Ernest Hemingway said: "There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self." How I wish a better USA would refer to its former self, instead of its current self being considered eternal.
Unfortunately as the dominatrix, for the moment, it is the US which leads the way for the lackey allies, including my country. Although as John Mearsheimer said in an address in Australia, there is no choice but to do what the Americans tell you to do because if you do not you become their enemy and see what happens to enemies. I paraphrase.
I am not letting my gutless politicians off the hook but it is a reality that the one entity which could stop the genocide in an instant and bring Israel to heel is the United States. But, as we know, a few very rich people run the US and they are making a fortune out of war.
Declining empires are historically desperate. The USA may be aware of its demise, but fear isn't bigger than time. It takes long for empire to unravel. I expect my lifetime will only see more violence without substantial victory. Another generation will experience the destruction. And then the generation after that may appreciate the community found in rebirth. Then their children will forget their parent's suffering and accomplishments, and ensure more forgettable music becomes popular.
That fortune comes from the weapon trade, the chemical components and the oil burned to deliver it all.... Funded by taxing our consumptions and earnings
An articulate, objective and concise statement which exposes the very core of what ails national and world societies right now.
I can do nothing more than commend and share what you've written other than will that others will understand, appreciate and mind its truth when making their own assessments, decisions or comments on how humanity ought to behave and be represented.
I commend you, Diana, for a simple but accurate, emotive and important statement, made without rancour or accusation; simple truth.
Thank you. Feel welcome to use my words in any positive and honest way you choose, though they are little compared to those of Diana and so many others.
Yes, the narrative is threadbare and the corporate rulers are getting nervous, hence the rise of censorship and smearing of critics. We will all be tested in the coming months as the war takes off. We are ruled by idiot sociopaths.
Land Acknowledgement is not enough. It's like Israel acknowledging the stole the land and then still justifying genocide to keep it. Or the Palestinians, if they won, honoring that way back when, the land was conqured from Domination to allow them to be there and then justifying domination to keep it. A true reconciliation has to honor the people whom the land was stolen from tangibly, while also honoring that most people who live on Turtle Island didn't mean to steal it from anyone. I feel we need to recognize Indigenous Sovereignty and at LEAST honor original treaties that have been broken repeatedly over the years. I personally believe in giving all public lands to Indigenous Peoples instead of having them be "national treasures." We could also facilitating creating ways for settlers who are returning or moving to give first priority (with support to finance, preferably covering all costs) to Indigenous Nations or individuals who wish to buy. back/receive back the land in peace. This way no one who currently lives on Turtle Island would. be forced off their land, but reconciliation would be more than empty words, while genocide continues on Turtle Island, whether through assimilation or killing or theft of land for extraction of Mother/Grandmother Earth.
<3 I agree with you wholeheartedly - that's why I said ideally they wouldn't pay for it - ideally it would be paid for by corporations who profit from indigenous land stolen, second by the gov, third best financed by private wealthy citizens. But it would still be better to have Indigenous get first dibs with some help financing than not to have the land transfer happen.
OMG - could it be any more obvious? But it creates what Peter d"errico calls an existential threat for those whose identity rests in the corporate/governmental entity that is based on a faulty foundation. We could have Turtle Island without violence if we simply removed egoic identification with the nation state without substitution transnational governance of technocratic poopyness!
The problem with the concept of indigenous sovereignty is that everyone in essence has been a coloniser. The practice was never particular to Europeans and Asians, Africans, Polynesians, did it. Everyone has done it, albeit often earlier.
And while some colonisations were violent and cruel, some were not. Just as people living in less developed countries today want what the First world has, so they wanted it then. When the British arrived in what became Australia in 1788 the first aborigine to accept or steal and iron axe or blanket was assimilating into the then modern world.
Colonisation was no doubt a critical part of human evolution. For one thing humans needed to interact sexually in the name of genetic and physiological health. African tribes were invading, occupying, colonising each other for thousands of years. I lived in Malawi for more than five years until 2016 and there was a tribal group, which had remained an entity, who were Bantus from South Africa who had invaded and colonised in the 18th century.
Unfortunately in Africa tribal divisions remain powerful and destructive.
I also lived in Angola for many years and that is a place which has been invaded and colonised so many times by other African tribes that the people are singularly handsome from the mixing of so many genes. I am not seeking to justify anything but simply making the point that colonisation has been a human practice for everyone. No doubt driven by unconscious biological needs as well as conscious material needs and desires.
But we grew out of it long before Israel was invented in the mid 20th century.
Part of the reason I focused on colonization and imperialism is that here in the west, many are owning up to the white supremacist attitudes that accompany these things in the past few hundred years.
In today's world, Israel is being supported by the USA and its allies as it commits genocide. To me, this is a particularly destructive form of colonization and imperialism.
I wanted to tie it into land acknowledgements, since people in the west are owning up to the fact that what was done to aboriginal people was wrong, and what Israel with the support of the west is doing is also wrong.
I'm not saying it didn't happen in the past, or that other groups didn't do it, but the point I'm trying to make is that we need to get past these attitudes so that we don't continue these kinds of barbaric practices.
I want people to make that connection, since they're doing a lot of soul searching about it locally, but allowing it to continue globally with the support of western leaders and media.
I have no problem with addressing wrongs done in the past. But it needs to be done without judgement from our lofty perch in the present.
I do have a problem with the concept that only Europeans can be condemned for their colonial practices and not everyone else. Such an attitude is racist and unconsciously if not consciously takes a position that non-anglo-europeans need to be held to lower standards, patronised in fact, when they did the same things.
What is often forgotten or ignored today is that it was Anglo-European Christians who fought so hard for the rights of others and indeed were the ones who brought an end to slavery. It was also Christians who lived dangerous lives and often short ones as they sought to help those living primitive lives in poor conditions and with poor health. Yes there were some who were only out to make money and gain power but there were many who truly believed they had a mission to bring comfort to those suffering in places like India, Africa, Australia, the Americas.
Having lived in four African countries and studied their histories when I did, there is no doubt that however difficult it was, being colonised by the Europeans was preferable to being colonised by other Africans who were singularly brutal. They would kill all males, often by cutting off feet or hands and leaving them to bleed to death, the young and the old and keep a few useful females.
As human beings we have to know all of our history and not some of it to suit modern agendas. To glorify others who colonised and demonise Anglo-Europeans who did it is not history and not fair. The lines have become blurred and dangerously so.
Israel is not simply a colonial venture. It was founded for very different reasons.
NB: I follow no religion but have read a lot of history, particularly of India and Africa having lived there, and I believe facts matter. And the fact is Christians in general did a lot of good as colonisers because their ethos, more than any other religion, was that God was in everyone, Christian or not and it was their job to succour the poor, sick and mistreated.
I have nothing against Christians and agree that a lot of them did a lot of good, and I think it's important to know our history too, and of the other colonizers.
We're talking about Palestine right now though, and the colonialism and imperialism that we need to address it's what is fuelling this genocide.
I agree completely that we need to know our history and we also need to know the histories of others for perspective. Unfortunately in the West little history is taught to children.
And yes, the issue is Palestine but it is not simply colonialism and neither is colonialism fuelling this genocide. Bigotry, racism and fear is fuelling this genocide.
Other Western nations, founded through colonisation in relatively recent times historically, the US, Canada, Australia, NZ, to name just four, have all given full and equal rights to their native peoples and often compensation, reparation and even apology centuries on. Israel has done none of that because it is not simply a colonial exercise, but a political/quasi religious exercise.
The Israelis are not doing what they are doing because they are colonists or imperialists, they are doing it because they are racists and brainwashed to fear, hate and exterminate or expel non-Jews who are considered to be subhuman.
