A black race-realist finds his way

Robert Lindsay thought there might be some mutual benefit to be had if I corresponded with a certain acquaintance of his. He’s a race-realist who happens to be black. I’ve always said that the Truth is in the public domain. No race, or ethnicity, holds a monopoly on race-realism. Obviously, a black American must overcome more barriers than would an Asian or white American. So any black American who does so has my encouragement – even more so than usual. He also has my respect if he uses this knowledge to make a positive impact on the world – even more so than usual. This is what “overcoming” should really be about.
So now I present to you Phil’s introductory post. I did help with the editing.
Hello, my name is Phil. I’m a friend of Blogger Robert Lindsay and I study Sub-Saharan African History and Anthropology.
Originally, I’d pretty much belong in the crowd of African-Americans who, while not hating themselves, acknowledge Black traits that hold us back. This knowledge and understanding I owe much to my father.
My father, a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, once told us about magazines at the fraternity that asked, “Why are ‘we’ so behind?” They pointed to internal issues in the Black population. He explained to me, even as he lived a somewhat thuggish life, that “they start taking your beer, your dope, and you realize that they want people to just GIVE them something.” Another lesson he taught me was that you couldn’t help those who won’t help themselves. He told me that you need to focus on people who have the potential to help themselves, whether they’re Black or White. Still, he told me I can acknowledge those who don’t fit that description, and animosity isn’t necessary.
However, one lesson that he taught me, which is my sole mission, is that my brother and I should bring one “with us.” He said we didn’t need to stop at one, but one was the mission. The working idea is that if enough progressive Blacks do this, we could have a huge effect, bearing in mind the previous lessons regarding people’s character.
Later, around the beginning of this year, I actually did research and learned about racial differences, such as IQ and Testosterone. To be honest, the fact that we were different didn’t shock me; it was what Blacks were doing that had hurt me because I had a subconscious habit of comparing myself with other blacks who were deviants.
However after a period of denial, I learned that there is no point in denying it by citing claims about Sub-Saharan Africa, or by “debunking” HBD. What helped though was understanding averages and accepting that while I do have impulses like many Blacks, I’m not like the many of the others, who are criminals. Especially since the ability to control one’s impulses correlates with higher intelligence.
Regarding my politics on race, I want to eliminate Affirmative Action. At least have a system that isn’t biased against whites. Additionally, we must do away with biased reporting, screen all immigrants, and acknowledge racial differences.
I often find criticism of Blacks to be accurate, despite the disparaging attitude that many, but not all, have. I came to the conclusion that I should separate the message from the messenger, because the facts they bring up are clouded by emotion. While this is understandable and natural, it doesn’t lend itself to efficient communication.
The biggest flaw that I find with them however, is the tendency to personify the problem on the level of a religious principle rather than a scientific one. I understand the act of presenting a common trend as an immutable law of nature, but it compromises any objective attempts to find root causes.
For example, I had a friend who is a passionate critic of pathological groups, especially blacks, but he honestly feels that many have potential, and understands that there are good Blacks and Bad whites.
When we first started talking, he thought that the distinction between savages and the civilized could be IQ. He asked me if I had any other metrics to distinguish between the two. I actually did, which was that it should be by behavior rather than simply IQ.
I’ve seen Blacks who were clearly of a different IQ than surrounding whites, but they weren’t all necessarily thugs. It could be that some are maybe closer to 90 than others, but it still suggests that an IQ that is equal to that of Whites isn’t necessary to be functional amongst whites. Rather, a lower IQ is a risk factor for falling behind economically.
A deeper line of investigation would be to examine the Baltimore riots, and how Jamal Bryant’s group managed to stay organized during the chaos, and tried to cool down “hot spots.” That led me to the conclusion that churches could work as a decent filter towards favorable Black traits.
One could utilize this by inspiring a culture of separation, speaking “their language” as a man of the people to uplift black people by steering them away from crime, at least those who can be receptive of the message. I explained this to my friend, that while Black crime would still be an issue, the public doesn’t have to worry about the Black community defending Black criminals on a massive scale. This way, the police could do their job. He thought it was a good idea. I’ve also read about more primitive societies having forms of self-help through community efforts.  I believe that those affiliated with churches could become a valuable tool to solve problems in the Black community. In Africa, while backward in may ways, certain populations were capable of disassociating with criminals and upholding justice. While problematic, US Blacks are among the cream of the crop, so if less advanced Blacks could do so, why not more advanced Blacks?
I have studied Sub-Saharan documentation and cultures, and I found a lot of trends that correlate with New World ones as well. These similarities could be key to form solutions. Polygamy was a common practice amongst African cultures, and it was known that the father wasn’t around very often. So the mother did most of the work while extended family helped only with the children. Focusing on mothers who ARE working, and stricter laws toward child-support on the father’s end, could be a start to finding a solution to the single mothers issue for US Blacks.
I have a few more thoughts that I have towards education and poverty but I’ll just leave it at that for now – until anyone is interested in more of my thoughts.
 

Posted in Africa and blacks | 44 Comments

The chess-board view of the Establishment Left

If you’re a chess piece, you’re either black or white. There is no in-between; your color defines what you are. If defines your loyalties and your entire purpose in life. There is no gray in chess. There’s no such thing as a traitor among chess pieces.
This is how liberals view human beings, and this is why they repeatedly claim that since most influential people in the US are white, white people don’t need representation. For example:

I read with amazement the Thursday letter asking why we can’t have a White caucus in Congress. The answer is obvious.
Through the magic of legislative gerrymandering, the representation of the 38 percent of Americans who are a minority are represented by 17 percent of Congress. By forming these caucuses, these minorities amass enough voting clout to get a seat at the legislative table.
The Whites of Congress don’t need a caucus. They own the table!

It would be helpful if somebody would document, in some way, that white members of Congress feel any loyalty to other whites – but this can never happen, because they don’t. Their loyalties are to the wealthy interests that pay for their campaigns, to their lobbyists, to their own political party or, in the best case scenario, to their constituents (of all races). If any white member of Congress were to even hint at any racial loyalty to other whites, his political career would be over. In the chess-board of real life, white pawns have no representation. Black pawns, at least ostensibly, do.
Do liberals really believe that all whites, who find themselves in positions of power, are benefactors of working-class whites? Of course not. They only believe this when the subject is race. But as soon as the conversation turns to economic matters, their tone changes. Ask any liberal if the billionaire one-percenters represent the interests of the 99 percent, and his answer will certainly be “NO!”
Only through convolutions of mental gymnastics (to borrow a term from Jared Taylor) can one hold both views simultaneously.
In theory, once you get a liberal to acknowledge that wealthy whites do not represent the interests of poor whites, said liberal should be on his way to recovery… In theory. But if he does conjure up enough courage to admit this, then it follows that whites, as an ethnic group, lack representation in government, on campuses and in the media. The next question might be: Doesn’t EVERYONE deserve representation?

