Yesterday Was Like Something Right Out of the Book of Esther!

[David Zephyr]

Truth truly is greater than fiction.

Watching that right-wing, homophobic, xenophobic, Latino-bashing, sack-of-shit Senator Jon Kyle have to stand on the second row and applaud from behind while the crowd roared with a wave of love (it seemed like it went on forever) the heroic status given to that young, brave, gay Latino, Daniel Hernandez, in Tucson, Arizona yesterday was surreal. The power of love and decency publicly humiliating the perpetrators of hate as the entire world watched on television.

Witnessing Janet Napolitano, the former Governor of Arizona, being bathed in love right there in Tucson while that wicked, hateful and batshit Jan Brewer stewed with jealousy was also some sort of serious karmic, poetic justice.

There, right there in Arizona of all places, right on the front row sat America's first African-American President and First Lady sitting next to an Astronaut, a former U.S. Supreme Court Justice (who'd supported abortion rights and who voted to overturn the sodomy laws in Texas), along with that courageous young gay, Latino hero...while Arizona's three biggest bigots, Jon Kyle, Jan Brewer and John McCain, were placed in, shall we say, less prestigious seating!

Watching those three having to force smiles on their faces and to cheer for Daniel Hernandez was like seeing the most hateful boil imaginable being lanced right before our very eyes.

OMG! Jon Kyle and John McCain -- both who have stoked the anti-Mexican hatred and anti-gay bigotry with fever this past year -- had to stand and applaud (and applaud) while that beautiful young gay Latino man, Daniel Hernandez, was honored.

It was...well, it was like reading the Book of Esther and watching the wicked Haman having to see Mordecai the Jew being hailed just before Haman was marched off to hung on the gallows he'd built for Mordecai.

And to top it all, Sarah Palin, who wasn't even there in Arizona, but might as well have been, somehow managed to self-destruct as she provided the only sour-ass and "discouraging word" of the entire day.

That's the amazing thing about love, truth, courage and decency, beyond all of their glorious attributes, they also have the awesome power to really shame the living shit out of horrible people. I know. I saw it yesterday. And so did the world.

[Cleita]

1. Bravo David!

Well said. :applause:

[breadandwine]

26. Bible - Book of Esther 6:4-10: (ArtScroll translation):

(Mordechai had saved the king by warning him of an impending assassination, having overheard two men plotting. Later on, the king recalled this and now wanted to honor Mordechai, even though the super-rich Haman had convinced the king, with huge gifts, to kill all the Jews in the Persian Empire, including Mordechai and Queen Esther. Esther had not told the king that she was a Jew. Mordechai and Esther were trying to reverse the decree.)


The king said, "Who is in the court?" Now Haman had just come into the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about hanging Mordechai on the gallows he had prepared for him. So the king's servants answered him, "It is Haman standing in the court." And the king said, "Let him enter." When Haman came in the king said unto him, "What should be done for the man whom the king especially wants to honor?" Now Haman reasoned to himself, "Whom would the king especially want to honor besides me?" So Haman said to the king, "For the man whom the king especially wants to honor, have them bring a royal robe that the king has worn and a horse that the king has ridden, one with a royal crown on his head. Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king's most noble officers, and let them attire the man whom the king especially wants to honor, and parade him on horseback through the city square proclaiming before him, 'This is what is done for the man whom the king especially wants to honor.'" Then the king said to Haman, "Hurry, then, get the robe and the horse as you have said and do all this for Mordechai the Jew, who sits at the king's gate. Do not omit a single detail that you have suggested!"


