The Big Lie and Social Media

There wasn’t a more frustrated person in the world than Harry Cohen. He couldn’t believe what he was reading and seeing on social media. It was making him physically and mentally sick. Truth and fact had been subjugated for propaganda and hate. When he tried to set records straight he received a barrage of non-stop attacks filled with venom and threats.

Harry could for the first time in his life understand the horrible hate his family had felt in Europe caused by the Nazis. The lies about the Jews, the calls for death and destruction, and the non-stop viciousness. There was no question the same mentality that wanted to destroy Jews in Europe had spread in modern times into calls to wipe out the Jews of Israel.

The news on television and in print gave Harry no solace. It was constantly being reported that it was a David and Goliath struggle. The poor Palestinians always being presented as the good guys versus the oppressive Israelis. It was a huge problem for Harry because there was a lack of objectivity and reality in the stories.

When Syria was going through a civil war and thousands of children were being murdered the news seemed very quiet. When Iran hung gay people and imprisoned others who challenged the Government the world seemed quiet, when Hamas dragged people through the street because they wanted to be friends with Israel, the world seemed quiet, but when Hamas a recognized Terrorist organization shot rockets and missiles into a civilian population and Israel responded, Israel was the villains.

When young Arabs in Israel posted videos on Tik Tok challenging other Arabs to attack and beat up Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem, the news outside of Israel ignored the incitement. It was all ludicrous and getting to Harry.

Harry was thinking these thoughts when he received an email from his union. There was to be a Zoom discussion about the situation in Israel and Gaza. The Union President was a Jewish guy and the email that was sent out stressed that it was going to be a constructive sharing of ideas. The last line read that the Union was looking forward to a good turnout and robust discussion.

Even though the premise of the zoom meeting sounded good, Harry felt nervous. He remembered the postings that had gone up in the common lunch room a few…