THE DIOGENES REPORT
The Wit, Wisdom & Wituperation of Emanuel L. Strunin
“a few steps ahead of the curve”
April 2004, VOL. IV, # 14
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ARABS ASSURED OF NO CHANGE IN U.S. POSITION

The following news story ran on Arutz-7 on April 18 and I believe it is true, which confirms my belief the U. S. administrations—Republican and Democrat—are fair-weather friends of Israel, at best. It further confirms my opinion that the Israeli leaders are all unethical scumbags (Please send me an e-mail if you want my complete unvarnished opinion of them.) I do not think that Sharon is stupid enough to believe that he won a victory in Washington, but he is shifty enough to feel that he and Bush generated enough smoke to blind a large segment of the Israeli public. He also feels confident that he can "bribe” a cadre of his fellow politicians to blow the smoke so that it blinds the rank and file members of the Likud Party.

Washington-- The Bush administration has assured Arab states that Israel's unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank would not harm Palestinian demands for the return of refugees to their homes in what became the Jewish state.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and his aides have been briefing Arab leaders on the U.S. endorsement of the Israeli withdrawal plan. U.S. officials said Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's proposed withdrawal provides the Palestinians with a state as well as thousands of Israeli homes.

"The Palestinians will take those settlements openly," U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said. "For the first time in how many years, the Palestinians will have direct access to an Arab neighbor [Egypt], which we hope and pray bring enormous interchange, commerce. We were very careful to say that, ultimately, this does not prejudge final status. These have to be mutually agreed by the parties."



HOW TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM

The Return of Anti-Semitism is an article By Craig Horowitz that ran in the December 15, 2003 issue of New York Magazine, but since world events have a bad habit of repeating themselves or never ending, comments at his late date can still be apt.

He opens with a review of an Anti-Defamation League conference on the rise of anti-Semitism. The first thing that hits me in the eye is that Thomas Friedman--“Uncle Tom”—is one of the speakers. The same “Uncle Tom” who blames a good deal of the Arab anti-Semitism on the Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria. The fact that this subtle media snake who masquerades as a friend of Israel is a speaker announces loud and clear that this ADL conference—like most ADL activities-- is more about show business than a substantive effort to deal with Jew-hate.

Old labels don’t apply?

Next item is Horowitz’s comments on ADL-director Abe Foxman invoking images of the Holocaust. Horowitz felt it was a mistake to view current anti-Semitism through the lens of the Holocaust. To him, “the analogy no longer holds.” He quotes Alan Dershowitz who writes “The old labels don’t apply, and the old diagnoses don’t address the problem. They substitute emotion for reason, and we can’t win this war with emotion. We need to look forward. We need to start thinking about the 2030s not the 1930s.”

Alan is wrong and Horowitz is wrong—very, very wrong. Before reason can be employed effectively we have to build up a powerful head of steam, otherwise known as emotion—JEWISH EMOTION. That’s what’s lacking in most Jewish society. This lack of Jewish emotion is really what underlies the comment of Morton Klein, head of the Zionist Organization of America, “The organized Jewish community has just not reacted strongly enough” to the rise of anti-Semitism.

Let’s start with emotion

In order to understand the brave new world of the future, we must truly understand the mean old world of yesterday. Let us not imagine that the existence of Israel is required, or is the cause, for Jew-hate. Before Israel, there were other “valid” reasons—Jews were capitalists, Jews were communists, Jews were socialists, Jews weren’t Christians, Jews weren’t Muslims, Jews killed Christ, Jews were different, etc., etc. The list is endless and meaningless. And if Israel disappeared the hatred would continue.

The first capability that the Jews need to meet the threats of anti-Semitism is a strong measure of nationwide Jewish emotion. By nationwide, I mean the Jewish nation. This emotion can only be generated from knowing, feeling and internalizing the past. Not only does this cover the Holocaust, but the Inquisition and Haman and all of the other outbursts of Jew-hate through the ages and our successes against them, as well as our mistakes. But apart from the low points, we must know and internalize the high points—and there have been myriads times myriads—of the Jewish contribution to the welfare of mankind.

