Rob, Being somewhat new to this forum, I do not know much about Martin Gibson, other than that he is a fellow Jew, and that means alot
to me. We have a very long history of being a persecuted people. Yes, I know that we are not alone in this regard. African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and more recently Muslims have laid claim to the same fact. With some it is a matter of economics as in the haves vs. the have nots. However, with us, we are singled out for persecution for one reason, and one reason alone; because we are Jews. From the time of the Greek & Roman Empires, through the Spanish Inquisition, progroms in Europe, up until the grand daddy of them all, Hitler's Holocaust, this has been the case. We come in all colors, races, and national origins and are united by one common denominator, our religion. Given our history it is quite natural that some of us may have a chip on our shoulder. Also, some of us have a thicker skin than others and a higher boiling point. My wife and I have both had close family that perished in the Holocaust as well as family members that survived Auschwitz. I have also had close friends that were killed in the recent hostilities in Israel. I grew up as a child in this country experiencing much prejudice and for a while after I was married, I lived in the NYC Borough of Staten Island, which can rival any area of the deep south when it comes to Jew hatred. I have been able to develop a thick skin when I hear certain statements and think carefully before I respond to them. If I feel the author of those statements is trying to be civil and logical, I will do likewise. On the other hand, If I feel that the author of those statements is coming out of the gutter, I am not above getting my hands dirty to respond in kind. In order to have a clear understanding of the issues, we first have to develop a mutual respect for each other as human beings. With this thought in mind Rob, I am willing to accept your hand in friendship. SOL ZELLER