Sins of the parents

May their names be erased, look at Saddam's sons, look at Khaddafi's sons...I was talking to someone online last night about what happens to our children when they are not raised on 'the derech'-the right path-for Jews, it is the path of Torah observance. She said to me, and she is someone respected in her community as having a successful family, shomer shabbos, good kids...that things happen you can never anticipate for your children. Why Bad Things Happen to Good People theory that was put together a decades ago, by a rabbi I think, to explain why we cannot look and assume that what we see is 'good' or 'bad' or indeed a punishment for bad parenting.

On a larger much larger scale, what I want to write here,that has me torn up and grieving for Libyans; is watching people trying to live under the irrational, delusional world of a man who either is mentally incompetent and does not realize it, or deliberately maniacal and certifiably insane. And does it even matter now when wholesale slaughter goes on, not even in the name of anything except Ruler wants to remain in power.

And an army is not enough, you need an army to spy on your army...as the Green Constitution states, any soldier refusing orders from superiors will be executed. So the father has his armies, the sons have their own military forces who are chasing down defectors from the father's military who are refusing to slaughter their own people. Green or Yellow all depots handbooks seem to have the same text.
The Tent Dweller announced today that hallucenogenics were being put into the coffee of the young men of Libya, causing them to riot and be confused. He called up a radio station, he must have missed his taxi ride on to the national broadcasting studio or had his driver executed earlier in the day.
Saif Khaddfi went on TV to announce that the main city of Tripoli was functioning normally, all is right with the world.

16-17 years old Sudenese mercenaries given klatchnikofs. Libyan soldiers bound and tied are executed by mercenery boys with these ancient guns because they wont murder their own people.

What does Mr Obama need to start a fire in his heart? Does he have a heart? Does it work? Is he so focused on 2012 or gay rights to bolster his campaign that the most important region on earth is being destroyed while being reborn as a phoenix of hope. American talking heads sit each night and ponder between themselves whether we should worry about the Brotherhood, Taliban, Pakistan, inserting themselves into political gaps left from dictator removals. *Post note, this was written evening 2.24 and I didnt realize Mr. & Mrs. Obama were celebrating black history month with a gala concert celebrating Motown while Middle East citizens are calling up US TV stations asking if anyone can hear what is going on? Does anyone realize they are about to die.

I made a decision this evening to simply not place blame on Mr. Obama-his incompetenecy, lack of bedside manner, inability to perform fireside chats in rallying the country regarding the financial debacle even he doesnt understand, or being unable to speak out without a script.

That is why he is silent or meely mouthed-there's no script for what's happening. He clearly understands Motown this pretender to the throne in the Washington. He doesnt want to be heard saying political from his heart, something passionate or moral, taking a chance as Kennedy said of Berlin, "Ich bin ein Berliner" speaking for all Americans as we watched the pain of families separated by a wall and check points.

There are remedies for madness. The problem with mental illness and religions, be it Islam or Judaism, is that illness is regarded as a sign of spiritual illness manifesting in physical terms. So shrinks and meds are not acceptable by old school standards- in short, say more prayers, ask for a refuah shaleyma, give tzedakah and accept G-d has his plans.

The larger issue is when the individual's madness effects the greater good. So as America is afflicted with bombers, homegrown suicide missions for thrill, from despair, from losing home or job, from political beliefs, what then is the responsibility of those close by such as family, friends, doctors, neighbors or in the case of Libya,the men in charge behind the curtains controlling the Mad Wizard of Oz-if they will not act to end his regime, they have the same blood on their hands. In the democracies that have hailed a call to these regimes to allow citizens their right to assemble and speak who have collaborated with these regimes to benefit America, either for oil, for products or political expediency, every death by these regimes is blood on America's government.

Islam is filled with ironies-there is retribution for acts committed outside the accepted norms of a tribe. You steal, your hand is cut off and you must repay the victim of your theft. But hadith notes that a madman cannot be held responsible for his actions, a madmen cannot be a witness, but clearly in Islamic regimes being 'mad' means covering yourself with excuses while you do as you like. It does not begin with rulers, it begins with religious text being distorted, giving men the power to abuse everyone around them, male and female, to militaries, police, husbands, boys toward their sisters, mothers...

Muslims must stop accepting violence as inherent to their lives, faith and culture, it is not necessary to their survival...for the all horrors Egyptians suffered, they chose liberation using mainly peaceful means. Hopefully they and the rest of the region can rethink faith and life peacefully.