This appeared as a Letter to the Editor in the European Edition of The New York Times
By Eitan Chitayat, TOI
A dreary, cloth patch sewn in the shape of a Star of David that every Jew was forced to wear in Nazi Germany along with every country the Germans conquered; every country allied with Germany ; every culture looking to expose the hated Jew.
The guilty Jew. The filthy Jew. The stealing Jew. The disgusting Jew. The less-than-human Jew. The Jew that can only do wrong – for that is, of course, all we do.
The yellow star was forced on us. Rammed down our throats. It stood for dishonor and was associated with anti-semitism as you probably know. It was to be a badge of shame like Hawthorne’s Scarlet letter. But 6 million times worse.
Today? Shame, can take a hike. Give me a yellow star. Find one and give it to me, quick.
I want to wear a yellow star above my left breast where each and every Holocaust victim was forced to don one. I want to walk around with a yellow star on every solitary piece of clothing I own. On my American Apparel V-neck, my Nike sweatshirt, Ralph Lauren sweater, my Champion hoodie, my Diesel button-down, H&M jacket, Adidas jersey and Gap blazer. I’ll wear it at the beach on my bare chest if I have to.
I want to walk down the streets of Paris and confront people like this. Outside the White house near these friendly haters confronting an ex-marine. In Brussels, the Netherlands, the mosques of Berlin, in streets of Canada – and England especially – to meet this idiot. I’d like to go to campuses in the States, like this one at the University of California, San Diego to talk to this girl here – I’ll be wearing my yellow star.
I want everyone to see me with it and hear them say as I walk in,
‘Hey, here comes the Jew’, he’s just like the rest of them.
He thinks he’s so cool and different.
But he’s just a dirty Jew.
A mass murderer.
He kills Christian and Muslim children and then uses their blood for matzah, just like the rest of the Jews.
They carpet bomb people.
They think they’re so great with their studies and their success.
They kill children, those Jews.
Don’t you know? It’s the Jews who own Hollwood, the media, the banks.
They’re the scum of the earth. They steal things.
Hitler was right. What was that hashtag?
#Hitlerwasright.
Let’s go spraypaint swastikas on his grandparents’ graves.
Let’s go beat him up.
Let’s kill him. Let’s murder a rabbi in Miami.
That’ll teach them — to exist’.
I want that yellow badge so bad, my blood is boiling.
B*tch, to me that yellow star is a symbol of everything that is good. Not just for me, but for the world.
It’s a symbol of surviving evil. It’s heritage and knowledge. Tolerance and optimism. It’s strength and confidence in the face of the weakness and insecurity of those not being taught well enough what their good mamas should have taught them. That yellow star is courage. It’s education. Resilience. It’s right over wrong. It’s bravery and sacrifice, conviction, and it is life.
It is testament to all who tragically died wearing it, may their memories be blessed, so that their future surviving brothers and sisters know to never be afraid of who they are again. To never be silent again. Whether a Jew or an Israeli, to not apologise for surviving. Thanks to them and indeed, for them, this yellow badge ceased being a badge of shame a long time ago.
For me, it’s a yellow F**k-You-I’m-Here-to-Stay star.
It’s a star that blinds out any other emblem that preaches hatred. It drowns out the form, shape and color of swastikas, the black flags of ISIS and Al Qaeda, and the green of Hamas or the yellow of Hezbollah.
I hope I get to meet any liar that calls me a baby killer or accuses me of genocide or of mass murder. I’ll smush my yellow star in their face, and I’ll smush it in there good. Let them see and remember what true genocide is. What real baby killing is. What ethnic cleansing and mass murder really looks like. What (attempting to) wipe out a race really is. And where ignorance and hatred and the lies you choose to get behind will lead you. Those accusers won’t have to look at history. Because it’s happening all around us. Right now. Across the globe, there’s no escaping what we’re seeing.
Before being herded off to the gas chambers around 70 years ago Jews wearing their yellow star were hearing ‘Kill the Jews’, ‘Heil Hitler’, ‘The only good Jew is a dead Jew’, ‘Stealing Jew!’ – and all that before being ostracized from their communities, stripped of their belongings, propery, identities, humanty and eventually, their lives. They were hearing words. It happened in many other countries too. Like my father’s country – Iraq. A country he was expelled from for being a Jew. For being a dirty Jew.
