Is PUMA the "New Jew"?
Is PUMA the new jew - a people persecuted for their beliefs, and eventually for their failure to fall in line, and follow the chosen one?
Now, I am not saying that PUMAS have been subjected to the horrors of the holocaust, or the years and years of persecution, but I thought it was a snappy intro that might grab your attention.
I started this post with the intent of trying to better understand the current Israel/ Hamas conflict, by creating *what if’s*. I thought if I brought the concepts *home* I might be able to better understand the anger and outrage coming from both sides. The process, and research led me to thinking about the hate directed towards one group for holding beliefs different than the majority, which brings me to the comment, *is puma the new jew*.
For example, following 9/11, do I think the US had a right to launch a nuclear attack on Al Qaeda territory? The attack on 9/11 was massive, devastating, and had lasting effects, and still does. Would I have approved of a massive attack, including dropping a nuclear bomb in the heart of Afghanistan, or Pakistan, or wherever they were hiding? Honestly, for about 30 seconds, I probably would have ok’d it. But, too many innocent lives would have been lost, and as much damage 9/11 did, I would never want to inflict that kind of damage on innocent civilians.
Or, another example. Take Iraq. Thousands, hundreds of thousands?, of Iraqi civilians have died because of the US decision to invade and drive Saddam from power. There has been massive devastation to the infrastructure and massive amounts of casualties. Do the Iraqi people have a justification to drop a nuclear bomb in the US? They have been living in a war zone for 6 years. Now, I know that a lot of the fighting has been coming from al Qaeda and Iraqi resistance but I also see on TV a lot of Iraqis who view the US as occupiers. Would they be justified in a massively disproportionate response like a nuclear bomb? (My answer would be no, btw.)
Or how about, as Wright said, the idea that on 9/11 our *chickens came home to roost*. The US, however you feel about our foreign policy, is viewed as having done a lot of good, and a lot of bad, around the world. Al Qaeda, who believe the US has done a lot of bad in the world flew planes into the Twin Towers, Pentagon, and attempted into the White house or Capital, killing thousands of civilians. Should that be viewed as a proportional or non-proportional attack on the US? Sure seemed non-proportional to me! We are told that Al Qaeda attacked us for our continued influence in Muslim countries, and the US support of Israel. Apparently, after years of (perceived?) intrusive behavior from the US, they launched a massive assault on the US. Osama Bin laden said he was first inspired to attack the United States by the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon in which towers and buildings in Beirut were destroyed in the siege of the capital. (Personally, I don’t think it is possible to provide rational thought to religious extremists.)
Anyway, these are scenarios I kicked around in my brain, trying to come to an understanding of the Israeli/Hamas conflict. As I was pondering these scenarios, my mind wandered to why Hamas, and all Muslim countries want to eliminate Israel’s existence. Why do Muslims hate Jews? Is it just based on their religious beliefs? I ask because Jews have been persecuted throughout history, long before the UN decision in ‘47. Or is it because the UN established the Partition Plan for Palestine (which I don’t think they were too happy about)? Or more so because Israel fought, and expanded their borders beyond the Partition Plan? Or has Israel done things to Muslim countries? (I’m asking.)
I don’t understand, and am trying to, the reasons at the heart of the attacks on Israel, and the passionate defense of either side, on this web site, and around the world. Is Israel 100% without fault, and innocent, suffering at the hands of terrorist attacks, and within their right to respond as they are, on Gaza? (I’m asking.) Is their any validity in the attacks by Hamas, and Muslim countries as to their hatred of Israel? (I’m asking.) Heck, should the Partition Plan even have happened, and was it *legal*? And if so, I would assume that Israel does have the right to exist, and they are being terrorized. Is there anything that will resolve this situation? Will redrawing the borders back to the 1947 Plan work? What??
Anyway, from there, I started thinking about Jewish people in Israel, and how they live in such a small country surrounded by countries that hate them. And I was, as I said above, trying to figure out the reasons why. I know it has been written about, blogged about, talked about, to death, but I like to simplify things so I understand them.
I was reading around in the blogosphere, and reading a lot of other blogs, especially ones attacking Larry for his comments about the disproportionate response by Israel (which labeled him anti-Semitic and got rather ugly and nasty) I found myself reading lots of hateful posts about PUMAS. Honestly, I was shocked. Now, having lived through the past year or two, blogging and commenting about my support for Hillary, and initial like, but growing dislike for all things Obama, I knew there was lots of anger towards Hillary supporters.
