Exploring the Universe


Can't We All Just Get Along? Evidently Not

"Things are clear for me , the military
operation in Gaza ,aims to destroy thecar exploded 150 meters from my home , close
infrastructure completely,to end up with noto  the  president  home,  one
goverment no PA , no negotiations with
palestinians,peace is not israel goal, israelperson died and 4 injured, i cannot help
is a colonial , racist regeime,hiding behindfeeling  of  worry,  i  am  after  all
democracy.and its citizens security.THE AIR
RAID IS CONTINUING" Mona Elfarra-GazaOne ofa mother." Gaza mom--July 2nd, 2006Let's
the most profoundly simple statements everback up to the evening of September 11, 2001
uttered in the past 100 years was done so bywhen America had suffered it's worst attack
Rodney King of Los Angeles standing behind asince Pearl Harbor. We won't go into what
microphone a bit bewildered by the attentionmay or may not have really happened that day.
he was getting for having been beaten almostI'm still trying to figure out who killed
to death by "authorities." "Can't we allKennedy. Would we have been better off if
just get along?"The anwer is evidently no.the following address to the nation was
You'd think that a country with a history ofgiven, now that we can look back and see how
recently having been the object ofmuch worse off we are as a nation and planet
eradication by others, would not think theythan we were on September 10th, 2001.
need to pass the same misery on to others.Perphaps Israel, Paletinians, Iranians, North
But alas, even as I write, the small nationKoreans, Iraqis and Americans can give this a
of Israel, that like other nations on thetry for a change. We'll assume that the
planet, can at times cause more problems thanreason this speech did not take place is not
they are worth for others, is pounding thebecause there is another agenda and the
crap out of a smaller minority of people whospeaker could not give it with a straight
simply wish to be left alone, have some placeface."Good evening my fellow Americans.
to live safely and enjoy the brief experienceToday America was attacked and we don't know
we call life on this planet. Evidently thatwhy. (I'm not naive, we do know) We grieve at
is asking too much of a people who looked tothe loss of innocent and hard working
the German authorities not all that long agoAmericans who simply got up this morning to
to be given the very same considerations. Itgo to work and never got to come home. We
was not and evidently is not to be.Is itgrieve with and for their families. We are
because Israel is "The Holy Land," what aperplexed and while it would be natural to
joke, that no one seems to be able to tellfind the real or imagined enemy that has done
them to try talking politely with respectthis to us, we are going to be patient and
towards all concerned for a change. If youcircumspect so as not to cause more problems
were Palestinian, would you not fight likefor our fellow human beings than we solve
hell to save yourself and your family sincewith a bad and ill advised reaction. It will
you have already arrived on the planet andnot serve anyone to treat the effect. We
wish to stay awhile? That's also themust ask ourselves why and what is the cause
current problem with our country and theof this horrible act. I intend to do that
current administration. Bluster, bully andbefore we take one more human life. There
then bomb seems to be the way things gethas always been way too much knee jerk in our
done, when of course they don't get done athistory and it only causes more grief, short
all. Anytime a North Korea, Iran or perceiveterm and long.While it may anger those that
"enemy" of who, of course, hate our freedom,always need to start shooting within hours or
tries to talk to us, an excuse arises as todays of such an event, I am calling for a
why that won't work. Makes you think thereworld peace conference where we can find out
is some other agenda going on here.If we werewhy this has occurred and take the steps
talking about Uganda, or Uzbeckistan, no onenecessary to insure it never does again, for
would care. God never lived there! It's thethe good of all people. Perhaps we have
waste howling wilderness we call "The Holybecome something to others that we were not
Land" that gets way too much attention. Iaware of. Perhaps we need to look more
have to say, they have managed to save theirdeeply at what we have in common rather than
hides over the past decades by convincingwhat divides us. Perhaps we can turn tragedy
Christians that God still lives in Jerusalemand hatred into something more than unending
