To those of you who need to hear this:
You believe everything shouted by pro-Palestinian/anti-Israel activists and their followers (if not, please read on all the same). You believe it so deeply that some of you are committing crimes of violence, even murder, because of it. Many, if not all, of you are committing crimes of civil disobedience and harassment.
Given that many of your criminal acts are being committed against Jewish-owned businesses, Jewish students and random Jews in general, you have clearly become bigoted antisemites.
So, I ask you, “Who are you going to believe, them or your own eyes?”
In other words, verify what the Israel-haters and antisemites have to say. Verification is essential for anyone seeking accurate information, regardless of their political stance. Stories sell; facts tell.
As a retired university instructor, I firmly believe in teaching students how to think rather than what to think. So, to begin with, here are some questions you should ask. Then, think, consider, analyze and ask more questions.
How can Israel, a Jewish democracy, be considered an apartheid state when numerous minorities—including Arabs, Bedouins, Druze, Christians, and others—vote; receive an education; serve in the military, police, hospitals and government; and worship openly and freely? Compare and contrast this with neighboring Muslim countries’ laws and mores. Visit Israel and see for yourself.
What is the origin and definition of the word “genocide”? What is the international acceptance ratio of civilian to combatant deaths? Compare and contrast the Oct. 7 war with others, like the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War and the 2011-2024 Syrian civil war.
What is the origin of the word “Palestine”? Perhaps familiarize yourself with the post-World War I Sykes-Picot Agreement, League of Nations Mandates, U.N. Resolution 181 (1947) and the Arab world’s genocidal reaction, as well as the founding documents of Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. Compare and contrast them with the Zionist response to U.N. Resolution 181 and the text of Israel’s 1948 Declaration of Independence.
When a speaker incites criminal activity such as violence or encourages harassment, is this a criminal act or considered “free speech”? Could the phrase “Death to America” be considered an act of war or treason if shouted on the streets of the United States?
You might recall that journalism is expected to be objective and simply address the “5W’s+H questions”: who, what, where, when, why and how. Unfortunately, many media outlets tend to editorialize in their news sections. My articles and books include links to my sources, so you can verify everything I write. I encourage you to use your own eyes and check the information yourself.
I used to assign my students to attend a rally or demonstration, regardless of the cause. I told them to review the news feeds the next day. Usually, media outlets that supported the demonstrators would highlight the event’s high attendance and effective communication. Those opposed to the demonstrators would portray both negatively. You, however, would know that neither was accurate and the truth was somewhere in the middle, because you were there.
The current media situation, combined with my academic approach of “compare and contrast,” inspired me to write two books based on examining “their own words.” Rather than conducting general research and writing, I chose to use firsthand sources from a specific country, cause, religion, etc. One book is about revolutions, using the revolutionaries’ words to explain them. The other book compares the Abrahamic religions and asks, “What do they pray for?” because prayer sheds light on their values and objectives.
The Revolutions book includes many songs, poems and slogans that are not only more culturally reflective and relevant to their time but also easier to explore than any historical treatise. Unfortunately, traditional and academic historical analysis often omits the personal aspects of such conflicts.
The book covers six revolutions: the American, French, Russian, Cuban, Israeli and Palestinian. The chapters offer a brief history of each revolution, followed by a collection of their songs and slogans along with commentary and analysis. This allows you to explore the genuine expressions of each cause in their original words so you can reach your own conclusions. The book includes extensive notes and sources to verify the material, as well as appendices with additional details.
In my newly released What Do They Pray For?, I posit that what people pray for tells us a lot about who they are. To illustrate this, the book is divided into three themes: 1) How a religion deals with and relates to disbelievers; 2) its position on domination, supremacy and conversion; and 3) its vision of peace.
This book is uniquely presented as it includes many foundational texts and prayers directly from the sources of the religion it discusses. This approach ensures that translations and interpretations are more accurate by using the original words. Thus, you can “compare and contrast” on your own.
So, this is my challenge to you: “Who are you going to believe, them or your own eyes?” Will you accept it?
