Why Play with Words?

I will admit in reference to my recent series of articles that many defects were present. Much was allowed to remain unsaid and perhaps some of my conclusions were open to challenge. On the other hand, I had no particular axe to grind and it is utterly immaterial to me whether my own ideas are absolutely accurate or not. The thing I was interested in was the Jewish people themselves and not in my own ideas concerning them. I don’t care two hoots whether my ideas are radical or conservative, or whether they will be ultimately disproved.

If the Jewish people can unite on the basis of other ideas and take action to preserve their integrity, their dignity and their future, I will be completely satisfied.

ENJOY ARGUING

In fact this is where I seem to differ very largely with a great many others. The notions of these precious gentlemen appear to be harnessed to sacred cows which have no relation whatsoever to the physical preservation of the Jewish folk. They split hairs about everything that is said and argue about pacifism, liberalism, Communism, Fascism and what have you, as if these things were holy in themselves.

I will admit a fundamental impatience with these wild-eyed crusaders.

I merely spoke for Jewish unity, collective intelligence and discipline.

It is hard to believe that the things I wrote could have brought such a peculiar divergence of reply. It is true that the vast majority considered that there was some palatable meat in what I had to say. Others whined that we were a religion. Still others trembled with fear at the sacrilege of a man pretending to be a Jew who suggested that the Jews should have courage, mass integrity, and a devoted creative spirit. They figured for some reason that this wasn’t kosher. Therefore, I must be a goy, for some devilish reason masquerading as a Jew.

PRIDE STILL LIVES

Not a few intimated that I was a Nazi in disguise.

The vast bulk of reply however showed clearly that the old, courageous, dignified Jewish spirit is a long way from dead. They did not attempt to battle with all my adjectives, but kept their eyes on the main principle of the discussion.

A few even flattered me by writing long articles attempting to prove that I am the presentday greatest menace to Jewry. In their opinion we Jews should go along in a humble spirit. They attempted to show that “fate has always taken care of us, and the world can never crush the Jew since he has always lived through previous persecutions,” etc. Rabbis, Christian ministers and others honored me with their opinions. Some of the rabbis thought I was right and every Christian minister who voiced an opinion was practically sure of it.

A RABBI DEMURS

A few cheap whiners felt that if I were unmasked a capitalist would be shown underneath who wanted to put all our poor Jews in the sweat-shop. A number of self-seekers who were willing to put up with any horrible condition so long as they could retain their jobs (schnorrers in Jewish organizations) simply said that I was a terrible fellow.

One very prominent rabbi, for whom I incidentally have a deep respect, opined that I was a mass of self-contradictions because among other things I condemned “frozen Orthodox ritualism,'” at the same time lauding Maimonides and other creative Jewish scholars of the Spanish golden age who were largely responsible for these traditions. The Rabbi however, much to my regret, does not consider that the thing that was live and vital in the day of Maimonides has long since become dead and decrepit. We can hardly, like the Chinese, worship mere thread-worn garments, and can only sift out of the past the things that are applicable to the present.

May I finally suggest in regard to the sacrilegious notion that Jews are also human beings and should possess the same dignity, loyalty, plan and purpose of other human beings, that this idea is not necessarily a mad one? In fact, the shoe might be quite on the other foot.