I learned absolutely nothing from the experience of antisemitism that I didn't know before. Some people can be cruel and will blame a race for or class of people for their own failures. That's the case with immigrants today. All the American losers - and there are plenty of them - find it easier to blame immigrants for their own ineptitude than to take a good, hard look inside themselves. Hitler blamed the Jews for Germany's problems; Trump blames immigrants (and free trade) for the loss of American jobs.
I saw 15-16 year olds in prison for over a year and they had no idea why they were in prison. Oh, I understood quite well when the warden said to me, "if I ever find your mother fuckin kike ass in this county again, boy, you are going to rot in this prison, Jew Boy, you understand me, boy?"
I was in the Israeli army and saw a lot worse. But this was still pretty bad.
My innocence, my bubble, bursted way before that, unfortunately.
As a father and tutor, I did everything I could to extend the innocence and bubble for my children and students. Let life naturally take it away; it won't be me who does the damage.
Sure, experience of racism is different than empathy; but it's an experience not worth having. |
