When I heard Rush...

Limbaugh was about to receive the Medal of Freedom Award, I checked my calendar. Nope. April Fools Day was still months away.Then I Googled a few reliable news networks. (No, not Fox Fear Network). Sure enough, a sexist, racist, homophobic radio personality, who made a career of spouting bluster, bulls—t and bigotry was walking away with the gold. 

Here’s the story behind the medal.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is awarded by the president of the United States "for especially meritorious contribution to (1) the security or national interests of the United States, or (2) world peace, or (3) cultural or other significant public or private endeavors".

I’m not wandering these days as much as I’m wondering. So I Googled notable Rush Limbaugh quotations. Here’s a few choice gems: 

"If any race of people should not have guilt about slavery, it's Caucasians. The white race has probably had fewer slaves and for a briefer period of time than any other in the history of the world ... And yet white guilt is still one of the dominating factors in American politics. It's exploited, it's played upon, it is promoted, used, and it's unnecessary."

"Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women access to the mainstream of society."

I'm a huge supporter of women. What I'm not is a supporter of liberalism. Feminism is what I oppose, and feminism has led women astray. I love women. I don't know where all this got started. I love the women's movement, especially when walking behind it." 

"When a gay person turns his back on you, it is anything but an insult; it's an invitation.“

On the Central American migrant caravan heading toward the U.S. in 2018: "The objective is to dilute and eventually eliminate or erase what is known as the distinct or unique American culture ... This is why people call this an invasion."

"The NAACP should have riot rehearsal. They should get a liquor store and practice robberies."

"I’m not saying we should bring [slavery] back, I’m just saying it had its merits. For one thing, the streets were safer after dark.”

 "We need segregated buses."

Get the point? Now I know what you are thinking. What a great mentor for America’s young people! Well, not exactly.

To be on the impartial side, I did some comparison shopping of other Medal of Freedom Award winner quotes:

From Mother Teresa.

 Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.

From the Reverend Martin Luther King:

 "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. I have a dream today“

From Neal Armstrong:

“That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

From Rosa Parks:

Each person must live their life as a model for others.

I would like to be known as a person who is concerned about freedom and equality and justice and prosperity for all people.

From Fred Rogers: 

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

What were these people thinking? Brotherhood of Man? Equal rights for all Americans? Showing kindness to strangers? The Human Race’s potential for performing incredible feats? Absolutely shocking!

Of course, I’m being facetious. All the above were truly worthy of such an honor. Except Rush.

But Wait! 

Then I thought about the name of the medal. In America we still have Freedom of Speech. One OxyContin popping radio personality has the right to make unsubstantiated and unethical claims about Gays, Blacks, Hispanics and Women. It’s right there in our Constitution’s First Amendment.  (All the while making bank while doing it. It’s estimated the Rusher’s net worth is over 500 million.) 

However, one does not have the right to walk into a crowded movie theater and scream, “Fire! Fire! Fire!” 

BUT! An American has the Second Amendment right to purchase a semi-automatic AR-15 and fire into that same theater. (Aurora, CO. July 20, 2012). 

The US has more than it’s share of hypocrisy and hypocrites. 

Final Rush Quote.

It’s nice to know the God/Goddess of Karma is still lurking out there. Cough! Cough! 

Final Photo: I too, was once bestowed a Gold Medal. I received a prestigious IPPY Award for Self Publishing “Destroying Demons on the Diagonal.” 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006VXRMUG?keywords=Jeff%20Sambur&qid=1447125667&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1b

Without a hint of irony, I feel I earned this Medal more than Mr. Limbaugh earned his. 

Adolf Hitler was the most...

influential man in my life.

Now before you go “goose stepping” to conclusions, allow me to explain. 

If not for the World’s undisputed champion of death, destruction and evil there wouldn’t  have been a Holocaust. There wouldn’t have been a reason for Szyja Sambor from Byzaziny, Poland to get on a slow boat from Europe to immigrate to America. The same can be said for my Mother Clara Zinn of Vienna, Austria. My parents left their family and friends behind for one and only one reason. Leave or be murdered in a precision German engineered manner. 

Without their Great Escape to the Bronx, Sid wouldn’t have had the chance to ask Clara out on a blind date.  Post WW II, this short cute couple married. In the span of six years  Allan, Micheal and Jeffrey were born. (We were all named after family members killed in the Holocaust.) 

All these events due to an angry white demagogue rising to power while overcoming Germany’s system of Constitutional checks and balances. Without Deh Fufrer, there wouldn’t have been a Holocaust and hence no little Sambur’s

So...Hitler was influential to me, but not in a good way. 

On April 30th, 1945 the German Dictator performed his one and only good deed. He swallowed a cyanide tablet and then inhaled a bullet. The spell he cast over his people was broken. The war in Europe ended eight days later. When his supporters were pressed for an answer to the ultimate “What the F—k were you thinking?” Their response was lame and inexcusable. “We were just following orders.” 

When the final tally of WW II was taken 70-85 million humans perished as a result of one madman. 