I can think of no other colonial exercise which was founded and functioned on such a premise. But, it may well be, given modern attitudes and agendas, that dismantling the Zioraeli entity on the basis of colonial injustice is the best way to go. That is a reality to which many, particularly younger generations will relate.
Two sets of my ancestors were 1. Swedish vikings who invaded the north of Britain. 2. Norse vikings who invaded France. Eventually they fought each other at Hastings. (After which they fought the bloodlines of British remnant Romans). Neither were the original settlers of Scandinavia. Humans are a cruel bunch of Bastards, literally...... I fought in Arabia for British Oil, we had American weapons. They had American and Russian weapons, supplied by Egypt. Mea Culpa, Now I fight for peace by supporting writers...
Interesting perspectives. As with all perspectives, there is some truth to it, but also some things that may not be telling the full context. One example of how we have not grown out of West European Colonization can be seen in how chocolate is regulated in Africa.
We lived in Antwerp, Belgium for some years and they really know their chocolate. The chocolate shops are amazing and their specialty, fresh cream filling, along with the rest are made fresh each day. I don't eat much chocolate but the best of it with espresso after dinner is wonderful. What a gift to the world was chocolate. It is fascinating how many foods came out of South America. Tomatoes for the Italians, chilli for the Indians, potatoes for the Irish and coffee and chocolate for us all.
How is chocolate regulated in Africa? And surely such regulations are about marketing not colonisation and are put in place by the Governments of the two biggest African producers, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire., neither of whom are under colonial rule. We also need to remember that cacao is native to the Americas and is only in Africa because of colonial rulers in centuries past. This is now an invaluable and profitable crop for these two African countries. In the same way the Indians could not survive without the railway systems the British built.
Of course the full context is not described because this is not the topic for the thread.
But I am curious as to what the regulations are for Cacao in Africa and how this represents a system long gone, European colonisation.
This is a bigger topic than I have time to delve into beyond links and this comment, so please know this is my only engagement on this conversation for reasons of self-care.
Rhodes and his legacy of genocide and its implications for the Holocaust that involved the Jews, Roma, dissidents, those considered defective in other ways:
If you look up FCC Federation Cocoa Commerce that is a starting point on chocolate/cocoa specifically.
"The international nature of the Federation is evidenced by its diverse membership. Many of the world's cocoa producers, chocolate manufacturers, cocoa processors, cocoa merchants and trade houses feature in our members list which also include warehousekeepers, insurers, superintendents and other trade associations."
The link regarding child slavery is far more complex than people living far away can imagine. I fully support the calls for justice but if these imports are banned it will not stop children working, it will just mean people starve.
A lot of Africans grew small amounts of tobacco which helped them survive. The demonisation of tobacco brought that to an end.
I honestly do not know how to change the endemic corruption in Government and society in places like Africa but I do know that without a complete understanding of the situation mistakes will be made.
As an example, some people thought that it would be good to address the terrible problem of malaria in Malawi by providing the people with mosquito nets. They meant well and it seemed like a great idea given the deadly impact of Malaria. However, whoever came up with the idea did not know the people to whom they were sending the nets. The Malawi response, and these people are dirt poor, literally, was, wow, what a great fishing net. And guess what, the do-gooders had sent nets drenched in toxic chemicals to kill mosquitoes and so, before long, dead fish were washing up around Lake Malawi and the people were starving because there was no fish.
It is not enough to want to do good in a foreign country. You need to know all of the possible outcomes of what you are doing. That was the mistake too many Jews made in Palestine/Israel. They thought a state for Jews seemed like a good idea and they never thought it through, or took the time to understand the impact it would have on the native people.
I also looked up FCC and yes, the organisation would be serving the interests of its members. That is what they are for. However, in the best of worlds they can also have a positive impact. I do not know enough about it to have an opinion. All I do know is that nothing will change in Africa until cultural corrupation is addressed and that can only come from within as it did in Western countries.
I am aware o the mosquito net issue and it's a great example. Eco tourism is also taking land away from Indigenous Communities who were much happier before.
Your link on chocolate did not work. I can look it up myself.
One thing I learned during my decades living around Africa was that famine is caused by African Governments. In Malawi for example, the Government decreed that only certain crops could be grown, the most profitable for them, and if the crops failed there would be famine. There is also pressure on people who try to grow their own food and those with power over them will destroy their gardens. I have seen it happen.
Corruption is endemic. In one bad famine in Malawi, and they had a lot because the Government sold off grain stores and politicians took the money for themselves, the aid agencies and companies including the one for which I worked, sent money which the Government then took for itself. So everyone sent trucks full of grain, which the military stopped before it reached the famine region and the supplies were taken by the Government which then sold it and pocketed the money as individuals.
And yes, slavery remains in places like India and Africa. It also needs to be remembered that the ordinary people in such places can only survive if their children work. It was the same in Britain, Europe, US, Australia etc., in centuries past. In 19th century Britain there were five year olds working in mines, factories and cleaning chimneys. By modern standards we would call that slavery. By the standards of the time it was survival.
Thank you for your thoughtful response! I agree that corruption is one of the biggest and most challenging issues. I think it best to start at home by critiquing the corruption of companies like Nestle, and all our Pharma companies, and all the regime change we do in Africa before we give any credit to these organizations as possible do-gooders. I know individual people who work in them, such as yourself mean well, but the whole premise is based on corruption, as you can see from the Papal Bulls that led to the slave trade and to what happened to Indigenous Peoples globally, first at the hand of the Spaniards. I don’t agree with your view on land speculation but am not up for a debate. I do encourage you to research the Doctrine of Discovery and the legacy of Rhodes.. Much love!
It would be easy to create a definition of acceptable child labor in such context (in my view 4-6 hours a day) versus child slavery (12 hour days, child theft/sale/purchase) But this would not profit the corrupt folks you mention, but also those at Nestle and other major brands that have no conscience, either on their use of GMOS and other things.
Hi Alice ! Cecil Rhodes financed his stealing of Zimbabwe by selling his major shareholding of the Kimberley Diamond fields to De Beer who in turn was responsible for initiating the Global Corruption of the Diamond Industry..... It's all in the writings of Wilbur Smith
Land speculation was the first market and so marketing - the corporate domination of a land and people is inherently colonial. A truly free and ethical market does not create one sided agreements such as European ones with African Nations.
Land speculation is not colonial, it is human nature. I do not know how much time you have spent in Africa but I have lived in four African countries, spent time in another half a dozen, all amounting to around 20 years.
These cultures are tribal which is might is right. They are colonial in that the strong man rules everyone else along with his family.
Even when we lived in Malawi 7 years ago, the chief of a village would dictate to the rest what they could and could not grow and where they could grow what they did. I discovered this when I wondered why there was such a lack of farming and garden diversity. Everyone has their place and as the Africans I knew said, it is like a crab trying to climb out of the pot will be pulled back in. Same with us.
There is no such thing as any truly free and ethical market. But there is greater freedom in Western cultures than you find in places like India and Africa where superstition is still high. When we were getting ready to leave Zambia, and we had been living in a guesthouse, we wanted to give things to the maid who worked in our quarters. We were advised by senior staff this was not a good idea because in Zambia, good fortune means people are in league with the devil and we were told to give everything to the main house-keeper.
We didn't but we often wondered if we had done more harm than good to the young woman to whom we gifted things we could not take with us.
The same happens in India where we lived for nearly five years. There is nothing free or ethical about any of it. Land speculation in centuries past was very simple, I want your land and if I am stronger than you I will take it. It was in fact anglo-europeans who developed laws which sought to bring clarity and fairness to everyone, including the weak. And no doubt there were on occasion Indian and African tribal chiefs who had admirable ethics, but it was not and is not a norm.
