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QSO TODAY AMATEUR RADIO PODCAST - Blog
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It has been at least a few weeks since I wrote “They Are Not Innocent”, and in that time so much has happened around the World, in Israel, and in the USA, that I can’t get my brain around it. It is clear now that the Hamas embedded in the college campuses across the United States and Canada was ready for its response to the October massacre of Israelis, living and celebrating in the border communities next to the Gaza strip. The protests began outside of Israel, even as Hamas was broadcasting, on the internet with cellphone and Go-Pro cameras, its murder, rape, beheadings, incineration of babies, etcetera, part of a well organized plan to eradicate the Jews in Israel, once and for all.
As an American-Israeli (yes I pay taxes in both countries) living in Israel during this war on five-fronts (Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Judea and Samaria, Houtis in Yemen and the Red Sea, and Iran and other proxies), the overwhelming amount of nonsensical news of the World’s reaction to our self-defense is mind blowing. Every time I sit to write about it, I don’t know where to start.
I passed the 500th episode of QSO Today with little fanfare. The fact is that other than 42 years of commitment to my XYL, Karen, to my children and grandchildren, the QSO Today Podcast has been my longest and deepest commitment to a project to date. It has allowed me to speak to not only the best that amateur radio has to offer, but also to what humanity has to offer. It allows me to reconnect to good people outside of Israel to make me feel that we are not alone here. And while I don't speak about politics on the show, sometimes after the recording has stopped, I sense that most of us share some core values that are not represented in the mainstream media that we all consume.
All of the noise generated by news agencies funded by huge corporate interests create discord and discontent. “If it bleeds it leads”, they say to sell more drugs or junk food on the Six O’Clock News. Reporting on the Jew’s most recent defensive actions against a homicidal enemy trumps coverage of the millions of murdered Sudanese, Ethiopians, Syirians, et al, that has been taking place for years in this region, with hardly a peep. Jews sell news. The media has changed our values and the goals for our lives, leading to the eruptions in major cities across the globe. I can only imagine what the coming “Summer of discontent” holds for all of us.
When did public protest (a right under the US Constitution’s First Amendment) allow for intimidation, physical assault on people and property? When did the public square move up the driveways of people whose ideas and opinions you don’t like? Why is it OK to stalk a political figure or a Supreme Court Justice to intimidate and harass them in restaurants, gas stations, and in their homes? Where are the reasonable voices from the largely reasonable public that says the First Amendment does not allow for intimidation, harassment, and physical assault?
So when I sit down to write, my brain does not know where to start. So I am starting someplace else.
I had the opportunity to interview 30 year old Will Harris KI4POV, for QSO Today Episode 509 coming soon, who made a splash at FDIM - the Four Days In May conference hosted by QRP ARCI at the Dayton Hamvention with his homebrew 5 band CW transceiver package. Will builds his own transceivers from scratch, having learned to be comfortable with electronics since his dad built him a small workbench at age 4 next to his own in the garage. Will grew up “holding the light” with a father who taught him what he knew. I so enjoyed the story, but came away so impressed with the man who said that “G-d, family, and country are my priorities”. I don’t want to reveal too much of the story, but I do want to note in the context of the greater story here, that Will is anchored in his hometown, with his wife, and extended family. Would this be the case if he had attended the Ivy League, or if his father hadn’t made such investment in him?
Our society in the West has moved away from “G-d, family, and country” since the end of WW2. Its focus is on getting ahead, moving up the corporate ladder to financial success not seen in human history. Beginning in the Sixties, families moved away from their hometown and extended family in pursuit of career and financial success that consumed their adult lives until retirement. Often, they learned that the sacrifices that they made for this success were the core values that allowed the United States to survive its tumultuous beginnings, a Civil War, and two World Wars. Their career demands made time in the garage sharing expertise with their children almost impossible except for short vacation breaks based on longevity and their company compensation package.
