JTA: The Global News Service of the Jewish People

01/18/12 03:05 PM

I watched the video I am Jewish and I found it long, loud, and disturbing.  My cousin sent it to me and this is my take on it.  I feel exactly the same way about Andrew Lustig as I do about those Fundamentalist Bible thumping, right-wing social-conservative Evangelist Christians.  They’re equally as obnoxious exposing their weaknesses and the over-reliance on “labeling” themselves and imposing their labels on others.  I detest that.  It seems to me to be a psychological condition of people who generally are insecure about their own existence and life in general to have to vocalize the chips on their shoulders in a most self-centered manner. 

I know who I am, I know that had my father and his family not escaped Paris back to England and to the USA, I might not be here today to share my thoughts on this subject.  It is also what spurs me to challenge bigots and their labels as well.  Tolerance and acceptance of others means just that.  It means going about our lives being respectful of others and their beliefs without having to fall back on crutches when feelings of insecurity or even inferiority or superiority arise. 

I feel that is about as clear, rational, concise and cogent I can be in my perception of the Lustig video.  Life is too short to waste on rehashing tired themes of the past.  At some point in time we have to join the human race and trade in the our tribal mentality to be advocates for the greater good of all humanity.