Ignorance is not bliss…writes Michael Kuttner
Benjamin Franklin said it best when he stated: “We are all born ignorant but one must work hard to remain stupid.”
Michael Kuttner
This quote came to mind when surveying the events of the past week. One does not these days expect too much common sense from political leaders or media mavens but even low expectations are being beaten by stupidity of the lowest order.
A round-up of a few examples should serve to illustrate the level of ignorance, mostly self-induced, which passes for leadership these days.
Although at first glance, North Korea and its megalomaniac glorious leader for life, have nothing to do with Israel, in actual fact a closer look at what is happening there reveals a deeply disturbing and dangerous scenario. In reality the trail leads directly to Iran and therefore whatever North Korea gets away with you can be sure that the Mullahs of Tehran ultimately benefit. The best example of impotent ignorance has been the utterly futile attempts to prevent North Korea from obtaining the nuclear bomb. Bill Clinton in 1994 triumphantly proclaimed:
“This is a good deal for the United States.”
“North Korea will freeze and then dismantle its nuclear program. South Korea and our other allies will be better protected. The entire world will be safer as we slow the spread of nuclear weapons.”
By 2002 this triumph of American diplomacy lay in tatters as it was revealed that in actual fact North Korea had secretly enriched uranium and developed nuclear capabilities. We all know what has happened since then. Obviously the experts in the White House and State Dept. are still wallowing in blissful ignorance. After the recent nuclear test the US Administration told everyone not to worry because it’s not a hydrogen bomb. A month later they admitted that well maybe it was sort of after all. Now the North Koreans are testing long range missiles with the excuse that they are sending a satellite into space. Murray McCully the New Zealand Foreign Minister joined other colleagues on the UN Security Council in huffing and puffing but as we know only too well this will not have the slightest deterrent effect. None of these events has diminished the enthusiasm for the recently touted Iranian “deal”. The amazing part is that the rhetoric is the same and witnessing the craven pilgrimages to Tehran makes one realize that mercantile mendaciousness wins every time.
The bottom line is a complete and deliberate denial of the fact that a terror-sponsoring Iran has contracted out the testing of bombs and missiles to its agents on the Korean peninsula. They are safe in the knowledge that a morally corrupt international community will avert its gaze and instead plunge headlong after the billions of dollars released as a reward for an utterly defective and worthless piece of paper. Only a deliberate ignoramus will refuse to acknowledge that the prime target for Iran’s ambitions is Israel but that is what we face today. A veritable army of ignoramuses strut the world stage at the moment while potential victims such as Israel and South Korea are targeted. South Korea may believe that Obama has its backing but I doubt there are many Israelis except on the extreme left who think the same.
Israeli leaders shout daily about the hate and incitement emanating from Palestinian Authority media and spokespersons. The overwhelming evidence points to this constant stream of lies and jihad glorification as the reason for the current wave of stabbings, ramming, shooting and murder attempts of Israelis by our “peace partners”. Minors as young as 12 have been caught and when questioned have admitted that they have been motivated by their media, leaders, teachers and parents in many cases to become “shaheeds” (martyrs). Taking all these factors into account I wrote to the Prime Minister’s office spokesperson on behalf of J-Wire, as follows:
At long last the Israel Government is bringing to the attention of the international community the daily doses of incitement and hate broadcast from the official Palestinian Authority radios and television channels. The recent spate of terror attacks are of course directly related to this continual stream of media incitement. In view of this fact can you explain why Israel does not shut down the radio & TV stations concerned? I believe that Israel allocated specific wavelengths to the PA. If that is correct why do we not block or cancel them? This would seem to be the simplest and most efficient means of stopping this tirade of hate. After all, we know that the international community is not the slightest bit interested in doing anything so as usual it is up to Israel.
In a related subject, new school textbooks are being used in PA and UNRWA schools. These continue to incite against Jews and Israel. What does the Government intend to do about them? Hate education and indoctrination for war & terror starts in school and then continues in the media. Instead of waiting for the UN to act, which it never will, is it not time for Israel to take the initiative?
I look forward to your response.
This was sent on 26 January. As at this time there has been no response. Does this mean that the Government has no desire to shut down the source of this incitement? If not, why not? There is no point in lamenting the situation at the UN when it is perfectly clear from the recent remarks of Ban Ki Moon that he holds Israelis responsible for their own demise. Unless we take concrete action nothing will change, in fact it will get worse.
Two seemingly unrelated items rated only a passing mention in our local media and almost inevitably were ignored in your media. Both of them demonstrate the ongoing refusal by our misnamed “peace partners” to accept a valid and legal Jewish presence here.
