Wednesday, July 19, 2006
This is somewhat how I feel about the middle east
This is taken from the "Daily Progressive" (if you havent signed up for their daily newsletter, then you should do so). I felt the need to copy the entire thing, because it pretty much reflects how I feel about this whole "middle-east" thing. In other words, I could've written the dang thing. It is worth reading, and again, visit the "Daily Progressive.
Have at it!
Israel Not the Only ''Victim''
A. Alexander, July 19th, 2006
Sorry, but what Israel is doing isn't right and I think the American people know that. Israel as the "lone victim" is getting pretty old too. Israel has the finest military American taxpayer money can buy, and they wield that power with impunity. How is it possible that a country with the world's sixteenth largest, and probably the most technologically advanced military can be considered the only victim in the violence they help perpetuate?We in America, and I'm guilty of it too, have been programmed to view Palestinians specifically and Arabs in general, as something akin to subhuman. We've been programmed via biased television reporting and an ongoing government policy that has been anything but objective.
It might be hard for many Americans to believe, but we view Palestinians in the same light Nazi Germans viewed the Jews - as creatures something less than human beings.And before anyone even tries to label me "anti-Semitic", don't even start because you haven't a historical clue as to what you think or say. Israel was settled by Jews, but they weren't, for the most part, people that spent much time engaging their faith. The State of Israel came into being through the work of a group known as Zionists. No, they weren't evil creatures with some stygian goal. They simply grew tired of Jews being persecuted in Europe and began campaigning for a return to Jerusalem. What the original Zionists were, however, are mostly secularist and Marxist social thinkers. Many, if not most, despised fellow Jews who clung strictly to their faith and traditions.Jewish tradition, for those not aware, accepted that they had been pitched from their land by God and meant only to return around the coming of the Messiah. Zionists didn't have the patience or willingness to sit idly around awaiting the Messiah, while being made to suffer in Europe's ghettos so they pushed for an Israeli State.
Following World War II and Hitler's cruel and evil attempt at exterminating the Jews, many nations thought it time to return the Jewish people to the Middle East.The problem was, however, that the land meant to be Israel was all ready occupied by the Palestinians. As some of the cities held vital religious importance to all three major faiths, Israel didn't get everything they had wanted and hoped. Over time, however, not satisfied with forcing millions of Palestinians to live in perpetual refugee camps, Israel has slowly but certainly been taking the land and cities they have long coveted. With each grab of land more Palestinians have become squeezed out of their homes and left to rot in isolated camps or impoverished cities.Israel's military success has been bought and paid for by the U.S. taxpayer. They have the finest tanks, attack helicopters, nuclear weapons, fighter jets, communications, and precision guided bombs. It is through these weapons and nothing short of brute force, as is being witnessed today, that Israel has subjugated and defeated any and all who dare question their means or methods. No people, however, have been more abused by Israel than have the Palestinians.Nobody condones acts of terrorism, but if it were you and your family being forced from your land and sent off to refugee camps to live an impoverished life - honestly, how would you respond? Would you too, not eventually become desperate enough to strap a bomb around your stomach and attack those you see as being responsible for your families suffering? Perhaps, if the Palestinians had a military capable of rivaling Israel's they too, might consider dropping more precise bombs that, when they kill innocent women and children, aren't called acts of terror but rather, "collateral damage". Regarding the Palestinian and Israeli conflict, a war that has been raging 50 years, there are no innocent parties. And certainly, the Israelis are not the only "victims". Surely, the average Palestinian, like most Israelis, wishes the violence and death would end. The Palestinian people, just as much as the people of Israel, are victims of entities like the Israeli government that believe the hammer is the only tool in the box and the extremist groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas that see no problem killing for the sake of killing. Someone had said "Israel didn't start this one."
Right! They had a single soldier kidnapped and for that they went on a rampage knocking out the only station providing electricity to millions of people. For that single soldier, Israel killed scores of innocent Palestinian civilians. Day after day bombs dropped and innocent people died. An invitation for non-terrorists to become terrorists. Hezbollah then responded by kidnapping two more Israeli soldiers, so Israel began bombing Lebanon. Now there are bombs flying across Israel's borders and dropping on Beirut and Lebanon's airports and roads - not to mention killing hundreds of innocent Lebanese civilians.
Maybe Israel "didn't start this one", but through their outrageously grotesque response they've proven themselves equal partners in the madness.
