TO BE PROUD IS POSITIVE POWER

Since my college days, I have been proud to be a Jew and explain our traditions to non Jews. For the most part, my listeners were receptive and interested. There were sporadic incidents of antisemitism. I ignored them. I actually thought my father--a Holocaust survivor--was ridiculous to be involved with the Anti Defamation League. Antisemitism seemed to be a relic from World War 2. Though names from his discussions, such as John Birch Society, seeped into my mind. I seem to be following his model. 

I am concerned about the rise in antisemitic incidents in 2022. My dad died in 2005, oblivious to the power of the internet, social media, emails, and texts in spreading hatred. He was accustomed to a more obvious form of loathing. My mother lived until 2019; however, she could not grasp that the white supremacists marching in Charlottesville were a threat. I happened to be with her at the time. I said, "Mom, look!" highly alarmed as we watched the news. She waved her hand dismissively and said, "they know nothing of real Nazis." She ignored unpleasantness. My parents were opposites in their approach to a resurgence of the hate that expelled them from Germany.

Blessed to be living in the United States, there is a flip side to antisemitism, that is pride, strength, and Tikkun Olam. The various sects--for lack of a better word-- of Judaism demonstrate positive self-regard in different ways with the extreme resulting in brutality and bloodshed. From the Bar Kochba revolt against the Roman Empire to the Irgun who resorted to savage acts during the British Mandate, the Jewish people have a history of impassioned ferocity. The current extremists treat Palestinians with ruthless disregard. 

Returning to positive acts of pride, my thoughts turn to Chanukah. The winter festival, minor in significance, is a touchpoint in our society. Faced with the commericial onslaught of Christmas, which many Christians abhor, well meaning individuals have felt the need to match holiday for holiday. 

Jewish children are confronted with their difference at Christmas. Our society has progressed from the years of my childhood when the only winter holiday acknowledged was Christmas. No sensible Jew would have advertised that they did not celebrate the Christian holiday, especially Holocaust survivors who were afraid to call attention to themselves. Many a Jewish family resorted to outwardly celebrating Christmas with a tree and gifts on December 25, the ultimate act of assimilation and fear. 

Fast forward to the late 20th century, and we have public menorahs, including one beside the national Christmas tree on the Ellipse in Washington D.C. The latter tradition started in 1979, and it was a  timely addition. A new generation of Jews were not afraid to proudly assert their background. Baby Boomers reveled in speaking out, marching, and singing, whatever gained the attention of Americans asleep to a burgeoning multicultural society. 

Now 2022, everyone knows about Chanukah. Target, CVS, and any other large retail establishment sell Chanukah stuff--cards, candles, candies, cheap decorations made in China. We have hit the big time, I guess. Jews got what they sought. I would rather a person in a small town be aware of Chanukah from Walmart than nothing Jewish at all. The sad part is that Americans continue to be blatantly unaware of our serious holidays. 

Public Chanukah lightings have sprung up like mushrooms. Unbelievable to me--the change is mind blowing. Children can feel proud, happy, and excited to be recognized publicly. The President of the United States and the First Lady have had a beautiful truly American menorah constructed from an old beam of the White House and silver cups created by an artisan. President Obama held Passover Seders. Wonderful! Excellent! Actions that serve as antidotes to the rise of antisemitism.

Only one "but" here. Most of the Chanukah lightings seem to be sponsored by Chabad--Lubavitch, an Orthodox Jewish sect founded in Lithuania in 1775. Lubavitch refers to a town in Poland where the dominant line of leaders lived for a century. Other scions of Hasidism joined the Lubavitch line in the 1930's. The Schneerson family transfered the center of the movement to Russia and then to the United States after the outbreak of World War II.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel developed the educational and social services branches of Chabad. He became the successor to Rabbi Yosef Yitchak Schneerson. Today 5,000 families direct 3,500 centers worldwide. They provide inspiration, spiritual practice, education, and social and recreational programs to nearly 100,000 of people in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, Israel, New Zealand, and Australia. 

Chabad demonstrates Tikkun Olam and encourages outsiders or lapsed Jews to participate. On the face of it, they provide much needed sustenance and succor, but the members of the group practice Orthodoxy, with strict definitons of gender roles and adherance to rigid practices developed centuries ago cloaked in a mainstream message and a modern method with their benign online presence. 

I propose--like my father would have done--that all branches of Judaism--Reform, Conservative, Secular, and Orthodox--join the public display of pride in being Jewish. We cannot be fearful and quiet. Antisemitism festers in dark corners. Free speech is rampant, both virtual and real. Let us be part of the rabble. We must show the various faces of Judaism--modern, multicultural, and multi-faceted.

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/36226/jewish/About-Chabad-Lubavitch.htm

https://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/public-menorah-lightings-withstand-controversy-antisemitism-pandemic/

©Karen Levi 2022

Ten Long Years

Ten years since that Friday in December when I heard on the car radio that there had been a shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut. At home, I caught President Obama on the news, crying about the loss of children and their teachers. Surely, this would mark a turning point. The drama of the tragic moment would certainly convince recalcitrant lawmakers to pass strict laws to prevent another Newtown disaster. The National Rifle Association would change. Congress would act. I was captured by the images of six-year-old children murdered, gunned down in their classrooms. Surely, this would be the start of a new era. Before this day, the country had witnessed numerous other mass murders in schools, shopping centers, and movie theaters. 

 Seven months ago—the name of another elementary school flashes on my cell phone. Not possible, again. This time—nine-year-old children gunned down by another young man. This is a nightmare. But wait, the story is on television—parents crying, struggling to find their youngsters; police scrambling, stretching yellow police tape in front of a school’s entrances. This time I am transported to a small Hispanic town in Texas, Uvalde. 

Since the Newtown tragedy, there have been 239 school shootings with 438 people shot, 138 killed. In the ten years of 2012—2022, thousands of shootings in random places have occurred—Walmart, synagogues, grocery stores, TV stations, country churches, medical buildings, holiday parties, nightclubs, concerts, schools, and spas. Here are the statistics—the number of shooting incidents has nearly tripled since 2013. The number of mass shootings continues to rise with a sharp increase in 2019. According to the Gun Violence Archive all categories of gun related deaths have increased except for Defensive Use. The rate of Murder-Suicide has remained steady. Bored? Maybe you are. But each American is at risk. 

 This is hardly a fitting memorial or appropriate honor for beautiful children, elderly congregants at prayer, young people dancing at a club, a rising congresswoman. Truly, this phenomenon reflects a deep sickness in our country. The symptoms are an increase in gun sales and expenditures by pro-gun lobbies; parents failing to store weapons safely; and frightening behavior from potential perpetrators that friends, family members, professionals, and colleagues ignore. 

