Lee Diamond – Tribalism
There’s a new religion out there.
Like so many other religions
It “must” be right
And all others therefore wrong!
This religion:
‘LIBERALISM”
It has its institutions
It’s loyal followers
It’s documents
It’s language
Heroes
It’s priesthood
It’s rituals
It’s own enemies!
Those who dare to choose
Another path
Are ‘intolerables”
Primitives
Unenlightened
Boors
Narrow
But worst of all
They are called TRIBAL
To be unique is to be Tribal
To think differently is Tribal
To speak a different language
Or live a different world view
Is Tribal
To try to preserve a weltenschaung
Of ones special culture
Is blasphemy !
To be a liberal is to be
Of this world
–In tune ; In Step–
Universal
Modern
“Our way or no way!”
These Liberal ‘Fanatics”
Are closed
To hearing
And listening and learning
More than those they accuse!
Like the crusaders of old
They condemn the infidels
The other
And destroy in the name of their
World view,
I am a boor
An abhorrent
I’m tribal
I am of the past
The past speaks through me
I speak from this past
I live in the past, present and
Into a future
I love my humor
My foods
My music
My literature
My fellow tribesmen
My History
Holidays
Even my prayers
Which are unique and
Sometimes particularistic
Because I’m a MOT
A proud Member of a Tribe
Called the Jews
We overcame the Greek Hellenized Jews
Because we listened and learned
Yet remained TRIBAL
Happy Chanukah
חג חנוכה שמח
