I wrote about the Reflections on Holocaust and Genocides this morning and am bombarded with reckless comments about Holocaust and phrases like the “Holocaust industry” . It hurts me; indeed it should hurt every one.
If you feel what Jews feel, you probably would understand their anxieties. After nearly 2000 years of “wandering” they found a home in Germany, they became a part of the story [1] of Germany and contributed to her growth and prosperity and when they got comfortable, guess how they got rewarded? Inhuman brutal shameless gas chambers for 6 million of them!
Jews assimilated in Germany and felt secure, you think it is a thing of the past? Hell no, it goes on, a few years ago, right here in my home town Dallas, one city council man referred to another as “you people” because that “you” was a Jew. I was outraged and every one in America should. How dare one question another American? I wrote to Dallas Morning News expressing my disgust and thank God they printed it.
You may not keep up with it, but as a peace volunteer I do, their fear is real. Some idiot or the other is painting a swastika on someone's house or a synagogue, it happened in Carrollton some ten years ago, the ignorant imbeciles thought that the lady was Jewish, and marked her house. The holocaust Museum in DC was attacked recently [2]. Some one walked into a Synagogue in Seattle and opened fire. Are you aware of these? If you are what is wrong when they guard themselves with remembrance of Holocaust?
Holocaust industry is a misnomer... you cannot feel their pain, anguish and discomfort. Of course there are always people who take advantage of the situation, but talking and remembering about holocaust must go on, their grief should be every one’s grief and we should all shoulder their burden and help them feel secure. A just society brings peace and security to every one and each one of us must work for it. Ultimately every one feels safe and secure.
No matter how insignificant you and I are, we must speak out when there is injustice. The hopelessness of Palestinians and the insecurity of Israelis is the doing of their Neocon leadership which ignores the voices of moderate Palestinians and Jews, they need to listen to them and be just to the Palestinians and not do unto them what they want not done to them. Justice is the key to peace and security for every one, [3] we must speak up and find security for them and justice for the Palestinians.
Taking a stand for justness pisses people off on both sides; the extreme ideologues among the Jewish and the Palestinian communities will not like you or I to speak about justness, each one wants you to take their side. That is the precise reason there is no security for Jews in Israel and Justice for the Palestinians. Sixty years have gone by and the policies have not worked for the common Israelis and the Palestinians, it is time to change. Should we sit pretty and not rattle? Or should we speak up for the good of one and all? The choice is yours.
President Obama will do the right thing; he will bring security to Jews and Justice to the Palestinians, these items are not mutually exclusive.
It is being "American" to stand up for the underdog, and I am pleased to be an American and want my fellow American Jews to know that I am with them when injustice is done to them, I will stand up for them in my own little ways. My faith teaches me to do my share of repairing the world and I am grateful to Jews, Muslims and persons from every faith in Dallas for joining me in commemorating the Holocaust and Genocides [4] twice in the last few years and again, God willing we will do it in 2010.
The world is shrinking, exclusive conclaves would become obsolete and people will be living together more harmoniously than ever before as the new society would define it as a necessity. Religion will continue to be an important aspect of people’s life, but it will be the religion of justice that Moses taught, religion of love and forgiveness that Jesus taught, religion of humility and equality that Mohammad taught, religion of taking responsibility for one's good and bad that Zarthustra taught, religion for caring for others that so many earth based and indigenous traditions taught, religion of respect for every being that Krishna and Mahavir taught, religion of caring (even) for the enemies that Nanak taught and the idea of one humanity that Bahaullah taught… and all the goodness that every peace maker in the world has contributed to. Despite the issues of the world, we will be living in a better tomorrow.
Don't expect or demand others to be just and peaceful, if you as an individual are not. Let’s stand up for a just world, and the least we can do is to speak up.
[1] http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2009/04/are-muslims-part-of-american-story.html
[2] http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2009/06/muslims-condemn-display-of-hate-at.html
[3] http://israel-palestine-dialogue.blogspot.com/2009/09/solutions-for-israel-and-palestine.html
[4] http://holocaustandgenocides.blogspot.com/2009/09/iii-annual-reflections-on-holocaust-and.html
Mike Ghouse is a thinker, writer speaker and an activist of pluralism, interfaith, co-existence, peace, Islam and India. He is a frequent guest at the TV, radio and print media offering pluralistic solutions to issues of the day. His websites and Blogs are listed on http://www.mikeghouse.net/
Norman Gershman's mission is to use art as the primary form of expression to break down stereotypes and build upon the deep roots of humanism that cross racial, ethnic, religious and national boundaries. His photographs are purposeful. What comes though is his overriding belief in the goodness of people reflected in his portraits.
ReplyDeleteFull article at:http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2009/09/muslims-who-saved-jews-during-holocaust.html