**Guest Post by TAM Shifra**

Before the TamChat, I “belonged” to another chat room. Or, so I thought…

January 2001. I am finishing up my coursework at a Postdoctoral psychoanalytic institute in Manhattan. There is a Listserve for referrals, conferences, and so on. It has also evolved into a forum for political discussions, which seem to center around “the stolen election,” and President Bush as a “moron,” and worse. I had voted for W, but I am too busy for politics. I do not pay attention to the discussions.

September 18, 2001. It is one week since 9/11. I am eager to join my colleagues at a seminar we are taking, at the Greenwich Village apartment of an analyst at the institute. We share a bond, I think, having all been in NYC that awful day.

But something goes wrong. The discussion opens with a plaintive question: “What horrible sins has America committed to deserve this?” Everyone nods somberly. America (Amerika?) is an imperialist country. We are neo-colonialists. We meddle in the affairs of others. We have brought this upon ourselves.

I remember a conversation I had with my parents, during the Vietnam War. What’s so terrible, I wanted to know, about opposing the war? No one wants to die in a Vietnamese jungle. No, my father insisted, the anti-war movement was really about hating America. The Left was infecting a new generation of college students. One day, he said, it would come back to haunt the country.

I look around the room at these people, and suddenly, they are not my colleagues. They had come of age in the late 60’s. They are the new generation of the Left. I do not want anything to do with their discussion. I will stare at the floor for two hours. But their politico-babble irritates me. I suddenly snap at them, “No one deserved to meet their death by jumping out of the WTC windows last week.” We argue. Someone objects to my “disrespectful attitude” towards Muslims. I am called a racist.

The class ends, and as I walk out, I am angry, mostly at myself. I had been too busy for politics. I had not been paying attention. I vow that from now on, I will pay attention.

2003. I go on the Listserve. There is an announcement. Everyone must go to Washington DC to protest the Iraq War. I am curious. I click on the link. There is a picture of Palestinian flags. A sign reads ”Zionism=Nazism.” I write: “I understand that there is opposition to the war. But I would appreciate it if people would be more careful about posting vicious anti-Israel propaganda.” I am not prepared for the intensity of their anger: “How dare you!” says one. “You will not silence us!” Several scream about the “legitimate rights” of the Palestinian people for a homeland. I write back: “There already is a Palestinian state. It is called Jordan.” More join the fray. But I will not back down. Their rhetoric becomes more hateful, more preposterous. Israel stole the land from the Palestinians. Israel is committing genocide.

Several people contact me, via email. Thank you, they say, for standing up to these people. I post the following: “I appreciate all who contacted me privately, thanking me for standing up for Israel, the operative word being “privately.” It seems that people are afraid to speak up on this Listserve. I suppose that is what is meant by the Tyranny of the Left.” The attacks become personal. I am referred to as “she.” One man writes: “I find it laughable that she considers herself an analyst, with her un-modulated affect.” ( Translation: a woman with an opinion is an ‘out-of-control hysteric.’ Apparently, sexism is alive and well on the Left. Who knew?) A friend says to me, “You need to stop.” Why,” I ask, although I half-know the answer. “Are you having fun?” No,” I say, “this is not fun. I am getting ill.” And so, I stop. I will no longer be part of the Listserve.

Last weekend. My post is put on the TamBlog. Monday morning, I enter the chat room, and I am greeted warmly by the TAMS. We are Black and White, gay and straight. We are Evangelical Christians, Catholics, Jews, and atheists. We are all over the map. But we share, all of us, a bond. We all believe that America is “the last best hope for mankind.” I am asked if I saw the comments to my post. Yes, I read them all. This is very gratifying, more than anyone knows. As we say in the chat room: I love us.

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50 Comments | Leave a comment
  1. LJZumpano says:

    Shifra ♥
    You leave me speechless, but my heart is full.
    Never did I think I would ever find a group as diverse and wonderful as the TAMs.
    Thank you for finding your voice and speaking loudly!!

  2. hatter83 says:

    good post – I love us too 🙂

  3. Patricia says:

    Yes – I love us too. Thanks for sharing your experience Shifra, the journey to the TAMily is different for all of us and your story is so inspiring. God bless Tammy and the TAMs.