It. Always. Begins. With. Words.
The same kind of words we’re hearing now here on social media. At demonstrations. In conversations. Words that have nothing to do with Israel. Palestine. Politics. The Middle East or anything. You might not be down with ISIS and Hamas, but if you aren’t trying to expose them 24/7 for who and what they are, then you’re not part of the solution to rid the world of them.
The world’s abuzz right now with anti israel and anti semitic words. Anti semitic words that Jews like myself are used to. I’m talking to you, Dieudonné. Mel Gibson. Roger Waters. And I’m talking to you, Radical Islamic leaders, standing behind your pulpits preaching lies and hate and division in the name of Allah.
I’m talking to you, blind followers of radical Islam, congregating and chanting hatred in your city squares, at town demonstrations, plotting Jew hatred in your homes or openly amongst friends, in the media, and online – in democratic countries taking advantage of the free speech the West gave you, amongst mostly free-loving people.
I’m talking to you, supposedly liberal minded people – friends of mine, even – who spend way too much time talking about my Israel fighting for its existence in a defensive war, but very little talking about hundreds of thousands being murdered in Syria. In Iraq. About people being murdered for being followers of any other religion save Islam. Very little talking about ISIS taking over the middle east and putting heads on spikes, shooting people in ditches by the thousands. Very little time talking about Syrians being gassed and a puke-inducing Turkish Prime minister spewing the kind of virulent anti-semitism which ends with only one thing.
You, my left-wing liberals, are choosing the side of hate. You’re decidedly ignorant. And you suck. Saying death and war is awful and that killing should stop is as far as we’ll agree. But until you provide a solution for ISIS, Hamas, Hezballah, Al Quaeda and the other folks you seem to send your Jib Jab Christmas cards to, just do the civilised world a favor and go back to your Fascist news paper articles who seem to know how to write, but do nothing else. And don’t forget 9/11, London’s 7/7, Spain’s Madrid train bombings or the Boston Marathon while you’re at it.
Take a good hard look at my yellow star. Look at where it came from. Look what was done after we, the Jews, were forced to wear it and then ask yourselves, are we doing the same to others? Us Jews? Us Israelis? Are we hellbent on exterminating people? Is that really what we want? Or are others doing that which you think we’re doing – others you refuse to be vocal about nor condemn with a simple post or click of your Like button.
Fools, I’m not going anywhere.
Never again.
Though some might wish it, NEVER AGAIN.
For anyone else reading this from afar who might agree with what I’m saying, Jews and non-Jews alike, don’t feel sorry for me, my family, my friends. Don’t feel sorry for us. We’re fine and we’re not afraid. I’d like to think you know the score and that you’re probably in this with us. Not just because you know it won’t stop with us, but because you’re sane and you’re not blind.
Don’t be afraid because I’m not intending to be a victim. None of us are. And I hope you aren’t either. My yellow star is staring extremism in the face. All of our yellow stars are staring everyone in the face. Blinding extremists with motherf*****g light in a world that’s becoming increasingly black.
Am I down with the yellow star?
You’re damn right I am.
Read more: Down with the Yellow Star | Eitan Chitayat | The Blogs | The Times of Israel http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/im-with-yellow-star/#ixzz3LrGFiN5H
Follow us: @timesofisrael on Twitter | timesofisrael on Facebook
@ yamit82:
I learned that a 7 yrs of age and it has been constantly reinforced.
honeybee Said:
Maybe but their tactics have never worked.
@ honeybee:
Sir Thomas More and the Heretics
Not difficult to see who he has patterned his life and thought after. Such a Vile piece of …..!!!!!
But I knew that already. 😛
dweller Said:
Didn[t Moore order the “burning” of heretics.
@ yamit82:
@ dweller:
What killed Bugsy was hubris.
Justin Said:
No just afraid.
Justin Said:
I think their and probably your patriotism consists of hating Jews more than loving America.
d w e l ler Said:
I suppose acting is like riding a bike. 🙂
Were you in prison for those 16 years away from acting?
