Once, while visiting some close friends in my hometown of Buffalo, NY, we got onto the discussion of raising healthy children. I was a bit intrigued since their kids seemed happy but not at all spoiled. They worked hard at school. The older ones had jobs after putting in full days at high school. They even helped with cleanup and washing the dishes – without being asked! So what was their secret?

Both parents in a rather ho-hum attitude, pointed to a large sign that hung over the entrance to the living room. It had two simple straightforward words on it: Stop Whining!

“Whenever one of our kids would get in this blaming, whiny mood,” the mother explained. “I didn’t have to say a word. We’d just point to the sign.”

“They know all too well,” the father continued, “that whining around here doesn’t work.  It doesn’t get them positive results.”

Today in the mixed-up world of politics, especially when it comes to Israel, the loud voices of a whole host of organizations do nothing but whine. 

Let’s take the BDS movement first. It’s been proven time and time again that they’ve lied, photo-shopped pictures, and used plain old-fashioned propaganda to slander Israel – the only democratic country in the Middle East. They continue to describe Israel as an “apartheid regime,” even though Israel has the most diversity of any country in the region and possibly on the planet.  The Arabs and Muslims in Israel can live, work, play where they choose. They serve in the governing body in Israel, the Knesset. The same cannot be said for any of the other Arabic countries, where there is no tolerance for differing opinions and other religions. 

Besides being racist liars, or ignorant at best, they’ve become card carrying members of the WCP – Whiners Club of the Planet!

Next on the list is Hamas and Hezbollah, who seem to have nothing better to do with their time than complain (and whine) about Israel. Every other day is declared an official “Day of Rage” or “Day of Hate” or “Day of Intifada” or “Day of Struggle” or “Day of Something But We Forgot And Who Cares Anyways!” They could fill up an entire calendar of “Days of Blaming Every Other Person on the Planet Especially Israel for Our Self-Created Woes.” They’ve taken whining and made it into an art form. And I keep wondering, don’t these guys have anything better to do in life?  Apparently not. 

It would be mighty interesting to do a fact-finding mission into what happens to all the funds donated to them from well-meaning countries and individuals across the planet. It seems as if a very large percentage of their budget is dedicated to their whining campaign.  They also spend funds on the important matter of building tunnels, securing weapons, and brainwashing their youth, even 13 year olds, to take a quick one-way ticket to paradise by murdering Israelis. 

The only thing I can figure is that the “leadership” of these racist organizations engages in these activities, as they have nothing better to do with their own time and their youth. There are probably not too many Hamas Athletic Centers, where kids can come and do healthy things like play ball or take
Somebody wake me up from this absurd play. Abbas's beef was that the Israelis... were not going quietly to their deaths. They had the audacity to fight back and shoot those who were coming to kill them.
swimming lessons. They probably don’t have too many colleges that focus on the medical sciences or other studies dedicated to improving the human condition. My guess is that their “educational” programs feature important goodies like “Effective Stabbing 101” and “The Relationship Between Jews, Christians, and Other Infidels to Pigs” – although this might be a graduate level course.

So far, the only thing that Hamas and Hezbollah have been good for is blaming others for their woes. There’s little effort on their part to assume, what’s known in many human health fields, “self responsibility.” Ultimately, we are all responsible for our own actions. It’s much easier to blame others than to take the onus of responsibility on one’s shoulders and deal with things. It’s an easier path to shout and scream and demean others, rather than work for any sort of positive change. It takes time to go to school and get a degree. It takes hard work to build a career. It takes all this and more to build a healthy and growing community.

Abbas, a supposed “peace partner” with Israel, could easily be the president of the WCP. He does nothing but blame and whine. His only positive endeavors of late have been to encourage Arab and Muslim youth to get busy and take things to the streets. He’s also on the 365 Day of Rage trip. But his most amazing “whine extravaganza” came recently at the UN, where he asked for special UN protection from the IDF.  

Somebody wake me up from this absurd play. Abbas's beef was that the Israelis, for some strange reason, were not happy about being targeted by Palestinian Arab rock throwers and murderers. No, the Jews were not going quietly to their deaths. They had the audacity to fight back and shoot those who were coming to kill them.  

Despite Hamas or Hezbollah or Abbas’s attempts at justifying their hatred and horrific behaviors, the civilized world just might be getting fed up with this babyish, whining mentality.  Any person with half a brain knows that if the Israelis put down their weapons the result would be a genocidal massacre. On the other hand, if the Palestinians would finally lay their weapons aside, the result would be peaceful coexistence and harmony.

My suggestion is to put one of those awesome Buffalo inspired signs in every home in the Middle East.  Hey Hamas. Yo Mr. Abbas. Hey Hezbollah. Time to get positive about life.  Stop turning your youth into brainwashed murderers and allow them to become healthy individuals and productive members of the world.  Time to accept Israel’s right to exist and deal with her as a useful and helpful neighbor. This will lead to a whole host of mutually beneficial endeavors.

In the meantime… stop whining!