Avraham Azrieli's Blog, page 2
April 1, 2017
Jewish Author Wins Christian Book Award
Jewish Author Wins Christian Book Award:
Avraham Azrieli's novel, DEBORAH RISING (HarperCollins 2016) won the 2017 Illumination Book Awards for fiction. The novel portrays the dramatic rise of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. A sequel, DEBORAH CALLING, will be released by HarperCollins on July 25, 2017.
Avraham Azrieli
www.AzrieliBooks.com
Avraham Azrieli's novel, DEBORAH RISING (HarperCollins 2016) won the 2017 Illumination Book Awards for fiction. The novel portrays the dramatic rise of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. A sequel, DEBORAH CALLING, will be released by HarperCollins on July 25, 2017.
Avraham Azrieliwww.AzrieliBooks.com
Jewish Author Wins Christian Book Award:Avraham Azrieli's...
Jewish Author Wins Christian Book Award:
Avraham Azrieli's novel, Deborah Rising (HarperCollins 2016) won the 2017 Illumination Book Awards' Gold Medal Winner. The novel portrays the dramatic rise of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. A sequel, Deborah Calling, will be released by HarperCollins on July 25, 2017.
Avraham Azrieli's novel, Deborah Rising (HarperCollins 2016) won the 2017 Illumination Book Awards' Gold Medal Winner. The novel portrays the dramatic rise of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. A sequel, Deborah Calling, will be released by HarperCollins on July 25, 2017.
Jewish Author Wins Christian Book Award:Avraham Azrieli i...
Jewish Author Wins Christian Book Award:
Avraham Azrieli is the Illumination Book Awards' 2017 Gold Medal Winner for his novel Deborah Rising (HarperCollins 2016). The novel portrays the dramatic rise of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. A sequel, Deborah Killing, will be released by HarperCollins on July 25, 2017.
Avraham Azrieli is the Illumination Book Awards' 2017 Gold Medal Winner for his novel Deborah Rising (HarperCollins 2016). The novel portrays the dramatic rise of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. A sequel, Deborah Killing, will be released by HarperCollins on July 25, 2017.
February 3, 2017
Film Review: The Matchmaker (2010) by Avi Nesher (Director)
Film Review: The Matchmaker (2010) by Avi Nesher (Director) (Hebrew with English Subtitles)
Reviewed by Avraham Azrieli*
This is a wonderful movie that recreates a time capsule–Haifa, Israel in the late sixties. Having grown up in Haifa during that time, I found the story and its setting incredibly authentic and moving. The plot is deep, sweet, and multi-layered. The characters are totally believable and captivating. The setting is not only historically accurate, but rich with the natural beauty of Haifa’s stunning bay, unique architecture, and long stone stairways that tie together the city’s staggered neighborhoods up and down the steep hills, dotted with apartment building that perch on gravity-defying slopes. The superb acting enriches the interweaving threads of colorful ethnic conflicts and tender social fragility in a society where almost everyone was an immigrant, and where many were scarred survivors of the Nazi horror. In summary, a film of high quality, broad perspective, and deep feelings – should not be missed! --Avraham Azrieli, The Columbia Review
www.TheColumbiaReview.com
* Avraham Azrieli's latest novel is "Deborah Rising" (HarperCollins 2016), the story of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. www.azrieibooks.com
Reviewed by Avraham Azrieli*
This is a wonderful movie that recreates a time capsule–Haifa, Israel in the late sixties. Having grown up in Haifa during that time, I found the story and its setting incredibly authentic and moving. The plot is deep, sweet, and multi-layered. The characters are totally believable and captivating. The setting is not only historically accurate, but rich with the natural beauty of Haifa’s stunning bay, unique architecture, and long stone stairways that tie together the city’s staggered neighborhoods up and down the steep hills, dotted with apartment building that perch on gravity-defying slopes. The superb acting enriches the interweaving threads of colorful ethnic conflicts and tender social fragility in a society where almost everyone was an immigrant, and where many were scarred survivors of the Nazi horror. In summary, a film of high quality, broad perspective, and deep feelings – should not be missed! --Avraham Azrieli, The Columbia Review
www.TheColumbiaReview.com
* Avraham Azrieli's latest novel is "Deborah Rising" (HarperCollins 2016), the story of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. www.azrieibooks.com
Book Review: “Oracles” by Mario Brooks
Book Review: “Oracles” by Mario Brooks
Reviewed by Avraham Azrieli*
“Oracles” by Mario Brooks is a work that straddles the line connecting spirituality and philosophy. It is an interconnected collection of concise essays of reflection and insight, as well as poems and vignettes, arranged in an ideal assembly for the busy modern reader’s preference for succinct communications.
Perhaps fitting this prudent book’s direct approach to stimulating the reader’s mind and heart, the first piece in the collection, “The Heart’s Residence,” ends with the following words: “Our entrance door need not be adorned, only solid, sound, and hinged upon prudence, discernment, and kindness.”
A later piece, “Poetic Secrets,” utilizes prose in creating a very short story in which a poet encourages an admirer to try his hand in writing poetry. They converse intently, culminating in this frank and insightful exchange: “So poets are unhappy people?” he asked. [And the poet replies:] “No, quite the contrary. True poets have an inner peace saturated in love and regard sorrow as more of a distant relative.”
