I don't often get political on this blog. While my journalist's soul has, since a very young age, quite literally boiled over with opinions and perspectives on political issues, it was never my goal to turn the pages of Written Inc. into a soapbox for my political leanings. I'm going to make a bit of an exception to that today because my journalist's soul can't ignore yet another obvious example of humankind's lack of humanity
Disclosure: I'm Jewish. So I'll let you guess where I stand on matters related to the Middle East. Onward.
By now, you've all heard about the terrorist attack on a Jewish seminary in Jerusalem. A gunman burst in on students in a dining hall and killed eight before he was shot by security personnel. In response to the shooting, residents of Gaza took to the streets and celebrated (click here for the full story.) I remember vividly similar scenes from Gaza and the West Bank in 2001, when people danced in the streets after hearing about the 9/11 attacks in the U.S.
Whatever your perspective, what kind of people celebrate the murder of innocents? What does it say about a society that glorifies death and nurtures those who see murder as a higher calling? It blows me away that an entire society revolves around nothing more than the elimination of every last Jew from the face of the earth. And their celebration of a "victory" in this "war" goes unnoticed by the rest of the world.
I wonder if the deafeningly silent response would be different if the same thing happened in, say, Paris. Or London. Or New York.
Unreal. My belief in the goodness of humankind has taken another hit today.
There is never any excuse for celebrating the slaughter of innocents. Or anyone for that matter.
ReplyDeleteI was also appalled at the relative silence on this. I served in US Army in Beiruit in the early 80's and have seen these animals first hand. I don't like to speak bad about anyone but I see no redeeming qualities what so ever in these people.
ReplyDeleteCarmi, I felt the same way when Saddam was hanged. I don't celebrate killing. Ever. At all.
ReplyDeleteAnd at the risk of sounding anti-Semitic (and I know how easily critique of Israel becomes anti-Semitism), I also don't approve of all the actions that Israel has taken. I feel the same way about the Palestinians.
I have no rudder, no basis, no common ground to understand the conflict in the Middle East. But mostly I have no use for anyone, anywhere, that would kill children in the name of anything. My heart breaks.
I'm with you, Carmi. Why aren't beheadings, acid thrown on women, honor killings, murder etc. spoken out against not only by us, but those moderates in the same religion or country? I can't understand it and hope I never will.
ReplyDeleteHi Carmi: Its easy to write in your way--I am a muslim and you know where I stand in Israel_Palestine conflicts. Do you cry when Israel kills innocent Palestines on daily basis in the name of its security? I as a muslim condemn every murder. But before asking others to be human you have to be a true human too. Its simple. Give Palestines the army and arms you have and they will only target your military to get back their occupied lands.
ReplyDeleteIt is going unnoticed because there are many in the world that cheer the obliteration of the Jews. Not just in the barbaric middle east, but worldwide.
ReplyDeleteLearn from history. Listen to the whispers that condemn Israel for defending herself.
While they are smiling at you, always have that in the back of your mind.
You may not want to get political, but you do want to survive.
Carmi, the world has turned upside down. I could comment forever on this topic, but it would be too depressing.
ReplyDeleteHeartbreaking, senseless act of cowardice. These things I will never understand.
ReplyDeleteCarmi...
ReplyDeleteno killing should be celebrated, in any way. There are no 'rights' on this topic, only 'wrongs'. Why can't we all just live our lives in peace...
There is a musical group called the Klezmatics. They have a song - the lyrics go something like this:
ReplyDeleteI ain't afraid of your Jesus
I ain't afraid of your Allah
I ain't afraid of your Jaweh
I'm afraid of what you do in the name of your God.
Enough said.
I agree with finn... no one should be happy in the wakes of the killing of innocent people. We should be sad that things have come to this and be looking for the right way.
ReplyDeleteIt's been like that for so long, and this mindset will never get removed from these people.
ReplyDeleteMichele sent me.
When I heard of this, I also was reminded of the celebrations around the world after 9/11.
ReplyDeleteAll the hatreds of the past few thousand years is like yesterday to these people. We in America can't really know what that is like. I always end up just scratching my head in confusion.
Your words expressed my feelings near perfectly. I have gotten political on my non-photography blog, but haven't tried to tackle the Israel/Palestinian troubles.
Carmi my heart is so saddened. It is heartbreaking to consider the hardness of the hearts of men. The only glimmer of light is knowing that there are opposites in all things. At least I know that in many places all over the world there are those who have a level of love and compassion that parallels these hearts of hardness and unfeeling. It doesn't take away the pain of such a horrible scene, but it does help me when like you I feel "my belief in the goodness of humankind has taken another hit."
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Holly
I don't know if my comment got through... Blogger stubbed its toe as it was posting. Basically I agreed with you, but I added in a bunch of really well-written rhetoric that I cannot replicate.
ReplyDeleteSorry.
Michele sent me,
Mike
bhd said everything I'd say.
ReplyDeleteToo much tribalism, not enough care for one's fellow human.
ReplyDeleteTaking of even one life through violent means is most certainly not something that should be celebrated.
Michele sent me :-)
I dunno...I'm not in favor of being happy over anyone dying, for whatever reason. I take no joy over even the evil people of the world dying or being executed, so I can't wrap my head around the idea that anyone else would.
ReplyDelete