The makeover of the United States of America

Everyone who was shocked seeing the murder of George Floyd knows that racist police violence must stop. It was clear enough to lead to mass demonstrations around the globe.

We used to say that the last 100 years, developments go so fast that it’s hard to keep up. Well, forget about 100 years — look at the last two weeks!

Defunding the police used to be a slogan from the extreme Left. It became a mainstream concept in a couple of days. Defunding means: less police; doing fewer things they are not good at. They should not deal with the homeless, with domestic disputes, demonstrations, and crime prevention.

And now come calls to demilitarize the police. It’s overkill, pun intended.

It Won’t Stop There

Four radical mind-blowing changes will organically follow the above.

Clearly, racism is not only just localized in the police force.

The above will be a powerful impetus to end systematic racism in the US. Black and Brown people will take more leadership. More Whites will back them up and shed their timidity. Smart and real reparations for decedents of the slaves and Native Americans. Caucasians and non-Caucasians will be so much in each other’s lives that within a generation or two, no statistician can tally Blacks and Whites differently anymore, because of intermarriage. Physicians won’t be able (and won’t think) to write in patients’ files such typically irrelevant things as their race.

Labor relations are still slavery inspired.

Admitting and regretting that American society was built by slave labor will transform present labor relations. The US also missed the socialist development that did some good to European society.

When I worked for USers, I always was seen as beneficiary, them providing me with labor and salary. For them, people were managed by Human Resource. Just like the supply of paper for the printer can be depleted and should be restocked, similarly, there should be enough workers on hand or on standby to get the work done. Workers were nothing more than tools or supplies. If we don’t need you anymore, we owe you nothing.

How different my work as an employee in Europe. There, it was a two-way street. I worked, they paid a salary. They owed me to behave decently and I should work responsibly. We didn’t have to love each other but showing respect and concern for each other was part of the contract. I couldn’t do without the salary, they couldn’t do without my work. Together we benefitted each other. This way one could also work in America.

What also needs to go is the whole warped idea that if you’re not rich and well-connected, you’re on your own. Millions without health case is beyond belief. Working life will become more relaxed when sick days are paid for and in case of disability, you won’t end up starving or homeless.

Demilitarizing will not stop at the police.

The level of weapon possession by regular citizens in the US is only a reflection of the fear and selfishness that the weapon industry sows. Unfortunately, there are countless Israelis carrying guns but their abuse is negligible. While we live in a very violent neighborhood. There is no good reason for so much gun violence in the US. Demilitarize the public too.

And now comes the best reform. The US is a very violent society.

Not only racism is not exclusively found in the police force. So is violence. I was amazed when I first heard, 40 years ago, that boys in US Orthodox schools would beat the living daylight out of each other every day. I said: But you learn every day that you must love each other. How can you lay a hand on anyone? They had no answer to me. That’s what happened.

I went through all my school years in the Netherlands without getting into a fight ever. True, it may have been a close call a few times but I’d defuse the situation with a joke and that was that. I was later told that in the US, every boy gets beaten up around school. A problem not “just” with bullies picking on overweight and GLBTQ kids. What a heartbreak that the dearest you have, your kids, are never really safe in, before, or after school. This got to stop too. When all the above starts shifting, so will the violence for children stop also. And everyone will gain! Women will be safer too.

And when the stress levels go down, so will drug use, depressions, and suicides. Universal Basic Income will certainly help too.

In summary, ending the racism, making work relationships humane, demilitarizing society, and reducing the level of personal violence between people will really remake American society.

Interestingly, this is all happening on the watch of, under the nose of, the most violent, nationalistic, supremacist, bullying US president ever.

Realizing the totality of these reforms will be a drawn-out process but something that ultimately can’t be stopped. No stronger enemy than an idea whose time has come. I’m happy for the American People.