Then we can start applying reason toward winning the war.

Filling the emotional vacuum

Let’s look at some of the major vacuums that show no evidence of Jewish emotion. The college campuses where so many Jewish students have internalized the outright hatred of Israel and Judaism generated by left-wing professors and fellow students. Many of those that are not downright anti are apathetic. Large numbers of these students have brought a readiness to accept these attitudes from their homes. There is no lack of reason, intelligence or “logic” in this segment of the Jewish community but there is a major absence of Jewish knowledge and Jewish emotion.

Based on his comments in the article, Horowitz may fall into the group who do not have strong Jewish passions. Referring to the rise of anti-Semitism, he writes. “For most Jews, certainly those tied to the common-sense-based, moderate, political middle, the momentum change is disorienting. How could this have happened when they believed so strongly in all the right things, like ending the occupation and dismantling the settlements? Fair-minded and compassionate, they regularly expressed concern for Palestinian suffering, and they cheered when Ehud Barak made an offer that appeared to finally clinch a peaceful two-state solution.”

We’ve been betrayed

Horowitz writes that when Arafat rejected Barak’s offer and terrorism returned in full force, “American Jews felt...angry as if they had been betrayed. If their hearts were in the right place, why hadn’t the results been better?” And further, “Suddenly, Jews find themselves less able to claim the moral high ground as they are now cast as the villains in the conflict.”

“The high moral ground” is one of the phrases often used by the Jewish critics of Israel. As an astute observer of international events noted, “the high moral ground” as defined by these critics leads directly to the gates of Auschwitz. Except for subtly suggesting that Israel commit suicide, the phrase is meaningless but it seems to resonate with those who see the world as they would like it to be rather than the way it is. Perhaps it’s their way of trying to speed up the time of the Messiah.

Despite their senseless “humanity”, the hearts of those American Jews were not in the right place. Too many Jews view the world through a distorted prism of universalism and humanitarianism which are non-existent in reality. For every imagined injustice that they see, the blame is internalized so that the Jews, Israel, the United States are always the guilty parties that must make amends. Many of these Jews whether they live in the U. S., Israel or Europe are so deeply tied into the “Jews are guilty” mindset that a heart transplant would be needed to put their hearts in the right place.

How do you fight anti-Semitism when so many of your own Semites feel that they—namely Israel—must be the cause of the latest round of Jew-hate? Building internal community strength while fending off the disease that will be with us into the foreseeable future is my answer. And, I do not feel that this is the current commitment of the Jewish community.

United we must stand

I believe that you must start immediately by focusing the battle against anti-Semitism within the Jewish community. No comment by a George Soros should go unanswered by several national Jewish leaders. Speaking platforms at Jewish institutions should not be provided Israelis or Americans whose policies lead to a weakening of the State of Israel. Institutions should be encouraged to invite effective pro-Zionist speakers to address their members. In many cases it will be the first time audiences will hear this point of view 

A greater portion of the funds that wealthy Jews give to museums and other causes should be funneled into building Jewish infrastructures on college campuses. If the rich do not recognize this need on their own, their peers, community leaders and the Jewish media should try to influence them or even shame them into being part of the fight against Jew-hate.

It is obvious that I am recommending an approach radically different from the current lackadaisical mindset. As you can see, I believe that the first and most important strategy in the war against Jew-hate is to strengthen the Jewish community. But a strong, united Jewish community may be a pipe dream.

As you also can see, Jewish college students are one of my prime targets. Here, too, along with an “infrastructure” and “agenda,” I believe a change in approach is required. I know that this is a dirty word for the liberal Jewish community, but we need a “litmus test” for the people hired to carry out the agenda. We need strong leaders who are Zionists, have a strong commitment to the values of Judaism and have more than a smidgen of knowledge about Jewish history and traditions. We cannot afford more ambivalent or ant-Zionist leaders even if they are fluent in Hebrew.