near the Temple Mount, so specialnessrancor and war between people who share 99.9%
preserves and protects. I worked on a dig atof the same genetic family history.
Megiddo a few years ago and was told by an......Perhaps, as that Great American
Israeli friend, "we live by our witts aroundPhilosopher, Mr. Rodney King, said..."Can't
here." They surely do, don't we all, andwe all get along?."...I think you get the
must I suppose, but why on earth they can'tpoint.I'm dreaming I know. But if you fancy
talk to others who have the same right isyourself a "leader of me," don't forget the
getting beyond me.Go ahead and "Google Earth"women and children. If you believe with all
the Gaza strip and then push the retreatyour heart you have some special quality that
button and see just how small the space iswe all need to get along, then by all means,
that Palestinians can't have. Of course keepshow us your stuff. If you are butthead, as
going and see how small Israel is. Keepmany are, please stay home from now on and if
going and see how small the planet is in theyou are currently in a position of
vastness of space...keep going and see howleadership, so called, retire, step down or
small space is in the vastness of thequit. We have had enough of your
universe. Then ask why these mere specks onkind...."the operation against Gaza ,is
an obscure planet cannot have an obscurecontinuing,it  is  1.30  am,the  gaza bridge
space of their own to live a relatively short
time and be left in peace. Stupid isn't it?has been destroyed,the jet fighters are
Most leaders of most nations are stupid,still  in  the  sky  hitting  many
selfserving and have forgotten long ago what
it means to give every human on the planettargets.
the basic love and respect they deserve. All
my life, the rules in African leadership, forthe gaza power plant was hit bt at least 7
example, seems to be kill the last guy, nowmissiles  ,  i  can  see  a  big  fire
comes the savior of the people, he forgets
his roots, robs the country blind and thefrom my window , and hear the sirens of
cycle starts again. Here is the rule foremergency  vans,the  gun  boats
aspiring leaders. You were first human and
wanted love, respect and peace before youstarted shelling too , i live by the
were in charge. Try not to forget this basicbeach...By  Scott  Wilson
fact. Most do." I am writing while the jet
fighters are in the sky , with their horribleWashington  Post  Foreign  Service
Friday, June 30, 2006BEIT HANOUN, Gaza
sound , bringing death and horror,it isStrip, June 29 -- Fatin Shabaat left home
10.30pm,  I  am  still  like  everyonehere Thursday with her three hip-high
children, looking for safety from a
waiting , i hope they will not go ahead withslow-moving Israeli military assault launched
their  operation  into  Gaza,to free a 19-year-old soldier being held by
Palestinian gunmen.Israeli artillery
the outcome could be horrible ,thebatteries lobbed shells around this farming
resistance  movemet  are  going  ahead  withcommunity in the Gaza Strip's northeastern
corner throughout the day, after leaflets
their preperation too,but the balance ofdropped from the sky warned residents to
power  is  obvious  to  wich  sideremain clear of Israeli military operations.
Shells whistled overhead, slamming into the
,any way Israel with resistance or nofields and dunes where Palestinian gunmen
resistance  is  attacking  us  all  theregularly fire crude rockets at the Israeli
city of Sderot, a white smudge along a
time, but this time will be different ,andridgeline three miles away.Although she never
in  the  process  many  civilianreceived one of the written warnings, Shabaat
clutched her children, ages 2, 3 and 4, and
lives will be lost,iam listening to theheaded to her father's home in the town
local  radio,  it  seems  that  thecenter, far from the dirt paths that have
served in the past as routes for Israeli
operation started in khanyunis ,the artilarytanks. An Israeli airstrike had already left
started  shelling  ,under  theher without electricity, along with about
700,000 other residents of the strip, and
cover of apachi heliocapters,and jetartillery shells were falling close to her
fighters  ,  i  am  able  to  write  now  ,back yard."This is only going to get worse,"
said Shabaat, 25,And indeed it will if we
do not know what will happen next,the powerdon't have leadership that reflects a more
might  cut  off  soon  ,  few  hoursenlightened approach to governing besides the
eye for an eye and teeth for teeth. Soon we
ago , Mohammed and Sondos had a narrowshall all be blind and guming our food.
escape  during  their  way  home  ,  a



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