Stupid and Disloyal

This week the President of the United States suggested that I and many of my friends are  dumb or disloyal because we vote for Democrats.  While a stunning thing for a President to say, it may not make his top ten of ridiculous or slanderous statements he has made since his election.  But many were confused as to being disloyal, to what?  He clarified that some how if we vote for Democrats we are disloyal to Israel.  

The thing is I still don't know what he means.  The United States has always been a strong ally with Israel.  Both Republican and Democratic Presidents and members of Congress have worked hard to support Israel.  Democratic Presidents (Carter and Clinton) helped broker deals that have led to eras of relative peace in the region.  The current argument is that Jews should support President Trump because he moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem, as if that was some how an important issue for world Jewry.  In fact I think that might be counter-productive in the long run when it comes to peace with the Palestinians.  But my Jewishness and my love and commitment to Israel are not about American partisan politics and shouldn't be.  

I am loyal to values and the Constitution of the United States.  For me throughout my entire voting life I have felt the Democrats have upheld my understanding of those better than the Republicans.  It is even more striking with this particular administration and GOP leadership.  There are days I don't believe the President fully understands the role his playing and how the Constitution works, but what is worse are those in the party who enable this insane behavior despite their duty to the Constitution.  Why would I as an American Jewish or not vote for such a thing?  

I know there are liberal voices that are not pro-Israel who are part of the Democratic party.  I also know that there is a fair amount of ignorance on the part of some current members of Congress when it comes to the current situation in Israel.  But regardless of what the GOP says those voices are not the mainstream of the party.  In fact recent events have given some of those members more power as the President not only punches down to them but asked the Israel government to do the same.  But the beauty of living in our country is that I can challenge them on those issues with the hope that they might see the broader world view on the issues.  Frankly it would have helped Reps Omar and Tahlib to have visited Israel and see through the eyes of the people on the ground how complex the issues are and what role the US could play in peace.  But the short-sighted nature of both our President and Bibi Netanyahu allowed for the missed opportunity.  

But what is truly amazing in this discussion is the notion that American Jews have to have a lock-step view of Israel.  One that is more associated with the right wing politics of Christian Zionists who use Israel and the Jews of the world as part of their eschatological endgame without much care for us as people.  I choose not to live in Israel for many reasons.  But I also feel a strong connection to the country.  I feel that I should not have a say in how Israelis choose their leadership or the direction of the country because I choose to live here.  That doesn't mean I shouldn't be critical of the government if I feel they cross a line.  (Frankly I feel I should be critical of any country that crosses a many a line).  But I feel without reservation that the State of Israel should exist as a Jewish State.  I will deal with my own internal struggle of what that might mean in the long run.  So while I don't have a dual loyalty there is a special place in my heart for Israel.  I want it to continue to thrive and I want it at peace with its neighbors.  I don't think that this President, nor the current leadership of his party share that vision.  So the assertion of the President is ridiculous on its face.  

What is even more troubling is that people have been writing about how there are bad Jews who don't support this President, specifically because of his standing with the current government of Israel.  They, like the President, conflate Israel and Judaism.  President Trump once told a group of American Jews, talking of Netanyahu, that he was "your Prime Minister".  That is where I think this whole debate goes off the rails.  This is where I get the most frustrated.  I love Israel as a nation, but I have neither sworn an oath to the country and certainly Bibi Netanyahu is in no way my Prime Minister, nor the leader of all things Jewish.  

Jewish Americans, like every other sub-culture of Americans, vote their personal values.  Mine are informed and shaped by my understanding of my Judaism and what it calls me to do.  I see the Democratic party upholding the values of Judaism that are dear to me as well as what I have always believed and was taught America stood for.  Many of those values are shared between my faith and my country.  That doesn't make me dumb or ignorant, nor disloyal.  It makes me an American, using the my rights to think for myself, choose whose voice I want to speaking for me in government and standing up for what I think is right.  Mr. President if you think that makes me disloyal in your view then I worry you don't understand the greatness that is this country.  That sir is a pity.