See you at the Demonstration: Protestors Remember the Refugees, Forget the Jews
Mass protests against the newly minted presidency of Donald Trump have become a cultural phenomenon. Thousands of earnest snowflakes, sanctimonious college professors and outraged celebrities have joined forces in a desperate attempt to ‘let them in.’
Gidon BenZvi
From JFK, to Dulles, to LAX, airports across the United States that were once merely a series of runways and maintenance facilities have magically morphed into loud, proud, swirling post-modern carnivals for the airing of grievances – real, imagined, or induced by the copious ingestion of Xanax [for anxiety disorders], Vicodin [powerful pain relief] or Klonopin [for seizures].
Despite the freaky holiday atmosphere of these guerilla-style open air festivals, frequent comparisons of today’s Muslim refugees to yesterday’s Jewish refugees require a serious, sober response.
In the 1930s, hundreds of thousands of Jews tried to escape the clutches of a European continent being rapidly overrun by the Nazi war machine. While beginning their new lives in Jewish ghettos on the Lower East Side of New York, the Fairfax District of Los Angeles and other places, such insular accommodations were nothing more than pit stops on the long, hard road towards assimilation into the wider American society.
Of course, there were Jewish gangsters, hustlers, prostitutes and thieves. But even these rogues were acting out of a misguided desire to fulfill the American dream – in the quickest manner possible, even if it meant lying, cheating or killing.
Having been given a second chance at life, the vast majority of newly arrived Jews worked liked mad to reach Nirvana on earth: the American middle class. The sons and daughters of these refugees were raised on the thoroughly American values of hard work, thrift and love of country. In virtually every facet of life, American Jews have blended into the American mainstream, a bright patch of color on a brilliant national mosaic.
Meanwhile, a disturbingly large amount of the citizens residing in the seven countries listed on Trump’s refugee moratorium hold alarmingly retrograde views on Western Civilization. Specifically, 10-15 percent of Muslims believe in applying Shari’a, Islamic law, in its totality. These are Islamists who want to implement a medieval code that calls for restricting women, subjugating non-Muslims, violent jihad and establishing a caliphate to rule the world.
In other words, ISIS and other terrorist groups did not come into being ex nihilo. The rulers of these seven countries, either due to benign neglect or actual complicity, have enabled the rise of Jihadism.
But what about the poor, benighted moderate Muslim citizens of these failed states and the fervent belief of many progressive thinkers that those seeking to start a new life in the United State also seek to assimilate into American society and embrace American values?
The numbers paint a different portrait of the mythological moderate Muslim. 38.6 percent of Western Muslims believe the 9/11 attacks were justified, according to a 2011 Gallup Poll. In addition, the Polling Company CSP Poll from 2015 found that 38 percent of Muslim-Americans say Islamic State (ISIS) beliefs represent Islam or are correct. This poll also found that 51 percent of Muslim-Americans believe that they should be allowed to be judged by Shari’a courts.
Lest I be accused of being a buzzkill, I humbly suggest that these inconvenient truths needn’t throw a wrench into the rolling worldwide circus passing for a social protest movement. The thing about selective moral outrage is that it’s…selective. As such, why not grow the ‘let them in’ tent to include marches against six of the seven banned countries that do not accept Israeli passports because the holders are Jewish?
Gidon Ben-Zvi is an accomplished writer who left behind Hollywood starlight for Jerusalem stone. After serving in an IDF infantry unit for two-and-a-half years, Gidon returned to the United States before settling in Israel, where he aspires to raise a brood of children who speak English fluently – with an Israeli accent. Ben-Zvi also contributes to The Algemeiner, The Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post , Truth Revolt, American Thinker and United with Israel.
Eion Isaac… you fund “A” peace loving Islamist? What is his/her name. Any chance of a photo or this incredibly rare person? Give sanctuary to the Christian Arabs leave the muslims to fight their own battles in their own countries. Keep them away from the rest of the world and inparticulare get every Arab out of Biblicalv IsraeL.
It has to be remembered with great sadness and anger that the Islamic Lands close to Eastern Europe took in very few Jewish people fleeing starvation death by slave labour and then genocide .
Romania Hungary Greece even Poland was close yet unlike in 1492 Turkey shut its ports as in the Struma Tradgedy November 1941 .
British Mandated Palestine started draconian restrictions from 1936 after the Arabs lands said to Britain:Stop the Jewish Escape or we will actively ally with the Nazis a horrific blackmail .
Certainly the Religious Minorities and peace loving Islamists escaping Shari -Law or Baath Mass Murder type regimes ought be accepted after tough security checks but the UN the USA and Russia or set up Safe Sanctuary zones in the War Torn lands they have the Capacity .