You were such a hit can you show reviews? Thought not!!! 🙂
If you were so good you must have had many more offers of work and there should be more reviews of your successes.
You brought them up, can you prove your claims or is it more BS. like having a wife? She must hate TV and computers or does she watch at the local bar or pub while you are typing away in some PUBLIC library?
Apparently your wife is a lousy housekeeper to leave so much dust to accumulate. Seems so are you. Do you also not bathe regularly? Are your two TV sets in the same condition and status as your computer? 🙂
Now he cuts to the chase!!! His beliefs in what constitutes true heroism. He identifies with historical characters who where disbelieved and suffered for their beliefs and ideals, later proved correct.
You see yourself in the same mold. Persecuted? misunderstood? mocked? rejected by your peers, etc ad-nausea.
Some call it paranoia? OCD? etc. You are playing mind games again dweller,very transparent.
@ dweller:
Last first:
Your rendition of what Bugsy must have thought and what were his ( according to you) plausible actions (and according to you even logical) begs two questions assuming your rendition is factual and complete as you stated :
Why do do you assume Bugsy was logical? when your understanding of Logic is mostly based on subjective projection?
Second, you assume that the information you cited is accurate and compete thus eliminating any one of many other possibilities. That in itself portrays extreme arrogance and stupidity on your part for selective representations and conclusions derived from them.
I think it’s mostly projection on your part and an attempt to be relevant and to show off what you believe is erudition. You were thrown a bone and you jumped with more unsubstantiated and most probably untrue version of speculation posing as almost fact.
What makes no sense to you is not test of veracity or plausibility. You’ve never gotten anything right in the past which reduces your evaluations and insights as not much more than speculative fantasizing.
Since when did your whole comment relate to the threads topic?
Since when have you ever refrained from jumping into other including my direct comments to another commenter other than you, when it was obviously personal and directed not to you and what was your stated reply back to me???? Hypocrite!!!
robin@longhornproject.org Said:
My (American) Jewish friends, except for one, hold views that you would find objectionable. Do you really think they have bad intentions, do you think they are fundamentally misguided, or do you think that their opinions are hardly more relevant in directing Israeli policy than those of other non-Israelis?
“We”? — what you mean, “we,” kemo sabe? Truth be told, we simply don’t know.
But then, I didn’t take the role because I liked the historical figure. As I’ve said, I didn’t (and don’t) know the historical figure. (Nor does anybody else w/ any certainty.) I took the role because the first time I ever encountered the dialogue, it damned-well took my breath away. (Anybody who reads it will see why soon enough.)
Not all the facts of More’s life are established, even today. But Robt Bolt’s play doesn’t presume to be a fully historical rendering. As a piece of dramatic literature, however, it’s matchless.
If you haven’t read it, READ it (but read it before renting one of the film versions, which all, for cinematic purposes, have removed the essential character of the “Common Man”).
If you have read it, but the last time was more than 10 years ago, read it AGAIN.
And since you mention the matter of “heroes,” I should tell you that it contains a very engaging exchange on the subject betw More & his daughter Margaret who comes to visit him in prison as he awaits trial (in a kangaroo court, on trumped up charges).
That particular “heroes” theme is included (among others) apparently in reply to Brecht’s Galileo , which had explored it as well, 13 yrs earlier, from a different angle.
http://smile.amazon.com/ch/74-3177354
You want to repeat the Red Heifer miracle? He came from the only biblical documented multi colored desert cattle in Israel at that time, Texas Longhorn. Religious Christians and Jews believe that the Red Heifer will help bring the Messiah. You can not do it by bringing Red European cattle to Israel, that’s cheating. Only G-d can do Miracles. But, you can help G-d redo this Miracle by bringing Texas Longhorn cattle home to Israel. Robin 650-631-9270 http://longhornproject.org
http://smile.amazon.com/ch/74-3177354
@ dweller:
Thomas Moore, not the hero we first took him to be.
Yeah, yeah, even when I was still watching, I used to tell myself that I should keep the connection for professional reasons — keep up with new trends in performance & the trade, etc. But I was kidding myself; it was just escapism & distraction for me, and an enormous expenditure of time.