Posted in examples of propaganda, shenanigans of the Left and of non-white activists | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The "Sports Page" is good for something

I’ve never been a fan of organized sports; it’s a state religion, and a way for the powers that be to keep the ignorant masses occupied so that they don’t notice how they’re being enslaved. When I hear people talking about professional athletes as if they’re personal friends, I feel a mix of pity and disdain. They waste much of their lives watching men throw balls around, and they’re relatively ignorant of the sciences, history, anthropology or linguistics. Their opinions, on matters of sports, are valid ones – because they’re experts on that. But they often lack the tools to form meaningful opinions when it comes to politics. So they adopt the “default” opinions on political matters. The “default” opinions are whatever they’re told on television, billboards and newspapers. In other words, their minds are controlled. When they vote, they’re simply validating the opinions of those already in power.
I was recently sitting in the break room at work. An edition of the Oregonian was on the table, so I perused it. Almost the entire thing was shameless propaganda. Almost every article was anti-white, anti-gun rights, pro-big government, Afro-centric, pro-Islam and pro-man-made global-warming. Everything was framed within these givens – and this was the so-called “Front Page!” It’s not even supposed to be editorials, just “news.”
Needless to say, it upset me. I was thinking that such drivel shouldn’t even be allowed in a workplace. A porn magazine (if they still make them) would be more appropriate.
But then I noticed that hardly anybody even reads the front page; instead, workers gravitate to the Sports Page. A few read the comics or try the crossword puzzle. Some even cut out the crossword puzzle, sacrificing Dilbert in the process. This is a crime against humanity.
So yes, the Sports Page is good for something. It’s better that the masses fill their heads with “man throws ball” stories than with propaganda that’s designed to mold their minds to the whims of the hostile elite.

Posted in examples of propaganda | 9 Comments

Bombs versus tolerance; the Paris massacre

The reaction of the establishment Left, to the recent massacres in Paris, is predictable. It will call for more of the same: Love, tolerance, “diversity” – and an international group hug for Islam.
In contrast, there will be more calls to bomb ISIS in the Middle East.
This is puzzling, considering that violent Muslim in Paris is no less a “terrorist” than a violent Muslim in Syria. For people who strive for a “borderless world,” the Left places a lot of emphasis on location. When your enemy is far away, bomb him. But as soon as he’s moved in next door, he’s worthy of “tolerance,” and an agent of “diversity.”
Were Germans “the enemy” during WWII? What about the Japanese? Even when the war was at its height, there’s little doubt that the vast majority of Germans and Japanese would have preferred peace, and would refrain from killing Americans even if given the chance. Yet there was general agreement that caution should be exercised when dealing with German and Japanese citizens. There were no cries to open our borders to Germans and Japanese. Everybody knew that any large-scale migration from those countries would include some who would do us harm. The imperial ideologies, which launched Germany and Japan into war, could not have taken root unless the “moderate” masses had allowed it to do so.
Similarly, “moderate Islam” is not at war with the West. But it does allow organization like ISIS to take root. We don’t see ISIS taking control of non-Muslim nations; it needs a Muslim population (even a “moderate” one) to seize control.
The hostile elite in Europe has allowed large swaths of European cities to become Muslim. Even if the vast majority of the Muslims who live in these places are moderate and peaceful, their presence provides fertile ground for terrorist organizations, like ISIS, to take hold.
If Islam is, indeed, a “religion of peace,” then let me propose the following:
Let’s rewrite the Quran, and the Hadith. We’ll remove all references to Jihad and the subjugation of infidels – and we’ll call it “The New Quran.” It will include passages extolling the virtues of tolerance and love for all human beings, regardless of religion. It will renounce war, and specifically forbid acts of terrorism.
All Muslims who reside in Europe will be required to swear allegiance to the New Quran. Any old Qurans in their possession will be seized and done away with. Either they agree to these terms publicly, or they face immediate deportation. Islamic schools will be closely monitored to ensure that their teaching are in accordance with the New Quran.
As for the Bible, it will be left alone; Europe doesn’t have a problem with Christians, or Jews, massacring people and blowing up airplanes.

Posted in immigration/ Hispanics, Muslims | Tagged , | 8 Comments

Overreporting of white traffic violations is "racism against nonwhites"

It would be funny, if it weren’t so tragic, to witness the extremes that mediagov will go to in order to express its hatred toward whites. In a sane world, if it came to light that crimes by whites have been overreported, there would be cries of anti-white racism. After all, whites, as a group, were being blamed for the violations of other races.
But in the upside-down world of the Establishment Left media, “people of color” are ALWAYS the victims. Any situation can be twisted to portray whites as despicable racists. If blacks and Hispanics (NAMS) commit a lot of murder, it’s because of poverty and bias inflicted upon them by whites. If NAMS underachieve scholastically, it’s a “civil rights issue” that needs to be addressed. When blacks rape, or murder, whites, it’s a “random attack” and “race had nothing to do with it.” It may be reported (usually only locally) once or twice, and then down the memory hole it goes. But when whites attack blacks, it’s a “hate crime” and the event is featured as front-page news for months.
So now an Austin, Texas news station has discovered that Texas troopers have been recording the race of traffic violators as “white” even when they’re clearly not white. From KXAN:

DPS troopers are inaccurately recording the race of large numbers of minority drivers, mostly Hispanic, as white, according to a KXAN investigation. The agency’s traffic stop data reveals racial profiling reports are likely flawed, according to experts.

The article features a collage of mestizos, blacks and Asians – all of whom were recorded as “white” by the officers who stopped them. Looking at the collage, I’m reminded of persistent complaints, by pro-whites, that Hispanics were considered “white” when they committed crimes, but as “Hispanic” when they were victims. It was obvious to us that this was a tactic to inflate the proportion of crimes committed by whites so that black crime rates wouldn’t look as horrific as they actually are. The FBI finally relented, and has recently started counting Hispanics as perpetrators – but no official explanation for its previous deception was ever given.
The current outcry focuses on the individual accountability of the officers. The underlying assumption is that it’s alright to racially profile white drivers. Nobody gets in trouble for picking on whites. But it’s not alright to single out “people of color.” That would be “racism.” By checking off the “Caucasian” box, officers could claim, “I wasn’t doing anything wrong; I was only picking on white drivers.” “People of Color” have group rights, but whites do not.
The article continues:

KXAN showed the findings to Professor Ranjana Natarajan, director of the Civil Rights Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law.
“I think there could be accidents every now and then, but the sheer number of the reports that you found, where it looks like the people who are not white are being classified as white, means that there is something else going on here,” Natarajan said.
The professor also believes what we uncovered reveals DPS racial profiling statistics are unreliable.
“It’s very disturbing,” Natarajan said. “What it shows is that, there either seems to be a complete lack of training on the part of DPS officers and other law enforcement officers about how to report people’s race. Or there is deliberate, sort of trying to not follow the policy if they have been trained properly on how to report the race of the drivers whom they stop.”
But KXAN’s investigation suggests the number of Hispanic drivers stopped by DPS may actually be much higher than what the agency is reporting.
An analysis by KXAN of the DPS traffic stop data shows the five most common last names of drivers stopped and recorded as white by troopers are: Smith, followed by Garcia, Martinez, Hernandez, Gonzalez and Rodriguez.

