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Reflections
of Ken Towery
Response
to Letter From Mr. Johnny Warren
By Ken
Towery
The Floyd County Hesperian-Beacon
Recently
we received a letter to the editor from a Mr. Johnny Warren,
of Lubbock, concerning what he regards as our posture in the
Israeli-Palestine conflict. The letter was published in the
edition of March 21, 2002. We would like to respond,
and elaborate, simply because his letter postulates much of
what is contained in letters and e-mail we have received
from a few others in the same vein.
Mr. Warren notes, and asks, "I had not noticed this before,
but now it sticks out like a sore thumb. From where did you
learn to hate the Jews and the land of Israel?"
He goes on: "I know, you will not say you hate the Jews, but
only hate the U.S. Government spending your hard earned tax
dollars to support Israel. One does not have to read many of
your editorials to see the falsehood behind that
statement."
Before that particular paragraph, Mr. Warren notes that "I
have noticed every chance you get, and you make sure those
chances are taken periodically, you are making some snide
remarks about the Land of Promise, and the descendants
(Palestinians) who were thrown out of their land by the evil
Jews."
Well, now. We are happy to record that someone has finally
noticed. But even while noticing, he has missed the
point. Mr. Warren is entirely right in saying we are unhappy
with America's continuing underwriting, with billions of
dollars that could better be used here at home, the
expansionist aims of Israel in the Mideast. We can see
absolutely no justification, none whatever, for taking the
dollars gained by taxing shoe clerks, farmers, truck
drivers, whatever, in America, to satisfy the unending
desires of Israelites for more land, more space, more
settlements, or more military power for use in humbling
their neighbors. During the time of Israel's existence the
American government has taken from the American taxpayers
more than $130 Billion dollars to underwrite Israeli efforts
and aims in the Mideast. Yes, we are unhappy with
that. Others may be happy, but we are not. Israel is not an
"undeveloped" country, by any means. The living standard
there is comparable to any Western "developed" country. When
we see many of our own people without adequate living
conditions, when we see farmers being driven off their land
because of economic conditions, and when at the same time we
see billions and billions poured into the tiny state of
Israel in order that they may be able to buy tanks, jet
fighters, nuclear bombs, naval ships, whatever, yes, we get
unhappy, and we can't understand why others are not
also.
(It might be of some interest to our readers to recall that
back in the 1960's the U.S. Department of the Interior
outlined a plan to move water from the lower reaches of the
Mississippi River to West Texas. That plan was in the
incubation stage for many years, and we, then on the staff
of former Senator John Tower, helped in the incubation
process. The rationale for the plan was that the Ogallala
aquifer was being deleted at a rate much faster than it was
being replenished, and that eventually the region could no
longer support its agricultural base, unless some action was
taken. The cost? After years of work on the project, after
all but the political aspects were worked out, the
Department of the Interior placed the cost at a little over
$4 billion dollars. That price boggled the mind of
Congressional budget watchers, so the proposal died an early
death. In the meantime billions flowed to Israel with
minimal fanfare, more each year than the total cost of the
proposed water transfer to North and West Texas. But while
our Congress was turning down the idea of more water for
West Texas (too expensive), it continued to fund water
projects for the Israelis.)
So we will not deny that we are displeased with the obvious
priorities of the American government relating to how it
spends our "hard earned tax dollars." But having been around
politics for many years, we fully understand how those
priorities are established. By and large, it is a matter of
the squeaking wheel getting greased. The Government of
Israel and its friends in the United States are much more
capable of squeaking loudly than West Texas farmers.
Nor will we deny that we are often unhappy with the actions
of the Israeli state. We are not happy with their using
America's friendship and support as an excuse to have their
way in all things. They attacked and destroyed the American
ship "Liberty" in the Mediterranean during one of their many
wars, and pled ignorance of the fact that the ship was
flying the American flag in plain sight of their bombers.
Many Americans died in that incident, and our government
turned a blind eye. With Ariel Sharon in command, they
attacked a refugee camp in Lebanon, killing over 600
helpless women and children. They blamed that on "Christian"
mercenaries operating under their command. Our government
expressed its "displeasure" at Israel's use of military
weaponry (purchased with American tax dollars,
ostensibly for the purpose of "defense"), but continued the
funding. They have become the only nuclear "power" in the
region, and they got there by espionage and the stealing of
American nuclear "secrets". One of their spies, a traitor
named Pollard, is still in an American prison, despite
continuing Israeli efforts to have him freed.
So yes, we are unhappy with actions of Israel (and by both
sides) in that unhappy mess. But we do not "hate" the Jews,
nor do we hate the state of Israel. In point of fact, we
have always felt the Jews ought to have a home of their own,
somewhere, and we think the Middle East is as good a place
as any.
(We have also thought, incidentally, that any religion that
requires the power of a state for its continued existence is
a pretty weak religion, but our thoughts do not determine
the ways of the world. Thoughts are thoughts, and beliefs
are beliefs, and we do not quarrel with peoples
beliefs.)
