Brian’s Reflection: Monday, May 3, 2010

The Soviet government is the most realistic
regime in the world - no ideals.

We don't thrive on military acts. We do them
because we have to, and thank God we are efficient.

Goldie Mabovitch, born on this date,
1898, in Kiev, Ukraine (later Golda Meir,
Prime Minister of the State of Israel)


When I was a young man, in the 60’s, I was an ardent fan of Golda Meir. And of David ben Gurion. As far as I could understand it then, these were leaders of a people looking for a home. A people who had been through Hell or worse. A people abandoned by the rest of us to our shame. Today, I still feel deeply that all peoples should have a home in this World. Somehow, this has to move the hearts of all human beings. No one should be homeless. No one should have to live in a place where they are oppressed, demeaned, or be “stateless”.

Now I am wiser about realities. I have read the history. Both Golda Meir and David ben Gurion are examples of people who lost touch with their spiritual foundations. It happens so easily, especially when we are dealing with horrible deprivation. I feel it intensely, as a Gay man. With all my heart I want to be like Jesus; but so often I feel the anger overtake me. If I am not careful, I lash out in fury at any hint of anti-Gay behaviour; and I border on dehumanizing all people I see in that mode.

Golda Meir mentions ideals. To be an authentic, evolved human being, you have to have ideals. To have no ideals is, in my mind, to renounce being human. Both Golda Meir and David ben Gurion failed in humanity. What both of them did in their desire to establish a Jewish homeland was often heinous, cruel, inhumane, unprincipled. They join a large group of people – in fact, most of humanity at one time or another. We Americans did it to the native peoples, and to the Filipinos and the Hawaiians, as did most colonialists – and we often justified it by blaspheming God. The Tea-baggers are at it again. Will we never learn?

Militarism is never excusable. It is always genocide or murder. The Israelis of all people should know better. We can all justify militarism – but all militarism demeans any People, and any “God”. I think that militarism is always a failure of humanity and of Faith. To exult in “efficiency” is to have lost touch with the human community.

Don’t think I’m picking on the Israelis. I could implicate all of us. Are we ever going to stop justifying killing and war? My central point is this: if we lose touch with Compassion, Justice and the equal value in “God’s” eyes of each and every person, we have abrogated our humanity.

Brian+