Late Sunday night, my mom was like, “Eric, you know how during the Passover Seder, your father would do a small spiel about ways in which the lessons of Passover are still relevant today? I’d like you to write and deliver one for tomorrow’s Seder."
Oh great, I thought. How on Earth will I also have time to write Tuesday's CUA? And then it hit me — they can be one and the same! So, here goes:
The Jewish Exodus from Egypt, whether or not it actually occured (there is no historical record — hmmm fake news?), has some modern parallels. The moment Moses and his people began their 40 year journey through the desert, they became refugees. Today, we have literally millions of refugees from Syria - innocent men, women and children — who want nothing more than a safe land in which to live, work, worship, and raise families in peace.
And while many countries (including Germany!) are welcoming them with open arms, the United States, the country arguably most able to accommodate them, is turning them away.
I’m not going to compare Trump to Pharaoh, as that would be unfair to the ancient ruler of Egypt. Trump is more like a combination of all ten plagues. Of course, now, as I think about it, a comparison to Trump is unfair to boils, lice and pestilence.
Not to mention the fact that American democracy would seriously be in less danger right now if our president were a frog or a locust. But I digress…
On Passover in 2017, we must do what we can to help Syrian refugees. It’s only a matter of time before Trump’s most senior strategist, Reichsmarshall Steve Bannon, turns his attention to the ‘Jewish Problem’, the ‘LGBTQ Problem’, the ‘Black Problem’, the ‘Mexican Problem’, the ‘Native American Problem’, and the ‘Woman Problem’, to name a few.
We might call this moment the Niemöller Test. Martin Niemöller was the German pastor who wrote the famous poem:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
___________
If we say nothing about the treatment of innocent Syrian refugees, eventually, they will come for us, too.
What about you? Any ideas for how we might pass today’s Niemöller Test?
RSVPS
1. navajo
2. sidnora
3. kathny
4. belinda ridgewood
5. joanbrooker
6. aoeu
7. Denise Oliver Velez
8. rubyr
9. MBNYC
10. cohenzee
11. Design the Future
12.
MAYBEES :
Missys Brother
kishik
Avilyn
Chris Reeves
subir
Yasuragi
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DATE CHANGED! See original diary for an update.
RSVPS
1. nhox42
2.
3.
MAYBEES
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People's Climate Movement Bay Area
April 29, 2017 • 11:00 AM
Lake Merritt Amphitheatre
Lake Merritt Blvd
Oakland, CA
RSVPS for Oakland
1. boatsie
2.
3.
MAYBEES
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People's Climate Movement Sister March - San Jose, CA
April 29, 2017 • 10:00 AM
San Jose City Hall
200 E. Santa Clara Street
San Jose, CA
RSVPS for San Jose
1.
2.
3.
MAYBEES
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People's Climate Mobilization - Sacramento
April 29, 2017 • 11:00 AM
Capitol
1200 L Street
Sacramento, CA
RSVPS for Sacramento
1. WYgalinCali
2.
3.
MAYBEES
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2017 Detroit People's Climate March
April 29, 2017 • 2:00 PM
Peck Park
Brush & Frederick Street
Detroit, MI
RSVPS for detroit
1. 2thanks (kosmail to connect with other Daily Kos readers)
2.
3.
MAYBEES
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RSVPS
1. Thinking Fella
2. Ojibwa
3. state of confusion
4. jakedog42
5. MotherMags
6. MTmofo
7. Done4nau
8. Boise Blue
9. Mrs. Boise Blue
10. Mhosz
11. Mrs. Mhosz
12. Maudlin
13. Mr. Maudlin
14. dsb
15.
MAYBEES :
Simple
woolibaar
Back Porch
philosopher
Kitsap River
Charles Curtis Stanley
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RSVPS
1. Bill in Portland Maine
2. Common Sense Mainer
3. navajo
4. markm667
5. vicki
6. vicki’s recruit 1
7. vicki’s recruit 2
8. smileycreek
9. paradise50
10. Ed Tracey
11. side pocket
12. Mrs. side pocket
13. Richard Cranium
14. YellowDogInGA
15. DebtorsPrison
16. brillig
17. mik
18. thatkid
19. K2
20. LuLu
21. moodyinsavannah
22. norm
23. Egberto Willies
24. Chris Reeves
25. Susan Grigsby
26.
MAYBEES :
SanDiegoDem
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