The Silent Cry of a Tortured Woman
Dear friends, I wanted to write this a few weeks ago, but I knew it wouldn't fly. Nobody cared about such things as tortured women, unless they were victims of "bigotry." Pure mental torture, however, was not interesting. Now, in the new mood, it is possible to express myself. The topic of my thoughts is New York City, and insights into what was Before and After the World Trade Center bombing. The two planes that tore the heart from Manhattan destroyed the materialistic arrogance that once pervaded our lives. It is now possible to challenge someone who is mangling the last spirit of his decent and upright wife. It is now even appropriate to do so. Unfortunately, nobody is doing it, so I will bring it to everyone's attention.
The Mayor of New York, Rudolph W. Guiliani, was once an upright, crime-busting family man, whose politics were right wing, pro-life and pro-family. He had a highly successful stint as a Federal Prosecutor, and then entered politics. New York City voted him mayor, and a bright future was predicted for him. As these thoughts entered his head, he decided he could better himself by becoming liberal. He changed his politics, and became pro-abortion and pro-gay. He became a swinger, and publicly humiliated his wife who gave her youth to build his career and raised his children.
Some women would simply wilt and escape the public eye. Donna Hanover was tougher than that. She would not let Rudy have his cake and eat it, too. She battled him publicly, and refused to leave Gracy Mansion. Rudy, a two-fisted fighter, turned with a snarl to defend his prerogatives, ignoring the pain this caused his own children. He was not going to sleep with his thing in some hotel. He wanted her up front, in Gracy Mansion. That was a challenge for our community. Why did nobody protest? What person could condone a father sleeping with a slut in front of his own children and wife? Was the pain of a decent wife and children a "private" matter even when the Mayor of New York tormented them on public property?
Finally, Rudy and Donna had it out in court. Rudy wanted Gracy Mansion for his thing, and Donna wanted to stay with the children. The court ruled for Donna. Rudy then took up in the home of a wealthy supporter with his thing, and when people found out that this wealthy supporter did business that a big politician could assist, there was murmuring. Nobody murmured, however, that Rudy left his lovely wife to move into a home with two gay men and his tramp. The New York Times wondered why that was, and concluded that people just didn't care.
The Talmud says that Sodom had sinned for decades, with stealing, brutality, etc., but Heaven did not intervene. Finally, someone caught a girl helping a poor man, and for this "crime" she was taken up on a roof, stripped, smeared with honey, and tied in the boiling sun. The bees swarmed upon her, stinging her, and throughout the day the Sodomites heard her cries until she no longer had strength to scream. Nobody cared. They were busy making money, because Sodom was noted for its wealth. G-d then decided to punish the Sodomites, and they were destroyed. A city that can ignore the shrieks of a helpless girl is pure evil. New York City ignored the silent screams of Donna Gulliani, until it learned what pain is, the hard way.
I wish everyone a New Year, because Tuesday and Wednesday are Rosh HaShana, the Jewish New Year. We spend the day praying, and listen to the awesome blast of the ram's horn, warning us. When we are finished praying, we rise to a still higher level, when we go home to eat with our families. We eat sweet things, and bless each other that we will have a sweet year. Those family blessings are holier than the ram's horn, and bring benevolence and blessings into the world.
A Happy and Sweet New Year to All.
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