Cruz was right but the NYT doesn’t think so

By David Goldman, PJ MEDIA

I had to read the penultimate paragraph of Ross Douthat’s New York Times piece on “friendless Middle East Christians” before the enormity of it sunk in. Douthat wrote:

If Cruz felt that he couldn’t address an audience of persecuted Arab Christians without including a florid, “no greater ally” preamble about Israel, he could have withdrawn from the event. The fact that he preferred to do it this way says a lot–none of it good–about his priorities and instincts.

In so many words: Jew-hatred among Middle Eastern Christians is so rampant that it should be ignored in the interests of saving this oppressed minority. Never mind that it is impossible to conceive of any strategic configuration on the Middle East that might help Middle Eastern Christians without including Israel; never mind that Israel’s supporters in the United States are among the first to urge America to act on their behalf; and, above all, never mind that Israel is the only country in the Middle East where Christians can practice their religion in security and safety, and that Israel is the only country in the Middle East with a growing Christian population.

The statement is outrageous, capping a long list of inaccuracies. The problem is NOT, as Douthat argues, that “the Middle East’s Christians simply don’t  have the kind of influence to matter” in American strategic calculations. The problem is that Middle East Christians threw in with (and some helped invent) a movement directly opposed to American interests in the region, namely the Arab nationalism embodied in the Ba’ath Party. I reviewed this sad history in a 2009 essay reposted on this site.

No-one proposes to blame the afflicted Christians of the Middle East for previous choices under duress: they had no good choices, and hardly can be faulted for bad ones. Unlike some of my conservative friends, moreover, I can’t blame Syrian Christians for supporting the Assad regime, which protects them from murdering Sunni jihadists. It isn’t about blame, but about the future–if there is one. Israel has a prominent role in any possible state of the world in which Christianity continues to exist in the Middle East (outside of Israel itself).

As I observed in the linked essay, the Catholic Church remains in the grip of nostalgia for its past influence in the region, and a great many of its Middle Eastern specialists simply cannot abide the idea that  Israel might be the home to the remnant of Middle Eastern Christianity as well as the protector of Christian minorities elsewhere. But that is how things have worked out. That’s reality, and it’s the job of political leaders like Sen. Cruz to explain reality to their constituents. That’s not “florid.” That’s leadership.

An analogy might be useful: Evangelical Christians are among Israel’s strongest supporters in America, yet some Jews–including liberals as well as Christianophobic ultra-Orthodox–reject this support. That is hysteria. Israel’s supporters in America are among the strongest defenders of Middle Eastern Christians, yet some Middle Eastern Christians reject this support. That is also hysteria. Jews who reject Christian support are crazy, and Middle Eastern Christians who reject Jewish support are crazy. It’s the job of leaders to tell them so.

September 15, 2014 | 22 Comments »

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22 Comments / 22 Comments

  1. robin@longhornproject.org Said:

    Dividing your pasture into equal parts and graze your herd in each area separately before moving on to the next. Resting grazed areas for days, weeks or even months, restores plant life. This can be done with electric fencing or even better with “Stockmanship

    This is common practice USA where there is more grazing land avaliable, but the poorer the quality grazing the more land is needed.

  2. Texas Longhorn cattle fit and thrive in desert environments. This is an educational, cattle-crossbreeding and research project that is helping Israel, Jordan and East Africa.

    1. Longhorns can eat invasive shrubs and cacti (decreasing fire hazards).
    2. Longhorns have higher reproduction rates and very low loss rates.
    3. Longhorns have excellent calving and mothering abilities.
    4. Longhorns solve the problem of rising feed costs.
    5. Longhorns protect their calves from predators.
    6. Longhorns are highly resistant to diseases.
    7. Longhorns will use less land and less water.

    Problems in Israel Beef Cattle industry

    1. Their European cattle are failing to thrive in Israel’s desert environment.
    2. Poor disease resistance, genetic diseases and high losses due to predators.
    3. Soaring feed costs, as they do not eat shrubs, tree leaves, or cactus.
    4. Calf losses as high as 30% and low reproduction rates.
    5. Poor mothering skills and birth complications.

    To solve these problems we are creating a small self-sustainable herd of Texas Longhorn cattle.

    We will be using 22nd century cattle handle methods called, Stockmanship and ecological grazing techniques called Strategic Grazing. Both will be taught to Israeli, East Africa and Jordanian Ranchers. See below…

    Stockmanship or a Method of Creating Happy Cows or Cattle

    A method of moving cattle without stress, it is a method that uses the cow or herd’s body space. Just like in people when someone gets to close to you, you move away from the pressure. Cattle do the very same thing. We use pressure and release with the cattle simple by moving into their personal space and then releasing the pressure by moving out. This causes then to yield to the pressure and move off in the direction we asked for. This can be use for any kind of herd animal. Once the pressure is released the animal feels relief and stays in the pasture section where you placed them, until you move them again. Animals demonstrate a positive and pleasurable response to this method of movement, “Stockmanship”.

    This method of animal handling also improves meat quality, increasing tenderness, increasing meat quantity. It decreases disease and meat deformity and discoloring. There are fewer dark cutters therefore, 30% more kosher cattle.

    Strategic Grazing

    A rotating method of grazing using every part of your pasture, one section at a time allowing grass and plant life to restore itself.