 The deadly illness is a belief that one’s individual rights supersede those of the community. It is more important to have access to as many automatic weapons as are manufactured than to prevent the possibility of a crime committed with one of the deadly firearms. A civilian is guaranteed the right to own and use weapons produced for the military, but due to this privilege citizens are targets anywhere anytime. Certainly if “rights” taken to their extremes harm the people the laws were intended to protect, our leaders must assist the collective “we the people” to return to our senses. But power to remain in office is more important to these cowardly officials. We vote them out, but more are elected in simultaneously. We are split which means half of our country either does not care or wants to maintain the status quo of a free-for-all for the ownership of firearms. I am not speaking of making all gun ownership illegal, but certainly a sensible hunter could not object to background checks, red flag laws, and waiting periods. 

 How can this country have devolved to such a state that we maintain a system which puts all of us in danger every day? How does an individual sustain a rigid belief in “second amendment rights,” after being shot? (Congressman Scalise was shot at a baseball practice in 2017.) These remain the questions. Why has the United States moved backwards in gun safety legislation? More importantly than answering the unanswerable is maintaining hope. 

 As I scan the internet today, I find a story about several women who have devoted their lives to gun violence protection; in 2012, they practiced professions unrelated to the cause; they did not pay attention to politics or social change. Something happened to them on December 14, 2012. The yoga instructor, attorney, and former teacher promised to be the change. They joined grass roots organizations, returned to college for master’s degrees, and took sharp decreases in pay to work for national organizations dedicated to gun control and advocacy for victims. That gives me hope. President Biden signed the first gun safety legislation in thirty years. The law gives states incentives for states to pass “red flag” laws. The bill expands the definition of convicted domestic abusers who are prohibited to own guns. This is a sign of hope in a country where approximately half the population has voted to rescind gun control laws and reject the congress people who support sensible regulations.

 A few months after the 2012 Newtown, Connecticut shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, I attended a meeting at Bethesda Jewish Congregation to join other like-minded individuals who were shocked by the murder of first and second graders. Since that time, gun safety advocates who are members of both Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church and Bethesda Jewish Congregation have engaged in a variety of activities. We have participated in the T shirt Project, an outdoor display of white t shirts with the names of gun violence victims on the shirts. Members of both congregations have attended protest marches. Bethesda Jewish Congregation held a panel discussion providing different views on gun safety legislation. We have presented films about the varied aspects of gun violence, including traumatic affects on youth in inner city high schools and first aid for gunshot victims. Members of both congregations have listened to speakers from the District of Columbia affected by gun violence. We partnered with a variety of national and local advocacy groups. Emails and bulletins over the years sent by the Social Action and Interfaith Congregation Partnership Committees provided opportunities to join lobbyists in Annapolis, write letters or sign petitions to our lawmakers, and engage in panel discussions by clergy. 

Where do we go from here? Continue our dedication to peace, understanding, and compassion among all members of our community. Engage in Tikkun Olam. Some shootings originate in misunderstandings among racial/ethnic groups and prejudice. Write emails, sign petitions, go to protests, and engage speakers to remind us of this modern tragedy and our roles in stopping the unnecessary, unspeakable violence. 

gunviolencearchive.org 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/02/15/us/school-shootings-sandy-hook-parkland.html 

©Karen Levi 2022

A Recital

 Ah, the music and dance school recital, a twice yearly event in most American cities. Countless, piano, voice, and dance teachers present their students to showcase what they have learned. Little children in taffeta, velvet, and bow ties primly march up to the stage and show their skills, usually flawlessly. Often, parents have to give a little push to a reluctant child in a slightly outgrown suit, party dress, or costume. 

Sometimes, there are older students--high schoolers who have spent their childhood and adolescence with the same school or teacher. They perform more difficult works and sometimes falter but persist.  These kids have guts; they pursue and improve. Some continue to practice and perform their art as college students and adults. They will become the parents who encourage their children.

Today, I was the outlier, the grandmotherly figure, to perform with the children and teenagers. I am studying the piano. What was most interesting was that most of the performers were multi-racial. This is the population in suburban Maryland, outside of Washington D.C. We are a microcosom of the world. 

These children were Chinese, Thai, Korean, and South Asian. Their proud parents and grandparents captured their success on their I phones and Androids. This is the emerging face of our country now. In contrast to years ago, when there may have been one brave little girl or boy from a minority racial group; now the blonde girl is the token white child. 

The parents of the children who performed dream the same dreams, have the same hopes as white parents. They want their children to succeed and to be proud of them. There is no difference between these parents and the caucasian moms and dads of fifty years ago. Playing an instrument, singing a solo, or dancing are part of the fabric and story of growing up (if a child is lucky enough to live in a relatively affluent area.)

Why do the haters continue to create differences where none exist? Parents everywhere want their offspring to have a better life than they had. Mothers and fathers--the world over--feed, protect, nurture, and encourage their sons and daughters. Brown, tan, black, white--it just does not matter. 

We saw the Ukrainian mothers and their children bravely walk and ride trains to another country to be safe. Whenever, there are refugees escaping, mothers and fathers are clinging to babies and holding the hands of older kids. All they want is to be out of danger. Families--and children by themselves--travel thousands of miles northward to enter the United States for the freedom to live far from harm. 

The color of people's skin, the language they speak makes not a shred of difference. All want safety and peace. Most Americans do not have to reach far back on their family trees to find their refugee or immigrant ancestors. Mothers and fathers the world over wish to see their children well-fed, educated, and proudly playing in a recital.

© Karen Levi 2022

STATELESS

 Stateless--last time I wrote about the subject, I looked back in history. I explained that my family, specifically my mother and her mother, were stateless from 1938--1953. Yesterday, I had the privilege of listening to an extraordinary woman who was born in Gaza and is without viable citizenship. She stood before a large crowd and spoke--no podium--about living in a cage without freedom. Gaza is a large cage.

Since she lives in Gaza, the Israeli government prohibits her from leaving. If she travels, her identification will enable her to visit a handful of places, such as Iraq, Syria, Jordan, or Lebanon. The chances of travel to Europe or the United States is nearly nil. 

Through a bureaucratic miracle, she has been allowed to visit Japan--due to diplomatic intervention-- and then Europe and the United States a few times. Majhd Mashharawi is an engineer, entrepeneur, and inventor. If she had been born in the United States, she would have probably attended MIT. She is the receipient of many awards. I imagine she could apply for asylum in another country. However, she is commited to her land and her people. 

Her passion to help her people moved me to tears; as is often the case when I confront the troubles and predicaments of the Gazan and Palestinian people--painful to watch the videos of human beings treated unfairly; ill-advised, flippant rules continuously applied randomly to peaceful farmers. How much injustice do people tolerate before they explode? The answer is in the news--more bombings, missles, and death.

Ms. Mashharawi's  earth-friendly inventions have aided Gazans to rebuild their neighborhoods. She devised a technique to form bricks out of the detritus from bombed structures. Due to her expertise, she developed a process for solar energy to power the devices modern individuals utilize in everyday life, so Gazans could access computers, for example. Obviously, this young woman demonstrates skills that will help her family, friends, and neighbors for years to come. 

