Why this Jewish American is voting for George W. Bush

e-mail newsletter ^ | 10/19/04 | Naomi Ragen

[zeebee]

Why this Jewish American is voting for George W. Bush

By

Naomi Ragen

As you know, I'm going off on my book tour to talk about The Covenant,
a novel that tells the truth about Palestinian terrorism, and the
ordinary Israelis who have been fighting on the front lines for years.
By the time I come back, the election for President of the United
States will be over and done, and we won't have this bone of
contention to deal with, you and I. This is my last word on this topic.

But before I go, I'd like to tell you how it makes me feel when people
on my list write me that I should butt out of the U.S. election because I
live in Israel. People who write me that George W. Bush is an idiot because
he doesn't care about the environment or healthcare, or abortions.
That he lied about WMD, and shouldn't have gone into Iraq or Afghanistan.
That it's his fault the war on terror is going badly.
That they are proudly going to vote for his opponent, John Kerry,
and give me a long list of reasons why.

It makes me sickeningly angry and depressed. And this is why:

I remember seeing my mother -in- law, who survived Auschwitz, and my
father- in -law, whose first young wife and two babies were gassed
there, wearing gas masks and sitting in a sealed room with their children and
great- granchildren, because Saddam Hussein was logging bombs at us
and we were afraid he'd gas us as he did thousands of Kurds, his own
people.

I remember watching the families of suicide bombers who killed
hundreds of Israelis in the streets of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and
Netanya getting checks for $25,000 from Saddam Hussein.

I remember my daughter going to get gas masks for my grandchildren in
the recent war because we were afraid Saddam Hussein would do it
again.

I remember Arafat and Rabin on the lawn of the White House with
President Clinton smiling, forcing them to shake hands. I remember
the dozens of times Arafat came to the White House and was welcomed
like a world leader.I remember Clinton's silence when the Intifada
started, and how I felt when he wouldn't come out and condemn the
Palestinians for breaking the agreements; when he suddenly backed
off, talking about how both sides in the conflict were responsible.

I remember Clinton at the Democractic Convention, shaking hands with
Kerry.

I remember Jimmy Carter and his numerous attempts to harm Israel
during the Intifada, trying to tie it's leaders hands at defending us,
shaking hands with Kerry.

I remember how finally, after September 11, we had a President in the
White House that let us go after terrorists at home. A President that
despite the lack of support of Israel's enemies: the U.N., France,
Germany, and the rest of the EU who had been kissing Arafat's backside
for years while he killed our children, decided to take out
Saddam Hussein, and who did it, brilliantly in a few weeks, despite
all the media naysayers and back biters.

Thank you George W. Bush. For getting Saddam Hussein off Israel's back
so my children and my in-laws can put away their gas masks for good.
Thank you George W. Bush, for passing the Patriot Act, which outlaws
terrorist funding, and for going after the bankers who fund the murder
of our children.

Thank you George W. Bush, for understanding there is an Axis of Evil,
and for putting Syria and Iran on it.

Thank you, George W. Bush, for saving millions of women and girls
from a fate worse than death by getting rid of the Taliban, so they
can go to a doctor, go to school, and not be stoned publicly for not
walking around like little tents.

For all those of you who haven't made up their minds. I hope this
will help you.

As for those who sincerely believe they love Israel but are voting for
John Kerry, I'd like to say this:

You are voting for a who wants to bring the US closer to France whose
Ambassador to England called Israel " that s****y little country ";
whose former Prime Minister called the establishment of Israel a
"historic mistake" ; who has seen the most anti-Semitism of any
European nation since World War Two;who willingly supplied Hussein not
just with weapons but also with the nuclear reactor that Israel
destroyed in 1981; and who continues to supply nuclear technology to
Iran whose desire for nuclear weapons to destroy Israel is well known.
A man who wants closer ties with the EU, who continues to supply funds
being used by the Palestinians to commit terror attacks. A man who
wants approval from the UN, whose ambulances ferry terrorists in Gaza
to plant bombs to kill Israeli soldiers.

You are voting for a man who told the Arab-American Institute last
year "how disheartened Palestinians are by the Israeli government's
decision to build a barrier off the Green Line, cutting deeply into
Palestinian areas" and went on to say that "We do not need another
barrier to peace... and that provocative and counterproductive
measures only harm Israel's security over the long term." A fence
which has reduced terror attacks to almost nothing in it's areas,
saving thousands of Israeli lives.

