It depends on the context

 

Yes, the presidents of Harvard and MIT should also resign. Because it really does depend on the context.

Free speech is not the unfettered ability to say anything.  Free Speech on campus should be balanced against the needs of the students to attend school without threat or harassment.

Advocating for Genocide is despicable.  Although the University is a free marketplace of ideas, calling out for the extermination of Jews on campus is the furthest from a safe and secure space for Jews as there can be.  For those presidents unaware of Jewish history, 6 million Jews were slaughtered during the Holocaust.  So, Genocide is an exceptionally loaded concept.

The inability to understand the context of this issue and articulate it during an appearance before Congress demonstrates the incompetence of these people to fulfill the role of president at these Universities.  If Harvard and MIT are okay with that, that is on them, but they also demonstrate shameful behavior and terrible judgment.

 

Where do we go from here?

The situation is fluid, and things are different from what we thought.  We have come to an inflection point, and what happens next depends entirely on how boldly we are willing to consider acting.

It is relatively easy to kill people but almost impossible to kill an idea.  Hamas has shown it knows no limit to the extent it will go to achieve the dual goals of killing Jews and eliminating Israel.

Israel thought it could manage the situation, lulling Hamas through what are essentially bribes and occasionally “mowing the lawn,” that obscene notion that periodically Israel engages in a military action to repress the militants.  This is similar to blowing on the boiling pot of pasta to keep it from boiling over.

The pot boiled over, and the ensuing pogrom was devastating.

Furthermore, Hamas retains substantial control.  The delay in releasing hostages on Day 2 of the truce showed their continued capacity to manage the situation psychologically.  Equally distressing was the celebration in the West Bank because the jubilant welcome home to the released prisoners was met with Hamas flags instead of only Palestinian flags.  A weak Palestinian Authority is losing control, and Hamas is ascendant.

And an uncontrolled group of Jewish right-wing extremists is engaging in violence against Palestinians that could only be understood as ethnic cleansing of the territory.

The situation is dire and requires bold action.

Strangely, a scene from The Godfather movie keeps running in my mind.  As Don Corleone grieves his murdered son, he looks up and, from the depth of his pain, declares the killing has to stop.  Peace is required even though vengeance courses through the blood. For us, this is that moment.

The killing must stop.  Recognition by each side is required, and we must forge a way forward. Is Israel able to do this, and if so, who is courageous enough to make that declaration and commitment?

We’ve learned that ignoring the other side and building walls is not a solution.  Walls cannot be high enough or thick enough to provide security.  We also cannot do it alone.

Many are vested in maintaining the status quo of hostility, hatred, and turmoil. But others have a clear interest in seeing peace in the region.  These nations need to join in the effort to work with Palestinians and Israelis to build trust and an infrastructure of hope. Together, we can realize a vision of dignity and security for both people who claim a right to the region. And those who envision a future for their children to live in a world without violence must be convinced we are all committed to their future.  Building trust out of the rubble of destruction and pain that now exists will take time.   But now is the time to start.

The killing must end, and now is the time to start on a path forward.

 

 

Forgiveness -Moses and Ted Lasso

Behaalotecha

Within this parsha lies an extraordinary verse. As you will recall, Miriam contracted leprosy and was consigned outside the camp until she recovered. This comes on the heels of what Moses could see as a betrayal of him by Miriam, challenging his authority as the leader of the people. However, putting aside personal hurt, Moses prays to God for her recovery, saying, “El nah refanah lah. Please, God, heal her.” Moses teaches us to embrace our humanity and our need for human relationships, not mired in anger, but to replace retribution with reconciliation and to do the right thing.

In the words of the modern prophet Ted Lasso in response to Nate’s return as the prodigal son, “I hope that either all of us, or none of us, are judged by the actions of our weakest moments, but rather, by the strength we show when and if we are ever given a second chance.”

May their words serve as lessons for us to be better, more deeply human, and connected.

 

 

 

It is time for change- The Litmus Test

We need a litmus test.

It seems an unavoidable conclusion to reach- we are okay with slaughter by people using guns; it is the price we pay for our rights as we see them.

If this sentiment makes you cringe, there is only one thing to do:  vote out of office for anyone who does not support responsible gun legislation;  and do not vote for anyone unwilling to pledge support of responsible gun legislation. This litmus test is for local, state, and national figures as this issue transcends these boundaries. Then, of course, we can continue to argue over politics or other policy issues. Still, this binary choice is what we need to make any meaningful changes.

Murderers use assault weapons to mow down masses at a time with regularity; Others use handguns to slay individuals daily. This state of affairs cannot stand. Yet, lamenting the loss is an empty gesture if that is all we do. Our commitment to creating a safer society must confront and coexist with the issues of personal freedoms.   Only our vote will make change possible.

We are of a particular generation, us boomers.

Our cohort is thinning.  We watch as icons, friends, and family of our generation die. So many of us have already lost our parents, and our grandparents have been consigned to our memories for years.

generations
PHOTOGRAPH BY SAPPINGTON TODD—GETTY IMAGES/BLOOMIMAGE RF

It is a natural process but a sobering one.  Our days may still be many, but the time ahead of us is far shorter than the time we have already lived.

We are of a particular generation, us boomers. We who live on reflect on our mortality and what our lives will mean to those who will continue after we are gone.

A friend of mine used to joke that he read the obituary first thing in the paper, and if he didn’t see his name, he knew it would be a good day.  Gallows humor perhaps, but now is the time to ensure the gift that is the remainder of our lives is lived well.  What do we have yet to accomplish?  Have we been faithful to our ideals, and what amends must we make for the times we did not?

What will we leave behind to those we love?  Will they remember us as unique parts of their lives, filled with experiences of beautiful times together?  Now is the time to reach out to them and make our time together memorable- it is a gift for us both.

 

Some are guilty all are responsible

Tyre Nichols is buried today. So many of us grieve and shake our heads in disbelief, wondering how this could happen.

Several people are identified as directly responsible for the brutality leading to Tyre Nichols’s death, including police and EMTs.  Ironically, those charged with protecting us are accused of the murder of someone when they betrayed their sacred oaths. But we cannot stop here, assuaging our sense of moral outrage by prosecuting bad actors. Something more insidious is going on, and we must do much more.

Some of us remember the political cartoon Pogo by Walt Kelly. One iconic image is Pogo contemplating the situation saying, we have met the enemy, and he is us. Set initially as an environmental statement in 1971, this understanding of the situation applies to us today.

We may not be directly guilty of the barbarism that took Mr. Nichols’s life, but we have allowed it to exist. We have turned a blind eye to a systemic problem, and Mr. Nichols and many others have paid the price.

Law enforcement ostensibly is tasked with protecting the people from those criminals who prey upon us. It is a tough job and often a thankless one. It is hard and often very unpleasant, so many of us prefer to turn away and let them do what they need to do. But we cannot turn a blind eye any longer.

In a free society, some are guilty all are responsible. These words were written in 1972 by Abraham Joshua Heschel. And they remain true today. We are responsible. Only when we engage in the difficult conversations and hard choices involving what policing looks like and what are the responsibilities of those tasked with protecting all of us; do we give them the resources they require, including the best personnel, the best training, and the tools, a social security apparatus that supports those whose needs are best met by other professionals and the active, meaningful oversight by responsible civilians and the courts will we achieve the justice we seek, the justice denied Mr. Nichols.

As we lay Tyre Nichols to rest, let us finally commit ourselves to fix a broken system so that America can be America for all Americans.