I rarely think about the pain of Palestinians. I lose no sleep over the approximate million Arabs who were pushed out of their homes around 1948 and forced out of the place now known as Israel. I don’t think about their humiliation living in places such as Gaza while Israel grows more prosperous every year.
Here’s one man’s listing of Israeli crimes against the Palestinians: “Obviously Wiesel knew the Irgun was a terrorist group when he became a member. Its European HQ fled Rome for Paris after an Irgun cell blew up the British embassy there. Furthermore by the time Wiesel joined the organization, it had established a reputation for bombing and shooting scores of innocent Arabs in Palestine. In the 1930s the Irgun planted deadly bombs in Arab marketplaces, most notably in Jaffa, Haifa, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. They also blew up buses and trains. By the mid-1940s the Irgun put the British colonial government in its sights. In 1946 the terrorist group killed 91 people in a Christmas bombing of the King David Hotel. They also kidnapped, tortured and hanged two British Army sergeants. And in an outrage which occurred after Wiesel joined the Irgun, the group killed some 254 unarmed Palestinian civilians at Deir Yassin in order to terrorize Palestine’s Christian and Muslim population and encourage their flight.”
Even if this analysis if 100% accurate and fair, I don’t lose any sleep over it. It does not trouble me. Perhaps I am a selfish monster?
I don’t expect Palestinians in particular or non-Jews in general to spend a minute thinking about Jewish suffering. I don’t think about Muslim suffering, so why should I expect Muslims to think about Jewish suffering?
Now, I am not a beast. I am not an animal. If I read an article or see a picture or watch a documentary about Muslim suffering, I feel bad for them, but my feelings don’t last and I don’t do anything to alleviate their plight. In my younger more universalist days, I might well have spent more time worrying about the suffering of out-groups. In the 1980s, I am sure I would have supported aiding Muslims to throw the Soviets out of Afghanistan, but from the position of 2014, I am more skeptical of such aid. I regard most of our attempts as Americans to help Muslims as foolish. I think we’re all better off allowing people to develop their own civilizations in their own countries free from our aid.
I saw the 1977 TV miniseries Roots and I have had many opportunities over the years to feel horrible about the suffering of blacks, but on a day in and day out basis these days, I don’t worry much about black suffering, nor do I worry greatly about the suffering of Germany and Japan in WWII nor do I lose sleep about the genocides in Africa. Therefore, I don’t expect non-whites to care about the suffering of whites.
Most of the time, I worry primarily about the welfare of my groups such as Jews, Anglos and Americans. I don’t believe that these groups are more precious in the eyes of God than other groups. I don’t believe that the universe objectively cares more about the welfare of my groups than other groups. I don’t believe that my groups are inherently superior to other peoples. I just think I am a typical person who cares mostly about himself, his family, his friends, his community, and his people.
I’m going to generalize from my own heart and suspect that most Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims wish that Israel and its seven million Jewish Israelis would disappear. I suspect that most Israelis wish that Palestinians and the enemies of Israel disappear. Few Israelis will say out loud that they wish genocide on the Palestinians, but in their hearts, I suspect most Israelis wish Palestinians and the enemies of Israel would disappear. I wonder if a majority of Palestinians will say out loud they want genocide against Jewish Israelis?
I suspect most Americans wish that Muslims, particular Muslim Americans, would disappear. I think that many people in the West wish that Muslims and Gypsies and blacks and perhaps even Jews in their country would disappear.
As the United States becomes more balkanized along racial lines, I expect Americans to increasingly care less about their fellow citizens of other races. I expect this loss of empathy will lead to a nationalist takeover in my lifetime.
