By
One of my favorite songs is “Yerushalayim Shel Zahav”–“Jerusalem of Gold”–which is also beautiful in English. The song, by the late Naomi Shemer, was an Israeli hit in 1967 not much before Jerusalem was liberated from Muslim occupation, 40 years ago last week. The song has great meaning to Jews all over the world, including me. The lyrics are at the end of this post.
The best English version I’ve heard is this one, below, sung by 17-year-old Israeli singing sensation Liel Kolet (who was 15 at the time of the video) and Klaus Meine, the German lead singer of the rock group “The Scorpions” (who sang the hit song, “Rock You Like a Hurricane”). Yes, Muslims, Meine is pro-Israel, so you can now add him and “The Scorpions” to your boycott list. If Kolet looks like an Arab to you, that’s because her family was among the many Jewish families kicked out of Arab countries. But, unlike the constant whine about the Palestinians, you never hear about these refugees. (“Yerushalayim” is Jerusalem.) . . .

Here’s another great version of “Jerusalem of Gold” in its original Hebrew, performed by the late Ofra Haza, yet another Jew whose parents were refugees from Arab countries. She was a Yemenite Jew and Israeli, who lived in poverty with 8 siblings before she became an Israeli and worldwide singing star. Her singing voice was beautiful. (Tragically, she died of AIDS–caught from her husband, a drug addict–at the age of 42 in 2000.) . . .

Here’s my favorite video/set of pics of Jerusalem United, a Jewish City for 3,319 years, set to “Jerusalem of Gold”:

And finally, here’s another touching version of “Jerusalem of Gold,” as sung by the Moscow Male Jewish Cappella:

“Jerusalem of Gold” by Naomi Shemer (English Lyrics from the International Wall of Prayer)
As clear as wine, the wind is flying
Among the dreamy pines
As evening light is slowly dying
And a lonely bell still chimes,
So many songs, so many stories
The stony hills recall …
Around her heart my city carries
A lonely ancient wall.
Yerushalayim all of gold
Yerushalayim, bronze and light
Within my heart I shall treasure
Your song and sight.
Alas, the dry wells and fountains,
Forgotten market-day
The sound of horn from Temple’s mountain
No longer calls to pray,
The rocky caves at night are haunted
By sounds of long ago
When we were going to the Jordan
By way of Jericho.
Yerushalayim all of gold
Yerushalayim, bronze and light
Within my heart I shall treasure
Your song and sight.
But when I come to count your praises
And sing Hallel* to you
With pretty rhymes I dare not crown you
As other poets do,
Upon my lips is always burning
Your name, so dear, so old:
If I forget Yerushalayim
Of bronze and light and gold …
Yerushalayim all of gold
Yerushalayim, bronze and light
Within my heart I shall treasure
Your song and sight.
Back to the wells and to the fountains
Within the ancient walls
The sound of horn from Temple’s mountain
Again so loudly calls,
From rocky caves, this very morning
A thousand suns will glow
And we shall go down to the Jordan
By way of Jericho.
Yerushalayim all of gold
Yerushalayim, bronze and light
Within my heart I shall treasure
Your song and sight.

* Hallel is a Jewish prayer said on special holidays.

By
Hard to believe that it was twenty years ago today, on June 12, 1987 that President Ronald Reagan uttered his most memorable demand:

Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down That Wall.

The speech was delivered at the Brandenburg Gate. While it was delivered on the West side of the Berlin Wall, it was also audible on the East side (under Communist hegemony), as well. The speech inspired millions yearning for freedom around the world.

While the wall eventually was torn down, it wasn’t done by Gorbachev, but by Ronald Wilson Reagan. Only Reagan had the courage to not only utter those words, but back them up with a steady arms build-up and refusal to accommodate Communist tyranny and repression of human rights.
Contrast that with today. Today, President Bush can’t say, Mr. Bin Laden or King Abdullah or President Ahmadinejad, tear down that burqa, or . . . tear up that Koran, or . . . tear down that Mecca. Our enemy today is a cult-like, fanatical belief in an extremist religion. And there is no physical wall we can tear down to defeat religious extremism. (Though, if we had the guts to drop a few bombs in some select strategic locations, that would do the trick.)
And even if there were, the current President would not have the courage or guts to say or do so. Instead, he reaches for his ankles and says, “Mr. Ahmadinejad and King Abdullah, may I have another?”
Oh, and he does talk about tearing down a wall:

Mr. American, tear down that border. Mr. American, tear down that security.

Uh, not exactly Reaganesque.

By
Hmmm . . . Is this the “democracy” our troops died for?
This McClatchy News Service report says that it’s only Al-Qaeda terrorists who are doing this to Iraqi Christians, but there have actually been plenty of reports of Shi’ites–with sanction from the Al-Maliki government–doing the same thing (why aren’t they also mentioned in this report?):

BAGHDAD, Iraq — An Al Qaeda-affiliated insurgent group is giving Christians in Baghdad a stark set of options: Convert to Islam, marry your daughters to our fighters, pay an Islamic tax or leave with only the clothes on your back.

