Their hate stops here with us: An op-ed

By Stanley Zir


Dedicated to Vietnam Veteran Tom Pridell, a true patriot, a fellow warrior in the fright to overcome the hatred, and a great friend who lost his battle to cancer on 9-5-17.

Introduction

The world has turned its back on Jews, just like it did in World War II. This is not paranoia. One only has to look at Europe, at the UN, at a US foreign policy that still supports a nuclear Holocaust directed against the State of Israel, and a top US national security adviser who continues to call Israel an occupying and illegitimate power. Even these past few weeks, we have watched the Neo-Nazis take aim at the Blacks and the Jews in Charlottesville, while Farakahn and his sympathizers take aim at the Whites and the Jews. So they really have a common enemy which is always the Jews. Further evidence points to the prominent stage Academia have given to BDS, Pro-Palestinian movements and J Street events. Must we only confront the fundamentalist fanatics in the Middle East, or are the nations of the Arab League no less infected with religious fanaticism than the Japanese in World War II? Are their hearts no less filled with hatred for the Jews than the Nazis in Germany?

Americans seems to be blinded by our leader's continuous attempts in every administration to placate and or negotiate with nations that embrace religious tyranny as their Rule of Law yet refusing to recognize that the ultimate bargaining chip seems to be at the expense of Israel and the Jews. Better to ignore missiles that claim "death to Jews" or heed foolish advice suggesting that Israel would give up some land or stop building settlements, peace will come to the Middle East. Even better, if Netanyahu will just listen to Trump like a good little puppet, Arabs and Jews can live together in perfect harmony.

The ultimate goal for peace it seems is to make the world Juden-frei, rid of the Jews. If the Jews would just go away, then peace would finally emerge. Those damn Jews. Instead of saying this out loud, however, we have covered up the underlying anti-Semitism and clothed it nicely in words like, "Peace negotiations," "two-state solution" and "Iranian Nuclear deal" knowing full well that any of these actions would lead to the ultimate destruction of Israel, the only safe-haven for Jews worldwide, and one step closer to the eventual annihilation of Jews everywhere

No, anti-Semitism hasn't been eliminated or barely even diminished, however this time it's different. We will not remain silent, be complacent or meekly line up in two rows. We are not misled by nations who would rather place their Holocaust complicity in the basement stacks of history. We have not, will not and cannot forget the horrors of the Holocaust. We will not allow the world to be Juden- frei. We will never again overlook blatant hatred as an acceptable way of life and let nations hide behind policies that support the obliteration of our people.

My 40-year personal journey rallying against human injustice, tyrannical policies and anti-Semitism has brought me to an incredible defining moment that, having been a religious Jew from New York, an Orthodox Buddhist, and a proud flag-waving American, has defined me not by any one of these journeys, but by a coalition of all of them embodied in America's stance against tyranny; our Constitution's Rule of Law. Simply put, America cannot tolerate any form of tyranny that threatens to undermine the foundations upon which our nation was formed and still remain a Constitutional republic.

With the advent of the Constitution and its firm stance against tyranny, the transformation from a people pursuing the right of religious freedom from England to a new nation embracing a doctrine that calls for freedom from religious and secular tyranny, would finally actualize our Founding Fathers' vision designed to protect the inalienable rights of all against the advancement of a government of tyranny, either in the name of God or State. Her foundation grew out of a biblical culture and a divine Covenant that commanded ethics, humanity and morality, and morphed into a new country based on human justice. "Justice, justice, shall you pursue..."

Their Hate Stops Here With US
Part I
Following in Our Founder's Footsteps

Hatred is the tool of tyranny which is used to secure a mandate of supremacy through submission, conquest, domination, and extinction. Hatred allows tyrants, nations and organizations that embrace religious and secular tyranny as their Rule of Law to exterminate what they consider parasites infecting their fascist and evil-embracing world order, which is in direct contrast to the concept promoted by our Founding Fathers.

The genius and insight of our Founding Fathers were astonishing. The Rule of Law and its intolerance of tyranny established then still holds true in the face of the tyranny and hatred we are experiencing today. Every liberty enjoyed by Americans, then and now, evolved from our stance against those who would deny citizens these freedoms in the name of absolute power. It is the freedom from the evils of tyranny that allows us to tolerate diversity as long as that diversity is not in direct violation of our Constitution's Rule of Law. Therefore, it follows that the promotion of or tolerance for the religious tyranny embraced by Sharia or Islamo-Fascism, where persecution or submission is imposed on citizens expressing individual freedom or opposition, is in direct violation of our Constitution. Freedom from religious tyranny, secured by the blood of our patriots in our War of Independence, is our birthright that must be honored and remains the greatest strength of our country.