Audio dramatization of the Book of Esther:

The Shushan Chronicles (part 1) (named after Shushan, which was then the capital of Persia):

http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/255700/jewish/The-Shushan-Chronicles-Part-1.htm

Part 2:

http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/255701/jewish/The-Shushan-Chronicles-Part-2.htm

The Book of Esther, in which the Jewish Queen Esther saved the Jewish people from extermination by the evil Haman, is commemorated in Jewish tradition on the holiday of Purim, which this year falls on March 20. Shushan Purim, a continuation of the holiday, falls the following day, on March 21. The Fast of Esther, commemorating how Esther had asked all the Jews to fast for her as she approached the king to beseech him to save her people, falls this year on March 17, which to this day is a traditional Jewish fast day. (Each of these dates begin the night before, as dates on the Jewish calendar begin sundown the night before, as with the Sabbath, Saturday, but the Sabbath begins sundown on Fridays.)

[davidwparker]

72. +1

[lsewpershad]

53. Bravo indeed

[Ineeda]

2. K&R

[H2O Man]

3. Well done.

Recommended.

It's a mighty strange time that we find ourselves in, isn't it?

[BeFree]

9. It is a strange time

But it is our time. Our place.

Like David wrote, the show of love overcoming is, indeed, strange to see.

Lately we have seen hate and war running the table,
and now with the ship damn near capsized by another huge wave of hate,
love takes center stage and reminds us what it is all about.

Will our society recover from this moment on?
Or is it but a brief interlude of Universal truth? Ah, that is the question!






And let me just state, for the record, what a great honor it is to be on the same page with the likes of you two.

[David Zephyr]

20. Too kind.

But thanks. H2O is first class, but so are you, BeFree.

That memorial yesterday is the sort of thing that sticks in your heart for a lifetime. :)

[lonestarnot]

4. Had some of the same exact sentiments!

Most excellent.

[knowbody0]

5. wise observation, beautifully articulated

[Ruby the Liberal]

6. Watching Jan brewer sitting next to Eric Holder was a hoot.

I am sure the message was some subliminal 'reconciliation', but at the end of the day, he is about to take her butt to court for the unconstitutional immigration law she signed off of.

[thaddeus_flowe]

7. Kick, but

Guess what book immediately follows Esther...

Job. Perhaps this will get worse before they get better.

[Oilwellian]

8. You said it better than I ever could

It was a very powerful thing to witness.

[RainDog]

10. excellent appropriation of the Palin hagiography.

LOL.

and, yes, it was wonderful to see the love for Hernandez - Palin's prior foot-stomping victim-fest from her Alaskan bunker really emphasized how marginal she is.

[Gregorian]

11. I consider this to be an example of the power of pacifism

Force is what Bush did when he invaded a country. Force is what was used when six were shot, and killed, and others wounded. I have criticized Obama for his lack of fire. But what we see in Obama is a lack of force, or a kind of pacifism. He could have done a Dick Cheney "go fuck yourself", and used his pulpit to castigate and blame. But in not being forceful and getting even, he is allowing the space for his opponents to demonstrate their flaws. Force doesn't work. The last administration used force in a measure not seen before in the history of mankind. And they bankrupted America. Had we shown the kind of behavior Obama exhibits, we could have avoided the expenses and losses of war. There is no way to expose the enemy better than they can expose themselves. It's an example of brains versus brawn. Squirming Kyle tells more about him than anything Obama could have ever said about him. I'm learning from this great president. It's hard to watch, because we want certain results. That's the hard part of what I call pacifism.

[nevergiveup]

12. You said it well.

Thank You!

[WhiteTara]

13. thanks. n/t

[blondeatlast]

14. We underestimate the power of shame over the wicked. Well said, David. Goodness will prevail because

it simply must do so.

[David Zephyr]

25. It simply must do so.

And it is our duty to help it along. :)

[MedicalAdmin]

27. Sociopaths do not feel shame.

Other than that good post.

To clarify, others (humans of normal emotional response) will feel shame. Those (three in the OP) who lack the capacity for it will not.

[spanone]

15. k&r....

[jwirr]

16. Some days we get to meet out heroes, just when we need them the

most.

[stevedeshazer]

17. Applause!

Excellent, thanks for posting this.

[dgauss]

18. K&R for "love, truth, courage and decency"

Those things actually are amazing. Easy to ridicule and cynically dismiss, but they are still the qualities that do the hard work of moving things forward.

