230	The Story of the Jewish Defense League

bhis bones but refuses to acknowledge. It is the so human, so bJewish hope that that which is ignored may fade away with- bout destroying our tranquility! How sadly and how foolishly bhuman! How sadly and tragically disastrous!

b“Only the foolish or the ignorant can fail to acknowledge bthe fantastic erosion of Jewish political and economic for- btune in the United States in the last five years. With appall- bing suddenness we have witnessed the upsurge of radical bright anti-Jewish hatred racing side by side with the bphenomenon of similar Black militant ravings. We watch as bthe Radical Left lends its support to racist fascists and joins bwith them in total war on Israel . . .”

bI went on to discuss the destruction of Jewish neighbor- bhoods and businesses and the open anti-Jewish manifesta- btion of hate. I discussed the rise of a reverse discrimination bthat was threatening Jewish teachers, students and civil ser- bvants. I discussed the climate of social and political frustra- btion arising from the Vietnam War and the erosion of values band trust in government’s ability to solve the problems. I bdiscussed the rise of radical groups and the paralysis of bgovernment officials. I discussed the growing anger and bdisgust in America that, given an economic crisis, would bexplode into the death of democracy and a repetition of bAuschwitz, and I wrote:

b“We see it all, and we hear it all, and we watch a growing beconomic crisis develop which could be the spark to ignite bthe powder keg and we choose to ignore it. Like little chil- bdren, we dislike unpleasant truths. We prefer to cut off the bunpleasant for tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow b—until the next tomorrow is too late.

b“It is time to go home and derive a little comfort from the bHolocaust, the comfort of knowing that we learned its les- bson. It is time we gazed upon the ruins of the democratic bWeimar Republic with its comfortable and secure and bhappy Jews who knew it could not happen. It is time to bunderstand that—for the Jews—there can be respite from bslaughter only in his own land.”

bI determined to begin giving major attention to this prob- blem when I arrived in Israel in 1971. My own aliyah had, of b