I love that you wanted to gift to woman and also had thoughtfulness for cultural implications and I don't know what you *should* have done. I do know Africa has been impacted by genocide (Germany to Namibia) as well as Colonialism which I do not see in a benevolent light as seeking to simply mix genes. I look at inner city black cultures in the US and it seems clear to me that there was an agenda to get them addicted to drugs and set up for dependency, as well as hooked on junk food. I was involved in social justice stuff before the pandemic when I got disillusioned with how even the leaders that had really pure hearts were controlled by the funding...no place is perfect, the whole world has been a mess fora long time in different ways. I still hold we should not be interfering elsewhere until get our shit together and take the log out of our own Western Eye.
The message here is clear all of our leadership must recognize we are in a new world not a new reset. The citizen journalist is here we must keep up this pressure to have our own reset.
Like many good ideas at the time, including religion, communism, scientific theories, the concept that everyone needed what was called liberal democracy was an arrogant and dangerous assumption.
In the name of a supposed good we have seen war, genocide, corruption and much evil. And this is because all systems are developed and put into practice by humans who are all flawed. There is no perfect human so there is no perfect system. Liberal democracy is a great idea, just as Communism was in many respects, idealistic, well-intentioned, but a disaster when forced onto anyone.
I do wonder sometimes though about conflating Zionist Israel with past colonial events because, a. they happened in centuries past when attitudes and situations were different and it is unwise to try to retrofit modern values to the past, and b. none of them were put in place with an active policy that the colonists were superior as humans and the native people as subhumans were to be exterminated, as was Zionist Israel.
It almost lets the Zioraelis off the hook to infer they were no different to colonisations in the Americas and elsewhere centuries ago. They were and they are, but comparative colonisations is perhaps a digression.
I disagree. Palestinians were supposed to have the right of return. They never did.
The land was occupied. Zionists came from Europe. Nutty Yahoo was Polish. That land was arbitrarily given to the Jews. Britain and others did it.
Under international law, EVERYTHING Israel is doing is a war crime. All participants are guilty. US/NATO and all arms dealers are guilty. Hezbollah and Hamas are fighting back trying to be free. We may disagree on various points, but by international law, the occupying power is WRONG. Enforcing Open Air prisons is apartheid. Israel violates every single international rule and law.
Violence begets violence. It's ALL wrong. It's time to STOP the killing. The complicit parties have all sabotaged the many years this has all been playing out. Thanks for reading.
That is absolutely false and / or ahistorical about the right of return demand and - that motion was also rejected by Arabs if you check your history. Arafat was born in Egypt. Again this is false check facts with objective persons and sources not from thus anti Zionist ideology narrative that you clearly espouse too. Jews were living in British mandate Palestine and under the Ottomon empire - it was also improved when Jewish people bought plots of land from
absentee land owning Arabs who chose to sell. Then Arabs migrated from colonised Arabia imperialism and other parts of the Middle East for work to the area with Jews improving economy - but you can ignore these facts as anti Zionists do -
Arabs rejected a UN partition plan for an arab state whilst Jewish groups accepted the Jewish state of Israel which was declared.
Any future Palestinian state that was rejected from 1937 to 2008 ( was obviously a nominal right of return with some Arab Palestinians to return to Israel proper anyway ) and some Jews that could live in a Palestine Arab state . 2,’millions Arabs live in Israel proper as citizens
Yet the PLO Arafat charter in 60s and in 80s sss all about destroying the Jewish state and handing Arab state with Islamic state as Islam as the predominant religion
When Jordan annexed West Bank for 20 years they expelled Jews living there - funny that ) and Jordan allows no Jews and no synagogues either yet is full of Palestinians - this was after Arabs wanted to destroy the Jewish state with 48 war
In the now, all sides are wrong for continuing to fight. We require HONEST, SINCERE negotiations. IMHO, Israel is the most violent armed, genocidal party. The Palestinians Have the right to fight back. Fighting is NOT a real solution.
The Zionists want to kill them all. The Arabs got sick of having to live imprisoned by Israel. Why would they just lay down and die after watching their familites murdered, starved since 1947/1948 Neither the US or Israel are honest brokers here. They both sabotage any peace. Being the arms dealer hegemon makes the US the most guilty. Britain had no right to give them the land. Why not give them Texass! Wyoming? Lata.
I hear many Gazans now saying how good their life before Oct 7 attacks - they had degrees , good business, built a 3 storey homes - but they had to flee to other countries. ( Funny that I thought it was a concentration camp and they were sent to hard labour before the gas chamber ) . Such a load of shit.. I mean Hamas sending rockets for 20 years and stole billions could have made Gaza even better into a little singapore by the sea ( but they chose terrorism instead of being like UAE or Bahrain they chose to be like Yemen ( Houthis ) by voting in Hamas choosing not to live in peace but sought to destroy the state of Israel which caused Egypt and Israel to blockade the borders ( which is whet nations do to hostile nations let alone a hostile autonomy territory ( where they want no Jews in Gaza ) after Israel withdraw in 2005 and took even the bodies from the Jewish cemeteries in Gaza … …
I hear many Gazans now saying how good their life before Oct 7 attacks - they had degrees , good business, built a 3 storey homes - but they had to flee to other countries. ( Funny that I thought it was a concentration camp and they were sent to hard labour before the gas chamber ) . Such a load of shit.. I mean Hamas sending rockets for 20 years and stole billions could have made Gaza even better into a little singapore by the sea ( but they chose terrorism instead of being like UAE or Bahrain they chose to be like Yemen ( Houthis ) by voting in Hamas choosing not to live in peace but sought to destroy the state of Israel which caused Egypt and Israel to blockade the borders ( which is whet nations do to hostile nations let alone a hostile autonomy territory ( where they want no Jews in Gaza ) after Israel withdraw in 2005 and took even the bodies from the Jewish cemeteries in Gaza …
I hear many Gazans now saying how good their life before Oct 7 attacks - they had degrees , good business, built a 3 storey homes - but they had to flee to other countries. ( Funny that I thought it was a concentration camp and they were sent to hard labour before the gas chamber ) . Such a load of shit.. I mean Hamas sending rockets for 20 years and stole billions could have made Gaza even better into a little singapore by the sea ( but they chose terrorism instead of being like UAE or Bahrain they chose to be like Yemen ( Houthis ) by voting in Hamas choosing not to live in peace but sought to destroy the state of Israel which caused Egypt and Israel to blockade the borders ( which is whet nations do to hostile nations let alone a hostile autonomy territory ( where they want no Jews in Gaza ) after Israel withdraw in 2005 and took even the bodies from the Jewish cemeteries in Gaza …
Britain owned the land and split it…. The same flawed logic could be said for Jordan or Saudi Arabia or Pakistan or Syria founding- where many nations were formed in the 1900s century.. and many people displaced from war…Jews were living in the land. Lived there from the Ottomans too and the British mandate to even the kingdom of Judea and Israel . I mean I can start anywhere even from the Jewish small owners buying plots of land from the Arabs for fair market price or above market price well before the modern state of Israel founding. Arabs rejected their partition from 1937 to 2008 and in 48 Arabs war states went to war to prevent the tiny Jewish state and promised to drive the Jews into the sea literally was a genocidal war ( the Jews had no American arms then or very little ) and still won… Jordan took Westbank ( Judea /Samaria ) which subsequently annexed and expelled ethnically cleansed all Jews ( funny that but you omit all these facts in history ) and Egypt took Gaza. I note that The Arab state of Jordan leader and Arab state of Egypt leader still didn’t bother to give the so called Palestinians Arabs a seperate state. They held it for 2 decades… funny Jordan gave many of them Jordanian passports and Jordan doesn’t allow Jews of Synagogues- and they are meant to be the moderate Arabs. Hamas allows no Jews in Gaza or PLO run West Bank allows no Jews .. funny that.. such hypocrisy and double standard
And yes by the radical left logic the Jews ( Jewish nation Israel ) must not have the right to self determination of their nation land they lived for over 75 years ( they were refugees and kicked out of Middle East too but moved on ) let alone Greeks and other being refugees from WW 2. And over 22 Arab Islamic majority nations exist and . The Arabs ( Arab Palestinians ) do have a right to self determination too but they rejected a Arab seperate state in peace with Israel . And it that right doesn’t extend to eliminated another sovereign state ( the Jewish nation state )- not now not ever.
