October 03, 2007

Nazism in Israel?

By David Yeagley

They were identified as "Neo-Nazis." Eight young immigrant Russian Jews were arrested in Israel, September 9, 2007. They certainly filled the bill, committing acts of thuggery and vandalism, making pictures of themselves doing the "Heil Hitler" salute, and painting swastikas on synagogues.

The Associated Press reported that "Group members wore tattoos of Celtic crosses—a symbol adopted by white supremacists—and barbed wire fences, and the number '88,' code for 'Heil Hitler' because 'h' is the eighth letter of the alphabet. Another tattoo proclaimed 'White Power,' and they were photographed giving the Nazi salute."[Police: Israeli Neo-Nazi Ring Busted , September 9, 2007]

Reuters quotes Amos Hermon, representative of the Jewish Agency, a quasi-government group, who said the youth were "suffering from ‘immigration shock’ and vented their frustrations by expressing ‘some of the most hurtful sentiments towards the Jewish people’ and emulating behavior they may have witnessed in the former Soviet Union."

Perhaps even more damaging is the shadow this juvenile behavior casts on sincere sentiments of nationalism in Israel—like the bad name Nazism gave to nationalism everywhere in the world. The word "Nazi" has erroneously become synonymous with nationalism. Even "patriotism" has become suspect.

Mickey Rosenfeld, Israeli police spokesman, briefed the AP.

"The group planned its attacks, and its targets were foreign workers from Asia, drug addicts, homosexuals, punks and Jews who wore skullcaps. In one case they discussed planning a murder. ...Some of the victims filed official complaints with police, and other victims were identified after police viewed the films and photos."

It sounds like the young Israeli neo-Nazis targeted groups they felt were inimical to the nation of Israel. (Yes, that would include some orthodox groups, who do not believe Israel presently has the right to statehood or nationhood.)

Now, no one in his right mind would condone the brutal behavior of these neo-Nazis. But are we allowed to consider their sentiments? Can we examine at least their theoretical position? What of their intent?

What of nationhood? Is there no place for concern over a nation’s health and prosperity? Has a nation no enemies?

That this Nazi thing should happen in Israel certainly doesn’t surprise me. No nation in the world is more threatened. It’s a wonder radical nationalist movements haven’t developed before. While it is perfectly idiotic to label or associate "Nazi" with every notion of nationhood, it is most sensible to recognize that any nation has the responsibility to maintain itself and its identity. It is the death of nations to deny that nations have enemies.

I doubt these young men were enemies of Israel. They were simply misguided, immature, and irresponsible youth. But they made a point, maybe in spite of themselves. They made it very loudly, in the most agonizing way possible.

Maybe they really didn’t fear for the health of Israel. Maybe they were just hoodlums looking for opportunities to act out—under a significant, infamous name. But what about people who really do fear for their nation? Are they all Nazis? What about people who are concerned over the influence of foreigners, drug traffickers, religious fanatics, and sexual perversions? Do they say "Heil Hitler"?

I think not. I think it is time rather to shake loose of this fear of being called a Nazi. Nationhood is in the balance. We can’t simply allow fear of a bad name to  mesmerize us into an impotence that allows our nation to be hijacked by our enemies from without—or within. It is a great error to allow a liberal lobby in the name of tolerance to allow the disintegration of the country.

"Nazi" is like another "n" word. You’re dead if you’re found associated with it in any way. It has developed into a legal tort. It is used to hammer down any notion of race, religion, or ethnicity to be associated with a nation—especially, if not exclusively, Judeo-Christian European nations, and particularly America, land of the "free," rather, land of experimental court tort.

But this liberal, self-righteous denial of anything nationalistic, this quasi-religious mantra of anti-Nazi hysterics, this politicized aversion to a historical fringe ideology, cannot be allowed to squelch true patriotism.

The people of a nation must never be denied the expression of their natural love for their country. Without love of country, no nation can exist for long. It will become rather a heartless business convenience, a lusus naturae of mean greed.

Okay, so America presents a bit of a problem. America is now multi-cultural. America has many races, many religions—and many ideologies, actually. What is in fact the country? Is there something that we all love? Is there something that is tangibly American?

My view as an American Indian: White Anglo-Saxon Protestants created this country. What is it that they love? What do they consider to be the country?

As an American Indian, I seek their opinion. Their view is the one I want to consider. I am bound to them in blood, war, and treaty. My history is theirs, and theirs mine. I have looked to them for the health of the country.

I must say, they seem quite lost now. They are either afraid of who they are, or ashamed. If they are indeed not proud of who they are, yet continue to constitute the polity they created, they throw a curve ball to the world.

The anti-Nazi hysterics act like nationhood is a bad thing. They suggest that a country is itself a freak of human nature, and something to grow out of, to get passed, to develop beyond. George Soros equates nationhood to "tribalism." Naturally, he is most interested in bringing down the greatest nation—America. And because of America’s multi-cultural conditioning, it appears an easy enough task. He wants an "Open Society," with closed doors to the basic, historic elements of human existence: religion, ethnicity, and nationhood. He wants a world that can be perfectly controlled, one without these pestilential differences.

Most interestingly, the anti-Nazi hysterics want exactly the same thing Hitler wanted—to dominate the world.

Politics is just white people vying for the power they themselves have created. The rest of us watch.

American Indians have the best seat, the one that cost the most.

I deeply believe in nationhood. I can only hope Americans do too. Otherwise, my seat is in the wrong stadium. It was a total waste.