On June 14th, 2013, I received the following reply to my Sunday, June 2nd commentary entitled, Millions Of Americans Harbor A Horrid And Hideous Secret. They Hate Jews. I have reprinted the reader's response exactly as he or she wrote it; exactly how it is published in The Controversy. The anonymous individual stated...
"History is full of horrors and atrocities and i think no race nor nationality is immune . The turks massacred the Armenians, MILLIONs perished and yet we do not hear of itall the time . The Native Americans massacred and tortured each other each other on a regular basis , they tortured and massacred the whites by the hundreds of thousands and of course the whites reciprocated, The English killed the Irish , the Scottish Indians etc. The Greeks enslaved and killed millins as did the Romans. The Chinese the japanese and on and on .. Two groups of people go on and on ad nauseum about their sufferings and frankly I and most peole grow weary of it .. YOU never suffered anything Gary nothing .. and so far as I know no American nor his parent nor grandparent suffered slavery . so stop whining and waving your religion about like a flag. one or two idiots painting swasticas is nothng different than the crap republicans take from Democrats!"
I have answered some of my readers' observations with brief communications directly following their messages. However, I feel I need to take one complete commentary to fully rebut this particular person's statement.
I respect everyone who believes in God...everyone who prays...and everyone who doesn't do either. Those of us who have the wonderful fortune to call ourselves Americans...have the freedom in the United States...to believe in God...or to not believe in Him. The 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states that everyone in our country has the right to practice his or her own religion...or no religion at all.
Despite what the reader wrote - I don't wear my religion on my sleeve or "wave (it) about like a flag." I am a Jew and I'm very proud of it. The reader - on the other hand - is ill-equipped to comment as he did. His ignorance is evident, as he knows nothing about my suffering.
As a Jew...I suffer every time I overhear a story when an inconsiderate, insensitive and thoughtless, birdbrained individual makes a moronic and mindless wisecrack that he "Jewed" someone down to get a good deal. I suffer when I hear derogatory remarks of any kind about people of the Jewish faith.
But my personal suffering goes back five decades. As a young, small child of 8 years of age, I suffered greatly - while riding my bicycle - just a block away from my home - when I was jumped - by two 9-year olds - who were much bigger than me - and who dragged me several hundred feet - to a backyard tetherball pole - where I was tied up to that pole. I was then punched and pummelled in the head, face and chest as the two boys used the tetherball to slam me until I bled. My cries and screams for help went unnoticed for what seemed like forever, as the tetherball cord continued to coil around my pint-sized, little body. My shrills and shrieks of pain and agony were finally heard by the mother of one of the kids. She nonchalantly leaned out of her bedroom window and calmly told the boys to "Stop doing that. It's not very nice. You might hurt him." You think? What kind of a mother allows her son to attack and beat up another child...especially a boy who is so much smaller?
The kids of course paid no attention to the woman, as they went on hitting me with the tetherball, until the mother exited her house and saw me with blood all over my face. "Stop it right now," she was then shouting at her son and his friend. The kids ceased their thrashing and bashing. As for the mother, she turned to her son and sternly assured him in a harsh tone, "You're gonna be punished, young man. You've made me miss part of my story."
Back in the 1960s, many women of that era, who were housewives and mothers, stayed home in the afternoon to watch soap operas on television, which women referred to as their "stories." All this particular woman seemed to care about was going back inside her house to watch her TV show...while I - covered in blood - was having to untie myself from the tetherball pole - without any assistance from anybody. The boys belted, battered and bruised me...but the mother was just as much to blame.
To the reader who wrote to me...if you want to be a "Jew hater"...go ahead. Be a bigot. As disgraceful, as despicable and as disgusting as it is...you have that right. But don't tell me I haven't suffered.
History...The Holocaust...and Hitler...are reasons enough...for any and every Jew...to say he or she has suffered. Our hearts suffer for the six million Jews who were tragically and senselessly murdered by the orders of the most maniacal madman who ever walked the planet Earth; and we will always suffer from merely knowing the horrendous horrors of the appalling and atrocious abuse of Nazi Germany...and the hell of Adolf Hitler.
It is the past that we must always remember...and never forget. As for me, personally...although I have tried...I will never forget the pounding I received...50 years ago...by two boys...who wanted to hurt a tiny, weaker kid...because I am Jewish. So whoever you are...don't tell me that I've "never suffered anything." I've experienced anti-Semitism first-hand. And YOU...have no idea what you are talking about.
And that's The Controversy for today.
I'm Gary B. Duglin.
The Controversy will make an effort to publish a new commentary every Sunday and Wednesday. Unscheduled essays may appear, from time to time, on other days as well.
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Copyright 2013 Gary B. Duglin and TheControversy.net. All Rights Reserved.
And I suppose you were in that backyard 50 years ago? Believe me - I know for a fact...it was because I am Jewish. GBD
ReplyDeleteDidn't think there were that type of people in that lily white town of rich boy pansies you grew up in Gary, Sorry .
