We do not have the right to remain silent. Miranda rights don’t apply to morality. Indifference to evil is more insidious than evil itself; it is more universal, more contagious, more dangerous.
Thank you for giving a voice to so many by showing the damage that is being done and following it up with ways each individual can fight this evil starting with little every day acts that lead to bigger acts. Too many seem to be lacking basic humanity, humility, love, kindness, and decency while still claiming to be people of faith. The people of faith that I respect are ones like yourself, Joan Chittister, Mary Lou Kownacki, Maya Angelou, Richard Rohr, and so many others. The people that teach how to have faith and fight for what matters especially the most vulnerable amongst us.
It's painful to see indifference from so many, but for me personally the most painful of all is the indifference, or even in some cases, active support given to MAGA, coming from those whose own parents and grandparents were the victims in 1930's Europe of earlier versions of these monsters. How children of survivors, members of my own family and friends with similar backgrounds, fail to recognize this evil is profoundly disturbing. It's a human tragedy, that we really don't learn from history, not even the history of our own families. Never forget? Remember Amalek? A grotesque joke.
My uncle (may his soul be blessed) was given the Congressional Medal of Honor by Pres. Truman (who stated to my uncle that he´d prefer deserving this medal to being president) for single-handedly saving a little French town (not far from your beautiful photos) from a Nazi invasion in the deep winter, killing a large number of the enemy and disabling their two tanks. He himself was badly injured as he tried to pull two of our soldiers out of a burning tank. Still - a whole portion of my family in Nevada are dyed-in-the-wool magas, calling themselves "proud patriots." How ironic. Thank you, Rabbi Hammerman, for bringing us together with the quotes from the Tanach and great thinkers like yourself.
Wonderful commentary, Rabbi Hammerman.
Again, words fail me. I’m so sorry.
Thank you for giving a voice to so many by showing the damage that is being done and following it up with ways each individual can fight this evil starting with little every day acts that lead to bigger acts. Too many seem to be lacking basic humanity, humility, love, kindness, and decency while still claiming to be people of faith. The people of faith that I respect are ones like yourself, Joan Chittister, Mary Lou Kownacki, Maya Angelou, Richard Rohr, and so many others. The people that teach how to have faith and fight for what matters especially the most vulnerable amongst us.
It's painful to see indifference from so many, but for me personally the most painful of all is the indifference, or even in some cases, active support given to MAGA, coming from those whose own parents and grandparents were the victims in 1930's Europe of earlier versions of these monsters. How children of survivors, members of my own family and friends with similar backgrounds, fail to recognize this evil is profoundly disturbing. It's a human tragedy, that we really don't learn from history, not even the history of our own families. Never forget? Remember Amalek? A grotesque joke.
My uncle (may his soul be blessed) was given the Congressional Medal of Honor by Pres. Truman (who stated to my uncle that he´d prefer deserving this medal to being president) for single-handedly saving a little French town (not far from your beautiful photos) from a Nazi invasion in the deep winter, killing a large number of the enemy and disabling their two tanks. He himself was badly injured as he tried to pull two of our soldiers out of a burning tank. Still - a whole portion of my family in Nevada are dyed-in-the-wool magas, calling themselves "proud patriots." How ironic. Thank you, Rabbi Hammerman, for bringing us together with the quotes from the Tanach and great thinkers like yourself.