Straight Talks
Everybody Knows These Things; Somehow They Often Forget Them
I.—ON GRUMBLERS AND GRIEVANCE MONGERS
Undoubtedly you have a grievance against some one, or some thing. You would be a poor kind of a Jew or an American citizen if you were without a grumble. But just reflect. Do you think you can lay claim to being a Zionist if your particular grievance is to stop the progress of the movement in order that everyone may find time to discuss it?
Don't loom too large in your own imagination. You are a very good soldier, or even an officer; but if you are loyal to the movement and you feel your grievance is so big that you must shout about it, that you are bound to occupy every meeting with it, then you will step aside and allow things to go on without you. What is most surprising, is that things go on without you, because this movement is 500,000 times bigger than you are.
Now, however, no one really wants you to step out of the ranks; on the contrary, we want you to stop in your place. But one wants you to remember the proportion of things; that your grievance must not be allowed to overshadow yourself, your society or your section of the movement. One objects to your wasting precious time by airing your old complaints. The man who looks sour and hints dark things, who describes someone else as an incarnation of evil, who goes brewing "teacup" storms, comes very near being a fool.
Naturally there are no such people among the Zionists, but it is as well that this should be written; it may prevent someone acting in the fashion indicated. If you are inclined to be annoyed, or know someone who is, just "hold the mirror up to nature." There is nothing like seeing oneself as others see us.
Consider for a moment the objective of our movement, To establish a legally recognized, publicly secured home in Palestine for the Jews. It is not quite clear to you that is not to be accomplished because you individually are a Zionist. The voice of nations makes their power. What are you, what am I? We cannot accomplish the Zionist programme, but we can help it succeed. That is the real issue for you and me. We can help; in fact, it all depends upon our help and our willingness to assist, our ability to work in a systematized, organized way.