    Dividing your pasture into equal parts and graze your herd in each area separately before moving on to the next. Resting grazed areas for days, weeks or even months, restores plant life. This can be done with electric fencing or even better with “Stockmanship”.

  3. Cannot bring Santa Gertrudis due to Blue Tongue. Only able bring embryos from the northern part of America, due to international trade law. In the future will try and bring them. But Israel needs dangerous cattle due to the Arab Israel conflict. But I have away to work with them so they ar not dangerous. It is called “Stockmenship”.

  4. yamit82 Said:

    So what are their objections to your proposals and project???

    I would recommend Santa Gertrudis, an easier handled breed and better quality beef, developed on the King Ranch, TX for desert conditions. Longhorns are as easy domesticated as you, my Dear Yamit82.

  6. @ robin@longhornproject.org:

    Shalom. If I lived in Israel I would take a serious look at your project. Good luck with it. I will add it to my ‘wish list’. I just dropped hundreds of dollars off at my shul for dues. It is worth it to me. They are a great bunch. Finally have a Rabbi and Office staff that are genuine and warm. It’s hard to find.

  8. “I am a former Israeli Soldier”

    I meant no disrespect in my former posts, Robin. I had no idea you were formerly an Israeli soldier. You don’t need my advice on how to safely wave an Israel flag. I just realized we have a mutual friend: Yaacov L.

  10. Shalom,

    Israeli cattle ranches and farms are under attack by jackals, wolves and Arabs and their passive European cattle don’t fit Israel’s desert environment.
    The Israel Longhorn Project can solve these problems.
    Texas Longhorn cattle have a smaller carbon footprint; they use less water, less land and are adapted to Israel’s desert environment. Texas Longhorn can defend themselves and their calves by simply threatening with their sharp horns.
    We are working with; The Israeli Border Police, the New Shomrim, Israel’s Agriculture Department, the Prime Minister’s office, Chaim Dyan of AMBAL. (Israel Cattle Breeders Association) and many Israeli ranches.
    Help us reach our goal of $275,000 to start the project. A nominal donation of $250 from 1100 generous supportors will get us started.
    The problem: http://youtu.be/hMF12Ru–yw

    Robin Rosenblatt M.Sc. Hebrew University School of Agriculture
    The Longhorn Project
    22 Yarnall Place
    Redwood City, CA 94063
    Tel: 650.631.9270 / 03.722.6108
    robin@longhornproject.org
    http://longhornproject.org
    Nonprofit 501(c) 3 #74-3177354

  11. I’m referring to the “push-back” Ezra Levant is talking about. I am not talking about those fucking Muslim savages murdering entire Christian communities in the Middle East.

  14. Suddenly Christians are made to feel push-back, Dove. Many Christians are involved in foster care, and they show no respect for the religious faith of the children put in their care. There is an Orthodox Jewish family I know of, in USA, whose children were taken by the Children’s Aid (or whatever the agency is called in USA) and put into a Christian foster care home. The Christians refused to provide the Jewish children with the kosher food provided for them by Jewish donors and are taking these kids to church. The father contacted B’nai Elim (I am a member) for help and is beside himself because of this situation. Now Christians in Canada are crying foul because prudent lawyers are raising the alarm about these obtrusive religious who like to push their “beliefs” on others buy cry foul when told that their Christian beliefs and the attendant assertiveness that come with them are unwelcomed. I have no idea why Ezra Levant is so worried. So what, Christians are forced to keep their New Testament beliefs at home. Big deal. I don’t want to listen to their shit either. I’m reminded of Louis Simpson’s line from Searching for the Ox: “They want to send me off to heaven when all I want is to live here on earth.”

  19. Some good advice: Next time you wave an Israeli flag in SF, carry a 12 gauge in your arms and have two or three friends with you carrying the same. Never go into the woods without a brush axe, my friend.

  20. “The last one, damage to my truck, by self-rightous Christians.”

    All Christians, by virtue of their faith, are “self-righteous.” Which is to say, their “righteousness” is a human invention and mere fantasy, and its resilience is simply the result of the exculpation Christian theology promises for such an intoned fantasy.

    “That’s a red flag waved in front of the Jew hating Bulls.”

    Exactly. Or as my Dad would say, “That’s like asking pity from a whore.”

  21. @ robin@longhornproject.org:

    The Problems We Face

    Israeli cattle producers are trying to improve their cattle’s adaptation to the environment but are failing. They started out with the best America cattle breeds that feed on grass year round, had no predator and little or no disease or parasite resistance and put them into a semi-desert, semi-tropic hostile environment where they did not fit and expected them to function as if they were in America

    So what are their objections to your proposals and project???

    robin@longhornproject.org Said:

    9/14/14, Sunday this was my fifth attack in 30 days in San Francisco for being an Israeli and a Jew and on the Israel Longhorn Project. First attack was by an Arab, second and third anti Semite Americans. My Israel flag ripped off my truck twice with extreme violence. The last one, damage to my truck, by self-rightous Christians. So help

    What are you doing in SF with an Israeli Flag on your truck. That’s a red flag waved in front of the Jew hating Bulls.

  22. 9/14/14, Sunday this was my fifth attack in 30 days in San Francisco for being an Israeli and a Jew and on the Israel Longhorn Project. First attack was by an Arab, second and third anti Semite Americans. My Israel flag ripped off my truck twice with extreme violence. The last one, damage to my truck, by self-rightous Christians. So help http://longhornproject.org