I have written many times before, that from the day I eagerly logged on, put my fingers to the keys, and proudly wrote, *I support Hillary.* I was attacked, called a racist, and worse. (And, I even liked Obama in the beginning. Didn’t know anything about him, but thought he looked interesting, and wanted to get to know more. It was when I began to learn more, that I fell out of favor.)
The divide in the Dem party grew and grew, with Hillary supporters frustration and anger growing as the primary went on, and the hatred spewing from the Obama supporters worsening. Hillary supporters (and yes, not all are perfect. There were some racist comments made by a small group of people, and yes, some even got nasty, but I think as a whole, people just believed that Hillary was the best candidate - and there were some who were for Edwards in the beginning, and when he dropped out, they preferred Hillary over Obama) were, dare I say, victimized because they weren’t buying into the One. We became disenchanted with our party, outraged at the tactics used, the racist cards thrown, the death threats, etc. And personally, the way the media behaved, woke me from my liberal media bubble and made me re-evaluate the way I saw the Right, and the past eight years. I didn’t become *an angry puma* until I was subjected over and over again to attacks for my support of my candidate, and watched the primary unfold, and the attacks on my candidate.
Now, as I peruse the blogosphere, I am appalled at so many attacks on PUMAS. I don’t even want to say PUMAS, but Hillary supporters. There were so many different PUMA factions, and different *leaders* and groups, and blogs, that it never really became a well-oiled organization. It was just a whole lot of pissed off voters, who didn’t like what they saw happening, and tried to take a stand, and make their voices heard, as quickly as possible. Some more so than others, some till the day they die.
Honestly, even though I called myself a PUMA, I never really followed any of the groups, I just rejected Obama, and the Democrat party, and found others, like me.
Now, this brings me all the way back to my beginning, *is puma the new jew*. A people persecuted for their beliefs, and eventually for their failure to fall in line, and follow the chosen one.
To bring Judaism into modern times, the last 2000 years, Jews rejected Jesus as the son of God, which was a major turning point in western history. Jesus was a major game changer in our history. The acceptance of Jesus changed things politically and religiously.
Personally, I see this more so in a political arena, than a religious one, of the Jewish elders reluctance to Jesus as the son of God. I think they saw him as gaining a huge following, and gaining strength as a leader. Perhaps they just didn’t believe him, or what he claimed, or perhaps they were afraid of losing power. But Jesus arrived at a time ripe for change. He had garnered a huge following. Some people chose to believe he was *The Chosen One*, the Savior, the Holy One, and others didn’t. Jesus was a Jew, so he wasn’t some stranger from a strange land. He was one of them. But he divided the *party*. Those who followed him, and those who didn’t, whatever the reasons.
But, whatever the reason, they did not accept that Jesus was the savior. They didn’t believe or accept that he was The Chosen One, or sent down from God, as his son, and they have paid for their beliefs ever since.
But wasn’t that their right? To reject an idea or belief of someone else? To reject someone who claims to be the *chosen one* the *one we have been waiting for*? If you don’t believe that this one, is the one, is that not your right?
If you find fault in someone, or try to bring to light something you see as false, isn’t that your right? If you believe, with all of your being, that something is not right, and that what someone is selling is not worthy of buying, isn’t it your right to reject it, to speak out about it?
Why must we hate those who disagree, and speak out for what they believe?
I wrote an email to some friends yesterday about how we have been divided, and I feel lost in the middle somewhere, attacked or offended from both sides, sometimes. I am no longer a Democrat, or Republican, but independent. I read many conservative sites now, but still feel a bit offended every so often, when I read an attack on climate change, or on Hillary or Bill, or on gay marriage, etc. And I can’t enjoy liberal sites anymore, they are too biased towards Obama, or were too vicious during the primary for me to return, or continue to attack Hillary supporters. And I don’t trust them anymore. So, what to do? I am not going to just roll over and give in and start drinking the kool-aid…. especially when the Obama supporters are (slowly) starting to see the light! But if you take a spin in the liberal blogo-zone, you will get the point I am trying to make about all the nasty hate being lobbed our way.
So, for all the haters who will want to jump on me, and say that I am comparing/putting on a level playing field, the hatred towards pumas to the persecution of Jews, calm down. I’m not.
But, I did garner a bit of understanding into what it must feel like, as a Jewish person (and I am talking about Jewish people as individuals, not as a country, and discussing their politics), to be a relative minority, that chose a belief different than the majority, and to be hated for that choice. And not just hated, but to be attacked, and to be wished extinct. Just for believing in something different.
