Dear Mr. President Obama,
Like millions of others, I have a blog. Not very popular. Rarely seen. No comments so far. But I have to write this. I won’t be able to sleep if I don’t.
You don’t know me. I am a middle aged single mom here in Florida. My children are almost all grown. I have glaucoma. I have returned to college and am nearly finished with a Bachelors of Science in Public Health degree. I have recently created an organic tree and plant nursery, Leaf Mulch Lady (http://www.leafmulchlady.com/ ). After many years of being underemployed as a secretary and assistant teacher in a pre–school, I have taken to selling my organically grown plants and trees in local Farmers Markets. I love this work. It is easy on the eyes, although it brings in hardly any money. And, might I add, I am an American Jew, born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, transplanted to Florida in 1994.
Every struggling people should have a state. It is global human courtesy to see to it that every struggling and oppressed people create their own peoplehood – safe from exploitative regimes and financial defeat. A nation that can determine its own fate, care for its own people, and defend itself against enemies is the goal of all people worldwide. It was the goal and accomplishment of America. It was the goal and accomplishment of countries such as Israel, Rwanda, and now the Palestinian People.
In your heart of hearts, you know you would be doing the right human rights thing to push for and grant the Palestinians their own land, their own national recognition and status on the global stage. Not only you, but countless others who believe in human rights and the benefits of self government. It is what all civilized nations, worldwide, want to share with fledgling cohesive groups of people: the ability to call themselves a nation: to have their own place in the world, their own land.
The Palestinian people are an ancient and intelligent people. They have shown the world that they are fearless. They believe in the doctrine of the Jihad, and hence are little moved by their own destruction for the greater good. They believe in suicide missions. They are willing to sacrifice themselves for what they want most.
This unyielding desire is the destruction, actually the annihilation, of the Jewish state, Israel. Their determination in this is well publicized in current agendas and has been the goal of the PLO during Yasser Arafat’s rein. Multiple times they vowed to ‘run the Israeli’s into the sea’ and that was the most mild of their threats. They are determined, particularly under Hamas and Hezbollah, to finish the work that Arafat had vowed. It has always been just a matter of time.
That matter of time has now come in the form of two friends, Iran and Syria. Iran is not as fearless as Hamas. Syria is more reserved and self-protective than Hezbollah. These two ancient civilizations would like to hold on to their lives. They are a cautious people, regardless of the ranting of their dictators. Jews know that they are not about to risk everything to disable and destroy Israel. But they know that their Palestinian friends will, and are.
Possibly the biggest fear for Jews in giving Hamas and Hezbollah national recognition is that they will have the autonomy to begin their long dreamed of work, that being the end of Israel. As the President, you have heard their hate rhetoric and their dismay at having to deal with a Jewish nation in their own backyard. But history dictates that you look back and take their heartfelt desires seriously.
How would you feel if Mexico or Canada voiced similar animosity towards the United States? If you could possibly look into the history of the threats and desires for destruction that the Palestinians, under the PLO and now Hamas and Hezbollah, targeted over the years towards Israel, and apply them to a similar situation between our neighbors and America, you would get chills. To have close neighbors who actively hate you is a very frightening experience. With the vowed military assistance from Iran and Syria these threats and this hatred is destined to become physical if Hamas and Hezbollah become legitimized as a nation.
And why would Iran and Syria arm the Palestinians in Israel? The close proximity of attacking, or even nuking, an Israeli city or community will definitely affect the Palestinian people as well. Isn’t anyone on the Iranian or Syrian front taking the lives of the Palestinian people to heart? Living in such close proximity to each other will only mean that destruction for one is destruction for both.
And that brings us back to the actual meaning of Jihad. In my studies, Jihad means self sacrifice for the greater good. The Palestinian people are willing to go up in smoke if that will bring the end to Israel. It is a mantra and doctrine that is well taught in Gaza and the West Bank and in the pockets of Jordan and Syria where they live. It was the same mantra and doctrine taught to the Jihad pilots who boarded American planes on 9/11.
Being a well meaning and kind person as yourself, you might not understand this. But you cannot talk someone out of their own doctrine, their own passionate mission. You will not be able to talk Hamas and Hezbollah out of this, even if temporarily they don’t come to the table with these thoughts. Even if they are temporarily able to dance to the global tune of peace and supervised harmony between Israel and a newly created Palestine, it will re-emerge with the vengeance of an obsessed martyr once things have quieted down. Syria and Iran will forever be in the background waiting for their time to arm these fearless martyrs of Islam.
So you see, this is not just another fledgling nation waiting to step onto the global stage as a proud and self sustaining people. This is a martyr state, ready to give up their own lives for the destruction of Israel, ready to do the bidding of the greater Jihad doctrine, that being the destruction of Israel at the cost of their own lives.
In other words, ever since the Jews moved into that corner of the globe, it’s been like ‘there goes the neighborhood’… creating an entire Arab and Muslim block is the determination of Jihad and most of the Arab world.
So there you have it. I remain in Florida, but I would really love to move to Israel. I am hoping to go when my children finish college in the states. I am hoping both I and my children can relocate to Israel and live there in peace. I would like to have an organic tree and plant nursery in the north of Israel. I am hoping and praying that the hatred towards Israel from her Arab and Muslim neighbors turns to friendship and peace.
Not that writing this will change anything. I just wanted to let you know how I, a complete nobody from nowhere, just a Jewish plant nursery woman down here in Florida, feel towards this entire scenario. Actually, one of the real benefits of writing this is that now I can sleep.
Thank you again. G-d bless you, America, Israel, and all people, everywhere, who seek peace and pursue it.