  4. houstongracie says:

    Shifra VERY poignant post. Especially today. We all need to remember Andrew and do as Shifra did. STAND UP and say NO MORE! That this is NOT acceptable behavior and I will not condone it by remaining silent. I will speak out!! We will call evil out and shine the light in the darkest of corners.

    I LOVE US!!! ((((HUGS))))!!!

    Keep writing Shifra!!!

  5. imacat says:

    Thank you for being you, Shifra! I love you, and yes, us! As houstongracie said, we must STAND UP as you, Andrew, Tammy, Sarah, President Reagan, and the Founders are counting on us to do. Battle on, TAMs, friends, and patriots!

  6. LucyLadley says:

    Your father had great wisdom & insight. I’m sure he did not think of himself as a prophet but he definitely had prophetic gifts, especially when it came to insight about our country & it’s future. Your parents raised an incredible woman & I’m sure you made them very proud. We TAMS are blessed to have you!

  7. Kat says:

    Shifra…..another great and thought provoking post! God Bless You! I am proud to be associated with you thru this awesome fellowship aka Tammy Army Members; TAMS; TAMily; and my personal fave TAMIMANIACS!!!! Love Ya!

  8. Timbo says:

    Wow Shifra… you are a gifted writer..you should really do more of this..We TAMs love you back Sister.

  9. lawmom90 says:

    Shifra, you are part of the glue in the TAMily. I don’t get to come in as often as I used to or would like to, but I still love us very much 🙂 I appreciate and enjoy knowing that there are so many patriots out there, no matter what our walks of life. I have experienced more personal growth in my time as a TAM than at any other time in my life. Thank you all.

  10. sandyl says:

    Shifra, a great post by a great woman. You decided to be brave, take the heat and speak out, because the thought of your silence being taken as solidarity was repulsive to you. You did this long before the tea party movement, but you, who did speak out, showed others that they too could be brave. This is the spirit of the tea party. We will be silent no more.

    I don’t throw the word hero around loosely, but to me ordinary people who speak out in support of the truth, America and Israel, in the face of fierce opposition, are heros to me. I am honored to be in the TAMily with you.

  11. jmm says:

    Wow! Thank you Shifra!

    Im celebrating my 1 year anniversary in the Tamily. I am thrilled to be part of a diverse group that can be inspirational, intelligent and cutting edge funny.
    I could never make it through this election year without Tams.

  12. ReardenSteel says:

    Shifra my dear, you leave me with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. I love you too, as I do all the TAMS everywhere. Amazing how loving and tolerant those enlightened Marxists can be isn’t it? You remind me a lot of my mother. She taught all three of her boys not to be afraid to stand up for the truth. Not to take any shit from anybody. Pardon my language. Thank you Shifra for your courage and for standing up. To quote Bonhoeffer: “Not to stand is to stand. Not to act is to act.” It is time for all of us to stand for what is right, and for our beloved country.

  13. rosebud2186 says:

    Thanks Shifra, for sharing & for being a leading force in the TAMs. I have been a TAM for about a year now….love the fact that we all seem to be different, yet similar in the way we come to our conclusions about the world. I always enjoy your contributions…esp. when you offer your Jewish perspective. I am from a small Mid-West town – not many Jews here. I am curious about Jewish traditions, language (love your Yiddish lessons), & world view. My Christian mother always taught me that we are to respect Jews as they are God’s chosen people. Well, I certainly do respect you & believe God has chosen us to be “sisters” in the TAMily. : )

  14. Mark America says:

    Beautiful, Shifra! Absolutely perfect.

    Thank you!

  15. Shifra says:

    After the really gratifying response to my first post, I asked Tammy if I could try my hand at another post to express my thanks to the TAMS. “Go for it,” she said, and this it what emerged. Never did I imagine, though, that Breitbart would pass away, and my new post would follow “Andrew Breitbart RIP” Alot of people have used the word “fearless,” and, yes, he was fearless. I so admired his courage in *really* standing up to the Left, and he seemed to have such fun doing it!

    Thanks for your comments. I *do* love us! 🙂 And yes, G-d bless Tammy and the TAMS !

  16. archangel61 says:

    Shifra, you hit another one out of the park! Haven’t seen a performance like this since Reggie Jackson in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series! The TAMs are truly “E Pluribus Unum. God bless you, dear!

  17. jeaneeinabottle says:

    Thank you Shifra, thanks for being brave, thanks for being here with us. All the TAM’s touch my heart in so many different ways, you keep me human, feeling alive and comforted, thank you. I love us too 🙂 >!