It sucks. And it’s sad.
SOURCE
Now, I am not saying that PUMAS have been subjected to the horrors of the holocaust, or the years and years of persecution, but I thought it was a snappy intro that might grab your attention.
I started this post with the intent of trying to better understand the current Israel/ Hamas conflict, by creating *what if’s*. I thought if I brought the concepts *home* I might be able to better understand the anger and outrage coming from both sides. The process, and research led me to thinking about the hate directed towards one group for holding beliefs different than the majority, which brings me to the comment, *is puma the new jew*.
For example, following 9/11, do I think the US had a right to launch a nuclear attack on Al Qaeda territory? The attack on 9/11 was massive, devastating, and had lasting effects, and still does. Would I have approved of a massive attack, including dropping a nuclear bomb in the heart of Afghanistan, or Pakistan, or wherever they were hiding? Honestly, for about 30 seconds, I probably would have ok’d it. But, too many innocent lives would have been lost, and as much damage 9/11 did, I would never want to inflict that kind of damage on innocent civilians.
Or, another example. Take Iraq. Thousands, hundreds of thousands?, of Iraqi civilians have died because of the US decision to invade and drive Saddam from power. There has been massive devastation to the infrastructure and massive amounts of casualties. Do the Iraqi people have a justification to drop a nuclear bomb in the US? They have been living in a war zone for 6 years. Now, I know that a lot of the fighting has been coming from al Qaeda and Iraqi resistance but I also see on TV a lot of Iraqis who view the US as occupiers. Would they be justified in a massively disproportionate response like a nuclear bomb? (My answer would be no, btw.)
Or how about, as Wright said, the idea that on 9/11 our *chickens came home to roost*. The US, however you feel about our foreign policy, is viewed as having done a lot of good, and a lot of bad, around the world. Al Qaeda, who believe the US has done a lot of bad in the world flew planes into the Twin Towers, Pentagon, and attempted into the White house or Capital, killing thousands of civilians. Should that be viewed as a proportional or non-proportional attack on the US? Sure seemed non-proportional to me! We are told that Al Qaeda attacked us for our continued influence in Muslim countries, and the US support of Israel. Apparently, after years of (perceived?) intrusive behavior from the US, they launched a massive assault on the US. Osama Bin laden said he was first inspired to attack the United States by the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon in which towers and buildings in Beirut were destroyed in the siege of the capital. (Personally, I don’t think it is possible to provide rational thought to religious extremists.)
Anyway, these are scenarios I kicked around in my brain, trying to come to an understanding of the Israeli/Hamas conflict. As I was pondering these scenarios, my mind wandered to why Hamas, and all Muslim countries want to eliminate Israel’s existence. Why do Muslims hate Jews? Is it just based on their religious beliefs? I ask because Jews have been persecuted throughout history, long before the UN decision in ‘47. Or is it because the UN established the Partition Plan for Palestine (which I don’t think they were too happy about)? Or more so because Israel fought, and expanded their borders beyond the Partition Plan? Or has Israel done things to Muslim countries? (I’m asking.)
I don’t understand, and am trying to, the reasons at the heart of the attacks on Israel, and the passionate defense of either side, on this web site, and around the world. Is Israel 100% without fault, and innocent, suffering at the hands of terrorist attacks, and within their right to respond as they are, on Gaza? (I’m asking.) Is their any validity in the attacks by Hamas, and Muslim countries as to their hatred of Israel? (I’m asking.) Heck, should the Partition Plan even have happened, and was it *legal*? And if so, I would assume that Israel does have the right to exist, and they are being terrorized. Is there anything that will resolve this situation? Will redrawing the borders back to the 1947 Plan work? What??
Anyway, from there, I started thinking about Jewish people in Israel, and how they live in such a small country surrounded by countries that hate them. And I was, as I said above, trying to figure out the reasons why. I know it has been written about, blogged about, talked about, to death, but I like to simplify things so I understand them.
I was reading around in the blogosphere, and reading a lot of other blogs, especially ones attacking Larry for his comments about the disproportionate response by Israel (which labeled him anti-Semitic and got rather ugly and nasty) I found myself reading lots of hateful posts about PUMAS. Honestly, I was shocked. Now, having lived through the past year or two, blogging and commenting about my support for Hillary, and initial like, but growing dislike for all things Obama, I knew there was lots of anger towards Hillary supporters.
