Jewish World Review Dec. 14, 2001 /29 Kislev, 5762

Greg Crosby

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Consumer Reports

JDL head Irv Rubin is a pathetic loser

http://www.NewsAndOpinion.com -- IN the public relations reality of our time, world opinion counts for a lot. It shouldn't, but it does. Likewise, US public opinion can shape and direct American policy, both domestic and foreign. There's no question that Israel depends on the continuing support of America for it's life. Right now Israel is in a war. Not just the war with Palestinian terrorists in the Middle East, but a war right here in the United States. A public relations war. Now, more than ever before, the very survival of Israel as a democratic Jewish state is in the hands of US public opinion.

Anyone who knows anything about the Middle East, knows Yasser Arafat is the father of modern day terrorism. He and his cronies practically single-handedly invented the notion of the suicide-bombing martyr. That Arafat actually was a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize a few years ago would be just another sick joke if it weren't true. The man desires one thing and one thing only -- the total and absolute destruction of Israel. He will settle for nothing less. The recent Palestinian escalation of violence in Israel proves yet again the sort of monster Arafat is and always was.

When the Palestinian aggression became so undeniably obvious, President Bush, at last, abandoned his attempt to walk a diplomatic tightrope and warned Arafat to stop the violence and turn over the people responsible for the recent bombings. Even Secretary of State Colin Powell, the Administration's primary moral equivalency advocate, finally laid blame appropriately in Arafat's lap this time.

Everyone was starting to get it. "Oh, I see now! Arafat REALLY IS a bad guy!" So, just when it seemed that the public opinion tide was turning pro-Israel, up pops the stupid idiot president of the Jewish Defense League, otherwise known as Screaming Irv Rubin. Seems that Rubin, along with another genius member of the JDL, had been planning to bomb Islamic mosques in the Los Angeles area and even had targeted a Congressman of Lebanese heritage. Bomb materials were found in a raid by FBI agents. Recordings of Rubin discussing his plans were played on the local news shows in LA.

Thank Heaven Rubin was caught before any real physical damage was done to anything or anyone. Unfortunately, just the fact that high ranking members of a prominent American Jewish organization were caught planing such an evil act of terrorism will undoubtedly be enough to result in considerable PR damage for Israel and for Jews in general for a long time to come. Thanks a lot, Irv. With Jews like you, who needs Palestinian terrorists?

It is important now that responsible Jewish leaders, spokespeople, and Rabbis from every sector of American Jewish life speak out loudly against Rubin and other Jews who engage in terrorist activities against innocents. After September 11th the decent Muslims didn't speak out against the indecent acts committed by their perverted members soon enough, nor loud enough nor often enough. I don't know why they didn't. But in not condemning the evil factions within Islam, they themselves became in fact accessories to the crime. Silence is as good as agreement. Decent Jewish people must not be silent on this. To do so would only offer proof to the misguided who believe in the fallacy of "moral equivalence."


JWR contributor Greg Crosby, former creative head for Walt Disney publications, has written thousands of comics, hundreds of children's books, dozens of essays, and a letter to his congressman. You may contact him by clicking here.

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© 2001 Greg Crosby