The clincher came after I’d been away from all of that for some 16 years, then — after that lengthy hiatus, and strictly on a whim — I auditioned for, and got cast as Thomas More in A Man for All Seasons. It was a smash, both critically & popularly. It was as if I’d never left. Apparently I hadn’t missed a thing.
@ yamit82:
What I know is what (presumably) everybody else knows — that he was in a tight spot — that his receipts were coming up short, and his partners suspected him of skimming. Doesn’t sound like something he would do; but Virginia could well have been up to it and he probably knew it.
In any case, by the time the problem came to his attention the money was apparently spent (or in any case, nowhere to be found), and it stood to reason that, given her lavish lifestyle, they’d probably get around eventually to suspecting her.
Doesn’t seem all that far-fetched that he might’ve simply decided to take the hit to shield her. Another case of a man doing his thinking with his whoozis.
The notion that a guy in his position would’ve blithely sat himself down in front of her (or any other) picture window with the drapes drawn — esp when she just happened to be away — makes no sense, unless it was deliberate on his part.
Dunno all the detail but it seems more likely that he got a tip that the ice men (“torpedoes”) were headed his way, so he sent her off on an errand (or otherwise arranged for her to be away at the time), and then waited.
“AH” — as in asshole?
You just can’t RESIST making it personal, can you? — even though none of my comment was personal to YOU (hell, it hadn’t even been addressed to you).
All it did was to ask a speculative question. Yet you still couldn’t confine your reply to the subject matter of the post; you just HAD to add a little something to make it personal and malicious.
dweller Said:
And you’re a actor. Sweetie
dweller Said:
If you know something concrete and can support it with fact then state it, otherwise this is more of you head games psychobabble BS…. You are so transparent AH!!
To all those people living in the Land of Oz .
We are in a World wide Islamic Cultural War or 1400-year-old Jihad.
We each see a different parts of it in the world and if you put all the violent parts together it adds up to only one cause: a 1400 year old Islamic Cultural War. It is the same as that joke of four blind men touching the elephant.
?The names of the Arabs and Muslim Terrorists change but the behavior has been always the same for the last 1400 years.
It is not about land, rights or settlements, water or being politically left or right. If it were it would have been solved long ago. It has not.
It is Cultural War that means Islamic Culture must destroy Western Culture or Western Culture must destroy Islamic Culture. It is a Cultural Genocidal War, just like the American/Indian wars were about. This time we are the Indians.
Muslims have been fighting each other and others for 1400 years or more. There is no reason that it will stop now. If we want peace we must change Islamic Culture.
The book “Culture and Conflict”, explains it clearly. It shows that current cultural conditions in the Arab Middle East will not support internal development, advancement or peace until there is a major cultural change. “It is critical that we understand our enemy. That is step one in every conflict,” RR. Philip Carl Salzman, INSB # 978-1-59102-587-0.
Islam is Evil. What part of Evil do you not understand? Islam enslaves your minds, your bodies and your souls. It must be destroyed. Islamic Culture is a Slave, Hate, Violent and War Culture.
Islamic Culture is reverse of Western Culture. The normal people are the Extremists and the Violent people are the normal or the majority.
What makes you assume that he ‘forgot’? (Does that sound like him?)
Has it never occurred to you that it might’ve been a conscious, deliberate decision made in full expectation of the likely consequence?
There are two TV sets in my house — each of them is analog, and has a half-inch of dust on it. Last time I watched anything on them was pre-9/11.
@ dweller:
Thank you Sweetie. He forgot not to sit with his back to the picture window. Did you watch Boardwalk Empire.
You want to repeat the Red Heifer miracle? He came from the only biblical documented multi colored desert cattle in Israel at that time, Texas Longhorn. Religious Christians and Jews believe that the Red Heifer will help bring the Messiah. You can not do it by bringing Red European cattle to Israel, that’s cheating. Only G-d can do Miracles. But, you can help G-d redo this Miracle by bringing Texas Longhorn cattle home to Israel. Robin 650-631-9270 http://longhornproject.org
Smith & Wesson Model 10 M&P (reputedly).
Standard .38 Spec for the era.
Sorry, can not say here.
