When I received the following link to hard right Israeli broadcaster Arutz 7, being circulated by pro-McCain people, I was tempted to ignore it. Claiming that Hamas is supporting Obama in the presidential election, they suggest that supporting Obama is somehow supporting Hamas. The claim itself is beneath contempt. But when the left uses the same grotesque methods, it's time to notice the twisted irony and speak out.
Beliefnet's Progressive Revival circulates a piece by New York Times Columnist Nicholas Kristof which engages in the exact same fear mongering. Though in this case, it's an attack on John McCain and the terror group of choice is Al Qaeda. Kristof wants us to know that some Qaeda affiliated (whatever that means) website was supportive of McCain. So from this we are supposed to conclude that support for McCain serves the needs of Al Qaeda and that we should vote accordingly.
It's amazing how low each side is willing to go in this race. And it really is a race to the bottom in which both the left and the right will stop at nothing to win. Sadly, that is a trait that the operatives on both sides share with the terror groups that they invoke to intimidate their opponents. I wonder if they think about that.
Perhaps the most disturbing part is that they wouldn't do it if it didn't work. What does that say about the rest of us?
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Author, radio and TV talk show host, and President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Brad Hirschfield is the author of 
I,too have found this election to be unlike any that I've ever experienced! People seem to be obsesseed, crazed and plain hungry to accept whatever rumors are put across the internet or spoken without collaboration. A big influence is the internet and the speed in which news comes across much of which lacks complete information. In any case it is a sign of the times and the way of the future! I kinda feel as if we are on a major brink of change with positive things to come and I'm not basing that upon the candidates. It's a combination of the WALL street greed that has brought us to our knees, the soul seaching that has touched most of us as we've been forced to see the ugliness of racism and sexism. It's as if the very worst of our society is surfacing --- like a cleansing. Life could be so simple but we do a great job to make it difficult. Ultmately when we get on the other side and our economy grows maybe through this time of humility we'll be able to offer the next generation a healthier foundation!
Berta and Scott and Manny too if you're still reading these...
Thank you for renewing some of my faith in humanity by posting. I was quite worked up over some of the recent posts (on this thread and others) and how much hate is being spewed on a faith based website. After posting last night I realized that much of the posts are nothing more than Motzei Shem Rah which I decided to take no part in.
It's similar to the Teaching Tolerance idea of when the kkk comes to your town for a rally to leave, close your stores, hotels, bars, etc so they have noone to preach their hate to. If you are unwilling to listen then the hate stops there. Of course people who spread hate and lies will often continue until they find someone who will listen and respond which simply breeds more hate.
I am a huge supporter of educating those who are ignorant, racist, anti-semetic, etc. but when it involves me in some of the things on here then it is just not worth it. I can fight these sad realities of America and the world in other ways than having to subject myself to some of the people on this site and their hate for people based on their beliefs, race, ethnicity and religion. They are sadly misguided and I can only hope they do not teach such hate to future generations.
I plan to go back out Tues. morning to help get voters to the polls so the majority voice in American can finally be heard...loud and clear. The world can not be repaired if we don't start with CHANGE. Shalom.
The Obama Cult members are dillusional. They either do not have the genetic ability to reason critically or that ability has been actively suppressed by parents and the education system.
We have proof enough that this is true. George Orwell's book, '1984', is required reading for most American high school and college students. The book is a condemnation of collective thinking and intellectual suppression. It is horrifying vision of a society in which individualism is dead. But the Obamanoids can obviously read '1984' and not recognize their ideology and themselves in it.
Is not political correctness a subtle form of thought control? Do the speech police of the left not demand their own form of 'Newspeak'? They obviously do believe, contrary to all historical evidence, that a more tyrannical government will ensure greater liberty. Less freedom is more freedom. Weakness creates security. Taxation creates prosperity. Regulation creates efficiency. Limited speech is more free that unlimited free speech.
The left is already living in a self-created '1984' world, and they are too blind to see it.
Dillusional, Illusioned,confused or just full of hatred...
I am filled with frustration that we are engaged in such nonsense. What does Torah say about all this? "...collective thinking and intellectual suppression" and in which of these are you operating? Stop thinking with feelings and begin to 'think' with the mind HaShem has given.
I don't care for whom you vote, as long as you bother to search for truth and vote intelligently - not based on race, ethnicity, crude scare tactics, gender, etc. Tell me, which candidate has actually said anything that is of true substance and value? Which one has given clear statements about what they will do to help with the economy, the enviromment, education, health-care, support of Israel? And which one can actually carry out his promises without congress and othe interest groups? Lets come off our high horses and humble ourselves - we are choosing between two imperfest beings who are making imperfect promises to imperfect people.
See, posters like Itsnottoolate, who write things like "They either do not have the genetic ability to reason critically or that ability has been actively suppressed by parents and the education system." need to be banned from these blogs.
They are incapable of writing a post without ad hominem attacks, which are against the Beliefnet Rules of Conduct.
I have reported this to a staff member and they have said they will clean these blogs up. I would strongly suggest people read the ROC that they agreed to when they signed up. It will be enforced.
Thank you.
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