I've been too busy reading (pretty much exclusively about this) the past few days to post anything new here. I feel a kind of mental 'paradigm shift' coming on. This happens periodically, and when it's over the world looks different to me (not necessarily better or worse, just different). In the meantime, it's a bit unsettling, and somewhat paralyzing, because right now I'm not sure what I think about anything. It's not any kind of real 'condition' or anything. This is just what happens to me when I'm about to change some long-held opinion or belief. I'm very unhappy about what's happening in Lebanon...
Anyway, I expect to be back real soon...
Salamaat,
ReplyDeleteyou are mirroring my depression.
i hate that the weak get oppressed; and the opressors get away with it.
i hate the weakness within me.
it hurts to see so many senseless deaths.
it hurts more when the world/powers maybe move in slow motion to make it stop.
not that any of this is new; but for some reason it's like an old wound has been unearthed for me; and its pulsating; raw; bloody; and just too damn painful.
i am curious to hear more about your thoughts; your shifts; etc.
take care and please forgive my venting.
Hi Maliha,
ReplyDeleteI thought about writing this in a post, but it would be really long and complicated, and I'm not sure I'm up to it. But...
Please don't worry about "venting". I'll likely be doing my fair share soon enough...
I've changed my mind about something very important to me (I didn't realize how important until I had to give it up). It comes down to this: I (and I think many people in the West) have a 'soft spot' in my heart for Israel. There are many (literally millions) of reasons for this. I have wanted (and still want) there to be a safe, secure homeland for Jews. Recently, however, I have felt that the state of Israel has been abusing my (and possibly that of millions of others like me) goodwill. I am, frankly, disgusted by what has been going on the past couple of weeks. If the (mainly Jewish) population of Israel supports what their government is doing, then I'm disgusted with them, too. There are a few wingnuts out there who might want to call me 'racist' or something over this, but I'd point out that I'm pretty damned disgusted with a lot of Americans these days as well...
Salamaat,
ReplyDeleteRacism implies a blanket hatred for a people. Do I (and millions of other Muslims) hate ALL jews? No!
Historically speaking, jews, christians and muslims have lived in that area for centuries *peacefully* before the artificial creation of Israel.
Do you know that Uganda (E. Africa) and I think Ghana were also other regions that were thought about to get rid of the "jewish problem" in europe?
It so happened that the middle east gave a nice ground for religious reasons and historic and thus became the perfect bandwagon for right wingers to jump on.
all that aside, i think it's unfair and unrealistic to think Jews who are born there and who know no other life should be moved out. To where?
A peaceful solution should be reached and can be; if only Israel would stop acting like an occupier and give palestinians a *viable* and independent means of existing.
Right now with the wall, security check points and the random building and expansion of settlements has resulted in a majority of palestinians living in isolated little islands; surrounded by soldiers, where they don't have access to basic things like water, medicine, food, etc.
under such inequality no peace will ever prosper.
I don't know what Israel is thinking about expanding into Lebanon. Are they really searching for peace? Do they really want to live in security? What's their angle aside from creating more and more enemies?
Do you know there are thousands of protestors in Israel who marched against the violence? there are many voices of peace coming from sane voices there; but they are engulfed or marginalized by the might of the state.
this world is too depressing man.