I Was A Moral Relativist
On logical conclusions
Growing up I used to believe that Israel was a unique victim, held to a different standard than other nations.
I argued that no one complained when other countries, peoples, or organizations committed atrocities.
Upon examination I realized this was simply an admission of guilt.
I admitted the wrongdoing.
I admitted the moral framework was relative.
I admitted that the referee mattered more than the victim of human suffering.
I admitted I wasn’t exceptional.
סגולה
مُخْتَار
I could never figure out how people could be so impressed by the words Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir said, when she laid out the Israeli Terms of Engagement as clearly as she did:
“When peace comes we will perhaps in time be able to forgive the Arabs for killing our sons, but it will be harder for us to forgive them for having forced us to kill their sons. Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us.”
It always seemed obvious to me that she was saying that "Israel will not be held to normal moral standards. If [Palestinians] kill us it will be their fault. If we kill [Palestinians] it will be their fault. Whatever happens, whatever is done, whoever does it, it will be their fault."
Perhaps it was her use of the familiar and comfortable word "forgive" that obscured the meaning of the rest of the words, especially the words that (to my mind, bizarrely) imply that anyone could be *forced* to kill a child.
Growing up, I used to think that the US was a great place to live - until I was about 9-10 and my mother started pulling back the curtain… so many of us as children are indoctrinated and brainwashed because our parents were and think it’s normal. I thought Israel was just a place on a map in school, just like I was taught that the Pilgrims were nice to the Indigenous here. Waking up and tossing everything that felt comfortable and “normal” as children is not easy, especially when you lose family and friends because you stand for justice. Maybe someday they will understand, maybe not - but at least we can look ourselves in the mirror.