then there is the list of Muslims killing other Muslims (again, here in the USA) for dishonoring Islam by doing the following: dating a non-Muslim, refusing to convert to Islam, filing for divorce, going to a strip club, becoming too Westernized, not adhering to Islamic customs, renouncing and denouncing Islam, being a woman who was molested by another, and being a lesbian.

So how is any of this related to the title of the post - "The Lost Instinct to Survive"? Please see Part II.