The first was the total rejection of any Jewish right to pray at Robinson’s Arch which is the extension of the Western Wall set aside for alternative prayer services. It is clear from the reaction of Jordanian and Palestinian Arab spokespersons that any sort of Jewish claim to these last vestiges of the Temple are in their eyes provocative and illegal. As part of wiping out any Jewish connection the Kottel (Western Wall) is always referred to as the Al Buraq wall. In other words Jews have no historical claim, any right to be there at all, let alone pray. Yet, despite this clear message, there are many who ignore the obvious and still believe that giving half of our Capital to those who delegitimize our very presence here will usher in an era of peace and tolerance.
The second event was the astounding statement made by Saeb Erekat, the ludicrously titled PA peace negotiator who declared: “if you ignore us we will have to blow up planes and buses again.”
This clarion call of terror intent by someone who the UN Security Council wants us to embrace raised nary a peep, either from the international community or even from our own mesmerized peace at any price hallucinators.
This self-induced ignorance of actuality will produce fatal results unless counter action is taken.
Those who refuse to act now should take note of a definition of stupidity that describes the situation perfectly:
“Knowing the truth, seeing the truth but still believing the lies…”
Michael Kuttner is a Jewish New Zealander who for many years was actively involved with various communal organisations connected to Judaism and Israel. He now lives in Israel and is J-Wire’s correspondent in the region.
As the Arabs in the (“WEST BANK”) Samaria & Judea kwwp telling us they want to be “Self Ruling” etc. etc. Why don’t we give them a bit of a hand. Let them supply their own electricity and water. Don’t let them into Israel, that includes all Biblical Israel and Jerusalem, and supply their own jobs. Just to start with. Close All Boarders to Arabs, including Gaza.
I have long been puzzled as to why Israel has not shut down the PA radio/ TV channels. These antisemitic programs are funded by the EU , the same EU that ” condemns ” Antisemitism. Now, after acting”tough”, Israel has reset and “normalised” its ties with the EU, which will resume its place in the Quartet. So we have a dysfunctional situation where Israel complains of PA incitement but elevates the EU role in the “peace process” which funds the incitement. Don’t expect a response to your query, because no rational response is possible.
Yes, Leon, Hitler could have been stopped when he invaded the Saar region in violation of the Versailles treaty and when he demanded the Sudetenland.
The West was very happy to see Hitler oppose the atheistic Bolsheviks and they were happy to pay for his ambitions with Jewish blood and Czechoslovak independence.
Now the world is again prepared to pay tyrants for peace with Jewish blood and it is offended that Jews are too ungenerous to see that their extermination would benefit everyone.
The trouble is that those wonderful enlightened humanitarians and businessmen are too stupid to appreciated that after Jews are vaporised, they submit or they are next. Churchill’s comment about the crocodile is apt.
Michael – I love your work – well researched and
Well articulated.
I’m wondering in subsequent articles whether
You could write in strategies – solutions, answers
To the many real and palpable facts that threaten Israel and
Indeed the rest of the globe.
We will NEVER be able to read about what Israeli
Intelligence is doing or thinking or planning however
People like you – with your finger on the pulse
Necessitate articulating SOLUTIONS – both political and
Parochial !
What on earth can we do (that we aren’t already- and would you REALLY know anyway)
To stop IRAN and North Korea and the UN Security Council and ….tens of other STUPID
Countries and organizations DEAD IN THEIR TRACKS?
Thank you again for your continued work.
How about dropping a few bombs or rocket on some selected Iranian sites before its Russian S-300 batteries arrive? How about doing it from temporarily occupied bases in Yemen?
Sitting around agonising over what is the bestest of best course of action to avoid action is not the answer.
There is a rabbinic recommendation: if you know that your enemy is coming to kill you, get up sooner and go out to kill him.
Michael, you assume that the reactions and behaviour generally of the “West” or so-called “international community” are products of ignorance: I would challenge that assumption.
These people know the truth but their motivation is malevolent, base and ultimately will harm, if not destroy them.
The analogy with the 1930’s seems very apt.
“The world” knew very well what Nazi Germany was doing and what its aspirations were:
Winston Churchill, however, was almost a lone voice speaking the truth. Few paid attention. The consequence………
Unfortunately Leon , Churchill was more than
A minute too late. He may have known and the
Nazi regime annihilated (ultimately ) but CHURCHILL was benign in the greater
Scheme. We MUST learn from the CHURCHHILL paradigm.
Timing is EVERYTHING
Leon – Let me clarify. The international community’s policies towards Israel are based on DELIBERATE ignorance which in turn leads to malicious and deliberate attitudes. Without doubt latent or active anti Jewish phobias lead inevitably to anti Israel obsessions which in turn lead to deliberate ignoring of painful truths and reality.
Erica – thanks for your comments. In order for a successful counterattack to be mounted against the haters, deniers and delegitimizers we need fearless leadership and leaders who are proud Jews, proud of our heritage with bold proactive ideas. We need a Moses,Joshua and Devorah. Where are these people to be found today? That’s the problem.