A Poet's take on anti-Semitism

It is a term quickly tossed at critics of Israel, and the practice erodes the importance of the term's real meaning.

(LOS ANGELES) - Most of our readers know that Salem-News.com has been under attack in recent days for stories that are critical of Israeli military policy in the Mideast. Charges of "anti-Semitism" against Salem-News.com are not only incorrect, cruel and outrageous; they are damaging to our real efforts to fight racism.

"Salem-News.com has a no-holes-barred approach to this subject", News Editor Tim King said.

"In a world that is unfair and vastly unbalanced, we are here to fight for the underprivileged, the downtrodden, the abused, and the voiceless. The list of groups we advocate for is long and varied."

Critics who call Salem-News.com "Israel bashers" fail to note that Tim King's stories in particular, always cite how Salem-News.com is working with a number of Jewish groups in Israel to get the information out. Israeli citizens with the courage to speak out about their own government are frequently quoted here, their stories are published. Tim says it is all one big team.

"So people can say what they will, but we are here to simply publish stories about the way Israel does business in Palestine. Naturally it makes their actions look bad to the public, because they are bad, but to criticize the Israeli government, which I call 'fanatical' because of their incessant desire to continue building settlements on the tiny remaining amount of Palestinian land, is not anti-Semitic. I don't care what anyone says, that term needs to be reserved for bigots and Nazi's."

The only race we favor is the human race, that is why people of every color and religion and background are represented at Salem-News.com. Salem for those who don't know, means 'peace', as does the Hebrew word 'shalom', and the Arab word 'Salaam'.

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Anti-Semitism

Question! To whom did God give a justification for hate?
Answer! The same one whom He gave justification for fate,
There will always be speculation, who set the captives free,
However, neither one of these was given to you or to me.

So no one has the right to render decisions on what is lost,
But Hitler, perhaps the most infamous, “The Holocaust?”
Coined in Germany as a more, “scientific-sounding” term,
The late 19th century Anti-Semitism by Adolph met germ.

Judenhass or "Jew-hatred" was a common wartime theme,
And the Furor was intent on having Jews’ destruction seen,
Before & especially in concentration camps of World War II,
The year is now 2010, is not that mistrust and hatred through?

1938, a woman sits on an Austrian bench marked, “only for Jews,”
Same year, Colored folk in American receive the same bad news,
Do Militant Islamic groups use language suggestive of genocide?
Does the, “KKK” insist on white power from Arian Nation pride?

Hate is hate and it’s not birthed to any particular nation or creed,
Although, “Wall Street” does seem to have the market on greed,
CEO’s and VP’s make billions on failing stocks, more in perks,
The small guy is even smaller, no MOS, pitching tents in the dirt.

But Israel is a nation according to the Bible; God’s chosen few,
The Third Reich saw to that with at least 6 million fewer Jews,
Biggest obstacle in philosophy with the Bible & the Koran,
Is how their divine inspiration is misinterpreted by man.

An article written on the Internet newspaper @ Salem-News.com,
Hit with the force and precision of an Al Qaeda home made bomb,
Not with causalities as one would number in the amount of deaths,
Simply an avalanche of readers launching menacing verbal threats.

This in no way meant to judge or condemn, it is just a history lesson,
Scripture, Jews are usually under some kind of demeaning oppression,
Could it possibly be after that weighing their options & checking facts?
Leaders decided this time they would strike first instead striking back?

Surprise attack on Palestinian settlements, many innocent killed are kids,
World media outlets in headlines are pointing fingers. Hey! Yes you did,
It’s unprovoked, Jews are at fault, what could have triggered this attack?
What does counter intelligence say, is the news really on the right track?

Negative, I’m by no means trying to say it never happened or to pretend,
That the wronged in this case as in all injustice should not want to defend,
Before assigning blame a thorough full scale investigation should begin,
Maybe just maybe it wasn’t the Israelite Nation but a few renegade men.

Here, take a good look at this country how dare any American criticize?
Broke every single treaty no honor in their word. Wow, what a surprise,
Civilian and military alike had prior knowledge of Pearl Harbor’s attack,
Maybe it was the same in Israel only they chose not to relax and sit back.

This has been brewing heat for years now it’s always been touch and go,
A guilty verdict cannot be based on feelings but only on what you know,
From the slavery days under Pharaoh how long did it take to be a State?
Thousands of years BC and AD, independence declared on 14 May 1948.

Congress grills BP & Haliburton, an oil leak, both claim, not our fault,
Numerous wildlife is destroyed, lives devastated, is this not an assault?
High level corporate greed, we pay at the pump, it’s all about “money,”
Yet, no big deal so why fuss when Israel protects their “milk & honey?”

Radical Extremists want to set off an explosion to annihilate the world,
With no creatures left alive, not one animal, man, woman, boy or girl,
And for the few breathing, contaminated will be every food and drink,
It truly means more than just the population of settlers on the West Bank.

Finally, here’s a little piece of history that to some readers might be news,
Can you see that African Americans had help giving birth to the, “Blues?”
Every race, creed and congregation wants their flock to have a slice of pie,
Ask any Islamic Imam, Baptist Minister, Catholic Priest or Jewish Rabbi.

By Luke Easter and Tim King

Luke Easter is a poet who writes about things that are very close to the heart of Salem-News.com. Another former U.S. Marine, Luke heals the world with an approach that reaches people on a different level, one known for centuries, yet too often forgotten in the one we live in.

We live in a world of social & economic injustice. The main reason for founding America in the first place was to relieve the oppression of the King of England. Patrick Henry said it best, “give me liberty or give me death.” And yet, all too often death seems to be the only way out. Why is there such a high suicide rate especially among teens, in the land of the free & the home of the brave? What makes headlines? Good news? Ha! More depressing stories than anything else. I feel poetry takes an edge off the hurt of bad news while still delivering it but in a, “glitzy” sort of way. Giving a different perspective. Kind of like slap in the face as opposed to a knife in the back. At least with the slap you’ll live to see another day and you will know whom it’s from. I wasn’t here for the beginning of the world but at 59, I just might be here for the end.

Even though it’s still a knife, rhyme poetry helps to dull the blade. And that’s my job. You can write to Luke Easter at: lyricsfromlucas@aol.com