  18. longhorn mama says:

    Thank you, Shifra. It was beautiful. I love us, too.

  19. naga5 says:

    shifra,
    wonderful post. in the midst of the tragedy of andrew breitbart’s passing, what a beautiful reminder that g-d has blessed us all with so much. without evil, we cannot contrast good and without the tragic example of the shortness of life, we cannot appreciate the time that we have been given and the fellowship we have here.
    well done, shifra
    rick

  20. USApride says:

    Shifra a big tam hug for you my dear !!

    A lovely post. You describe our tamily beautifully. I am honored to be in the tamily. Your post is a silver lining to an otherwise very sad sad day with the passing of Andrew.

  21. tamcat says:

    What a comfort to have kinship in the TAMily. We are a force to be reckoned with. With no human contact, I feel the sentiments. I feel at home.

  22. dr4ensic says:

    If the situation called for it, think we could all fit in the same fox hole during a fight?
    You bet.
    What a privilege to be a part of this.

  23. ancientwrrior says:

    Great broadside shot across the bow of the Libtards. Keep firing, we’ll keep passing the ammo. We now need to place a full salvo into their bridge!

  24. Maynard says:

    Shifra captures it so well. Yes, I gravitate towards this camp because this is truly the home of tolerance and good will. Sure, we can exchange verbal barbs, and so what? Everyone knows we can coexist with anyone who will simply leave us alone. That cannot be said of the other team, that is driven to control and micromanage and ultimately destroy.

  25. chris1058 says:

    Thanks again Shifra – I have already bought “the forgotten man” and passed along these articles to my Jewish brothers and sisters in conservative arms here in NJ and they love your posts. Thank you. Thank you.
    Your brother in the movement – Chris

  26. PeteRFNY says:

    Shifra – I have a similar experience from of all things, working in radio. Radio, like most entertainment arenas, is a business dominated by leftists. The right-of-center folks that DO work in and around the biz do so on the quiet so as not to be ostracized. I am open about it because hey, I just don’t give a crap what other people think. I love you guys. Even though because of firewall issues I can only get the “live” show when I am at home, I still love popping into chat when I get the chance (I’m currently trying to figure out why chat has not been working for me lately so I’ve been AWOL for a bit) because I never have to feel like I have to watch what I say, worry about what I am thinking or stifle my thoughts. Plus, you all get my warped sense of humor, which is a plus! 🙂

  27. gretch68 says:

    Shifra,

    I’m not sure what the Hebrew word for Amen is but that’s what I have to say to your post.

    Thanks for sharing your experience. It’s one I think a lot of us TAMs have had before finding this great group of independent thinking and kind-hearted patriots.

    Before finding the TAMs in late 2010 I had mostly unplugged. I had a really bad experience of being shouted down and even threatened on twitter by “conservatives” for telling them not to be surprised when Scott Brown turned out to be a liberal before the special election here in Massachusetts in which he won his seat.

    After that I unplugged. If you can’t speak your mind amongst supposedly like minded people I figured why bother speaking at all so I shut up and tuned out.

    In August 2010 I started plugging back in thanks to Glenn Beck’s 8/28 stuff and the spirit of honor behind it. Then in December I “stumbled” across Tammy on Fox and later listened to her show. I liked what she had to say and admired her courage in going commando and really believe that as conservatives we have to put our money where our hearts are so I became a TAM.

    I love Tammy and the show but what I could not have known is what a gift the TAM chat community would turn out to be. On good days and bad days people are there. When I was gone for 2 weeks in December with my sprained ankle people noticed and reached out.

    And now the TAMs, mostly unknowingly, have inspired me to finally work on something I’ve felt God calling me to and poking me about since after 9/11. I won’t go into that story now I’ll just ask that everyone send out prayers and vibes that I can somehow make the vision in my head something that I can bring into the world.

    Thanks again for writing this and I hope Tammy will let you write more as you always seem to get to the heart of what a lot of us are feeling.

    Gretchen

  28. 1ntbtn says:

    Great post Shifra. Thank you, I love us too:)

  29. NancyB says:

    Beautiful Shifra! I love us too, we Tams are kindred spirits all united to fight the good fight!

  30. Chuck says:

    Great story, Shifra, I enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing!

