People are different, and not all groups can blend easily together.
It seems obvious that as one moves across the globe, not all peoples are the same. I remember learning about post-war Japanese corporations. The CEO generally had his office in the middle of the building—not at the top corner as in America. It was not unusual in the case of really bad performance or scandal that the CEO would commit harakiri, or ritual suicide. I didn't see any dead bodies coming out of Enron headquarters, so clearly not all cultures are the same.
With globalization, one could find a Pizza Hut near Red Square or a McDonald's branch in the north of Israel. And while the movement of Western businesses into all quarters of the world suggested that we could all get along to some extent, there were some changes required. International branches had to take into account local customs, religious requirements, and/or government regulations. There are a few kosher branches of the Golden Arches in Israel, and they don't have cheese on burgers or serve milkshakes in a meat-based restaurant. There are limits to globalization, and Western companies are smart enough and profit-hungry enough to modify their offerings so as to make money anywhere in the world.
The assumption made by the West was that globalization could go in all directions. We'll take in millions of Muslims into Europe and poor Mexicans in the U.S., and what could go wrong? They have one head, two arms, and two legs. This was a great start. The problem was that the Western mind could not grasp people whose values and approach to life were often incompatible with Western values and laws. There is a very cute movie about a unit of Japanese Americans who fought in Italy during World War II. It deals with the issues of bigotry, accusations of dual loyalties, U.S. concentration camps, and the demands associated with wanting to be an American. Shedding much of the old world was a key to success in America. And this was the great point of the American melting pot. People put being American over remaining Armenian, Turkish, Polish, Japanese, or German. Thus, you could have an army roll call of "Messerschmitt, Tanaka, Liebowitz, Goldberg, and Franklin," and there would be nothing unusual about it. Becoming American meant putting away part of one's earlier identity. One didn't have to give it up completely—though one was free to do so—but it meant that the Red, White, and Blue came before the "old ways" whenever there was a conflict.
When the West moved to the "salad bowl" approach to immigration, there was no longer any pressure to conform to American expectations. Precisely the opposite: keep your old world name and language. We'll cater to you! Whereas nobody taught my mother German in New York public schools, everything today has an option for Spanish—schools, driving tests, phone customer service, etc. We no longer ask newcomers to become like us, and they gladly keep to their old ways—to the point of booing the American soccer team when it played Mexico at the Rose Bowl a while back. With Muslims came the added issue of Sharia law and Islamic efforts to convert all lands and people to Islam. When Jews came from the Old Country, they definitely wanted to continue being Jews—while at the same time becoming proud American citizens. There is a moving video of a very big rabbi in his finest clothes going through the process of receiving citizenship in his home in 1949. Today, people keep their old country first—look at Ilhan Omar, though in Congress, always calling Somalia home.
The Israeli left has an important lesson for peoples throughout the world. With funding from international anti-populist sources, it has made protests endless. When Bibi Netanyahu was out of office, they were silent. When he came back, they immediately protested his legal issues. Then they moved against his efforts to reform the Israeli judiciary. Then they protested against the war, the lack of hostage returns, the war again, and now are transitioning back to protesting the present government's policy on whatever issue they are told is important. Those in the U.S. and Europe protesting Israel will not disappear even if Israel were to vanish. They will simply move to the next issue: no more Christianity! End the existence of white people! No more common law in place of Sharia law! Even now, protesters in the U.S. are chanting against the Trump administration's moves against Venezuela. The protesters are wearing their leftover keffiyehs from the pro-Hamas protests last week. After the Supreme Court ruled in favor of "gay marriage," the major gay organization that pushed the case did not disband. It saw that it still had money in the bank and moved to trans issues. These people never go away, and they always find a cause against the people and normal leaders. And there is plenty of money to keep these folks protesting—whether against Tesla/Musk or Donald Trump, they will get paid to protest. I could not stop laughing when I saw an old woman who got an Arabic tattoo, "From the river to the sea." Apparently, it actually reads, "From the river to the bad smell."
The Soros-brand Left is well-funded and can be programmed to protest or fight whatever issue it is fed. Fight big oil! Fight Israel! Fight anti-trans legislation! Fight a closed border! Fight ICE! In the past, a person or organization would have one big issue. Now, the same people—wearing the same "revolutionary" keffiyehs—are fighting Israel, climate change, anti-trans efforts, and now possible war with Venezuela. They have no real values and only act according to their getting paid and being provided with the appropriate signs and other props.
How does this all end? I don't know, but I know how all this continues. Throughout Jewish history, Jewish blood has been shed, whether the killers were Romans, Spanish Inquisitors, Nazis, or Hamas terrorists. While all of the Jew haters of the past are in the dustbin of history, the Jews just keep on going. If you come to Israel, go past the tourist sites and into the neighborhoods. Thank God, you'll see lots of children. The other day, I saw a 10-year-old girl pushing a stroller with a newborn while holding her 5-year-old brother's hand. Last week, I wished a mazel tov to two friends, as each had a great-granddaughter born into the family. When Tucker "interviewed" the Qatari prime minister, the latter would not say Israel, only "the Zionists." His ilk is hurtling toward joining Hitler, Titus, the pogrom makers of Poland and Iraq, and other Jew haters who have left the world stage. The Jews will keep going, and all of those with their Chinese-made keffiyehs will remain as childless and bored with their valueless lives as they were before they got caught up hating Jews.
The West is based on Christian history and values. While Jews were at times persecuted, in the present, Jewish communities are net positives in countries that are liberal democracies. The addition of millions of Muslims has thrown Europe out of kilter, and the U.S. is not far behind if it does not ban the Muslim Brotherhood, limit Muslim immigration, and throw out those demanding Sharia in place of a constitutional Republic. It says that when Lot told his sons-in-law that God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, they laughed at him like he was crazy. Qatar and its friends want a Sharia Europe and a Sharia U.S. Will today's leaders act to prevent the same?
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy Townhall’s conservative reporting and opinion? Support our work by joining Townhall VIP! Use the promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership!
Join the conversation as a VIP Member