Contact Me
Monday, December 29, 2008
A Hundred Eyes For An Eye
There are human-created atrocities going on all over the world at this moment. Even in a relatively peaceful place like Denver, Colorado, murder, abuse and destruction happen daily. Has it always been this way? Will it always be?
Israel's inhumane blockading of food and supplies to Gaza has been weighing on me. Now, the all-out carnage over there is breaking my heart.
I'm not the brightest star in the sky, but I do know that when I do the same thing over and over again, I usually get the same results over and over again. Maybe, just maybe, the parties involved over there might want to choose to do something different in order to get their needs met.
Or maybe they really like the results they've been getting for a very long time.
When will this insanity stop?
I stole the title for my post from Norman Solomon's article, A Hundred Eyes For An Eye. In the article, he writes about the fact that one Israeli has been killed by Palestinian-fired rockets in the last year while Israel has now, in a short time, killed 270 Palestinians [Update: deaths reported now: 350] and injured at least 1,000. These figures don't include people who have not yet been found under the rubble. The Israelis continue to issue collective punishment against the Palestinians in Gaza and that is just plain wrong. Where is our disgust?
I have been reading Lirun's blog, East Med Sea Peace. His writing helps me to connect with the human experience in Israel. I am not a person who is anti-Israeli in favor of the Palestinians. I care about LIFE. All of it. As I hope that the world doesn't think that I support the actions of our president as he chose to destroy Iraq, I know that not every Israeli supports the killings in Gaza. And not all Palestinians are terrorists.
My heart goes out to all who are living over there. Just as I worry about the future of the children in Iraq who only know war, I also care about the effects on the Israeli and Palestinian children. May the young people be wiser than their elders and learn from this, saying NO MORE WAR.
"I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent." - Mahatma Gandhi
May Peace Abide in All.
Update:
Vigils against these attacks are occurring around the U.S. If you live in Colorado, here's info on one that will take place tomorrow, December 30th:
Emergency Peace Vigil
"Stop the Attack on Gaza!"
Please come express your solidarity with the people of Gaza
Join with groups across the county on this national day of action
Tuesday, December 30, 5:00 pm
Capitol Building, West Steps, Denver
Bring signs and flashlights
Your presence to express your opinion is vitally important
Please help spread the word - pass this announcement on to your contacts
Co-sponsored by: Friends of Sabeel-Colorado,
Colorado Progressive Jewish News,
Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center
and other groups
Israel's inhumane blockading of food and supplies to Gaza has been weighing on me. Now, the all-out carnage over there is breaking my heart.
I'm not the brightest star in the sky, but I do know that when I do the same thing over and over again, I usually get the same results over and over again. Maybe, just maybe, the parties involved over there might want to choose to do something different in order to get their needs met.
Or maybe they really like the results they've been getting for a very long time.
When will this insanity stop?
I stole the title for my post from Norman Solomon's article, A Hundred Eyes For An Eye. In the article, he writes about the fact that one Israeli has been killed by Palestinian-fired rockets in the last year while Israel has now, in a short time, killed 270 Palestinians [Update: deaths reported now: 350] and injured at least 1,000. These figures don't include people who have not yet been found under the rubble. The Israelis continue to issue collective punishment against the Palestinians in Gaza and that is just plain wrong. Where is our disgust?
I have been reading Lirun's blog, East Med Sea Peace. His writing helps me to connect with the human experience in Israel. I am not a person who is anti-Israeli in favor of the Palestinians. I care about LIFE. All of it. As I hope that the world doesn't think that I support the actions of our president as he chose to destroy Iraq, I know that not every Israeli supports the killings in Gaza. And not all Palestinians are terrorists.
My heart goes out to all who are living over there. Just as I worry about the future of the children in Iraq who only know war, I also care about the effects on the Israeli and Palestinian children. May the young people be wiser than their elders and learn from this, saying NO MORE WAR.
"I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent." - Mahatma Gandhi
May Peace Abide in All.
Update:
Vigils against these attacks are occurring around the U.S. If you live in Colorado, here's info on one that will take place tomorrow, December 30th:
Emergency Peace Vigil
"Stop the Attack on Gaza!"
Please come express your solidarity with the people of Gaza
Join with groups across the county on this national day of action
Tuesday, December 30, 5:00 pm
Capitol Building, West Steps, Denver
Bring signs and flashlights
Your presence to express your opinion is vitally important
Please help spread the word - pass this announcement on to your contacts
Co-sponsored by: Friends of Sabeel-Colorado,
Colorado Progressive Jewish News,
Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center
and other groups
Labels: Israel
posted by Carol at 9:16 AM
10 Comments:
Indigo Incarnates
Sometimes it seems that the root of most violence is the hatred of that which is different. Fundamentalist Chhristians hate gays because they think gays are evil because they're different. Muslims hate Jews and Christians because they hate people who practice a different religion. Christians hate Wiccans for the same reason. Conservatives hate liberals for holding different views.
I wish just being different didn't make people want to hate.
Yep, Carol, I think that it has always been that way, ever since the first Homo Sapiens encountered the last of the Homo Neanderthalensisand annihilated the older species.
There is an ancient observation that historians have found to be basically valid: the liberated oppressed of one generation become the oppressors of the next.
To me, what is taking place in Gaza is a classic example of that observation.
There are Israelis, such as our friend, Lirun Yaffo, who are peacemakers; there are also Israelis who remember the Holocaust and will commit genocide to prevent its reoccurrence. There are Palestinians who work actively for peace; there are also those who wish to fulfill the 1948 goal of driving all Jews into the sea.
I like to believe that the peacemakers out number the war mongers.
My blessings to all who stand vigil for peace.
Indigo,
I agree with you that people seem to find it easy to hate those who are different from themselves.
And, having to be the devil's/angel's advocate, I have to say that, in your list of groups that hate other groups, I can think of examples of how it also works the other way - with liberals hating conservatives, etc. I don't think that there are many groups of people that don't have members who hate those they feel have differing views.
Nick,
Lovely cycles, eh?
I wonder if we will ever use these amazing minds to figure out a different way...
I'm becoming convinced that the only thing we can do is change how we respond to things individually.. and that spreads outward. There doesn't seem to be any legislation that will end this kind of craziness.
It's about changing who we are.
~*
For fifty years Israel has had the same plan: kill all who oppose them, and then there will be peace.
At some point, you'd think they'd notice that it isn't working.
Thank you for that Gandhi quote ... it sums it up for me.
Chani,
I agree with you AND, along with changing how we are, sometimes direct action comes. Or not.
Thomas,
"At some point, you'd think they'd notice that it isn't working."
Maybe what they're doing is working for them (and for the U.S. who funds them and supplies weapons). Maybe peace is not really the goal?
Dancing,
Yes. And that evil which is done by violence and which is permanent... that's a really big problem.
Post a Comment
<< Home