Creative, passionate, and intelligent--yet feared by the Israeli government. At first glance, one wonders how anyone could be wary of her. But yet, one does not have to be a security professional to realize she is a risk due to where she lives. Hamas, a terrorist organization, controls Gaza and its people. Ms. Mashharawi cleared security, otherwise I would not have heard her speak. She represents 2 million Gazans. It does not matter if she is brilliant or not. A loosening of punitive restrictions for ordinary people to travel must begin. Trust has to occur on both sides. 

The irony that Israel prohibits normal citizenship for Gazans is not lost on me. It has been 84 years since German Jews lost their citizenship. I am not a specialist in security; however, since Palestinians and Gazans have safely traveled around the world, including to the United States, there is a precedent. I am scared everytime I board a plane, so I am not regarding this in a frivolous manner. The Israeli government must allow more Gazans--who have been cleared by security--to travel as a tiny step towards the reconciliation process. Peace and freedom are in the best interest for all.

©Karen Levi 2022

My Extraordinary Daughter

 Normally, I do not watch movies or t.v. shows about characters on the Autism Spectrum. It is a situation of knowing too much about a subject. When one is knowledgeable about a specific topic, for example a disability, one tends to be critical of a director's choices in the portrayl of individuals with this challenge. Typically very high functioning individuals with few unusual behaviors and features are depicted, the same being the case when characters with Down Syndrome are in a television series, as in Call the Midwife. The Extraordinary Attorney Woo is no exception when it comes to character with high intellectual functioning; however, I took to the Netflix show immediately.

The director, Yoo In-shik, and the writer, Moon Ji-Won, have done an extraordinary job emphasizing the awkward behavior of people with Autism, including motor, sensory, and verbal. In addition to the common lack of eye-contact and slumped posture, people on the spectrum move in a strange manner. 

Their gait is often slightly off or they walk too slow or fast. This is due to sensory motor difficulties, for example judging their body's and other objects' position in space. I frequently tell people, "They see the world differently. We have no idea what it is like actually." I am not certain the average person comprehends what I mean. In the series, Attorney Woo has difficulties going through doors, stepping into elevators, and going down escalators--all issues my daughter has faced and resolved. Noise is a common problem which my daughter and Attorney Woo combat by using noise reduction earphones.

Using the correct facial expression and interpreting the latter are extremely difficult for people with Autism. Sometimes, they have no idea what is appropriate for a situation. They need to learn to understand and react correctly for myriad social conditions. My daughter asks, "What does ____'s face look like when they see____?" Woo Young Woo's friend teaches her how and when to smile, what to say, and how to interpret gestures when interacting with people.

For these reasons alone, I continued to stream the popular South Korean show. I love to watch foreign films and stories for the cultural education. Needless to say, this series struck my heart. Here was a woman who did many of the same (sometimes wacky) things my daughter does: rearranging a display in a store that is messy; organizing the refrigerator, kitchen drawers, counters, and pantry in a neat orderly form; and stopping abruptly at a revolving door.

                                                       Our refrigerator

Oh, there's so much more. My daughter unfortunately is not a genius and does not have a photographic memory. Law school would be an impossibility. However, her memory for trivia is remarkable. So are her flashes of insight into people's behavior, as Woo Young Woo demonstrates in the show--usually clueless, but sometimes "seeing through a person," similar to my daughter. 

And then there are the whales and dolphins and animals, in general. My daughter exhibited a special affinity for marine mammals at a young age, memorizing facts she still remembers. I have visited numerous aquariums, zoos, and refuge centers as a parent. I know numerous details about whales, dolphins, penguins, skunks, dogs, and wolves. My daughter and I would love to see Orcas in the wild. We have seen dolphins and other species of whales. Attorney Woo and my daughter are inspired by the intelligence, loyalty, and beauty of these animals. 

                                                              Monterey Bay (California) Aquarium

As Woo Young Woo utters non sequiturs so does my daughter, seemingly to fill in gaps of silence and an inability to engage in small talk. People are uncomfortable when confronted with a person who does not match what is considered normal. Some individuals intuitively pick up on a conversational thread but usually not. People with Autism face silent rejection constantly. It is painful and embarrassing to observe. When we meet a particularly compassionate listener, I rejoice. The lawyers who work with Attorney Woo disdain her at first but come to marvel at her legal skills. Slowly, some of her peers accept her quirks and begin to love and advocate for her. 

Woo Young Woo utters inappropriate and hurtful words in her attempt to communicate, unable to understand the subtle variations of social discourse. After her boss, whom she respects and likes, has been diagnosed with stomach cancer, she blurts out statistics about the disease. When he is wheeled into surgery she yells that she wants to say good-bye in case he dies. My daughter has blurted out so many embarrassing statements, it is hard to include them all, for example, "She is not my mother" at one point in her development; yelling "Don't shush me, you know I hate that" when she is making a noise, creating an even louder altercation and unwanted attention. Sometimes my daughter sounds like a nasty spoiled brat which she is definitely not. Anxiety in unknown or overwhelming situations can result in meltdowns. The viewer of The Extraordinary Attorney Woo observes this in the episodes.

A romantic relationship is the most challenging. Attorney Woo meets a paralegal who is exceptionally kind, and there is a spark between them. What ensues is bittersweet to behold. Unfortunately, my daughter has not had such an experience or rejected some that came her way. Romance remains in her fantasy life. As with Woo Young Woo's father, a parent is extremely worried about unsavory characters influencing or adult children who are vulnerable to say the least. 

Attorney Woo is likeable--a genius, beautiful, charming, well-groomed. It is television. The aggravating, daily issues are omitted. But, she can be exasperating, annoying, and tiresome. The director and writer did not avoid reality, the best gift to society for understanding the disability. 

                                               Isabel, my daughter

Note: Thank you to my brother-in-law, Alan Robin, for recommending this show. 

©Karen Levi 2022

   

Three Shining Black Faces/To Those Who Enable Violence by Inaction

Evil surrounds us

In the form of guns.

Used by the maladjusted,

Enabled by those

Who feel their rights supersede

Victims sleeping, studying, listening, worshipping: 

Caught of guard.

Act of cowardice

Mute until the perpetrator pulls a trigger.

Afraid to speak

Words hurt but do not kill.

Unable to look at the picture of the three shining young men

Murdered for no reason.

Shaking with grief and rage.

Please--stricter laws and enforcement.

Cease the murder

For which you are responsible, culpable.

