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[Independent1981]

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Edited November 17, 2019 by Independent1981

[Michael Hardner]

In North America at least we separate church and state.  I have many Jewish friends, Muslim and Christian friends... some reformed, some secular, some fallen out into Atheism and it's always fine.  There is no requirement that you hide your religion although given the amount to antisemitism out there I wouldn't blame you for doing that.  Welcome and peace to you.

The framework for these countries, thanks to the great men who founded the United States of America, is for you to be free to 'pursue happiness'.  Good luck with that.

[Independent1981]

 

...

Edited November 17, 2019 by Independent1981

[Zeitgeist]

1 hour ago, Independent1981 said:

Inner Confusion (Judaism vs Nationalism)

It was early 2000 when I arrived in Canada. My dad flew from communist Eastern Europe 30 years ago. He worked hard and built a life to himself so me and my mom can come and join him.

Growing up the communists would not allow any religion practice in the home. A lot of propaganda what I heard in my life is that jews started communism to control the masses. Not sure about that but I can tell you life was pretty rough. Some nights we had to go to bed on an empty stomach. My mom told me this, I was too young to remember.

We did our prayers in secret and moved along. Even after communism fell we kept our traditions private. We respected the local religion and learnt about Christianity even though I did not agree with the New Testament. That's what the mentality was in my family we are to respect where we are.

When I first arrived in North America I remember my father sat me down and preached the same lesson. Obey the laws, study and keep it to yourself. That is precisely what my dad did all his life. He never attended the local shul. I left home to a big city to upgrade my school and this is where the story starts. I loved european football so I decided to start a group at my university to have drinks before the game and be rowdy at the local stadium. This is where I met a person, I will call him "Steve". Steve had far right ideology. To be honest I was not even political at that time. The more months passed the more stuff he would share with me and then he started ranting about the jews how they control the media and turn people against each other. He also mentioned Hitler was never racist he just wanted all people to succeed separetely. I laughed so hard because that is the definition of racism. When the laughing was over shock set in. Nobody knew I was jewish so I planned to keep this way and I liked Steve except for the antisemitism, we became friends and started a decent group to watch the games. We finished our schooling.

I got a good job but we all have problems I started to drink heavy to the point that they made it clear at my work that if I don't stop they will let me go. That's when I stepped in my local shul. The rabbi was nice. It was a reformed shul. After a few months there I became a regular, i was feeling great and I was not drinking. Steve called me one day and I told him what I was doing and it was silence at the phone at which point he said "You never mentiomed you were jewish, I wish you the best". That was the last time that I was in contact with Steve. For a few months I was angry. I started to meet more and more people at my shul. When I told them the story the reply was the same which is "we always have to be careful".

My job took off and I met an old jewish couple from the USA. They were involved with the Democratic party, volunteering. Smart, wealthy driven people. I will never forget that car conversation. It was right after Trump got elected. They were both laughing how "the white man is becoming addicted to opiods" and how America will be so much better after "the white man that voted for Trump" will decrease in numbers and soon they will be a minority and that "this is their punishment for not coming at terms with the crime of slavery". This is coming from the people that are white as a snow. I became so angry on the inside and after leaving that car I told my girlfriend I never want to see these people again. I witnessed this radicalism at my local shul when my girlfriend was approached by one member to ask if she is jewish. She was not and she left that place almost in tears and this is a reformed shul !!!

As my title states I have an inner confusion and I was thinking to share this message somehow, dates and names were changed to protect anonimity.

So where does leave a person like me that loves the country that he is in ? I work, pay my taxes and respect the local traditions. "Steve" sees me as a traitor for just being jewish and some jewish people see me as a traitor because I love someone that is not jewish.

I am starting to learn that the key in life is to focus on yourself and be the best you can be and respect the place that you live in and hope that life will treat you back because I can tell you when that couple were mocking white people of being addicted I thought about Steve and his words and they made so much sense but also what his mistake was that not everyone is the same. You can't paint everyone with the same brush.Lots of jewish people that love the country that they are in.