It’s “disturbing” that many (non-white) Hispanic drivers are being pulled over, but it’s not disturbing that the total number of “white traffic violators” is being inflated.
Let’s try a thought experiment: Officers are caught recording the race of white traffic violators as “Hispanic,” “African-American” or “Asian.” This would make white drivers look better, as the records would show far fewer white traffic violators. The statistics would be skewed to show that non-white drivers are more dangerous. Such statistics might even be used (illegally) by insurance companies to increase the premiums for non-white drivers. In such a scenario, we would be reading about how unjust this practice is to “people of color.”
One question that must be asked is: Would there ever be a scenario where inaccurate record-keeping would be unfair to white drivers?
We never got an answer from the FBI for why it continued to classify Hispanics as “white” when they were perpetrators. As far as I know, not a single major “mainstream” news publication ever asked this question. It wasn’t a concern for them. But it does concern them when the welfare of “people of color” is at risk.

Collister asked McCraw: “With the troopers making the determination, why are there still so many being put down as white?”
“I don’t know that it is. We need to look at the data. But if it is, then we will need to make adjustments,” McCraw replied. He went on to say: “I don’t doubt that there may be mistakes made on occasion, but I don’t know the details of that until I see the data and I sit down with my experts. And, I’d like to see how wrong we are.”
So, why would a state trooper or any police officer record the wrong race of a driver?
That question remains unanswered.

Perhaps the reason the question remains unanswered is that it’s obvious: Troopers don’t want to be accused of being racist. It’s as simple as that. By recording the drivers as “white,” they avoid such accusations.
Recently, Texas troopers have been doing a better job of recording Hispanic drivers as “Hispanic,” rather than “white.” This raised alarms. It seems you just can’t win.

Senator Rodriguez asked DPS to explain the reason behind the trends in DPS’s racial profile data.
“Over the last number of years we’ve had a precipitous drop of highway patrol tickets for Anglo-Americans but a dramatic increase for Hispanics and African Americans, and particularly Hispanics,” Rodriguez said. “I mean there’s got to be some explanation for that.”
When Rodriguez demanded an explanation, DPS Director Steven McCraw, responded to the legislator with a letter claiming the rise in Hispanic traffic stops is partly because his troopers are doing a better job of documenting race. That coming after a change to the racial profiling law in 2009 requiring officers to report if they know the race of the driver prior to a stop.

Since the race/ethnicity of drivers who are pulled over is scrutinized, an obvious question to ask would be: Do all ethnic groups obey traffic laws equally?
Though the answer to the above question is crucial to any meaningful analysis of bias in traffic stops, don’t expect to see it posed, in any meaningful way, by the Establishment Left media.
I’ll conclude by pointing out that I have a friend who is of obvious Middle Eastern appearance. He’s a Sephardic Jew. When he was stopped, a couple of years ago, he noticed that he was listed as “white.” He thought it was amusing, and still jokes that he’s an “honorary white.”

Posted in crime and violence, examples of propaganda, government/corporate discrimination against whites, immigration/ Hispanics, shenanigans of the Left and of non-white activists | 5 Comments

Anti-whites are sexists

For those of y’all who are not already aware, I urge you to start paying attention: When you see a billboard, a brochure, a commercial or any kind of depiction of people that shows both blacks and whites, how often is the male black, and the female white? Probably around 80-90 per cent of the time. Start paying attention and you’ll notice this. I’ve already pointed it out many times on this blog.

We’re accustomed to viewing this disparity in terms of race; it’s a way to degrade whites as a group, and to elevate blacks. But there’s another side to this. By using females to symbolize the inferior status of whites, the Establishment Left is unwittingly revealing their attitudes toward women; that women are supposed to be subservient to men.

In the eyes of many traditionalists, there’s nothing wrong with this. But in the eyes of the self-same powers (mediagov) that promotes/requires such propaganda, implying that women are supposed to be subservient is clearly “sexism.”

So there you have it. The Establishment Left is both racist (toward whites) and sexist (toward women). The fact that they indirectly promote violence toward women, through their open-borders policies, and glorification of cultures that oppress women, is more evidence of this.

Posted in feminism and men's issues, government/corporate discrimination against whites | Tagged | 3 Comments

A case study of bias versus maybe-not-bias

Well folks, I have finally (more or less) completed my travel blog. At least the international part of it. I’ve changed the theme so that it’s much easier to navigate.
Two recent incidents reminded me of the importance of careful analysis, and of not jumping to conclusions.
The first one involved a jury decision that Muslim truck drivers deserve $240,000 for being required to deliver beer as part of their jobs. This case was reported on Amren as well. Commenters, on both the Washington Post and Amren, were quick to point to another case: The case of Masterpiece Cake Shop and its refusal to provide a “same-sex cake” for a homosexual couple. This was also reported on Amren.
Here are some typical comments:

So bakeries that don’t want to bake a cakes because of their Christian and Jewish religious beliefs shouldn’t have to, right Obama? as he praised this decision that Muslims shouldn’t have to transport alcohol because of their religious beliefs.
Lets see, Muslim truck drivers are excused for not transporting alcohol, but Christian bakers are penalized for not baking cakes for “weddings” between homosexuals. We appear to have fallen down the rabbit hole.

Though I don’t agree with the case against the Christian bakery, there is an important distinction between the two cases. I’ll quote myself from Amren:

… the two cases are different. This company could have accommodated the two Muslim employees without compromising its livelihood; the Muslims could have been allowed to swap loads with other drivers, and all would have been fine. Had these Muslims worked for a liquor store, the case would have truly been similar to that of the bakery; we would have been dealing with absolutes: The job requires handling alcohol. If you don’t handle alcohol, then you can’t do your job at all. Similarly, once a customer requests a particular cake, then this becomes your job. Just as a Muslim could not (in theory) sue for having to handle alcohol at a liquor store, so too can the bakery not exempt itself from serving a “gay cake” for religious reasons. This being said, I do disagree with the judgment against the bakery owners. they should have the right to serve, or not serve, whomsoever they please.

A commenter, called “MarkinTex,” perhaps makes the point more succinctly. He commented on the Washington Post article:

Public accommodation laws (a business refusing to serve black people, or gay people, etc) are completely different from employment laws (an employee asking his employer to make a reasonable accommodation that the employer admitted in court it could have easily made).

By failing to make such distinctions, when we comment on public forums, we weaken our own overall position. We give the impression that we’re intellectually weak.
But we needn’t look far for real cases of mediagov bias. Here’s a good example from just a few days ago. A black high school student attacked the white principal during a brawl. Here’s how Yahoo reported it:

Three teenage California boys were arrested after a high school brawl caught on video during which the school’s principal was flipped to the ground by one of the youths, authorities said on Wednesday.

The 40-second clip, apparently shot on a student’s mobile phone on Monday, shows pupils at Florin High School in Sacramento screaming as a melee breaks out in the cafeteria…

The student wrestles with Ross and tosses him to the ground before returning to the fracas. The white-haired principal can be seen scrambling to his feet and grabbing the boy again. Seconds later, a Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy assigned to the school intervenes and the clip ends.

