On a Rainy Day

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” – Lao Tzu
“... But it takes so long, my Lord.” – George Harrison

My west coast brother contacted me with a question. He is a liberal Democrat who despises the president and the damage he is doing to our country and the world. He asked me if I thought antisemitism is on the rise in the United States, and if so, why? I said yes, and that I think it is a case of a rising tide lifting ignorant and angry boats. And that the jackasses are confident that they have license to talk and act in an obnoxious, sometimes dangerous manner.

There are definitely distinctions between recognizing that Netanyahu is a psychopathic war criminal, and being either antisemitic or disliking Israel. I think that Netanyahu & fiends are the greatest threat to a secure future for Israel, exactly the same as this president & fiends are the greatest threat to our society. Netantahu and the convicted sex offender/felon are hate manifested as mad men subjecting the world to obscene violence.

Thus, while I know it is important that we, as the Democratic Party, confront antisemitism, it has to be done as part of an evaluation of the extreme violence of Israel and the United States, and taking a firm stance that we are opposed to the violent aggression in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and Iran. It is essential that we have a conversation on this complicated issue, both before the mid-terms and the 2028 election.

In the lead-up to the 2024 election, there were some Democrats and even more independents who wanted our candidate to take a firm position opposed to the genocide in Gaza. But they were muted, largely by the candidate's campaign, because even questioning Israel was viewed as “high risk.” People were discouraged even on the internet from suggesting that Netanyahu's war crimes were an issue in the election. Indeed, at one point, the pre-corpse of necroconservative Dick Cheney were ushered on stage to endorse our ticket.

I will suggest that the sum-total of citizens who were influenced by Cheney's endorsement to vote for our candidate was far, far less than the number of potential voters who could not in good conscience vote in a manner that did not address the genocide of Palestinians. I say that, recognizing that Cheney may have had as many as ten loyal supporters. Others, quite obviously, think the opposite. We still see people who insist that if one did not vote – either at all, or for our ticket – it equals a vote for the felon. This indicates that they struggled with first grade math problems.

Today, of course, the majority of Americans are opposed to the felon and Netanyahu's war with Iran. This includes being able to connect that war with Netanyahu's “policies” in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon. It is also significant that both the United States and Israel are more unpopular globally due to the war's economic impact. I am convinced that the felon and Netanyahu pose the greatest threat to our countries and the global community. Again, being opposed to this president is not “anti-American.” Being opposed to Netanyahu is not “anti-Israel.” In my opinion, being in favor of Trump is anti-American, and being in favor of Netanyahu is anti-Israel. I recognize that this is merely my opinion, but it seems that more and more people understand this.

If the Democratic Party is to regain a wholesome control of two-thirds of the federal government in the mid-terms and in 2028, we must have an honest discussion, putting all the cards on the table, about the crimes of the felon and Netanyahu. Our relationships within the global community are changing, and not for the better, as a result of the war with Iran. It is interesting to note that our allies were hesitant to disagree with the president in his first term and early in his second.

They recognized him as an unstable bully. But since he attacked Iran, for example, and found himself in deep shit, they refused his demand they help him. The German chancellor correctly noted – in public – that Iran has humiliated the president. China and Russia quietly watch the president self-destruct, knowing the severe damage he is doing to our country. The changes within the world community are accelerating, and not in our favor. We need to change, if as LBJ said, we are to master that change.