About thirty years ago, there was a very popular weather forecaster working for ABC television news in the USA. His name was Tex Antoine, also known as Uncle Weatherbee. His success was due to his charisma and the way he engaged his viewers while portraying, in cartoon form, the weather forecast. But as popular as he was, Tex caused a scandal and was fired. He died young at the age of 59 and it is said that he didn't leave his apartment for the last seven years of his life.
Tex did not do anything illegal, nor did he insult or abuse anyone, he simply made an insensitive remark. Just before his weather report, there was a last minute item of news about a rape in New York City. Commenting on this, he said; "When rape is inevitable, lay back and enjoy it. Now the weather."
It could be argued that this is sound advice, a way to survive, choosing life above all, maybe even loving your neighbor, etc. If he said this about a violent storm about to rampage the countryside, not too many eyebrows would have been raised. So, why all the fuss? Was Tex a casualty of the 'social climate' of the seventies, that he was unable to forecast the 'public downpour'? Maybe he wasn't as good at predicting as he should have been expected to be? All forecasters make mistakes, but they're not fired as a result. It all could have been glossed over with a chuckle here and a chuckle there.
So where did Tex fail? Rape is probably the worst emotional experience a person can undergo, even though society emphasizes the same act, with consent, as the highest emotional experience a person can undergo. The failure is that of perception.
I am one of over 8,000 Jews living in Gush Katif, and we are victims of this same failure of perception. Sometimes I find myself pulled into a conversation, that I would otherwise not have chosen to enter. People say, "You are going to be kicked out anyway, so where do you intend to live? What are you going to do with the money?"
I tell them; "I don't have any plans outside of staying in my home."
"But it's inevitable, you have to make plans. And what about the four hundred thousand?" I'm asked, and reply, "If money was the most important thing in life, I would not be in Israel in the first place."
"Yes, I know, I'm all for you, but what about the four hundred thousand?" I'm asked again and again.
As the conversation goes back and forth, I think of you, Tex. In your day, you symbolized a dark cloud of insensitivity in the sunny sky of social enlightenment. Today, the sky is dark and cloudy, and the rays of heavenly justice are struggling to shine through. Your forecast was correct; you just botched it by 30 years.
Tex did not do anything illegal, nor did he insult or abuse anyone, he simply made an insensitive remark. Just before his weather report, there was a last minute item of news about a rape in New York City. Commenting on this, he said; "When rape is inevitable, lay back and enjoy it. Now the weather."
It could be argued that this is sound advice, a way to survive, choosing life above all, maybe even loving your neighbor, etc. If he said this about a violent storm about to rampage the countryside, not too many eyebrows would have been raised. So, why all the fuss? Was Tex a casualty of the 'social climate' of the seventies, that he was unable to forecast the 'public downpour'? Maybe he wasn't as good at predicting as he should have been expected to be? All forecasters make mistakes, but they're not fired as a result. It all could have been glossed over with a chuckle here and a chuckle there.
So where did Tex fail? Rape is probably the worst emotional experience a person can undergo, even though society emphasizes the same act, with consent, as the highest emotional experience a person can undergo. The failure is that of perception.
I am one of over 8,000 Jews living in Gush Katif, and we are victims of this same failure of perception. Sometimes I find myself pulled into a conversation, that I would otherwise not have chosen to enter. People say, "You are going to be kicked out anyway, so where do you intend to live? What are you going to do with the money?"
I tell them; "I don't have any plans outside of staying in my home."
"But it's inevitable, you have to make plans. And what about the four hundred thousand?" I'm asked, and reply, "If money was the most important thing in life, I would not be in Israel in the first place."
"Yes, I know, I'm all for you, but what about the four hundred thousand?" I'm asked again and again.
As the conversation goes back and forth, I think of you, Tex. In your day, you symbolized a dark cloud of insensitivity in the sunny sky of social enlightenment. Today, the sky is dark and cloudy, and the rays of heavenly justice are struggling to shine through. Your forecast was correct; you just botched it by 30 years.