"Regardless of your feelings about the crisis between Israel and the Palestinians and Arab neighbors, even if you believe there is more culpability on Israel's part for whatever reason, the following two sentences really say it all:History bears out the truth of this statement. It is, indeed, something to contemplate.
If the Arabs put down their weapons today, there would be no more violence.
If the Jews put down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel."
The fact remains, however, that incessant arguing over who did what first to whom and the constant claims on both sides of blame and righteousness do nothing to solve the underlying problems and everything to avoid doing so. The bombing and killings directed by each side toward the other do nothing to help pave the way for a long term, peaceful agreement. These are literally the tactics of 4 and 5 year-olds: "He started it!" "No SHE did!!" "He's lying!" "No she is!!" "I'll smash your face in, you little --" "Oh yeah? Just try it!!!"
One would think civilization had progressed in its ability to mediate and solve problems beyond the pre-school mentality. Apparently not.
If citizens of the world would value human life above all else, if laws were written and enforced to uphold the value of ALL human beings in every country on this earth and their right to respect, education, medical care, a fair wage, and equal opportunities -- and if we all actually cared for one another and refused to allow the abuse of our fellow humans around the globe, it would be a very different world indeed.
How many more will have to die and kill before we get to that place? For how many more millennia will we allow this barbarism to go on?
It is counter-productive to blame and point fingers. It is productive to say, "Stop. You are both right and you are both wrong. The question is, are you "right" enough to live up to your stated values -- religious and moral -- and find it in your hearts to forgive and find common ground for peace? Or are you intent on proving your righteousness by engaging in immoral killing?"
That is the choice. The road to peace is not easy. But it is a much, much more hopeful and enlightened one than the road to war.
Imagine if the billions of dollars our government is pouring into killing and war were used instead to ameliorate human suffering around the globe--we could end world hunger, for starters. Imagine impacting the world, not by imposing our will on others for our own selfish ends, but by offering sincere help to those in need, with no strings attached, because we truly care.
Is that not what every great religion preaches? Is that not the promise of America?
Ultimately, the choice is ours.
The question is, what will you do?
5 comments:
I've been a loyal reader of this blog for months now, and I agree with almost everything on it.
But, in this case, you're wrong about Israel. The "Occupied Territories" are called that for a reason. ...That is, that they are under an illegal military occupation that has gone on since 1967. Israel has been ruled in criminal acts by the UN Security Council as well as the International Criminal Court (World Court).
The problem is that our media here in the U.S. has hundreds of millions of $ poured into it each year to espouse the idea that Israel's military aggression is that of "Self Defense"... It's been pretty successful.
But, if you see the news coverage of any other nation, Britain, Canada, Germany, ** even Israel itself ** it will show you the truth.
Check it out.
Israel is no more in self defense than we are in Iraq.
Your arguments illustrate my larger point: there is right and wrong on both sides. I could agree with some of what you say, and argue other points -- but it won't solve anything -- and allowing the bombing and fighting to continue will only entrench opinions on either side.
I do have to disagree with the statement that "Israel is no more in self defense than we are in Iraq." Israel's right to exist has been threatened by surrounding countries for years. That is a fact. I was in Israel after the 6-day war and can tell you from personal experience that Israel had no goals other than self-preservation and having the ability to secure her borders against attack.
The real question we should be asking is how do we achieve peace for ALL parties that will allow those in the region to put down their arms and live side by side in relative harmony, without fear. Hatred is not eliminated by more bombs. It is intensified. Bald, ugly hatred and discrimination is at the root of the region's problems.
The problem with U.S. media, aside from your point, is that they love wars and violence and promote it non-stop. A more enlightened civilization would never stand for our abundance of low-brow programs that romanticize serial killers and crooks, wars and violence 24/7. We have become brainwashed to believe that the only way to solve problems is through violence. We are presented with almost no credible alternatives.
It is time for that primitive mentality to change. It is time for a leader to stand up to the destructive forces in control of this country and say, "No More. Enough. There is a better way. A peaceful way."
I appreciate your comments and thoughts and I do understand your point of view. I choose, however, to try to get beyond the "tit for tat" arguments and call for new solutions based on peaceful negotiations--rather than continue the current war for peace destructive policies.
We must remember that everything in the Middle East is being colored by those in power who seek to use these countries for their own ends. It is also they who control the media. They thrive on wars and conflict. Despite their canned statements to the contrary, they do not want peace. One has only to look at the recent actions of BushCo around the world, and in reaction to the current Mideast crisis, to prove that point.
They also have a motive to keep the world's attention on Israel in order that we be distracted from the profound failures of Afghanistan and Iraq. This longer this war goes on -- with Israel bearing the brunt of the world's hatred--the longer BushCo can divert our attention from the horrors of Iraq and Afghanistan. And let's not forget the November mid-term elections -- they can use the Israeli conflict to try to beef up support for Neo-con, Pro-Israel Republicans.
It's all a game to them. A hideous game intended to draw us in. We must resist and refuse to play their games with our children's lives.
It is time for America to live up to her potential in actions, not words. To stand for peace, not war. To concentrate on our own problems and how we can rally the world to solve bigger problems like global warming.
We can choose to be a force of creativity, or a force of destruction. So far, we have been the latter.
If we reject destructive thinking, we can do great things for our own people and for others.
Idealistic? You bet. Inspiring? Very. Unachievable? Not if we unite in rejection of war as a way to solve world problems--refusing to fight in wars, refusing to pay taxes to fund wars, refusing to elect officials who promote wars, refusing to sacrifice our children to war--unless, of course, in self-defense, and only when our survival leaves us no other choice.
You would think that Israel would be given some sort of credit for withdrawing from two territories it had occupied: Gaza and Lebanon. Rather than being given brownie points, Israel has its soldiers kidnapped and murdered outside of the territories it no longer occupies. Missiles are fired into Israel from the land it no longer occupies.
Try to imagine being the Prime Minister of Israel. Would it be more logical to withdraw from more "occupied" territory, or to return to the territory Israel has just withdrawn from and try to get back Israel's kidnapped soldiers?
I am not saying that what Israel did (attack the previously occupied territories from which the attacks had come) is the best possible course of action, but if you were the Prime Minister of Israel, you would certainly be reluctant to withdraw from more occupied territory.
It would seem that if Israel withdraws from all occupied territory, that attacks against Israel will increase. Israel can not gain peace by withdrawal... so calling for Israel's withdrawal is meaningless.
Mickey, asking Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories is ridiculous unless it is part of a larger peace agreement that would insure their security.
Again, my point is that the longer the violence and killing continues, the more entrenched each side will become in terms of their emotions and demands and the more elusive will be any permanent peace agreement.
We must all remember that both sides propagandize the news to sway public opinion -- there is some truth and some truthiness and some untruths on both sides. The result is each side believes their own propaganda and discredits other sources. Hostilities will continue until all sides come to the table seeking a solution based on truth that treats all parties with equal respect in order to come to a mutually beneficial agreement.
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