Tuesday, February 16, 2010

The sanction of the victim and the guiltiest man in the room, Part II: SANCTION

This post is the second part of a multi-part series on the stubborn habit of Jews to perpetuate situations where they are the victims of their own actions. If you haven't read the introduction yet, I encourage you to check out Part I before continuing. If you're pressed for time, while highly recommended, it isn't required to go back in order to understand what we're talking about in this post.

____________________________________________



They are willing to bear nothing. You are willing to bear anything. They keep evading responsibility. You keep assuming it.
--Francisco D'Anconia

If it is now believed that my fellow men may sacrifice me in any manner they please for the sake of whatever they deem to be their own good, if they believe that they may seize my property simply because they need it—well, so does any burglar. There is only this difference: the burglar does not ask me to sanction his act.
--Hank Rearden

We will return to Jaffa, to Acre, to Tel Aviv, to Jerusalem, to Ramle. We'll play soccer, Saraa. I'll be happy when we go back there.
--Hamas puppet "Nassour" to young girl host of children’s program

Until victory, always.
--Ernesto 'Che' Guevara


____________________________________________



PART TWO: SANCTION


Picking up where we left off last time with that ridiculous picture that encompasses much of what is wrong with the state of the American Jewish community...for a long time I thought that simple ignorance of reality was what drove these people to embrace the paradox of their own demise, but it goes much deeper than that.

Because you see, the Jewish lesbian who supports Hamas (who if they had their way would execute her, which eliminates her support for them - hence the paradox) in all her absurd irony, answers the immortal question posed by Francisco D'Anconia to Hank Rearden about midway through Ayn Rand's epic, Atlas Shrugged:

If the things I said are true, who is the guiltiest man in this room tonight?

While it is hard to boil down a 1,000+ page book into a single sentence - for the purpose of this post - the Francisco/Hank exchanges say it all. If you haven't read the book yet, go now and read it. I'll wait right here, patiently until you return.

While Atlas Shrugged is host to many themes, messages and subplots, the storyline that I always most identified with was that of Henry "Hank" Rearden. Rearden, a self-made, multi-multi-millionaire is a ruthlessly confident businessman and consummate professional with only one major weakness...he (like the entirety of the American society presented in the book) has been taught his entire life that it is his responsibility to support everyone who does not support themselves. His wife, family and the general public deride him as a greedy, selfish bully whose only concern is the bottom line - all the while living off the fruits of his labor even as they abuse him at every opportunity. Rearden's personal life is a truly miserable one as he is bound by a morality whereby he feels that by suffering at the hands of his tormentors and appeasing them, he is somehow a more virtuous person.

Even as society and the economy is decaying around him as the "looters" and "moochers" seize more and more of his wealth, property and freedom, Rearden continues to suffer and work harder because he loves his work and is driven by a desire to produce and progress - even though by the end he is producing almost exclusively for the thieves and murderers that make up the government in the book. The irony of course is that the people condemning him as being greedy and selfish NEED him to continue to produce because THEY themselves are incapable of it and without him they would be lost. Since everyone around Hank lives off of his production, if he refuses to produce, refuses to be "greedy" and behaves in the way his enemies pretend to want him to behave, they would ALL starve to death.

His willing subscription to their morality, his tolerance of their evil, his continuing to play their game with their rules is the only way they can destroy him. His enemies cannot succeed without the sanction of their victim. And it is thus the same with our enemies.

Since the first halutzim (pioneers) began working the fields and improving living conditions in what would become the modern state of Israel, Arabs against the Jewish state have demanded they vacate the land and "return" it to them.



Really? Where were these claims when Israel was a barren, backwater desert administered by the Ottomans for half a millennium? All of the sudden the Jews bring irrigation, highways and Tel Aviv to Israel and Arab residents who for 1500 years of foreign Muslim domination never even knew how to spell "nationalism" become the world's greatest political refugee problem. You don't think the Jewish presence in Ottoman and British Palestine significantly improved conditions for the native Arab population? How else would you explain 64,790 Arab immigrants to areas that became part of 1948 Israel? From that link:

The Arab Palestinian populations within those sub-districts that eventually became Israel increased from 321,866 in 1922 to 463,288 in 1931 or by 141,422. Applying the 2.5 per annum natural rate of population growth to the 1922 Arab Palestinian population generates an expected population size for 1931 of 398,498 or 64,790 less than the actual population recorded in the British census. By imputation, this unaccounted population increase must have been either illegal immigration not accounted for in the British census...