[kentuck]

19. Kick

and recommend.

[JDPriestly]

21. I thought Obama's speech was wonderful.

He expressed the values of Democrats for a change. It was so refreshing. It is not a matter of compromise or half-measures. We have to make our dreams a reality. I hope that Obama will continue to adopt this new approach. Maybe the change in his staff is having an effect.

[pacalo]

22. The stars were shining bright on what makes this country great. Great OP.

[cliffordu]

23. Good post,

Excellent points!!

[Generic Other]

24. A portrait of pride and predjudice in action

Beautifully described. Hubris led to unwise action and nemesis as it should.

[Pooka Fey]

28. K&R

[trud]

29. someone who doesn't risk his life or limb

is not a hero. And calling him one denigrates people who do risk that.

[Paka]

30. Arizona hero's

To trud: what a hateful despicable thing to say.
Sorry to have to say that on my first posting.

[klook]

33. Hi, Paka

Welcome to DU! And thanks for saying what needed to be said.
:hi:

[Kajsa]

45. Welcome to DU, Paka!

And thank you for stating
what many of us feel.

:hi:

[David Zephyr]

58. Welcome to the DU.

:hi:

[callous taoboy]

65. Welcome! And don't feel sorry.

[trumad]

31. Trud

Please reverse the r and u.

[lunatica]

32. Yeah, no one shoots at or kills Presidents in this country

:sarcasm:

[rasputin1952]

42. Depends on what you describe as "heroic"...

I have been in the company of heroes many times during my life, I see some every day. They go unsung, quietly helping others when others walk over or spit upon those who need help.

Heroism does not require Herculean tasks, it just takes sacrifice. I've seen men hand others their coats on cold nights; I've seen women working hard in feeding others, while denying themselves the comfort of a small morsel themselves. These, and millions of others do things for people that, at least in the eye of the receiver are indeed heroic; and to those of us that see these little things every day and contribute to random acts of kindness...well, we know we walk among heroes every day.

There is, quite often, a difference between heroic and dramatic.

[olegramps]

43. A prime example of throwing cold water on the event to discredit it.

[Kajsa]

46. Trud,

He DID risk life and limb.
Didn't you hear how he raced
through gunfire to help his boss
after she was shot?
The shooter was still firing rounds
when Daniel helped Gabby.

What in the HELL are you doing
making that false, presumptive
statement in an effort to totally
discredit what Daniel did?!?

[barbtries]

51. he ran toward the bullets

he is a hero.

[keepCAblue]

56. If saving the life of another while under seige doesn't make one a hero ...

... :banghead:

[Ikonoklast]

62. You are completely wrong.

Please check and see how many Medals of Honor have been awarded to medics who rushed in, under fire, to save the lives of their comrades...just as Daniel had done.

Look to see how many times the words "rushed to the sound of gunfire with no thought of personal safety" are sited in those recommendations for the highest military commendation of this country.

Your agenda is showing.

[Uncle Joe]

63. He may have been risking his life, but even if he wasn't, your definition is too narrow, per

the dictionary.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hero

2. a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal: He was a local hero when he saved the drowning child.

(snip)

1. a man distinguished by exceptional courage, nobility, fortitude, etc.

When President Obama stated that he was indeed a hero, the crowd numbering well over 10,000 erupted with a standing ovation, so their belief in his heroism De Facto makes him a hero as a model or ideal.

This man wasn't a paramedic but he kept pressure on a critical bleeding wound and talked to his boss asking for signs which no doubt made it easier for her brain to rewire to a drastic situation instead of succumbing to shock, some people couldn't do this.

[callous taoboy]

66. Replace your "ud" with "oll," please!

[blueamy66]

34. May I say it again?

Sometimes I hate my state.

:(

[David Zephyr]

59. Arizona is going to be OK.

That spirit shown to the world there in Tucson is power packed energy of goodness.

