Copycat chaos?

It is hard to write about the downfall of a democracy that we hold dear.  Yet, staying silent eats away at an observer’s soul…. and is not an option.

When I was in university, I worked one summer — in the halls of the US Congress for then Senator Edmund Muskie… (Democrat from Maine). This giant of a leader in 1980 became the United States secretary of state. Just to walk into the Capitol building took my breath away.  To walk down the halls to his office was elating.  The excitement of being a part of the amazing world of governing and politics was astounding. It was inconceivable that citizens might one day riot and enter these hallowed halls to destroy and create havoc.  Yet, we all saw it this week with our own eyes.  The photograph of gunfire and smoke in front of the US Capitol as protestors advanced, is beyond horrific.

Two minutes ago, I received a call from a close friend who was standing in front of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s residence as it was being boarded up.  She tried to photograph what was happening. The police came over to her and asked to see the photograph. Then they told her to delete it. They are preparing for a copy-cat event, which all versions of media are suggesting might happen here in Jerusalem. What heretofore have been peaceful (albeit very loud) protests, may become violent. Today is Friday.  By Sunday, we will know for sure.

Every responsible political analyst has expressed the need for law and order…the need for everyone to be responsible citizens,  and not reduce the United States democracy  to rubble.  Of course, they are right. But they are too late.

The time to create order was when the BLM (“Black Lives Matter” /George Floyd riots began with violence and unrest between May 26 and June 8, 2020. More than one billion dollars in claims to the insurance agency were the tip of the iceberg. As city after city joined in the chaos, and businesses and citizens ways of life were altered irreparably …. City, State and Federal authorities rationalized, excused and permitted destruction under the guise of sympathy for the “moral outrage. “ The stage was set …

Then the US elections came and went and hundreds and possibly thousands of affidavits were ignored by courts not willing to hear individual testimony about what they had witnessed. Court after court refused to hear the cases.  Not hearing the case is not the same as coming to a conclusion after a trial.

The media proclaimed that Trump’s claims of fraud were proven false, unsubstantiated and a ruse.  Massive numbers of the US public did not believe anything was proven or investigated properly.

The Supreme Court of the United States cowered as well.  No doubt terrified of violence should they allow their court to be the final word on the possible corruption of the 2020 US elections. They too turned their back on what 49% of the American public suspected was foul play.  Had they listened, and then found no corruption… well done. But as we all know now “No one is listening.” Did our brilliant Supreme Court Justices think that all the frustration would just go away?

Exactly what would one expect from a nation once ruled by law and order when neither law nor order is on offer?

Essentially, the news media commentators are willing to condemn only those they disagree with.  Giving the rioters, looters and destroyers a “free ride” and blaming only the police for America’s ills created a precedent which is now in play. It was inevitable that emotions would boil over.  Did Trump fan the flames into larger ones?  No doubt he did…  and will continue to do so.

It is extremely worrying that Israel often mirrors what they see in the United States.  Hence the boarding up of the Prime Minister’s residence.  We are all praying that our citizens in Israel will not sink to the depths of those who became violent in the United States.  We have elections coming once again…and that is the place where we need to create change. Violence and pandemonium only make the wounds fester .The only real change can come with an honest election.  The heartbreak is that the United States election process was so vulnerable that almost half of the citizens do not believe the process was pure.  Israel’s voting system still seems intact and we must all pray that its results…whatever they may be…will be accepted and Israel will be able to move forward.  Elections must be sacrosanct or democracy cannot survive.

All eyes will be on the Israeli protestors after Shabbat. We are in total lockdown because of horrific Covid-19 statistics…. We do not need to copy the worst behavior that the United States has on offer.