Obviously, the original inhabitants of the region would have
preferred to see the Jewish homeland located elsewhere. The
location of that homeland was a matter of much debate prior
to 1947, when the state of Israel was carved out of the old
British mandate of Palestine. Indeed, many people wanted the
Israeli state located in Africa, (or anywhere except their
own neighborhood. )
Many Jews claim uniqueness, as a people, a claim that gains
support and understanding from many non-Jews. It is that
claim, it seems to us, that manifests itself in the desire
for a "homeland" that can satisfy their feeling of
uniqueness. For reasons of peace and tranquility among
religious adherents throughout the world, the secular world
has been willing to go to extraordinary lengths, even to the
extent of recognizing a Roman Catholic state in the Vatican,
with its own bureaucracy of loyal priests and Bishops, with
its own "army" and its own "ambassadors" through out the
world, and a Jewish state, with its own foreign policy, its
own army and its own ambassadors, and its own loyalties.
But many Jews do not feel the necessity of a "homeland" of
their own. They are perfectly happy being citizens of, and
part of, whatever country they live in. They feel as long as
they can exercise their religion wherever they are, they are
in the same category as other religious adherents, of
whatever faith. It is those Jews, those citizens, with whom
we feel a deep and abiding empathy. We feel a sorrow for
them, beset as they are by fellow Jews who look upon them as
traitors because they look first to their own country rather
than the state of Israel, as being "home." Anyone who thinks
those feelings do not exist is invited to read the Jewish
press, daily, as do we. There, the reader will learn, if he
does not know already, that a tremendous argument exists in
Israel over just who is the authentic Jew, and who deserves
what from the state because of his "Jewishness." For reasons
we do not understand, the Orthodox Jews seem to regard the
Reformed Jews, and the Conservative Jews, as being somewhat
less than true Jews. Variations of those religious arguments
exist among Christians as well, between Catholics and
Protestants (and even within those groups), and among
Muslims, where a conflict rages between the Sunni Muslims
and the Shiite Muslims, with each claiming to be the true
spiritual descendants of their "Prophet" Mohammed.
So even if we wanted to waste our time by conjuring up a
"hatred" of the Jews, which we do not, we wouldn't know
which Jew, or which kind of Jew, to hate.
We feel a kinship with those Jews who are at home with
themselves, and with their country, wherever they are, as do
many Christians in a world unsympathetic to the Christian
message. That sympathy, on our part, results not from
believing the Jewish message is right, (we disagree with it
profoundly, believing, instead, the Christian message), but
from an honest belief (we think it is honest) that all
people ought to be allowed, once given a choice, to believe
whatever they want to believe. (Perhaps that results from
our Protestant upbringing). We know many Jews, many Jews,
who are as good as, or better than, many of their fellow
Americans when it comes to patriotism for this country. We
know too that in many cases they have suffered for their
beliefs, from their beliefs that their home is here, not
Israel. A case at point is that of Bruce Herschensohn of
California, who is as fine an American as any patriot who
ever lived, but who was turned down by the Jewish community
in California simply because, in our opinion, he said kind
things about Christians during his U.S. Senate race against
one Barbara Boxer. She won. He lost.
But our real worry about the Middle East, and the reason we
have commented on the situation there so much, is that we
feel any general conflagration there is likely to result in
the loss of many American lives. By now it should be obvious
to all that the passions of the Middle East have the
potential of inflaming passions far beyond the region. The
religious feelings, the religious passions, of three great
religions, Christians, Jews and Muslims, can easily be
called into play by continuing conflict in the region.
Foreign policies of many nations (including America's) are
already being affected by what is going on there, and those
policies are apt to be more exacerbated the longer the
conflict exists.
Many, many Christians have already departed the region,
driven out by what they regard as hopeless futures in the
face of Israeli expansionist policies. For the moment, that
does not seem to concern their co-religionists in the rest
of the world, but in time, we believe it will. Especially
when they are called upon to send their sons and daughters
to establish some sort of peace, to dampen the passions of
the region.
So we are happy that the Bush Administration has finally
taken note. Israel is essentially a "client state" of
America, no matter how they look upon themselves. Without
our money, without our military backing, Israel would not
exist. Given that obvious fact, one would think they would
give more consideration to Americas' wishes relative to the
current problems in the Middle East. For they know, and we
know, that whatever happens, America will end up paying the
price.
But first, they have to know what our wish is. And just how
sincere we are in that wish. Continued official American
sounds of "displeasure" on the one hand, and continued
funding of those displeasing acts on the other, will do
little to bring about a lasting peace in the region. In the
meantime, Mr. Sharon and his fellow hawks will continue to
follow the present course, knowing that whatever happens,
the American money will be there. That is the way it has
been, and that is the way it will be until America turns off
the spigot.
© copyright, 2002 The Floyd County Hesperian-Beacon
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