Touching on a related issue in “A Lesson in Creativity,” a student bemoaning her shortage of creativity is taught through the spinning of a coin. “Heads is the inspired thought. This you have.” But, says the teacher, “Your tail must be disciplined and sit long enough to nurture, develop, and bring your ideas into physical reality.”
The author’s creative approach to deep reflection in this volume includes not only words, but images that prompt contemplation of the elements of matter, life, and our world. Further explorations cover aspects of faith, trust, intelligence, good and evil, conformity (“kidnaps the soul and demands its silence”), and even death (“It is only the beginning of a new form, a new power, and a new beauty. It is a gateway to transformation.”)
In summary, “Oracles” by Mario Brooks is a wonderful journey through ideas and reflections. In the words of its concluding paragraph, as we read each short section of this book, “our bodies come into clearer form, our colors more vibrant, and the image beyond our reach, sharper.” This worthwhile transformative literary collection is highly recommended! --Avraham Azrieli, The Columbia Review
www.TheColumbiaReview.com
* Avraham Azrieli's latest novel is "Deborah Rising" (HarperCollins 2016), the story of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. www.azrieibooks.com
Reviewed by Avraham Azrieli*
“Oracles” by Mario Brooks is a work that straddles the line connecting spirituality and philosophy. It is an interconnected collection of concise essays of reflection and insight, as well as poems and vignettes, arranged in an ideal assembly for the busy modern reader’s preference for succinct communications.
Perhaps fitting this prudent book’s direct approach to stimulating the reader’s mind and heart, the first piece in the collection, “The Heart’s Residence,” ends with the following words: “Our entrance door need not be adorned, only solid, sound, and hinged upon prudence, discernment, and kindness.”
A later piece, “Poetic Secrets,” utilizes prose in creating a very short story in which a poet encourages an admirer to try his hand in writing poetry. They converse intently, culminating in this frank and insightful exchange: “So poets are unhappy people?” he asked. [And the poet replies:] “No, quite the contrary. True poets have an inner peace saturated in love and regard sorrow as more of a distant relative.”
Touching on a related issue in “A Lesson in Creativity,” a student bemoaning her shortage of creativity is taught through the spinning of a coin. “Heads is the inspired thought. This you have.” But, says the teacher, “Your tail must be disciplined and sit long enough to nurture, develop, and bring your ideas into physical reality.”
The author’s creative approach to deep reflection in this volume includes not only words, but images that prompt contemplation of the elements of matter, life, and our world. Further explorations cover aspects of faith, trust, intelligence, good and evil, conformity (“kidnaps the soul and demands its silence”), and even death (“It is only the beginning of a new form, a new power, and a new beauty. It is a gateway to transformation.”)
In summary, “Oracles” by Mario Brooks is a wonderful journey through ideas and reflections. In the words of its concluding paragraph, as we read each short section of this book, “our bodies come into clearer form, our colors more vibrant, and the image beyond our reach, sharper.” This worthwhile transformative literary collection is highly recommended! --Avraham Azrieli, The Columbia Review
www.TheColumbiaReview.com
* Avraham Azrieli's latest novel is "Deborah Rising" (HarperCollins 2016), the story of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. www.azrieibooks.com
Book Review: Discovering Your Optimum “Happiness Index” (OHI)
Book Review: Discovering Your Optimum “Happiness Index” (OHI) by Errol A. Gibbs and Marjorie G. Gibbs
Reviewed by Avraham Azrieli*
Discovering Your Optimum “Happiness Index” (OHI) by Errol A. Gibbs and Marjorie G. Gibbs is a rare flash of brilliant originality in the overlapping genres of Self Help and Spirituality. Successfully fusing personal narratives, academic investigations, original creative concepts, therapeutic process and methodology, and practical ‘takeaways’ for the fortunate reader, this is a must-read not only for the happiness-seeking person, but for anyone interested in the betterment of human society. Perhaps risking an oxymoron, we dare to say that Discovering Your Optimum “Happiness Index” (OHI) is the most serious examination of happiness in recent times.
The desire for happiness seems to permeate modern life, but it is too often confused with the obsessive acquisition of material possessions and social status. Authors Errol A. Gibbs and Marjorie G. Gibbs set out to explore a basic yet multifaceted and complex question: What is happiness? Not only its origins, its secrets, and its enhancement, but on a personal as well as global level (in their words): “This book introduces a revolutionary new perspective on “Optimum Happiness” (OH), for human survival as a viable species, which is a “higher value” proposition than mere “Happiness.” In our opinion, the authors succeeded in delivering on that goal.
Discovering Your Optimum “Happiness Index” (OHI) investigates happiness on many levels, connecting it to major life events (the common milestones in a person’s life—childhood, schooling, marriage, family, career, as well as social interplay and social class), as well as examining the effects of wealth and status. But perhaps the ultimate contribution of this cardinal work is the development of the idea that each person has a unique, optimal bundle of happiness, collating the oddly shaped pieces of the puzzle that makes each person’s singular life—spiritual, moral, social, intellectual, financial, and physical—which together combine into a ‘full picture’ of happiness.
Notably, while Discovering Your Optimum “Happiness Index” (OHI) explores the most fundamental questions of human life, the text is highly readable and easily accessible to the everyday reader. The authors share relevant experiences from their lives and personal journeys, while also leading the reader on a journey of discovery and exploration. The work draws from rich and varied sources, and provides some of the most potent (and beautiful) quotes from history’s best thinkers. Our favorite: “The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.” ― Socrates (469-399 BCE).
