Posted on 08/14/2014 6:42:13 AM PDT by SJackson
I never wanted to be Jewish.
I never wanted to speak for a people who are not mine by blood, even if I have friends who are as close to me as family. But somehow I ended up doing both. Make no mistake, I don’t believe I am suddenly a Jew because I put on a kippah, and I do not think I have the right to speak for a people who undergo this stuff daily with no respite. I just know that to the world, when I put on the kippah, I suddenly change. I know that if I simply take off the kippah I can go back to “fitting in” but I am refusing to do it because its dishonest.
I am pale-skinned for a Metis. When I’m wearing my glasses, I can easily “pass” as a “white Canadian”, but the bigotry towards my people almost always manifests when people find out I am in fact an Indian. I have now seen it’s even worse for a Jew, because people assume that all these asshats feel comfortable being ignorant in the light of day, not just behind closed doors.
I didn’t set out last week to do anything more than show solidarity with my Jewish friends, other than perhaps make a point that Canada isn’t the Canada it purports to be. I assumed I would probably be enlightened, but what I learned actually shocked me. I am not being heroic, I am not doing anything that anyone with a conscience wouldn’t do. I think that the world in general, but especially Canada, would be a better place if we tried harder to see the world through other peoples eyes. Especially people who undergo true marginalization.
So now for the fun stuff, what I saw and experienced so far.
First off, people tend to ask really personal questions. One woman asked me if I was circumcised, which took me aback as I didn’t expect questions about my penis! I generally don’t talk about my penis or to it actually; even though it tends to make most of my important decisions, it stays under cover. Why someone would ask me if I was circumcised, I will never know considering the fact that Catholics and many other Canadians actually circumcise their kids. I answered her by saying “ Well Indians have some extra so we don’t mind cutting off the tip. It makes things more fair.”
I also noticed that I get a large number of glares, something that actually bothered me more than I thought it would. As much as I look like an large angry man, I generally am friendly towards most people, so it was a shock to have people I didn’t know glare at me. It didn’t make me defensive, it made me angry. I literally wanted to ask them “Do you have a problem with me?”
I had people tell me they didn’t think I should wear something so offensive, which I found odd. I have some T shirts that even I think are offensive, yet nobody in Canada has ever said a word to me, even when I wore a T shirt with a woman in a hijab saying “ Thank you for not provoking my uncontrollable lusts.” Or “Save the trees, wipe your ass with an owl.” So can someone explain to me why a simple cap with some Hebrew on it is considered to be so damn offensive?
The last one is the most annoying, the “reasonable” guy who explains how he doesn’t hate Jews, he hates Zionists, and the Rothschilds and the people who control the banks and the media who happen to be Jewish. I met two of those guys, the asshats not the Rothschilds. On the asshat scale they are about a 10.5. I have no doubt they tell themselves they aren’t bigots, but what they say is every bit as offensive to me as the one guy who told me I was a genocidal baby killer. The odd thing is that wearing a kippah doesn’t mean you support Israel. I have debated Jewish people like Lucas Koerner who wore a kippah and hates Israel. I wish that kid would walk through one of these neighbourhood wearing his kippah. Maybe he would understand why the world needs Israel.
I am halfway through the week, the week I decided to wear a Kkippah. I have had some good experiences but they have been vasty outweighed by ignorance and outright bigotry. I think people are unaware of the bigotry. I have to believe that this is the case because if they knew and still said nothing , I would have to say they are asshats.
I am not going to stop calling out racism and bigotry and I am going to shine a light on what I believe to be the last “acceptable” form of prejudice.
Update: You can hear an interview with me speaking about my experiences wearing a kippah over here.
..................
This man experienced overt hostility and bigotry while wearing a kippah in of all places Canada. His experience underscores a broader reality that the Israelis must confront.
Changing demographics, a woeful ignorance of history in general and the Holocaust in particular is lessening support for Israel in the West. There is also rising open antisemitism. Boycotts and demonstrations are now being seen.
The policies and two elections of Obama did not happen in a political vacuum. Today the WSJ reports the confusion within the Administration when Israel requested resupply. during the 1973 Yom Kippur war, Nixon with widespread political support promptly resupplied Israel and even positioned the 6th Fleet into a bellicose position. Does anyone see Obama repeating those actions today?
Yet Israel is facing even greater challenges in the near future. The bizarre theocratic hostile Iranian dictatorship has a nuclear capability. The widespread photographs of destruction and death in Gaza has brought worldwide sympathy to the Palestinians and harsh criticism to Israel. There is now strong international pressure to give Gaza an open port. Hamas still rules and seeks to rearm with more sophisticated and stealthy missiles.
Israel faces the stark reality that they must confront these issues without the degree of Western support they once had.
One statement he made, that it was the last acceptable forms of bigotry, that is discrimination against Jews got my attention. In reality he is wrong, it is more than Jews. It now seems acceptable to denigrate many religious groups. It is quickly becoming OK to discriminate against Catholics. It is already OK to discriminate against or give ill treatment to Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons. Soon the evangelicals will be thrown into the mix too. It will get worse and worse until any Christian group is thrown in the mix of OK groups to give ill treatment to.
We have indeed in this country started sliding way down the slippery slope.
When I grow up, I want to be a Jew.
Those who hate all things Jewish do so because they hate their God.
The one true God has loved Israel with an everlasting love. If their God was not the true God then no one would care about them. The reality of the Jewish people still being Jewish, despite the suffering, proves their God is real....A Trinity which is my God too.
One big reason I am not Jewish is bacon and the baby back rib. However, I am very good friends with Israelis and I support them 100%. If not for the Egyptian Army and the Kurdish people, I may have a completely opposite view of Islam.
May God Bless the IDF and the Israeli people.
It’s true.
I also personally poured fluoride in your water to pollute your precious bodily fluids.
You do know there are such things as turkey bacon and beef ribs.
There’s actually a restaurant in Tel-Aviv (I think the name is “Trief” — means “not kosher”) that does things like make kosher bacon cheesburgers (turkey bacon, soy cheese).
Never eaten there, as it seems a bit like cheating, but I understand it is very good.
The Current FReepathon Pays For The Current Quarter's Expenses?
Hard to carry in NYC.
I finally got approved for a SW 686 plus 357 as a carry. Permitting cost me about $5K in legal fees.
Shalom and good hunting!
WOW!
A Pox on that!
A Pox on NYC for infringing on the Right to bare arms in such a way.
More Progressive Tyranny, not the Iron Boot, but Miles of Red Tape and Regulations, slowing eroding your rights. >:(
So I take it you can't take it with you when you fly back to Israel?
Me too. I already worship their God and one of their carpenters.
Testify, brother.
I live in Central Texas where the beef rib is king!
My favorite is at Louie Mueller BBQ in Taylor, Texas. The beef rib is too big for a normal person to eat so we often share it.
I wondered the same thing. At first glance I thought it was the tablecloth a lot of Arabss wear on their head, but the pattern is different. Maybe he doesn’t know exactly what a Tallit is and just grabbed something.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.