This is Deb,the webmaster. I’m almost always behind the scenes and have never written an article for Billy the Reiki Master.
Today that changes. You may have noticed on the home page, at the bottom, there are several logos/icons. Our location is in East Lakeview and we do support our LGBTQIA neighbors. Yesterday I added the blue square with the hashtag. The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism has asked everyone, especially non Jews, to post the blue square emoji as a unifying symbol of support.
Jews only make up 2.4% of the American population yet are the victims of 55% of religious-based hate crimes.
This madness stops when we, as human beings, stand up and make it stop. That begins with speaking out.
Pastor Martin Neimoller said it best with this poem.
FIRST THEY CAME
By Martin Niemöller
First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me.
If you’d like more information, please visit https://www.standuptojewishhate.org/