©Karen Levi 2022

JEWS IN SMALL PLACES

 

JEWS IN SMALL PLACES By Karen Levi Periodically, one hears or reads about a small Jewish community in a location not typically associated with Jews—in Uganda, Turkey, Morocco, Ukraine. I have visited several of these barely surviving enclaves. Often, a tiny worship space exists with an older man or woman as caretaker. Young people have flown the coop for good reason. Educational and economic opportunities are nil. Frequently, the former residents emigrate to Israel which accepts Jewish immigrants.  BJC has been assisting a village of Jewish subsistence farmers in Uganda. The leader of the Ugandan Jewish congregation sends photos of children and adults celebrating festivals and holidays much as we do, albeit in simple structures with makeshift materials. The smiles on the faces of the children and the pride in the posture of the adults communicates a sense of worth and purpose. I have seen small spaces for Jewish worship in Morocco and in Lviv, Ukraine. In Casablanca and Marrakesh, I visited viable synagogues, but in other cities I was led into musty, decrepit rooms with faded remnants of Jewish worship. Most probably, all the Jews had disappeared from those towns. In Lviv (before the present war), the former synagogue was a wreck—rooms with broken down walls and peeling paint. Memories of my trip to Cuba recalls Jews in small towns barely hanging on, their population dwindling continuously. Sadly, there are no solutions, and most of these places will become abandoned. The village in Uganda thrives with extreme challenges—lack of land, water, viable housing, healthcare, education. But it is not dead yet. The Jewish inhabitants yearn to connect with other Jews. In the past, the Jews in Cuba appreciated any communication with congregants of synagogues in the United States. I believe these small enclaves may hold the key to the future of Judaism. That is why they need our support. These people follow traditional Jewish practices without the encumbrance of the conflicts modern Jews confront, for example does the Bible make sense in our world, what practices do we follow, will my child have a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, should I join a synagogue. Israel should not have this role, due to their myriad political, social, and cultural difficulties.  Judaism serves as a core and organizing principal in the lives of the people remaining in small regional groups. The Jews who live in these towns—who may not be like secular Jews of the developed world-- observe practices which we might describe as Orthodox. However, these villagers and farmers do not live separate from their surroundings, as the ultra-religious sects do in the “first world.” History has proved that we Jews have yet to find a safe permanent home. Recent news reveals that antisemitism lurks barely beneath the surface of our everyday lives in the developed world. Antisemitic tropes and actions leap or slither out from havens in the Right and the Left. Those of us alive today exist in a short blip in time--no telling what might happen in the far future. Jews could become wanderers yet again.  The weekly Jewish bulletin of the San Francisco Bay Area reported on a small town at the Syrian-Turkish border, once an important city; now a vestige of the past, a fading Jewish community of elderly residents who do not want to leave. One resident said, “I was born in Antakya and I will die in Antakya.” In Antakya, Jews practice the faith, lead a productive life, and are less affected than those parents who do not want their children negatively affected by the retelling of history or crazed gun toting individuals who enter houses of worship.  I am not suggesting that modern Jews pack up and relocate to small villages, go off the grid, revert to life in the 19th century, or become hermits. Education and economic opportunity continue as the keys to progress and improvement in the lives of all people. I exist in the comfort and advantages of the 21st century. However, I emphasize the importance of saving and helping those who maintain rituals and practices which keep Judaism a vibrant religion. They may save us yet. ©2022 Karen Levi

Wandering Jew in Germany

 The older man in an overcoat and hat, trudging along--that is what I imagine. Or the purplish plant that grows quickly and easily. But the assimilated American Jew leaving the United States? To be honest, the thought has been lodged in my head, sporadically rising to the surface. I am the daughter of Holocaust survivors. To Israel, I believed. But now our ancestral, spiritual homeland is fraught with threatening political divides. Would I go from the frying pan into the fire? No, now it is Germany. Yup--escape to Germany.

My mother and father would have considered me deranged. They narrowly escaped Germany with their parents in 1938-'9. But, think about it? Young Jews from Israel have been moving to Germany to escape the highly fraught atmosphere in Israel concerning the Palestinians. Germany is not a nirvana; right wing parties with members who are antisemitic threaten stability. Certainly, a strong anti immigrant movement exists in Germany, as in other European nations. 

A strict system of anti hate speech laws, passed by the Bundestag over the last 78 years since the end of World War II, mark a great difference between Germany and the United States. The German Penal Code forbids the public display of Nazi propaganda and symbols on and offline. These laws contrast with the 1st Amendment rights of Americans which do not limit hate speech. The broad interpretation of the 1st Amendment has enabled an increase in the expression of hatred and crimes against specific ethnic/racial groups in the last 12 years, as reported by CNN. 

Statistics can be viewed and analyzed from myriad angles. However, the occurrence of mass shootings, virulent expressions, and rallies to promote hatred have risen in the 21st century. Of course, our country experienced racial/ethnic disturbances throughout our history. Increasingly, the latter events are accompanied by manifestos of antipathy online. The dark web is no longer cloaked in the shadows. The light shines strongly on words of detestation for the purpose of inciting hostility and violence. 

Just days ago, a crazed individual broke into Speaker Nancy Pelosi's house to injure her (but seriously hurt her husband instead). And this guy carried a hammer not an AK-47. He hated the speaker which echoed the invaders of the January 6 Capitol riot, during which they shouted, "Where's Nancy?" The perpetrator spouted antisemitic tropes, as well as other junk, on his blog. He has been charged with seriously injuring Pelosi's husband, among other federal and state crimes. 

Let us pause a moment--the man who injured Paul Pelosi could have stood on their street with a sign that expressed some bizarre thoughts, and he would not have been arrested or, if so, for a misdemeanor. Hillary Clinton was similarly maligned in 2016 when a Republican crowd yelled, "lock her up." These slogans not only spew hatred and encourage violence towards an opponent but are misogynistic. In September, an infamous American hater was arrested at Auschwitz for displaying a sign with an antisemitic message. The Poles did not consider free speech in such an egregious case. This individual--now released--continues spreading hate in our country, recently seen on a Los Angeles overpass with a sign, "Kanye was right."

Recently, I attended a concert by SONiA disappear fear, a Jewish folksinger from Baltimore. She frequently tours in Israel and Europe. Evidently, her music is well-known in Germany. One of her original compostions is Wandering Jew. Strange coincidence that she performed a song just as these thoughts of escaping to Germany occurred in my mind. And two months ago, after years of bureacratic hassles and confusions, I received my German citizenship, based on my parents' being stripped of their nationality and native status in 1938. 

I view Germany as an escape hatch. I do not have immediate plans, but it is always good to be proactive and prepared. I will certainly travel to Germany more frequently, and I am renewing my German language skills. They have lied dormant for many years. 

I have been directly involved in several projects in Germany since 2019. One is the Stolpersteine project developed by Günter Demnig, a German artist. The brass plaques, placed in the sidewalk, commemorate victims of Nazi persecution. My sister and I participated in the ceremony in Frankfurt for our paternal great grandmother. A Stolperstein was embedded in a Berlin sidewalk for a great aunt. Both of these women were cruelly murdered by the Nazis. We hope to have three more installed in Konstanz, our father's birthplace. My sister and I participated in Denk Mal Am Ort in 2019, a unique program occurring once a year in private residences in Berlin, Frankfurt, Münich, and Hamburg. The present owners of a property invite the relatives of Jewish residents of a particular house or flat from the 1920's-'30's to tell the story of their parents, grandparents, etc. 