School officials said three students, aged between 13 and 15 years old, were arrested. Two were charged with battery on school staff causing injury, and the third was charged with threatening students and law enforcement, Sacramento County Sheriff’s spokesman Tony Turnbull said…

The brawl took place on the same day a white sheriff’s deputy was caught on video violently arresting a black 16-year-old student in her classroom in Columbia, South Carolina, after she refused to give her mobile phone to her teacher. The deputy was fired on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Mohammad Zargham)

Nowhere, in the article, does it point out that the perpetrator is black, while the victim is white. Instead, it brings up a completely unrelated story where the assailant was white, and the “victim” was black. But even in that unrelated story, there’s no evidence that race had anything to do with it. This is a clear case of media bias.

Posted in examples of propaganda | 5 Comments

Why have I not been posting?

It’s a question some of y’all have probably been asking. The answer is that I HAVE been posting, but not to this blog.
I’ve decided that I should do for the rest of my past travels what I did for Ethiopia. So, if anybody’s interested in reading more about my travels, viewing the photos and videos, just click here. It’s a work in progress; I still have a few more places to write about. Some of the posts have already been published here.
Like this blog, what you’ll see at the top is what was most recently published. You can use the drop-down menu to the right to navigate to various places. Maybe I should put a widget like that on this blog too…
Don’t worry; I’ll still post here. I’ve just been so wrapped up in the travel blog that I’ve been doing little else in my spare time.
The travel blog is meant to be non-controversial, though I do sometimes touch on politics. Bear this in mind if you comment.

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Feminism and Freedom by Prof. Michael Levin

A while back, Diversity Chronicle sent me “Feminism and Freedom” by Michael Levin. I just finished reading it, and thought I’d share some thoughts about it with my readers.
Firstly, here’s an accurate summery of the book from Amazon:

Combining philosophical rigor with detailed knowledge of a wide range of subjects, Michael Levin presents a thorough examination of feminism as both a theory and as a generator of social policy. His book provides a much-needed counterweight to uncritical feminist scholarship prevalent in so much social science writing.
Levin argues that feminists deny that innate sex differences have anything to do with the basic structure of society. He shows how this denial leads feminists to interpret observable differences between male and female roles as the result of discrimination and restrictive social conditioning rather than as the free expression of basic preferences. Levin concludes that feminist proposals for remedying this imaginary oppression systematically thwart individual liberty.
The first chapters of Feminism and Freedom show the conflict between feminist ideology and recent developments in anthropology, neurology, child psychology and behavioral genetics, as well as basic principles of scientific method. The author then moves to a wide-ranging discussion of affirmative action, comparable worth, and the impact of feminism on education, military manpower policy, language, family life and sports—showing in each case how feminist policies run counter to classical liberalism. Written in a lively, challenging, and accessible style, as controversial as it is timely, Feminism and Freedom is must reading for anyone interested in understanding society and preserving liberty.

There’s no doubt that Prof. Levin is an exceptional author; his book “Why Race Matters” opened my eyes to the reality of race. Similarly, this book opened my eyes to the true nature of feminism. However, due to Levin’s broad (and academic) vocabulary, many readers will find themselves reaching for their dictionaries.
The book also has more typographical errors than one would expect from such an illustrious author.
What I gleaned from the book is that there is no such thing as “moderate feminism.” All feminism is radical – because, by definition, feminism is at war with nature. In any other age, feminism would never have gained traction, but because its advocates piggybacked the movement onto liberalism in general – and “civil rights” in particular – they were able to hijack government and education on all levels. The results have been catastrophic and tragic. Countless billions of dollars, of taxpayer money, have been wasted, and countless lives ruined due to the feminist agenda.
The book was published in 1987, so the statistics cited therein are dated, but still very relevant. This book was written ten years prior to “Why Race Matters,” and one can already see hints of the latter work in the former – though the author annoyingly gives sympathetic words to the black civil rights movement. Ostensibly to highlight the contrast between the struggle for blacks (which, he says, has merit) with the struggle for women (which, he says, does not have merit). He may have simply been trying to stay out of trouble in this way.
If he were to write the book today, he might have included a chapter on the role of Islam vis-a-vis feminism. But he didn’t, so I’ll claim the insight for myself:
Feminism paved the way for the advance of Islam in Europe. By pressuring women to be like men, and forcing men to be like women, feminist societies left many women feeling unhappy and unfulfilled. Many women simply do not WANT to be just like men; they want to be WOMEN. But Western society made this difficult, and sometimes even impossible.
Along comes Islam, with clearly defined roles for the sexes. In Islam, many Western women found a way to be women again – even with the blessings of the liberal establishment!
As for the unhappy men, some of them also convert to Islam – or commit suicide. Or both.

Posted in book/movie/video reviews and links, feminism and men's issues | Tagged | 17 Comments