That means that 14% of the ENTIRE ARAB POPULATION of British Mandate Palestine was made up of IMMIGRANTS from just the nine years between 1922-1931! If the Zionists were so bad for the natives, why move to be CLOSER to them? End the occupation? And do what? Turn the entirety of the West Bank into Gaza City? Or into the pre-Israel swamp and desert that the Gallilee and Negev were, respectively?

And lest you think that these migration patterns ceased in the 20's and 30's...every single day anywhere between 68,000 to 115,000 Palestinians cross either legally or illegally into Israel for work or work for the very West Bank settlers who they claim to seek to displace. Apparently Zionist occupiers and Jewish settlers pay much better than Arab "freedom fighters". Just to put this into perspective, that works out to approximately 10% to 20% of the ENTIRE West Bank labor force is employed by Jews or Israelis.

What happens when Palestinians work in Israel or for Israelis/Jews? They pay taxes on that income to the Israeli government...which then hands the money right back to the Palestinian government. When the 2nd Intifada broke out and when Hamas came to power Israel caused an international uproar by withholding the estimated $50-$60 million a month that they transfer to Fatah and Hamas. For those mathematicians not named Hugo Chavez, that works out to between $600 and $720 million per year.

If you clicked the link that had to do with the Palestinian labor force, you would have read on the CIA Factbook that the ENTIRE PALESTINIAN REVENUE COLLECTION for 2006 was $1.63 billion. That means that nearly HALF of the TOTAL Palestinian intake (which is then used to purchase guns, print schoolbooks that talk about eliminating Israel and fund TV programs that brainwash children into thinking that they should throw rocks at Israeli tanks) is funded by the VERY PEOPLE they seek to destroy. And oh, by the way, in 2009 an additional $900 million was pledged to them by the US and A State Department.

How about the case of route 443, a road that links central Israel to Jerusalem? Or any of the "Jewish-only" roads that I'm sure you've heard the people crying crocodile tears about for that matter. Since the 2nd Intifada, several roads through the West Bank have been closed to Palestinian traffic due to DAILY shooting attacks on Israeli civilian vehicles left many innocent civilians dead or injured. My own cousin's car was firebombed while he was driving home from Jerusalem with his wife and baby girl.

Since the closure, this has for the most part ceased to be an issue. Now the Palestinians are demanding that this road be open to their traffic and in fact, the Israeli Supreme Court has ruled in their favor. In a few months, the new rule will go into effect and many Israelis will be avoiding this road out of fear that their families will be targets again. The road (like the rest of the infrastructure in Israel) by the way, was built by Israelis.

Want more? Because we have it. Along with the "end the occupation!" refrain which we seem to have had since time immemorial, the newer, hipper catchphrase of the late 00's was the "end the seige!" mantra - referring of course to Israel's closure of Gaza in response to daily rocket attacks against Israeli civilians. From the Sderot Media Center:

Most English dictionaries define siege as an “act or process of surrounding and attacking a fortified place in such a way as to isolate it from help and supplies...”

Indeed, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website has reported that in the year 2009 alone, Israel allowed for 703, 224 tons of humanitarian aid and 105,600,128 liters of fuel to be delivered into the Gaza Strip following Operation Cast Lead.

“The IDF invested major resources to enable the flow of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip” stated Col. Moshe Levi, the head of the IDF’s Gaza Coordination and Liaison Administration, in November 2009. According to Levi, humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip increased by 900 percent compared to the previous year. Over 22, 893 humanitarian aid trucks entered into Gaza throughout 2009.



Aid trucks ready to enter the Gaza Strip in the background. (Photo: Jacob Shrybman/Sderot Media Center)


Blockading the Truth: Getting the facts straight on the ‘Gaza Siege’

Let's for now grant that "humanitarian aid" is just that (ignoring the propensity of Hamas to seize medical supplies in order to sell them and use the money for guns and rockets that kill civilians) and just think about those 100+ million liters of fuel.

What basic thing do all militaries need in order to succeed? The ability to move. What enables a military unit to move quickly, set up a rocket and then flee the scene before the return fire lays waste to it? An automotive of some kind, be it a car, truck, van, motorcycle, rocket sled whatever. What do all of these things need to operate? FUEL. Who gets first dibs on all the fuel that comes into Gaza (as well as everything else)? HAMAS. What does Hamas do with their fuel? KILL ISRAELIS. Who provides Hamas with fuel? ISRAELIS. Who provides the vast majority of electricity and water for the population that put Hamas into power? ISRAELIS. What do 68% of Palestinians think is a legitimate way to defend Islam? SUICIDE BOMBINGS AGAINST CIVILIANS. What people do 77% of Palestinians have an unfavorable rating of? AMERICANS. Who are the loudest supporters of Palestinians? AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS.