Compounding the benefits of this book’s wonderful examination of happiness in all its stunning human colors, the authors do not shy away from providing the reader with well-founded pathways to self-improvement that would be unquestionably beneficial—truly a multi-tiered gift that can change one’s quality of existence with a healthier and happier life. There are personal examples of what makes the authors happy, self-assessment and improvement opportunities, and breathtakingly broad discussions, quotations, citations, and sources, as well as practical tools, questionnaires, lists and exercises. In summary, this is a brave, deep, and exemplary detailed work that investigates happiness in all its aspects, charts new grounds in understanding happiness, both individually and socially, and provides a wealth of solid resources for readers seeking real, substantive, and lasting personal happiness. Truly indispensable and highly recommended! --Avraham Azrieli, The Columbia Review
www.TheColumbiaReview.com
* Avraham Azrieli's latest novel is "Deborah Rising" (HarperCollins 2016), the story of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. www.azrieibooks.com
Reviewed by Avraham Azrieli*
Discovering Your Optimum “Happiness Index” (OHI) by Errol A. Gibbs and Marjorie G. Gibbs is a rare flash of brilliant originality in the overlapping genres of Self Help and Spirituality. Successfully fusing personal narratives, academic investigations, original creative concepts, therapeutic process and methodology, and practical ‘takeaways’ for the fortunate reader, this is a must-read not only for the happiness-seeking person, but for anyone interested in the betterment of human society. Perhaps risking an oxymoron, we dare to say that Discovering Your Optimum “Happiness Index” (OHI) is the most serious examination of happiness in recent times.
The desire for happiness seems to permeate modern life, but it is too often confused with the obsessive acquisition of material possessions and social status. Authors Errol A. Gibbs and Marjorie G. Gibbs set out to explore a basic yet multifaceted and complex question: What is happiness? Not only its origins, its secrets, and its enhancement, but on a personal as well as global level (in their words): “This book introduces a revolutionary new perspective on “Optimum Happiness” (OH), for human survival as a viable species, which is a “higher value” proposition than mere “Happiness.” In our opinion, the authors succeeded in delivering on that goal.
Discovering Your Optimum “Happiness Index” (OHI) investigates happiness on many levels, connecting it to major life events (the common milestones in a person’s life—childhood, schooling, marriage, family, career, as well as social interplay and social class), as well as examining the effects of wealth and status. But perhaps the ultimate contribution of this cardinal work is the development of the idea that each person has a unique, optimal bundle of happiness, collating the oddly shaped pieces of the puzzle that makes each person’s singular life—spiritual, moral, social, intellectual, financial, and physical—which together combine into a ‘full picture’ of happiness.
Notably, while Discovering Your Optimum “Happiness Index” (OHI) explores the most fundamental questions of human life, the text is highly readable and easily accessible to the everyday reader. The authors share relevant experiences from their lives and personal journeys, while also leading the reader on a journey of discovery and exploration. The work draws from rich and varied sources, and provides some of the most potent (and beautiful) quotes from history’s best thinkers. Our favorite: “The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.” ― Socrates (469-399 BCE).
Compounding the benefits of this book’s wonderful examination of happiness in all its stunning human colors, the authors do not shy away from providing the reader with well-founded pathways to self-improvement that would be unquestionably beneficial—truly a multi-tiered gift that can change one’s quality of existence with a healthier and happier life. There are personal examples of what makes the authors happy, self-assessment and improvement opportunities, and breathtakingly broad discussions, quotations, citations, and sources, as well as practical tools, questionnaires, lists and exercises. In summary, this is a brave, deep, and exemplary detailed work that investigates happiness in all its aspects, charts new grounds in understanding happiness, both individually and socially, and provides a wealth of solid resources for readers seeking real, substantive, and lasting personal happiness. Truly indispensable and highly recommended! --Avraham Azrieli, The Columbia Review
www.TheColumbiaReview.com
* Avraham Azrieli's latest novel is "Deborah Rising" (HarperCollins 2016), the story of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. www.azrieibooks.com
Book Review: WHO WAS THE BIBLICAL PROPHET SAMUEL? by Rabbi Israel Drazin, PhD.
Book Review: WHO WAS THE BIBLICAL PROPHET SAMUEL? by Rabbi Israel Drazin, PhD.
