Inevitably, when talking about Jewish history and anti-Semitism, the conversation turns to the critical question: "Is America Different?" Those who say that "it can't happen here" will enumerate reasons why America is different. I and many others take no comfort in these perceived differences -- and in fact I see historical precedent for every perceived way in which "America is different", and none of those precedents had a happy ending.
But today I saw an article that makes me think that maybe America is different.
Back in 2006, a Muslim terrorist shot six women in a JCC in Seattle. Just last week, he was convicted of aggravated murder and a half-dozen other charges; the aggravated murder charge carries a mandatory life sentence with no possibility of parole. But more impressive than that, the jury rejected his insanity plea.
What makes me think this "makes America different"? Perhaps we are different so long as we have the rule of law. So long as our justice system works, that a person like this is arrested and put away for life (or sentenced to death), America has a chance to actually be different. No, putting this murderer away does not make restitution. But it does clarify what America thinks of such a murderer.
So long as we get that right, we stand a chance of being different.