A man who denounced the 'endless cycle of violence and reprisals"
thereby equating Israel's defensive measures to root out killers to
the murder of innocent Israelis by Palestinian terrorists; a man whose
much touted "solid Senatorial record on votes for Israel" amounts to
painless offers of moral support written and introduced by others. A
man who in 2000 didn't join 60 co-sponsors of the "Middle East
Peace Process Support Act" - a bill calling on the President not to
recognize a unilaterally declared Palestinian state; a man who failed
to co-sponsor a pro-Israel "Peace Through Negotiations Act." Who in
1993 failed to join 55 Senators in signing the Grassley/Lautenberg
letter to the State Department, demanding that Hamas be listed as a
terrorist organization. Who did not support the assassination of
Sheikh Yassin. A man who surrounds himself with Mideast "experts"
like Sandy Berger, who said in May 2000 that Palestinian violence was
" a blessing " because it might speed up the negotiating process;
Martin Indyk an ex-Ambassador to Israel who recently told Israel to
unilaterally give up the strategically vital Golan Heights to Syria
because it was the only way to get rid of Hezbollah violence, who is
widely known as Arafat's Yes-Man .

You are voting for a slick, multi-millionaire dilettante, who in twenty
years in the Senate only managed to author, or co-author the following bills.
(See http://www.factcheck.org/article282.html for all bills and the details )

S.1206: Names a federal building in Waltham, Massachusetts after
Frederick C. Murphy, who was killed in action during World War II and
awarded (posthumously) the Medal of Honor. (1994) a..

S.1636: A save-the-dolphins measure aiming "to improve the program to reduce
the
incidental taking of marine mammals during the course of commercial
fishing operations." (1994)

S.1563: Funding the National Sea
Grant College Program, which supports university-based research,
public education, and other projects "to promote better understanding,
conservation and use of America's coastal resources." (1991)

S.423: Granting a visa and admission to the U.S. as a permanent
resident to Kil Joon Yu Callahan. (1987)

H.R.1900 (S.300) Awarded a congressional gold medal to Jackie Robinson
(posthumously),
and called for a national day of recognition. (2003)

H.R.1860(S.856): Increased the maximum research grants for small businesses
from $500,000 to $750,000 under the Small Business Technology Transfer
Program. (2001)

S.J.Res.158: To make the week of Oct. 22 Oct.
28, 1989 "World Population Awareness Week." (1989)

S.J.Res.160: To renew "World Population Awareness Week" for 1991. (1991)

S.J.Res.318: To make Nov. 13, 1992 "Vietnam Veterans Memorial 10th
Anniversary Day." (1992)

S.J.Res.337: To make Sept. 18, 1992"National POW/MIA Recognition Day." (1992)

S.Res.123: To change the name of the Committee on Small Business to the
"Committee on Small
Business and Entrepreneurship." (2001)

S.Res.133: To make May 21, 1991 "National Land Trust Appreciation Day." (1991)

S.Res.144: To encourage the European Community to vote to ban
driftnets for all European Community fishing fleets. (1991 )

S.Res.216: Honoring Milton D. Stewart for his leadership and service
at the Small Business Administration. (2002)

S.Con.Res.26: Calling for the United States to support a new agreement
providing for
a ban on commercial mining of minerals in Antarctica. (1991)

For all those of you who decide that you prefer this man to one who (in the
words of one list-member) "took out Saddam Hussein, stepped on Arafat's
neck, backed Israel's war on the terrorists, and gave the EU and UN
Palestinian apologists the mighty finger" what can I say?

I wish you the joy of your conscience come voting day.

I'd also like to say this: If George W. Bush is elected (please God), do I
expect him to
do things I won't like? Do I expect him to pressure Israel into doing things I
don't approve of?
You bet I do, I'm not naive. But given my choice, I also expect to be around at
the end of the next four years
to vote again. With Kerry, I'm not so sure.

[saveliberty]

Wow! Thank you for such a heartwarming post! :)

[dennisw]

ping

[zeebee]

Naomi Ragen is an American-born novelist and playwright who has lived in Jerusalem since 1971. She has published six best-selling novels in the US, UK and Israel, and is the author of a hit play in Israel's National Theatre. Naomi also publishes a regular email newsletter, to which you can subscribe by sending an empty email message to: NaomiRagen-on@mail-list.com

[areafiftyone]

Drat another lump in my throat reading a wonderful post! I am starting to cry here at work. Beautiful post!

[philsfan24]

that was a great post. im choking up as well.

[zeebee]

It IS a great blog so I'm giving it another bump.