I told my wife the other day that I was having trouble supporting Israel’s war in Gaza as strongly as I felt I should. Jewish leaders in America, my own rabbis, and even friends make the case that Israel has a right to defend itself, but that tends to be the whole of the argument. I don’t disagree with them one bit, but seeing the destruction Israel is wreaking on civilians, it’s hard to avoid feeling that maybe this is not the most effective way to achieve long-term security, or the most moral.
Then I encountered the anti-Israel protestors in Grand Central Terminal last night on my commute home. Holding signs and shouting slogans to the effect of “Stop Israel’s massacre of Palestinians,” I felt something shift inside me, and suddenly I wanted to challenge them, to remind them of the hundreds of Hamas rockets reigning down on Israeli cities, to ask them what would happen if Mexican missiles were hitting El Paso multiple times every day.
In one of his recent blog posts on the war, Rabbi Brad Hirschfield challenges us to think beyond slogans when considering this incredibly complicated situation. That admonition was on my mind when I grew angry both at the pro-Israel boosters in my community and the anti-Israel activists on my commute. I used to envy people for whom the world was so black-and-white that everything could be reduced to a one-sentence statement of belief. Now I pity them, at best.
Among most American Jews, the very suggestion that Israel is in the wrong is considered tantamount to anti-Semitism or self-hatred–when those very views are routinely voiced in Israel by Jewish Israelis and considered mainstream there (minority and left-wing, perhaps, but not out of bounds). Amongst the American political left, the suggestion that Israel should fight fire with fire is considered equally blasphemous, regardless of the provocation that led to the assault.
The world is too complicated for this narrow-minded sloganeering. During a recent vacation to New Orleans, I noticed signs around the city that read, “Think that you might be wrong.” I never did figure out what those signs were referring to. But in response to Rabbi Hirschfield’s question, “What will bring peace?” my answer, admittedly quixotic, is that maybe, just maybe, we can all take a moment and dare to believe we might be wrong.
posted January 7, 2009 at 3:09 am
Excellent post. Thank you! Humility and honesty are good states to guide us to a solution. Peace!
posted January 7, 2009 at 12:06 pm
The title of Snoopy’s theological treatise (more than 25 years ago)was “Has it Ever Occured to You That You Might Be Wrong?” This same theme was spoken by Linus in a Sunday School class. Hooray! Schultz was once again the the vanguard of theological reflection.
Assigning blame is for fools and liars. No one cares who hit first. The world is waiting to see who will heal the rifts first. Any moron can toss a bomb or target a missle. It takes a genuine genius to find a way to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the orphaned, and treat the injured. Save the political posturing for the fashion shows. The world needs someone to grow up enough to shout “STOP” loud enough for fighters to listen. Then they need to serve lunch to everyone, start a soccer game (not along national lines), and end with a dance.
posted January 7, 2009 at 2:05 pm
I totally agree with “the world is too complicated for this narrow-minded sloganeering.”
I have read some interesting things on both sides of the situation.
“Why Now?” is one of the interesting things. The theory was now before Bush is gone.
Having no trust of anything Bush, it gives pause for thought.
I find the pro- Israel stance to be somewhat like the attacks on Rev Wright for the few seconds clips from his anti-Iraq sermons. He was damning the Bush administration, not all Americans, and other past administrations for thinking Americans are alway justifed for actions taken against another country. Other pastors said similar things in far less firely words. My pastor said we always think we are right and included a reference to gas for our SUVs.
It is not anti-American or anti- Israel to question our governments.
There are no easy answers, but we need to pray for the innocent people on both sides. They are all God’s children.
posted January 7, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Michael, thank you for putting into words what I’ve been feeling over the past few weeks.
posted January 7, 2009 at 3:51 pm
During the run-up to Iraq War, amid the chants of Blood for Oil and Lance the Boil, one of the most liberal folks I know had a sign over her desk to the effect of, What Have I Done to Keep the Peace? It is in the spirit of this post, and also shut my mouth for at least the better part of a day.