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False Liberalism

Commentary by Dr. Ursula A. Falk

     

When Liberal Means Oppressive 

When Protection Signifies Control

 

Fasces is an old Roman symbol: an ax with a bundle of sticks held together with a strong leather binding signifying togetherness; if deviation should be attempted, the ax will prevent the deed.  In short, unity or punishment by annihilation.  This symbol is still utilized by governments, religious groups, and individuals.  An old phrase is if we don’t hang together we hang separately.  Unfortunately, this is too frequently used for the purpose of destruction, slavery, thought control, and personal gain.  We as Jews have suffered from this concept throughout history.  In our beloved country, we have gone along with the Democratic party, even if it is to our detriment.  Our current president favors his religious heritage with his people’s beliefs, namely the Muslims/Arabs who despise the Jews and who want to annihilate Israel and its Jewish inhabitants.  The Jews, unwilling to change their “liberal” attitudes, support this man because of their erroneous beliefs that they are helping the poor, the have nots, those appearing pathetic, the helpless, and the recipients of charity from our government.  They are often people who appear other than who they are.  They live off the taxes of the middle and upper class. They are known to shy away from work whenever possible.  They are not infrequently anti-Semites who despise the folk who support them generously with their hard earned dollars. In brief, they bite the hand that feeds them. In Israel the Muslim Arabs throw stones and use destructive weapons at their Jewish neighbors who have made the land livable through their scientific discoveries, the use of their knowledge, and their hard labor.  These destructive Arabs want to take away the land that the Jews have irrigated, built up and pampered to make the desert livable.

In Nazi Germany, Jews, were ostracized without any fanfare.  They were hated, robbed, and ultimately destroyed because of envy, majority togetherness and the sport of annihilating the non-Aryans. During the First World War, the Jewish men were used to fight at the front, at the most dangerous places, and bravely offered their lives for the people who later destroyed them.  No matter how brave these Jewish heroes were, they were never permitted to be officers nor high ranking soldiers. 

True believers such as those following the Sharia Law, the law of Islam, are oppressive people.  Their religion insists on the inferiority of women, who must hide their faces behind veils.  They believe that women must not drive autos, and they should be accompanied by males (the superior beings) when they face the outside world. They can be castrated and stoned should they depart from these Sharia Laws.  Individuals have their hands cut off if accused of theft or caught stealing.

In our Jewish and other American religions, liberality has often been ignored.

The Free Methodists have strict rules of conduct. They have strictures of what music is permissible to be played and there are many prohibitions regarding amusements.  The Orthodox Jewish people are living under strict rules as to what they may and may not do.  Some examples are that they may not do labor on the Sabbath (beginning on Friday night and ending on Saturday after dark), they may not eat certain foods like pork, may not mix milk and meat products at the same meal, etc., they must fast on the Yom Kipur holiday (Day of Atonement) for more than twenty four hours), etc.  To the not too true believer these prohibitions feel oppressive.

In private lives, there are many oppressive situations which are hidden sometimes with subtlety and sometimes not quite so. There are individuals or groups who will not allow another to have any political opinion other than their own.   There is the adult child who “dearly loves” his or her elderly parent and who will not allow her to drive but will always be the driver.  This action is very frequently a cover up of the need for the adult child to show that she is the “boss” of her once upon a time nurturing parent.

As Jews and as people, let us be alert to our surroundings, let us recognize anti- Semitism, let us know the real meaning of perceived actions and be cognizant of actions and their purpose.  Let us cast our vote not to slogans or promises, and by no means believe that liberal means freedom.  Let us not reward hatred with servitude nor interpret condescension with love!

  Lehitraot.

Dr. Ursula A. Falk is a psychotherapist in private practice and the author of several books and articles.

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