These activities introduced me to Germans who denounce persecution, oppression, and the Nazi past. The German viewpoint changed over the course of the last 80 years. The contemporary populace and government are like the criminal who was caught in the act and learned from a mistake. The U.S.A. of today is akin to the criminal who was caught but will not admit wrongdoing. One pleads guilty, the other not guilty, different from innocent.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/30/us/fbi-report-hate-crimes-rose-2020/index.html

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/petaluma-mans-anti-semitic-stunt-draws-newsoms-ire/

https://www.soniadisappearfear.com/

A Mitzvah Revealed Admist Major Mayhem

 Darcy Bishop is someone I will never know. She lives in Naples, Florida. She exemplifies incredible bravery, self-sacrifice, love, and commitment. Regardless of whether she has made the best decision for herself to care for her disabled brothers, she did a mitzvah for them. 

A mitzvah is a good deed which bonds one with others. The Talmud states, "whoever saves a single life" is considered by this holy book "to have saved the entire world." This mitzvah is also known as Tikkun Olam or repairing the world. I greatly admire Darcy Bishop whose life is more difficult than mine.

I do not know why Ms. Bishop did not evacuate. She had family and friends around the state. She cared for two handicapped brothers, one wheelchair bound and strenuous to transport. Reportedly, she recently underwent knee replacement surgery and was not supposed to put unnecessary strain on her knee. Ms. Bishop is no longer a young woman, though she is at least doing the work of two full time health aides, not to say housekeeper, cook, and advocate. She and her brothers are in their sixties.

During Hurricane Ian, her house began to flood. She decided to move her siblings to the second floor. One brother walked up the steps without much distress. The other brother was unable to complete this task due to Cerebral Palsy (CP). Ms. Bishop dragged him up the stairs. I can imagine her frustration and exhaustion as she struggled, in panic, sweat pouring into her eyes. 

To drag an immobile man up a staircase would be a nearly impossible task for an average woman. Ms. Bishop demonstrated ingenuity and adaptation. She pulled on her brother through the use of belts. The two 60 + year olds could not reach the top. They literally went up a few steps and then down. Her brother experienced pain; Darcy perspired and strained, but it was too much. Her other brother, also physically handicapped, was unable to help. You see, in addition to CP, these brothers have developmental disabilities. 

As the water rose in the house, she felt impending doom. Ms. Bishop spoke with her daughter. Travel was impossible by this time. She called her parents in Wisconsin to say goodbye. Darcy brought pillows and cushions to her brother, so he would be relatively comfortable. Then she proceeded to save herself or give up. Ms. Bishop did not hold out hope. Miracuously, the water began to recede; she fell asleep; and, upon awakening, realized she had survived (as well as her brothers). Soon after, friends arrived, called other people, and the two brothers and sister lived. 

Of course, the house will be demolished, and most of the belongings are ruined. As the insurance industry sets in motion, impossible tasks are imposed on people like Darcy and her family in order to be reimbursed. This is a woman who does not have a typical job due to the injuries she has developed due to the strain of her difficult life. She probably does not possess savings or investments. 

I hope a good samaritan helps her. I certainly would if I knew she would get the help and not some scammers. Irregardless, her behavior serves to show us that there are still those who sacrifice to help family members, no matter what the circumstances. Her humble life and self-sufficient attitude are remarkable. 

There are certainly those in Florida who lost beach houses that were built where no house should go. I am fairly certain, Florida is a state that caters to the wealthy instead of the needy. These affluent second homeowners will work the system to be reimbursed by insurance and obtain whatever aid is available.  But, it is the folks who have lost their only property and valued possessions and will be left penniless and poorer than before the storm. 

This is the reality of life--those who get ahead, stay ahead; those who have an education and a decent living, pension, or investments have a safety net. I am one of the lucky ones in terms of a cushion in case of emergency. But, I, like Ms. Bishop, have taken on the responsibility of caring for a disabled family member. My adult daughter with Autism does not get much assistance from our liberal state. They feel she is not "disabled enough." So I understand Ms. Bishop's plight somewhat though not completely. 

The Bishop family members are the innocent victims of tragedies all over the world--not bums or lazy people. But strong individuals who have made excrutiating decisions when faced with burdensome situations.

I Did All I Could’: As Floodwaters Rose, She Fought to Save Her Disabled Brothers
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/02/us/sister-ian-rescue-brothers.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

©2022 Karen Levi

Why am I enamored of British royalty? (And I am certainly not alone.)

 So why do I care about the royals? Is it merely a distraction, similar to following movie stars? Am I living vicariously? Yes to all of the above questions. I love the pomp and circumstance, the ritual, the uniforms, and  the beautifully dressed people. I adore the carriages, horses, color, discipline, and music.  I admire the different suits for every occasion; the coats, hats, and fascinators for women; the little children's traditional styles. 

We do not have a monarchy thanks to the founders of our United States of America. Our federation of states and central government were formed in opposition to the English system. The colonial leaders abolished the longheld tradition of heriditary rulers. The writers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution adamantly refused any similarity to a sovereignty. A google search reveals numerous monarchies in the world, so why my interest in the British version?

A multitude of reasons exist: our common language, culture, history, and democratic government (executive, legislative, judicial). England established a constitutional monarchy in 1688. Britain and the United States have been inexorably linked since the 17th century. U.S.A. is regarded by Brits as the rebellious child, the audacious independent thinker, and the guache relative. Reluctantly, we saved the behinds of the British after several years of pleading on the part of Churchill during World War II. These facts support my interest in the British royals  as opposed to the Danish or Spanish kings and queens and their families. 

I am aware of the attrocities committed in the name of the British crown during centuries of world dominance. The Commonwealth has probably outlived itself and merely is an excuse for maintaining a hold on former colonies. The "firm," an unofficial nickname for the Windsors, possesses and spends exorbitant amounts of money. Only recently did they accept divorced and biracial spouses (the latter is still questioned). The Queen was old fashioned in a manner similar to my mother. So why am I fascinated?

We are all complex with conflicting and inconsistent characteristics. So I can be a liberal but still be thrilled by royalty. I am attracted to order, ritual, and tradition. The British excel at these components. They know how to put on a show. Americans do this every four years for inaugurations and whenever state funerals are needed. We try, but we lack the flourish and spectacle--the sound and sights of a grand event. When King Charles III is crowned, I do not believe there will be a gray haired guy in a down jacket and bulky mittens slumped crosslegged in the parliament seating section (though I admire that particular man).