Britain owned the land and split it…. The same flawed logic could be said for Jordan or Saudi Arabia or Pakistan or Syria founding- where many nations were formed in the 1900s century.. and many people displaced from war…Jews were living in the land. Lived there from the Ottomans too and the British mandate to even the kingdom of Judea and Israel . I mean I can start anywhere even from the Jewish small owners buying plots of land from the Arabs for fair market price or above market price well before the modern state of Israel founding. Arabs rejected their partition from 1937 to 2008 and in 48 Arabs war states went to war to prevent the tiny Jewish state and promised to drive the Jews into the sea literally was a genocidal war ( the Jews had no American arms then or very little ) and still won… Jordan took Westbank ( Judea /Samaria ) which subsequently annexed and expelled ethnically cleansed all Jews ( funny that but you omit all these facts in history ) and Egypt took Gaza. I note that The Arab state of Jordan leader and Arab state of Egypt leader still didn’t bother to give the so called Palestinians Arabs a seperate state. They held it for 2 decades… funny Jordan gave many of them Jordanian passports and Jordan doesn’t allow Jews of Synagogues- and they are meant to be the moderate Arabs. Hamas allows no Jews in Gaza or PLO run West Bank allows no Jews .. funny that.. such hypocrisy and double standard
The difference between Israel’s overall goal and the Jihadists overall goal is that Israel seeks to eliminate the terrorists trying to kill them, and the Jihadists goal is to kill the Jews (or at least destroy the Jewish state and subject the Jewish people to submission under their oppressive, supremacist, ultra-nationalist, fascist rule).
The lack of universal moral clarity on this is not just astounding, but with regard to those who call themselves academics, experts, journalists, politicians, commentators, professors, and the like, it’s honestly embarrassing.
It’s one thing to be against war, violence, and death, which is a natural impulse to all feeling humans, but it’s quite another to reverse the cause and effect of these regional wars. It isn’t hiding, it’s in plain sight.
It makes one wonder whether the jihadi-inspired brain rot has so deeply and irreparably pervaded our collective consciousness that they actually aren’t aware of their moral obfuscation, or worse, they know exactly what they’re doing and they’re doing it on purpose.
Either way, our zeitgeist is marked by a duration of sweeping dishonesty, and untruth only sets us down an ever more dangerous path.
The difference between Israel’s overall goal and the Jihadists overall goal is that Israel seeks to eliminate the terrorists trying to kill them, and the Jihadists goal is to kill the Jews (or at least destroy the Jewish state and subject the Jewish people to submission under their oppressive, supremacist, ultra-nationalist, fascist rule).
The lack of universal moral clarity on this is not just astounding, but with regard to those who call themselves academics, experts, journalists, politicians, commentators, professors, and the like, it’s honestly embarrassing.
It’s one thing to be against war, violence, and death, which is a natural impulse to all feeling humans, but it’s quite another to reverse the cause and effect of these regional wars. It isn’t hiding, it’s in plain sight.
It makes one wonder whether the jihadi-inspired brain rot has so deeply and irreparably pervaded our collective consciousness that they actually aren’t aware of their moral obfuscation, or worse, they know exactly what they’re doing and they’re doing it on purpose.
Either way, our zeitgeist is marked by a duration of sweeping dishonesty, and untruth only sets us down an ever more dangerous path.
The difference is written right here above. So read it IF you are not mentally challenged by punctuation issues or Anti Israel derangement delusional syndrome and/ or don’t support Islamic jihadi terrorism including Hamas / Hezbollah. Try not to have a comprehension problem either -with respect…
The difference between Israel’s overall goal and the Jihadists overall goal is that Israel seeks to eliminate the terrorists trying to kill them, and the Jihadists goal is to kill the Jews (or at least destroy the Jewish state and subject the Jewish people to submission under their oppressive, supremacist, ultra-nationalist, fascist rule).
The lack of universal moral clarity on this is not just astounding, but with regard to those who call themselves academics, experts, journalists, politicians, commentators, professors, and the like, it’s honestly embarrassing.
It’s one thing to be against war, violence, and death, which is a natural impulse to all feeling humans, but it’s quite another to reverse the cause and effect of these regional wars. It isn’t hiding, it’s in plain sight.
It makes one wonder whether the jihadi-inspired brain rot has so deeply and irreparably pervaded our collective consciousness that they actually aren’t aware of their moral obfuscation, or worse, they know exactly what they’re doing and they’re doing it on purpose.
Either way, our zeitgeist is marked by a duration of sweeping dishonesty, and untruth only sets us down an ever more dangerous path.
Ernest Hemingway said: "There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self." How I wish a better USA would refer to its former self, instead of its current self being considered eternal.
Thanks, Mike. And I wish the same for all western nations who continue to support the USA in its support of Israel, and its other atrocities.
Unfortunately as the dominatrix, for the moment, it is the US which leads the way for the lackey allies, including my country. Although as John Mearsheimer said in an address in Australia, there is no choice but to do what the Americans tell you to do because if you do not you become their enemy and see what happens to enemies. I paraphrase.
I am not letting my gutless politicians off the hook but it is a reality that the one entity which could stop the genocide in an instant and bring Israel to heel is the United States. But, as we know, a few very rich people run the US and they are making a fortune out of war.
John Mearsheimer: America has no allies, only hostages.
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2020/10/21/america-has-no-allies-only-hostages/
“It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal.” - Henry Kissinger
Nothing has changed except the US is in serious decline and nothing more dangerous than a cornered dog.
Declining empires are historically desperate. The USA may be aware of its demise, but fear isn't bigger than time. It takes long for empire to unravel. I expect my lifetime will only see more violence without substantial victory. Another generation will experience the destruction. And then the generation after that may appreciate the community found in rebirth. Then their children will forget their parent's suffering and accomplishments, and ensure more forgettable music becomes popular.
He meant it as a threat, at that
That fortune comes from the weapon trade, the chemical components and the oil burned to deliver it all.... Funded by taxing our consumptions and earnings
Thank you for your post. You and others inspired my comments. BTW: I hate typing! 😊
Oooh, I love that.
This quote could be a class or a symposium by itself. Well done.
Eternal, Mike, nah, that's just the falsehood of holywould ectshitera, No longer convinces
The mirror is cracked.
An articulate, objective and concise statement which exposes the very core of what ails national and world societies right now.
I can do nothing more than commend and share what you've written other than will that others will understand, appreciate and mind its truth when making their own assessments, decisions or comments on how humanity ought to behave and be represented.
I commend you, Diana, for a simple but accurate, emotive and important statement, made without rancour or accusation; simple truth.
Thank you & more strength to your arm.
Take care. Stay safe. ☮️
Thanks so much, Roger. You stay safe too. These are terrifying times.
Well said Roger, I wish to quote you on Friday https://thiscreativeadventure.com Peace, Maurice
Thank you. Feel welcome to use my words in any positive and honest way you choose, though they are little compared to those of Diana and so many others.