I have written many times before, that from the day I eagerly logged on, put my fingers to the keys, and proudly wrote, *I support Hillary.* I was attacked, called a racist, and worse. (And, I even liked Obama in the beginning. Didn’t know anything about him, but thought he looked interesting, and wanted to get to know more. It was when I began to learn more, that I fell out of favor.)
The divide in the Dem party grew and grew, with Hillary supporters frustration and anger growing as the primary went on, and the hatred spewing from the Obama supporters worsening. Hillary supporters (and yes, not all are perfect. There were some racist comments made by a small group of people, and yes, some even got nasty, but I think as a whole, people just believed that Hillary was the best candidate - and there were some who were for Edwards in the beginning, and when he dropped out, they preferred Hillary over Obama) were, dare I say, victimized because they weren’t buying into the One. We became disenchanted with our party, outraged at the tactics used, the racist cards thrown, the death threats, etc. And personally, the way the media behaved, woke me from my liberal media bubble and made me re-evaluate the way I saw the Right, and the past eight years. I didn’t become *an angry puma* until I was subjected over and over again to attacks for my support of my candidate, and watched the primary unfold, and the attacks on my candidate.
Now, as I peruse the blogosphere, I am appalled at so many attacks on PUMAS. I don’t even want to say PUMAS, but Hillary supporters. There were so many different PUMA factions, and different *leaders* and groups, and blogs, that it never really became a well-oiled organization. It was just a whole lot of pissed off voters, who didn’t like what they saw happening, and tried to take a stand, and make their voices heard, as quickly as possible. Some more so than others, some till the day they die.
Honestly, even though I called myself a PUMA, I never really followed any of the groups, I just rejected Obama, and the Democrat party, and found others, like me.
Now, this brings me all the way back to my beginning, *is puma the new jew*. A people persecuted for their beliefs, and eventually for their failure to fall in line, and follow the chosen one.
To bring Judaism into modern times, the last 2000 years, Jews rejected Jesus as the son of God, which was a major turning point in western history. Jesus was a major game changer in our history. The acceptance of Jesus changed things politically and religiously.
Personally, I see this more so in a political arena, than a religious one, of the Jewish elders reluctance to Jesus as the son of God. I think they saw him as gaining a huge following, and gaining strength as a leader. Perhaps they just didn’t believe him, or what he claimed, or perhaps they were afraid of losing power. But Jesus arrived at a time ripe for change. He had garnered a huge following. Some people chose to believe he was *The Chosen One*, the Savior, the Holy One, and others didn’t. Jesus was a Jew, so he wasn’t some stranger from a strange land. He was one of them. But he divided the *party*. Those who followed him, and those who didn’t, whatever the reasons.
But, whatever the reason, they did not accept that Jesus was the savior. They didn’t believe or accept that he was The Chosen One, or sent down from God, as his son, and they have paid for their beliefs ever since.
But wasn’t that their right? To reject an idea or belief of someone else? To reject someone who claims to be the *chosen one* the *one we have been waiting for*? If you don’t believe that this one, is the one, is that not your right?
If you find fault in someone, or try to bring to light something you see as false, isn’t that your right? If you believe, with all of your being, that something is not right, and that what someone is selling is not worthy of buying, isn’t it your right to reject it, to speak out about it?
Why must we hate those who disagree, and speak out for what they believe?
I wrote an email to some friends yesterday about how we have been divided, and I feel lost in the middle somewhere, attacked or offended from both sides, sometimes. I am no longer a Democrat, or Republican, but independent. I read many conservative sites now, but still feel a bit offended every so often, when I read an attack on climate change, or on Hillary or Bill, or on gay marriage, etc. And I can’t enjoy liberal sites anymore, they are too biased towards Obama, or were too vicious during the primary for me to return, or continue to attack Hillary supporters. And I don’t trust them anymore. So, what to do? I am not going to just roll over and give in and start drinking the kool-aid…. especially when the Obama supporters are (slowly) starting to see the light! But if you take a spin in the liberal blogo-zone, you will get the point I am trying to make about all the nasty hate being lobbed our way.
So, for all the haters who will want to jump on me, and say that I am comparing/putting on a level playing field, the hatred towards pumas to the persecution of Jews, calm down. I’m not.
But, I did garner a bit of understanding into what it must feel like, as a Jewish person (and I am talking about Jewish people as individuals, not as a country, and discussing their politics), to be a relative minority, that chose a belief different than the majority, and to be hated for that choice. And not just hated, but to be attacked, and to be wished extinct. Just for believing in something different.
It sucks. And it’s sad.
SOURCE
Comments