I'll be honest...I don't know anything about politics. I don't know anything about foreign relations. I don't study it, and aside from my man relaying the news to me, I pretty much don't pay attention - usually because it upsets me. That is my fault and my flaw, I know...

...but that's not the point of this. I read about Jewish hate all over the place and it drives me nuts - from white-supremecists, from African-Americans, from hipsters whose popular belief is now to be anti-Israel, from young Middle Eastern students. And it's heartbreaking to me...the effort that goes into discussing not just opposing views (which would be okay) but going the extra mile and spewing hate. Serious hate. I'm responding particularly to www.jewwatch.com - a truly interesting, if not disturbing, site where people comment on anti-zionist (but really anti-semitic) beliefs.

I'm not asking people to stop hating Jews. Everyone has their opinion, and I'm quite aware that the people who write these blogs and post this hatred are truly convinced of their feelings...my telling them not to feel that way, no matter how factual I may get, is not going to change their minds. I'm realistic enough to know that. I'm reaching out to the people who are listening to these extremists - people whose opinions might be swayed either way. I implore you to really know the facts, and look at something from BOTH sides (the only way to truly understand a situation). Until that happens, do NOT proclaim to know 100% of any story. And thus do not presume to know 100% or even 50% about any one culture/race/religion. I admit I don't know 100% of the Israel situation and I'm making it my point to see it from not only my religion's perspective, but from the Palestinian view as well. It's the only way to truly form an educated opinion about a subject.

So the reason I'm writing this blog right now is to discuss the hate that is going around the internet. Hate is why 9/11 happened. Not Jews. Not Americans. Obviously there are policies and things in our culture that have led certain parts of the world to dislike our way of life. But that is not what brings destruction. It was hate. Just hate for everything those terrorists were not. Nothing would have changed that. There is no reasoning with people like that. There are people all over the world who have extreme beliefs. And the more people spew hate, the more justification those extreme beliefs receive. And hate begets hate. And so on...

Just leave us alone. Please. You don't like our way of life, then don't live it. You don't like us as people, then don't befriend us. The internet has given people with scary voices a medium through which to spread their hatred for jews and many others. It is frightening. And I guess I'm asking people to either not read these things, or if you do, please have the presence of mind to read an opposite view - just to hear both sides. Please educate yourselves. And know that we all have flaws and faults and ugliness in our history. Every one of us. All we have is the future and the ability to arm ourselves with as much knowledge as possible.