Thursday, December 15, 2005
First Attempt to Build Bridges With Zionists Fails Miserably
Unfortunately, my first attempt to "build bridges" with Zionists failed. The lovely young All-American, Yael, requested that I remove her photo from an earlier post, and I complied with her wishes. Was she upset by this? "Justice will prevail when young people like Balogan and Yael realize that it is wrong to violate the human and civil rights of the indigenous people to the land and when my friends born in Jaffa, Haifa, and other parts of historic Palestine may be buried in the towns of their birth." Well,Yael, who immigrated to Palestine in August, evidently was not amused. In fact, she smeared me in her post on her blog. Here it is:
Thursday, December 15, 2005
"Lisa, one of my all-time favourite bloggers, of On the Face mentioned several days ago that she had a long talk with a Palestinian journalist and promised to post of their discussion. I am anxiously awaiting her post but in the meantime I was able to read the reaction to this talk by the "other side" and ...I just have no words. My heart is full and I think that I will have several sleepless nights as I re-examine my own views and feelings after reading this. I encourage everyone, regardless of political leanings to take a good read. I think we could all use a few sleepless nights. Thank you Sabbah.
Unfortunately, I do not thank you Umkahlil. Please remove my photo from your website. I do not allow and in no way authorize use of my image on any blog that advocates hate and intolerance. I'm not providing a link to your blog above because I don't link to blogs, of any faith, nationality or creed that advocate hatred, violence, or intolerance."
This young woman is learning her lessons early in smearing those who advocate for justice for the Palestinians. I am in good company. The Reverend Canon Naim Ateek was smeared as an anti-Semite by Jewish organizations in Colorado. Why? Reverend Ateek likens the sufferings of the Palestinians to the suffering of Christ on the Cross. Some Palestinians, I guess, have thin skins. The smears get to them so they settle for "peace" for a "piece"(thanks, Annie). Those who opt not to accept a "kinder, gentler" racism (thanks, Annie)leave themselves open for smears. So get used to it, fellow Pal bloggers.
I, an advocate of hatred? Documentation,dear. I have posted about "liberation theology" here. I have posted readings from "Every Church A Peace Church" here. I followed step by step on this blog the march of Palestinian Christian children from Bethelem to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to see if they could get into Jerusalem, and they could not. I have posted our revered intellectuals Professor Walid Khalidi and Dr. Salman Abu Sitta here. I have posted from Ramallah's historian, Aziz Shaheen here. I have posted pictures and I have written the Orthodox "memory eternal" to our murdered children here. Because their names are not printed in the New York Times. I have shown the courage of our youth, with stones, here. I have cried over the dead young men, and I have thanked God that my son is in Germany, and not living under occupation because I know that my son would join the youth in throwing stones and possibly be murdered in his own neighborhood by the fourth largest army in the world.
I have seen the sadness of one of the most creative and intelligent Palestinian artists living because he may not return to Yaffa, the town to which he and his ancestors are indigenous. I am a mother of five children and a grandmother of one; I am a public school teacher. I am a member of my school's social committee. I make hummus; I make tabooleh; I make kibbeh; I roll grapeleaves, probably food that you will appropriate as your own. I have seen the Zionists working overtime to divide us, and they appear to be succeeding. If a kinder, gentler racism is your bag, and your skin is thin, by all means, build bridges. I will hold off until gleeful little girls from New York find their sense of justice.
With my best regards,
umkahlil
Thursday, December 15, 2005
"Lisa, one of my all-time favourite bloggers, of On the Face mentioned several days ago that she had a long talk with a Palestinian journalist and promised to post of their discussion. I am anxiously awaiting her post but in the meantime I was able to read the reaction to this talk by the "other side" and ...I just have no words. My heart is full and I think that I will have several sleepless nights as I re-examine my own views and feelings after reading this. I encourage everyone, regardless of political leanings to take a good read. I think we could all use a few sleepless nights. Thank you Sabbah.
Unfortunately, I do not thank you Umkahlil. Please remove my photo from your website. I do not allow and in no way authorize use of my image on any blog that advocates hate and intolerance. I'm not providing a link to your blog above because I don't link to blogs, of any faith, nationality or creed that advocate hatred, violence, or intolerance."
This young woman is learning her lessons early in smearing those who advocate for justice for the Palestinians. I am in good company. The Reverend Canon Naim Ateek was smeared as an anti-Semite by Jewish organizations in Colorado. Why? Reverend Ateek likens the sufferings of the Palestinians to the suffering of Christ on the Cross. Some Palestinians, I guess, have thin skins. The smears get to them so they settle for "peace" for a "piece"(thanks, Annie). Those who opt not to accept a "kinder, gentler" racism (thanks, Annie)leave themselves open for smears. So get used to it, fellow Pal bloggers.
I, an advocate of hatred? Documentation,dear. I have posted about "liberation theology" here. I have posted readings from "Every Church A Peace Church" here. I followed step by step on this blog the march of Palestinian Christian children from Bethelem to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to see if they could get into Jerusalem, and they could not. I have posted our revered intellectuals Professor Walid Khalidi and Dr. Salman Abu Sitta here. I have posted from Ramallah's historian, Aziz Shaheen here. I have posted pictures and I have written the Orthodox "memory eternal" to our murdered children here. Because their names are not printed in the New York Times. I have shown the courage of our youth, with stones, here. I have cried over the dead young men, and I have thanked God that my son is in Germany, and not living under occupation because I know that my son would join the youth in throwing stones and possibly be murdered in his own neighborhood by the fourth largest army in the world.
I have seen the sadness of one of the most creative and intelligent Palestinian artists living because he may not return to Yaffa, the town to which he and his ancestors are indigenous. I am a mother of five children and a grandmother of one; I am a public school teacher. I am a member of my school's social committee. I make hummus; I make tabooleh; I make kibbeh; I roll grapeleaves, probably food that you will appropriate as your own. I have seen the Zionists working overtime to divide us, and they appear to be succeeding. If a kinder, gentler racism is your bag, and your skin is thin, by all means, build bridges. I will hold off until gleeful little girls from New York find their sense of justice.
With my best regards,
umkahlil
