The Nazi Play Book Re-Visited

Good Morning Breakfastpoppers. Today is Monday, April 21, 2014. Our friend, Tevya, the Wasp, is here with me at the breakfast table. He doesn't have much of an appetite this morning, but he has generously brought us a few dozen bagels and cream cheese for our breakfast. Please join us at the table. Something quite horrifying has taken place in the Ukraine that every single human being on the planet needs to know about.

Thank you all for joining me this morning. Jews in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk where targeted by pro-Russian militants who have taken over government buildings. Jewish citizens leaving a synagogue were handed leaflets ordering them to register with the city or face deportation. If you don't have a cold chill running down your spine by now, perhaps this last sentence needs to be repeated.

Jewish citizens in Donetsk were ordered to provide a list of the property they own. They were further ordered to pay a "registration" fee. If they failed to comply with these orders they were told they would have their citizenship revoked and be subjected to deportation and the confiscation of their assets. The bone-chilling leaflet began with these words, " Dear Ukraine citizens of Jewish nationality." All citizens of Jewish descent over 16 years of age were told they must report to the Commissioner for Nationalities in the Donetsk Regional Administration building to "register."

The leaflets bore the name of Denis Pishilin who is the chairman of "Donetsk's temporary government". They were handed out to Ukraine citizens as they left their synagogue following the Passover evening prayer. There is still some confusion regarding who exactly is responsible for these disgusting leaflets, but the fact remains that it happened and the world should pay attention. Something evil and ugly is stirring once again in the world and acting deaf, dumb and blind isn't going to stem the tide of rising anti-Semitism.

Although it is still not entirely clear who printed this vile material, the fact remains that it happened and something needs to be done about it. The Jewish community has historically been the perfect scapegoats for deranged madmen who want to send a clear message to every citizen, namely, do as you are told or face trouble. These despicable leaflets also serve to recruit other lunatics into a common cause. The end-game is fermenting hatred and it is used by despots to bring insane people together and focus their self-hatred and fear upon others. In this case, it is the Jews. Putin has unleashed a nightmare upon the world. He is determined to bring back the Russian Empire and he is quite confident that he can get away with it. He'll do it the same way Adolf Hitler tried to do it and he will stop at nothing to get the job done.

I would be remiss if I didn't point out how disgusted I am with both the print media and the networks. The existence of these leaflets is a huge wake-up call to all civilized nations. This incident did not receive the attention it deserved. It bears remembering Pastor Niemoller's moving words:

First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.

They they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Tevya's Song

Dear God, you made so many madmen

It is a great shame to be a madman

So why are they here?

Tevya...