Few days ago America celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. day, I'm using some of his words : "There must be a recognition on the part of everybody in this nation that America is still a racist country. Now however unpleasant that sounds, it is the truth. And we will never solve the problem of racism until there is a recognition of the fact that racism still stands at the center of so much of our nation and we must see racism for what it is..... It is the notion that one group has all of the knowledge, all of the insights, all of the purity, all of the work, all of the dignity. And another group is worthless, on a lower level of humanity, inferior. MLK said these words few weeks before he was assassinated some 50 plus years ago.
Racism is based and built on hate and disdain, that denies people their full humanity, essentially questioning whether people of different colors or different ethnic backgrounds, or different religious affiliation or even geographic origins have a right to even exist. This is why in America, a country built on a wide variety of immigrants, it was essential to declare that Black lives matter. And in Israel they keep reminding the world that Palestinian lives matter as well.
We now face a choice, if we want sincerely to tear down this hate from the fabric of these countries, we must first acknowledge the problem. But instead of acknowledging the hate and racism, the brutality, the colonialism and apartheid that continue to exist in our countries, as well as our under vulgar occupation territories, there has to be some accountability, some serious recognizing of what we are and what we do and the results of our actions. There can be no unity or healing without a notion of truth and accountability.
An article in the Washington post started saying :" Many have said that what transpired on Wednesday Jan 6th, was not America, they were wrong, this is the America that black people know." It's the same reality in Israel, this is the reign and attitude Palestinians only know too well, and live under its rules their entire lives. It is the same with any newly arrived legal immigrant of different skin color or religiosity or shape in both countries, no wonder we're so close allies, friends and cousins, half of Israeli citizens hold an American passport, while more than half American Jews hold an Israeli passport.
Again the reverent Dr. Martin Luther King words at the time said : "Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that, hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." And certainly dark times in our countries have been the norm and the rule. The recent storming of the Capitol by an ultra right white supremacy mob, all pro Trumpist fascism and their version of tight religiosity and skin color. As well the Zionist Israelis be them settlers, or brain washed soldiers and citizens. with devious brutal expansionist plans and hegemony, all this will not make the world a safer place.
The mentality of both countries and the absolute power of the war machine and the arms industries are the furthest away from war and peace issues, and definitely not defense, we are indeed slaves to our strategies and tactics of living with eternal wars and brutal interference in everyone we can intimidate. And always creating new enemies, we have learned to strive only by aggressing and destroying others and achieving an arrogant pseudo superiority over all others.
Again MLK expressed it correctly by saying :"All of this leads me to say that the principal objective of all nations must be the total abolition of war. War must be finally eliminated or the whole of mankind will be plunged into the abyss of annihilation." We know as Dr. King did, that racism, militarism, colonialism, apartheid, expansionism and economic exploitation, still plague our societies and our countries' politics, we call it in most cases "defense".
As a new year and a new administration are emerging in America, many dangers as well as new possibilities arise, let us join in re-dedicating to the struggle for a more peaceful and just societies. Peace is more than just nonviolence, peace is not simply the absence of conflict, but the existence of justice for all people.
My, as always, many thanks to all my good readers, stay safe.
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