I grew up with the awareness that anti-semitism existed throughout the World. On numerous occasions I experienced it first hand in the US. Sure it upset me. But I shrugged it off in the belief these folks were in the minority instead of the rule. I went about my business of being a tax paying, law abiding American. 

In 2015, I began to notice a sea change in American politics. A bloated blowhard billionaire was drawing big crowds at his rallies. Like the man himself, his theme was simple. “Make America Great Again.” But the real message was “Make America White Again.” With campaign promises of building the Great Wall of Racism, limiting the number of Muslim immigrants and speaking in terms of “those people.” The Donald was placing most of his chips on the Angry White Folks card. The fringe groups of America had found a savior. 

"If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you." -Lyndon B. Johnson

For the second time in 16 years, a candidate became President despite losing the popular vote. So much for American Democracy.

All this rhetoric scared me and kept me awake at night. Bigotry and racism isn’t  like placing a menu order. ”I’m OK with the Jews, but hold the Mexicans.” It’s a general, I’m not fond of those who don’t speak like me, pray like me, have sex like me  or look like me. It’s the opposite of all inclusive.

Since that pivotal moment in US History, there’s been an increase in the number of hate crimes

. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/12/us/hate-crimes-fbi-report.html

At the same time, we’ve seen a decrease in the Constitution’s checks and balances. The Senate’s recent vote of “We don’t need no stinkin’ witnesses in an impeachment trial” has essentially handed more power to the Executive Branch. The US is tottering on becoming an autocracy ruled by a finger pointing demagogue with little understanding of the Constitution or the Rule of Law.

If you aren’t noticing similarities between Germany in the 30’s and the present, you aren’t paying attention.

On August 3, 2019, twenty-two Mexican Nationals and Mexican Americans were murdered at a Walmart in El Paso, TX. 

On October 27, 2018 eleven Jews were murdered at the Tree of Life Temple in Pittsburgh, PA. 

On August 11-12 Made in the USA Nazis bearing torches and Swastica flags paraded through the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia chanting “Jews can’t replace us!” (Why would we? Who would want to replace assholes? )

If Sid and Clara were around to see this they would cry, “Jeffy! It’s happening again!”

My fellow Mericans please don’t allow this to happen again.

Final Photo: In case you need a visual aid. All of these people except my father (standing in the middle) were murdered in the Holocaust. 

Minnesota Soup...

English was a second language for my Mother. She was more “at home” speaking Yiddish than English. So at times her pronunciation of words morphed into another word. Minestrone Soup became Minnesota Soup. It wasn’t a big deal since her three young ones were fluent in  “Clara-speak.” 

Minnesota soup was a special treat served up on extra dark wintry nights. It was Mom’s version of kosher comfort food. The main ingredient was a few packages of Manischewitz Minestrone soup mix. The other components were a “bisl” (Yiddish for “a little”) onion, potato, celery and maybe a carrot If there was one handy. To this mixture she would sprinkle the quartet of Central European spices - salt, pepper, paprika and garlic, all in  bland moderation. An added bonus might be a challah bread with gobs of greasy margarine slathered on the shiny slices. It was one of our favorite meals. 

Mom wasn’t a Jewish version of Julia Child. For every Minnesota Soup dinner there were too-many fish sticks and frozen Green Giant boil-in-a-bag creamed corn meals. We forgave her. We were scoring lots of attention, affection and hugs. That’s plenty of nourishment.

Lately I’ve been craving kosher comfort food. But first I had to find a supermarket with a kosher foods section. The Rabbi blessed items usually cover a distance one step wide. If I  drank too much coffee I would stride right by it. That’s where I’ll find the key ingredient to Minnesota Soup. Manischewitz Minestrone Soup Mix. It’s impossible to have one without the other. Fortunately, Snobsdale, AZ contains enough “Unfrozen Chosen” to warrant a kosher foods section at Safeway. 

Once I have the main ingredient, the rest comes easy. I’m not religious about following Mom’s exact recipe. I’ve taken a few liberties. There’s heaps more vegetables including (OY!) red peppers, green chili peppers, mushrooms and red chili powder in my blend. All the contents eventually end up in a Dutch Oven. Then I’ll let it all stew in its own juices for about eight hours. 

When it’s done I’ll pop an IPA and microwave a tortilla. The savory soup’s warmth comforts me. But what really makes me wag my invisible tail, is how I reconnect with my Mom.

I think about all the positive traits she passed onto me. Such as: 

Start all conversations with a smile.

If given the choice between a handshake or a hug, go for the hug.

Always offer food/drink or both to all who cross your doorway. (This includes plumbers and painters and other hardworking strangers). 

Pick up a book in your downtime. 

Be civil. Mind your manners. It’s OK to say you are sorry.

Draw back the curtains to allow the sun to shine in.

It’s better to be a nurturer than a schnorrer. (Yiddish for taker).

Lastly, she taught me how to make Minnesota Soup so I could remember her fondly.

Thanks Mom for making me a better person. 

Cheers!

Happy 2020 too.

Jeff