[madrchsod]

35. it`s a ...

to you for an excellent post

[judesedit]

36. Great post ! I haven't seen the whole broadcast, but I did catch McCain looking at Obama. Did you

see the look of disdain and jealousy on his face? McCain wants revenge so bad you can read it a mile away. What a spoiled wuss. And yes I said wuss. McCain's not half the man he pretends or is portrayed to be. There's plenty of evidence to prove it. In my eyes he's a disgrace to men and women in uniform, sorry to say. And he's getting worse, instead of better, the older he gets. McCain serves McCain and no one else. If he cared about the country at all, he never would've unleashed Palin on us. You think we're in bad shape now? I shudder every time I think of what this country would be going through right now had they gotten in. Thank God we were saved from that horror.

[Tatiana]

37. K&R Beautiful sentiments, which I echo. n/t

[SOS]

38. Duffer McCain was there?

Watched the whole thing and never noticed that he was even there.
Just as well.

[JitterbugPerfume]

39. David, this is why I love you!

[David Zephyr]

60. Double to you.

:hug:

[ProudProgressiveNow]

40. I live in Az......

Bravo.

[babylonsister]

41. Beautiful post=thank you! Rec'd! nt

[Lucian]

44. What's with all the bible talk around here?

Have I stumbled in the wrong forum? Although I agree with you on what you're saying, I think it could've been done comparing it to something else instead of a fictional book.

[Ikonoklast]

49. Because those of the religiously insane right thinks Palin is Esther.

Look around the net, and you'll see them drooling over her as the new prophetess.

[Lucian]

54. Palin is nowhere near Esther.

She's more like the crazy cat lady from The Simpsons.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2-15mYWpmA&NR=1

[shimmergal]

50. What's wrong with fiction?

Thosse who can't appreciate it are to be pitied, rather than honored.

[Lucian]

55. There's nothing wrong with fiction.

What is wrong is when people think fiction is non-fiction. That's where I have a problem.

[spedtr90]

52. Palin believes she is Esther -ordained to save America

Interesting piece from:
http://www.politicususa.com/en/sarah-palin-blood-libel?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+politicususa/fJAl+(Politicus+USA+)


........."Because Sarah Palin believes she is qualified to be President, ordained to be President. She believes she is Esther come to save America and the President is the usurper devil. This isn’t simply something she sells to her base. She believes it. And that should tell you all you need to know about Sarah Palin’s mental stability and the unfettered rage and violence simmering just before eruption of her followers. If you believed that your “hero” was Jesus come to save America from a usurper Marxist terrorist, you too would become slightly unhinged when you heard your Jesus attacked. ....... Every “attack” (aka, attempt to hold her accountable) on Palin is an attack on the core values of her cult. It’s tantamount to an attack on Jesus Christ himself and it cannot stand."......

[David Zephyr]

61. The Book of Esther is my favorite story in the Bible. It never mentions the word "God" once.

But it is one of my all time favorite stories and a shining example of how we should and can live our lives when faced with evil.

[breadandwine]

79. The Book of Esther does not mention God for a reason.

Firstly, it was written by Queen Esther herself and sent as a letter to Jews throughout the Persian Empire following the events it describes. Queen Esther did not want to risk copies getting damaged, lost or torn, in which case mention of God in the text would have been a desecration of His name had the letter been damaged.

Secondly, there is a statement in scripture, "I will hide My face." (Deuteronomy 31:18.) Rashi (acronym for the great rabbinical commentator, Rabbi Shlomo ben Yitzchak) commented on this, "In the days of Esther there will be a concealment of the Divine countenance." ("Esther" actually has the same root as the word used there, "hahstair," which means "hide.") In the Book of Esther Jews were asked by the king to join him in a non-kosher banquet where he was celebrating Persian domination over the Jews and many Jews went along with this assimilation and participated in the banquet. Yet as a result of the events that ensued Jews returned to their roots and they did so without seeing God's presence in an openly revealed, miraculous way. There were miracles within nature in the Book of Esther but not miracles that transcended nature. In this respect the turning of the Jews back to God had an advantage over the turn of the Jews to God in the events of the Exodus where everyone could see miracles, miracles above nature, openly.

