There is no denying it—it is a political world. In one way or another politics plays a role in the way the world turns- for better or worse. Perhaps a reason for that is the power and strength of political ideologies. After all, how could terrorism exist if people were not ready to act on their ideology? How would the great revolutions and reforms have occurred if people did not value their ideologies more than their own lives? Much of human history can be measured in terms of the strengths and weaknesses of competing political ideologies. All the “isms,” all the passionate causes, all the fanatic behavior this world has witnessed have had some kind of underlying “political” motivation. Yes, even religion, has its own version of politics.
With that statement in mind, let me address the unrest sweeping through the Arab world. Many commentators have spent much time and much ink analyzing these events. We have watched country after country has its own “day of rage.” We have held our breath through it all waiting to see what these “revolutions” will create. That is well and good, these vents are important and we should be watching them. I find one fault with most reporting. Commentators are busy talking about the desire for democracy, the desire for freedom, and the desire for new governments. These “talking-heads” want to convince us the entire Middle East had a mass revelation that democracy is better than tyranny. If that is true I applaud the collective Arab mind. I think, however, there is another explanation that we could offer- one that makes just as much sense and has even more frightening implications.
I believe the basic “ism” behind much of what we see can be called “hungerism”- it is a very strong ideology. You believe in it with all your soul when your stomach is empty. If America has learned any lessons from all the news it should be this- our image of Arab countries is a façade. Close your eyes and you see them- those rich sheiks in their flowing white garments. Those petro-dollars they carry around to buy their private planes, they way they love to rent entire hotels for their vacations. (Or maybe they just buy the hotel.) This image is a lie. The real picture of Arab countries is this- millions of people who live on pennies a day in a society that has more unemployed than employed, a society in which the biggest employer for the lucky few is most likely to be the police or military.
This is the reality behind the revolutionary spirit of democracy. It is the strongest ideology of them all. It must leave us asking one thing: who will deliver the goods? The guy who can deliver the bread first will be in charge! That is the scariest reality of them all.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
L'Chaim Show For April 12, 2011
L'Chaim airs on Tuesday Nights at 8pm on Jewish Life TV. On the April 12th episode of the show I will be interviewing Shaikh Shafayat Mohamed of the Darul Uloom Institute in Hollywood Florida. We will be discussing his role as an interfaith activist and spokesman for moderate Islam. We will also discuss Jewish and Moslem relations. JLTV airs on Comcast 239. In Miami Beach watch on Atlantic Broadband 167, and nationally on DirectTV on 366.
The L'Chaim Show JLTV
I am happy to add new postings concerning the L'Chaim Show, part of the show lineup for Jewish Life TV. The folks at L'Chaim have been kind enough to bring me on board as a reporter for the show. My first segment (an introduction to the viewers) will air on March 1st at 8:00pm. In South Florida JLTV can be found on Comcast 239. For channel details on other cable systems check out JLTV.TV. I will be reporting local events here in Florida that we feel are important to share with the national Jewish community. JLTV reaches 32 million viewers. At L'Chaim we are working heard to showcase the very best of Jewish life in South Florida. Check out more details at tolifelchaim.com.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Let the Arab World Look to Israel
For the last two weeks we have been watching images of the Arab world on fire both literally and figuratively. The fires of revolution are changing the Arab world in the blink of an eye- governments are falling and old governments are in disarray. What started as a wild mob in Tunisia inspired the would-be reformers of Egypt. Protests are spreading through the Middle East and we are left wondering what the scene will be when the smoke clears. We hear cries for democracy but wonder what “democracy” will look like in countries in which Islamists and secularized Arabs will fight for control.
The events in Egypt remind us just how much these events could impact Americans. A feared interruption in the Suez Canal could bring our oil-based economy to a halt. An Islamic government would have access to the millions of dollars worth of arms that we have given Egypt. Needless to say, these popular revolutions could also put Israel at risk. (Although there may be a temporary upside- if the Arab world is fighting with itself maybe Israel will be a little safer!) One thing is clear- we are seeing the order of things changing in the Arab world- old ideas are dying, new ones are replacing them for better or worse and, yes, way too early to answer that one.
