Black Marks on All 3 Branches of the US Government

All 3 branches of the US government have been offending me lately.

Branch #1 - Executive Branch

President Obama - enough said.  (See Michael Oren's new book if you don't believe me.)


Branch #2 - Legislative Branch

This branch has actually been pretty friendly to Israel lately, so why am I so offended?  Well, I'm not really offended at anything they did, but rather, I'm offended at the relief portraits displayed in the House Chamber.

Remember how Netanyahu's speech to Congress referred to the portrait of Moshe Rabbeinu?  It turns out Moshe Rabbeinu is only one of the "lawgivers" that is displayed.  A list of 23 "lawgivers" is displayed around the chamber, which includes the following 7 vile anti-Semites:

Edward I YM"S (expelled Jews from England)
Gregory IX YM"S (pope that ordered Talmud confiscated, which was later burned)
"Not so" Innocent III YM"S (made decrees against Jews)
Justinian I YM"S (made decrees against Jews)
"Not such a" Saint Louis YM"S (ordered the burning of the Talmud)
Simon de Montfort YM"S (expelled Jews from Leicester, England)
Tribonian YM"S (supervised legal code for Justinian I, who made decrees against Jews)

I'm offended at their inclusion.  (And it's possible some of the others are anti-Semites too, I just don't know).

Now, normally, I would just keep my mouth shut about this, as these people were famous "lawgivers" throughout history and they deserve to have their personas recognized as such.

However, I noticed a pattern in the past few days of South Carolina, Mississippi, and other states taking down any signs of the Confederate flag because it offends certain segments of the population.   Private companies like Walmart, eBay and others followed suit and stopped selling the Confederate flag merchandise.  If we are acting like R' Meir, who is חייש למיעוטא (concerned for the minority), then it stands to reason that the US Government should be חייש למיעוטא for Jews who are likely offended that such vile individuals are placed in such prominent a place as the House Chamber.


Branch #3 - Judicial Branch

The US Supreme Court is made up of 4 liberals, 4 conservatives, and 1 swing justice.  It is also made up of 3 Jews, all liberals.  Anything that supports Judaism is opposed by the Jews on the court.  As it says in Yeshaya מְהָרְסַיִךְ וּמַחֲרִיבַיִךְ, מִמֵּךְ יֵצֵאוּ.  So, for example, when someone wanted his place of birth on his American passport to say "Jerusalem, Israel" instead of just "Jerusalem" of no country, the Jews opposed it.  And just today, the Supreme Court decided by a 5-4 majority (that included all 3 Jews) that each and every state must recognize unions between 2 people of the same gender as "marriages".

Now, there are many reasons to decry this ruling.  Religious freedom in this country is being undercut by those who cry "Discrimination!!" at those who try to exercise our religious liberties.  The OU put out a statement that tells the Jewish position on this suicidal ruling, and while I don't think their statement went far enough, I agree with most of it, and they did make some strong points.  The Aguda put out a stronger statement.  Not mentioned in either statement is something that I have many times discussed.  Namely, the danger this poses to the country, Lo Aleinu.

The SCOTUS has betrayed Judaism - and its own country - once again.  No surprise.

So, I have a beef with all 3 branches of government.  What can save us from this mess?

As we often paraphrase from the end of Sotah regarding Ikveta Dimshiha:

אין לנו על מי להישען אלא על אבינו שבשמים.