Sammy Davis Jr.

My father, several years ago, pulled me aside and said "You know, you're like Sammy Davis, Jr."

At first I thought he meant that I liked having sex with blond white women, but there was more to it than that. "It isn't enough that he's terribly short, blind in one eye, and a black man married to a white woman. He became a Jew, too."

yeah, so what's your point?

"Well son, you're a Jew. You have experieinced anti-Semitism first hand. Now, I dont know that much about Baha'i, but I read the news. I know that Baha'is are persecuted in Iran and Iraq and most Moslem countries, and are treated worse than the Jews. Give me one good reason why you, who are a Jew, would also be a Baha'i? If they don't kill you for being one, they will kill you for being the  other."

"Because my father taught me to stand up for what I believe."

My Dad smiled and said, "you're right, that is the one good reason."

So, people often wonder why I seek to vindicate the Koran and Muhammad (which I have studied for over thirty years) when Fanatical Moslems want Bahais and Isreal blasted off the Earth, and why I equally defend the teachings of Jesus despite the raging anti-Semitism and racism of the Christian Identity Movement, the KKK, and others of that ilk. 

Simple -- there is no difference between a Moslem fanatic and a Christian fanatic...they are both nuttier than Aunt Esther's fruitcake and even more poisonous.  Moslem fanatics want a world run by their twisted interpretation of scripture -- complete with exclusivity and superiority for them, they want the religion running the governernment, and the governement running individuals lives.
The Christian fanatics want the same thing.  There is no difference.
They both link religion and politics, and they both demonize "the other" -- be it Jews, Christians, Moslems or anyone who looks like they could be related to Moses, Jesus, or Muhammad.

When terrorists blew up the oklahoma federal building, did we demonize white Christians who served in the armed forces? No.

As a Jew who has been to Israel more than once, and who follows the MIddle East with interest, I become exceptionally curious when the United States Congress passes a resolution condemning Hezbollah for their shocking record of long standing terrorism. Name one act of terrorism commited by Hezbollah between 1994 and 2006.  You can't. There havn't been any.  Not one.  This is why no other country on Earth has Hezbollah on their list of terrorist organizations.   Hezbollah WAS doing terrorist type activities in the 1980's -- over 25 years ago!

Remember when we did the news? "First, Factual, and Five Minutes Faster!"
What happened to Factual?  It probably never was factual -- from the falsity of the Maine bombing to the falsity of the Gulf of Tonkin attack which we know now never happened, we keep getting fed nonsense -- nonsense that keeps us afraid...just as in North Korea they are in a constant state of paranoid fear that the big mean USA is going to nuke them, just as the citizens of the old USSR believed that they were surrounded by hostile nations eager to invade ..and to protect themselves they MUST have more security, more prisons, more government control of every aspect of their lives.

When presidential canditates have their advisors speak at White Supremist rallies, when they allign themselves with religious fanatics who want their interpretation of religion to run everyone's life -- I get concerrned.

Gee -- I even remember when the FCC had no power to control content via fines...you better watch out if your field strength intensity was off kilter, but objectional content???

So, when people call middle eastern folks Rag Heads or Sheet Heads....I remind them that Moses and Jesus were Ragheads and Sheet Heads...and our troops supposedly are in the Middle East to rescue rag heads and sheet heads from religious fanatic despots who link church and state, spy on their citizens, lock up those who disagree too vocally, and would probably shoot you for playing the Irish Rovers "The Last Unicorn"

There is the old saying "there is nothing more permanent than a temporary tax" -- there is also nothing more permanent than the temporary loss of freedom. Will   this country change it's motto from "Land of the Free" to "Land of the Secure?"

I grew up in a town that had a MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON...no one felt very free in there.

You dont have to agree with me. We can agree to differ and still be best pals...but if "they" come for me for being a Jew...or if "they" come for me for being a Baha'i....maybe they come next for people who read blogs.

and now, much more music.

BB

Comments

[Mike Barer]

Sammy Davis, Jr's act was a foot dangles in every pot.

[Burl Barer]

By HE, you mean Sammy, NOT my father -- Dad mostly hugged kids, his wife, and his own kids...but not dogs or Nixon, or Nixon's dog, checkers.

[Mike Barer]

He also hugged Nixon--I think his philosophy was to be somebody who everyone could find a reason to love.