As a Jew, i belong to a fair number of neo-Nazi forum sites. Yeah, call me insane, call me stupid even. But, i think it’s vitally important to engage these people. I believe, with every ounce of my heart, that our lives as Jews demands it. So, i’ve followed this whole googlebomb tactic with some, well, anxiety and a certain amount of disappointment.
You see, as you all know my name doesn’t exactly shout “Jew!” And, like wise, nor do my looks. My whole life, from a tot to a teenager, i’ve dealt with “You don’t look like a Jew” comments – mostly from Jews. And, as a wee-rob-activist i, somehow, instinctively began to ask “And just what does a Jew look like ???” If I had a photo of every Jewish person’s face when I said that. One word describes each: shame. We’re our own worst racists, sometimes.
Anyway, this lack of superficial Jewish-credentials has allowed me to operate fairly openly not only in forums that i would be otherwise unwelcome, but also things like “Nordic Fest” in Kentucky, or other gatherings and meetings where i get opposite comments: “G-d, you are a perfect example of untainted Aryan stock man!”
Even though i have it “easy” among neo-Nazi’s and other White racists, i certainly don’t have it easy ideologically. When i engage in discussions (physically to electronically) i am extremely careful never to lie, never to misrepresent my views, and never to negate my living oath as a Jew (unless somehow expressly called for (like life/death related issues – and I’ve been there, believe me)). That said, you would be astonished just how many of these racists can actually be reasoned with — reasoned away from this dark, dark world of hate. And dark it is, I know intimately. Sometimes I go home or leave the computer wanting to take a shower (no joke). Sometimes I do, cause it psychologically helps.
As a by-product of a German and German-Jew (yes, off the boat after the war), my concern of just how the Holocaust happened rests in BOTH being Jewish and German. Make no mistake, I am first a Jew. It a matter of truth, and truth’s propagation in our souls – a gathering of each unique puzzle-piece to that final Great Jigsaw puzzle of the universe. Every piece is sacred, you know; We can’t finish the puzzle without these people. That’s a simple, enduring fact, no matter your fear and hate for them.
And, here’s the truth i have learned, from a wee-tot of a Jew to a Jewish man living in this ever darkening hour of our new century: We have failed to engage that Other Side (be they racist, neo-nazi, terrorist, etc.).
I am reminded of the black-n-white newsreels of pre-WW2 Germany; A bunch of brown-shirts harassing Jewish pedestrians, which (in justified fear) walked faster and faster away from their insults and threats. They ran, in a time when the notion of a Strong Jew was antithetical, in a day when the Jew Soldier was oxymoronic. No more? Are we sure? Is our collective strength now our moral weakness? This is my point.
Fear or no fear, it is our DUTY to stop, engage, no matter the personal or collective consequence. Our oath to the Truth demands it. Enact your ideals in every corner of your life, no matter how hard or deadly.
As a sidenote to your post – you are misusing the term “google bombing” – that term refers to the purposeful mass linking to a site using a specific word or phrase (how many of us enjoyed the “miserable failure” from some months ago) for the purpose of causing that site to appear at, or near the top of the google search engine’s results. This is not the case with this website and this word – Jew. Its far far worse, and scarier.There are many many sites that link to this site, and have for several years – NOT merely to make the page high on the list – but because they are discussing the content of the site – usually endorsing the site’s views, and only sometimes “against” what that site espouses. It’s been the top result for 3 years now (and got knocked off for a day or two this week, apparently).
As a Jew, i belong to a fair number of neo-Nazi forum sites. Yeah, call me insane, call me stupid even. But, i think it’s vitally important to engage these people. I believe, with every ounce of my heart, that our lives as Jews demands it. So, i’ve followed this whole googlebomb tactic with some, well, anxiety and a certain amount of disappointment.
You see, as you all know my name doesn’t exactly shout “Jew!” And, like wise, nor do my looks. My whole life, from a tot to a teenager, i’ve dealt with “You don’t look like a Jew” comments – mostly from Jews. And, as a wee-rob-activist i, somehow, instinctively began to ask “And just what does a Jew look like ???” If I had a photo of every Jewish person’s face when I said that. One word describes each: shame. We’re our own worst racists, sometimes.
Anyway, this lack of superficial Jewish-credentials has allowed me to operate fairly openly not only in forums that i would be otherwise unwelcome, but also things like “Nordic Fest” in Kentucky, or other gatherings and meetings where i get opposite comments: “G-d, you are a perfect example of untainted Aryan stock man!”
Even though i have it “easy” among neo-Nazi’s and other White racists, i certainly don’t have it easy ideologically. When i engage in discussions (physically to electronically) i am extremely careful never to lie, never to misrepresent my views, and never to negate my living oath as a Jew (unless somehow expressly called for (like life/death related issues – and I’ve been there, believe me)). That said, you would be astonished just how many of these racists can actually be reasoned with — reasoned away from this dark, dark world of hate. And dark it is, I know intimately. Sometimes I go home or leave the computer wanting to take a shower (no joke). Sometimes I do, cause it psychologically helps.
As a by-product of a German and German-Jew (yes, off the boat after the war), my concern of just how the Holocaust happened rests in BOTH being Jewish and German. Make no mistake, I am first a Jew. It a matter of truth, and truth’s propagation in our souls – a gathering of each unique puzzle-piece to that final Great Jigsaw puzzle of the universe. Every piece is sacred, you know; We can’t finish the puzzle without these people. That’s a simple, enduring fact, no matter your fear and hate for them.
And, here’s the truth i have learned, from a wee-tot of a Jew to a Jewish man living in this ever darkening hour of our new century: We have failed to engage that Other Side (be they racist, neo-nazi, terrorist, etc.).
I am reminded of the black-n-white newsreels of pre-WW2 Germany; A bunch of brown-shirts harassing Jewish pedestrians, which (in justified fear) walked faster and faster away from their insults and threats. They ran, in a time when the notion of a Strong Jew was antithetical, in a day when the Jew Soldier was oxymoronic. No more? Are we sure? Is our collective strength now our moral weakness? This is my point.
Fear or no fear, it is our DUTY to stop, engage, no matter the personal or collective consequence. Our oath to the Truth demands it. Enact your ideals in every corner of your life, no matter how hard or deadly.
As a sidenote to your post – you are misusing the term “google bombing” – that term refers to the purposeful mass linking to a site using a specific word or phrase (how many of us enjoyed the “miserable failure” from some months ago) for the purpose of causing that site to appear at, or near the top of the google search engine’s results. This is not the case with this website and this word – Jew. Its far far worse, and scarier.There are many many sites that link to this site, and have for several years – NOT merely to make the page high on the list – but because they are discussing the content of the site – usually endorsing the site’s views, and only sometimes “against” what that site espouses. It’s been the top result for 3 years now (and got knocked off for a day or two this week, apparently).
Good point, BJ. Thanks for the clarification.