Boy, I've opened up a big-assed can of worms by publicizing the peace protests that People of Faith CT are organizing. I'm frankly quite astounded at how many people are fervently supporting the bombing and incursion into Gaza, while offering nothing in the way of a peaceful solution.
Has six years of our nation's illegal occupation of Iraq so dulled our sense of morality that we can't see the overwhelming brutality of this invasion? The Bush administration's refusal to commit anything in the way of diplomacy to the conflict is both typical and tragic. George W. Bush gave Israel tacit permission to continue their assault on the civilians in Gaza by his inaction.
The four-day old baby on the news tonight who was wounded in the attack and needed to get emergency medical treatment in Egypt didn't look much like a terrorist to me.
Start: Jan 4 2009 - 12:00pm
THE ISRAELI GROUND INVASION HAS BEGUN—
EMERGENCY PROTEST TOMORROW, SUNDAY, JAN. 4
12 NOON, FEDERAL BUILDING,
141 CHURCH STREET
NEW HAVEN, CT
Call 203-606-0319 to help today
After heavy artillery firing by Israel into Gaza neighborhoods, a massive troop invasion has begun.
The ANSWER Coalition, Muslim American Society Freedom, Free Palestine Alliance, National Council of Arab Americans, and Al-Awda - International Palestine Right to Return Coalition are calling on people across the country and around the world to take to the streets to show solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza and to demand an immediate end to the murderous attacks carried out by the U.S.-backed Israeli military against the people of Gaza.
The ANSWER Coalition is calling on everyone to an emergency protest at the Federal Building, 141 Church St. between Elm and Chapel St., in New Haven, CT, 12 Noon.
Volunteer help needed! Forward this alert as widely as possible. Call 203-606-0319 for more info.
Endorsed by People of Faith CT and Queers Without Borders.
9 comments:
I suspect the issue for most of these people isn't whether this action is morally right, but rather if it was practically required.
"During war, morality must sometimes make way for necessity, so that morality might triumph" - Churchill, 1940
Churchill made this statement after he approved the RAF bombings of the previously allied, but then defeated French Naval Fleet. He took this action to prevent the French Navy from falling into Nazi Hands, even though many innocent lives would be lost (we now use the clinical though offensive term "collateral damage").
I don't know much about this issue, but I think that our country has dropped the ball (as an honest broker in this issue, thasnks to the soon-to-be previous Presidential administration). Blindered by its moral imperative, the Bush "Presidency" failed to build on the Carter/Reagan/Bush/Clinton foundations for peace.
"They know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken." - Psalms 82 verse 5
An apropos epitath for this last administration, I think (based on their dogged insistence on tying religion to government)
according to every source ive heard (cnn, fox, msnbc, idf, un, and a few independent organizations), the vast majority of dead are hamas militants. they are terrorists who brainwash youth to hate israel, america, the west, or whatever they perceive as different. the innocent who are dying is tragic, but you cannot place all the blame on israel. hamas is using the human shield, morally despicable and a violation of the geneva convention.
"the vast majority of dead are hamas militants."
They aren't. The vast majority are civilians. Israel broke the Truce on November 4th by launching a military strike. Hamas didn't even break the true as reported in the media. (Look it up)
While Hamas kept the truce, Israel kept a blockade which has virtually starved 1.5 million people. Not even medicine was let in. (Other than a few trucks everyday for PR). 40% of Children in Gaza suffer from Anemia. 12% have stunted growth. 75% of the ENTIRE POPULATION suffer from Malnutrition.
Of course, Israel is allowed to get away with this, because they are best friends with the US.
Anybody else who turns an entire city into a ghetto would have been called immoral, but not Israel.
Editors have choices that affect the impact of the news. Newspapers may claim that, outside the opinion page, they are in the business of reporting only facts. But the way those facts get presented determines the "truth" for readers. The "truth" in the Middle East, as the Media portrays it, is that Israel kills Palestinian babies. The actual truth is that terrorist organizations plot around the clock to strike Israel in order to kill as many Jews as possible.
While taking the defensive steps to protect its citizens, Israel consistently makes military decisions that minimize, if not eliminate, civilian casualties, often to Israel's own strategic deficit. What other country sends leaflets warning people to flee before it bombs its enemies?
Neither I, nor any Jew I know, relishes the death of an Arab child. Each death is a tragedy. Judaism demands peace, shalom. Jewish tradition teaches that Jewish blood is no redder than any others'.
I weep for the Palestinian whose childrenare killed by Israel's airstrikes. His pain is real, and unimaginable. His anger should be directed toward the Arab leaders who have consistently chosen war over peace, who've set their goals as the annihilation of Israel over the building of their own futures.And who have consistently robbed the Palestinian people of their futures by their greed.
I paraphrase Golda Meir, the former prime minister of Israel, who said regarding the conscience of the Israeli army: "We can forgive them for killing our children, but we cannot forgive them for making us kill theirs." Try to find a whisper of such morality among the vitriol within the manifestos of Hamas, or Hezbollah.
anon #2- you cant deny anon #1s claim by saying the opposite. do you have any sources, like anon #1?
>>do you have any sources?
As a matter of fact.........
Here's what is really going on, from a variety of sources.
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From my own blog post: Israel is not the aggressor
The Christian Science Monitor
Israel, Hamas, and moral idiocy
Much of the world's response is a false moral equivalence that simply encourages the terrorists. Alan M. Dershowitz
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FAMILY SECURITY MATTERS
Disproportionate, Huh? Ruth King
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National Review
Excessive Force? James S. Robbins
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Haaretz Newspaper (Israeli - but remarkably balanced)
Hit them where it hurts Sayed Kashua (an Arab living in Israel)
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Terrorism Awareness Project
What Really Happened David Horowitz
I'm going to try to attend the protest today.
Of course, that's depending if I manage to get my lazy ass outta the recliner and pack up my camera gear in time.
Just got back. I'll have video up later today.
Bob Symmes said...
... think that our country has dropped the ball ..
Ya think?
Jimmy Carter made a real mess and continues to lie like crazy.
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