I was going thru movies on Netflix the other evening while working in my studio and ran across an old Gregory Peck film. "Gentlemen's Agreement" from 1947. I had never heard of it and enjoy old movies so I put it on while I was working. 

The gist of the story is that Peck, aka Phil Green is hired by a magazine and is asked to do a story about Anti-semitism.  He can't figure out a way to approach it until he decides to tell everyone he and his family are Jewish to see first hand how people react. 

He finds his secretary at the magazine was not hired when inquiring about the job when giving a Jewish name and then called back with a different name and was hired.  His son is called names and chased away by other boys, the hotel he planned to honeymoon in is restricted but won't say it to is face.  The article comes out to raves when the title is shown to the staff "I was Jewish for 8 weeks". I saw this movie last night.  

This morning I read an article on Facebook by Michael Douglas http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-0315-douglas-anti-semitism-20150315-story.html  

There have been acts of vandalism in at least 3 Jewish Cemeteries.  Hundreds of  Jewish Community Centers have had bomb threats over the last several months. 

When I was growing up in Salt Lake City in the 60's and the 70's I experienced  Anti-semitism first hand not  a big thing it was in school and Jr. and Senior high. Just words but they cut deeply and have never left me. In a high school art class a girl came up to me one day and said it was Hitler's Birthday and I should get into the kiln. I never reported these incidents to anyone, I generally try not to rock the boat. Kids in general can be really cruel. 

I have come to a place in my life where I don't want to not rock the boat, I want to make noise and protect people who are discriminated against, be it Jews, Muslims, Blacks, Hispanics or anyone being treated unfairly. 

I thought over the years that society was becoming more enlightened and open. These days I find I have to
re-evaluate.  



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