Who suffers for all of this? Israelis. Americans. Jews. Who allows it to happen? Israelis. Americans. Jews. Who, often FUNDS and ENCOURAGES their own suffering? Israelis. Americans. Jews.



Sanction of the victim.

Is it starting to click yet? In the end, it's not about Palestinian radicalism, Palestinian corruption, or ineffective Palestinian "leadership". The guiltiest man in the room isn't Hasan Nasrallah, Ismail Haniyeh, Mahmoud Abbas or even Mahmoud Ahmedinejad.

It's you. It's me. Like Hank Rearden WE are the ones that perpetuate this situation. WE are the ones that allow it to happen. And it is our fault because we should KNOW BETTER. And it isn't even that Barack Obama or Hilary Clinton's or Ehud Olmert's misguided policies allow the other side to succeed. Who put these in power? WE DID.

And by we I mean Jews who overwhelmingly swept Obama into power by giving him 77% of their vote and continue to defend their decision STILL TODAY, even as Iran continues to move towards nuclear weaponization and Israel's future hangs in the balance. This isn't to say of course that everyone who voted for Obama doesn't like Israel, but it's hard to claim you are a pro-Israel activist if you don't do the most basic thing you can do in a democracy if you care about something.

That is to VOTE for the people who will support it as opposed to people who will throw it under a bus.

This should be so obvious to us and yet still we pretend that it somehow makes us more virtuous to work (or at least vote) against our own best interests even as our actions directly or indirectly aid our would-be murderers.

This HAS to change. The clock is ticking.

____________________________________________


In the next installment: PERPETUATION, we will explore the roots of this desire to suffer and learn why this phenomenon is found in both the left and right wings of the international Jewish community.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

viva israel

Gideon said...

Very minor nitpick in otherwise excellent article. It's Hank Rearden with and "e" not an "o".

nojizyatax said...

I say now & have always said that Israel should control all of the land by military force. It isn't about land. It is about Jews being in land that the Muslims claim for ISLAM. It is their religion stupid! Long live Israel & may her borders continue to grow until Syria & Jordan no longer exist. I spit on Hamas & Hezbollah & the dogs that fund them, even those in our own government.

Anonymous said...

Dear Ron,
Yes, I read that book, a marvelous masterpiece by Ayn Rand.
Let me share my own personal tale with you as I live in own country as productive minority like a Isreal/Jews among Arabs.
I was brought up in a country (Malaysia) with media that spewed hatred on Jew almost everyday in our media. Yes it never stopped until it lead me to find out why Jew was so hated.
Then I realized, my own country hated me so much being as the most productive minority , even we paid our taxes to fund building of those mosque, whatever that was preached in it, was hatred back on us, yes, the productive minority tax payer.
No matter what amount of appeasement, it never seemed to stop. Then I realized, while the productive minority was making headway in cooking up opportunities, new inventions that makes money and roll the economic, those that sit back and expecting unearned greatness with handout, was essentially left behind, they cannot keep up with the pace,only thing they usually did is whining at the opportunities being stolen away by the productive few, continuing the circle of hatred.
-Albert See.

RonMossad said...

Thanks Gideon - I always make that mistake

RonMossad said...

Hi John, not sure we want to control Syria and Jordan although Petra is certainly beautiful. Thanks for the support.

RonMossad said...

Albert, the sad truth is that jealousy of more successful/productive members of society has been converted (through generations of indoctrination) into a guilt-complex for those successful people. The dregs of society then take advantage of that guilt by acting as if it is their God-given right to demand a share of the wealth.

However, I differ with Rand on the idea of charity. Whereas she seems to denounce it and glorify pure selfishness I think it IS a virtue to help someone in need to be successful. The key is that it has to be of your own volition. No one has the right to demand that I help them AND (perhaps most importantly) the ideal situation isn't to give someone a handout, but rather the skills to make them self-sufficient. The old "teach a man to fish" adage is what comes to mind.

There are of course people who can never be taught to fish because they're just simply incapable of it (due to physical or mental handicaps) and I am a strong believer in showing these people mercy and picking them up as a society.

HOWEVER.

It can not and should not be forced on anyone who is themselves incapable or unwilling to help. Forcing morality on others is the true root of all evil.

AND

It can NOT and must NOT be given to anyone who is even remotely capable of helping themselves.

If someone is willing to undertake a study that proves that Palestinians as a whole are unable to look after themselves (and therefore need to be recipients of foreign or Israeli assistance), I'd love to see it.

Then again, anyone who proves that would also simultaneously prove they are incapable of maintaining their own state/sovereignty...

dee said...

