It's Not So Simple, Mr. Caggiano

To the editor: I agree with some things Mr. Caggiano wrote in his "No Kings, No Clue" letter to the Current. Yes, President Trump is a strong and vocal supporter of Israel (the only democratic government in the Middle East and a staunch ally of the United States). Yes, President Trump was instrumental in the release of the remaining living hostages who have been held captive in brutal conditions for more than two years by Hamas terrorists in Gaza. And yes, some of the signs carried at the Indivisible Nantucket march ("Bombing of Iran is Insane" and "Free Palestine") demonstrate a naive, misguided, and uneducated view of the situation in the Middle East.

(As an aside, signs regarding the war against Hamas do not belong at an Indivisible Nantucket march; they have nothing to do with Nantucket, they are insensitive to Jews, and they are divisive -- which, presumably, is the opposite of the goals of Indivisible Nantucket.)

I also can appreciate Mr. Caggiano's confusion and lack of understanding regarding how Jews can oppose President Trump in light of his support for Israel and his role in freeing the remaining living hostages. (I will respond to his substantive point below.)

However, Mr. Caggiano simply could have asked the question. Instead, he went down a disturbing path. It is not clear who “these people” are who Mr. Caggiano says “have it completely wrong.” Is it just Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg? Or do “these people” refer to all Jews? It is offensive and insulting to insinuate that all Jews who oppose President Trump have “no clue.”

Jews are relieved that the remaining living hostages have been freed and appreciate President Trump’s involvement in their release and his support for Israel. Jews also can oppose the President’s divisiveness and lack of compassion that is tearing apart our country, his dismantling of our nation’s democratic institutions, and his trampling on individual rights afforded by the United States Constitution.

So, this is how some Jews can appreciate and support certain things about a president and also deplore and oppose other things about the same president. It’s not “all or nothing,” and it’s not always so clearly “black or white.”

Ross Silverstein