Kalman Katzenelson's encounters with Sephardic Jews

Thanks to a commentor, who calls himself IHTG, for providing the link to a Ha’Aretz article, which includes something of an epilogue to “The Ashkenazi Revolution.”  I’ve taken the time to translate it, and I’m sure some of y’all will enjoy it, especially those of y’all who have already read the book itself. My translation is probably not perfect; there are some things I wasn’t sure of, and where I had to take my best guess. So I’m including the original Hebrew at the bottom; hopefully, other Hebrew speakers can point out my mistakes and make suggestions. WordPress isn’t designed for a right-to-left format, so the Hebrew has some punctuation anomalies.
Here you go:
The first time I met Sephardim face to face was when I was doing temp work for the “Daily Press” of Jerusalem, which was edited by Revisionists, in 1930. My patron, A.B.A. Ahimeir, warned me, “Sephardim work here, the Sephardic-Ashkenazic issue isn’t settled with them. Be careful how you behave; if they suspect even a hint of disrespect, they’ll consider it Ashkenazic supremacy over Sephardim, and they’ll be very offended.” The test ended successfully. One day a man burst into the network who was permeated with severity, entirely agitated and enraged. “This place has also been lost to us,” he shouted in a mourners voice. The man, as one of the Sephardim in our network explained to me, was Mr. Gaon, secretary of the Sephardic congregation of Jerusalem. Gaon had submitted an announcement for a meeting in his organization, as had been customary for a long time. Due to incompetence, the piece had not been published, but Mr. Gaon suspected that the omission was a political decision by the new Revisionist editorial staff, which had locked the gate that had been wide open under the previous editor, Itamar ben Avi. In Jerusalem there was a process whereby Sephardic institutions were weakening, while Ashkenazic ones were gaining strength, and to the omission of this announcement, Gaon responded, crying bitterly, “This place has also been lost to us!”
One of the Sephardim on the editorial board was David Siton, who translated from Arabic, and was an expert on subjects involving Arabs and the Middle East. He would always have bundles of Arabic newspapers under his arm. He was an open-minded man, thirsty for liaisons. My acquaintance with him caused a dramatic turn for the duration of my life. We continued to encounter each other, in passing, at Revisionist meetings. At the end of 1930, David Siton moved, with his Ashkenazic wife, Bilha, from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, and became a close friend of mine. There were family meetings. In our apartment, in Neve Shaanan, we met with Avraham Stern (Yair), the founder of Lehi. David Siton joined Lehi. Stern’s family returned to Jerusalem, and the contacts ended. Between April 1944 and March 1947, I endured three incarcerations. Among the incarcerations were house arrests. Our contacts resumed during the mid 1950s, when I worked temporarily for the Hebrew Encyclopedia in Jerusalem. Again there were soulful conversations and family visits. In 1957 I published my first book, “Israel After the Sinai Campaign.” David Siton praised the book, and of the 10 copies I gave him for publicity, he sold about half, in installments. “We’ve been left without any status,” he told me as Revisionists establish themselves in the Knesset and government agencies. He appeared perplexed and as if he were standing at a crossroads. At our next encounter, I found him encouraged. The depression about “lacking any status” had passed. Something in his life had changed for the better. He told me some news, of his many travels. He was in the Balkans and in Turkey. He was sent by the Office of Foreign Affairs or one of the clandestine entities, I thought to myself. I didn’t ask for details. With such subjects, silence is better than speech. After a while, he excitedly revealed to me that he had acquired a high management position in the Israeli branch of the World Sephardic Federation. His words descended on me like snow in July. Over the course of 25 years of close familiarity, and heart-to-heart conversations, he never mentioned a word, or even half a word, on the subject of Sephardic ethnicity. Now all of a sudden he’s director general in the very heart of militant Sephardism. After the shock, I summed it up for myself: David’s revolution is part of the revolutions that the State had brought. People who had hidden within the hiding places of the Underground have turned into members of the Knesset, thirsty for publicity. People who gave up on livelihoods and family are in a frenzy for monetary profit. David joined the process.
In a meeting, at a small cafe’ on Yaffo Street in Jerusalem, David Siton brought up the problem with which he had been struggling, the problem of the ethnic gap. “You cannot imagine the awfulness of  the degradation, and the depth of the gap. Now, thank God, there is a state, and there is somebody to turn to. We are the choppers of wood, and the drawers of water; the Gibeonites (a servile caste in ancient times – translator).” Afterwards, I read every line of Sephardic announcements. I didn’t find the awful word “Gibeonites.” I only heard it from his mouth. He requested that I help him. Something in the field of my specialty. To warn about the severity of the problem of the gap. It was concluded that I would write an article for “Tribe and People,” a periodical that he edited, published by the Israeli management of the Sephardic Federation. I left with a suitcase overflowing with Sephardic publications, prior editions of “Tribe and People” and thin folders, in order to facilitate the writing of my article, which was published in “Tribe and People,” folio 3 of Kislev, 5719 (November/December 1959). The material I received was entirely complaints about the gap, and anger at the failure to reduce it, the fault of the Ashkenazic government. In my article, I called for Sephardic activists to moderate their criticism, and to know and appreciate the greatness of accomplishments that Ashkenazic hands had done in this field. Historic experience bears witness that the closing of a gap of the magnitude that exists in Israel has gone on for three generations, and has brought about a huge exodus of Ashkenazim to the United States. I concluded by emphasizing that the closing of the gap can be accomplished only “through a general effort,” not through various forms of separatism. Since “we’re one nation,” the solution will be reached through the qualitative democratic channels of a modern state.

Folio 4 of the journal responded strongly regarding my article. David Siton, on the foremost pragmatic problem: “The honorable writer’s approach bears testimony to a feeling of Ashkenazic superiority, which borders on revolting racism.” The process of three generations is shoved aside with anger. “They’re not willing to wait 150 years!” The scent of the Spanish Inquisition wafts from the words, machinery for the uprooting of opinions that are considered defective, and the erasing of inconvenient facts

At the following meeting, a different David Siton arrived. He didn’t speak of the woes of Sephardic Jewry, but of its rising power as waves of Sephardo-Mizrahi immigrants flooded the state. The Sephardo-Mizrahim are rising to majority status, while the Ashkenazim are descending to minority status. “The days are over when token Sephardim are registered, at the end of the list, for Knesset and municipal seats. From now on Sephardi and Ashkenazi are side by side. The Sephardim are ready to rule the state, they’re establishing dozens of settlements. Why not!” In the throes of his excitement he proclaimed “All the vegetable production in the country is now in Sephardic settlements!” I tried to calm him down: “The settlements are built with the guidance of Ashkenazim, within the framework of Ashkenazic civilization;” but to no avail.  The words “Ashkenazic civilization” angered him. He responded mockingly. His ears were blocked, and his eyes refused to see the reality.
The warmth in our relationship died. In its place a cold tenseness took hold. The state that had built a new world had destroyed, and uprooted, old worlds. It shredded the fabric of friendship between myself and the Jerusalemite Revisionist David Siton, who marched briskly with bundles of Arabic newspapers under his arm. The British left, the Arabs were expelled, and the Jews remained and proceeded to balance old scores.
With the words “Ashkenazic civilization” I lost, with him, all credit for being a good Ashkenazi, and I turned into a bad Ashkenazi. At our last meeting, and I didn’t know it would be our last, we traded impressions about the latest political news. When I told him, as an aside, that I had become close to Yiddish authors, and that I would strive to rejuvenate Yiddish, he exploded at me with angry words. I fled. Over the next week, I was in a state of shock and almost sick. When I recovered, I decided I would not be silent, but respond. “The Ashkenazi Revolution” appeared in 1964, after 5 years.
In folio 4 of “Tribe and People,” in a long pragmatic article, David Siton laid out the tactics of his group. The central pillar, “Securing places of leadership according to ethnic indexing.” Leadership in its broader meaning, which includes not only bodies where elected officials serve, such as the government, the Knesset and municipalities, but even high positions that require an intellectual population. To the extent that they do not exist, don’t worry! “Funds to encourage the higher education of members of the Eastern ethnicities” will solve the problem. In short, what they call “Affirmative Action.” Also when the plan comes to fruition, also when thousands of officials, worthy and not worthy, reach seniority within the workings of government, will this suffice to elevate the education and political skills of close to two million people? Isn’t there a risk that this group of bureaucrats will not fulfill the hope of razing the Ashkenazic civilization, but will rather assimilate within it for its own personal advancement? To this question, Sephardism provides an ideological answer that contains its main thrust: “The Israeli Ashkenazic culture won’t last long. It’s temporary and transitional from its very nature, (such as) the founding of incidental kibbutzim, whose fate will resemble somewhat the fate of the Crusaders. It’s not religious. On the contrary, it’s hostile to religion. Therefore, it will not last long, because Jewish culture is rooted solely in religion.” The Israeli Ashkenazic culture is destined to break up, and in doing so, the leadership of the country will pass to Sephardic flanks, which will achieve a process of affirmative action. The future culture of the State of Israel will be Sephardic, a continuation of the golden age in the land of Spain, rooted in the poetry of Spain.
Sephardism is correct in its prophesy of the breaking up of Israeli Ashkenazic culture, but it errs a tragic error in its assessment of the strength of Sephardic culture to inherit its place. (Sephardic culture’s) weakness is not the result of Ashkenazic persecution; we have an alibi. The weakness was born in the land of Spain, a result of the influence of the rationalism of Greek philosophy, which led to outbreaks of forced conversions the likes of which Jewish history had never known. Sabbateanism. The lack of ability to build a popular flourishing continuation, despite the wonderful Sephardic inspiration of the 16th century. In the 300 years between the Spanish Expulsion and the French Revolution, the Sephardic elite had a wonderful opportunity to establish itself ahead of the Ashkenazim, to establish itself and to lead, but it preferred to estrange itself and to subjugate. In contrast to this lack of ability, Ashkenazic achievement stands out in assuring popular continuity in the land of Europe under cruel conditions for a thousand years. Sephardism is correct in its burning prophesy for Israeli Ashkenazic culture, but it makes a tragic mistake in its faith that it will turn Israel into another chapter of the Golden Age of Spain. In its burning prophesy for Israeli Ashkenazic culture, Sephardism shares the assessment of the Ultra-Orthodox.