I agree with John, the "Israeli-Palestinian problem" has nothing to do with land and everything to do with the evil ideology of Islam. Only fools and politicians believe that if Israel ceased to exist today, tomorrow would see the soldiers of Allah return peaceably to the fields.

As I argued in the immediate aftermath of the Six Day War, Israel should have taken her one opportunity in recorded history during which the non-Muslim world rooted for the Jews, to evacuate the West Bank and Gaza of its 'Palestinians', into Jordan and Egypt.

The government blinked, or perhaps decided to demonstrate what gracious people the Jews are in victory, and though only time will tell I firmly believe in doing so it also sealed the fate of the Jewish State.


For what it's worth, I also believe that by around halfway through this century, just half a lifetime away, if there is still a country called Israel it will hold a Jewish minority. Quite aside from the bloodbath that would likely herald such an event, one of the consequences of this would be the choice of yet another and this time definitive era of dispersal, or survival of sorts by those willing to settle for dhimmitude.


David, Thailand

RonMossad said...

Oh I agree whole-heartedly about the missed opportunity after the 6 Day War. While I'm not in favor of forced relocation for anyone, the Israelis should have gone all the way to the capitals and forced a complete, unconditional surrender and demanded that the responsibility for the Palestinian "refugees" be taken by Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, etc. I think they could have encouraged many of the Palestinians to leave the West Bank of their own volition at that point as well. And then begun settling right away and in very large numbers.

But it's hindsight my friend. After the 6 Day War Israelis felt the way Americans felt after the Cold War finally ended - that is, it was the end. We won, it's over and we'll all live happily ever after.

I disagree entirely that Israel will ever be a Jewish minority...well maybe not EVER because who knows what will be in 1,000 years...but certainly not in the lifetimes of anyone living today. The Arab demographic time bomb was largely unsubstantiated fear based on faulty Palestinian data.

The real danger right now is Iran. That's where our energy must be focused on...stopping them from getting the Bomb. Also the rocket threat to the North and attacks on the South MUST be addressed...but in terms of existential threat to Israel, right now it starts and ends with Iran. That doesn't mean we'll have peace, because like you I agree that this will never end as long as radical Muslims are running the Middle East - but the winds of change as slowly and quietly beginning to sweep over the Arabs. I'm actually very positive about the future.

As long as we stop Iran that is...

Hakarmaskannar said...

Thank you for the great series.
I would just like to correct you on a reply you made, rather than the article itself.
Ayn Rand did not denounce Charity; she stated that it is neither virtuous nor sinful, but that it should be done based on your system of values. Giving just because you feel you should would be wrong, but if you value the work being done there is nothing wrong with devoting a commensurate amount of your efforts/resourses to help, as long as you understand the heirarchy of your values, and don't donate either to the detrement of a higher value in the long term.

Thanks again, and I am looking forward to the rest of the series.

RonMossad said...

Thank you for your support Hakarmaskannar, you'll be excited to know that Part III is already up!

As for Rand's view of charity, perhaps my characterization of it was something of an oversimplification...but the overall picture - based on what you're saying - I'm not sure I agree that giving should only happen if you value the "work being done" simply because there are some people that are literally incapable of working and for one reason or another have no support system to keep them from starvation.

Where I agree 100% is that it should not be seen as an obligation by ANYONE. For example, everytime I fly to Israel I take an extra suitcase filled with clothes for donation (ideally to people who were affected by Palestinian rocket attacks in Sderot or Northern Israel). Often I have spare room so I'll ask my friends if they have anything to give as well.

Now if they do give something, that's great - but if they don't that's fine too...it is not for me or ANYONE ELSE to judge someone's financial situation EVER. Rand might allow for this behavior as an exception to the rule because I clearly derive some satisfaction from doing this, but in my opinion it's irrelevant whether I enjoy doing it...I just think it's the "right" thing to do. I don't judge anyone for NOT doing it, but for me, I feel as though it's important to support the people that are victims are clear injustice through no fault of their own.

And that's the key to virtuous charity I think - no fault of their own. This is why giving to a victim of terrorism or a hurricane is good but perpetuating a system where someone can have a free apartment, free food and spending money without doing ANYTHING really is unacceptable.

Anyway, I thank you for your comments and hope you continue to come by the site.

Anonymous said...

هل من الممكن الانضمام الي جهاز المخبرات الموساد ان امكن ذلك

RonMossad said...

Salaam u'aleykhum Mr. Anonymous...could you please repeat your statement in English?

مرحبا السيد المجهول! أرجو أن أكرر البيان الخاص في اللغة الإنجليزية؟