The NAZI's genocide against the Jewish people is perhaps the greatest crime in the history of the world. For sure, there have been plenty of other genocides, throughout all of history, in every corner. It was fairly common way back in the day, on the small scales of humanity then. America is the perpetrator of several genocides, main among them the extermination of most of the Native tribes unlucky enough to get in the way. But no other genocide compares to the NAZI's, which were conducted with such lethal precision and who's motivation was such pure, psychotic hate.
Most genocides result because of groups coming into conflict over whatever - land, food, water, women, power, etc - and one side decisively winning - that is, completely eliminating the other side, be it tribe, people, kingdom, etc. But the NAZI's were motivated only by hate (and power, of course), and used all the Science of their day in their systematic, deliberate efforts at not only killing all the Jewish people in the world, but as many other ethnic groups/"deviants" as they could, in the name of eugenics, or "social darwinism". Purifying the species as an explanation - disturbing on many levels. And a reality I fear we'll be facing soon again, with the genetic engineering of children.
So, who could blame Jewish people, and specifically the Israelis, for being prepared for all manner of shit? And given the location and history of Israel, this reasoning is even more pronounced. But yet, like Nietzsche said, I paraphrase, be careful when fighting monsters that you do not turn into one and the same.
And I think pretty clearly Israel has been taken over by the same crazy neo-con forces that do so much damage in America, aligned with the Born Again Rapturists who love Israel only in as much as it will be destroyed to bring back THE LAWD, and they're a good agent. I love my Hebrew Brothers and Sisters, man, but I won't ever defend any country unilaterally, especially when they're doing evil deeds. I'll call out America for all the bad she does and has done; one must do the same for Israel, who's treatment of the Palestinians is shameful. Apartheid is what it is, and there's never justification for it in the 21st century. I know many in Israel itself oppose the country's actions, but Netanyahu and the gang are quite clear in their purposes: Keep the Palestinians down at all costs.
Vote them out, Israel!
It's ironic, in many ways, since we live in a more "civilized" age, the Israeli - Palestinian issue would not have existed 100 years ago, or any time before that, since the dominant Israelis would have simply wiped out or forcibly moved the defeated Palestinians, and such, there'd be no current issues. But we have higher standards since WW2, don't we? Since the NAZI's.
And that's something we have to hold onto, something I fear we're letting slip away with the passing of the so called "Greatest Generation". We're forgetting the true horrors unleashed with all the power of Science at its disposal. It could be so much, much worse today. "Never Forget" really does mean something very important, but it's a lesson offered from an old man to a cocky teenager, and what are the odds they'll care? Or even hear you? No, I fear we're going to have to learn those lessons all over again, if we haven't already started.
But anyways, every lifeform has a right to defend itself - this is one of the driving forces of evolution, after all. And while I wish we could dispense with labels of "country" and "ethnicity" or "anything" other than human and live as one, in harmony and peace - that doesn't seem likely to happen anytime soon. And so every country has a right to defend its citizens from violent attack. But in so defending, a line must always be remembered and obeyed, and that is the line separating you from hero and monster. Once you cross it, there's no justification for your deeds.
In the spirit of honorable defense, I give you some ladies of the IDF:
Think of it, lazy American youth: Forced service.
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