There are numerous malicious contemporary and historical monarchs. I have only "known" Queen Elizabeth II in my lifetime. I was seven months old when she became queen. So, she was the generation of my parents. Her children fit into my age group. These are people of my life. We have experienced the same world order. The Queen suffered the trauma of bombings, deprivation, and the existential fears of a world war as my parents did. (It is well known that King George VI, his wife, and the two princesses lived at Windsor during the war.) We baby boomers share characteristics, raised by  parents whose formative years were dominated by war.

Certainly, the Queen erred, and she ultimately admitted her mistakes. I have not witnessed too many American leaders who have said "mea culpa." And these errors were monumental. But, all in all, Queen Elizabeth II remained steadfast, strong, persistant, and hard working for seventy years, traits I admire. She kept her promise to serve and to be neutral. Her seemingly never ending presence demanded respect. We actually have no idea about her political viewpoints. Due to the miracle of modern technology, the world witnessed her grief, stubborn reserve, and--lately--her humor. We know she loved animals which speaks volumes about a person.

Therefore, QEII was a woman who changed in numerous ways; she began as a young, insecure leader dependent upon male advisors. Over the years, she became independent. Her Royal Highness was slow to alter the ways of the past. But she evolved and even pleased the public with lighthearted demonstrations, most recently with Paddington Bear. Her ability to adjust to the everpresent demands is why, to me, she was a good Queen. And what American leader has been on a biscuit tin?

©2022 Karen Levi 

YOU SAID WHAT--GERMAN CITIZENSHIP?

 Being a second generation survivor* or a 2G'er has been a journey. Long before I heard the term, I knew I was one. Actually, for as long as I can remember, my grandparents' and parents' stories have reverberated in my head. Since young childhood, I sensed secrets and repressed emotions and memories swirling around my home. Long before I knew what to do with the information that spewed forth erradically from relatives, it had been lodged inside my psyche. The questions to ask your parents form on your lips early on. They are answered over the years but often not. Frequently, I have forgotten to ask vital questions or did not even know what I wanted or should know. 

Fast forward to the present--after writing two books, visiting my parents and grandparents birthplaces, engaging in endless discussions, researching, reading books, watching movies, and confiding in my sister--I have added information to the virtual tome--Our Story. 

Connie, my sister, and I have had bronze plaques set into the pavement of Berlin and Frankfurt to indelibly mark the murder of our greatgrandmother and great aunt. The governments of Germany and China have memorialized my family and others like them in numerous constructions built of stone.

Today, I became a German citizen at the Embassy in Washington D.C.  Just like that--no interrogation, no Sara beside my name, no stamp Jude or big red J on top of my photo. The consular representative smiled and laughed and was glad to have me join the Bundesrepublik Deutschland. I said to myself, oh she may have Jewish ancestors look at that nose, but she wore a small gold cross. 

Naturally, I accomplished the arduous, frustrating, bureaucratic task--during the pandemic--for my family and the millions who lost their citizenship and became stateless. Connie will become a German citizen in a few weeks. It was a tag team effort. We shared documents. Sometimes I gained a foothold in the system, other times she did--one step forward and two backwards. I am still waiting on a document from the U.S. government, no longer needed. Eventually three German civil servants in Cologne Germany, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. decided that, yes, these two women have proved their case.

Germany decided to naturalize descendents whose parents lost their citizenship between 1933 and 1945 and were stateless as a result of the actions of the Third Reich. The law was The Restoration of German Citizenship (Article 116). 

I never thought about the designation of stateless, in this case the result of a fascist government's heinous actions. Without citizenship, a stateless individual has no legal rights or access to any services or privileges. We know the fate of the stateless Germans during World War II and after. 

When Hitler took away the citizenship of the Jews in 1938, it was clearly a sign to leave immediately. The action signaled that Jews were non-persons, no rights whatsoever. The Nazis changed the names of these previously upstanding citizens--women and girls became Sara, and men and boys became Israel. Miraculously, the lucky ones left Germany because they could afford the criminal manipulation that the Nazis served up. In other words, my grandfathers had enough money to be able to buy tickets after they had lost everything. 

So when people squirm and make faces about Germans, I am a citizen. And I stand proudly. And I know why I decided to claim my right.

* A second generation survivor is the child of a survivor of the Holocaust. 

© 2022 Karen Levi

IN MEMORY OF SYD JACOBS

 I am privileged to have known Sydney (Syd) Jacobs for many years. She accomplished more in a wheelchair than most able bodied people. I did not know her in her twenties and thirties when she swam to international reknown in the Para Olympics. Most probably, she demonstrated a can-do attitude before the climbing accident which claimed use of her legs. 

Not to be forgotten is her husband, Mark Otto, wonderful father and professional in his own right. Without him, life would have been far different for Syd. Countless times, I saw him carry Syd up and down stairs when a place was not retrofitted for wheelchairs. Speaking of wheelchairs, Syd never to my knowledge used a motorized one. She donned car racing gloves and wheeled up and down hills and rocky pavements. Syd went where no other woman I knew went before. No chore, responsibility, or event slowed her down. I felt honored to be by her side when I accompanied her to lunch or dinner in a restaurant or to canvas for a candidate. Social activist and fierce advocate for her two children, I have watched her at work.

I met her through a parents' group called Latin America Parents Association (LAPA). She and I joined at the same time, since our older children are five months apart. We were active in the organization. She became president and started an innovative culture camp. 

This was the 1990's when we Boomer couples, still idealistic, desired to be parents. Many of us had tried infertility treatments without success. What better way to help underprivileged and underserved populations than to adopt unwanted children. After arduous home studies in the United States, we traveled to Central and South America to endure hardships for our infant children, tolerating unsanitary conditions, long stays, and confinement by corrupt politicians.

Unfortunately, international adoption has ceased due to conspiracy theories and bad actors, resulting in laws which made it nearly impossible to adopt. It should be noted that those who created the new laws had no stake in the process--just a group of white men thinking they were morally upright. I am certain none of them witnessed the poverty in Latin America first hand. 

International adoption, which began in the 1950's with Korean babies, had its heydey in the late 1980's through the 1990's. Now, international adoption is merely a figment of our imaginations. If it was a roaring stream, it is now a dry creek bed. Children languish everywhere. Embryo freezing and surrogacy have replaced adoption. 

Syd and I chose differently regarding education for our children, nonetheless I admired her integrity and tenacity. We shared the value of honesty and seeing through the nonsense. We could talk for hours which we did when we went out together. 

I will remember the play dates in parks, the shared Jewish holidays, and the LAPA events with fondness. In the 1990's and early 2000's, LAPA was my family, a community of parents and children who had a dream to be parents and improve the lives of children born to unspeakable poverty. We were liberal, cool, open-minded, down-to-earth people who valued our choices. That time, as well as Syd, is gone. We have forgotten what we parents did and why. 

Son Kory

Pictures of Syd Jacobs with her family and my children over the years.

©2022 Karen Levi

WAR IN 2022

 At dinner in a lovely restaurant, I remarked to friends, "soon there will be a civil war." One of the friends responded, "we are in a war, just not with actual weapons." I thought a moment about our divided country and lives and agreed. Actually, a white supremacist used an automatic gun in Buffalo to kill African American people. Another battle occurs everyday on our roads and highways. 