More than any other figure in Jewish history, the prophet Samuel singlehandedly changed the course of the nation’s governance from a loose tribal association, rife with bitter conflicts, to a centralized monarchy–and Samuel did it not once (with his instigation of the Saul’s kingdom, the first-ever Israelite monarchy) but twice (with his ‘unseating’ of Saul and anointing the shepherd-boy David). Considering the outsized impact of this religious leader on the political, national and religious events of his time, as well as his lasting impact on Jewish history and the longing for the restoration of the ‘House of David’ to its former glory, one has to wonder “Who Was the Biblical Prophet Samuel?” Prolific author Israel Drazin’s new book answers this question with penetrating insight, refreshing clarity, and the same erudite originality that runs through all of Dr. Drazin’s books. This is a must-read for readers interested in Jewish history and its fascinating mysteries! --Avraham Azrieli, The Columbia Review
www.TheColumbiaReview.com
*Avraham Azrieli's latest novel is "Deborah Rising" (HarperCollins 2016), the story of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. www.azrieibooks.com
More than any other figure in Jewish history, the prophet Samuel singlehandedly changed the course of the nation’s governance from a loose tribal association, rife with bitter conflicts, to a centralized monarchy–and Samuel did it not once (with his instigation of the Saul’s kingdom, the first-ever Israelite monarchy) but twice (with his ‘unseating’ of Saul and anointing the shepherd-boy David). Considering the outsized impact of this religious leader on the political, national and religious events of his time, as well as his lasting impact on Jewish history and the longing for the restoration of the ‘House of David’ to its former glory, one has to wonder “Who Was the Biblical Prophet Samuel?” Prolific author Israel Drazin’s new book answers this question with penetrating insight, refreshing clarity, and the same erudite originality that runs through all of Dr. Drazin’s books. This is a must-read for readers interested in Jewish history and its fascinating mysteries! --Avraham Azrieli, The Columbia Review
www.TheColumbiaReview.com
*Avraham Azrieli's latest novel is "Deborah Rising" (HarperCollins 2016), the story of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. www.azrieibooks.com
Book Review: UNUSUAL BIBLE INTERPRETATIONS: HOSEA by Rabbi Israel Drazin, PhD.
Book Review: UNUSUAL BIBLE INTERPRETATIONS: HOSEA by Rabbi Israel Drazin, PhD.
Repentance – as the primary vehicle for restoring one’s standing in divine grace – has become the central tenet of Judaism, Christianity, Islam and their respective sub-denominations, but few remember today that Talmud gives the prophet Hosea credit for developing this fundamental idea of repentance. In that sense, Hosea serves as an under-appreciated forefather for countless religious philosophers and theologians, while his ideas continue to drive the way most of humanity worships God today in churches, mosques and synagogues. With this in mind, Dr. Israel Drazin’s new book, “Unusual Bible Interpretations: Hosea,” offers invaluable new insights–not only with respect to Hosea as a man and as a thinker, but also in helping us understand the book that bears Hosea’s name. As with his many other wonderful books, Dr. Drazin offers original interpretations while sharing his vast knowledge and deep understanding of the history and literary background of the Bible and its intriguing figures. Highly recommended! --Avraham Azrieli, The Columbia Review
www.TheColumbiaReview.com
*Avraham Azrieli's latest novel is "Deborah Rising" (HarperCollins 2016), the story of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. www.azrieibooks.com
Repentance – as the primary vehicle for restoring one’s standing in divine grace – has become the central tenet of Judaism, Christianity, Islam and their respective sub-denominations, but few remember today that Talmud gives the prophet Hosea credit for developing this fundamental idea of repentance. In that sense, Hosea serves as an under-appreciated forefather for countless religious philosophers and theologians, while his ideas continue to drive the way most of humanity worships God today in churches, mosques and synagogues. With this in mind, Dr. Israel Drazin’s new book, “Unusual Bible Interpretations: Hosea,” offers invaluable new insights–not only with respect to Hosea as a man and as a thinker, but also in helping us understand the book that bears Hosea’s name. As with his many other wonderful books, Dr. Drazin offers original interpretations while sharing his vast knowledge and deep understanding of the history and literary background of the Bible and its intriguing figures. Highly recommended! --Avraham Azrieli, The Columbia Review
www.TheColumbiaReview.com
*Avraham Azrieli's latest novel is "Deborah Rising" (HarperCollins 2016), the story of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. www.azrieibooks.com
November 20, 2016
The New DINGO – Democrats In Grimness Only
The New DINGO – Democrats In Grimness Only
By Avraham Azrieli *
In the wake of Donald Trump’s 2016 victory, Democrats are completely out of power, having lost the White House, both houses of Congress, and soon, the Supreme Court, as well. Left to roam the political wilderness like the proverbial Australian Dingo, demoralized Democratic leaders offer a trio of grim messages: First, they continue to condemn the relentless vicious attacks Mr. Trump had rained on his adversaries during his campaign as he attached derogatory nicknames to his opponents in the GOP primaries and vowed to put Hillary Clinton in jail. Second, they continue to enumerate all of Mr. Trump’s outlandish campaign promises, which ranged from unconstitutional to impractical and outright ugly. Third, they continue to build on Mrs. Clinton’s infamous “deplorables” comment by stigmatizing Trump voters as racists, sexists, or simply stupid—how could they fail to see Trump’s depraved heart, cunning mind, and self-enriching intentions?
Democrats’ thrice-grim message is understandable in light of the nauseating nastiness of Trump’s campaign, but it is shortsighted, misguided, and insulting to millions of voters. It is especially galling in view of the Democrats’ prior message of hope and change, which won the White House and both houses of Congress in 2008. Disappointed Democrats should begin by conceding the reality of an American credo: success begets redemption. By winning the presidency, Mr. Trump has redeemed his methods. It might be painful to digest, because his path to victory was paved with sickening rudeness, rotten lies, and ethical cesspools huge enough to swallow his Boeing 757. (See my previous article: “The New RINO – Republican in Nastiness Only,” May 6, 2016). However, in our system of presidential elections, the winner takes all. Game’s over. Let’s move on.
