Contact Me
Friday, July 28, 2006
Friends Known and Unknown
Yesterday, my Jewish friend and I spent hours and hours on the phone talking about Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, etc., etc. I had been avoiding the subject, because I thought we would just disagree and I wouldn't like what he would say and I didn't want to hear it - you know, all of the typical excuses that people use to make this planet the mess it is. I knew that I was not acting in accord with my aspirations. So I called my friend to face the subject head on and to hear who he is.
We came through to the other side, and I love and respect him more than ever. I understand where he is coming from, and I know it is heartfelt. He searches his soul in order to be as loving, understanding and honest as he can be. I am a product of all that I am and how I was raised. I am not able to totally see the world through the eyes of a Jew or a Muslim. And Jews and Muslims have the same weakness - they are only able to see life from where they come from. But we have to continually stretch ourselves and listen and HEAR and find the common places where we all come together as human, as souls on this plane that are all trying to figure it out.
***************
This a.m., I got up at FIVE O-CLOCK! and drove into Denver to banner a highway overpass. This was my first time. In fact, I think it was the first time for everyone else, also. I didn't realize that when I made my decision to go. When we all met, the others had some papers they were reading about a court case explaining the legalities and illegalities of this. Oh. I hadn't planned on getting ticketed or anything. But, I quickly decided that that wouldn't be the worse thing that could happen to me.
When we got to the overpass, two of the men held a banner saying something like "War doesn't make us safer", and a woman and I held one that said, "Stop the killing of civilians". The two teams were on opposite sides of the overpass. After awhile, a police officer came and made the men stop, telling them that he had seen them leaning over the overpass. A street person told me that pedestrians aren't allowed on the walkway on that side. Oh! So that's why there was a sign over there with a drawing of a person with line through him! The police never bothered L and I.
What is really strange, or maybe not, is that hundreds of people honked and waved and gave the peace sign or the thumbs up, but almost as many flipped us off. Sometimes people felt so strongly that they took their hands off the wheel to flip us off with both hands. So much anger. All in response to a sign that said to stop the killing of civilians.
We need to have a talk. And listen.
We came through to the other side, and I love and respect him more than ever. I understand where he is coming from, and I know it is heartfelt. He searches his soul in order to be as loving, understanding and honest as he can be. I am a product of all that I am and how I was raised. I am not able to totally see the world through the eyes of a Jew or a Muslim. And Jews and Muslims have the same weakness - they are only able to see life from where they come from. But we have to continually stretch ourselves and listen and HEAR and find the common places where we all come together as human, as souls on this plane that are all trying to figure it out.
***************
This a.m., I got up at FIVE O-CLOCK! and drove into Denver to banner a highway overpass. This was my first time. In fact, I think it was the first time for everyone else, also. I didn't realize that when I made my decision to go. When we all met, the others had some papers they were reading about a court case explaining the legalities and illegalities of this. Oh. I hadn't planned on getting ticketed or anything. But, I quickly decided that that wouldn't be the worse thing that could happen to me.
When we got to the overpass, two of the men held a banner saying something like "War doesn't make us safer", and a woman and I held one that said, "Stop the killing of civilians". The two teams were on opposite sides of the overpass. After awhile, a police officer came and made the men stop, telling them that he had seen them leaning over the overpass. A street person told me that pedestrians aren't allowed on the walkway on that side. Oh! So that's why there was a sign over there with a drawing of a person with line through him! The police never bothered L and I.
What is really strange, or maybe not, is that hundreds of people honked and waved and gave the peace sign or the thumbs up, but almost as many flipped us off. Sometimes people felt so strongly that they took their hands off the wheel to flip us off with both hands. So much anger. All in response to a sign that said to stop the killing of civilians.
We need to have a talk. And listen.
posted by Carol at 7:44 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home