Take care. Stay safe. ☮️
Yes, the narrative is threadbare and the corporate rulers are getting nervous, hence the rise of censorship and smearing of critics. We will all be tested in the coming months as the war takes off. We are ruled by idiot sociopaths.
Yup.
Genocide does so much belong in that trash heap. Shukran Diana 🇵🇸♥️🙏
Thanks, Najwan.
♥️♥️
Land Acknowledgement is not enough. It's like Israel acknowledging the stole the land and then still justifying genocide to keep it. Or the Palestinians, if they won, honoring that way back when, the land was conqured from Domination to allow them to be there and then justifying domination to keep it. A true reconciliation has to honor the people whom the land was stolen from tangibly, while also honoring that most people who live on Turtle Island didn't mean to steal it from anyone. I feel we need to recognize Indigenous Sovereignty and at LEAST honor original treaties that have been broken repeatedly over the years. I personally believe in giving all public lands to Indigenous Peoples instead of having them be "national treasures." We could also facilitating creating ways for settlers who are returning or moving to give first priority (with support to finance, preferably covering all costs) to Indigenous Nations or individuals who wish to buy. back/receive back the land in peace. This way no one who currently lives on Turtle Island would. be forced off their land, but reconciliation would be more than empty words, while genocide continues on Turtle Island, whether through assimilation or killing or theft of land for extraction of Mother/Grandmother Earth.
I agree, Alicia, except I don't think it would be fair that indigenous people should have to buy back land that was stolen from them.
<3 I agree with you wholeheartedly - that's why I said ideally they wouldn't pay for it - ideally it would be paid for by corporations who profit from indigenous land stolen, second by the gov, third best financed by private wealthy citizens. But it would still be better to have Indigenous get first dibs with some help financing than not to have the land transfer happen.
I'm really glad you get the connection between land acknowledgements and what's going on in Palestine, Alicia.
Land back for both.
OMG - could it be any more obvious? But it creates what Peter d"errico calls an existential threat for those whose identity rests in the corporate/governmental entity that is based on a faulty foundation. We could have Turtle Island without violence if we simply removed egoic identification with the nation state without substitution transnational governance of technocratic poopyness!
There's also a lot of money and systems that support this horrible genocide, Alicia.
You might like this:
https://substack.com/home/post/p-149290752
The problem with the concept of indigenous sovereignty is that everyone in essence has been a coloniser. The practice was never particular to Europeans and Asians, Africans, Polynesians, did it. Everyone has done it, albeit often earlier.
And while some colonisations were violent and cruel, some were not. Just as people living in less developed countries today want what the First world has, so they wanted it then. When the British arrived in what became Australia in 1788 the first aborigine to accept or steal and iron axe or blanket was assimilating into the then modern world.
Colonisation was no doubt a critical part of human evolution. For one thing humans needed to interact sexually in the name of genetic and physiological health. African tribes were invading, occupying, colonising each other for thousands of years. I lived in Malawi for more than five years until 2016 and there was a tribal group, which had remained an entity, who were Bantus from South Africa who had invaded and colonised in the 18th century.
Unfortunately in Africa tribal divisions remain powerful and destructive.
I also lived in Angola for many years and that is a place which has been invaded and colonised so many times by other African tribes that the people are singularly handsome from the mixing of so many genes. I am not seeking to justify anything but simply making the point that colonisation has been a human practice for everyone. No doubt driven by unconscious biological needs as well as conscious material needs and desires.
But we grew out of it long before Israel was invented in the mid 20th century.
Hi, Roslyn,
Part of the reason I focused on colonization and imperialism is that here in the west, many are owning up to the white supremacist attitudes that accompany these things in the past few hundred years.
And it lives still. Think Josep Borrell's garden/jungle speech. https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/10/26/josep-borrells-jungle-trope-was-no-slip-of-the-tongue/
In today's world, Israel is being supported by the USA and its allies as it commits genocide. To me, this is a particularly destructive form of colonization and imperialism.
I wanted to tie it into land acknowledgements, since people in the west are owning up to the fact that what was done to aboriginal people was wrong, and what Israel with the support of the west is doing is also wrong.
I'm not saying it didn't happen in the past, or that other groups didn't do it, but the point I'm trying to make is that we need to get past these attitudes so that we don't continue these kinds of barbaric practices.
I want people to make that connection, since they're doing a lot of soul searching about it locally, but allowing it to continue globally with the support of western leaders and media.
I have no problem with addressing wrongs done in the past. But it needs to be done without judgement from our lofty perch in the present.
I do have a problem with the concept that only Europeans can be condemned for their colonial practices and not everyone else. Such an attitude is racist and unconsciously if not consciously takes a position that non-anglo-europeans need to be held to lower standards, patronised in fact, when they did the same things.
What is often forgotten or ignored today is that it was Anglo-European Christians who fought so hard for the rights of others and indeed were the ones who brought an end to slavery. It was also Christians who lived dangerous lives and often short ones as they sought to help those living primitive lives in poor conditions and with poor health. Yes there were some who were only out to make money and gain power but there were many who truly believed they had a mission to bring comfort to those suffering in places like India, Africa, Australia, the Americas.
Having lived in four African countries and studied their histories when I did, there is no doubt that however difficult it was, being colonised by the Europeans was preferable to being colonised by other Africans who were singularly brutal. They would kill all males, often by cutting off feet or hands and leaving them to bleed to death, the young and the old and keep a few useful females.
As human beings we have to know all of our history and not some of it to suit modern agendas. To glorify others who colonised and demonise Anglo-Europeans who did it is not history and not fair. The lines have become blurred and dangerously so.
Israel is not simply a colonial venture. It was founded for very different reasons.
NB: I follow no religion but have read a lot of history, particularly of India and Africa having lived there, and I believe facts matter. And the fact is Christians in general did a lot of good as colonisers because their ethos, more than any other religion, was that God was in everyone, Christian or not and it was their job to succour the poor, sick and mistreated.
I have nothing against Christians and agree that a lot of them did a lot of good, and I think it's important to know our history too, and of the other colonizers.
We're talking about Palestine right now though, and the colonialism and imperialism that we need to address it's what is fuelling this genocide.
I agree completely that we need to know our history and we also need to know the histories of others for perspective. Unfortunately in the West little history is taught to children.
And yes, the issue is Palestine but it is not simply colonialism and neither is colonialism fuelling this genocide. Bigotry, racism and fear is fuelling this genocide.
Other Western nations, founded through colonisation in relatively recent times historically, the US, Canada, Australia, NZ, to name just four, have all given full and equal rights to their native peoples and often compensation, reparation and even apology centuries on. Israel has done none of that because it is not simply a colonial exercise, but a political/quasi religious exercise.
The Israelis are not doing what they are doing because they are colonists or imperialists, they are doing it because they are racists and brainwashed to fear, hate and exterminate or expel non-Jews who are considered to be subhuman.
I can think of no other colonial exercise which was founded and functioned on such a premise. But, it may well be, given modern attitudes and agendas, that dismantling the Zioraeli entity on the basis of colonial injustice is the best way to go. That is a reality to which many, particularly younger generations will relate.
Why do you think the countries that support Israel support it, Roslyn?
I get that about Israel, but not about western political leaders and mainstream media.
Two sets of my ancestors were 1. Swedish vikings who invaded the north of Britain. 2. Norse vikings who invaded France. Eventually they fought each other at Hastings. (After which they fought the bloodlines of British remnant Romans). Neither were the original settlers of Scandinavia. Humans are a cruel bunch of Bastards, literally...... I fought in Arabia for British Oil, we had American weapons. They had American and Russian weapons, supplied by Egypt. Mea Culpa, Now I fight for peace by supporting writers...
