Friday, Mar 13
Al Quds Day
In February 1977, shortly after my family relocated to Florida, there was a Ku Klux Klan parade in Tallahassee, the state capital. We had moved from a liberal, progressive, and pretty idealistic college town in Massachusetts, so understandably, we were outraged to think that a public demonstration of such a racist group as the KKK would be permitted. At school, many of my schoolmates agreed with me and we all spoke out about this terrible injustice.
Something I remember was that not everyone spoke out. Some white students remained silent because (a) it didn’t involve or affect them, and/or (b) they were as racist as those demonstrating in Tallahassee. Some African American students remained silent because, after years of racial discrimination, they were simply afraid. Note that this was only seven years after my school became desegregated, so you can imagine the tensions the African American student body felt and the racism they still experienced. (In West Palm Beach at that time, the “N-word” was an accepted part of everyday language.)
In response to our indignation, we were told by our teachers that “America is a free country, people are allowed to demonstrate, and the KKK is not breaking any law by having its parade”. Just the fact that it was called a “parade” sickens me to this day. Also to this day, I wonder which of my teachers were teaching about our country and which were secretly supporting the KKK. Meanwhile, the KKK had their event and hatred continued to be disseminated. That was 39 years ago.
Today is Al-Quds Day, the last Friday of Ramadan and an annual international day of protest. Al-Quds Day was established in 1979 by Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini to oppose Israel’s control of Jerusalem and to show solidarity with Palestinians. Al-Quds Day events always feature anti-Zionist, anti-Israel and antisemitic calls to action. This morning the following statement came from the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network: “The SPPSN reiterates our urgent call to action for Al-Quds Day. . . and throughout the weekend. . . for actions, mass mobilization and protest, direct actions and confronting the Zionist and imperialist war machine everywhere.”
Tomorrow, here in Toronto, our enemies will be out in force as they demonstrate in front of the US Consulate. Many of us have written to our local politicians, signed petitions, and spoken out against this dangerous public rally, asking for its cancellation. In the silence of no-response, the voices of my Florida teachers echo in my head: This is a free country. People are allowed to demonstrate.
But here’s the problem. The demonstrations today are not just words. They are in fact powerful -and empowering- calls to action. For the past two years in Toronto, chants ignored have led to graffiti. Graffiti ignored has led to vandalism and property damage, personal confrontation and assault. Ignoring that has led to bullets in synagogues and schools (THREE Toronto synagogues shot at this past week — this is not normal!). Bondi Beach is closer than anyone thinks.
We have yet to see consequences for any of the criminals and terrorists here in Toronto. Do our political leaders actually think we just want their sympathy and condolences on social media? The Jewish community is continuously issued warnings about attending Jewish institutions. This is not normal in a free country. We are given safety notices about going to religious Sabbath services. This is not normal in a free country. Now we’re told that there will be an “increased police presence” in front of the US Consulate. That is spending more of my tax dollars and should not be needed in a free country.
Enough is enough. This city – this country! – needs new leadership and new laws. A free country means that we should feel free to wear a kippah or magen David necklace in public, to put mezuzahs on our doorposts, to openly celebrate Shabbat and other holidays, to walk to shul, to send our children to Jewish schools, and to do all this without fear. Where is OUR freedom in this free country?
Shabbat Shalom. Let us have a peaceful Shabbat.