Eric R. Said:
Not at all Sugar, I am a Blond Bombshell.
honeybee Said:
Men gotta have their toys to be happy. I just like very powerful toys.
You got a problem with that?
@ robin@longhornproject.org:
Like what?
I continue as a soldier alone it fits what I do for Israel.
@ robin@longhornproject.org:
Poor Robin!!!!
So you quit????
@ robin@longhornproject.org:
Beautiful Robin, Thank you so very much.
January 16, 1972
A Soldier Alone
I came to the land
of Milk and Honey
Promised job. Promised home
I have a job
I have the home
I am a soldier alone
No friends No home
Many homes Many friends
None my own
Promised much – dreams of great
Promised less –dreams that break
Promises – dreams
Those that break – those are broken
They weren’t so great
I gave my future
I gave my life
Willing to give all
Even my life
Now tired and broken
cold and lost
I want my future
I want my life
I want the chance
to take my life
to build my future
to make my promises
to dream my dreams
Did I want too much
Gave to little
I gave my future
to little – not enough
I asked for little
Taking just enough
Just my future
I hope it isn’t asking
to much
@ honeybee:
Yeah I know!!!! 🙁
I always wanted to be a poet. I wanted to be a driller on an oil rig too. I tried it a few times and that was enough to know I could do it. Poetry since high school never tried.
Too busy with other stuff. Given time and effort and right motivation (inspiration )???????? 😉
Our Anti Islamic Warrior
The Glazov Gang-Bosch Fawstin on “The Infidel, Featuring Pigman.”
http://youtu.be/Pgxi3sExLrM
@ yamit82:
Try the Army boy, you’ll never make a poet.
@ honeybee:
A Beretta is a Jews best friend
We love Smith and Wesson.
A Jew and a Gun are One
yamit82 Said:
Then you saying he was a lousy poet. Perhaps the mighty brains of the pundit can come up with a better phrase. ???
@ honeybee:
Naw he coined .22 because it rhymed with Jew. Point being every Jew should be armed and proficient with their choice of weapon. 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxiz4iKkotA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klsGFaVtWdo
Eric R. Said:
Did your Mother give you blasting caps to play with ???????
yamit82 Said:
You use a 22 for shooting crows in the corn field. Surely ,tough guy, you can do better. What did Bugsy Siegel carry ???
@ robin@longhornproject.org:
Make one, if you’re going to ranch beef you got to be self sufficient.
I need a Yellow Star to teach my brothers, friends and synagogue members to standup for Israel and to stop supporting our Arab cousins.
@ bernard ross:
We agree.
For over a decade I propose that our defense must start by taking on the internal enemies first and harshly neutralize them. The Oslo remaining operatives within Israel must be made to pay for their crimes by freely elected tribunals.
That is the most powerful message we can send to external enemies. They will get the idea.
the problem with this concept is that it is still based on how Jews look to others, the audience is the other. My suggestion is to focus on destroying ones enemies, great and small, and then the “other” will get the idea. Instead of seeking to win hearts and minds direct that energy to “dirty tricks” : physical, legal,diplomatic, political. Direct energy and resources to the prime goal, programs based on “how jews look to the others” tend to dilute the limited energy and resources of the Jewish people.
why give the enemy more information? Tactics of surprise subterfuge are based on restricting information. its a war not a game.
@ Eric R.:
Oh…. Now that you mention that… Well… Up to them.
I prefer that we will not have to get to that point. But no more standing when they send the transports.
Thank you for your Courage.
@ elihu:
Meir Kahane (ZT”L HY”D) coined the term.
He meant that the jews would never again submit and go like sheep to their end. Not that there would never again be more Holocausts.
He also coined the term every Jew a .22!!!!!!
As a Jew; I can only affirm our old saying: “NEVER AGAIN”!
SHmuel HaLevi 2 Said:
Shmuel, from that, I assume that you want something a little more powerful than machine guns, cannon and rockets.
Something that has the power to make images in the shape of mushrooms. 🙂
Yes! I want a yellow star…
And heavy machine guns, cannon, rockets.
Bring ’em on Europe and Islam. This time nothing will be left of the filth with more Holocaust in mind.