Off My Chest: Letters to the Editor

© 2013 by Richard S. Levik. All rights reserved.

© 5773 [Hebrew Calendar Year]

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 28 March 2013

Published by AuthorHouse 17 Nisan 5773 [Hebrew Calendar Date]

ISBN: 978-1-4772-5952-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-5951-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012914818

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1 Letters To The Jewish Journal

Chapter 2 Letters To Other Jewish Periodicals

Chapter 3 Other Letters

Afterword

PREFACE

OFF MY CHEST: Letters to the Editor . . . + introduces you to over 100 letters and articles penned by myself, 1989-2012. Some of these letters may be considered offensive, a term which I’ve concluded is more often than not synonymous with true. Decades ago I determined that truth would be the priority in my life. I made this decision after spending years tying myself into knots trying not to offend anyone, and trying to get along with everyone. As I discovered the futility and impossibility of such a lofty goal I realized being truthful and honest might help keep me at peace with myself at least, since this was all I could control. While trying to get along with everyone, many people I encountered did not seem to notice, care, nor try to understand my efforts. This experience makes speaking hard-hitting truth, which may offend these many people all the more enjoyable. While I may not win many popularity contests in speaking truthfully, it is preferable to being popular and unable to sleep at night, as a result of being untrue to myself.

I also wish to help people. Many people however are uninterested in hearing and responding to words which would require significant upheaval in themselves, organizations, religions, and the world to implement. Hence they seek and have succeeded for a long time in repressing and suppressing individual voices like mine, voices of constructive criticism and harsh but necessary truth. Recognizing this a long time ago I began a slow and steady one step at a time, or two steps forward, one step backwards approach. Believing that hatred for truth was deep-rooted, with religion being the main source of this problem, I knew I was stepping into unchartered territory. For various reasons, religion has been treated with kid gloves, with a hands-off approach for much if any constructive criticism, particularly for Christianity. First though I had to fight my way out of the paper bag that was Judaism, Jewish culture, Jewish history, and just being Jewish. Then I could more freely take on another and much larger problem, what is known as Christianity, which I prefer to call by what I consider to be its more accurate name, Paganism.

I understood that suppressing my voice was unhealthy for me. Yet the concept of doing what was best for me had been construed by more than a few to equate with selfishness. The fact that such twisted logic could even concern me made me realize that I needed to find the source of this illogic. This illogic was from allegedly normal folks who have been in my way every step of the way. They often act and possibly even believe they are helping me or others. They are very mistaken. I believe their helping of others is often to avoid facing the problems and emptiness of their own lives. They really don’t want me or anyone to be outside their alleged norm. They fear, and rightly so, that if one steps out of this norm one might see just how empty, false, and diseased their lives are. Well their fears have been realized. This book attempts to expose these mind-controllers, emotion-controllers and other politically and religiously correct cowards.

When I sent my offensive letters to a newspaper or magazine, no one was required to print them. Why should I hold back? As long as I did not threaten physical harm, I believed and I continue to believe that what I was saying fell within my alleged rights to freedom of expression through the press. I quite often pushed those limits of freedom as you will become well aware of while reading this book. Some of what I needed and wished to say was filled with venom and would be shocking to allegedly polite society. I suspected this included the people who would determine whether what I wrote was worthy of publication. I knew I was expressing thoughts supposedly not thought about and certainly not expressed by polite people. Much of this was negative, which like offensive was therefore supposed to remain unexpressed. If I expressed such sentiments, I realized I needed to do so incrementally or I was likely to be shut out completely.

After a while I sensed that though my letters might not get published, they were being read by and hence influencing people. These people, the editors and their assistants, have the power and influence to sway large numbers of people, their readers. Sometimes I sent outrageous letters, hoping yet also fearing they might get published (occasionally they did). One of my goals was to break through walls of politeness to get to the core problem and suggest solutions (constructive criticism). The ultimate goal was to expose stupidity, hypocrisy, falsehoods, and injustice which I felt were rampant. Often these were ideas and ideologies that have been with us for time immemorial. This is often the reason/excuse for continuing with them. Many might say, ‘It has always been done this way.’ Most people equate such a sentiment with truth. I equate such a sentiment with falsehood. There are exceptions and many things are not necessarily so black and white. Overall though what has traditionally been the norm, I consider to often be both unhealthy and destructive. This is what the great majority of the letters in OFF MY CHEST: Letters to the Editor . . . +

are addressing. To do so with sensitivity I determined in most cases would defeat the purpose. Such entrenched ideas and concepts will not be uprooted or changed either with a wagging of the finger or with polite suggestions. Not that my vitriol would necessarily bring about change. My hope was to begin to shake up the house of cards foundation which so much of our world is built upon. The shakier the foundation, the scarier the truth is for many groups. They fear complete collapse. Oh well. I will not stifle nor suppress what I believe is true, wise, and just so that those who succeed through lies, fake innocence, and injustice continue to do so unchallenged.

