The Two Responses of Kenneth Ellman are below.
The Economist Article can be found at: Click Here
My Comments can be found at:Click Here
Below is the First Published Response of Kenneth Ellman.
February 8, 2014, Kenneth Ellman Comments on The Economist article “Vicky Cristina Jerusalem -Scarlett Johansson and SodaStream”, Email:ke@kennethellman.com, Box 18, Newton, New Jersey 07860. Copyright 2014, Kenneth Ellman, All Rights Reserved.
Quite amazing I say. The Jews created ancient Israel in the early days of history out of war and ideas that we now know of as the Bible, but was to the Jews at that time and today, commandments and law for Jewish life. Centuries later during ancient Roman days again nations only existed to the extent they could wage war to defend their people and the ideas of their time. The Jews chose to rebel and fight the Romans, for the right to be Jews in their own land and have a Jewish nation. While losing that terrible war, they won the battle of ideas, beliefs and knowledge. Not many today worship the Roman Gods, but the concepts in the Bible of the dignity of human beings has permeated all nations. Christianity and Islam only, and I say only exist due to the books and ideas of the Jews. Since the Jews created modern Israel with the extraordinary and wonderful support of the Christian world and of the United Nations in 1947, it has been at war, just as in ancient times. What has changed? Nothing.
To the extent the Jews want to continue to have their own nation they must as all other nations must, continually relearn and never forget the reality that nations only exists and prosper because of a commitment to belief systems that defines the people and the ability to wage war and kill to defend it. How silly are those who forget both the ancient and very recent lessons of reality that nothing, absolutely nothing is more important than defending yourself and your beliefs. Europe was again reminded and relearned that lesson in World War Two as did the rest of the world. We as a human animal died fighting and winning by our choice that what we had was better than the terror, self destruction and degradation offered Germany and Japan. We died for what we valued in our heritage. Our nations and English Speaking peoples still live with the values of freedom. So, the Jews and Israel are somehow to be denied that which all nations claim, that is the right to exist as a people and nation and to fight and wage war for their ideas, beliefs and way of life.
Surrounding Israel is to a large extent people and nations that have learned only to hurt and kill themselves and their neighbors. Just a short time ago Iraq had conquered and raped Kuwait and was moving on Saudi Arabia with the “Palestinians” and Yasser Arafat as the handmaiden. Those wonderful people were in fact killing and enslaving their own Arabic speaking neighbors and Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were ONLY rescued by the United States with Great Britain in the George Bush war of liberation. After victory the signs in Kuwait had the photo of the American President with the words “Great Bush” . How quickly we forget.
It is the height of foolishness and betrayal for the Jews to pretend there will be peace and happiness in their neighborhood and they should just surrender their land that they died for over thousands of years, to make happiness in the stink of Arabia. When Israel has nations there to make peace with then perhaps peace can be made. That is not the case today. If you think otherwise then go live in the neighbors of Israel and see the reality. To think at this time that the Arabs, Muslims and “Palestinians” will treat the Jews any better than they treat their own people, is the height of self deception. Look at what they did to the Christians of Lebanon. The Jews can not and will not allow that. Kenneth Ellman, Email:ke@kennethellman.com, Newton, NJ 07860
Below is the Second Response of Kenneth Ellman.
February 8, 2014, Kenneth Ellman Further Comments on The Economist article “Vicky Cristina Jerusalem -Scarlett Johansson and SodaStream”, Email:ke@kennethellman.com, Box 18, Newton, New Jersey 07860. The Right to Choose Without Intimidation. Copyright 2014, Kenneth Ellman, All Rights Reserved.
In reading The Economist article “Vicky Cristina Jerusalem -Scarlett Johansson and SodaStream” the many news reports about this unimportant incident come to mind. I make this additional comment to my writing already seen here. My previous discussion was directed to the merits of Israel. This is now directed to the merits of the right to have a view different from those who hate us. They hate us in part because as English Speaking people we so value that right to free expression, a right they deny their own people. As we have seen described in the very many excellent books of Bruce Bawer and Andrew G. Bostom and others, Israel is in a part of the world that wages war against the very idea of individual liberty, choice and speech. They hate us for the things we believe make life worth living.