Over the 5 years after I wrote “The Ashkenazi Revolution,” a collection of material from over 4 years, and about half a year of writing, I sought opportunities to chat with Sephardim. I chatted with close to fifteen. One of them was Avraham Rikanati, of blessed memory, a precious and accomplished man, wonderful in his complete Jewishness, which didn’t need any foreign addition. Sephardic Jewry was his entire world, and he never recovered from its disgrace. He lived on Yehudah haLevi Street, and could it be otherwise? Usually I would meet him near the post office at Allenby, or on Binyamin Street. Folder in hand, on his way to the Florentine neighborhood with insurance policies for the Salonika (Jews). One day at Allenby, by the post office, he told me, as he gestured an annoying hand toward the shops: “In business we are descending and descending; there are no positions for young people. Thank God for Discount (Bank?), with 400 positions.” Binyamin Arditi, a Bulgarian from Yaffo, emotional and stormy, a wholesaler who might have been a member of the Knesset, and was a partner with David Siton in editing “Tribe and People” (folio) 3, in which my article was printed. He met me at Allenby, near the beach, and shouted at me: “It’s because of you that the Sephardim are just thieves and prostitutes! You have no idea how great our contribution is!” With a vegetable vendor on Dissengoff, who I think was from Iran, understanding and cultured, and very friendly with his customers. He was very much aware of political issues. Regarding the issue of ethnicity, he told me “There is a lot of bitterness, a lack of peace-making. In the future, something will happen…”. I gave him one of my books and I fell into a trap. He rejected my claims that the Jewish People has always had a leading tribe, currently the Ashkenazim. In his rage, he screamed at me “Hitler!” and he blocked way to the door. I was left imprisoned until the partner, less “passionate” about political issues, came to my rescue and allowed me to exit. Afterwards, I never entered that store. I chatted with a group of Yemenites a few times at clubs. I was surprised at the sight of an abundance of expensive electronic gear that they had received from a government agency, most likely the Office of Religions. They listened to me politely and attentively, but they rejected my claims.

The most dramatic meeting for me was around 1980, 15 years after the publication of “The Ashkenazi Revolution.” On Allenby Street, a stranger confronted me and asked: “Katzenelson?” Yes. “Why do you hate Sephardim?” He shook my hand so forcefully that it was a miracle he didn’t cause it to break. As we stood, he listened to my claims: We’re a group of tribes, and among us is a leading tribe. In the past, it was Sephardim, and Ashkenazim were trampled beneath them. Now the wheel has turned, not through our fault, but through the fault of history. I desire what’s good for the Sephardim. Tall, thin with the stride of a soldier. From time to time he would hunt me out at Allenby, and we’d have the same conversation. He would strive to digest the concepts. His stride was the stride of a professional military man. An undercover police officer? A private detective? He doesn’t sit at the table, at a cafe’ like realty agents, he constantly stands and confronts from the space between the houses. On one of the meetings, he invited me to a table at a cafe’ and he told me his story: (He was) a member of “Hagana” during the days of slander (to the British) between members of Etzel and Lehi. He was present during a meeting where they called the leaders of “Hagana” to slander the members of Etzel and Lehi, and he refused to cooperate. A soldier of the Israeli Defense Force, a decorated war hero, and after all this he remained… a Sephardi. There is no doubt that the thought that he had to teach me a lesson was eating away at him. Perhaps he belonged to a group that busied itself with such programs, and took photos. How did he recognize the features of my face 15 years after the publication of “The Ashkenazi Revolution?” Had he not done anything, it would have been because he’s a man of protocol, and he saw himself as obligated to heed the call of protocol. As the years passed, the cruel profile of his handshake diminished, and when his handshake became a normal one, I became convinced that he had forgiven, and that we were even at the threshold of friendship. Then he disappeared, and from the 90s I was no longer afraid that somebody would confront me from between the houses on the paths of Allenby.

“פגישות עם ספרדים” מאת קלמן כצנלסון

בפעם הראשונה נפגשתי עם ספרדים פנים אל פנים בעבודתי הזמנית ב”דואר היום” הירושלמי בעריכת רביזיוניסטים, ב-1930. הפאטרון שלי אב”א אחימאיר הזהיר אותי “כאן עובדים ספרדים, הנושא ספרדים־אשכנזים אינו מרפה מהם, תקפיד על התנהגותך, אם יחשדו בשמץ זלזול יעריכו אותו כהתנשאות של אשכנזי מול ספרדי וייפגעו מאד”. המבחן עבר בהצלחה. יום אחד התפרץ למערכת אדם לבוש בקפידה, כולו רותח ונסער. “גם המקום הזה אבד לנו”, זעק בקול אבלים. האיש, כך הסביר לי אחד הספרדים במערכת, הוא מר גאון מזכיר העדה הספרדית בירושלים. גאון מסר לפרסום ידיעה על פגישה בארגונו, כנהוג מימים ימימה. הקטע לא פורסם בגלל רשלנות, אך מר גאון חשד כי ההשמטה היא פרי מדיניות המערכת החדשה, הרביזיוניסטית, הנועלת את השער הפתוח לרווחה, בימי העורך הקודם, איתמר בן אב”י. בירושלים פעל תהליך של החלשת עמדות חברתיות ספרדיות והתחזקות אשכנזיות, ועל אי־פרסום הידיעה הגיב גאון בזעקה מרה “גם המקום הזה אבד לנו!”

