Why I Will Demonstrate
I haven’t done this in a while, but I do want to claim personal privilege and express some thoughts which are mine and not necessarily those of RHR:
Life here is always filled with angst, and these days are more angst filled than usual. One can totally understand why the war drums are beating as kassam rockets fall on Sderot, we are mourning our dead and praying for the safe return of Gilad Shalit. My first reaction is therefore to rejoice when I see pictures of blown up Palestinian munitions stockpiles and to hope that the arrests of Hamas government ministers will signal to the government and all of the various factions that Israel will not stand by and allow these attacks to continue. I can allow myself to believe that this time we really are going to be careful not to harm civilians… My gut reaction is to wonder what our colleagues in the peace and human rights communities are doing. It is true that protests against military action have first and foremost expressed the fear that they endanger any possibility of Gilad returning alive and there have also been calls from the left to stop the attacks on Israelis. Unfortunately, these have only come about as Israel as launched another military venture.
However, just as I feel myself giving in to my gut reactions, my head gets involved. Yes, we may have the “right” to attack after we have been attacked on land which the international community recognizes as Israel. However, after some 100 years haven’t we learned enough to discredit the ideas that we can intimidate the Palestinians through overwhelming force or turn civilians against the terrorists if the civilians suffer enough? Don’t we understand that, by the same logic, Palestinians are justified in attacking us on their land which we occupy by force? When my head enters into dialogue with my gut reactions I realize that, even if we are “right” at some level, it is more important to be “smart.”
How ironic that, just as Fatah and Hamas were signing agreements that might have opened up new possibilities for progress, extremists seem to be succeeding in closing the door on hope. For this reason I will join the demonstrations against our latest military adventures. I would still rather be smart than right.
Recent Articles by Rabbi Arik W. Ascherman
- Balaq: Human Rights and adhering to a democratic process - July 10th, 2008
- Shavuot: Recognize and do what is right - June 6th, 2008
- Behuqqotay: Reward and Punishment - May 19th, 2008
- Yom HaAtzmaut: What gives me the Strength to Celebrate - May 7th, 2008
- Arik Ascherman: Rabbi-activist for the rights of Israelis, Palestinians, and foreign workers in Israel - June 4th, 2007
- The work that we do is not fun: Tikkun Olam and Human Rights - May 4th, 2007
- Passover, The Omer and Human Rights - April 5th, 2007
- Purim: Acts of justice bring us greater honor than the clothes of kings - March 1st, 2007
- Teruma: Building a human tabernacle united through the inner sanctuary that dwells with each of us - February 23rd, 2007
- Fakhri El-Diab Arrested - February 15th, 2007
- Beshallah: Building a society in which all can sing with joy - February 2nd, 2007
- Darkness has struck again - December 11th, 2006
- Hayye Sara: Needs common to all humanity - November 17th, 2006
- Lekh-Lekha: Living up to the moral heritage that Avraham and Sarah have bequeathed us - November 4th, 2006
- Sukkoth: Symbolic versus authentic homelessness - October 5th, 2006
- Selichot Ceremony - September 29th, 2006
- Tisha Bav: Justice, Law and Righteousness - July 28th, 2006
- Shabbat Hazon: What we must do to improve our situation - July 28th, 2006
- Devarim: Act with tzedakah and mishpat in all that we do - July 28th, 2006
- Tisha BAv: Human Rights and Self Criticism - July 21st, 2006
- Mase: Making an enemy into a Friend - July 21st, 2006
- Mattot: Human Rights and Collateral Damage - July 21st, 2006
- Why I Will Demonstrate - June 29th, 2006
- RHR Wins Court Victory: High Court Orders Security Forces to Protect Palestinian Farmers - June 26th, 2006
