Fear and Loathing in Fort Lauderdale

Last week I participated in a pro-Israel rally in downtown Fort Lauderdale. I'd been in Philly visiting family for the Christmas Holiday when the Palestinians took to the streets on December 30; after viewing that horrid display on video, I resolved to take action once back in South Florida.

For those who are unaware, there is a "Conservative Revolution" gaining traction on the Internet, especially on social networking sites like Facebook. Thanks to this welcome phenomenon, I've "met" and befriended literally hundreds of patriots so far...and that number increases significantly every single day.

One such person turned into a flesh-and-blood, real-life friend when she accompanied me to Fort Lauderdale on this particular day. This woman lives in Stuart -- a good hour away from Boca, and even further from Fort Lauderdale. She drove to my place so we could ride the rest of the way together.

Though we'd never met before, there was an instant connection, the kind that naturally flows when two people share the same philosophy. Shona is originally from New Zealand, and has been a US citizen for 30 years. At one point very liberal, she's now a 9/11 conservative. Actually, she's a Reagan conservative (fiscal, social & national security) who made the political transition from emotion to logic in the wake of the most horrific attack on American soil.

Anyway, Shona and I arrived to discover a fairly large pro-Israel presence standing behind our designated barricade. Among other prominent local figures in the crowd were Allen West (the recipient of my proud vote) and Ed Lynch, two conservative candidates for Congress this past year, who sadly lost to liberal opponents Ron Klein and Robert Wexler. Interestingly, though the latter two are Jewish, neither one bothered to show up.

Other faces included Joyce Kaufmann, local talk radio host, and Javier Manjarres, founder of the Conservative Republican Alliance. There was also a prominent Fort Lauderdale minister, whose name I cannot recall. I stood among an assortment of Christians and Jews, all united behind Israel. We waved American and Israeli flags, sang patriotic songs and yes, yelled back at the other side.

Believe me, they were asking for it.

The Golden Earring song "Twilight Zone" had been my election theme song, and this event confirmed that will continue for at least the next four years (as if the election hadn't already). As I noticed the sharp shooters standing at attention on the roof of a building, the swarm of police and the spectacle of shreiking Palestinians gesturing Hitler, frantically waving shoes at us (the ultimate insult in the Arab world) and hurling the most disgusting epithets you can imagine, the music and lyrics played inside my head, "Help, I'm steppin' into the twilight zone, this is a madhouse, feels like being cloned...."

You see, I was well aware that Global Jihad was raging in places like Afghanistan, London and Paris. But to come face-to-face with shocking reality in your own backyard -- well, it defies description.

I wish I could adequately quantify in words the sheer evil I saw in their eyes, the utter irrationality of their actions and the horror I felt as I noticed the very young -- and already poisoned beyond repair -- children, who joined in the hatefest. One thing's for sure: these people are NOT about peace.

And this fight is NOT about land. Israel gave up Gaza three years ago, and in return, the Palestians elected HAMAS, a terrorist organization. Like all radical Islamists, their goal is the imposition of a worldwide Muslim caliphate; the first step in that direction is the complete annihilation of Israel. This fight isn't Israel vs. Palestine, but the free world vs. Global Jihad. That's what I reiterated to a nice Jewish man who, upon learning I was a Catholic, thanked me profusely for coming to the rally. No thanks necessary, I assured him, while we both commiserated about the fact that 77% of Jews and 54% of Catholics pulled the lever for Obama.

Make no mistake about it: Palestinians are energized and emboldened over our election results.

Another hair-raising aspect to the event was the constantly circling white van, whose driver laid on the horn while a passenger waved a big Palestian flag out the window, shouting at us every time they drove by.

"Help, I'm steppin' into the twilight zone...."

Unfortunately, I did not remember to take along my camera, although Shona was able to get a few shots, which she posted on Facebook. If she's willing, I will post them here as well.

In the meantime, for those who are unfamiliar with the song, see the video below. And keep praying for Israel's success. God knows, they will not enjoy the same level of support under Obama as they did under President Bush. And that's a danger to us all.



UPDATE: Shona just told me she was already coming around in the 90's, but 9/11 sealed the deal!