אחד הספרדים במערכת היה דוד סיטון, מתרגם מערבית ומומחה לנושאי ערב והמזרח התיכון, חבילת עיתונות ערבית תמיד תחת בית שחיו. אדם פתוח וצמא למגעים. הקשר איתו גרם למפנה דראמטי לכל אורך חיי. המשכנו להיפגש פגישות חטופות בועידות רביזיוניסטיות. בסוף ה-1930 עקר דוד סיטון עם אשתו בלהה, אשכנזיה, מירושלים לתל אביב והפך לקרוב בידידי. היו פגישות משפחתיות. בדירתו בנוה שאנן נפגשנו עם אברהם שטרן (יאיר), מייסד לח”י. דוד סיטון הצטרף ללח”י. משפחת סיטון חזרה לירושלים והמגעים נפסקו. בין אפריל 1944 ומארס 1947 עברתי שלושה פרקי מאסר. בין המאסרים מאסרי בית. הקשר התחדש בשנות ה-1950 האמצעיות כאשר עבדתי זמנית באנציקלופדיה העברית בירושלים. שוב שיחות נפש ואירוח בבית המשפחה. ב-1957 פירסמתי את ספרי הראשון “ישראל אחרי מבצע סיני”. ד.ס. שיבח את הספר מ-10 העותקים שנתתי לו להפצה מכר כמחצית, בתשלומים לשעורים. “נשארנו חסרי כל עמדה”, אמר לי כאשר רביזיוניסטים מתבססים בכנסת ובמוסדות הממשלה. נראה מתלבט ועומד בפרשת דרכים. בפגישה הבאה מצאתיו מתאושש. הדכדוך על “חסרי כל עמדה” חלף. בחייו השתנה משהו לטובה. סיפר לי על חידוש, הירבה בנסיעות, היה בבאלקן ובטורקיה. בשליחות משרד החוץ או אחד הגופים החשאיים, אמרתי בליבי. לא שאלתי לפרטים. בנושאים אלה שתיקה עדיפה על דיבור. לימים גילה לי בהתרגשות שקיבל תפקיד גבוה בהנהלת הסניף הישראלי של הפדרציה הספרדית העולמית. דבריו ירדו עלי כשלג בתמוז. במשך 25 שנות היכרות הדוקה ושיחות נפש לא הזכיר במילה וחצי מילה את הנושא הספרדו־עדתי. עתה מנכ”ל בלב ליבו של ספרדיזם מיליטאנטי. אחרי התדהמה סיכמתי לעצמי: המהפך של דוד הוא חלק מהמהפכים שהביאה המדינה. אנשים שהתחבאו במחבואי מחתרת הפכו לחברי כנסת צמאי פרסום. אנשים שהפקירו פרנסה ומשפחות מסתערים על ריווחי כסף. דוד הצטרף לתהליך.

בפגישה בבית קפה קטן ברחוב יפו בירושלים גולל ד.ס. את הבעיה שנגש להתמודד איתה, בעית הפער העדתי. “אינך מתאר לעצמך כמה נורא השפל ועמוק הפער. עכשיו תודה לאל יש מדינה ויש אל מי לפנות. אנחנו חוטבי עצים ושואבי מים וגבעונים”. בעתיד קראתי כל שורה בפרסומים ספרדיים. את המלה הנוראה “גבעונים” לא מצאתי. שמעתי אותה רק מפיו. ביקש ממני לעזור לו. משהו בשטח הסברתי. להתריע על חומרת בעית הפער. סוכם שאכתוב מאמר ל”שבט ועם”, בטאון בעריכתו, הוצאת ההנהלה הישראלית של הפדרציה הספרדית. נפרדתי עם תיק גדוש פרסומים ספרדיים, גיליונות קודמים של “שבט ועם” וחוברות דקות, להסתייע בכתיבת מאמרי שפורסם ב”שבט ועם” גיליון ג’ כסליו תשי”ט. החומר שקיבלתי היה כולו זעקה על הפער וזעם על המחדל לחסלו, אשמת גורמי שלטון אשכנזיים. במאמרי קראתי לאקטיוויסטים הספרדיים לא להגזים בביקורת ולדעת להעריך את גודל המעשים שידיים אשכנזיות עשו בנושא. הנסיון ההיסטורי מעיד שסתימת פער בסדר גודל הקיים בישראל נמשכת שלושה דורות, וכך קרה להגירת הענק האשכנזית לארה”ב. סיכמתי בהדגשה שסתימת הפער תושג רק “על ידי מאמץ כללי”, לא על ידי בדלנות מסוג זה או אחר. כיוון ש”אנו אומה אחת” והפתרון יושג במסלולים איכותיים־דמוקראטיים של מדינה מודרנית.

גיליון ד’ של כתב העת הגיב בחריפות על מאמרי. דוד סיטון במאמר פרוגראמתי ראשי: “גישתו של הכותב הנכבד מעידה על קיום רגש של התנשאות אשכנזית הגובלת עם גזענות נפסדת”. התהליך של שלושה דורות נדחה בזעם. “לא מוכנים לחכות 150 שנה!” מהדברים נדף ריח של אינקוויזיציה ספרדית, מנגנון לעקירת דעות הנחשבות פסולות ומחיקת עובדות לא רצויות.

לפגישה הבאה הגיע ד.ס. אחר. לא דיבר על צרות ספרד אלא על כחה העולה כאשר גלי עליה ספרדו־מזרחית מציפים את המדינה, הספרדו־מזרחיים עולים לרוב ואשכנזים יורדים למיעוט. “עברו הזמנים כאשר לרשימות נבחרים לכנסת ולמועצות עירוניות דחקו ספרדי לסגולה בסוף הרשימה. מעתה ספרדי ואשכנזי זה בצד זה. הספרדים בשלים לשלטון במדינה, מקימים עשרות מושבים, מדוע לא!” בלהט התלהבותו הכריז “כל ייצור הירקות במדינה הוא עתה במושבים ספרדיים!” נסיתי לצנן אותו “המושבים נבנים בהדרכת אשכנזים, במסגרת ציביליזציה אשכנזית”; לשוא. המילים “ציביליזציה אשכנזית” הרגיזו אותו, הגיב בלגלוג, אזנו היתה אטומה ועיניו סרבו לראות את המציאות.

החמימות ביחסינו גוועה. במקומה השתלטה מתיחות שופעת קרירות. המדינה הבונה עולם חדש הרסה ועקרה עולמות ישנים, קרעה לגזרים את ריקמת הידידות ביני לבין דוד סיטון הרוויזיוניסט הירושלמי הצועד בתנופות רגל גדולות כשתחת בית שחיו צרור קבע של עתונות ערבית. האנגלים נטשו, הערבים גורשו, היהודים נשארו ונגשו לאזן חשבונות ישנים.

באמירה “ציביליזציה אשכנזית” איבדתי אצלו כל קרדיט של אשכנזי טוב והפכתי לאשכנזי רע. בפגישה האחרונה, לא ידעתי שתהיה אחרונה, החלפנו רשמים על המתרחש בסביבה הפוליטית. כאשר סיפרתי לו בדרך אגב שהתקרבתי לסופרי יידיש ואשתדל לפעול להחיותה התפרץ כלפי באמירת זעם. ברחתי. במשך שבוע הייתי נתון בזעזוע, כמעט חולה. כשהתאוששתי החלטתי לא לשתוק, להגיב. “המהפכה האשכנזית” הופיע ב-1964, אחרי 5 שנים.