A U.S. military official said U.S. forces became aware of the threats last month and now have erected barriers around the largest Christian enclave in Baghdad’s Dora neighborhood in an effort to protect its residents.
Christians in Baghdad refuse to discuss the threats for fear of retribution.
But in Syria, where thousands of Iraqi Christians have fled, tales abound of families that were killed or driven from their homes because they either refused or couldn’t afford to pay the jizya, a tax usually levied on non-Muslim men of military age that’s been part of Islam for more than 1,000 years.
“Two or three months ago, we heard we were going to be forcibly removed from Dora,” said Rafah Elia Daoud, 53, who fled to Damascus, Syria’s capital, in May. “Not everyone got a paper with the threat, but we knew. The choice was to convert, pay the jizya or get out.”
Madeline Shukr Yusuf, 74, recalled her flight from Iraq. She said she didn’t have enough money to pay a monthly jizya of 250,000 Iraqis dinars, about $200. The insurgents were determined to collect their tax, she said.
“They wanted to kill me and take my gold bracelets,” she said, tears filling her eyes at the memory. “They tell us pay or give a daughter in marriage to a fighter.”

I’ve written a lot about the ever worsening treatment of Christians in Iraq. It gets worse by the minute. Unfortunately, the 7,000-plus new Iraqi refugees we will soon let into the U.S. will be dominantly Muslims who hate America.
Mark my word.
And as I’ve noted, we have no way of knowing who any of these people really are–if they tell our government officials they are X, when they are really Y, we must take them at their word.

By
You’ve heard of “Freudian slips?” Well, here’s the latest example of what we at DebbieSchlussel.com call Freudian Publishing.
The Detroit Newsistan thought: A story that’s So Nice, We Think We’ll Publish it Twice (on the same date AND on the same page!) . . .

This is not the first time the Newsistan has published a story on a court decision or other occurrence favorable to Islamists and Islamic terrorists twice on the same page. There are a lot of Freudian Publishings in that paper, especially on the National Newsistan Page.
My favorite was when they published a story from dateline: Gaza, Pakistan. I, too, support a “Palestinian” nation in Pakistan (which is basically what they have there anyway).

By
If Al-Qaeda and its billion supporters throughout the Muslim world aren’t laughing at this, they should be.
The FBI is looking for someone who is sending bogus informantion that caused the National Weather Service to issue fake (they call them “unnecessary”) weather warnings. It’s caused forecasters to worry that, in the future, their weather alerts won’t be taken seriously and will be ignored.
More from AP:

The false reports persuaded the weather service to issue at least four severe thunderstorm warnings that should not have been issued and caused confusion in confirming damage from a tornado, according to Tom Schwein, an administrator for the weather service’s 14-state regional office in Kansas City, Mo. . . . The culprit . . . sent the reports to forecasters on the weather service’s Web page.

Well, here’s a tip for the forecasters at the National Weather Service forecasters: Don’t believe everything you hear. I mean, after all, I thought you guys were meteorologists and scientists who derive your forecasts from following weather patterns and other indicators. Didn’t think you were like the Weekly World News and rebroadcast anything you hear from just anyone.
Tip #2 for National Weather Service forecasters: I hear there will be a snowstorm later today in Detroit. And a tsunami is about to occur in the middle of Lake Okeechobee. Read it and believe it.

By
I have a good feeling about “Rescue Dawn.” It’s the movie I’m most excited to see, this summer. Although it is not getting the hype that blockbusters and are getting, this one promises to be the best movie of the summer, and perhaps the year.
“Rescue Dawn” is the true story of the late German-American Navy pilot Dieter Dengler. The heroic Dengler flew in the Vietnam War, was shot down, and became a POW in Laos. But despite torture by his captors (who murdered many of his fellow POWs), he refused to sign documents denouncing the United States. Instead, he staged a daring and successful escape and then managed to survive the brutal Laotian jungle. Dengler is said to be the only American ever to escape a POW camp in the Laotian jungle. “Rescue Dawn” is the story of Dengler’s escape–and began as a documentary “Little Dieter Needs to Fly” directed by Werner Herzog, who directs this one, too. Dengler’s book, “Escape From Laos,” is a good one.

Despite his uber-leftism (his late father became a fish-bicycle, marrying Gloria Steinem), actor Christian Bale–who plays Dengler–is a great actor, and looks like he does not disappoint in this one. The movie debuts in some theaters on a most appropriate day, July 4th, with a nationwide roll-out the following week.
Dieter Dengler’s story is the story of a great American’s will to survive, while never betraying his country. I hope this movie gets the significant attention it deserves.

Sadly, Dieter Dengler died in 2001 of ALS/Lou Gehrig’s Disease at age 62. But his legend lives on. He earned a Purple Heart and the Navy Cross and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Read more about Dieter Dengler. And buy his book, “Escape from Laos.”

