|
Edited on Wed Mar-19-08 09:14 AM by Boojatta
The idea is simple:
1. The Parallel
During or near the year 1492, the government of Spain deported from Spain, en masse, Spanish people who happened to be Jewish. Guess what else the government of Spain started doing in 1492...
2. The Benefits
It seems possible that some organizations in America that have a mission associated with Jews (and that includes not just Jewish organizations, but also some Christian organizations) might have the resources to help Native Americans and might be more motivated to help Native Americans if there is at least one organization of Native Americans dedicated to making amends for one particular unfair event that didn't directly affect Native Americans, but that did happen to occur around 1492.
3. The Offer
Israel is in the news and on the minds of various Jewish organizations, perhaps partly because it has been a major destination for Jews from various countries in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Russia, etc. Of course, one reason that it has been a major destination is simply that the government of Israel has permitted Jews to live and work in Israel. There's nothing in international law that prevents countries besides Israel from permitting Jews to live and work in them.
Although Israel puts a lot of effort into "Homeland Security", Spain has probably been a safer place for Jews to live than Israel at least since the Axis powers were defeated in WWII. This question needs to be researched, but if I'm wrong about this then we could consider not just lobbying the government of Spain, but also lobbying the government of Italy. Surprisingly, although Italy was an ally of Germany, Italy was one of the safest countries in Europe for Jews during WWII.
Israel does to its people what the American government did to Americans during the Vietnam war. It forces them to serve in the military. However, many American Jews aren't interested in becoming combat soldiers or devoting their working lives to medical rehabilitation of an endless series of combat veterans. There are lots of other kinds of work. Israel is a tiny country, but if American Jews could work in Spain, then they might be just one step from working in any EU country.
Given the security issues and the trends in the value of the dollar and the value of the Euro, Spain or Italy might become increasingly recognized as good places for Americans to live. The Spanish government's decision to withdraw troops from Iraq is an added bonus that makes Spain pleasantly neutral, almost like Switzerland.
|