This redemption-by-success is not about morality, but about hindsight. Adopting a merciless, take-no-prisoners, win-at-any-cost strategy might be appalling along the way, but if it produces fame and riches, all criticism turns to praise—which is fitting, as Mr. Trump is first and foremost a fiercely competitive New York businessman. And while grim condemnations and righteous bemoaning abound, did Trump really have a choice?
Announcing his campaign last year, Trump’s odds of success were estimated at zero. Countless experts gleefully diagnosed his presidential ambition as a joke, a publicity stunt, or even a Trojan horse—a liberal plot to sabotage the GOP primaries. He was the underdog, the outsider, the wannabe who’d never be. Facing dismissive ridicule, Trump chose the only path open to him: shock and awe. At the outset, his proposed big wall, Muslim ban, and China trade war shocked and awed complacent political mavens and eager pundits, throwing every talking head into frenzy that blanketed the airways. His personal insults and nighttime tweets generated heated criticism and derision, raising a media storm that was soon upgraded to a hurricane and never calmed down. Through ebbs and flows, Trump stuck to his simple campaign theme—Make America Great Again—and he never gave up on those red hats, incessant attacks, and fiery speeches about a rigged system of corrupt politicians and their corporate paymasters. And then he shocked and awed a great deal more and never gave an inch, continuously and relentlessly, until he won the GOP primaries and—Surprise! Surprise!—the general elections.
In his stunning trajectory from a political neophyte to President-elect, Trump has performed the ultimate reality show. Democrats’ post-election grimness, on the other hand, perpetuates the very weakness that cost them the elections, blaming Clinton’s loss on others—the Russians hacked, the FBI director zigzagged, the Republican state legislators suppressed minority voters, poor white folks mistook Trump’s glitz for real gold, etc. Shell-shocked by Trump’s unexpected victory, Democrats persist in the blind denial of a grim reality of having lost the core voters of the party—working class Americans. There are many minor causes for Clinton’s loss, her dismal rate of likability chief among them, closely followed by the foolish focus on identity politics, which divided but failed to conquer. A Democratic candidate in today’s America should have won by a landslide, but Trump won because working class Americans—the justifiably angry and no-longer silent majority—handed the presidency to the candidate who spoke about the issues that really mattered to them.
A lone voice of caution before the elections, Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan warned that the Democratic party was losing the Rust Belt states: “The ordinary working man or woman in this country isn’t asking for a lot. They want to make a decent living. They want to be able to provide for their family, buy a home in a safe neighborhood, put food on the table, go the doctor when they need to, afford their medicines and educate their children. What many don’t understand is how these things are in danger of becoming unattainable for too many Americans.” How’s that for a clear message that calls for hope and change instead of grim condemnations? It’s time Democrats understand the real cause of Trump’s victory: for millions of families, the sympathies for minorities and for social justice causes—virtuous as they may be—are secondary to the fundamental dignity of a decent job that provides one’s family with a decent life.
But what about the danger of climate change? To many Americans, this is a huge concern, truly apocalyptic. In fact, regular flooding already poses a major challenge in coastal areas—notably in Florida, which ironically cost Hillary Clinton the elections. Even those who question whether or not climate change is caused by human activity don’t like chimneys spewing cancerous particles into their air or drillers injecting sickening chemicals into their well water. But the proclamations that Trump voters are ignorant of science or are suckers for oil companies’ manipulations miss the point completely. Trump’s message wasn’t in favor of pollution or the oil companies. His central message, wholeheartedly embraced by millions of voters, was that America sacrificed its economic interests and surrendered its industrial heartland by enacting draconian environmental regulations while signing trade deals with foreign countries, which are allowed to continue to pollute and use veritable slave labor to make cheap goods. This one-two punch has driven vast numbers of manufacturing jobs out of the United States and cost millions of workers their chance at the American dream. To borrow George Carlin's words: “The American dream is called that because you can only believe it if you’re dreaming.”
The acceptance of what really caused Trump’s victory is only the first step. Elections postmortem aside, what about the widespread fears of the coming Trump presidency? Will he bring to the White House the same raging temperament that characterized his campaign, or will he lead with the talent, skills, and deliberate caution that his success as a businessman, a TV personality, and a father must have required?
The Jewish Talmud says that, after the passing of the biblical prophets, prophecy was given to fools. Those who predict doom and gloom under Trump should remember the dire predictions and genuine panic that permeated Republicans upon the election of Barack Obama—a man of foreign origins, multi-cultural globalism, and complete lack of executive experience. We all know that those grim predictions failed to materialize. By most measures, the country is in much better shape now than when Mr. Obama took office, while Republicans take credit for their effective opposition to his more controversial initiatives. Similarly, a Trump presidency—tamed by a robust Democratic opposition—may very well prove to be a healthy mix of successes, setbacks, and unsavory scandals, not much different from past presidencies.
In summary, Democrats would do well to forgo grimness in favor of hope and change, adopting an agenda founded on fidelity to the real economic challenges afflicting working class Americans, and spice it up with a generous dose of creativity, fairness, and optimism. Global prosperity, cleaner environment, and tolerance of diversity are worthy causes, but they are secondary to the actual wellbeing of the very people our elected officials are sworn to serve and protect. To quote another Talmudic canon: “The poor of your own town come first.” Rather than attack Trump personally, which would only reinforce his outsider status and populist pretense, Democrats should unite to oppose his administration’s wrongheaded policies, and offer better ones. By refocusing on FDR’s “Four Freedoms” (expression, worship, prosperity, and security) and reigniting Johnson’s Great Society, Democrats will regain the moral, social, and political high ground that was lost in 2016. Then, DINGO may stand for: Democrats In Greatness Only. It worked for Mr. Trump, didn’t it?