בגיליון ד’ של “שבט ועם”, במאמר פרוגרמאתי ארוך, פירט דוד סיטון את הטקטיקה של קבוצתו. עמוד התווך, “שיריון מקומות בהנהגה לפי מפתח עדתי”. הנהגה במובן רחב הכולל לא רק גופים בהם מכהנים נבחרים, ממשלה כנסת שלטון עירוני, אלא גם במשרות של פקידות גבוהה הדורשות ציבור של משכילים. במידה שאינם, אל דאגה! “קרנות לעידוד חנוך גבוה של בני עדות המזרח” יפתרו את הבעיה. בקיצור מה שקרוי “העדפה מתקנת”. גם כאשר התכנית מוגשמת, גם כאשר אלפי פקידים, מתאימים ושאינם מתאימים, מבורגים במערכת השלטון, האם זה מספיק להעלות את ההשכלה והכושר הפוליטי של קרוב לשני מיליון? האין חשש שקבוצה זו של ביורוקראטים לא תקיים את התקוה לערער את הציוויליזציה האשכנזית, אלא תתבולל בתוכה לקידום אינטרס פרטי? לשאלה זו משיב הספרדיזם תשובה אידיאולוגית שבה עיקר כחו: “התרבות האשכנזית הישראלית לא תאריך ימים. היא ארעית ובת חלוף מעצם טבעה, יצירת קבוצות מקריות, שגורלן ידמה במשהו לגורל הצלבנים. היא אינה דתית. להפך, עויינת לדת. לכן לא תאריך ימים, מפני שתרבות יהודית שרשית היא אך ורק דתית”. התרבות האשכנזית הישראלית צפויה להיכנס להיתפרקות, ותוך כדי כך תעבור השליטה במדינה לעמדות ספרדיות שישיג תהליך ההעדפה המתקנת. התרבות העתידה של מדינת ישראל תהיה ספרדית, המשך לתור הזהב על אדמת ספרד, מושתתת על שירת ספרד.

הספרדיזם צודק בנבואת ההתפרקות לתרבות האשכנזית הישראלית, אולם טועה טעות טראגית בהערכת כחה של התרבות הספרדית לרשת את מקומה. חולשתה אינה פרי קיפוח אשכנזי, יש לנו אליבי. החולשה נולדה על אדמת ספרד, פרי השפעת הראציונליזם של הפילוסופיה היוונית שגרמה להתפרצות שמד במימדים שההיסטוריה של היהודים אינה יודעת כמותם. שבתאות. חוסר היכולת לבנות המשך המוני משגשג למרות צפת הספרדית הנפלאה במאה ה-16. ב-300 השנים שבין גירוש ספרד והמהפכה הצרפתית ניתנה לאליטה הספרדית הזדמנות נפלאה להתייצב בראש האשכנזים, להתייצב ולהוביל, אך היא העדיפה להתנכר ולחבל. לעומת אי־יכולת זו בולט ההישג האשכנזי להבטיח המשך המוני רצוף על אדמת אירופה בתנאים אכזריים במשך אלף שנים. הספרדיזם צודק בנבואתו הקודרת לתרבות האשכנזית הישראלית, אך טועה טעות טראגית באמונתו להפוך את מדינת ישראל לחוליית המשך לתור הזהב הספרדי. בנבואתו הקודרת לתרבות האשכנזית הישראלית שותף הספרדיזם להערכה של החרדים.

ב-5 השנים בהם כתבתי את “המהפכה האשכנזית”, איסוף חומר למעלה מ-4 שנים וכתיבה כחצי שנה, חיפשתי הזדמנויות לשוחח עם ספרדים. שוחחתי עם קרוב למניין וחצי. אחד מהם אברהם רקנאטי ז”ל, אדם יקר ודגול, נפלא ביהודיותו השלמה שאינה זקוקה לשום תוספת זרה. ספרד היא כל עולמו, עלבונה אינו מרפה ממנו. גר ברחוב יהודה הלוי, וכי ייתכן אחרת? בדרך כלל פגשתיו בסביבת דואר אלנבי או ברחוב נחלת בנימין. תיק ביד, בדרכו לשכונת פלורנטין עם פוליסות ביטוח לסאלוניקאים.יום אחד באלנבי ליד הדואר אמר לי בהניפו יד עצובה לעבר החנויות: “במסחר אנחנו יורדים, יורדים, אין משרות לצעירים, תודה לאל דיסקונט, 400 משרות”. בנימין ארדיטי בולגארי יפואי רגשן וסוער, נמוך קונה, ייתכן היה חבר כנסת, שותף לדוד סיטון בעריכת “שבט ועם” ג’ בו נדפס מאמרי, פגש אותי באלנבי סמוך לים והסתער: “בשבילכם ספרדים זה רק גנבים וזונות! אין לך מושג על גודל התרומה שלנו!” עם סוחר ירקות בדיזנגוף דומני מפרס, נבון מנומס ידידותי מאד ללקוחות, עירני מאד לנושאים פוליטיים. בנושא העדתי אמר לי “יש הרבה מרירות, לא משלימים, בעתיד יקרה משהו…”. נתתי לו אחד מספרי ועליתי על מוקש. דחה את טענותי שבעם היהודי היה תמיד שבט מוביל, עכשיו האשכנזים. בריתחתו צעק לעברי “היטלר!” ונעל את הדרך לדלת. נשארתי כלוא עד שנחלץ לעזרתי השותף, פחות “שרוף” בנושאים פוליטיים ואיפשר לי לצאת. מאז לא נכנסתי לחנות. שוחחתי עם קבוצת תימנים מספר פעמים במועדונם. השתאיתי למראה שפע הציוד האלקטרוני היקר שקיבלו ממוסד ממשלתי, ייתכן ממשרד הדתות. שמעו אותי בנימוס ועירנות, אך דחו את טענותי.

הפגישה הדרמטית ביותר היתה לי סמוך ל-1980 15 שנה אחרי פירסום “המהפכה האשכנזית”. ברחוב אלנבי הגיח אלי אלמוני ושאל: “כצנלסון?” כן. “מדוע אתה שונא ספרדים?” לחץ את ידי בכח שבנס לא גרם לה להתפרק. תוך כדי עמידה הקשיב לטענותי: אנחנו קבוצת שבטים ובתוכם שבט מוביל. בעבר הובילו ספרדים ואשכנזים התרפסו בפניהם. עתה נהפך הגלגל, לא באשמתנו, באשמת ההיסטוריה. אני רוצה את טובת הספרדים. גבוה, רזה הליכות של חייל. מפעם בפעם צד אותי באלנבי, שוב אותה שיחה. משתדל לעכל את המושגים. הליכותיו הליכות של איש צבא מקצועי. שוטר סמוי, חוקר פרטי? אינו יושב ליד שולחן בית קפה כמנהג מתווכי נדל”ן, תמיד עומד ומגיח מפרצה בין בתים. באחת הפגישות הזמין לשולחן בית קפה וסיפר את סיפורו: איש “ההגנה” בימי המלשינות על חברי אצ”ל ולח”י, נוכח באסיפה בה קראו ראשי “ההגנה” להלשין על חברי אצ”ל ולח”י סרב לתת יד. חייל צה”ל, הצטיין במלחמות ואחרי הכל ולמרות הכל נשאר… ספרדי. אין ספק שהמחשבה שצריך ללמדני לקח אכלה בו. אולי השתייך לקבוצה שעסקה בתכנית כזו וביצעה צילומים. כיצד ידע את תוי פני 15 שנה אחרי פרסום “המהפכה האשכנזית”? אם לא עשה מעשה הרי אך ורק מפני שהורגל להיות איש מסגרת וראה את עצמו מחוייב למשמעת של מסגרת. במרוצת השנים ירד פרופיל האכזריות בלחיצת ידו וכשהלחיצה ירדה לנורמלית השתכנעתי שסלח והיינו על סף ידידות. אז נעלם ומשנות ה-90 חדלתי לחשוש שבלכתי במדרכות אלנבי יגיח אלי מתוך הפרצות בין הבתים.

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