Life is a bite of Jewish Salami

I was told a story the other day that I thought was worth sharing.

The setting is the island of Okinawa at the end of World War II. Japan has surrendered, but there are many Japanese soldiers in the mountains who are unaware that peace has been declared. They are hiding in the caves, trapped, and don’t know what to do. The American soldiers are keeping a watch on them, but not fighting with them.

The story involves two American soldiers, a Jewish man, who has become friends with a Regular Joe. The two get along fine, and the Regular Joe tells him that he never met a Jew-boy before. By using his new friend as a standard, Regular Joe finds that maybe some of his pre-conceptions have been wrong. “You are alright in my book”, he tells him, or something to that effect.

One of the things that the Jewish soldier gets from home is salami. He shares it with Regular Joe who enjoys it very much. Breaking bread as it were, the Regular Joe discovers not only a new world of flavor, but a whole new culture too. He tells his friend, whenever he gets some of that sausage from home, that he would like a piece.

One day Regular Joe tells his Jewish friend that yesterday he had shot one of the Japs. “He came out of the cave and was walking around, so I shot him,” he proudly explains. Not only did he kill him, but he teased him by shooting a few close volleys first, to make him dance. This was an act of murder, disguised by war. Disgusted, the Jewish soldier never shares his salami with Regular Joe ever again.

In Washington D.C. you will find a monument of the famous posed image of American soldiers raising the American Flag at Iwo Jima. On the plaque it reads, “Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue” in reference to the brave Marines that fought there. Well, we know there was at least one soldier in the Japanese theater to whom these words do not apply. The memorial cost $850,000. All the money was raised privately. This false icon is a great example of blind pride, and shows how monuments betray the very people they are meant to honor. The desire to feed ones ego is stronger than the desire to feed a neighbor. Soldiers go begging for funds at the VA. Let them eat marble.

Not surprisingly, the plaque says nothing about the murder that took place at Okinawa. Justice in this world is elusive. The next time you have a mouthful of food, take a moment to chew on the value of a man’s life. Is it only worth a bite of Jewish salami? The monuments we build to cover up our sins mask the difficult choices we make.

Locally, in Worcester Mass., they will be making a monument to fallen firefighters soon. Money that could be better spent to house the homeless that started the fire. In my town, a group of citizens have built a monument to honor other civic minded citizens. Rather than following the example of commitment and self-sacrifice, we remind ourselves of their heroic efforts by doing nothing of value. Our nation is full of bobble-head heroes. Brains are not connected to hearts, and the result is sour.