When George Washington declared "The Constitution is the guideline I will never abandon," he etched the eternal definition of our nation and alerted the world exactly who we are; a nation of equality, rights and freedom from oppression and tyranny. While amendments were made to improve certain positions as our country matured, the checks and balances of those laws were always measured against a rejection of absolute power. Simply put America exists to triumph over tyranny. We have no tolerance for those who promote its hatred. Deviating in any amount from that stance opens the door to failure and compromises our reason for being.

The greatest threat to world peace, and certainly to America and her allies, is our leaders' ignorance of our Constitution's Rule of Law.

The most obvious example of this ignorance is the Iranian deal, a foreign policy that intentionally promotes a Nuclear Holocaust against Israel, and, then gives back $150 billion dollars in confiscated funds to the Iranians, who openly admit that some of that money will be used to attack American installations, essentially placing a target on the backs of our own troops. My greatest frustration, as a Jew, was trying to figure out why the Pro-Zionist leadership didn't make the destruction of the Iranian Nuclear Holocaust war machine their top priority. Didn't they realize that standing fast to defending our Constitution's Rule of Law and its stance against fascism is the key to securing a safe Israel?

I've approached them numerous times about taking an active leadership role, but they prefer useless rallies and parades over direct confrontation with government officials. Martin Luther King, a registered Republican, stood up against all odds and changed the status quo for Americans of African descent with peaceful acts of civil disobedience accompanied by hundreds of Jewish sympathizers and leaders in the 60's. How come when come that when it came to their own people and their own homeland, our American Jewish leaders didn't stand up with a similar ferocity and acts of resistance? Certainly this fight was equally worthy.

At one of the rallies, http://www.neveragainisnow.net/archives/290- the-un-rally-in-september-2008 I met three Holocaust survivors who encouraged me to never give up on my demands to launch a military strike to end the Iranian Nuclear Holocaust threat and the "Jewicidal two-state solution." "Don't give up, Stan. Don't stop speaking out for those who no longer have a voice. Do it for our family members who couldn't." Their voices are within me and inspire me on my mission to open the eyes of the world and spur the citizens of America into action by bringing this hatred "up close and personal" with the Never Again Is Now campaign. Its goal is to bring the victims of the Holocaust alive, enabling them to speak out through us so that their tragic deaths would not be in vain. By invoking their voices and memories in a world-wide visual outrage to stop the hatred, we can bring awareness to the world that America, especially American Jews, will not condone anti-Semitism, either blatant as launched missiles with messages calling for the annihilation of Jews or covert, as in a detrimental Iranian Nuclear deal.

It is the faces of the Holocaust survivors I have sat with and interviewed over the years that were the inspiration for the button I designed; the Badge of Resistance featuring a yellow Star of David emblazoned with the words "Never Again Is Now." The Badge is a simple, yet imposing design that shouts to the world that six million voices must be heard. Voices from every Synagogue, every supporting house of worship, every school and university all visually shouting that Never Again Is Now! The ultimate voice must come from the Halls of Congress, where every Senator and every Congressperson shares the vision that America stands with Israel. Could that ever happen?


Our nation continues to fund and support a blatant anti-Semitic United Nation that spends endless hours and tax dollars criticizing Israel but says nothing about the human rights violations by her surrounding neighbors. Is getting through to Congress just a pipe dream? Maybe so, but those faces spur me on and like Don Quixote, I continued to slay my windmills. After the Iranian Nuclear Deal, our religious leaders incredulously remained hypnotized and silent. So, I became even more determined to call attention to President Obama's treasonous declaration of war on his own troops, the state of Israel and our Constitution' Rule of Law. As a result, I launched http://www.scrapthedeal.com/urgent/

Then, like Divine Intervention, a door opened that has given me a clear path to victory. Not a personal victory, mind you, but the victory for America to reclaim her noble purpose and just cause. I met the Marines, heroes whose understanding of this miscarriage of justice was intrinsic to their belief of America, her Constitution and their code of honor.