* Avraham Azrieli is the author of ten published books, most recently “Deborah Rising” – a novel portraying the dramatic rise of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. www.AzrieliBooks.com
By Avraham Azrieli *
In the wake of Donald Trump’s 2016 victory, Democrats are completely out of power, having lost the White House, both houses of Congress, and soon, the Supreme Court, as well. Left to roam the political wilderness like the proverbial Australian Dingo, demoralized Democratic leaders offer a trio of grim messages: First, they continue to condemn the relentless vicious attacks Mr. Trump had rained on his adversaries during his campaign as he attached derogatory nicknames to his opponents in the GOP primaries and vowed to put Hillary Clinton in jail. Second, they continue to enumerate all of Mr. Trump’s outlandish campaign promises, which ranged from unconstitutional to impractical and outright ugly. Third, they continue to build on Mrs. Clinton’s infamous “deplorables” comment by stigmatizing Trump voters as racists, sexists, or simply stupid—how could they fail to see Trump’s depraved heart, cunning mind, and self-enriching intentions?
Democrats’ thrice-grim message is understandable in light of the nauseating nastiness of Trump’s campaign, but it is shortsighted, misguided, and insulting to millions of voters. It is especially galling in view of the Democrats’ prior message of hope and change, which won the White House and both houses of Congress in 2008. Disappointed Democrats should begin by conceding the reality of an American credo: success begets redemption. By winning the presidency, Mr. Trump has redeemed his methods. It might be painful to digest, because his path to victory was paved with sickening rudeness, rotten lies, and ethical cesspools huge enough to swallow his Boeing 757. (See my previous article: “The New RINO – Republican in Nastiness Only,” May 6, 2016). However, in our system of presidential elections, the winner takes all. Game’s over. Let’s move on.
This redemption-by-success is not about morality, but about hindsight. Adopting a merciless, take-no-prisoners, win-at-any-cost strategy might be appalling along the way, but if it produces fame and riches, all criticism turns to praise—which is fitting, as Mr. Trump is first and foremost a fiercely competitive New York businessman. And while grim condemnations and righteous bemoaning abound, did Trump really have a choice?
Announcing his campaign last year, Trump’s odds of success were estimated at zero. Countless experts gleefully diagnosed his presidential ambition as a joke, a publicity stunt, or even a Trojan horse—a liberal plot to sabotage the GOP primaries. He was the underdog, the outsider, the wannabe who’d never be. Facing dismissive ridicule, Trump chose the only path open to him: shock and awe. At the outset, his proposed big wall, Muslim ban, and China trade war shocked and awed complacent political mavens and eager pundits, throwing every talking head into frenzy that blanketed the airways. His personal insults and nighttime tweets generated heated criticism and derision, raising a media storm that was soon upgraded to a hurricane and never calmed down. Through ebbs and flows, Trump stuck to his simple campaign theme—Make America Great Again—and he never gave up on those red hats, incessant attacks, and fiery speeches about a rigged system of corrupt politicians and their corporate paymasters. And then he shocked and awed a great deal more and never gave an inch, continuously and relentlessly, until he won the GOP primaries and—Surprise! Surprise!—the general elections.
In his stunning trajectory from a political neophyte to President-elect, Trump has performed the ultimate reality show. Democrats’ post-election grimness, on the other hand, perpetuates the very weakness that cost them the elections, blaming Clinton’s loss on others—the Russians hacked, the FBI director zigzagged, the Republican state legislators suppressed minority voters, poor white folks mistook Trump’s glitz for real gold, etc. Shell-shocked by Trump’s unexpected victory, Democrats persist in the blind denial of a grim reality of having lost the core voters of the party—working class Americans. There are many minor causes for Clinton’s loss, her dismal rate of likability chief among them, closely followed by the foolish focus on identity politics, which divided but failed to conquer. A Democratic candidate in today’s America should have won by a landslide, but Trump won because working class Americans—the justifiably angry and no-longer silent majority—handed the presidency to the candidate who spoke about the issues that really mattered to them.
A lone voice of caution before the elections, Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan warned that the Democratic party was losing the Rust Belt states: “The ordinary working man or woman in this country isn’t asking for a lot. They want to make a decent living. They want to be able to provide for their family, buy a home in a safe neighborhood, put food on the table, go the doctor when they need to, afford their medicines and educate their children. What many don’t understand is how these things are in danger of becoming unattainable for too many Americans.” How’s that for a clear message that calls for hope and change instead of grim condemnations? It’s time Democrats understand the real cause of Trump’s victory: for millions of families, the sympathies for minorities and for social justice causes—virtuous as they may be—are secondary to the fundamental dignity of a decent job that provides one’s family with a decent life.