Have a great day

Never be ashamed of your faith and ethnic/cultural background.  You have much to be proud of in your Jewish heritage and I say that as a Catholic.  There are good people in all faiths and good atheists.  As long as our beliefs don’t promote hatred or lead to hateful acts, we shouldn’t worry.  The bigger aim is love and understanding between all peoples.  Easier said than done, but your reflectiveness well positions you to navigate intolerance, both from the anti- Semitic and among some Jews.  I see the same extreme elements in all faiths and among some atheists.  Thankfully they are in the minority.   I think dialogue is helpful.  I’m sure you planted a seed with Steve that will make him reconsider his views down the road.  

[Dougie93]

1 hour ago, Independent1981 said:

Free ? Like who ? Is Don Cherry free ? It looks to me communism is alive and well here too.

That's right, Canada is like a soft Soviet Union, it's an iron curtain to protect Canadian socialists from American freedom.

[Dougie93]

The real thing about Don Cherry is that he acts like an American, he's nationalistic, patriotic, he says as he pleases, he rocks the boat, Canada First.

Canada recoils from that in its knee jerk fearful Anti-Americanism.

Can't rock the boat in Canada,  Canadians instinctively fear boat rocking, because Confederation is weak, Canada is unstable, and American freedom is scary.

Canada is the essence of fearing and loathing America, and not much else, Canadian culture is an iron curtain against America, that's all Canadian culture really is.

All the Canadian smug, sneering, priggishness, is just insecurity, it's a defense mechanism in fear of America.

Canada is a small c communist country trying to prop up a state run centrally planned agenda to keep American freedom at bay.

Edited November 16, 2019 by Dougie93

[WestCanMan]

7 minutes ago, Dougie93 said:

The real thing about Don Cherry is that he acts like an American, he's nationalistic, patriotic, he says as he pleases, he rocks the boat, Canada First.

Canada recoils from that in its knee jerk fearful Anti-Americanism.

Can't rock the boat in Canada,  Canadians instinctively fear boat rocking, because Confederation is weak, Canada is unstable, and American freedom is scary.

Are you sure that you mean American or do you mean Republican? I can't imagine Obama or Clinton doing that when they were POTUS, and I know for sure that the unholy alliance of Sanders and AOC aren't waving the American flag if they win.

[Rue]

 

You aint alone Inner  and its not unique to us Jews by any means. All people struggle with the stuff like you do in their own unique ways as well.  I think we chose to be born to learn lessons and the struggle is you finding answers.  The harder it is to find the more meaningful it is when you find it.

 

Edited November 17, 2019 by Rue

[Dougie93]

3 minutes ago, WestCanMan said:

Are you sure that you mean American or do you mean Republican? I can't imagine Obama or Clinton doing that when they were POTUS, and I know for sure that the unholy alliance of Sanders and AOC aren't waving the American flag if they win.

Canadians imagine that they know the Democrats, but they don't really though, I know many Democrats who are big time Trump supporters.

The far left of the Democrat Party lines up with the Liberals and NDP, but the center right of the Democrat Party is still way to the right of Canada.

[Dougie93]

Like most of my American friends and family are Democrats,  the Democrats are just forcing them towards the GOP by the Democrat Party courting the loonie left.

I'm a Barry Goldwater Republican, but that is not the dominant force, the Rust Belt is the Democrat stronghold, Trump simply stole it from them.

The Democrats have made themselves into the Urbane Coastal Elites and have lost Fly Over Country in the process.

Edited November 17, 2019 by Dougie93

[Independent1981]

The Democratic Party knows that Trump has the vote of the people. Lots of billionaires are loosing money with the trade war so they will try for impeachment :). Good luck

[Michael Hardner]

2 hours ago, Independent1981 said:

Free ? Like who ? Is Don Cherry free ? It looks to me communism is alive and well here too.

Yeah he was free.  He was a failed player and bad coach who became rich and famous thanks to his mom entertaining personality.

