There is outrage in Jordan, Egypt, and all across the Middle East to the recent attack on Gaza by the Israeli government. There is even outrage in Paris, London, and Madrid and the rest of the world. But in the country where protests may count, America, there is no outrage or any outpouring of anger over Israeli's actions. Thousands can march in the streets of Assiut and it will not make a difference in the Israel-Palestine occupation/genocide/war/fuckstorm. The only people who can make a difference are the American people and they are unaware of the urgency to act.
The American people's basic response is "Let the blood run." "The conflict has nothing to do with us." "It goes back a thousand of years between those people, what can we do?" When I refer to the American people I don't include the enlightened few. But for the enlightened few: when will it be the appropriate time to make our voices heard? Do people realize our government's, and by extension, our role in all of this? If people want to take democracy seriously, we better start now. These type of events open spaces for dissent. If AIPAC can have an influence in our government, I don't see why we can't. Let's get organized, quick.
The gravity of Israeli's act is so paralyzing to my conciousness that I haven't been able to find the words to voice my frustration and outrage. It's been two days since the Israeli airstrike that killed over 300 people and just thinking about is sheer terror. The attack, of course, is nothing in new in America and Israel's playbook in the Middle East, but for the first time in a long time the whole world just recieved another shock. When and how will this end? Will Israeli justify nuking parts of the Arab world? If this airstrike can be justified, that can also be justified. It's not a big leap. We need to protest, scream, and tear our hairs out now before it gets to that point. And if people don't think the Middle East is inching closer every year to a nuclear holocaust, then open your eyes. Open them. Now.
I haven't begun thinking, and writing about this. I don't know how to approach it. There is sixty years of history and I don't know where to start. For now, I'm reading Chris Floyd's commentary, you can read it here.