Part II
The Final Assault; The First Wave

After viewing my site, Gene Simes, President of Operation Firing for Effect, (OFFE), a 501c3 veteran's organization (headquartered in Rochester, NY) reached out to me and said I had his and his organization's full backing. In January 2016, Gene, in his full Marine blues, along with OFFE's Vice President Tom Pridell, his wife Debra, and I traveled to Trump Tower in New York City. For six hours straight Gene stood at attention in the opulent marble lobby, where he caught the attention of every passer-by, enabling us to talk about the Iranian deal, Israel and the Rule of Law. http://www.offe.org/public_html/news/salute-to- trump.htm

The following month, we returned to Trump Tower, this time with Gene wearing a target on the back of his Marine blues to draw attention to the treasonous Iranian nuclear deal and the affect it would have on his brothers and sisters in service. Candidate Trump's advisor at that time, General Mike Flynn sat with us and we discussed Iran and the need for a military solution. He responded that America was not ready.

In a follow-up OFFE conference call with a courageous wounded Navy Brown Water Vietnam veteran, Gerry Berrie, who initiated a bedside phone program to VA patients after receiving years of inadequate medical attention in a VA Hospital, asked me, "Stan, what is going on in Israel? Why is the world treating the Jews as if they were the dregs of the earth?" He was also frustrated witnessing world leaders, American officials and media, University students, and a disproportionate number of European nations equating a Democratic and Egalitarian Israel, where Jews, Non-Jews and Arabs live peacefully, side-by-side, with her surrounding terrorist neighbors who violated almost every human right that America, and its ally Israel, held as sacred to their Constitutions. My response was, "I guess it has always been this way in the world."

However, my research uncovered an inspirational letter written in 1790 by my hero, George Washington, to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island that proved Anti-Semitism was not an inherently American sentiment. Washington openly praised the Jewish people writing, "May the children of the stock of Abraham who dwell in this land continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants – while everyone shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid." It continues "The government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens in giving it on all occasions their effectual support."

My fellow OFFE members concluded that George Washington's message of religious tolerance for those abiding by the Constitution, as America's first Veteran, Commander in Chief, as one of the Founding Fathers, must be honored now as it was then and that the hate of Jewish people must stop here and it must stop with us. Washington's admiration for the Jewish people was also revealed in an inspirational story that took place during the brutal winter at Valley Forge.

During a surprise visit from a down-trodden and exhausted General Washington who noticed a burning candle in a young soldier's window, explained the holiday of Chanukah, the bravery of Judah Maccabee and his small but brave army and the meaning behind the candle lights to his superior. He told General Washington to have faith and that his soldiers will succeed and build a new home for all those who suffer at the hands of tyrants. The story and faith of the young soldier infused Washington with hope and determination and the victory of the Valley Forge battle changed the course of history. A year later, the new President Washington found that Jewish soldier living in New York and presented him with a medallion on which was etched a beautiful Chanukah Menorah. Under it was written: "A token of gratitude for the light of your candle – George Washington."

This story was the impetus my fellow OFFE colleagues and I needed to spur us into action to stop the hatred. In February of 2017 OFFE members Gene Simes and Paul Dionne, went to Washington, DC in full uniform to speak to the Representatives about underserved veterans. On his uniform, Gene wore the Never Again is Now button which drew the Representatives into a discussion about it as well as the Iranian Nuclear Deal. By explaining to the DC politicians the similarities of the Holocaust and the Iranian Nuclear Deal, asking their support by wearing the button, they could drum up enough dialogue and interest to spur Congress into action. Unfortunately, they were not able to get pictures. These patriotic veterans returned to Rochester just as President Trump issued a statement denouncing bigotry, specifically highlighting anti-Jewish acts of vandalism. Ironically, soon after this pronouncement, Jewish cemeteries in Rochester were vandalized by destruction of gravesites and anti-Semitic graffiti.

With these acts of hatred and bigotry in their own backyards, OFFE was even more determined to speak out about "stopping the hatred." They agreed to pose in uniform in front of their NY State buildings to be sure that 6 million voices would be heard, and even more, that the hate will be stopped, in our time with the help of the veterans and Congress. Together, Gene, Tom, Debra and I headed to Rochester.

While taking pictures in front of the State Court House, we were approached by a police security officer. He spoke to Gene about a case that was going to the U.S. Supreme Court and then asked Gene about the Jewish Star button on his marine uniform. Gene referred the policemen to me and I explained the Hate Stops Here With Us campaign and meaning behind the badge. What happened next was amazing. The officer hugged me with tears in his eyes and thanked me profusely. I will never forget this moment and neither will Gene. It infused me with the confidence that this was the campaign needed to open the eyes of the American people and start the firestorm across this nation. We have the capacity to put an end to hatred, to bigotry and anti- Semitism. It is right in front of us.