Today, three black SUV's displayed unwarranted aggression to me in a short period--one honked for no apparent reason; one tailgated and sped into another lane; and--the most egregious act--one passed behind and around me and turned, as I yielded to oncoming traffic (to make a left turn).

 A few days ago, I stood beside an Escalade and measured my height in comparison. I am 5 feet 2 inches. The SUV was approximately a foot higher. The running boards were about 12-18 inches above the ground. Who, except a very tall person, can get in a seat?

Shiny, black monstrocities dominate our biways. For some reason, black is the color of choice, though grey and white are also popular. The killing machines run lights, tailgate, honk, pass, and speed, disregarding traffic. Some call these instruments of hell oversized SUV's and pick-up trucks. 

Through a collusion of oil companies and car manufacturers, Americans purchase these objects with increasing frequency. How do they afford these oversized, expensive machines of terror and potential destruction? What about the cost of filling the gas tank? The marketing I have seen depicts these vehicles driving in any terrain--Buy one. You too could be adventurous. Nearly no one would ever drive over rocks and chasms to reach the edge of a remote cliff. The commercials are macho pipe dreams.

The driver--cis gender or not--sits high above the traffic, as if they have been annointed rulers of the road. Theirs is not a benign domain. They rule by intimidation and fear. Their subjects are average drivers who choose to obey traffic rules. The war pits huge gas guzzlers vs. typically sized cars. The gluttons of fossil fuel--aka the bad guys--block the view of traffic for the good guys. We, on the good side, cannot manuever into parking spaces see oncoming traffic, or merge safely. A good guy in a Prius does not have a chance if a bad guy in an Escalade crashes into him/her. 

As I have written before, there is no logical reason why anyone needs a huge Escalade, Denali, or Tahoe. Station wagons, though not exactly green, carried large families on vacation for years. Modern car racks and sleek, nifty storage units remove the need for extra large family cars. Years back, certain people drove Hummers as a macho statement. Now, many family vehicles are modeled on military transport. We are in a war. Did you know that the Suburban, Dodge Ram Pick-up, Mercedes G Class, Hummer, and Jeep Wrangler are based on actual military trucks?

It is well known that police departments receive or purchase decomissioned military materiel. Now, that trend has trickled down to the general population. Think about it--clothing with a camoflage print are uber popular for men, women and, children. Of course, guns are omnipresent. Specialty stores sell equipment and garments based on military uniforms. We are in battle mode.

I have no proof if the war on the roads divides like nearly every aspect of American life today. Consumers who choose the camo pattern are not necessarily radical conservatives.  However, I have a hunch that men and women who drive the most extreme gas guzzling vehicles are climate deniers, libertarians, and fervent 2nd amendment rights followers. 

To be fair, owners of BMW's and other sports cars typically drive too fast. Drivers in SUV's manufactured by sports car companies tend to speed, as well. However, it is more intimidating to be cut off on a highway by a large vehicle than a smaller one. Vans and smaller SUV's do not demonstrate great miles per gallon, but I cannot expect every person to drive a small automobile. The monstrosities I refer to are the extreme machines sold to make a statement. 

Crazier driving began during the pandemic when roads were empty which is no longer the case. The pandemic is one crisis that has divided the United States. Add to that climate change, immigration, abortion, human rights, racism, and voting. I believe we can tag onto the list the vehicles Americans purchase and the manner in which they drive. Most importantly, these conflicts demonstrate a widening gap in priorities, values, and regard for our neighbors near and far.

© 2022 Karen Levi

How Do We Live With Those Who Are--stupid?

 "Stupid," my sister and I yelled. The epithet was an expression of sibling rivalry. My mother or other adult shushed us. We behaved badly and were corrected. But times change and "stupid" takes on a different meaning and purpose. Reluctant to say out right that someone acts stupidly, I certainly can think the thought. 

I differentiate stupid from below normal intelligence and uneducated. Stupid, to me, is foolish, knowing better but nonetheless selecting the unwise option.

Stupid in adult terms translates to driving too fast, running red lights, and leaving your doors unlocked. Or is this a wish to live dangerously? Recently, I felt stupid when I succumbed to a scam. The conman (or woman) disguised him/herself expertly, but I admit I trusted. Thankfully, I discovered the fraud before I lost money. 

I acknowledge my cold-heartedness. Instead, I should continue to be compassionate towards the half of our country who are afraid and cannot think logically. But the faithful lose hope and patience. In today's perilous world with the diappearance of long-held values, a normal adult who ignores obviously dangerous behavior in an acquaintence or family member is stupid or irresponsible. An elected representative in our government who labels brutal anarchy as "normal political discourse" is plain stupid. A rose is a rose is a rose (Gertrude Stein) comes to mind. Shakespeare wrote the same sentiment--A rose by an other name would smell as sweet. If an action looks violent, it is.

Albert Einstein said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting the same results.

The oft repeated strategy of "thoughts and prayers" and, recently, "mental health" in lieu of sensible gun regulations is insane. So why do these "2nd ammendment rights" proponents continue? Insane, stupid or callous?  The person who does not wear a mask during a pandemic and/or refuses to be vaccinated to protect oneself, family, and strangers--are they stupid or selfish?

Stupid is as stupid does--high on my list would be a family (children included) posing with their own automatic weapons or enabling an alcoholic by giving him/her access to a full liquor cabinet. Very stupid is suggesting that teachers and students should be armed. So is supporting a tyrant in a democracy. If you want to live in an autocracy, there are plenty of countries to choose.

There is a choice. Should I yell, "stupid," write the text, send the email or side with my better self? Think the thought rather than act on the deed. For someone stupid, dangerous, irresponsible, violent, insane, callous, or selfish could shoot me.

©2022 Karen Levi

 

What Do You Think?

 Recently, I read an article, "When is a Swastika Not a Swastika?" Immediately, anger raised its ugly spectre in my head. A cursory review of the literature reveals that well-known symbols do have different meanings. However, people recognize the current interpretation of a symbol not the ancient one. The cross, skull and crossbones, triquetra, and peace sign have multiple meanings which brings me to the swastika.

I appreciate that the swastika is purposed by different cultures. Swastika means well-being in Sanskrit and was a sacred representation for ancient Greeks, Romans, Celts, and Anglo-Saxons. Currently, it is a holy image for Buddhists, Jains, and Hindus. 

Adolf Hitler adopted the ancient symbol of the swastika or hakenkreuz and tainted its meaning for the indefinite future. For the Jewish people and those of other western faiths, it has become a potent reminder of hate, oppression, and death. Today, there are millions of individuals throughout the world who shudder at the sight of the swastika which represents a dreadful time in recent human history.