Dieter Dengler Upon His Escape from Laos; As a Pilot and Later

Dieter Dengler’s Grave at Arlington National Cemetery

By
I’m scheduled to appear on FOX News Channel’s “Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld,” latenight tonight (actually very early tomorrow morning). The show airs at 2:00 a.m. Eastern Wednesday Morning, so set your VCRs. Greg Gutfeld is former editor of Details Magazine.

By
On Friday, (actor and “Jimmy Kimmel Show” writer, Anthony “Tony” Barbieri), the hilarious comedian from the “Jimmy Kimmel Show” who pretends to be a Paris Hilton fan (and a Michael Jackson fan). As I write this, the term “Jake Byrd” is number one in Hot Trends of Google–with “Volcanic” level of hotness as a search term. (Barbieri a/k/a Byrd inserts himself into a lot of news stories, and sometimes, serious news outlets buy it, as when BET did, buying into his fake persona as a Chino, California tropical fish salesman and Michael Jackson fan.)
These videos, mocking the hype, are way too funny (if you can watch only one, watch the first one):

Bonus video: Comedian Jake Byrd collects signatures for “Free Paris Hilton” petition . . .

By
I’ve never liked Colin Powell, and I’ve always seen him as the General and Secretary of State with no clothing. Everyone was so impressed with him, based on absolutely nothing. He was a lousy general, a worse Secretary of State, and a pan-Arabist who helped advance Islamists all around. True, he served our country in the military and during Vietnam, but so have many completely unsung others far better than he.
I remember, during the the Clinton Administration when Americans lined up for blocks, waiting for him to sign their copy of his book at appearances. At that time, Powell had the highest rating of any potential candidate for President. But one of the broadcast network news reporters asked people waiting in line why they liked Powell and which one of his political views they liked. No-one could answer the question. Frankly, they liked Powell because they felt good about supporting a prominent Black man for President. Yet, it was the ultimate racism, because they gave this man a free pass based on race.

Both Bushes–father and son–also engaged in the Powell treatment, giving this lefty a lot of power over military and foreign policy for no good reason other than, frankly, affirmative action. There are plenty of smart, accomplished Black men in the military, the policy analysis arena, and government–conservatives–who’d have been far better.
But rather than reward conservatives who put them in office, both Bushes rewarded liberalism by choosing Powell–a promoter of Arafat and a man who has worked especially against Bush, the son, despite the prominent positions the current Prez gave him. (I’d love to see Independent Conservative, La Shawn Barber, Thomas Sowell, or Larry Elder in a power position in this or any Administration. Then, America would be in much better shape. They’re far better than anyone currently in the Bush cabinet.)
And Powell repeatedly plays the race card. As SecState, for example, he told MTV that the Bush’s picked him because he has light skin and looks White. If a White person had said that, they’d have instantly been forced to turn in a resignation. But not Colin Powell. All hail the former foreign policy Emperor with no clothing.
Now, Powell is advising the most far-left front-runner in the Presidential race, Barack Hussein Obama, and he’s urging us to shut down the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, and give the terrorist detainees and their ACLU lawyers access to our Judge Ito/O.J./Paris Hilton Justice system.
Yeah, that’ll work. Just ask terrorists (acquitted on 9 counts/jury deadlocked on 9 counts, ), Sami Omar Al-Hussayen (acquitted), Zacarias Moussaoui (spared death penalty because ), members (guilty verdicts overturned by dishonest, corrupt and equally dishonest/corrupt U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Collins, Craig Morford, and ) .
Yes, we should give the ACLU and terrorists the same rights as U.S. citizens on U.S. soil and let them make such a mockery, such a circus that they go free. Great solution, Mr. Powell.
Actually, I’m glad to see Powell finally consistent in his treatment of Islamic terrorists. Where, before, he used to pander to them when they attacked Israelis and Jews, including Arafat, now Powell also panders to the terrorists who attack Americans.
Thank G-d Colin Powell never got to be President. But even though he’s just a political has-been and private citizen now, by the amount of attention the Mainstream Media give his every utterance, you’d think he is President.
And the current guy occupying 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue was too dumb to know this guy wasn’t on his side. Or America’s.

By
. . . Stories like this:

Mom in Custody Dispute Allowed to Leave Military
Which comes first: duty to country or maternal obligation?
That was the dilemma that led to a New Hampshire National Guard soldier being declared a deserter when she refused to return to Iraq while in a custody dispute with her ex-husband. After months battling in the courts and with her commanders, Spc. Lisa Hayes has been allowed to leave the military.
Hayes, 32, turned herself in at Fort Dix in New Jersey on Tuesday with her daughter, Brystal Knight, 7, in tow after driving all night from Rindge, N.H. Army lawyers helped her renew a request for an early exit from the Guard because of a hardship, and an honorable discharge was granted within hours, her civilian lawyer, Linda Theroux, disclosed this weekend.

Would a man serving in the military get this kind of special treatment? And even if so, we can’t afford to have so many of these situations in our fighting forces.
There are 342,000 women in the U.S. military, 14% of them on active duty, and 25,000 of them serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. 130,000 of them are mothers of children, and of those 11% are single. This is very bad for those kids, because of stories like the one above and because they could lose their only parent.