But I also get the concept that, at some point, you put energy into taking care of whatever tribe(s) you identify with. The world is so large, the issues so many, that you end up having to focus on smaller pieces to have any hope of making any difference.

With a little luck, your small improvement will have wider implications. This gets into the whole ‘Think globally, act locally’ idea.

Sometimes, how well that works out has to do with who you consider your tribe.

Jews, for instance, are in one sense mine, because my daughter is ethnically Jewish.

I’d also like Texas to return to some semblance of sanity (if indeed it ever had one) and prosperity, because my home state feels broken, and I’m Texan in the blood.

But, honestly, mostly these days, I put energy into the welfare of my closer beloved ones, the family here at EOB, my own daughter, and so on. This is at least in part a result of my feelings of helplessness as I watched my country slide into madness this century. At least I can have a chance of taking care of the hurts of the people I can touch directly.

This feels like a narrowed-down philosophy, and I’m not particularly proud of it. But it’s the best I can do right now.

I’m angry at all of these injustices, but my post in particular was about my current anger against my own government for its role in the current mess, and its hypocrisy in dealing with some of the consequences.

Justice for all is part of the American pledge of allegiance. I would like it to be part of our practice, too.

Shalom,

Steve

Thanks you for the informative and thought provoking post. Allow me to point out, however, that there is no such thing as “justice for jews”. Just as there is no such thing as “justice for palestenians”. Justice is justice; if it doesn’t apply to all, then it isn’t justice. You are an advocate for your community – there is nothing wrong with that. However, your goal is not justice.

Shed tears for victims of ethnic violence and hatred everywhere, and be thankful that you have been spared. And then, pick up the uzi and go do your duty in the IDF. Or failing that, pick up your pen, and do what you can in the blogosphere.

Prior to 1948, Iraqi society was one with a business community that was made up in large part by Jews—Jews that had lived in Iraq for over 2,600 years. However, after the establishment of Israel in 1948, Zionism became a capital crime and attacks and hatred toward the Jews mounted. Jewish property was expropriated; Jewish bank accounts were frozen; Jews were dismissed from public posts; businesses were shut; pensions were confiscated; trading permits were cancelled.

Jewish life and society in Mosul, Iraq of 1940, was not unlike the Jewish life and society of New York City of the same era. These were not poor people, these were Jews that owned business, buildings, commercial warehouses filled with merchandise, hospitals, synagogues, cars and homes. Over 100,000 Jews were displaced between 1949-1951, taking nothing with them. Jews wanting to leave could do so after having their citizenship revoked. Another 20,000 were smuggled out through Iran. Iraq’s government issued multiple discriminatory decrees and perpetrated violations of human rights against the Jews through a series of laws that expanded on the confiscation of assets and property of Jews. Because of repressive measures against them, and fearing for their lives, Jews fled Iraq as refugees taking nothing with them.

On two separate occasions the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) ruled that Jews fleeing from Arab countries were ‘bona fide’ refugees who “fall within the mandate of (the UNHCR) office”. Yet, there was virtually no international response to the plight of close to 900,000 Jews who, since 1948, have been displaced from Arab countries such as Iraq.

Little has been heard about these Jewish refugees that resettled around the world, and there was never any compensation provided by the Arab governments that confiscated their possessions. We must remember, that as a matter of law and equity, no just, comprehensive Middle East peace can be reached without recognition of, and redress for, the uprooting, under Islamic regimes, of centuries-old Jewish communities in the Middle East and North Africa.

Shelomo Alfassa
Director, US Campaign
Justice for Jews from Arab Countries
http://www.justiceforjews.com

US should leave Iraq on a timetable (or retire to the North and defined bases). The Sunnis that are leaving are feeling the pushback from the Shia. And Sunnis have done much more to the Shia (and to us) than the reverse (90% of US and Iraqi deaths). Perhaps the individual Sunnis that leave are not the ones causing the problem. No matter. WE DON’T POLICE the world!

None of these are how you want to think of your own government.