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Recently, on his MSNBC syndicated radio program, Don Imus made bigoted and disgusting remarks about members of the Rutgers women’s basketball team. Even though Imus had a contract from NBC which specifically stated that his show was to be irreverent and controversial, nonetheless, that could not save him from the outrage of the American public and the advertisers that demanded that he be immediately fired, which is precisely what the network eventually did. The subject of Imus’s firing was front page news in every magazine, newspaper and on every television show. And so it should have been.

Contrast this with the deafening silence of the international community to the words of the acting speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Sheik Ahmad Bahr. He went to the Sudan, but rather than use his visit to plead for an end to the horrific genocide against the people of Darfur, which has claimed almost one quarter of a million lives, instead he used the occasion to deliver a sermon: “Oh Allah,” he said, “vanquish the Jews and their supporters. Oh Allah, count their numbers, and kill them all, down to the very last one…America and Israel will be annihilated ....” [Translation courtesy MEMRI]

Now you would think that, given the reaction to a talk show host who crossed the line, there would be universal condemnation to the remarks made by a speaker of a parliament who calls for the extermination of a people. But that is not what happened.

Was it a front page story like the Imus story was in The New York Times, in the Economist, or in Le Figaro? And what about the NGOs? Was it a page one story in their newsletters? Did the United Nations Human Rights Council rush to draft a resolution, which they often do in a matter of hours when it comes to Israel? No. And what about the advertisers, the funders of the Hamas government? Did any one of them announce that they would not consider future funding as long as he remained the acting speaker? Quite the contrary. Norway and France (before the Sarkozy election) announced that they were looking forward to reestablishing ties with the Hamas government.

Have we become so immune to this kind of hatred that it no longer merits any reaction? Wouldn’t it be a breath of fresh air if the European Union, currently chaired by German Chancellor Merkel, sent a terse message saying that unless Sheik Ahmad Bahr goes the Imus route, you can forget any talks in the future?

And if the Saudis followed suit - wouldn’t that really help to jump start their new peace plan?

Many scholars feel that what enabled Hitler and Goebbels to convert their verbal abuse against the Jews into a concrete plan of a “final solution” was the indifference of the world.

As Albert Einstein warned, “All it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.”

For more information on this issue, go to www.wiesenthal.com

Comments:

1 | Sam Adams, Wednesday May 09, 2007

Rabbi, the question I have been pondering very hard recently is why American Jews are liberal. It is a total enigma to me and I am interested to hear your beliefs on this. Sam

2 | Amir, Wednesday May 09, 2007

The world indeed has no concern for the Jews now, just as during the Holocaust. Even the Jews continue to help those that want to destroy us. American Jews voted in Nancy Pelosi and even tried to vote in John Heinz-Kerry. His team was anti-Israeli and did not bother with much cover. If we hate ourselves or act in such manner how can we expect anyone else to care?

3 | Brett Horton, Wednesday May 09, 2007

Sam, If I may give my answer to your question. Conservatism is based the Word of God, as expressed in the Bible. Liberalism rejects God and His Word, in favor of man's word and man's law. In the U.S. abortion is the pinnacle of this conflict, and is the best illustration of my statement.

4 | Gerry Rzeppa, Wednesday May 09, 2007

I believe the quotation, ""All it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing" is from Edmund Burke, though I'm sure Einstein agreed with and may have even repeated the statement.

5 | Ephraim Rubinger, Wednesday May 09, 2007

Sam- There no liberals anymore. Liberalism as we know that term, began its decline in 1968 with nomina,tion of McGovern. Today what we have is "leftism" which historically has always been anti- Jewish except when they needed the Jews for some social cause. It is also true of Jewish leftists. There is a psycho-spiritual pathology across this land. and we DESPERATELY need a healing mechanism.

6 | K M Peterson, Wednesday May 09, 2007

Not to trivialize the importance of what Rabbi Hier is saying, the quote credited to Albert Einstein is generally attributed to Edmund Burke, an 18th century Irish-born conservative English statesman. We simply must stand for what is right. Sadly this is becoming dangerous even in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

7 | Howard Tabachnick, Wednesday May 09, 2007

Rabbi Hier - I share your frustration with the apathy of the world community in the face of such evil. It is also painfully clear to me that the Jewish people are headed toward another catastrophic confrontation with evil, not unlike the Holocaust. Support of Israel against an increasingly radical and strident Muslim world community could not be more urgent than it is right now.

8 | Jer, Wednesday May 09, 2007

I remember being aghast at a world community that didn't lift a finger to prevent the "Killing Fields" of Cambodia, while focusing exclusively on the evils of Apartheid in South Africa. It was explained to me that we only say things against situations we think we might have influence over. I was so glad when America's former enemy, Viet-Nam, invaded Cambodia and stopped the killing.

9 | Fred Furduso, Wednesday May 09, 2007

I agree with everything Heir said...But mixing it up with the Imus thing is ridiculous, distracting, and doesn't further his point.

10 | Paul David Swinford Christian truck driver, Wednesday May 09, 2007

I love to see a "cool" Rabbi get hot under the collar. I hate to say it but if something that sounded civil came out of the mouth of a Hamas leader, I would probably have a heart attack or maybe a slight stroke. The greatest insult would actually be if he liked us. I've always felt better when this sort of person hated me or my loved ones. Consider his words as a compliment to yourself and Israel. He can do no more harm than he is able.

11 | Schvach, Wednesday May 09, 2007

Oh, grow up. Where there's schwartz there's fear. Haven't you ever heard of 1930's Germany. And what about the accusation about the Jewish responsibility for the Tuskegee Experiment - ever hear of the Reichstag fire accusation? -Schvach

West of Delancey: Deafening silence

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