Donald Meissner: June 2006 Archives

18-year old Israeli boy murdered by Arabs

Eliyahu Asheri took a walk the other day, and was abducted and murdered by Palestinian Arabs.

Posted by Donald at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (93)

Let Gilad Shalit Go

Look at this young man being held captive by terrorists in Gaza. Sure, he has a gun, but is otherwise skinny, geeky, and doing his duty protecting Israel from destruction.

What about you, dear reader?

Do you think Israel has a "right to exist"?

Posted by Donald at 11:25 AM | Permalink

Hamas Sneak Attack from Gaza - Surprised?

It comes as no surprise the Hamas terrorists from Gaza dug a tunnel to kill Israeli soldiers. Gilad Shalit, pictured above, has been kidnapped and is being held by Hamas. This, plus daily rocket attacks prove Hamas' intent to destroy Israel, no matter what concessions are made. Grateful Right warned you about this last year, when Israel decided to withdraw from Gaza: "Gaza Withdrawal Encourages Terrorists" - August '05

Read about the latest attack from Jew-free Gaza. Anticipate future attacks from Jew-free Judea and Samaria.

Posted by Donald at 02:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Harry Bingham Saved Jews Despite FDR

Harry Bingham.gif

Just an interesting piece of evidence of the curious behavior of the Roosevelt administration toward the Jews during WWII:

A few months ago, Secretary of State Colin Powell gave a posthumous award for "constructive dissent" to Hiram (or Harry) Bingham, IV. For over fifty years, the State Department resisted any attempt to honor Bingham. For them he was an insubordinate member of the US diplomatic service, a dangerous maverick who was eventually demoted. Now, after his death, he has been officially recognized as a hero.

Bingham came from an illustrious family. His father (on whom the fictional character Indiana Jones was based) was the archeologist who unearthed the Inca City of Machu Picchu, Peru, in 1911. Harry entered the US diplomatic service and, in 1939, was posted to Marseilles, France, as American Vice-Consul.

The USA was then neutral and, not wishing to annoy Marshal Petain's puppet Vichy regime, President Roosevelt's government ordered its representatives in Marseilles not to grant visas to any Jews. Bingham found this policy immoral and, risking his career, did all in his power to undermine it.

In defiance of his bosses in Washington, he granted over 2,500 USA visas to Jewish and other refugees, including the artists Marc Chagall and Max Ernst and the family of the writer Thomas Mann. He also sheltered Jews in his Marseilles home, and obtained forged identity papers to help Jews in their dangerous journeys across Europe. He worked with the French underground to smuggle Jews out of France into Franco's Spain or across the Mediterranean and even contributed to their expenses out of his own pocket. In 1941,

Washington lost patience with him. He was sent to Argentina, where later he continued to annoy his superiors by reporting on the movements of Nazi war criminals.

Eventually, he was forced out of the American diplomatic service completely. Bingham died almost penniless in 1988. Little was known of his extraordinary activ ities until his son found some letters in his belongings after his death. He has now been honored by many groups and organizations including the United Nations and the State of Israel.

Posted by Donald at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Senator Talent Saves a Marine's Life

Climate change occurs in politics as well as the atmosphere. Pools are open, polls are taken, and pols wrangle toward the fall elections. The current debate over a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage and a law to ban flag burning might be considered by some political observers to be greenhouse gases, but let the games begin.

Last week Missouri Senator Jim Talent launched his campaign for re-election, citing his experience and accomplishments during four years in the Senate. Instead of the usual six-year term, Talent served only four years because interim Senator Jean Carnahan was appointed after her late husband Mel's posthumous win in 2000. Talent is opposed by State Auditor Claire McCaskill.

Talent has a clear record of accomplishment in the Senate as lead sponsor of 28 successful bills. Talent is not an overtly partisan Republican, co-sponsoring 37 pieces of legislation with Democratic colleagues, including luminaries Dianne Feinstein and Hillary Clinton. The Senator's focus on Missouri issues includes anti-methamphetamine legislation restricting the sale of over-the-counter medications containing pseudophedrine or ephedrine, a key ingredient. Assailed by convenience store owners who sarcastically suggested other drug-related paraphernalia be locked away, including charcoal lighter and spoons, Talent stuck to his guns and calmly responded that curbing meth production was too important.

Talent supports increased production of ethanol and biodiesel, winning the praise of Missouri farmers. He supported the new Medicare prescription drug program, and additional funding to combat genetic sickle cell anemia. The Senator is a strong proponent of small business, currently sponsoring legislation to allow small businesses to acquire group health insurance at the same reduced rates as larger entities.

The ethical and scientific complexities of embryonic stem cell research have not persuaded Senator Talent to rally with pro- or anti-stem cell activists. His own research into the issue moved him to support "altered nuclear transfer," in which embryonic stem cells are created without the possibility of developing into a human embryo. In February the Senator withdrew his co-sponsorship of a congressional bill to outlaw many forms of embryonic stem cell research. Addressing the Missouri ballot initiative to allow all forms of stem cell research permissable under Federal law, Talent urged Missourians "to study the initiative carefully and make up their own minds on this very difficult moral issue." Activists on both sides may be disappointed with the Senator's reserve, though it is refreshing to hear an elected representative encourage his constituents to think for themselves.

No record of legislative accomplishments or reasoned positions on central issues compares to the story of Fields Lloyd Black. A Marine who served in the Gulf War Special Forces 1st Recon, Fields came home with a debilitating lung condition caused by inhalation of oil well smoke. He suffered for years, was treated by the Veterans Administration, and ultimately told he had two months to live. His treatment discontinued by the VA Hospital, Fields was admitted to Barnes Jewish, where an MRI and Catscan indicated that an operation could save his life. It was the duty of the VA to perfrom the procedure. Unbelievably, from the vast frigid bureaucracy, his request for treatment was denied. He was told he had two weeks to live.

A lifelong Democrat, Fields grew up in University City, and has deep roots in the community; his family and friends called "every bigwig in town" to save his life. They got nowhere until they described his predicament to Senator Talent, who called the VA Hospital. Fields has no idea what transpired during that telephone conversation. The next time Fields' phone rang it was the VA telling him to get to the hospital immediately to prep for surgery. Today Fields is healthy, getting back in shape, and eternally grateful to Senator Talent. He never met the Senator, never even had the opportunity to personally thank him. Fields is still a Democrat, but will absolutely support Talent--he saved his life, and asked for nothing in return.

Posted by Donald at 09:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Donald Meissner

Op-Ed Columnist Takes the Gloves Off

June 29, 2006