Why then, I ask, would two Jewish state representatives from California introduce new language to a hate crimes bill decriminalizing the display of the Hindu swastika? Obvious use of the sign in religious rites should not be punished. However, I have visited Hindu temples in the United States, and I have never seen its use. On the other hand, I have observed the symbol in ancient art in other countries. 

Most importantly, do California state representatives have time and energy for this trivial matter when there are pressing needs in their state? These assembly persons are Jewish, or so the article reports. I do not believe that Tikkun Olam translates to codifying the multiple interpretations of common symbols, especially given the rise in hate crimes. 

If a Hindu was punished for displaying a swastika for religious purposes, that individual should be exonerated. Religious freedom is for all. But I daresay most Hindus living in the United States understand the significance of the swastika. And certainly making a legal distinction between the swastika and the hakenkreuz is ridiculous. How many Americans comprehend the German term? And think of the misguided--filled with hate--who will claim a religious privilege to display a swastika. And our children--how confusing. A hakenkreuz is not ok but a swastika is a demonstration of Hindu faith?

Hakenkreuz--hooked cross (German)

Tikkun Olam--repair and improve the world (Hebrew)

https://symbolsage.com/symbols-that-changed-meaning-over-time/#the-peace-symbol

© 2022 Karen Levi

The Angels Above

Crying in Uvalde Texas

For angels lost

Cheering in Houston Texas

For Guns

Remembering 19 fourth graders

With Cherubic LatinX faces

Clapping at NRA Convention

For  Right to Own Instruments of Death

Dying of Broken Hearts

In Spouses, Brothers, Sisters, Parents

Purchasing Guns and Gear 

To Murder Innocents (not rabbits with an AR-15)

Delivering Eulogies in Churches

For their Souls to Rest in Peace

Screaming Autocrat

For Mental Health and Security in Schools

Chanting Protestors

For No more Prayers

Speeding Trucks to Walmart

To Stock Ammo

Working in Congress

For Compromise 

Pledging Allegiance

To Zealotry and Idolatry 

Sharing Feelings

Among Traumatized Teens in Chicago

Singing the National Anthem

For the United States of Dystopia

© 2022 Karen Levi

TIME TO WEAR ORANGE--A MESSAGE TO JEWS

Time to wear orange for ending gun violence, a sad commemoration every June, this year during the weekend of June 3-5. Socially minded Jews tire of the numerous causes to follow, join, and support. Slipping into complacency is not an option to combat the terrible curse of wanton shootings. In the last eight days, Americans were murdered in senseless violence in California, Buffalo, and New York City, perpetrated by individuals who own guns they should not possess and encouraged by hatred. We are not safe anywhere!  Americans have changed due to the violence we observe in our environment. Our children have been traumatized in ways unthinkable 30 years ago. I know I frequently look over my shoulder in public places. 

There have been more than 201 mass shootings in 2022 in the United States. After lethal incidents—involving firearms-- in the United Kingdom, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia, their parliaments passed laws banning automatic weapons and establishing gun buy-back programs which have decreased gun violence. In the spirit of Tikkun Olam, we must continue to pressure the U.S. representatives who are influenced by gun lobbies and who do not care that innocent people are gunned down, children die in gun accidents, and hopeless souls commit suicide by accessible firearms. 

Check out www.wearorange.org for local events during the weekend of June 3-5, 2022. 

The following are articles of interest: 

• Wash. Post Editorial on Buffalo Mass Shooting, May 17, 2022, "Tragedy in Buffalo: The carnage was the result of a lethal combination of guns and hateful ideology" https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/05/16/buffalo-shooting-guns-white-supremacist-conspiracy-theories-tragedy/

• BBC, "America's Gun Culture in Seven Charts," ttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41488081

• Ashley Wong, "Katherine Massey, Buffalo Shooting Victim, Wrote to Newspapers Calling for Gun Control," New York Times, May 16, 2022,

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/16/nyregion/katherine-massey-buffalo-    victim.html

Thank you. Our lives depend on continued action. Information for this piece was shared by Barbara Faigin who receives regular communications from the DC Area Interfaith Network for Gun Violence Prevention.

Note: A day after I wrote this short piece, an thinkable tragedy happened again. 21 people were murdered by a lone gunman, including 19 children, in a school in Texas. This senseless event illustrates the severe problem in our nation.

© 2022 Karen Levi

MY HEAD AND HEART HURT

 Powerless, angry, frustrated, my reactions this morning caused by yet another shooting. Another paired with shooting is redudant. I should write shooting, and people will understand that it is "just another day in America." We are citizens of a country that allows anyone to own as many weapons of death as they desire. In the old days of 30 years ago, Americans bought fishing equipment or fabric to sew clothes, for example. Now, according to news reports, Americans flock to stores to purchase guns, not to hunt but to gun down whomever they please. 

A mentally imbalanced person is perturbed or damaged and BAM, actually BAM, BAM, BAM twenty times over. Hand guns are not sufficient. Individuals buy automatic rifles because they are cool, poweful, bad ass, macho? Individuals who possess guns because "they like them" or they want "to protect" their families go beserk, reach for their firearms, and don their bullet proof vests. 

Everyday, I see individuals power up their BMW's, SUV's, and trucks and speed down suburban streets. That's bad enough. But now, anyone over the age of 18 in Texas can buy any kind of weapon, no questions asked, and open-carry in public. Variations of this free-for-all occurs in other states.

Years ago in the 1970's, perhaps, people who felt teased and tormented punched out the bullies--a few black eyes, maybe broken ribs. That was that. I feel sorry for those who are bullied. I hate bullies. There are many causes for bullying. Being ridiculed is not a reason to kill. No excuse. An argument with your girlfriend or wife. No, shooting is not the answer. Suicide is a tragedy. Research shows that the method used directly relates to what is available. If guns are accessible, that will be the choice. And self-harm by gun is more often fatal than other methods. 

We all have bad impulses, like me at the moment. But, I do not have any weapons nearby except for one carving knife and some steak knives. I have no intention to harm anyone except for certain politicians, but I would not get very far with three knives. This is not to say that knives in the wrong hands cannot be brutal. Back to impulses--Mentally unstable person + guns + anger=tragedy Solution--Get rid of guns. That is my math. 

I know. Blah blah. You must have your gun locked in a box under your bed, ammunition separate. At 2 or 3 a.m., you are going to put all the pieces together and be ready to shoot when the intruder enters? And how will you do that, especially if you are over 60 and your motor speed has decreased?

I do not care anymore for the rights of gun owners. What about the rights of everyone to be safe? Let us have a moratorium on guns. Biden should call for a National Day of Gun Return. The question is--and those of you who possess guns, sell guns, and belong to gun associations must think hard--ARE YOU WILLING TO FOREGO WEAPONS FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL OF US?

The answer is probably NO. So how about a compromise? No automatic weapons or parts that turn guns into automatics.

Peace to the victims and their families. And may the mothers and fathers of the children killed become advocates for an end to a national nightmare.

© 2022 Karen Levi