I would like to make one humble suggestion to the Arab world that is about to tear itself apart in search of a new identity. Extremes don’t work—look at Iran- a Moslem country ruled by Islamic law that is brutal and oppressive. Iranians are afraid to talk, to speak out, and to seek freedom. If the newly re-created Arab world does not want to sink into the black hole of Fundamentalist Islam (as I am sure many people do not) I ask them to look at their neighbor Israel.
All of you who have been to Israel have seen the split personality of our homeland. The very religious and the very secular live side by side. Sometimes they hate each other. Sometimes they fight each other. Sometimes it is hard to believe they are brothers! Nonetheless, Israel is one of the most creative countries on the planet. A totally religious Israel would not work- nor would a totally secular Israel. It is this strange mixture of secular Zionism and religious Zionism that makes things work.
Could the Arab world learn this lesson? In the Arab world a lot of people seem to only see black and white- one extreme or the other with two sides at war to reshape Arab society. If such extremes can be avoided the entire planet will benefit! Terrorism, suicide bombers, and jihadists can only be nurtured in a certain kind of intellectual environment. They have a harder time growing in an open society where there is free speech and thought. That is what the Arab world needs to learn from Israel. I am no dreamer- I know many want an Islamist society with the destruction of Israel and America at the top of the wish list. There are others, however, who are tired of violence, who don’t want to raise their children to kill others, who want peace. To them I say, look to Israel. Look to a society that can embrace both the secular and the religious vision of its people.
For the last two weeks we have been watching images of the Arab world on fire both literally and figuratively. The fires of revolution are changing the Arab world in the blink of an eye- governments are falling and old governments are in disarray. What started as a wild mob in Tunisia inspired the would-be reformers of Egypt. Protests are spreading through the Middle East and we are left wondering what the scene will be when the smoke clears. We hear cries for democracy but wonder what “democracy” will look like in countries in which Islamists and secularized Arabs will fight for control.
The events in Egypt remind us just how much these events could impact Americans. A feared interruption in the Suez Canal could bring our oil-based economy to a halt. An Islamic government would have access to the millions of dollars worth of arms that we have given Egypt. Needless to say, these popular revolutions could also put Israel at risk. (Although there may be a temporary upside- if the Arab world is fighting with itself maybe Israel will be a little safer!) One thing is clear- we are seeing the order of things changing in the Arab world- old ideas are dying, new ones are replacing them for better or worse and, yes, way too early to answer that one.
I would like to make one humble suggestion to the Arab world that is about to tear itself apart in search of a new identity. Extremes don’t work—look at Iran- a Moslem country ruled by Islamic law that is brutal and oppressive. Iranians are afraid to talk, to speak out, and to seek freedom. If the newly re-created Arab world does not want to sink into the black hole of Fundamentalist Islam (as I am sure many people do not) I ask them to look at their neighbor Israel.
All of you who have been to Israel have seen the split personality of our homeland. The very religious and the very secular live side by side. Sometimes they hate each other. Sometimes they fight each other. Sometimes it is hard to believe they are brothers! Nonetheless, Israel is one of the most creative countries on the planet. A totally religious Israel would not work- nor would a totally secular Israel. It is this strange mixture of secular Zionism and religious Zionism that makes things work.
Could the Arab world learn this lesson? In the Arab world a lot of people seem to only see black and white- one extreme or the other with two sides at war to reshape Arab society. If such extremes can be avoided the entire planet will benefit! Terrorism, suicide bombers, and jihadists can only be nurtured in a certain kind of intellectual environment. They have a harder time growing in an open society where there is free speech and thought. That is what the Arab world needs to learn from Israel. I am no dreamer- I know many want an Islamist society with the destruction of Israel and America at the top of the wish list. There are others, however, who are tired of violence, who don’t want to raise their children to kill others, who want peace. To them I say, look to Israel. Look to a society that can embrace both the secular and the religious vision of its people.
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