Interesting perspectives. As with all perspectives, there is some truth to it, but also some things that may not be telling the full context. One example of how we have not grown out of West European Colonization can be seen in how chocolate is regulated in Africa.
Here's some great chocolate (I've eaten it and it's delicious!) you might appreciate, Alicia. https://us.tonyschocolonely.com/
We lived in Antwerp, Belgium for some years and they really know their chocolate. The chocolate shops are amazing and their specialty, fresh cream filling, along with the rest are made fresh each day. I don't eat much chocolate but the best of it with espresso after dinner is wonderful. What a gift to the world was chocolate. It is fascinating how many foods came out of South America. Tomatoes for the Italians, chilli for the Indians, potatoes for the Irish and coffee and chocolate for us all.
Much of the choc industry was founded by quaker slave owners
Sounds hard to believe. Can you prove it?
How is chocolate regulated in Africa? And surely such regulations are about marketing not colonisation and are put in place by the Governments of the two biggest African producers, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire., neither of whom are under colonial rule. We also need to remember that cacao is native to the Americas and is only in Africa because of colonial rulers in centuries past. This is now an invaluable and profitable crop for these two African countries. In the same way the Indians could not survive without the railway systems the British built.
Of course the full context is not described because this is not the topic for the thread.
But I am curious as to what the regulations are for Cacao in Africa and how this represents a system long gone, European colonisation.
This is a bigger topic than I have time to delve into beyond links and this comment, so please know this is my only engagement on this conversation for reasons of self-care.
Rhodes and his legacy of genocide and its implications for the Holocaust that involved the Jews, Roma, dissidents, those considered defective in other ways:
https://unlimitedhangout.com/2022/03/investigative-reports/the-rhodes-scholars-guiding-bidens-presidency/
Here is one on chocolate:
https://furtherafrica.com/2024/07/05/the-disconnect-between-global-cocoa-prices-and-farmer-incomes/
Here is one on child slavery (The Supreme Court already ruled in favor of Nestle Cargille that companies in Africa cannot be sued for child slavery)
https://english.elpais.com/usa/2023-08-15/advocates-sue-federal-government-for-failing-to-ban-imports-of-cocoa-harvested-by-children.html
If you look up FCC Federation Cocoa Commerce that is a starting point on chocolate/cocoa specifically.
"The international nature of the Federation is evidenced by its diverse membership. Many of the world's cocoa producers, chocolate manufacturers, cocoa processors, cocoa merchants and trade houses feature in our members list which also include warehousekeepers, insurers, superintendents and other trade associations."
Also ICE Cocoa Futures
The link regarding child slavery is far more complex than people living far away can imagine. I fully support the calls for justice but if these imports are banned it will not stop children working, it will just mean people starve.
A lot of Africans grew small amounts of tobacco which helped them survive. The demonisation of tobacco brought that to an end.
I honestly do not know how to change the endemic corruption in Government and society in places like Africa but I do know that without a complete understanding of the situation mistakes will be made.
As an example, some people thought that it would be good to address the terrible problem of malaria in Malawi by providing the people with mosquito nets. They meant well and it seemed like a great idea given the deadly impact of Malaria. However, whoever came up with the idea did not know the people to whom they were sending the nets. The Malawi response, and these people are dirt poor, literally, was, wow, what a great fishing net. And guess what, the do-gooders had sent nets drenched in toxic chemicals to kill mosquitoes and so, before long, dead fish were washing up around Lake Malawi and the people were starving because there was no fish.
It is not enough to want to do good in a foreign country. You need to know all of the possible outcomes of what you are doing. That was the mistake too many Jews made in Palestine/Israel. They thought a state for Jews seemed like a good idea and they never thought it through, or took the time to understand the impact it would have on the native people.
I also looked up FCC and yes, the organisation would be serving the interests of its members. That is what they are for. However, in the best of worlds they can also have a positive impact. I do not know enough about it to have an opinion. All I do know is that nothing will change in Africa until cultural corrupation is addressed and that can only come from within as it did in Western countries.
I am aware o the mosquito net issue and it's a great example. Eco tourism is also taking land away from Indigenous Communities who were much happier before.
Agree with you totally on the problem of well meaning foreigners and how badly awry in can go.
Your link on chocolate did not work. I can look it up myself.
One thing I learned during my decades living around Africa was that famine is caused by African Governments. In Malawi for example, the Government decreed that only certain crops could be grown, the most profitable for them, and if the crops failed there would be famine. There is also pressure on people who try to grow their own food and those with power over them will destroy their gardens. I have seen it happen.
Corruption is endemic. In one bad famine in Malawi, and they had a lot because the Government sold off grain stores and politicians took the money for themselves, the aid agencies and companies including the one for which I worked, sent money which the Government then took for itself. So everyone sent trucks full of grain, which the military stopped before it reached the famine region and the supplies were taken by the Government which then sold it and pocketed the money as individuals.
And yes, slavery remains in places like India and Africa. It also needs to be remembered that the ordinary people in such places can only survive if their children work. It was the same in Britain, Europe, US, Australia etc., in centuries past. In 19th century Britain there were five year olds working in mines, factories and cleaning chimneys. By modern standards we would call that slavery. By the standards of the time it was survival.
Thank you for your thoughtful response! I agree that corruption is one of the biggest and most challenging issues. I think it best to start at home by critiquing the corruption of companies like Nestle, and all our Pharma companies, and all the regime change we do in Africa before we give any credit to these organizations as possible do-gooders. I know individual people who work in them, such as yourself mean well, but the whole premise is based on corruption, as you can see from the Papal Bulls that led to the slave trade and to what happened to Indigenous Peoples globally, first at the hand of the Spaniards. I don’t agree with your view on land speculation but am not up for a debate. I do encourage you to research the Doctrine of Discovery and the legacy of Rhodes.. Much love!
Which link on chocolate didn’t work?
I understand I have not lived in Africa, but I do know that global domination has been a thing of the Western World.
https://substack.com/@aliciakwon/note/c-70618237
It would be easy to create a definition of acceptable child labor in such context (in my view 4-6 hours a day) versus child slavery (12 hour days, child theft/sale/purchase) But this would not profit the corrupt folks you mention, but also those at Nestle and other major brands that have no conscience, either on their use of GMOS and other things.
Hi Alice ! Cecil Rhodes financed his stealing of Zimbabwe by selling his major shareholding of the Kimberley Diamond fields to De Beer who in turn was responsible for initiating the Global Corruption of the Diamond Industry..... It's all in the writings of Wilbur Smith
Those two nations under colonial rule sold their own into slavery. Now they pay starvation wages whilst Big Food Empires make the profits.
Land speculation was the first market and so marketing - the corporate domination of a land and people is inherently colonial. A truly free and ethical market does not create one sided agreements such as European ones with African Nations.
Land speculation is not colonial, it is human nature. I do not know how much time you have spent in Africa but I have lived in four African countries, spent time in another half a dozen, all amounting to around 20 years.
These cultures are tribal which is might is right. They are colonial in that the strong man rules everyone else along with his family.
Even when we lived in Malawi 7 years ago, the chief of a village would dictate to the rest what they could and could not grow and where they could grow what they did. I discovered this when I wondered why there was such a lack of farming and garden diversity. Everyone has their place and as the Africans I knew said, it is like a crab trying to climb out of the pot will be pulled back in. Same with us.
There is no such thing as any truly free and ethical market. But there is greater freedom in Western cultures than you find in places like India and Africa where superstition is still high. When we were getting ready to leave Zambia, and we had been living in a guesthouse, we wanted to give things to the maid who worked in our quarters. We were advised by senior staff this was not a good idea because in Zambia, good fortune means people are in league with the devil and we were told to give everything to the main house-keeper.