He could have kept his job if he apologized but he's independently wealthy and free so he didn't.

[WestCanMan]

41 minutes ago, Dougie93 said:

Canadians imagine that they know the Democrats, but they don't really though, I know many Democrats who are big time Trump supporters.

The far left of the Democrat Party lines up with the Liberals and NDP, but the center right of the Democrat Party is still way to the right of Canada.

I agree that's the way it used to be, but the new crop of voters and the hyper-partisan left-wing MSM there is pushing the Dems left in a big way. It's not the party that it was when JFK was there anymore. Every Dem in contention for the nomination is trying to out-left the other on border & Middle-Eastern immigration issues. 

They all act like Trump is evil incarnate just because he knows what a border is and because he doesn't like mass-importing refugees from countries where there are tens of thousands of terrorists.

I dislike the Dems even more than I dislike our Liberals, and our Liberals are dumber than a bag of hammers.

[Dougie93]

1 minute ago, WestCanMan said:

I agree that's the way it used to be, but the new crop of voters and the hyper-partisan left-wing MSM there is pushing the Dems left in a big way. It's not the party that it was when JFK was there anymore. Every Dem in contention for the nomination is trying to out-left the other on border & Middle-Eastern immigration issues. 

They all act like Trump is evil incarnate just because he knows what a border is and because he doesn't like mass-importing refugees from countries where there are tens of thousands of terrorists.

I dislike the Dems even more than I dislike our Liberals, and our Liberals are dumber than a bag of hammers.

The JFK party is still around, it's just the Reagan Democrats, whenever the Democrat Party veers too far left, the right wing of party slides over to the GOP

When the Democrats have a centrist like an Obama or a Clinton, the Reagan Democrats slide back

[WestCanMan]

9 minutes ago, Michael Hardner said:

Yeah he was free.  He was a failed player and bad coach who became rich and famous thanks to his mom entertaining personality.

He could have kept his job if he apologized but he's independently wealthy and free so he didn't.

He won the Coach of the Year award in two of his three AHL seasons, he won the Jack Adams as coach of the year, his Broons made it to the SCF twice and won the division 4 times. Don't let your dislike of Don Cherry form your opinion of how good he was as a hockey coach.

[WestCanMan]

3 minutes ago, Dougie93 said:

The JFK party is still around, it's just the Reagan Democrats, whenever the Democrat Party veers too far left, the right wing of party slides over to the GOP

When the Democrats have a centrist like an Obama or a Clinton, the Reagan Democrats slide back

The lane for a centrist candidate is wide open and no one wants it. Tulsi Gabbard is the closest they have and she's polling at abut 2%, plus Hillary is saying that she's a Russian asset.

The Dems are pure garbage. They're not just leftists, they're majority-nutjob leftists.

[Dougie93]

2 minutes ago, WestCanMan said:

The lane for a centrist candidate is wide open and no one wants it. Tulsi Gabbard is the closest they have and she's polling at abut 2%, plus Hillary is saying that she's a Russian asset.

The Dems are pure garbage. They're not just leftists, they're majority-nutjob leftists.

The problem for them is that they lost the Blue Collars in the Rust Belt to Trump,  who basically stole the Democrats traditional platform, so the Dems were forced to court the Bernie Bros to make up the losses.

[Dougie93]

Bear in mind that this has all happened before, the Democrats lost the Blue Collars to Nixon in 68', so they were forced to court the Hippies with McGovern, then they got crushed.  If they run Liz Warren, that's McGovern in a dress, so that doesn't bring the Blue Collars back, so they're gonna get smoked.

Why did Bill Clinton win?  He got the Blue Collars back after they had fled to Reagan.

The Blue Collar Industrial Unions, when they are with the Democrats, the Democrats win, when they're not, the Democrats are dead in the water.

The Democrats can't make up the difference by appealing to Hippies, nor Bernie Bros, nor Trannies, nor Antifa, all of  that sort if thing is a dead end.

Edited November 17, 2019 by Dougie93