INTRODUCTION

OFF MY CHEST: Letters to the Editor . . . + has been a labor of love… , as well as hate, anger and calm, fear and faith. There are a range of emotions and themes in this book. One overriding theme is freedom of expression. Why? Some may ask. Why not just keep it to yourself? Why embarrass yourself? Why air your dirty laundry? To those who seek to stifle, I say Why not? Should I be silent because the ever present they, we, and everybody crowd will laugh at me? That’s OK. Let them laugh. I admit I always hated being laughed at, as well as those who derive pleasure from laughing at others. Is my silence going to show them that I am better than they are? This is the type of egotistical advice I’ve heard from many individuals, in many circles. This whole mentality is part of what I also despised. Putting myself in competition with such people and then determining that my inaction and silence somehow makes me better. Yet in reality I was letting these people win by letting them be the only voice and message heard. This is very much the advice I’ve heard from all facets of Jewish society. Even prayers advise, ‘To those who curse me, let my soul be silent.’ I’d determined long ago that I could not and would not wait for the Jewish community to take action, especially as they continued to advise inaction and silence. This was the same philosophy which I believe led to the relative ease of the Holocaust, showing me how the lessons of history were lost on the Jewish community. Throughout Jewish history I could see that the Jewish leaders and followers could respectively be counted on to mislead and to be misled. I knew if I followed, I will end up sorry. However, when I rebelled, when I challenged, when I offered constructive criticism, this was rarely appreciated. I knew I had to get out!

Then there is the related issue of being told that I should be proud of who I am. Who would disagree with such advice? Well, I would. Now as a former Jew, I can reflect upon how while learning about Jewish history, the less I could see to be proud of. In fact I saw a tremendous amount to be ashamed of. Issues and problems which I determined needed to be gotten to the bottom of. Again I refused to wait for the entrenched Jewish leadership and their willing sheep followers. I can now see more clearly how pride is largely a defense mechanism to hide from the shame one actually feels and probably should feel and address.

To parallel this unhealthy and prideful thinking was being told to think positively, to be positive, that everybody likes positive people and nobody likes negative people. Again imbalance is pushed. Life is both positive and negative. As a Math teacher I think of how, for example, +5 combined with -5 bring one to zero, or balance. I don’t need people in my life who demand that I think positively or to think in any particular way. Yet such mind controllers seem to be around every corner. Certain members of my allegedly normal family, for example, demanded to only hear good news. Again shove the bad news, the negative reality of life, under the rug. Pretend all is well, because if the neighbors and the non-Jews find out, what will they think and say? As I became more religious, that is as I strove to draw closer to God, I found so many answers in scripture. Exodus 32:25- Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughing stock to their enemies. Could it be that the lesson learned from this passage is to behave and repress one’s thoughts, feelings and emotions rather than risk being laughed at? If so then the wrong lesson has been learned. I say, let them laugh. This is part of the psychological game the enemy plays (Many of these enemies are now inside and running the community. In other words, the enemy has been found and it is us.). I choose to continue to do my thing and let them laugh, cry or die. I will speak my truth, the truth, and many cannot handle that and hate it. Should I hold back and cater to the lowest common denominator, to people who don’t understand or who act like they don’t comprehend what I say? No. If they cannot handle my words, either strive to do so, ask questions, or feel free to blame the messenger. Either way, I refuse to stifle!

In reading OFF MY CHEST you will find that published letters were often edited and I’ve included both versions. I’ve typed up most of the earlier hand written letters and I include both. In a few cases there is some back and forth between myself and another person or group; those letters are in chronological order.

For many recent Jewish Journal letters and a few other letters I’ve included a link which will lead you to the original article for which my letter was written in response to. You may also be able to do an online search through certain references in most letters to find the original article. Older articles may or may not be available online however.

This book gives you a glimpse into my Los Angeles journey. Each of the 3 chapters, Letters to the Jewish Journal, Letters to Other Jewish Periodicals, and Other Letters are in reverse chronological order. One reason for this is that readers are more likely to be familiar with recent events and issues. You could read this book back to front, to read it chronologically. Ironically this would be the way one reads a Hebrew text, right to left. Either way, I trust you will be moved by what you read in OFF MY CHEST: Letters to the Editor . . . +. Feel free to drop me a line to let me know your thoughts. My website is: www.theleviteline.com and my email is rlevik@theleviteline.com. One hope is for this book to motivate you to strive for truth, to express the truth of your heart. Remember though, the truth hurts and according to Jeremiah 17:9- The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Nonetheless, the truth can also set you free.

CHAPTER 1

Letters to the Jewish Journal

June 6, 2012

17 Sivan 5772

Dear Editor,

Once again the Jewish Journal piqued my interest. This time it was two words, two small yet important words.

While I enjoyed Rob Eshman’s This Week column overall, one statement stood out. In fact it was merely one word which stood out for me. A word which I suspect made little impression on most readers.

In the third paragraph Rob stated, "Like most Jews…" Instead of the traditional all Jews or we Jews, Rob allowed for the outlandish possibility that all Jews do not feel, think, nor believe the same. Some Jews are individuals. This simple word, most acknowledges the possibility that there are exceptions to the mass mentality of uniformity. I would and I do go so far as to say and believe that anti-individuality is anti-Semitic. So yes, many