We didn't but we often wondered if we had done more harm than good to the young woman to whom we gifted things we could not take with us.
The same happens in India where we lived for nearly five years. There is nothing free or ethical about any of it. Land speculation in centuries past was very simple, I want your land and if I am stronger than you I will take it. It was in fact anglo-europeans who developed laws which sought to bring clarity and fairness to everyone, including the weak. And no doubt there were on occasion Indian and African tribal chiefs who had admirable ethics, but it was not and is not a norm.
Well look at our politicians at home....lol
I love that you wanted to gift to woman and also had thoughtfulness for cultural implications and I don't know what you *should* have done. I do know Africa has been impacted by genocide (Germany to Namibia) as well as Colonialism which I do not see in a benevolent light as seeking to simply mix genes. I look at inner city black cultures in the US and it seems clear to me that there was an agenda to get them addicted to drugs and set up for dependency, as well as hooked on junk food. I was involved in social justice stuff before the pandemic when I got disillusioned with how even the leaders that had really pure hearts were controlled by the funding...no place is perfect, the whole world has been a mess fora long time in different ways. I still hold we should not be interfering elsewhere until get our shit together and take the log out of our own Western Eye.
https://doctrineofdiscovery.org
You make a lot of sense Alice, Peace; Maurice
❤️
"If our leaders can’t get with modern reality, we need to replace them. "
Exactly. And it can't happen quick enough. Our children deserve better.
Well said, Diana. Love the artwork.
Thanks so much, Heidi.
The message here is clear all of our leadership must recognize we are in a new world not a new reset. The citizen journalist is here we must keep up this pressure to have our own reset.
It may be helpful to point out that tribes consider themselves "People " and others non people,or prey.
Thus,Israel considers taking land and killing the non people a right, just like the English settelers did when they took over the North Americas.
After all , the land was only inhabited by savages.........
Like many good ideas at the time, including religion, communism, scientific theories, the concept that everyone needed what was called liberal democracy was an arrogant and dangerous assumption.
In the name of a supposed good we have seen war, genocide, corruption and much evil. And this is because all systems are developed and put into practice by humans who are all flawed. There is no perfect human so there is no perfect system. Liberal democracy is a great idea, just as Communism was in many respects, idealistic, well-intentioned, but a disaster when forced onto anyone.
I do wonder sometimes though about conflating Zionist Israel with past colonial events because, a. they happened in centuries past when attitudes and situations were different and it is unwise to try to retrofit modern values to the past, and b. none of them were put in place with an active policy that the colonists were superior as humans and the native people as subhumans were to be exterminated, as was Zionist Israel.
It almost lets the Zioraelis off the hook to infer they were no different to colonisations in the Americas and elsewhere centuries ago. They were and they are, but comparative colonisations is perhaps a digression.
Yes genocide and apartheid is wrong that we agree with— but it’s a fallacy and blatantly false accusation against Israel and ahistorical fallacy
The radical left anti Zionist has been absurdly accusing Israel of this since its formation
Oh and the ridiculous fallacy myth of settler colonialism state among other false accusations.
The Anti Zionist Mythology of the ( radical ) Left has its origins from communists Soviet Union. ( parts of the radical right also peddle myths too) .
I disagree. Palestinians were supposed to have the right of return. They never did.
The land was occupied. Zionists came from Europe. Nutty Yahoo was Polish. That land was arbitrarily given to the Jews. Britain and others did it.
Under international law, EVERYTHING Israel is doing is a war crime. All participants are guilty. US/NATO and all arms dealers are guilty. Hezbollah and Hamas are fighting back trying to be free. We may disagree on various points, but by international law, the occupying power is WRONG. Enforcing Open Air prisons is apartheid. Israel violates every single international rule and law.
Violence begets violence. It's ALL wrong. It's time to STOP the killing. The complicit parties have all sabotaged the many years this has all been playing out. Thanks for reading.
That is absolutely false and / or ahistorical about the right of return demand and - that motion was also rejected by Arabs if you check your history. Arafat was born in Egypt. Again this is false check facts with objective persons and sources not from thus anti Zionist ideology narrative that you clearly espouse too. Jews were living in British mandate Palestine and under the Ottomon empire - it was also improved when Jewish people bought plots of land from
absentee land owning Arabs who chose to sell. Then Arabs migrated from colonised Arabia imperialism and other parts of the Middle East for work to the area with Jews improving economy - but you can ignore these facts as anti Zionists do -
Arabs rejected a UN partition plan for an arab state whilst Jewish groups accepted the Jewish state of Israel which was declared.
Any future Palestinian state that was rejected from 1937 to 2008 ( was obviously a nominal right of return with some Arab Palestinians to return to Israel proper anyway ) and some Jews that could live in a Palestine Arab state . 2,’millions Arabs live in Israel proper as citizens
Yet the PLO Arafat charter in 60s and in 80s sss all about destroying the Jewish state and handing Arab state with Islamic state as Islam as the predominant religion
When Jordan annexed West Bank for 20 years they expelled Jews living there - funny that ) and Jordan allows no Jews and no synagogues either yet is full of Palestinians - this was after Arabs wanted to destroy the Jewish state with 48 war
Pardon my typo
I’m at airport having to catch plane
Pardoned. I am punctuation challenged. 😀
In the now, all sides are wrong for continuing to fight. We require HONEST, SINCERE negotiations. IMHO, Israel is the most violent armed, genocidal party. The Palestinians Have the right to fight back. Fighting is NOT a real solution.
The Zionists want to kill them all. The Arabs got sick of having to live imprisoned by Israel. Why would they just lay down and die after watching their familites murdered, starved since 1947/1948 Neither the US or Israel are honest brokers here. They both sabotage any peace. Being the arms dealer hegemon makes the US the most guilty. Britain had no right to give them the land. Why not give them Texass! Wyoming? Lata.
