Yay for the number 1 son, Laura! I too hope this is a continued path for him.

My Facebook friends list is about 50-50. It drives me crazy, and I try to be apolitical, because a lot of the crazies are customers of our restaurant. It is not my place to drive away business, even if they are wronger than a wrong thing. I wish I didn't have to worry about that, because it feels like I'm compromising my principles.

I have unfollowed and unfriended an assortment of folks who I had been keeping to try to get a more balanced political view, but the pure hatred over the last couple of months boiled over after Paris and I just couldn't handle it anymore (run on sentence anyone).

I tried for a while blocking the sources that people post links to and that sort of thing, but too much effort. I can battle the family and close friends face to face when they are being hateful, but I don't have the energy to disprove and argue with the amount of horrible stuff I am seeing posted. Like the cousin that wants to lock them all up in camps in the desert since they are used to the desert. I just can't. So yes, I am taking the cowards way out and fleeing. But F2F, it is ON!

My Facebook friends have been pretty squarely in support of the refugees, but most of my more conservative Facebook friends are family, and "You don't turn your back on refugees" is pretty deeply embedded in all of us.

I've been pretty impressed with US Jewish organizations. Even the ones who are usually very right-wing on security issues -- the ones who advocate war against Iran, and protecting Israel at all costs -- have almost all issued statements in support of letting Syrian refugees in. The only exception that I was able to find was Zionist Organization of America, and they're kind of nuts to begin with -- the people that I think are right-wing nutjobs think that ZOA are right-wing nutjobs.

edit: I mean, ZOA supports Jonathan Pollard, who is a convicted spy. Most other Jewish organizations seem to regard him as an embarrassment and are trying to ignore his release as much as possible, while a few are giving half-hearted things about how we all know that what he did was wrong, but the sentence he got was disproportionate. ZOA is celebrating him as a hero.

I've been pretty impressed with US Jewish organizations

How I really, really wish I could say the same for my own country. The most optimistic thing I can say about the current climate in my country is that is disheartening and upsetting.

I really wish my country wasn't like this. I volunteer with Eritrean refugees. 3/4 of my grandparents are refugees (the fourth moved to Palestine from Germany in 1934). I learned about horrors. So I cannot understand people who can debate about the circumstances in which we can send and ignore people being sent to their deaths. As if being a refugee is a "lifestyle" choice.

Ugh Shir!

because it feels like I'm compromising my principles.

I get that, but I also think there's such a thing as modeling and ways of engaging that aren't confrontational. I admit FB is not my zone for engaging pretty much at all, I tend to leave that to the classroom, but teaching is all about letting students voice their opinions and directing them to resources where they might find the kinds of facts and information that might change their opinions. And then forcing them to analyze all of it. Only really die-hard wrongheadedness usually survives that, but trust me, it can and does. But most of the time, they come away from a paper with a much more developed understanding of things.

Oh, also wanted to say yay for #1 son! You are an awesome mom Laura. You've show such loving support and let him find his way on his own.

Thank you everyone. I am more hopeful than ever that he is going to be okay. It is wonderful to have his able assistance with my work, but that is nothing compared to the joy in seeing him take pride in his contribution.

It is a rainy overcast day here, and should be for a couple more days. I'm finding it soothing and relaxing.

Oh Shir. I have an ache in my heart, It sounds like you do also - wishing one's country were better at "doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly".

Definitely celebrate victories like this, Laura.