  31. dingohead says:

    Great post Shifra. Another example of how so many on the left have no self awareness. They can’t hear themselves or see their own behavior. They can’t even entertain the idea that maybe they could be wrong. The self-esteem movement has worked for them. But when you stop challenging yourself and your beliefs, you stop growing and learning. Thanks for sharing this story. Go Tams!

  32. Rob_W says:

    Thank you, Shifra. Beautiful and inspiring. We are fortunate to have you on our side. 🙂

  33. Harleyhog36 says:

    Once again, a great story to share with us. Thank you, Shifra.

    ROCK ON TAMS!

  34. Samster1 says:

    Oh Shifra thank you and apprently only a few psychoanalysts like you. This explains why I was searching for a good therapist for 20 years till I recently found a good one. (Some of your colleagues must have been the therapists who I have had to discuss with my current good therapist.)

    I very seldom get to be in chat due to my schedule, but I’m very thankful for all my fellow Tams and think of you all while I listen to the podcsts.

    • Shifra says:

      LOL!

      Thank you TAMS, for all your comments. So appreciate each one! *and* I even got one from Maynard – how cool is that??? 🙂

      (rtoberl and all TAM vets – thank you for your service ! )

  35. padrooga says:

    Wow..sounds like IRC discussions I’ve had as well…. but not anymore….

  36. rtoberl says:

    Right on, Shifra! Everything you wrote resonates with me, a proud Vietnam vet.

  37. cactuswren says:

    And We l♥ve you too Shifra! I come late to this post so all I can add is dittos to all above comments. TAMs are a unique group of individual personalities and talents all slopped up together. Look forward to reading more from you : )

  38. Nemesister says:

    Come to think of it, I too was demonized by my “friends” ever I since I said that America should drill for her own oil. That has got me labeled as an extremist. One day I might have to leave Central Vermont to find like minded people. In the meantime, Shiffra, I feel at home with the TAMs.

  39. sweetexp says:

    United with Tammy B we have been demonstrating a priceless type of amazing over the years. Surely we will remain motivated for November! Thank YOU our dearest compatriot Shifra.

  40. Jeffrey says:

    Wow! You have no idea how I needed that Shifra- EXCELLENT 🙂

  41. WalkStar says:

    Thank you, Shifra! We all need each other more than ever!

  42. WalkStar says:

    I just unfriended some 20-year “friends” who posted vile comments about Andrew the day he died. Pledging more energy to “us” in his honor. I love us too!

  43. Sailing_J says:

    I admire you Shifra for being able to live surrounded by the progressives/liberals/islamists in your town. Just know that NY is not the center of the world and there are more of us than them. We’re just not all in your face about it 🙂

  44. deaves1 says:

    Shifra, I remember when I first enlisted in the Tammy Army and entered chat. I saw the strange screen names and saw your’s. I thought, now this is an odd name. After many months of chatting in the TAMchat I have observed you in there and read your posts. You sister are a very unique individual and I am honored to know you and call myself a TAM. We’re an awesome group of Patriots, and we WILL fight on!!. Thank you Shifra for all your wisdom and oversight.

  45. ZOzzz says:

    Hey Shifra… After reading your post, I can only say that you are without a doubt the epitome of the resurgent conservative movement, It is an honor to have made your acquaintance.

  46. Crazycatkid says:

    I really appreciate this wonderful post by Shifra. My experiences (in the same field) are, sadly, similar. I recently joined the board of a professional organization that defines itself as “healthy.” They speak & write without reserve about the horror of all Republicans(I’m an independent, but their objections come from the far left) and with disgust about “chambers of commerce” (AKA evil capitalism). I have objected to this talk and been told that nothing they say can be construed as political, since no one can disagree. A sad commentary on the state of mind of many of those whose profession it is to deal with hearts & minds. And I agree with Shifra – thank goodness for this chat and for gatherings of like-minded patriots everywhere.

  47. EllSee says:

    Great post! Thank you, Shifra. I understand as I worked for a short while in the welfare department. Besides concentrating on my work, the most common thing going through my head was “Don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say it.”

    Shifra was very helpful with “following” on Twitter. She walks the talk!

  48. critter64 says:

    Shifra I do love us. Thanks for sharing. God bless you and may he give you a steel spine.

    Critter

  49. AniMel says:

    BTW, I had sent this to a friend and also sent the post to my dad…I do love our TAMily and I relish the time I get to spend with all of you. 😉

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