So, a very beautiful Jewish actress, Scarlett Johansson, made a political and social choice. She choose her people over those who hate them and would injure them. Why does this matter? Why would it be strange? Normally most public assertions of political or social beliefs affirm the heritage of the proponent. In this case that is what occurred. From time to time an individual of Muslim or Arabic heritage will support Israel and an individual of Jewish heritage will support Islam or Arabic causes. Such dichotomy will cause news attention since the individual in that case is espousing an unexpected belief which contradicts assumptions of group identification. Here what would be socially expected occurred. An individual supported those to whom she identifies and has a heritage of. So why, why did it attract so much public comment?
It may additionally be thought that her decision was merely a private one based upon what was economically beneficial to her or that she decided to do what she simply believes was right and just. In any case it really begs the question which is why does it matter? Matter so much that it attracted international news.
When it comes to Israel, a nation and people that only survives due to it ability to protect itself from those who seek to kill it every day , everything becomes major news.
When a well known individual makes a simple private decision to choose Israel instead of the enemies of the Jewish people, that somehow becomes a concern the world over. Outrage that someone dare speak and act on their own mind. The very act of support for Israel is deemed newsworthy or that an anti-Israel organization such as Oxfam might force such a choice and be successfully resisted.
The obvious comes to mind. It really has nothing to do with Scarlett Johansson. It has everything to do with the very idea that the Jews have existed, continue to exist and no amount of nonsense press releases or acts of war or terrorism have destroyed the Jewish people over the thousands upon thousands of years of human history. Every time someone stands with the Jewish people, they stand against those who would destroy them. So, this capable actress, who no matter how acclaimed is still just an actress, brings the hatred of Israel again into the international news.
A message tends to comes across that there is a price to pay for such choices, even if wholly private choices. We in the world of English speaking peoples where the free exchange and expression of ideas is a cherished value, must not forget how different we are from those who do not believe as we do. However admired Scarlett Johansson is as an actress she should be more respected for acting upon the courage of her convictions.
Kenneth Ellman, Email:ke@kennethellman.com, Newton, New Jersey 07860
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Kenneth Ellman Responds The Economist Vicky Cristina Jerusalem -Scarlett Johansson and SodaStream
The Two Responses of Kenneth Ellman are below.
The Economist Article can be found at: Click Here
My Comments can be found at:Click Here
Below is the First Published Response of Kenneth Ellman.
February 8, 2014, Kenneth Ellman Comments on The Economist article “Vicky Cristina Jerusalem -Scarlett Johansson and SodaStream”, Email:ke@kennethellman.com, Box 18, Newton, New Jersey 07860. Copyright 2014, Kenneth Ellman, All Rights Reserved.
Quite amazing I say. The Jews created ancient Israel in the early days of history out of war and ideas that we now know of as the Bible, but was to the Jews at that time and today, commandments and law for Jewish life. Centuries later during ancient Roman days again nations only existed to the extent they could wage war to defend their people and the ideas of their time. The Jews chose to rebel and fight the Romans, for the right to be Jews in their own land and have a Jewish nation. While losing that terrible war, they won the battle of ideas, beliefs and knowledge. Not many today worship the Roman Gods, but the concepts in the Bible of the dignity of human beings has permeated all nations. Christianity and Islam only, and I say only exist due to the books and ideas of the Jews. Since the Jews created modern Israel with the extraordinary and wonderful support of the Christian world and of the United Nations in 1947, it has been at war, just as in ancient times. What has changed? Nothing.
To the extent the Jews want to continue to have their own nation they must as all other nations must, continually relearn and never forget the reality that nations only exists and prosper because of a commitment to belief systems that defines the people and the ability to wage war and kill to defend it. How silly are those who forget both the ancient and very recent lessons of reality that nothing, absolutely nothing is more important than defending yourself and your beliefs. Europe was again reminded and relearned that lesson in World War Two as did the rest of the world. We as a human animal died fighting and winning by our choice that what we had was better than the terror, self destruction and degradation offered Germany and Japan. We died for what we valued in our heritage. Our nations and English Speaking peoples still live with the values of freedom. So, the Jews and Israel are somehow to be denied that which all nations claim, that is the right to exist as a people and nation and to fight and wage war for their ideas, beliefs and way of life.