But what about the danger of climate change? To many Americans, this is a huge concern, truly apocalyptic. In fact, regular flooding already poses a major challenge in coastal areas—notably in Florida, which ironically cost Hillary Clinton the elections. Even those who question whether or not climate change is caused by human activity don’t like chimneys spewing cancerous particles into their air or drillers injecting sickening chemicals into their well water. But the proclamations that Trump voters are ignorant of science or are suckers for oil companies’ manipulations miss the point completely. Trump’s message wasn’t in favor of pollution or the oil companies. His central message, wholeheartedly embraced by millions of voters, was that America sacrificed its economic interests and surrendered its industrial heartland by enacting draconian environmental regulations while signing trade deals with foreign countries, which are allowed to continue to pollute and use veritable slave labor to make cheap goods. This one-two punch has driven vast numbers of manufacturing jobs out of the United States and cost millions of workers their chance at the American dream. To borrow George Carlin's words: “The American dream is called that because you can only believe it if you’re dreaming.”
The acceptance of what really caused Trump’s victory is only the first step. Elections postmortem aside, what about the widespread fears of the coming Trump presidency? Will he bring to the White House the same raging temperament that characterized his campaign, or will he lead with the talent, skills, and deliberate caution that his success as a businessman, a TV personality, and a father must have required?
The Jewish Talmud says that, after the passing of the biblical prophets, prophecy was given to fools. Those who predict doom and gloom under Trump should remember the dire predictions and genuine panic that permeated Republicans upon the election of Barack Obama—a man of foreign origins, multi-cultural globalism, and complete lack of executive experience. We all know that those grim predictions failed to materialize. By most measures, the country is in much better shape now than when Mr. Obama took office, while Republicans take credit for their effective opposition to his more controversial initiatives. Similarly, a Trump presidency—tamed by a robust Democratic opposition—may very well prove to be a healthy mix of successes, setbacks, and unsavory scandals, not much different from past presidencies.
In summary, Democrats would do well to forgo grimness in favor of hope and change, adopting an agenda founded on fidelity to the real economic challenges afflicting working class Americans, and spice it up with a generous dose of creativity, fairness, and optimism. Global prosperity, cleaner environment, and tolerance of diversity are worthy causes, but they are secondary to the actual wellbeing of the very people our elected officials are sworn to serve and protect. To quote another Talmudic canon: “The poor of your own town come first.” Rather than attack Trump personally, which would only reinforce his outsider status and populist pretense, Democrats should unite to oppose his administration’s wrongheaded policies, and offer better ones. By refocusing on FDR’s “Four Freedoms” (expression, worship, prosperity, and security) and reigniting Johnson’s Great Society, Democrats will regain the moral, social, and political high ground that was lost in 2016. Then, DINGO may stand for: Democrats In Greatness Only. It worked for Mr. Trump, didn’t it?
* Avraham Azrieli is the author of ten published books, most recently “Deborah Rising” – a novel portraying the dramatic rise of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. www.AzrieliBooks.com
November 13, 2016
The New RINO - Republican in Nastiness Only
(This essay was originally published on 5/6/2016.)
Donald Trump’s past support for Democrats, current progressive views and troubled marital history would have disqualified him among GOP voters of yesteryear. But with an unexpected string of victories, he slew the old RINO (Republican In Name Only) and brought to life a new RINO – Republican in Nastiness Only – which the majority of GOP voters have embraced. Left behind are Trump’s sixteen rivals for the nomination and scores of fair-minded conservative voters, who suddenly find themselves politically homeless.The litany of Trump’s vitriol has grown rich and diverse, but its foundations rest firmly in the scapegoating of minorities as undesirable in the America he’ll make great again. One minority group might be enough, but just to be safe, he’s attacking two: Latinos ("They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.”) and Muslims (“They hate us.” “I call for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.”).The long process by which the two major parties choose their respective presidential candidates has always been theatrical and combative, but the 2016 cycle is distinguished by Trump’s unprecedented malevolence. Most early observers expected him to fizzle out, doomed by his crude self-promotion, habitual flip-flopping on facts and policies, and un-American bid to kick over the melting pot. Instead, Trump dominated televised debates, humiliated his opponents and won primaries by blaming Latinos, Muslims and the Chinese for America’s problems and making patently empty promises, such as to deport twelve million immigrants, force Mexico to build a huge wall across the southern border, convince international corporations to ‘bring back’ millions of unskilled jobs from undeveloped countries, and make Americans rich. Trump has unabashedly directed his sale pitch at the most uninformed, gullible and xenophobic voters (“The day I realized it can be smart to be shallow was, for me, a deep experience.” “I love the poorly educated!”). Beside Trump’s winning formula as a new RINO, he demonstrates personality traits typical of oppressive leaders. He seems to believe his self-aggrandization, expects blind loyalty from his followers, menaces his critics, threatens violence if he doesn’t get his way, despises journalists ("among the most dishonest people ever created by God."), and promises to suppress the press.Trump surrogates hint that he is merely "projecting an image" to win the primaries, whereas his true ‘good guy’ persona will emerge for the general elections. This double insult to his GOP voters implies they are mean-spirited and stupid. Moreover, if the thorny curtain magically shifts to reveal a new Trump, brimming with kindness, tolerance, and thoughtfulness, the resulting political storm would be huge—though its ruinous aftermath may allow the work needed to make the party of Lincoln great again.Wishful thinking aside, unless Trump is an Oscar-worthy actor, his campaign reflects who he really is: wealthy from cradle to gray hair (presumably), brash owner of a large business enterprise, unchallenged king of his gilded castle, he’s spent a lifetime uttering whatever came to his mind with nary a pushback. He is unfiltered, unrefined and unconcerned about whether we like it or not. And many voters like it a lot—the nastier the better.History continues to produce democratically elected leaders who morph into tyrannical dictators, fueled by their populist dishonesty, grandiose narcissism and instinctive nastiness. The U.S. constitutional structure has withstood past presidential failures and misdeeds, but the three branches of government have never been so far out of balance: Congress suffers abysmal approval ratings and the Supreme Court is decried as politicized and paralyzed, whereas the president as head of the executive branch controls a colossal bureaucracy, commands the mighty armed forces, and operates an octopusian domestic security apparatus.Is it unfathomable for an American president to adopt the shrewd methods of Putin, Erdoğan, and Chávez, trampling the legislative and judicial branches in order to implement his grand, God-given designs? Is it farfetched to worry about the future use of available homeland security measures (eavesdropping, renditions, extra-judicial detentions, and enhanced interrogation technics) against scores of unpatriotic Americans who dare to oppose President Trump’s efforts to make America great again?