It is time for the American people to realize Israel is not the only "victim" in the Middle East madness. There are millions of innocent Palestinians and now, too, Lebanese that have equal claim to the sad title of "victim".
Have at it!
Israel Not the Only ''Victim''
A. Alexander, July 19th, 2006
Sorry, but what Israel is doing isn't right and I think the American people know that. Israel as the "lone victim" is getting pretty old too. Israel has the finest military American taxpayer money can buy, and they wield that power with impunity. How is it possible that a country with the world's sixteenth largest, and probably the most technologically advanced military can be considered the only victim in the violence they help perpetuate?We in America, and I'm guilty of it too, have been programmed to view Palestinians specifically and Arabs in general, as something akin to subhuman. We've been programmed via biased television reporting and an ongoing government policy that has been anything but objective.
It might be hard for many Americans to believe, but we view Palestinians in the same light Nazi Germans viewed the Jews - as creatures something less than human beings.And before anyone even tries to label me "anti-Semitic", don't even start because you haven't a historical clue as to what you think or say. Israel was settled by Jews, but they weren't, for the most part, people that spent much time engaging their faith. The State of Israel came into being through the work of a group known as Zionists. No, they weren't evil creatures with some stygian goal. They simply grew tired of Jews being persecuted in Europe and began campaigning for a return to Jerusalem. What the original Zionists were, however, are mostly secularist and Marxist social thinkers. Many, if not most, despised fellow Jews who clung strictly to their faith and traditions.Jewish tradition, for those not aware, accepted that they had been pitched from their land by God and meant only to return around the coming of the Messiah. Zionists didn't have the patience or willingness to sit idly around awaiting the Messiah, while being made to suffer in Europe's ghettos so they pushed for an Israeli State.
Following World War II and Hitler's cruel and evil attempt at exterminating the Jews, many nations thought it time to return the Jewish people to the Middle East.The problem was, however, that the land meant to be Israel was all ready occupied by the Palestinians. As some of the cities held vital religious importance to all three major faiths, Israel didn't get everything they had wanted and hoped. Over time, however, not satisfied with forcing millions of Palestinians to live in perpetual refugee camps, Israel has slowly but certainly been taking the land and cities they have long coveted. With each grab of land more Palestinians have become squeezed out of their homes and left to rot in isolated camps or impoverished cities.Israel's military success has been bought and paid for by the U.S. taxpayer. They have the finest tanks, attack helicopters, nuclear weapons, fighter jets, communications, and precision guided bombs. It is through these weapons and nothing short of brute force, as is being witnessed today, that Israel has subjugated and defeated any and all who dare question their means or methods. No people, however, have been more abused by Israel than have the Palestinians.Nobody condones acts of terrorism, but if it were you and your family being forced from your land and sent off to refugee camps to live an impoverished life - honestly, how would you respond? Would you too, not eventually become desperate enough to strap a bomb around your stomach and attack those you see as being responsible for your families suffering? Perhaps, if the Palestinians had a military capable of rivaling Israel's they too, might consider dropping more precise bombs that, when they kill innocent women and children, aren't called acts of terror but rather, "collateral damage". Regarding the Palestinian and Israeli conflict, a war that has been raging 50 years, there are no innocent parties. And certainly, the Israelis are not the only "victims". Surely, the average Palestinian, like most Israelis, wishes the violence and death would end. The Palestinian people, just as much as the people of Israel, are victims of entities like the Israeli government that believe the hammer is the only tool in the box and the extremist groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas that see no problem killing for the sake of killing. Someone had said "Israel didn't start this one."
Right! They had a single soldier kidnapped and for that they went on a rampage knocking out the only station providing electricity to millions of people. For that single soldier, Israel killed scores of innocent Palestinian civilians. Day after day bombs dropped and innocent people died. An invitation for non-terrorists to become terrorists. Hezbollah then responded by kidnapping two more Israeli soldiers, so Israel began bombing Lebanon. Now there are bombs flying across Israel's borders and dropping on Beirut and Lebanon's airports and roads - not to mention killing hundreds of innocent Lebanese civilians.
Maybe Israel "didn't start this one", but through their outrageously grotesque response they've proven themselves equal partners in the madness.
It is time for the American people to realize Israel is not the only "victim" in the Middle East madness. There are millions of innocent Palestinians and now, too, Lebanese that have equal claim to the sad title of "victim".
# posted by Raf C. @ 10:01 AM 