- Qorah: Clarity in arguments in defense of Human Rights - June 23rd, 2006
- Nizzavim: For what are we willing to stand up, and how? - May 26th, 2006
- Shavuot: A world based on righteousness, justice, goodness, mercy and faithfulness. - May 26th, 2006
- Bemidbar: Reaching out to the ones we would normally turn away - May 26th, 2006
- Behar: A vision of a just and caring society - May 19th, 2006
- Behuqqotay: Respect the moral order - May 19th, 2006
- Rabbi Arik W. Ascherman - May 12th, 2006
- Emor: Unity and equality between Jews and non-Jews in front of the law - May 12th, 2006
- Shemini: Partners with God - April 21st, 2006
- Va'era: Hear each other’s narratives - January 26th, 2006
- Miqqez: It is not too late to renew and fulfill the promises of old - December 30th, 2005
- Vayyeze: The Image of God in all - December 8th, 2005
- Noah: Knowing how to protest and to effect change - November 4th, 2005
- Sukkoth: Peace, justice, involvement and caring for all people - October 10th, 2005
- Ki-Tavo: Responsiblity to fulfill our Human Rights obligations - September 23rd, 2005
- Ki-Teze: We must stand in the breach and make sure that nobody is left behind - September 14th, 2005
- Shofetim: Pursue justice through mitzvot of commission - September 8th, 2005
- Devarim: You shall not be partial in judgement - August 12th, 2005
- Shabbat Hazon: Misplaced Priorities in Society - August 12th, 2005
- Mas'e: Expulsion, Democracy and Civil Disobedience - August 4th, 2005
- Mattot: Find the formulas allowing all of us to have our basic Human Rights and needs met. - July 28th, 2005
- Balaq: We cannot negotiate for peace on the one hand and violate Human Rights on the other - July 14th, 2005
- Shemini: Quench this strange fire and return to the fire commanded by God - April 1st, 2005
- Preventing Home Demolitions - March 22nd, 2005
- Pequde: Maintaining our belief in the goodness of people. - March 11th, 2005
- There Is A Kippah In The Rubble - April 15th, 2003
Rabbis for Human Rights recommends that you read these articles in Perspectives
- Counterpoint: A letter to a Jewish leader from abroad - July 3rd, 2008
- Counterpoint: What does the religious Right want? - June 19th, 2008
- Counterpoint: Forsaking both soldiers and the downtrodden - June 5th, 2008
- Durban 1: What really happened at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance - March 3rd, 2008
- Response to Haaretz investigation - November 23rd, 2007
- Counterpoint: A liberal's lament - July 19th, 2007
- Truth and Hypocrisy - June 22nd, 2007
- The work that we do is not fun: Tikkun Olam and Human Rights - May 4th, 2007
- Politics Make Strange Bedfellows - April 20th, 2007
- Feed the Hungry - March 2nd, 2007
- Trafficking in Women: A Blight on Jewish Decency - December 29th, 2006
- Try a Little Common Sense - July 25th, 2006
- Prisoners are no Asset - July 16th, 2006
- Why I Will Demonstrate - June 29th, 2006
- End the Degradation: An appeal to Israel's new defense minister - May 18th, 2006
- Peace and Religion: The greatest gift we can bestow our children from our rich religious teachings - May 12th, 2006
- Pride and Humility: Decry the abuses of power and the injustices of our country - May 12th, 2006
- Yes, Birthright journey cheapens the message of Judaism - May 5th, 2006
- Sit under the vine and fig tree, and not be afraid: South Hebron Hills Tour - April 9th, 2006
- Getting beyond name-calling - March 29th, 2006
- Settlers, hands off the olive trees - December 26th, 2005
- MIAs - a failure of political will - December 11th, 2005
- Let's not turn to anti-Arab racism - November 14th, 2005
- To obey orders, or not - July 24th, 2005
- The rabbi who pricks Israel's conscience - March 25th, 2005
- There Is A Kippah In The Rubble - April 15th, 2003
- Forgotten in captivity - February 3rd, 2003
- Let PR constrain policy - August 7th, 2002
- Could the Right be right? - October 16th, 2001
- New intifada breeds depression, with no end in sight - April 13th, 2001
Leave a Reply