Surrounding Israel is to a large extent people and nations that have learned only to hurt and kill themselves and their neighbors. Just a short time ago Iraq had conquered and raped Kuwait and was moving on Saudi Arabia with the “Palestinians” and Yasser Arafat as the handmaiden. Those wonderful people were in fact killing and enslaving their own Arabic speaking neighbors and Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were ONLY rescued by the United States with Great Britain in the George Bush war of liberation. After victory the signs in Kuwait had the photo of the American President with the words “Great Bush” . How quickly we forget.
It is the height of foolishness and betrayal for the Jews to pretend there will be peace and happiness in their neighborhood and they should just surrender their land that they died for over thousands of years, to make happiness in the stink of Arabia. When Israel has nations there to make peace with then perhaps peace can be made. That is not the case today. If you think otherwise then go live in the neighbors of Israel and see the reality. To think at this time that the Arabs, Muslims and “Palestinians” will treat the Jews any better than they treat their own people, is the height of self deception. Look at what they did to the Christians of Lebanon. The Jews can not and will not allow that. Kenneth Ellman, Email:ke@kennethellman.com, Newton, NJ 07860
Below is the Second Response of Kenneth Ellman.
February 8, 2014, Kenneth Ellman Further Comments on The Economist article “Vicky Cristina Jerusalem -Scarlett Johansson and SodaStream”, Email:ke@kennethellman.com, Box 18, Newton, New Jersey 07860. The Right to Choose Without Intimidation. Copyright 2014, Kenneth Ellman, All Rights Reserved.
In reading The Economist article “Vicky Cristina Jerusalem -Scarlett Johansson and SodaStream” the many news reports about this unimportant incident come to mind. I make this additional comment to my writing already seen here. My previous discussion was directed to the merits of Israel. This is now directed to the merits of the right to have a view different from those who hate us. They hate us in part because as English Speaking people we so value that right to free expression, a right they deny their own people. As we have seen described in the very many excellent books of Bruce Bawer and Andrew G. Bostom and others, Israel is in a part of the world that wages war against the very idea of individual liberty, choice and speech. They hate us for the things we believe make life worth living.
So, a very beautiful Jewish actress, Scarlett Johansson, made a political and social choice. She choose her people over those who hate them and would injure them. Why does this matter? Why would it be strange? Normally most public assertions of political or social beliefs affirm the heritage of the proponent. In this case that is what occurred. From time to time an individual of Muslim or Arabic heritage will support Israel and an individual of Jewish heritage will support Islam or Arabic causes. Such dichotomy will cause news attention since the individual in that case is espousing an unexpected belief which contradicts assumptions of group identification. Here what would be socially expected occurred. An individual supported those to whom she identifies and has a heritage of. So why, why did it attract so much public comment?
It may additionally be thought that her decision was merely a private one based upon what was economically beneficial to her or that she decided to do what she simply believes was right and just. In any case it really begs the question which is why does it matter? Matter so much that it attracted international news.
When it comes to Israel, a nation and people that only survives due to it ability to protect itself from those who seek to kill it every day , everything becomes major news.
When a well known individual makes a simple private decision to choose Israel instead of the enemies of the Jewish people, that somehow becomes a concern the world over. Outrage that someone dare speak and act on their own mind. The very act of support for Israel is deemed newsworthy or that an anti-Israel organization such as Oxfam might force such a choice and be successfully resisted.
The obvious comes to mind. It really has nothing to do with Scarlett Johansson. It has everything to do with the very idea that the Jews have existed, continue to exist and no amount of nonsense press releases or acts of war or terrorism have destroyed the Jewish people over the thousands upon thousands of years of human history. Every time someone stands with the Jewish people, they stand against those who would destroy them. So, this capable actress, who no matter how acclaimed is still just an actress, brings the hatred of Israel again into the international news.
A message tends to comes across that there is a price to pay for such choices, even if wholly private choices. We in the world of English speaking peoples where the free exchange and expression of ideas is a cherished value, must not forget how different we are from those who do not believe as we do. However admired Scarlett Johansson is as an actress she should be more respected for acting upon the courage of her convictions.
Kenneth Ellman, Email:ke@kennethellman.com, Newton, New Jersey 07860