* Avraham Azrieli is the author of One Step Ahead – A Mother of Seven Escaping Hitler’s Claws, which inspired the stage musical By Wheel and By Wind. His new novel, Deborah Rising (HarperCollins, 2016), portrays the dramatic rise of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. www.AzrieliBooks.com
Donald Trump’s past support for Democrats, current progressive views and troubled marital history would have disqualified him among GOP voters of yesteryear. But with an unexpected string of victories, he slew the old RINO (Republican In Name Only) and brought to life a new RINO – Republican in Nastiness Only – which the majority of GOP voters have embraced. Left behind are Trump’s sixteen rivals for the nomination and scores of fair-minded conservative voters, who suddenly find themselves politically homeless.The litany of Trump’s vitriol has grown rich and diverse, but its foundations rest firmly in the scapegoating of minorities as undesirable in the America he’ll make great again. One minority group might be enough, but just to be safe, he’s attacking two: Latinos ("They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.”) and Muslims (“They hate us.” “I call for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.”).The long process by which the two major parties choose their respective presidential candidates has always been theatrical and combative, but the 2016 cycle is distinguished by Trump’s unprecedented malevolence. Most early observers expected him to fizzle out, doomed by his crude self-promotion, habitual flip-flopping on facts and policies, and un-American bid to kick over the melting pot. Instead, Trump dominated televised debates, humiliated his opponents and won primaries by blaming Latinos, Muslims and the Chinese for America’s problems and making patently empty promises, such as to deport twelve million immigrants, force Mexico to build a huge wall across the southern border, convince international corporations to ‘bring back’ millions of unskilled jobs from undeveloped countries, and make Americans rich. Trump has unabashedly directed his sale pitch at the most uninformed, gullible and xenophobic voters (“The day I realized it can be smart to be shallow was, for me, a deep experience.” “I love the poorly educated!”). Beside Trump’s winning formula as a new RINO, he demonstrates personality traits typical of oppressive leaders. He seems to believe his self-aggrandization, expects blind loyalty from his followers, menaces his critics, threatens violence if he doesn’t get his way, despises journalists ("among the most dishonest people ever created by God."), and promises to suppress the press.Trump surrogates hint that he is merely "projecting an image" to win the primaries, whereas his true ‘good guy’ persona will emerge for the general elections. This double insult to his GOP voters implies they are mean-spirited and stupid. Moreover, if the thorny curtain magically shifts to reveal a new Trump, brimming with kindness, tolerance, and thoughtfulness, the resulting political storm would be huge—though its ruinous aftermath may allow the work needed to make the party of Lincoln great again.Wishful thinking aside, unless Trump is an Oscar-worthy actor, his campaign reflects who he really is: wealthy from cradle to gray hair (presumably), brash owner of a large business enterprise, unchallenged king of his gilded castle, he’s spent a lifetime uttering whatever came to his mind with nary a pushback. He is unfiltered, unrefined and unconcerned about whether we like it or not. And many voters like it a lot—the nastier the better.History continues to produce democratically elected leaders who morph into tyrannical dictators, fueled by their populist dishonesty, grandiose narcissism and instinctive nastiness. The U.S. constitutional structure has withstood past presidential failures and misdeeds, but the three branches of government have never been so far out of balance: Congress suffers abysmal approval ratings and the Supreme Court is decried as politicized and paralyzed, whereas the president as head of the executive branch controls a colossal bureaucracy, commands the mighty armed forces, and operates an octopusian domestic security apparatus.Is it unfathomable for an American president to adopt the shrewd methods of Putin, Erdoğan, and Chávez, trampling the legislative and judicial branches in order to implement his grand, God-given designs? Is it farfetched to worry about the future use of available homeland security measures (eavesdropping, renditions, extra-judicial detentions, and enhanced interrogation technics) against scores of unpatriotic Americans who dare to oppose President Trump’s efforts to make America great again?
* Avraham Azrieli is the author of One Step Ahead – A Mother of Seven Escaping Hitler’s Claws, which inspired the stage musical By Wheel and By Wind. His new novel, Deborah Rising (HarperCollins, 2016), portrays the dramatic rise of the first woman to lead a nation in human history. www.AzrieliBooks.com
