Trump’s real gifts to the US, Israel, and the world?
For all fairness, we should be grateful to the 45th US President for a limited number of contributions. They should not be used to deny his disastrous rule, his collusion with the far-right, racists, bigots, neglecting the pandemic to bring more money to the super-rich causing 600,000 US unnecessary deaths, his betrayal of the Kurds, Paris accords, and so on.
Palestinians
Trump got the war against Israel out of its impasse because it takes a con artist to outsmart con artists. We saw the same in the time of Peres and Rabin. They were played by Arafat for fools. It took a Sharon to stop this. (Who then continued to fool Israelis. Honest brokers are still to be preferred.) It is therefore understandable that Trump will flee to Israel.
His support for Israel, though, should not be exaggerated. His peace deal included a Palestinian State on the West Bank. Who needs Gaza and Hezbollah with such a new entity? He stopped further Jewish settling on the West Bank and any autonomy attempt. And he did not give Israel the bombs the US has that we could use to obliterate Iran’s nuclear weapons built under mountains. And he didn’t release Jonathan Pollard and his deadly sick wife to Israel though it would’ve cost him nothing. And more.
(Do read Trump apologists to remind you of everything they leave out, from abandoning trans-soldiers to the Kurds to the Muslims in China.)
BTW: It’s ridiculous to assume that Trump did this because he likes the Jews. He likes Jews like he likes fast foods. They give him a good feeling. Jews have always been loyal servants and teachers to him and it gave him the Evangelical vote. It’s been self-interest all the way. Which doesn’t mean we shouldn’t say thank you. But within measure, please.
NB: I resent the self-righteous democrats who won’t support the Jewish State but then blame it for taking support from reactionaries like Trump.
Fake News
No one demonstrated better the great value of a free press, listening to scientists, rejecting bigotry. On top of that, the need to ban hate speech from the Internet.
And let us never forget that the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements only exploded to world-wide fame under Trump (I grab them by the p**sy, Epstein, very fine people on both sides, Floyd).
Also, his total neglect of climate disasters (floods, hurricanes, wildfires) made clear to most USrs that we have no time to lose.
His tax breaks for the super-rich that depleted US coffers for a decade cemented triple Democratic rule as no Republican could have done.
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All in all, good riddance. But let’s not forget the forces of Good that emerged from his disastrous reign. Either because he outsmarted some other evil players (but was completely fooled by the dictators of Russia, China, and North Korea), or because he showed us all what’s (his) evil.
May we, from now on, only merit to witness going from strength to strength for the good of everyone.
Alas, it isn’t certain at all that Trump will concede his gigantic loss (White House and Senate). Legally, he can’t be forced (see the below clips). This confirms my earlier intuition that the US Constitution needs an update.
It ain’t over ’till it’s over:
But remember this: Bullies are mere pretending cowards. Just intimidate them back, call their bluff. He’ll run, as if he never had any bone spurs.
But below you have a ‘specialist’ talking the voice of reason to the most bully US president ever, pleading for ‘reasonableness.’ He does not understand abusers. They don’t follow reason. Reason alarms them.
Abusers you only confront when you can corner them. When they have a way out, you don’t. You just try to leave safely. Hope for the best AND prepare for the worst because of it. Whether Trump won OR lost, Neo-Nazis will feel emboldened to act up and better stay out of their way.
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Last but not least, today is not only US election day for the 46th president and for control of the Senate, it also the 26th anniversary of Reb Shlomo Carlebach’s passing. Twenty-six is the numerical value of Hashem and also of twice the word in Hebrew for love (be’ahavah).
Reb Shlomo didn’t like the lying that goes on in politics: He’s lying to the other who’s also lying. They both know the other’s lying, and everyone knows it, and still, they continue. But he also said that politics is like flying: a bird needs both wings to take off.
A friend of mine once asked Reb Shlomo before an election what he was going to vote. He said (I translate from Hebrew): I’m like the Holy One, “Who votes for/prefers musical chansons” (a morning prayers’ quote).
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. Of the 15 (!) books he has in mind, the next two are about homosexuality in Judaism and new rabbinics. Next year, he hopes to focus on activism against human extinction. To find less-recent posts on a subject XXX among his over 2600 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 that also may contain updates to Times of Israel posts, to which one may subscribe, here: https://mmvanzuiden.wordpress.com/ or by clicking on the globe icon next to his picture on top. *
He's getting ready to publicize books on: "Free Will, "Judaism and Homosexuality, "His parents in the Holocaust, "Judaism, "A New Torah Translation and "A New Hebrew Grammar, "Co-Counseling, "Vegan Facts, "Immortality, and more. *
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 agrees that in a post-truth world, that's irrelevant, but then this is for the record. 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. His posts are spell, grammar, and style polished by AI, but all written by himself. *
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
