THOUGHTS ON POST OCTOBER 7TH

I’m bombing on Substack compared to other social media platforms. It’s okay, I’ll be fine. My paranoia has me believing it’s because of my pro-Israel position. It’s easier than thinking I suck.

Here is a piece I wrote, when in a panty knot tantrum, I posted on X that I’ll be supporting the Conservatives in the fast approaching Canadian election. I’ve since changed my mind, and won’t be voting at all. It’s a centrist thing.

Nevertheless, here it is…

I’m getting some nasty pushback for supporting conservative, Pierre Poilievre for Prime Minister. Pushback is not a problem for me. Over the years I’ve been attacked from both sides of the political spectrum. I’ve always been politically fluid. I just wanted to explain myself in long form because it’s impossible to do in short, or a soundbite.

I’m a Jew. I’m not religious, but I’m proud. My pride comes from Jewish accomplishments In entertainment, mainly, but also literature, science, and politics. I’m not a Jewish supremest. I’m just proud and happy to be Jewish.

My parents weren’t religious. We did the bare minimum in terms of Jewish observance. We rarely went to synagogue, only participating in the two high holidays, Yom Kippur and Passover, which to me was just a great time to spend with my extended family.

At he time, we were of some means, and I was sent by my parents to an English-style private school from kindergarten to grade seven. We had to wear school uniforms (suits) and I was one of only two Jews in the entire school. While I was there I remember two instances of what I would call soft antisemitism. (I say soft because it was nothing compared to the malignant kind that swept Europe before I was born.) One of the times it was a teacher of German descent, who was illustrating a what a stereotype was by standing in front of my desk and essentially begging for money. The other was during a sports event at Upper Canada College, where I was called a kike. I still don’t how they knew, but I could handle it.

But before all that, when i was in Grade 5, I came home with a swastika crudely drawn on my arm with a pen. To me, at the time, it was sign of rebellion that some of the other kids were drawing on themselves, too. I don’t think any of us knew what it really meant. When my father saw it, he was understandably upset, probably realizing that he had dropped the ball interns of educating me about Jewish history. From that day forward I was forced to learn about the The Holocaust. Since the Nazis filmed almost everything it wasn’t difficult to do. Obviously it was shocking. Only true antisemites tries to minimize the horrors of The Holocaust. Though, horrific, it really didn’t change me that much. I learned that swastikas were bad, and awful things could happen, and I went about my life.

Fast forward to October 7, 2023. I was on the road for a music gig in London, Ontario. I was at the Via Rail Station, heading home, waiting for the train, while killing time on social media. That’s when when I first read about the Hamas attack. The numbers seemed insane. The story felt different than the usual suicide and general bombings and missile strikes I had become numb to. I checked other sources, and it appeared to be true. Sitting beside me was maybe a 50 year old mom with her 2 daughters. I asked if she I had heard about it. She didn’t know what I was talking about, so I told her that it looks like 1200 Israeli civilians were murdered by Hamas terrorists. Her response is something I’ll never forget, and if I think about it, it might be the single event that is most responsible for me writing this, as well as reshaping my politics. She said, and I quote, “Good, they deserve it for treating those poor people like that.” I was shocked. I wasn’t even angry at first, but the anger came, and I held it back, because her daughter’s were there. Truth is I wanted scream at her in front of everyone waiting for the train. I didn’t.

I have a theory. I don’t know if it’s original. It probably isn’t. But I believe that Jews of my generation, who weren’t alive during the Holocaust, are to a certain degree —obviously a lot less than the dead and the survivors and the people who were alive during it — are traumatized by the Holocaust. I’m not sure how anyone, especially Jews, can look at the films and literature and not to a degree be traumatized.

This brings me to why I’m supporting Pierre Poilievre. I have watched, like many Canadians, a protest movement, sponsored and funded by Iran through Qatar, that has gone on for over a year. Some of these protests are clearly illegal. Blocking roads, chanting clear hate speech, and perhaps worst, going into Jewish neighbourhoods and intimidating the people who live there, who have nothing to do with Israel’s policies. But, for me, it gets worse. The is the utter lack of pushback from the Liberal politicians and the police. Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford is a conservative, and he is as much to blame along with Toronto’s Mayor Olivia Chow.