Concurrent with the college target, substantial new funding should be raised for existing and new day schools of all denominations. Also a national curriculum covering Jewish history, Israel and Zionism should be developed and offered to all schools. The funds should be allocated to those schools that have implemented this curriculum and have hired competent teachers for the program.

Since the Jewish lay leaders really fund and have ultimate control over all Jewish institutions, they should feel free to stick their noses into the day school curricula, as well as the curricula of the seminaries to judge if they are strengthening or weakening the community. Don’t throw up your hands! We are at war! Remember what happened the last time when we were not prepared.

Confront the Jew-haters

Apart from the internal fixes, the leaders of Jewish communities should be confronting college administrators and professors who are promoting anti-Israel or anti-Jewish bias. If talk doesn’t work than dry up their funding from alumni or government agencies. That always gets the attention of academics. Confrontation against ant-Semitism is more important than having tea at the White House or the governor’s mansion. Also public refutation of anti-Israel bias in the media should be conducted by major Jewish organizations instead of the few “boutiques” that are doing it now.

Perhaps my program for fighting anti-Semitism also is an approach that has to wait for the time of the Messiah, but I do know that ADL conferences; books by Alan Dershowitz; and all of the museums, hospitals, academic chairs and scientific research programs funded by Jewish philanthropists; as well as trying to be nice to Arab terrorists or Arabs in general will not halt anti-Semitism. Jew-hate is a pandemic chronic disease which flares spasmodically. While it cannot be fought with reason, a healthy body can withstand most of its damaging effects.



WE JUST CAN’T LET PASSOVER PASS

A reader sent me the following:

During one of my many trips to London, I became friends with a very wealthy, yet very modest, Jewish chap named Hyman Goldfarb. 

On one visit, Hy told me that because of his large donations to charities through the years, the Queen wanted to knight him, but he was going to turn it down. 

"That's a great honor," I said. "Why would you turn it down?" 

"Because during the ceremony you have to say something in Latin," he said. "And I don't wish to bother studying Latin just for that." 

"So say something in Hebrew. The queen wouldn't know the difference." 

"Brilliant," Hy complimented me, "but what should I say?" 

Remember that question the son asks the father on the first night of Passover? ... Can you say that in Hebrew?" 

"Of course," he said. "Ma nishtana ha laila hazeh. Thank you, old sport, I shall become a knight!" 

At the ceremony Hy waited his turn while several of the other honorees went before the Queen. Finally they called his name. He knelt before Her Majesty. She placed her sword on one shoulder and then on the other, and motioned for Hy to speak. Out came "Ma nishtana ha laila hazeh." 

The queen turned to Prince Philip and asked, "Why is this knight different from all the other knights?"


NAMES
Names that fit and names that don’t.
Here’s a clever one: Spike’s Junkyard Dogs, a frankfurter place in Allston, MA.
Here is a problematic one: a New Rochelle, NY car dealership is named Jeep Chrysler Dodge City. If memory serves, except for Wyatt Earp, Dodge City was a hangout for outlaws, rustlers, bank and train robbers and other baddies. Maybe that image fits the dealership’s sales staff.


HEADLINES AND COMMENTS
Headlines from the world’s press. Comments by Diogenes.

Charity Seeks To Transfer Money Frozen By Treasury
They only want to use the funds for underprivileged kids in Saudi Arabia who want to take flying lessons.

Arafat Shrugs Off Warning He May Be Israeli Target
Why should he worry? Sharon will warn him two hours before the attack that he should get into a bomb shelter.

Rights Advocates To Be Jailed In Syria
Why don’t we ship them some democracy from Iraq?

Annan To Introduce UN Plan To Prevent Genocide
The heads of state of all UN members will stand and recite in unison three times: “We ain’t going to practice genocide, no more.”

GOP Nominates School Board Successor To Tarzia
Janezia?

U.S. IN 2050: Minorities Rise To Half The Population
Does that mean they’ll be teaching English as a second language to everyone?

Working On Next Generation Of Robot Warriors
Why bother? Muhammad invented them 1,400 years ago.

Woman Found Not Guilty Who Stoned Two Of Her Children To Death: She Claimed God Told Her To Do It
Why didn’t the prosecutor call God to testify? He could have said that he definitely did not tell her to do it.