Finally, OFFE Vice President Tom Pridell brought theses buttons out to California to distribute them to other vets. The result was something I could never have predicted.

According to a recent email I received from Francisco Juarez of California, who was given six Badges by Tom Pridell on his latest trip to Santa Monica to protest the illegal land grab of Veteran property given specifically to house and care for veterans but instead has been hijacked and commercialized by government officials because of its high property value. Mr Juarez describes the unofficial "Code of Brotherhood" which is understood by members of the military that "we protect and honor each other and the Rule of Law by which America abides." This "code" makes heroes. It takes ordinary men and women, instills in them pride of country, enabling them to see through color, through heritage and through blood and focus on America and all she stands for. At an event honoring his cousin, Medal of Valor and Medal of Honor winner Private Joseph Gandara who lost his life in 1944 when he came out from cover to take out three Nazi machine gun nests before being killed by a fourth one, Juarez pinned on one of the badges and the reactions he experienced were so incredible. He again wore the badge to another veteran-honoring event attracting similar overwhelming reactions that he decided to put them down in an email to me.


The first encounter was with an old acquaintance and a prominent member of the Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise. He asked about the badge and immediately wanted one to pin on himself. The second encounter was with a very well dressed woman with the Vietnam Veterans Association who "admired the badge I had on. I gave her the second one and she held it close to her heart and closed her eyes. She said she would cherish it "forever." The third and fourth reaction came from Darin Selnick, the keynote speaker at the event, a Senior Advisor to VA Secretary Shulkin and to President Trump and from AMVETS Commander Enrique Rudino who both put on the badge immediately. The fifth badge went to fellow Santa Monica veteran Matt Millen, a member of the Jewish War Veterans. Another woman asked about the badge, wanting one for herself. I had already given mine away to a fellow veteran, who removed it from his uniform and gave it to her. Mr. Juarez goes on to "described the badges that you sent to this Coast and how they evoked pride and symbolism at this event... We know that the truth is on our side, and, we know that we owe it to Veterans of the past and the future to fight to preserve the terms, conditions, spirit and intent of this moral obligation...We thank Tom Pridell for bringing me those six badges that brought so much meaning to the Tibor Rubin Event."

These heroes of our country understand that the Iranian Deal is a miscarriage of justice, a violation of our Constitution, supports Anti-Semitism, bigotry and senseless hatred against Israel and compromises our troops and our mission in the world. All of this, symbolized in a simple Badge of Resistance, is diametrically opposed to what America represents, her Constitution and the military Code of Honor. That is why, "We the People," the recipients of their valor, must stand with these guardians who protect our Constitution as they now stand with us, we must protest the illegail land grab of veteran property. http://www.offe.org/public_html/newsletter- 7.htm The Veterans Say Never Forget, We say Never Again.

We are all seemingly fighting different battles, but in truth, we are all on the same side of peace, justice and the Constitution. We find our common goal in the Constitution's Rule of Law, that which is our country's unwavering stance against tyranny.This is an ubreakable Victorious America coalition. It all comes down to that one common thread. America stands solid against those who are threatened by our liberties, rights and freedoms granted to us by our Constitution. Very simply, our military gave their lives for it, our President and Congress have taken an oath to defend it, and American Citizens are protected by it.

In the next few months, we will be heading to Washington, DC to distribute these badges to find members of the Senate and Congress bold enough to stand within the well of their respective chambers, don the badges and proclaim directly to America that "Today my name is Eliezer Arav (or any of 6 million names). The real Eliezer died at the hands of the Nazis in 1943, in the Holocaust, mercilessly, for no other reason than humanity's inability and unwillingness to acknowledge and stand up to evil and hatred. Yet, I hear his voice loud and clear, therefore, I proclaim that I am that Jew today. And in his name, I affirm that the time has come to evoke this noble objective and take action against those whose policies that will bring about the obliteration of the Jewish people. I urge Congress to stand with me to de-legitimize any group effort determined to wipe the Jewish people off the face of the earth.

Our Founders had no tolerance for governments and rulers who embraced tyranny because it was diametrically opposed to the foundation on which they built this country. Understanding our Rule of Law is essential to understanding the basis of why this country exists. It is the non-negotiable benchmark against which we measure every rule, every decision, every policy and every negotiation. The time has come, once again, to evoke this noble objective and take action against those whose policies will try to make this world "Jew-ridden." That Hate Stops Here with Us. We speak for the Six Million who no longer have a voice and the six million Jews who live in Israel, For Never Again is NOW!

© Stanley Zir