(no subject)
Sep. 17th, 2001 05:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
plural[a comment inspired by Patrick]
[and posted to This post]
[i thought I would share it with the rest of you]
I do not support
the wholesale slaughter
of arabs
nor do
I think the vast
majority of arabs
would engage in
or support
these actions
but I find it an
untenable position
to blame our relationship
with israel for
these bombings
american support of
israel
may be a source
of anger for some
if not many moslems
but far more hate us
for our support of
oppressive and corrupt
arab regimes
look at the
persian gulf
where we support
governments that
do little to provide
opportunity for
their common citizens
while those who govern
live opulent lives
of palatial stature
I will admit
some bias
in my own personal history
but I believe you
can trust me to be
rational and fair minded
israel is the only
democracy within
two thousand miles
it has returned fire
when fired upon
and barely survived
several wars in which
all its neighbors attacked
it.
[nine countries in all]
it is currently
negotiating peace
with an organization
whose charter
[think constitution]
does not call for
freedom and justice
but for the
destruction of israel
and the
annihilation of all
who live there
man
woman
child
many have argued
and in some cases
I can see their point
that israel has gone to far
in its defensive and retaliatory strikes
israel is
today
now
in a war for her
survival
she has been
continually in this war
since 1948
in war
for those of you
who have not
served in such conditions
mistakes are made
errors in judgment
are common
and even occasionally
individual act out
of rage and do things
which even in war
we cannot condone.
all such actions
are
abhorrent
but as a policy
israel has been
incredibly restrained
for years
people have said
that israel should not
retaliate
should not seek
with passion to
defend its people
and its lands
for fifty years
we have lived with
the horror of terrorism
watch our brothers
sisters
wives
husbands
daughters
and
sons
die
randomly
and without
just cause
yet we still
try to live in peace
Arabs serve
in our government
in our army
their mosques occupy
our most holy site
and our army protects it
even when it is used
to attack our people
on the street
anyone can walk in peace
while as an american
and as a human
I feel shocked and
horrified by the events
of last Tuesday
and
I am disappointed
by the reaction
of many americans
in the blind fury
I think americans
and people around the world
would be well served
to take pause
and look at ourselves
before criticizing israel
the rage, horror
and fear that
we feel today
the people of israel
have lived with
this fear and
this horror
for fifty years
what ever your view
on the politics
of the middle east
I ask only this
take a moment
an think about your feelings
how this tragedy
has affected you
and
imagine
if you can
this happening
in cities around the country
on every month
for fifty years
[and posted to This post]
[i thought I would share it with the rest of you]
I do not support
the wholesale slaughter
of arabs
nor do
I think the vast
majority of arabs
would engage in
or support
these actions
but I find it an
untenable position
to blame our relationship
with israel for
these bombings
american support of
israel
may be a source
of anger for some
if not many moslems
but far more hate us
for our support of
oppressive and corrupt
arab regimes
look at the
persian gulf
where we support
governments that
do little to provide
opportunity for
their common citizens
while those who govern
live opulent lives
of palatial stature
I will admit
some bias
in my own personal history
but I believe you
can trust me to be
rational and fair minded
israel is the only
democracy within
two thousand miles
it has returned fire
when fired upon
and barely survived
several wars in which
all its neighbors attacked
it.
[nine countries in all]
it is currently
negotiating peace
with an organization
whose charter
[think constitution]
does not call for
freedom and justice
but for the
destruction of israel
and the
annihilation of all
who live there
man
woman
child
many have argued
and in some cases
I can see their point
that israel has gone to far
in its defensive and retaliatory strikes
israel is
today
now
in a war for her
survival
she has been
continually in this war
since 1948
in war
for those of you
who have not
served in such conditions
mistakes are made
errors in judgment
are common
and even occasionally
individual act out
of rage and do things
which even in war
we cannot condone.
all such actions
are
abhorrent
but as a policy
israel has been
incredibly restrained
for years
people have said
that israel should not
retaliate
should not seek
with passion to
defend its people
and its lands
for fifty years
we have lived with
the horror of terrorism
watch our brothers
sisters
wives
husbands
daughters
and
sons
die
randomly
and without
just cause
yet we still
try to live in peace
Arabs serve
in our government
in our army
their mosques occupy
our most holy site
and our army protects it
even when it is used
to attack our people
on the street
anyone can walk in peace
while as an american
and as a human
I feel shocked and
horrified by the events
of last Tuesday
and
I am disappointed
by the reaction
of many americans
in the blind fury
I think americans
and people around the world
would be well served
to take pause
and look at ourselves
before criticizing israel
the rage, horror
and fear that
we feel today
the people of israel
have lived with
this fear and
this horror
for fifty years
what ever your view
on the politics
of the middle east
I ask only this
take a moment
an think about your feelings
how this tragedy
has affected you
and
imagine
if you can
this happening
in cities around the country
on every month
for fifty years
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2001-09-17 05:49 pm (UTC)one apsect of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict that people don't seem to address is the simple and sad fact that the average palestinian does NOT want peace.
Politcal games can go on indefintely but the truth is the palestinians dont want peace. at least not a real peace.
they want to gain a hill here, a mountain there, all in waiting for a time when theyre strong enough to attack israel.
the simple fact is, that ehud barak, israel's prime minister went so far as that he alienated most of israel in all the concessions and all of the concessions he was willing to make to arafat. he lost his confidence in his coalition government because of it...
Arafat was going to receive most of the things he claims to be fighting for today.
if you think about it on two levels. Arafat has defined himself politcally as a man of opposition to israel. through the 70s and 80s he was the leading figure of palestinian resistence. If it came to be that there was peace, his role, his niche within the poltical spectrum would be over.
Secondly, yet more importantly. A people that go into the street in masses to celebrate terror attacks. and i do not mean, NOT mean, the wtc bombing, but the sbarro restuarant bombing that killed 21 people a few months ago(and countless others, plus general atitude), its a sign of a general consensus in the palestinian street which does not want peace. does not want compromise.
how can israel be asked to enter into peace talks, to compromise, to give up certain things when her partners for peace want her blood.
Whatever politics happen, he talks to him, he calls him, he meets with him.... its all irrelavent.
until the palestinian media stops its hate propoganda, until the average palestinian realize that israel is here to stay, and that a peace based on potential violence isnt a peace at all, there will be no peace.