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, when I was 8, my family and I weren't living in - as you call it - a "lily white town"...but the town I did grow up in - later in my youth - would unfortunately have been described that way - and statistics prove that if you're a racist towards blacks - you more than likely feel the same way towards Jews. The town I lived in throughout most of my childhood only had 4 - and then eventually 5 Jewish families for a long, long time. There is no arguing or debating that issue - it is a fact. And when the first African-American family moved in to our tiny village of about 4 or 5 thousand people - when I was in my teens - I remember hearing all the bigots making their sick comments. Tragically, back in the 1960s and 1970s, blacks were not openly welcome in certain areas - and when they were - by law - there were still the bigots who were not happy. Those same people were mostly prejudiced towards Jews as well - even if some tried to hide their feelings. Things have hopefully changed. But after studying the statistics noted in my June 2nd commentary - I wonder. After all, as the survey indicates -"Millions Of Americans Harbor A Horrid And Hideous Secret. (That's right a "secret.") They Hate Jews." GBD
ReplyDeleteYou obviously didn't read my commentary carefully. Kids shouldn't get beaten up for any reason, that's number one. Secondly, I clearly stated that ALL Jews suffer everyday by merely knowing the abuse of Nazi Germany and the hell of Adolf Hitler. I wouldn't think, however, to compare our thoughts to what the Jews of the World War II era in Europe actually experienced. My personal suffering from anti-Semitism stemmed from being an 8-year old child who was physically attacked because of my religion. And you must realize that children learn from their parents. If the two 9-year olds hated me enough to beat me up because I am Jewish - then God only knows what their mothers and fathers were thinking. Remember - the mother of the one boy who tied me to the tetherball pole was more interested in going back into her house to watch her soap opera on television than helping me get untied and tending to my wounds. And yes, the 1st Amendment of the United States Constitution does "protect people's right to SAY they hate Jews," but it DOES NOT protect their right to PHYSICALLY ATTACK someone. That is considered - at least today - a hate crime. If you hate me or any Jew because of our religious beliefs - you have that right...but it doesn't MAKE IT RIGHT. GBD
ReplyDeleteI have been observing this disussion and had to comment . Gary you opened my eyes. I too got beat up as a little kid in NJ , I thought all these years it was because I got too cocky and had a big mouth . Now I realize that it was simply because I am an Italian and Catholic.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry that you were beaten up as a kid in New Jersey. However, when I was tied up to the tetherball pole and pounded with the ball, I was living in a midwestern state. But no matter where you or I were living, no youth should ever have to suffer being assaulted by another child - especially not two who were both bigger kids. Whether you being Italian and Catholic or me being Jewish, there is no reason for anyone to physically harm another because of their religion, race or - for that matter - anything at all. GBD
Deletethis truly is remarkable. I too was beat up in NJ and I have always thought it was because i kissed this guys girlfriend. Now I am certain it was because I am a Jew. What other reason would there have been???
DeleteI was not beaten up in New Jersey. I don't know where anybody got that from, as I never mentioned the state. It was a state somewhere in the midwest. That being said, to mock me with your comment is just plain silly. If you are indeed Jewish, I'm delighted that you have never experienced any anti-Semitism. I truly am glad. GBD
DeleteStory sounds far fetched to me, if not a fabrication at the minimum i's been stretched . " you made me miss my show?" please
ReplyDeleteYou can certainly believe what you want, but I can positively assure you that there is not one bit of fabrication in what I wrote in my commentary. The kid's mother spoke the exact words indicated in my column. Believe it or not...it's true. GBD
DeleteI don't hate anybody. And I have never in my life uttered the word "goy." GBD
ReplyDeleteWhether you have uttered it or not your religion by definition hates Christians. Isn't it nice how you can pick and choose only the "good" parts of your religion and ignore all the not so nice parts that whether you like it or not are still part of the very religion you follow. Do you believe in Jesus? If not then you are telling me that everything I have believed in my whole life is not true. Thats a simple fact.
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ReplyDeleteI don't - as you say - "pick and choose." I believe everyone has the right to believe in any religion they so desire. You asked if I "believe in Jesus." You seem to forget that Jesus was Jewish. I'd never tell anybody that what you've believed in all your life is not true. Just because you believe in something doesn't mean I have to, or visa versa. That's what's called freedom of religion. It's the American way. Try believing in THAT sometime. You might find that understanding that everyone in the United States has the right to pray any way they want...will make you feel like a better person. GBD
ReplyDeleteSomeone sent a comment, but mentioned the name of a particular municipality. This blog cannot be critical of an entire town, so we are unable to publish the comment exactly as written. However, we have substituted the name of the city with the words..."my town." Otherwise, here is what the individual wrote. "We are black and yes I too recall bigotry in (my town). (It) had more bullies and racists than any other community I have ever seen since. Those large houses conceal large amounts of prejudice. Racial, religious and most of all, class prejudice. I live just a few miles away, but wouldn't live in that town again if you paid me." I thank the person for his or her remarks. GBD
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