Intro to Politics

I have been asked by numerous people that befriended me on my journey to freedom, how I became involved in politics. So I've decided it might make a funny blog post to share this with everyone.

I first became involved with politics in the 1980s. Maybe even before that as at one point my parents used to take my brother and I on demonstrations with them, and I was born in 1977 and he was born in 1979. So, that's the short answer, but how did I become actively involved in politics, this is a second issue that's pretty amusing actually.

I was watching TV one day, and for the umpteenth time my favorite TV show, the Cosby Show had been pre-empted by a presidential press conference. Naturally, I wasn't allowed to watch it my mother hated Reagan after all she didn't want me to be corrupted by the logical arguments he'd be making. I became incensed about this, and she told me to write the president. Part of me thought this idea was ridiculous, I was a child and children don't vote why would he write me back? After all it isn't as if I was writing to him about nuclear weapons or something of substance. I mean would he really move his conferences for me?

I deliberated about this for a few days and then decided to go ahead and write the president. I'm thinking this was early 1986 or maybe it was 1985. I can't remember exactly, I met Reagan in 1986 and I hadn't met him yet when I did this. Anyway, I wrote the president a letter. It went something like this "Dear President Reagan: My name is Rebecca and I am 8-9 years old (whichever I was then). I'd really appreciate it if you would please move your press conferences. I've been trying to watch the Cosby Show for several weeks now and you've been interfering with my ability to do this..." I can't remember all of it, and this is probably not the entire verbatim version. I went to the post office with my mother to mail my letter, and everyone asked me what I was writing the president about. I think they found it funny that a child would take the time to write, let alone about such a topic as this...I mean it's a TV show, but for me it was more than that.

A few weeks later I got a letter back from President Reagan. I had wanted to keep it, but I wasn't able to do so because my mother ultimately threw it out. I found out a few years ago this was written on personal stationary. This is also most likely not the entire verbatim letter, but Reagan basically said, "Dear Rebecca: Thank you for taking the time to write me about this important topic (I think maybe he was mocking me). I have to hold my press conferences when most Americans will be watching and it so happens this is during the Cosby Show. Perhaps you would be willing to watch my press conferences and become involved in the political process. I am moved that a child of your age would take the time to write me...."

Later in 1986 I would be selected to go to a rally in New Jersey where Reagan would be at. He waved at me, I think maybe we even shook hands at the event afterwards. I never told him that I was the child who wrote him about the topic of the Cosby Show. I was super excited to be able to greet the motorcade though.

This was a very gratifying experience, as I was touched that he wrote me back personally, I always felt he had done so himself since it was signed Ronald Reagan. My mother tried to convince me that it was an aid that did it, but I was steadfast in my conviction that it was in fact Reagan who wrote me back. I was also gratified with the way he asked me to become involved in the political process. I thought that was just totally cool, of course I didn't know back then that Youth for Reagan is what won him the election and how much power young people really have. I just loved the fact that he had made this comment to me.

I was sparked onto a lifetime of civil awareness by this interaction. My desire to become an internationalist came much later, in the 1990s actually, but that's a rather dull story so I will keep it to myself unless anyone asks for me to tell it.

RAF

What a strange time we live in, or maybe it's just that I live in a very strange time. I find myself with an abundance of things to say and no words to say them with, or ways to really flesh out what I'd like to say. So, I will post about what I feel I am able to discuss intelligently. Namely, my dear friend Chess Novice's allegations regarding spoiling my enjoyment of films. First of all the idea of him as a Chess Novice is really insane because he's been playing chess longer than I remember knowing him, and that's quite a long time ago now.

First of all, it is correct to assert that I have an unequivocal aversion to having my enjoyment of films spoiled. However, it is not so easily done. Your summary was of things and contexts that didn't really affect me regarding this film, and perhaps it is because you don't know of my love for this particular story.

I have had an ongoing love affair with this particular book chronicle for quite some time. All seven have a special place in my heart, and I do so hope they will make all 7 of them into movies, but this particular one has long been my favorite. I can't really explain why, in fact until I saw the movie I had no idea why and now I do have some idea.

First of all, the story of this chronicle is perhaps on of the most action packed of them all, and I really enjoyed the way it was envisioned by the film makers. Moreover, the themes in this chronicle are outlined very nicely by my friend, and so it is not the themes that I find so fascinating.

What I find fascinating is the actual content of the movie. "You're not lost, you're going the wrong way" there's something very interesting in that quote that I can't quite put my finger on here, I know what it is but to explain it would require too much energy and I am getting lazy in my old age.

Also, it's interesting that throughout my childhood I was constantly corrected about my feelings regarding Aslan. I always assumed Aslan was God, yet I was constantly told that everything was a Christian allegory and that Aslan was Christ. Interesting, maybe it is my transition out of Christianity, but when the sea swallowed up the Talmarines it reminded me more of Passover than anything Jesus ever did. Maybe I just don't understand the deep hidden Christian meaning the Lewis was going for in the book?

Many of these things strike me as interesting, but I'd rather not continue down this path. I have some political commentaries to make and perhaps I will do that later but at the present I just don't have the energy to deal with anyone or anything.

RAF

Yom Heudelet Tov!

Since the 5th of Iyaar this year is on a Sabbath this year, the parties are going on now. Happy Birthday to Israel. It exists simply by a miracle, there is no other explanation for the way our people have managed to survive all of the persecutions of previous generations, and also of the last 60 years in order to maintain a blooming flower in the desert and a beautiful tradition. It is amazing the way G-d has blessed this nation, and it really must be true, He who guards Israel never slumbers. I wish I had that kind of peace in my life presently, but perhaps with time it will come. There is only so much we can do as individuals and as communities. The community of Israel has always been a complex one, and will most likely get only more complex in years to come.

I am planning to visit my family in Israel, it is the only family I have left. Most of them are not blood to me, although I suppose with my latent Jewishness as they call it that my grandfather has given to me, they would be blood. Anyway sometimes water is thicker than blood. I was hoping to be in Israel for Purim, and then Passover, and then 60th anniversary, now I think I will shoot for Chanukah but hopefully be there far earlier. All of these days are commemorating to great divine presence and works. It is a way to honor myself, and others of course. My first trip, I can't wait. I'm like a little kid with anticipation about the entire situation.

It's been suggested to me that I should go and not return, I don't know what will happen, but I do know it'll be a magical time as this is a magical time for our people. It really is true in every generation there are those that rise up to destroy us, but we are always rescued from it. I haven't yet seen this in my own life, but perhaps going to Israel will help with that a little bit.

Malka