We Must Speak Out Now, Challenge Extremism & Protect Our Democratic Values

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Trade Unionist.  Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Jew.  Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me. (Martin Niemoller)

Perhaps we in Israel need to take a long hard look at these words and then at ourselves.  A dark and vicious circle of extremism is closing in on Israeli society and we’d all, especially our so-called leaders; better open our eyes and our mouths, before it is too late.

Miri Regev’s well publicised attack on African migrants calling them “a cancer” was met with deafening silence from her boss, our Prime Minister, as well as other senior politicians.  Other blatantly racist and bigoted, anti migrant statements were then heard from other politicians, even ministers.  In a Knesset hearing at the end of May to discuss the matter, MK Yulia  Shamalov, stated that “all human rights workers should be imprisoned and  transported to the camps we are building”, referring to the internment camps being built to hold illegal immigrants.  Again the silence was deafening.

So…  First they came for the blacks, and we did not speak out, because we are not black… Then they came for the human rights workers and we did not speak out as we are not Human Rights workers…

This month it was the turn of the homosexuals.  The ignorant (sorry but no other word seems to fit) and highly offensive statements of MK Anastasia Michaeli regarding homosexuals drew fire from the media.  However many of our so-called leaders saw fit to stay silent yet again, as the conservative mother of eight shared her wisdom and apparent  intimate knowledge of gays and lesbians; stating quite categorically, that young girls who get pregnant, have abortions, become unable to have children and as a result, become lesbians. 

Who knew?  And of course, thanks to the learned MK, we are now aware that homosexuals are in fact people who were sexually harassed  as children and who will ultimately commit suicide by the age of forty.  Still the silence, nothing but the sound of uncomfortable squirming from the “powers that be”.

Perhaps this same silence encouraged MK Uri Ariel to throw in his two cents’ worth, informing us that gays should not be enlisted into the army.  Apparently they interfere with the army’s ability to fight.  What does MK Ariel know about gays and lesbians that we don’t?  And yet more silence, so now…

They came for the homosexuals and we did not speak out, as we are not a homosexual…

Hell, we now refuse to prosecute Rabbis who write a book justifying the murder of non Jews apparently (the refusal to prosecute), on the grounds of “freedom of expression”.  Sorry guys, but that is not freedom of expression, it is incitement to murder, something which should be met with zero tolerance and the full power of the law.

Racism and bigotry, ignorance and jingoism are not new in this country and neither are they unique to Israel.  However, the increasing trend of extremism and the abject silence with which it is accepted, even embraced in this country, is truly frightening.

We must speak out against the practitioners of hate.  Moreover, we must demand that our leaders speak and make it clear and unequivocal that racism, prejudice and hate mongering have no place in our society, let alone our parliament.  We must speak out and make it clear to all, that individuals will be held accountable for their words, as well as their actions,  when their words incite violence and hatred and encourage the persecution of those different to ourselves.

If we do not speak out and if we do not find leaders who will speak out, challenging extremism in all its guises and stopping the extremists in their tracks, then for sure, when they come for us, as they undoubtedly will, there will indeed be no one to speak out on our behalf.  More worrying still, when we speak out on our own behalf, no one will be listening and sadly, it will be no more or less  than we deserve.