They sent their kids to colleges and universities that were key to creating a liberal gentry not encumbered by G-d, family, and country. After 70 years of trusting our children to this system, we now see that we have created a class of narcissists who work their way up the ladder like we did. We did not pay attention to their professors, their worldview’s, their funding from Qatar (read Hamas) and other Arab countries (Cornell University received 1.5 Billion USD) whose values differ from the spirit of the Founding Fathers of the greatest political experiment in the history of humanity. Our children come back as strangers whose values were molded by their teachers in the academy.
The XYL and I have six grandchildren who are “Haradi”. They are ultra-orthodox Jews in Jerusalem, who speak Yiddish as their native tongue. Their English language ability is enhanced by our weekly visits since they were born. They do not have any technology except a landline telephone. No radio; no TV; no cellphones; no Internet. Our oldest grandson is in Yeshiva where he learns from morning to night, only coming home to sleep. The remaining granddaughters range in age from 14 to 5 years old. We lament that their education is lacking, but somehow they have the street smarts of kids with lots of responsibility including shopping, caring for their younger siblings, and cleaning.
Their neighbor across the street had twin boys eight months ago and immediately suffered major organ failure. Her twins have been in the care of their neighbors in the ultra-orthodox community for the entire time. My daughter-in-law and granddaughters have now been caring for one of the boys for the last month. He is part of the family and fussed over as if he was one of their own. They attend to his every need and he goes with them wherever they go. When I go into the darkest despair over what is happening in the World, in the United States; when I have writer’s block and can’t get my head around it all - I think of my granddaughters caring for someone else's child. I think of Will and his values. I think of many of my guests on QSO Today, and know that we will be alright if the “silent majority” starts to speak up.
It’s time to circle the wagons. Go against the corporate media, its sponsors, and the academy. It's time to make G-d, family, and country our top priority to regain the foundations that changed humanity forever. Bring the extended family under your protective umbrella if you can. Take back your schools, local government, and volunteer organizations. Try to do one nice thing for someone else every day. Visit the sick and attend to the widow and orphan. If you are a ham, make sure that your regular net check ins - are checking in and call them instantly if they don’t.
I am circling my wagons to include my family, friends, and QSO Today guests and listeners to feel like I have some order in a war zone where I have no control over the existential reality. I have to depend on the strength of our calvary to come to our aid when the time comes. It is grounding and comforting in these difficult days.
73, Eric 4Z1UG
Continue reading...
As an American-Israeli (yes I pay taxes in both countries) living in Israel during this war on five-fronts (Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Judea and Samaria, Houtis in Yemen and the Red Sea, and Iran and other proxies), the overwhelming amount of nonsensical news of the World’s reaction to our self-defense is mind blowing. Every time I sit to write about it, I don’t know where to start.
I passed the 500th episode of QSO Today with little fanfare. The fact is that other than 42 years of commitment to my XYL, Karen, to my children and grandchildren, the QSO Today Podcast has been my longest and deepest commitment to a project to date. It has allowed me to speak to not only the best that amateur radio has to offer, but also to what humanity has to offer. It allows me to reconnect to good people outside of Israel to make me feel that we are not alone here. And while I don't speak about politics on the show, sometimes after the recording has stopped, I sense that most of us share some core values that are not represented in the mainstream media that we all consume.
All of the noise generated by news agencies funded by huge corporate interests create discord and discontent. “If it bleeds it leads”, they say to sell more drugs or junk food on the Six O’Clock News. Reporting on the Jew’s most recent defensive actions against a homicidal enemy trumps coverage of the millions of murdered Sudanese, Ethiopians, Syirians, et al, that has been taking place for years in this region, with hardly a peep. Jews sell news. The media has changed our values and the goals for our lives, leading to the eruptions in major cities across the globe. I can only imagine what the coming “Summer of discontent” holds for all of us.
When did public protest (a right under the US Constitution’s First Amendment) allow for intimidation, physical assault on people and property? When did the public square move up the driveways of people whose ideas and opinions you don’t like? Why is it OK to stalk a political figure or a Supreme Court Justice to intimidate and harass them in restaurants, gas stations, and in their homes? Where are the reasonable voices from the largely reasonable public that says the First Amendment does not allow for intimidation, harassment, and physical assault?
