Being De-Friended

When I began recovering from my transplant, I decided to make it my goal to reconnect with as many old friends as possible. As I wrote in my transplant story, I was having a very difficult time trying to understand how my life turned out the way it had. Without going into detail here (you can read the story if you're that interested), I felt that the key to my future was by understanding my past.

In some respects, I was correct. I managed, over the next 8 years, to reconnect with everyone I set out to find. Some found me, and others I had to track down. There are a couple of people I decided against finding because I do believe some things are best left in the past.

What I discovered, though, is how precious every relationship was. Even though I don't communicate with everyone on a regular basis, I have kept up with them all - either by email or Facebook.

So, as I am now almost 8 years post-transplant, I find I have become Facebook friends with most of them. Add to my friend list my brothers, sister, nephews, nieces, aunts and uncles, children and other relatives; I find that I have more Facebook friends than I ever dreamed I'd have. Some of these friends are from my childhood, some from when I worked for NCSY (in a number of places) and yet others are people I've become acquainted with over the past 8 years. Each one is a different story and each one means so much to me.

So it is with sadness that I discover someone unfriending me. Granted, not everyone wants to be my friend, but once someone does, I like to believe they will be a friend for life. I have learned that life is so very short and we are only able to succeed upon the shoulders of those who support us.

This friend who unfriended me was not a lifelong friend from my youth, but someone I only met about three years ago. The details of how we met is not important, neither is the name. Since we met, we developed a nice connection over many miles. There were some very nice qualities about this person and I enjoyed the friendship.

But then, just a couple of days ago, this friend sent me a message, asking me to "like" (which is a Facebook way pf supporting a particular person or thing) something I felt was in poor taste. The thing was in support of removing someone from a particular show for their conservative views. While I may not watch the show for many reasons - one, because the others on the show are not only very liberal, but are quite insane - I don't believe having a different point of view is reason to fire someone from their job.

I worked for the past two years with a boss who was an extreme lefty. While I disagreed with many of his points of view, I never questioned his right to express them. On the other hand, he often would lambaste and embarrass me because I hold conservative opinions. Did it bother me that he was so condescending and intolerant? Absolutely. But because he was my boss, I mostly held my tongue. However, there were times he crossed the line and I argued with him.

This friend, however, never gave me that chance. This friend's first reaction to my comment was to de-friend me. Now, it should be pointed out that the comment I made to this person was neither mean-spirited, nor antagonistic in any way. I simply wrote to this person that I disagreed with the idea because I felt expressing a different point of view is important not only for that show, but for this country entirely.

See, I still remember when Hillary Clinton said that to disagree was patriotic. And yet, since Obama has become President, it seems any opinion that isn't in lock-step with the left is either hate speech, or racist. I do not begrudge anyone from having liberal views - in fact, a number of my Facebook friends are quite liberal. However, that does not mean I will just sit back and shut up whenever I am confronted with someone, or thing, I disagree with.

Earlier today, I posted an article written by Harris Senturia, a member of the Cleveland Chapter of the National Jewish Democratic Council. The article, titled "President a friend of Israel, reflects Jewish values," explained why he believes Barack Obama is, and has been, good for the Jews. Upon reading it, I came to the conclusion that Mr. Senturia is either very foolish, or else he really does not understand what being good for the Jews really entails. He uses the idea that Obama - and I can only assume by extension, the Democrat Party - shares the same core values as the Jewish people.

And what, exactly, are those same core values? Well, for one, he claims that President Obama was steadfast in his support of Israel's raid on the Mavi Marmara. But that is so far from the truth, it makes my head hurt. Aside from certain Obama "friends" being directly involved in the launching of this ship, Obama allowed the condemnation of Israel to proceed in the United Nations.

In addition, Obama's treatment of the State of Israel, since he took office, is nothing short of shameful and dangerous. He has surrounded himself with far too many anti-Semites - Reverend Wright, Samantha Powers, Joseph Cirincione, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Susan Rice, and Robert Malley, not to forget Rashad Khalidi to name another. Furthermore, his treatment of Prime Minister Netanyahu, along with his backtracking on his promise at the AIPAC meeting that "Jerusalem shall remain undivided" AND his slobbering over the Islamic world (while disgustingly insulting our allies) just adds to the proof that Barack Obama is no friend to the Jewish people.

When you look at the people who come out in support of Israel on a daily basis, what you see is that the overwhelming majority of them are conservatives. The liberal left has long ago aligned themselves with the enemies of Israel and the Jewish people. Yes, I know an exception is Pat Buchanan. But he is an exception rather than the rule. In general, if you want to read blog, or watch a talk show in support of the State of Israel, you need to read (and watch) conservative, right wing websites.

Are there liberals who support the State of Israel? Of course there are. But what Mr. Senturia wrote was not supportive of Israel. In fact, it was quite damaging because it gives Obama's treatment of Israel a cover to continue his policies, which are absolutely feckless and dangerous.

In addition to his claim that Obama stands with Israel, he also added "at home, Barack Obama is one of the greatest champions against intolerance and exclusion that this country has ever seen." Is he serious???

Since taking office, Obama has been the most divisive President in recent history. From his calling out the Cambridge Police Department, to his claim that the Arizona border laws are racist (assuming that, unlike his Attorney General and Homeland Security Secretary, he actually read the bill), he has shown a remarkable ability to divide this country even more than his predecessor.

Unfortunately, people like Harris Senturia are so blind by their ideology that they can not fathom that someone like Obama holds different values than he does. Of course, some will say that because I am a right-wing conservative, I am also blinded by ideology. But I do not see it that way. I do look and listen to the other side. But again, I will not just sit idly by while someone says, or writes something I vehemently disagree with.

Of course, one Facebook friend said I was "so angry" and that I "let someone else offer an opinion, even if you disagree"

But I didn't stop that man from stating his opinion and I'm never angry. However, I am frustrated by the condescending tone of someone telling me I'm somehow not letting anyone else have an opinion. What I have found from many of my liberal Facebook friends (and I've heard this quite a bit outside of Facebook), is this overwhelming feeling that because I do not tow the liberal line, I have to be careful what I say.

My ex-friend - the one who de-friended me - exemplified this attitude. It is condescending, it is rude and it just shows me who the intolerant ones are. Nowhere did I say Harris Senturia had no right to state his opinion. NOWHERE.

I simply stated I disagreed with him and felt he was ignorant and a self-hating Jew. Because anyone who could not only believe Obama has been good to the Jews (and shares the same values) and then write about it for all the world to see, can not truly love the Jewish people, or the State of Israel. What he is suggesting is for us to simply accept Obama's "purity" and allow him to continue to destroy this country's relationship with Israel.

Of course, this attitude is what allowed so many people to just walk into the ovens in Auschwitz. It is foolish and it is dangerous. And telling me (or anyone else on the right) to shut up and sit down is arrogant and disgusting, as well. If you don't agree with my views, that's your prerogative. You have a right to your opinions. But do not try to shame me for my having my own.

That just makes you look stupid.