Blumenthal Calls For Bureau Of Indian Affairs Moratorium On Tribal Recognition
I guess calling them Injuns or Redskins isn’t recognition enough when it comes to handing out gambling casinos.

South Africa Launches AIDS Treatment Program
It will be run by the last three South Africans who are HIV-free.

Governor Of Massachusetts Seeks To Delay Same Sex Marriages
Doesn’t he realize they’re coming.

Arab Summit Meeting Collapses Over Reforms
Apparently the ministers couldn’t come to terms with words like “democracy” and “parliament” and “civil society.” I’ll bet “reforms” also was an agreement-breaker.

Speaking For Europe, Chirac Warns Iran On Inspections
Unless they sign an oil deal with France

Greenspan Calms Investors On Growth
Nothing to be concerned about. It’s only a little growth on his brain that makes him think he can predict the future.

Airport Marshals Have Strategy For Spotting Terrorists
1. Do not stop anyone wearing a kaffiyah, turban or galabiyah or waving a Koran, or a copy of The Protocols of The Elders of Zion, or holding a charter for an Islamic charity, or anyone with wires sticking out from under his coat or sticking out from his shoes. . That could be considered ethnic or religious profiling.
2. Do grab anyone wearing a “Vote for Kerry” button, or a “When Clinton Lied Nobody Died” tee shirt.

Israeli Official Freezes Funds For Settlements
He had excellent experience working for the Swiss banks handling the funds of Holocaust victims. 

Legal Experts Invited To Attend Red Mass
Putin and Castro can’t be there in person but maybe they will send representatives.

Lieberman Makes His Peace With Kerry In Florida
They agreed on not moving the American embassy to Jerusalem, not supporting a pardon for Jonathan Pollard, supporting legislation to make the “earlybird special” a national requirement and Lord knows what else.



QUOTES I LIKE
Diogenes considers them clever, not that he necessarily agrees with them.

Teams that don’t play defense as well as us aren’t playing basketball now.
     - Geno Auriemma (coach of the UCONN women during the NCAA Tournament)

My rule in international affairs is, “Do unto others as they would do unto you.”
     - Richard M. Nixon

Plus 10%.
     - Henry Kissinger

George W. Bush: Gee, that’s a toughie. You should give us a question like that in writing before the press conference.
1st Reporter: Next time I will Mr. President.
2nd Reporter: What did you ask him?
1st Reporter: How many times a day does he meet with the Vice President?
     - President’s press conference restructured by Diogenes

Grade Inflation grips America: “Administrative Professionals Day is April 21 (remember when it was “Secretaries Day?”
     - Diogenes

God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers.
      - Jewish proverb

That does not include Arab mothers.
     - Diogenes

The rabbi came home from the synagogue looking very tired, and his wife was concerned..

What was it that you spoke about that took so much out of you?

I argued that it was the duty of the rich Jews to provide for the poor on Passover.

Nu, did you convince the congregation?

I would say that it was about fifty-fifty. I convinced the poor.
     - Jewish humor

Waitress: I think parents spoil their kids now more than ever.
Cosmo: No kidding...my nephew has a TV, a DVD player, a mini-fridge and a computer in his room. When he is bad, I have to send him to my room.
     - SHOE (comic strip)

Then Nissim Mishal (Israeli interviewer) threw Begin the pitch: "But Bennie Begin, there are so many former prime ministers and chiefs of staff and others who are certain that the disengagement plan is good. How can so many people be wrong?"

Begin replied: "But Mr. Mishal, a decade ago there were so many former prime ministers and chiefs of staff and others who were certain about Oslo and they were wrong - and I was right. I am right again."
     - IMRA (Israeli news service)

The pre-1967 lines are Auschwitz borders.
     - Abba Eban

Man is a masterpiece of creation, if for no other reason than this: despite all determinism, he believes that he acts as a free agent.
     - George Christoph Lichtenberg

It is dangerous for a national candidate to say things people might remember.
     - Eugene McCarthy



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