So when I sit down to write, my brain does not know where to start. So I am starting someplace else.
I had the opportunity to interview 30 year old Will Harris KI4POV, for QSO Today Episode 509 coming soon, who made a splash at FDIM - the Four Days In May conference hosted by QRP ARCI at the Dayton Hamvention with his homebrew 5 band CW transceiver package. Will builds his own transceivers from scratch, having learned to be comfortable with electronics since his dad built him a small workbench at age 4 next to his own in the garage. Will grew up “holding the light” with a father who taught him what he knew. I so enjoyed the story, but came away so impressed with the man who said that “G-d, family, and country are my priorities”. I don’t want to reveal too much of the story, but I do want to note in the context of the greater story here, that Will is anchored in his hometown, with his wife, and extended family. Would this be the case if he had attended the Ivy League, or if his father hadn’t made such investment in him?
Our society in the West has moved away from “G-d, family, and country” since the end of WW2. Its focus is on getting ahead, moving up the corporate ladder to financial success not seen in human history. Beginning in the Sixties, families moved away from their hometown and extended family in pursuit of career and financial success that consumed their adult lives until retirement. Often, they learned that the sacrifices that they made for this success were the core values that allowed the United States to survive its tumultuous beginnings, a Civil War, and two World Wars. Their career demands made time in the garage sharing expertise with their children almost impossible except for short vacation breaks based on longevity and their company compensation package.
They sent their kids to colleges and universities that were key to creating a liberal gentry not encumbered by G-d, family, and country. After 70 years of trusting our children to this system, we now see that we have created a class of narcissists who work their way up the ladder like we did. We did not pay attention to their professors, their worldview’s, their funding from Qatar (read Hamas) and other Arab countries (Cornell University received 1.5 Billion USD) whose values differ from the spirit of the Founding Fathers of the greatest political experiment in the history of humanity. Our children come back as strangers whose values were molded by their teachers in the academy.
The XYL and I have six grandchildren who are “Haradi”. They are ultra-orthodox Jews in Jerusalem, who speak Yiddish as their native tongue. Their English language ability is enhanced by our weekly visits since they were born. They do not have any technology except a landline telephone. No radio; no TV; no cellphones; no Internet. Our oldest grandson is in Yeshiva where he learns from morning to night, only coming home to sleep. The remaining granddaughters range in age from 14 to 5 years old. We lament that their education is lacking, but somehow they have the street smarts of kids with lots of responsibility including shopping, caring for their younger siblings, and cleaning.
Their neighbor across the street had twin boys eight months ago and immediately suffered major organ failure. Her twins have been in the care of their neighbors in the ultra-orthodox community for the entire time. My daughter-in-law and granddaughters have now been caring for one of the boys for the last month. He is part of the family and fussed over as if he was one of their own. They attend to his every need and he goes with them wherever they go. When I go into the darkest despair over what is happening in the World, in the United States; when I have writer’s block and can’t get my head around it all - I think of my granddaughters caring for someone else's child. I think of Will and his values. I think of many of my guests on QSO Today, and know that we will be alright if the “silent majority” starts to speak up.
It’s time to circle the wagons. Go against the corporate media, its sponsors, and the academy. It's time to make G-d, family, and country our top priority to regain the foundations that changed humanity forever. Bring the extended family under your protective umbrella if you can. Take back your schools, local government, and volunteer organizations. Try to do one nice thing for someone else every day. Visit the sick and attend to the widow and orphan. If you are a ham, make sure that your regular net check ins - are checking in and call them instantly if they don’t.
I am circling my wagons to include my family, friends, and QSO Today guests and listeners to feel like I have some order in a war zone where I have no control over the existential reality. I have to depend on the strength of our calvary to come to our aid when the time comes. It is grounding and comforting in these difficult days.
73, Eric 4Z1UG
Continue reading...