Why?

Sometimes--not always--but sometimes, my daughter (yes, I have gotten to the point where I am calling her that) will start to wander out of my apartment as I enter it, curious to see what's on the outside world.

If she only knew.

I'm a pretty cynical person, but sometimes, the hate and the bitterness people have toward one another--whether it be between friends, family or colleagues--is too much to take.

Just last week, I was in a bar and I needed to hit the men's room and some lovely young lass grabs me by my gold Star of David and yanks me over to her, charmingly exclaiming to her chums, "Hey, fellas!! Looks like we got ourselves a Jewbag over here!!"

Hark! Fair Juliet speaks!!

She let me go after a moment of choking me with my own chain and I headed to the head and practiced my best comebacks ("I KNOW KA-RA-TAY, MOTHERFUCKER!!!!" or "YOU WANNA PIECE OF ME!! HERE'S SOME JEWISH RAGE FOR YA!!! TAKE IT!! TAKE IT!!" or, very calmly, "bitch, you touch my fuckin' shit again and I'll take your fuckin' number." All of the above would be followed by a punishing head-butt"). When I exited the little boys' room, however, she was gone. So, I waited on the other side of the bar with my friends, telling them what had transpired. She never appeared the again. The broad was seriously like the Moby Dick of anti-Semites. Emphasis on "Dick."

Okay. All of the above is true. I really wanted to let that girl have it. I wanted to hurt her. I did. I wanted to inflict bodily harm on her and humiliate her and make her regret the day she was ever born. This is all true. But I'm really not a violent man. I mean, yeah, I'm pretty volatile and am easily angered--lately, I've been referred to as The Jewish Joe Pesci--and, sure, if forced to use violence, I guess I'd do what I'd have to do. But I guess the biggest part of me just wanted to confront her and ask her one simple question: Why?

Why?

She didn't know me. She doesn't know who I am, where I come from, what my likes and dislikes are. And yet, she saw my Jewish star and that's all she needed? It's maddening!!

Me? I try and take everyone on their own individual merits. I don't think there's anyone person I truly hate. I really do try and be respectful toward everyone. In my eyes, everyone starts with a clean slate. Everyone should be allowed the the benefit of the doubt at least once.

Sometimes, I look at certain people that I know and wonder why some of them act so negative and bitter and hateful about/toward everything. I mean, as shitty as life can be sometimes, why go out of your way and try to make things seem worse than they already are.

I don't get it. How can people can be so hurtful toward one another? I'd like to end this entry with one of my favorite prayers that we read responsively in Synagogue. It's called "A Prayer for Peace."

May we see the day when war and bloodshed cease,
when a great peace will embrace the whole world.

Then nation will not threaten nation,
and mankind will not again know war.

For all who live on earth shall realize
we have not come into being to hate or destroy.

We have come into being
to praise, to and to love.

Compassionate G-d, bless the leaders of all nations
with the power of compassion.

Fulfill the promise conveyed in Scripture:

I will bring peace to the land,
and you shall lie down and no one shall terrify you.

I will rid the land of vicious beasts
and it shall not be ravaged by war.

Let love and justice flow like a mighty stream.

Let peace fill the earth as the waters fill the sea.

And let us say: Amen.