영웅과 비겁자들

You’d be hard-pressed to find a greater hero than Israeli Shalev Biton who lost his left leg, while serving in the IDF’s Nahal Brigade, during Operation Guardian of the Walls in May, 2021.

That is because the true definition of a hero is not only one who saves the lives of others, but also one who is able to pick up the shards of a shattered life and rebuild a new one, devoid of self-pity or victimhood.

That is what is so special about Shalev Biton, who was “seriously wounded when an anti-tank missile, fired from Gaza, struck his military vehicle on the Israeli side of the border. Following extensive rehabilitation, he returned to running with a prosthetic limb.”

Biton, who became an amputee, was not about to give up sports, and, after a lengthy period of recovery, trained to run, using a prosthetic blade, becoming an advocate for other disabled athletes. 

This story, filled with hope and courage, gets even better, when hearing that he later collaborated with Adidas Israel to promote their Single Shoe Service, since he, himself only needs one shoe.  

Both Biton and Adidas had a lot to be proud of, until societal pressure from Israel haters decided to shame the sports shoe company for their transgression of featuring an IDF soldier in their ad.

Because once the social justice mob determines that an unforgivable infraction has been committed, there are only one of two choices – either stand up to them or cave in by admitting guilt, followed by an apology tour. Predictably, the latter is the path that Adidas chose.

The company wasted no time distancing themselves from the Adidas Israel campaign, apologizing “for any distress they caused,” emphasizing that “it was never their intent to cause offense.”

So, while they took the time to bend the knee to the pro-Palestinian crowd, they ignored tens of millions on the other side - who support Israel, are compassionate enough to recognize one-legged amputees who only have need for one sneaker and couldn’t care less if the advocate for such a program once served in the IDF.

Apparently, Adidas never learned the lesson of basketball superstar Michael Jordan who, in 1990, when asked to make a political endorsement of a Democrat, chose to pass, saying, “Republicans buy sneakers too,” in an effort to preserve his own special Nike brand of sports shoes.  

It’s puzzling to understand why Adidas felt the need to bow to bigots, haters, anarchists and the ignorant, who arrogantly think that they have a specially-granted mandate, authorizing them to be judge and jury of what constitutes justice in today’s world. 

Anyone, foolish enough to defer to them, especially since no one has bestowed upon them the power to serve as the new morality police, is complicit in falsely recognizing them as having dominion and jurisdiction over anything and everything.

What they demand now, will only end up being more severe next time around, and you can bet there will be a next time around! Because once they sense the kind of influence they wield, they will only be satisfied by cracking the whip harder and more often!

This is the folly of allowing others to take away the courage of one’s convictions. By abandoning that right, a conscious decision is made to turn over control to someone else, relinquishing your right to think and act for yourself.

Why would anyone do that? While a crowd of shouting lunatics can seem very intimidating as they threaten to ruin someone’s livelihood or good name, the only way to put an end to such bullying tactics is to call their bluff, by standing on your principles and ethics.

That was the courageous decision made by Gristedes owner and C.E.O., John Catsimatidis. The billionaire supermarket mogul, when faced with the threat of a boycott or political blowback, launched his own aggressive counter-boycotts as he did against the Daily News, as well as Ben & Jerry’s, preventing their sales at his stores.

Similar to him, Bob Unanue, President and C.E.O. of Goya Foods, when hit with the threat of being boycotted, back in 2020, as Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and former presidential candidate Julian Castro “publicly urged people to stop buying the brand,” as a result of his support for Donald Trump to govern for a second term.

Rather than capitulate to the Woke mob, Unanue made a special appeal on Fox News, alerting the many Republican viewers about the political fallout that was being planned against him, simply for exercising his democratic right to vote for the candidate of his choice.

Once that news got out, consumers began buying Goya products whether they needed them or not. The punishment that was intended for Unanue, by way of hurting his business, ended up doubling his sales. 

Catsimatidis and Unanue’s acts of courageous defiance, in the face of an angry mob who are ready to injure life and limb, if you dare to cross their concept of what constitutes justice, stands as a breath of fresh air and a lesson in the value of keeping one’s freedom.

Adidas had that opportunity, but, instead of sticking to their guns, they immediately folded when faced with harm to their bottom line. Sadly, they chose to put money and fame ahead of principles and convictions.

Shalev Biton, an honorable man who lost a leg in the service of his country, was the victim of an “intense wave of online hostility,” simply for doing what those who criticized him would never do themselves. In defending his fellow citizens, he showed each one of us what a true hero looks like, and whether or not he is the face of Adidas, changes nothing when it comes to recognizing great character when you see it!

After suffering the slings and arrows of faceless cowards, who took to social media to castigate the brave Israeli warrior, Biton made one request. “After thanking his supporters, he urged them to help strengthen his online space against the campaign of mass reporting and harassment, writing, ‘I want to feel that you’re here with me.’”

I am only one writer, but I am here with you, Shalev – eternally grateful and indebted to the service you performed on behalf of the country I chose to make my home over three decades ago. God bless you for all you’ve done!