Wow hey everyone, heres an elongated version of a comment I made within the thread of my last comment below, which is probably buried by now. I thank each of you for responding, whether in support or opposition. Im not an expert and dont claim to be. But some people have voiced concern that I was biased by not condemning Hamas. Lets be clear that I am opposed to the killing of innocents, whether by rogue terrorist organizations or by elected governments, and I dont differentiate between the values of human lives whether they were killed by terrorist bombs, Obamas drones, the armies OR militants stationed in Kashmir, or misogynist fundamentalist regimes. To my mind, the argument that a country has the right to defend itself begets questioning when Palestinians in contrast to the State of Israel dont have the same right . Again, I dont condone one or the other side in their killing of people, and its important to remember that this issue goes back so far and long with blame easy to throw in both/all directions. I dont know if it matters to me, really, who started a fight, the same way it doesnt matter to me when it involves my three-year-old son and another child. What matters is resolving conflict in the here and now. Its unfair to say the Palestinians arent choosing peace when that peace, as offered by Israel, is under the conditions of unequal rights, ever-decreasing land and subjugation. I dont personally believe its anti-semitic to criticise particular points about the country/government (note, NOT people, culture, or religion) of Israel, and I think that argument is a dangerous one for all whom it doesnt serve, as all it does is close the way to discussion. Its no different from arresting Pussy Riot for voicing their dissent, or isolating and bullying Americans who were against the war in Afghanistan after 9/11. We need to be able to discuss peacefully and respectfully. I appreciate those of you who have voiced your disagreement with respect, insight and knowledge, and ask those of you who feel the need to simply be abusive, to refrain from doing so. I cant stop you, but it isnt helpful. No problem if you choose to unlike my page if you dont like what I have to say, but resorting to insults shows a lack of grace, and also perhaps, that you dont have much better to argue with. Peace can only come about from respectful dialogue, compassion and a sense of shared humanity. If we cant follow those rules when simply TALKING about an issue, how can we POSSIBLY hold those under the extreme duress of war to operate by those same principles? Again, thank you for creating such a complex dialogue on my page. I appreciate very much that you give me your ears; its not something I take for granted. To finish, here is a piece called Shanti Mantra (Prayer for Peace) by my father. Unlike some in the thread, I firmly believe in the power of prayer, and especially, collective prayer. I hope this reaches your hearts. https://youtube/watch?v=N8ocTblNQH4
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 10:27:04 +0000
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