Each time we move we spend quite a bit of time explaining to new bosses, teachers, principals, and sports coaches that our family will be taking time off to celebrate the Jewish High Holidays. We have never encountered any problems with this until today when someone told my husband "If we give you special liberty for Jewish holidays, then that would mean we would have to do the same for Muslims". Yes, someone actually uttered this absurd sentence aloud and let these toxic words explode into the air that is already so heavy with nastiness. Each day when I listen to the news, I find myself wondering are we in a weird time warp. Is it still the 1950s? the 30s? the Middle Ages? Are my Jewish children safe? Are our Muslim neighbors' children safe? Are any of our children safe? I want to vomit while also screaming obscenities and causing physical harm to those who spew hate. I know this is not the sane or calm response but that's what bigotry does. It gets your blood pumping and forces the bile to bubble up from a deep space within your core and it doesn't feel good at all.