About the Author

MM is a prolific and creative writer and thinker, previously a daily blog contributor to the TOI. He often makes his readers laugh, mad, or assume he's nuts—close to perfect blogging. He's proud that his analytical short comments are removed both from left-wing and right-wing news sites. None of his content is generated by the new bore on the block, AI. * As a frontier thinker, he sees things many don't yet. He's half a prophet. Half. Let's not exaggerate. Or not at all because he doesn't claim G^d talks to him. He gives him good ideas—that's all. MM doesn't believe that people observe and think in a vacuum. He, therefore, wanted a broad bio that readers interested can track a bit what (lack of) backgrounds, experiences, and educations contribute to his visions. * This year, he will prioritize getting his unpublished books published rather than just blog posts. Next year, he hopes to focus on activism against human extinction. To find less-recent posts on a subject XXX among his over 2000 archived ones, go to the right-top corner of a Times of Israel page, click on the search icon and search "zuiden, XXX". One can find a second, wilder blog, to which one may subscribe too, here: https://mmvanzuiden.wordpress.com/ or by clicking on the globe icon next to his picture on top. * Like most of his readers, he believes in being friendly, respectful, and loyal. However, if you think those are his absolute top priorities, you might end up disappointed. His first loyalty is to the truth. He will try to stay within the limits of democratic and Jewish law, but he won't lie to support opinions or people when don't deserve that. (Yet, we all make honest mistakes, which is just fine and does not justify losing support.) He admits that he sometimes exaggerates to make a point, which could have him come across as nasty, while in actuality, he's quite a lovely person to interact with. He holds - how Dutch - that a strong opinion doesn't imply intolerance of other views. * Sometimes he's misunderstood because his wide and diverse field of vision seldomly fits any specialist's box. But that's exactly what some love about him. He has written a lot about Psychology (including Sexuality and Abuse), Medicine (including physical immortality), Science (including basic statistics), Politics (Israel, the US, and the Netherlands, Activism - more than leftwing or rightwing, he hopes to highlight reality), Oppression and Liberation (intersectionally, for young people, the elderly, non-Whites, women, workers, Jews, LGBTQIA+, foreigners and anyone else who's dehumanized or exploited), Integrity, Philosophy, Jews (Judaism, Zionism, Holocaust and Jewish Liberation), the Climate Crisis, Ecology and Veganism, Affairs from the news, or the Torah Portion of the Week, or new insights that suddenly befell him. * Chronologically, his most influential teachers are his parents, Nico (natan) van Zuiden and Betty (beisye) Nieweg, Wim Kan, Mozart, Harvey Jackins, Marshal Rosenberg, Reb Shlomo Carlebach, and, lehavdil bein chayim lechayim, Rabbi Dr. Natan Lopes Cardozo, Rav Zev Leff, and Rav Meir Lubin. This short list doesn't mean to disrespect others who taught him a lot or a little. One of his rabbis calls him Mr. Innovation [Ish haChidushim]. Yet, his originalities seem to root deeply in traditional Judaism, though they may grow in unexpected directions. In fact, he claims he's modernizing nothing. Rather, mainly basing himself on the basic Hebrew Torah text, he tries to rediscover classical Jewish thought almost lost in thousands of years of stifling Gentile domination and Jewish assimilation. (He pleads for a close reading of the Torah instead of going by rough assumptions of what it would probably mean and before fleeing to Commentaries.) This, in all aspects of life, but prominently in the areas of Free Will, Activism, Homosexuality for men, and Redemption. * He hopes that his words will inspire and inform, and disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed. He aims to bring a fresh perspective rather than harp on the obvious and familiar. When he can, he loves to write encyclopedic overviews. He doesn't expect his readers to agree. Rather, original minds should be disputed. In short, his main political positions are among others: anti-Trumpism, for Zionism, Intersectionality, non-violence, anti those who abuse democratic liberties, anti the fake ME peace process, for original-Orthodoxy, pro-Science, pro-Free Will, anti-blaming-the-victim, and for down-to-earth, classical optimism, and happiness. Read his blog on how he attempts to bridge any tensions between those ideas or fields. * He is a fetal survivor of the pharmaceutical industry (https://diethylstilbestrol.co.uk/studies/des-and-psychological-health/), born in 1953 to his parents who were Dutch-Jewish Holocaust survivors who met in the largest concentration camp in the Netherlands, Westerbork. He grew up a humble listener. It took him decades to become a speaker too, and decades more to admit to being a genius. But his humility was his to keep. And so was his honesty. Bullies and con artists almost instantaneously envy and hate him. He hopes to bring new things and not just preach to the choir. * He holds a BA in medicine (University of Amsterdam) – is half a doctor. He practices Re-evaluation Co-counseling since 1977, is not an official teacher anymore, and became a friendly, powerful therapist. He became a social activist, became religious, made Aliyah, and raised three wonderful kids. Previously, for decades, he was known to the Jerusalem Post readers as a frequent letter writer. For a couple of years, he was active in hasbara to the Dutch-speaking public. He wrote an unpublished tome about Jewish Free Will. He's a strict vegan since 2008. He's an Orthodox Jew but not a rabbi. * His writing has been made possible by an allowance for second-generation Holocaust survivors from the Netherlands. It has been his dream since he was 38 to try to make a difference by teaching through writing. He had three times 9-out-of-10 for Dutch at his high school finals but is spending his days communicating in English and Hebrew - how ironic. G-d must have a fine sense of humor. In case you wonder - yes, he is a bit dyslectic. If you're a native English speaker and wonder why you should read from people whose English is only their second language, consider the advantage of having an original peek outside of your cultural bubble. * To send any personal reaction to him, scroll to the top of the blog post and click Contact Me. * His newest books you may find here: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AMoshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&s=relevancerank&text=Moshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1