Let’s be honest. The only real pushback to the endless protestsI is on the right, both in Canada and in the United States. Oddly, and sadly, most of the pushback is from people I don’t particularly like. Pre October 7, that included Pierre Poilievre. Still, this pushback from people I never supported is extremely meaningful to me. I appreciate it more than I would have ever thought possible. For me, politics in a democracy comes down to priorities. Safety comes first. I’ve always supported smart immigration laws. I have nothing against multiculturalism. I lived in California for 13 years, and I saw up close, what open borders do. It’s not all bad, but as difficult as it is, legal immigration is just common sense to me. I also fully support protests, but when laws are broken, I expect consequences, no matter what the cause is. I would say the same thing if it were pro-Israeli protesters…admittedly, maybe not as loudly, as I’m clearly biased.

When I lived in California. I read Mark Steyn’s book, “America Alone”, and between that, and being a fan of the late Christopher Hitchens, I learned about the threat of Islamism many years ago. I agreed with Steyn’s concern, but I wasn’t a U.S. citizen, so it was only in the back of my mind. It is now in the front of my mind. I am truly sickened by what I’m seeing in Canada, and the lack of doing anything about it by our leaders.

I voted for Trudeau. In truth, I align with much of liberalism, but due to what I’m seeing, my priorities have changed. I, and many Jews, feel truly abandoned by the left. The betrayal feeling is very real, and a lot of anger comes with it. I don’t care if you hate Israel, what is happening is not normal, or fair. It reeks of political corruption and foreign influence. These protesters are much darker than their stated claims and much broader than the Mideast.

Going against my old priorities isn’t easy. Poilievre’s right wing rhetoric runs counter to some of my views, and I’m willing to gamble that it won’t be so bad…but it’s a gamble. I have an autistic daughter. The Liberals have helped me financially with the difficulty of having a special needs child. I appreciate that. However, for good, or ill, I will prioritize what I see as more important to me. If Poilievre wins and I lose the help. I will live with that.

Some people are attacking me for being selfish, but I’ve always supported, and will continue to support, reasonable policies that help people in need, but I refuse to turn a blind eye to what I’m seeing from our politicians and the chaos allowed to go unchecked for over a year in our streets.

One detractor, familiar with my television career, pointed out that I got my start on CBC, our left wing national media. That is true, but right or wrong, I can’t be bought or guilted into ignoring what I think is more important.

I’m a patriotic Canadian. Seeing people chant. “Death to Canada” while burning Canadian flags and chanting “From the River to the Sea”, which means Jewish annihilation, is too much for me. Why are they in Canada if they hate us so much? The reason is irresponsible immigration policies championed by the left, and the pandering to them for votes.

Lastly, I’d like to talk about what I’m experiencing with liberal supporting citizens, mostly on social media. It feels like if I don’t support their candidate(s) that I’m some how a horrible, stupid person. I’m a big boy. I have bagged on conservatives for years. I give, and I get, but some liberals take my life experience, my ideals, my patriotism try to reduce to me either trying to get attention, or that I’ve become a racist. Not true, but I can only deny the libels.

It reminds me of a time when I was in Ottawa hotel and I accidentally went into a bar where there was an after-party for a Liberal Party event. I tried to interact with some people there, and quickly realized they were arrogant and pretentious. I see the same thing now and it’s gross. It’s sad too. Liberals have done some great things, but treating people like shit should be beneath them…or so I thought. I’ve done it too, but I own it. I think that kind of bully politics and arrogance is responsible for Trump getting back into the White House.

But, who knows. Things are complicated. You can insult me all you want, but I’m not, nor will I ever be locked into an ideology. Things change in the real world. My politics will change based on what I see. I’m independent, and I give a shit.

I believe we need a change. It may not be prefect, and I’m only one vote. I may be wrong, but I’m doing what I think is right. Isn’t that what democracy is all about?

So, that’s what I wrote a while ago. As I said in the opening, I’ve changed yet again. I’m not voting. I find all our politics revolting these days, and I’m not going to participate.