Do you ever sit back and take a critical look at the world around you? I often find myself marveling at so many of mankind’s accomplishments in so many arenas. Technologically, for instance, the world is so advanced.
We have million-dollar satellites that orbit the globe, computers in just about every house and handheld devices like cell phones and iPods that get better with every new upgrade released. We have come so far in so short of a time that it is nothing short of inspirational — and the future is looking ever brighter.
Where technology makes leaps and bounds, however, people do not. People are still, for the most part, creatures of habit; capable of dastardly and disgusting things. It is sad to me that many people are still living in antiquity — within their minds — yet physically remain in present day.
Last week was a true reminder to me that rampant anti-Semitism is still alive and, no matter how much progress we make in other fields, we still hate each other with the same ferocity that we always have.
The first reminders of this unfortunate phenomenon happened June 9, when the Reverend Jeremiah Wright opened his big mouth again. Wright was in the news extensively during the 2008 presidential election, with his controversial preaching and personal link to then-presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Obama has since denounced his former pastor for statements he made and cancelled membership within Wright’s Trinity United Church of Christ, but like the cretin Wright is, he just wouldn’t let well enough alone and fade back into obscurity, which is where men of his ilk belong.
In an interview with the Daily Press of Newport News, Va., Wright felt the need to rant about Obama’s apparent “snub,” saying, “Them Jews aren’t going to let him talk to me. I told my baby daughter, that he’ll talk to me in five years when he’s a lame duck, or in eight years when he’s out of office.”
Wright went on to say that Obama was being “controlled” by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and made other remarks alluding to the Zionist machine that he believes has taken over. Does Wright really not understand that if the commander-in-chief of the free world were to converse with him freely it would look really bad? He can’t possibly be this stupid, right? Would Obama really commit political suicide by embracing Wright with open arms?
In true backpedaling fashion, three days later, Wright did give a half-assed apology on the matter on his Facebook page, saying, “I mis-spoke and I sincerely meant no harm or ill-will to the American Jewish community or the Obama administration … I have great respect for the Jewish faith and the foundational (and central) part of our Judeo-Christian tradition.”
Stand by what you said, Rev. Wright, or don’t say anything at all, because your fake apology did not fool anyone. Nothing like throwing blatant and hateful accusations around and then saying, “My bad, you guys know I didn’t mean it, right?” It is amazing that people still embrace classic anti-Semitism such as the kind Wright seems to subscribe to.
I imagine Wright probably cheered when on June 10, a mere day after his original statements, James von Brunn, an 88-year-old Holocaust denier and supremacist, opened fire with a .22 caliber rifle at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., resulting in the death of a security guard and injuring an onlooker.
To add insult to injury, two days later on June 12, Iranians re-elected unabashed anti-Semite Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as their fearless leader, in one of the most controversial and pivotal elections the country has ever had.
I’m a strong believer in the inherent good in people, and I don’t believe that most people are like Wright, von Brunn, and Ahmadinejad — but enough is enough. It is time for progression, not regression. It truly is a sad state of world affairs when an anti-Semitic pastor still has a platform to spout mindless drivel, a geriatric white supremacist opens fire at a museum and a hard-line Jew-hater and threat to peace like Ahmadinejad is re-elected. Things like this should not happen in this day and age.
Gerry Wachovsky is a graduate student and a columnist for the Summer Forty-Niner.
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