The Wheels on the Bus…


In my last column I brought you some information about a very disturbing situation- the proposed anti-Israel bus signs in Seattle. From the feedback I received it was clear that my readers took the news very seriously. We all saw through the very transparent veil hiding the anti-Israel (and, I dare say, anti-American) sentiment. At that time I opened with a journalistic understatement “Israel has enemies everywhere.” Now I am happy to be able to say “Israel has friends, well, maybe not everywhere, but in a lot of places!”

When the story began to get national attention many people, Jews and Christians, saw the dangers. The flood of e-mails and calls has forced the city to re-think its policies and put a hold on the signs. Let me share some details of what transpired. Most interestingly, the David Horowitz Freedom Center began a counter campaign and soon contracted with Seattle to put signs on buses that would read “Palestinian War Crimes- your tax dollars at work.” This clearly demonstrated that the place for politics is not on city buses. As a result Seattle City Council put a temporary ban on all non-commercial advertising. The Horowitz Center showed the issuing dodging council that their bus line was no place for the lies and distortions of the Seattle Mideast Awareness Campaign, which seems to have links to the anti-Israel International Solidarity Movement. Could anyone honestly believe these signs would not foster violence- just an excuse for the crazies to come out of the woodwork. Have people forgotten that it was only four years ago that a terrorist shot six people in the Seattle Jewish Federation building?

At the same time that the merits of the sign campaign were being debated two Christian groups, Christians United for Israel and StandWithUs, began their own efforts against the hateful signs. Happily the sheer force of numbers made the city council rethink it’s policies. So, for now, the anti-Israel signs will not be appearing. Please don’t lose sight that, as in all political double-talk- Seattle City Council is now “reviewing” their policies.

Once all the dust has settled, what we have learned? That people are always ready to accuse Israel? No. We knew that already. Will we learn that we always have to look at what our enemies serve up to the public under the guise of “free speech” and “information? No. We should know that by now. Maybe we won’t learn but, rather, re-learn—evil wins if no one stands up for the good. Lies become the truth if no one says otherwise. In this case the truth prevailed (at least for now.) But without all of those who acted the outcome would have been different. If it becomes your turn to act, to speak, to stand for what you believe, don’t hesitate.

The wheels on the bus go round and round- this time they didn’t run over us- but watch out for on-coming traffic!