Musing Away #1

I'm away from home for a few weeks and will return on a Nefesh B'Nefesh flight. I can be reached at shilohmuse@yahoo.com

"Ha'Asimon Nafal," or I Finally Got it!"

Before I left home for this visit to the states I wrote how I consider Israel to be governed like a dictatorship, a totalitarian one.

Then I spoke to someone about the atmosphere where he works. The boss is anti-YESHA, long before Disengagement was an issue. Some people there are active in Peace Now and the anti-YESHA refusal to serve in milu'im movement, and anyone on the other side of the political spectrum are forced to keep silent.

Yes, forced. It is clear that while the boss can insult visitors from YESHA, orange is forbidden. Even the silent, nonviolent symbol supporting Gush Katif is not allowed in that office. Recently MK Naomi Blumental's parliamentary aid was banned by the Keneset guards from going to work, because of his orange, Gush Katif ORANGE, hair. He took it to the labor court, which said that he must be allowed to enter the building.

If he had been working with my friend, he would have had been fired.

When I was told about this workplace I was horrified. It's one thing if there's an agreement that absolutely nobody can show or say any sort of political opinion, but the idea that the "boss" can say what he wants as can those who agree, but the other side must keep their silence or lose their jobs.

The person who told me about this place considers it normal. The boss is in power and can do and demand according to his will and whim. To me it's a nightmare, immoral, even sick.

The Israeli Government, run by Arik Sharon, is like that place of work, totally dependent on the boss's will and whim. There really are people who consider the boss to be a ruler who can do whatever he wants, however he wants.

That's why the Israeli public has been so silent, so passive.

It's really sad, but we must never give up, and we must never give in. We must do everything we can to get things to change.

This Shabbat has been declared Orange Shabbat, and many communities are having activities, talks, lectures and more to make people aware that if G-d forbid, there is Disengagement World Peace is in danger.

Shabbat Shalom