You are bigot moron with respect and have a comprehension problem. You cannot negotiate with Islamic terrorists. Israel tried
I hear many Gazans now saying how good their life before Oct 7 attacks - they had degrees , good business, built a 3 storey homes - but they had to flee to other countries. ( Funny that I thought it was a concentration camp and they were sent to hard labour before the gas chamber ) . Such a load of shit.. I mean Hamas sending rockets for 20 years and stole billions could have made Gaza even better into a little singapore by the sea ( but they chose terrorism instead of being like UAE or Bahrain they chose to be like Yemen ( Houthis ) by voting in Hamas choosing not to live in peace but sought to destroy the state of Israel which caused Egypt and Israel to blockade the borders ( which is whet nations do to hostile nations let alone a hostile autonomy territory ( where they want no Jews in Gaza ) after Israel withdraw in 2005 and took even the bodies from the Jewish cemeteries in Gaza … …
I hear many Gazans now saying how good their life before Oct 7 attacks - they had degrees , good business, built a 3 storey homes - but they had to flee to other countries. ( Funny that I thought it was a concentration camp and they were sent to hard labour before the gas chamber ) . Such a load of shit.. I mean Hamas sending rockets for 20 years and stole billions could have made Gaza even better into a little singapore by the sea ( but they chose terrorism instead of being like UAE or Bahrain they chose to be like Yemen ( Houthis ) by voting in Hamas choosing not to live in peace but sought to destroy the state of Israel which caused Egypt and Israel to blockade the borders ( which is whet nations do to hostile nations let alone a hostile autonomy territory ( where they want no Jews in Gaza ) after Israel withdraw in 2005 and took even the bodies from the Jewish cemeteries in Gaza …
I hear many Gazans now saying how good their life before Oct 7 attacks - they had degrees , good business, built a 3 storey homes - but they had to flee to other countries. ( Funny that I thought it was a concentration camp and they were sent to hard labour before the gas chamber ) . Such a load of shit.. I mean Hamas sending rockets for 20 years and stole billions could have made Gaza even better into a little singapore by the sea ( but they chose terrorism instead of being like UAE or Bahrain they chose to be like Yemen ( Houthis ) by voting in Hamas choosing not to live in peace but sought to destroy the state of Israel which caused Egypt and Israel to blockade the borders ( which is whet nations do to hostile nations let alone a hostile autonomy territory ( where they want no Jews in Gaza ) after Israel withdraw in 2005 and took even the bodies from the Jewish cemeteries in Gaza …
Britain owned the land and split it…. The same flawed logic could be said for Jordan or Saudi Arabia or Pakistan or Syria founding- where many nations were formed in the 1900s century.. and many people displaced from war…Jews were living in the land. Lived there from the Ottomans too and the British mandate to even the kingdom of Judea and Israel . I mean I can start anywhere even from the Jewish small owners buying plots of land from the Arabs for fair market price or above market price well before the modern state of Israel founding. Arabs rejected their partition from 1937 to 2008 and in 48 Arabs war states went to war to prevent the tiny Jewish state and promised to drive the Jews into the sea literally was a genocidal war ( the Jews had no American arms then or very little ) and still won… Jordan took Westbank ( Judea /Samaria ) which subsequently annexed and expelled ethnically cleansed all Jews ( funny that but you omit all these facts in history ) and Egypt took Gaza. I note that The Arab state of Jordan leader and Arab state of Egypt leader still didn’t bother to give the so called Palestinians Arabs a seperate state. They held it for 2 decades… funny Jordan gave many of them Jordanian passports and Jordan doesn’t allow Jews of Synagogues- and they are meant to be the moderate Arabs. Hamas allows no Jews in Gaza or PLO run West Bank allows no Jews .. funny that.. such hypocrisy and double standard
And yes by the radical left logic the Jews ( Jewish nation Israel ) must not have the right to self determination of their nation land they lived for over 75 years ( they were refugees and kicked out of Middle East too but moved on ) let alone Greeks and other being refugees from WW 2. And over 22 Arab Islamic majority nations exist and . The Arabs ( Arab Palestinians ) do have a right to self determination too but they rejected a Arab seperate state in peace with Israel . And it that right doesn’t extend to eliminated another sovereign state ( the Jewish nation state )- not now not ever.
Britain owned the land and split it…. The same flawed logic could be said for Jordan or Saudi Arabia or Pakistan or Syria founding- where many nations were formed in the 1900s century.. and many people displaced from war…Jews were living in the land. Lived there from the Ottomans too and the British mandate to even the kingdom of Judea and Israel . I mean I can start anywhere even from the Jewish small owners buying plots of land from the Arabs for fair market price or above market price well before the modern state of Israel founding. Arabs rejected their partition from 1937 to 2008 and in 48 Arabs war states went to war to prevent the tiny Jewish state and promised to drive the Jews into the sea literally was a genocidal war ( the Jews had no American arms then or very little ) and still won… Jordan took Westbank ( Judea /Samaria ) which subsequently annexed and expelled ethnically cleansed all Jews ( funny that but you omit all these facts in history ) and Egypt took Gaza. I note that The Arab state of Jordan leader and Arab state of Egypt leader still didn’t bother to give the so called Palestinians Arabs a seperate state. They held it for 2 decades… funny Jordan gave many of them Jordanian passports and Jordan doesn’t allow Jews of Synagogues- and they are meant to be the moderate Arabs. Hamas allows no Jews in Gaza or PLO run West Bank allows no Jews .. funny that.. such hypocrisy and double standard
The difference between Israel’s overall goal and the Jihadists overall goal is that Israel seeks to eliminate the terrorists trying to kill them, and the Jihadists goal is to kill the Jews (or at least destroy the Jewish state and subject the Jewish people to submission under their oppressive, supremacist, ultra-nationalist, fascist rule).
The lack of universal moral clarity on this is not just astounding, but with regard to those who call themselves academics, experts, journalists, politicians, commentators, professors, and the like, it’s honestly embarrassing.
It’s one thing to be against war, violence, and death, which is a natural impulse to all feeling humans, but it’s quite another to reverse the cause and effect of these regional wars. It isn’t hiding, it’s in plain sight.
It makes one wonder whether the jihadi-inspired brain rot has so deeply and irreparably pervaded our collective consciousness that they actually aren’t aware of their moral obfuscation, or worse, they know exactly what they’re doing and they’re doing it on purpose.
Either way, our zeitgeist is marked by a duration of sweeping dishonesty, and untruth only sets us down an ever more dangerous path.
The difference between Israel’s overall goal and the Jihadists overall goal is that Israel seeks to eliminate the terrorists trying to kill them, and the Jihadists goal is to kill the Jews (or at least destroy the Jewish state and subject the Jewish people to submission under their oppressive, supremacist, ultra-nationalist, fascist rule).
The lack of universal moral clarity on this is not just astounding, but with regard to those who call themselves academics, experts, journalists, politicians, commentators, professors, and the like, it’s honestly embarrassing.
It’s one thing to be against war, violence, and death, which is a natural impulse to all feeling humans, but it’s quite another to reverse the cause and effect of these regional wars. It isn’t hiding, it’s in plain sight.
It makes one wonder whether the jihadi-inspired brain rot has so deeply and irreparably pervaded our collective consciousness that they actually aren’t aware of their moral obfuscation, or worse, they know exactly what they’re doing and they’re doing it on purpose.
Either way, our zeitgeist is marked by a duration of sweeping dishonesty, and untruth only sets us down an ever more dangerous path.
https://x.com/elicalebon/status/1841940039854653676?s=48&t=Oe4Epqw10N34bNkRw6Mz4A
The difference is written right here above. So read it IF you are not mentally challenged by punctuation issues or Anti Israel derangement delusional syndrome and/ or don’t support Islamic jihadi terrorism including Hamas / Hezbollah. Try not to have a comprehension problem either -with respect…
Your assertions of history is completely ahistorical false. The 75 year old pro Arafat victim narrative is bogus fraud
https://x.com/elicalebon/status/1841940039854653676?s=48&t=Oe4Epqw10N34bNkRw6Mz4A
file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/43/03/AA121CD6-E589-403E-AF95-5FD17143B1E5/IMG_4265.PNG
https://x.com/elicalebon/status/1839068976917393637?s=42&t=Oe4Epqw10N34bNkRw6Mz4A
The difference between Israel’s overall goal and the Jihadists overall goal is that Israel seeks to eliminate the terrorists trying to kill them, and the Jihadists goal is to kill the Jews (or at least destroy the Jewish state and subject the Jewish people to submission under their oppressive, supremacist, ultra-nationalist, fascist rule).
The lack of universal moral clarity on this is not just astounding, but with regard to those who call themselves academics, experts, journalists, politicians, commentators, professors, and the like, it’s honestly embarrassing.
It’s one thing to be against war, violence, and death, which is a natural impulse to all feeling humans, but it’s quite another to reverse the cause and effect of these regional wars. It isn’t hiding, it’s in plain sight.
It makes one wonder whether the jihadi-inspired brain rot has so deeply and irreparably pervaded our collective consciousness that they actually aren’t aware of their moral obfuscation, or worse, they know exactly what they’re doing and they’re doing it on purpose.
Either way, our zeitgeist is marked by a duration of sweeping dishonesty, and untruth only sets us down an ever more dangerous path.
You are a moron with respect and have a comprehension problem clearly.
You are mentally challenged or an anti Zionist anti semite or both like much of the rot bigotry promoted on here..