Ultimately, though, everything that happened in the Book of Esther is very lofty and there is one extraordinary coincidence after another that led to the evil plot of Haman being overturned. For instance, Esther sought to avoid being queen and was compelled. Her ascent to the throne was in itself an extraordinarily unlikely event given the small number of Jews then and yet she ended up being the wife of the king so she could influence him to reverse the decree. There are many other events in the book like that. Like the fact that Haman built a gallows for Mordechai and the king ends up telling Haman to honor Mordechai and in the end the gallows is used on Haman instead. Also, when Esther accused Haman of plotting to destroy all Jews including her, the king in rage stepped out and Haman flung himself on Esther begging for mercy. Just then the king stepped back in and it looked like Haman was actually attacking Esther (which of course he ultimately was anyway), which helped result in the king turning on him and using the gallows to hang Haman.

Incidentally, during the Holocaust there were Jews in Europe who found out about the death camps and began spreading a message around Europe on the tongue of a young boy who was sent from town to town. The cryptic message he memorized, designed to be inscrutable to the Nazis, was simply, "Aunt Esther has turned up again and is at Megilla Street 7, Apartment 4." Those Jews who studied scripture understood immediately that this referred to the "Megilla" or "scroll" of Esther, as on the Jewish holiday of Purim that commemorates the story of Esther, the Book is traditionally read from a scroll, often just referred to as "The Megilla." Jews looked up the reference --- Esther 7:4 --- and found this from the words of Queen Esther to the king:

"For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, slain and annihilated!"

----Esther 7:4

Immediately Jews understood that the message meant extermination. As a result, many Jews began preparing an uprising, which led to the Warsaw Ghetto Revolt and other Jewish ghetto rebellions under the Nazis.

[inna]

67. I appreciate your comment; I'm not big on "the bible talk" either.

[JNelson6563]

47. Well said. Bravo!

[FredStembottom]

48. Thank you, David!

I need help like this lovely post these days.
Thanks again.

[northamericancitizen]

57. Recommended nt

[callous taoboy]

64. A rec and a hell, yeah! Well stated!

[Uzybone]

68. beautiful post

Good really does triumph over evil. Sometimes it takes a long time, but sometimes you get to see it on TV right in front of you.

[opihimoimoi]

69. 213 checking in with Kudos and Mahalos for an excelent synopsis

[LittleGirl]

70. Kyl caught my eye

and his expression was very telling. It looked like pain in his face. Pain that he had to sit behind the gay Mexican hero...or that he was sitting next to the McCain couple. He really just looked just like McCain; a mean OLD MAN.

[AllTooEasy]

71. I blame Obama

Oh wait, this is not another liberals-who-hate-Obama thread. Nevermind.

[malaise]

73. What a fabulous post

K & R

[MindandSoul]

74. I like your interpretation! Very insightful! And Hernandez seems

to be an amazing young man. . .modest, bright, articulate!

I think he is a wonderful person to represent the best in Latino and in gay pride!

I applaud him wholeheartedly!

[Divine Discontent]

75. amen! I praise God for such a good day where compassion and courage were revered and those who sew

divisiveness either had to stand and be a part of that great love, or were humiliated in the news for their ridiculous responses from elsewhere (like Palin's video response... blech... such vile egoism).

thanks for the thread, and to DANIEL - :yourock:

[RetroLounge]

76. Wonderful post

K&R

RL

[saras]

77. Wonderful post

Even better event, but...

I've got to admit I'm ambivalent about the idea that I should actually watch political events in the mass media or risk missing something like this.

[newtothegame]

78. Why are you referring to him as a "gay latino?"

Can he just be the congressional aide? :shrug:

[BrklynLiberal]

80. K&R