Extremists Among Us

December 22, 2014

The events and utterances prior and after the execution of 2 NYPD officers have shown to me once again how extremists and their hateful statements can ignite a power keg and destroy the good intentioned motives of any movement or organization they are a part of.

Few notable examples of extremists causing calamities in the past year are those in Ukraine,  Israel and now in USA.

In Ukraine peaceful protests gathered to demonstrate against a corrupt government.  Soon, the voices of peaceful majority were overtaken by agitators and hoodlums who threw Molotov cocktails at Ukrainian cops and took over government buildings. An illegal putsch occured as a result.  In Eastern Ukraine, the Russian speaking citizens wanted more recognition and self governance from the Kiev authority.  Military style rebels took over and precipitated a civil war to brought USA and Russia to a brink of a new Cold War. Extremists on both sides have caused the current conflict in the region.

In Israel, the Palestinian people who yearn for peace and their own goverment are held hostage by radical terrorists who thrive on anti-semitic and homicidal agenda.  In Israel, whenever world starts to develop some kind of sympathy for the Jewish victims of Palestinian terror, a nationalistic group comes along and ruins any good will towards Israel by killing innocent Arabs, entering Al-Aksa grounds and burning an Arab-Jewish coexistance school. In the aftermath of all extremist actions the peace process got back to step zero and an unneccesary war with Hamas ensued in Gaza.

Currently,  the level of extremist statements made to people already charged with emotion and grief in New York is very disconcerting and frightening.  There was legitimate concern after the killings of Mike Brown and Eric Garner about police misconduct and the justice system that protects its own. However, the peaceful and meaningful demonstrations evolved into riots and some calls to kill the cops. The benign message was hijacked by the extremists and possibly caused the warped and mentally disturbed mind of a killer to travel from Baltimore to murder 2 cops in NYC.  Afterwards, the PBA president Lynch further divided the city by making a disgusting statement that the Mayor is somehow responsible for the murders and has blood on his hands.  Once again, Lynch’s extreme statements have failed to heal the city but have further alienated people agrieved with the law enforcement as it is.

I call on all peoples to think with a leveled head before resorting to making extremist statements, especially on hot issues when peoples’ emotions are running high.  Remember that there are no absolutes in life and that there are two sides to each issue.  At this delicate time politicians and community leaders must act and speak in moderate tones that will resolve issues rather then exacerbate them further.

By Michael Levitis

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