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Instead of Excessive Apology
by Zev Jabotinsky, 1911
translated from Russian by Boris Shusteff
from
Giving Moral Ground,
The Maccabian Online, August 1997
We constantly and very loudly apologize... Instead of turning our backs to
the accusers, as there is nothing to apologize for, and nobody to apologize
to, we swear again and again that it is not our fault... Isn't it long
overdue to respond to all these and all future accusations, reproaches,
suspicions, slanders and denunciations by simply folding our arms and
loudly, clearly, coldly and calmly answer with the only argument that is
understandable and accessible to this public: 'Go to Hell!'?
Who are we, to make excuses to them; who are they to interrogate us? What
is the purpose of this mock trial over the entire people where the sentence
is known in advance? Our habit of constantly and zealously answering to any
rabble has already done us a lot of harm and will do much more. ...
The situation that has been created as a result, tragically confirms a well
known saying: "Qui s'excuse s'accuse." We ourselves have acquainted our
neighbors with the thought that for every embezzling Jew it is possible to
drag the entire ancient people to answer, a people that was already
legislating at the time when the neighbors had not even invented a bast
shoe. Every accusation causes among us such a commotion that people
unwittingly think, 'why are they so afraid of everything?' Apparently their
conscience is not clear.' Exactly because we are ready at every minute
to stand at attention, there develops among the people an inescapable view
about us, as of some specific thievish tribe. We think that our constant
readiness to undergo a search without hesitation and to turn out our pockets,
will eventually convince mankind of our nobility; look what gentlemen we
are--we do not have anything to hide! This is a terrible mistake. The real
gentlemen are the people that will not allow anyone for any reason to search
their apartment, their pockets or their soul. Only a person under
surveillance is ready for a search at every moment.... This is the only
one inevitable conclusion from our maniac reaction to every reproach--to
accept responsibility as a people for every action of a Jew, and to make
excuses in front of everybody including hell knows who. I consider this
system to be false to its very root. We are hated not because we are blamed
for everything, but we are blamed for everything because we are not loved...
We may apologize only in rare, unique and extremely important moments when
we are completely confident that the Areopagus in front of us really has
just intentions and proper competence. We do not have to apologize for
anything. We are a people as all other peoples; we do not have any
intentions to be better than the rest. As one of the first conditions for
equality we demand the right to have our own villains, exactly as other
people have them. Yes, we do have provocateurs and draft dodgers, and it is
even strange that we have so few of them under current conditions. Other
people have also these kind of "good," and, in addition, they have
embezzlers, and pogrom-makers, and torturers--so what-- the neighbors live
and are not ashamed.... Do our neighbors blush for the Christians in
Kishinyov who hammered nails into Jewish babies' eyes?" Not in the least,--
they walk with head raised high and look everybody in the face; they are
absolutely right, and this is how it must be, as the persona of a people is
royal, and not responsible and is not obliged to apologize...
We do not have to account to anybody, we are not to sit for anybody's
examination and nobody is old enough to call on us to answer. We came
before them and will leave after them. We are what we are, we are good
for ourselves, we will not change and we do not want to.
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