Courage to refuse... (Gaza... the saga continues)

There still is hope after all. Praise the Lord... Amen! Right now... the Local and National news have been focusing on the upcoming Inaugural ceremony. There may be a mention of Israel, Hamas and Gaza... but not much focus. No one talks about it long enough to inform the citizens of the United States of what's happening. We know that this is an on going war for centuries and that they fight for land and their people. Let me go into that a little more. I will use myself as an example. I work in one of those typical 9 to 5 jobs... Monday thru Friday... weekends and holidays off. I was born in the land of the free and home of the brave. With that being said... because of the great democracy of this country (USA)it is my birth right to speak my mind (Freedom of Speech); and I urge all Americans to do so. This country is not perfect... nor have I heard of anyone professing it to be so. We've got problems just like any other household in the world. The problems may not be the 'exact' same problems as everyone else... but they are problems nonetheless. My point is... I go on living my day to day routines without a care in the world for what's going on half way around the world. Why? Because it doesn't concern me... the situation is not in my backyard... and no one is trying to fly another plane into another tower here in my homeland. At least none that I know of for the moment. 9/11 has passed and we citizens of the US have fallen back into our comfort zone and continued on with our lives. We've become complacent again and forgotten the rest of the world. Guess what America? Wake UP! We have brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, mothers and fathers half way around the world... in Iraq, Afghanistan and God knows where else. Sure, they may not be in Gaza or Israel at the moment... but this conflict can shed insight to all your questions like... why do the Arab Nations dislike the US so much? Wake up and smell the coffee people... the pot is burning! (That's why I love this great thing we have... called the Internet... it keeps me connected!)

I've been following a few blogs regarding what's happening over in Gaza. There is a blog (click here) titled "Voice of Reason from Israel." It's something that everyone should look at and watch the video clip. Its where I found the title for this blog. You'll understand once you've watched it. The video clip is not in English... but there are English subtitles. The blogs that I've been following have several different perspectives. It's something that I love though... I become more aware as I read through all the different persona's and their experiences and or non-experiences.

Here is another blog you can read: If Canada launched rockets at the US and I quote my comment from that blog:

blessed-be said...
I stand corrected... thank you Ali. You're right... it is between Arabs and Israelis and yes... Religion is always the poorest of excuses they use to justify the cause. I'm an outsider looking in... and all I see is death and destruction from BOTH sides. I was raised with Christian values. Those values tell me that I should stand with Israel... but my heart won't let me. It does not stand for Israel and it does not stand for Hamas. It does not care who is right and who is wrong. My heart aches for the innocence that has been lost. For the child that is not attending school or playing tag in the school courtyard because he is buried beneath the rubble of his own home. My heart stands for the Mother who roams the streets in search of her children. It aches for the grandmother who sits in a corner, giving what little scraps of food is left to her grandchild. Those are the things that break my heart and brings tears to my eyes.

Seriously... when are both parties going to realize that they only jeopardize their future... by teaching death and devastation to the younger generation. What they teach influences only hate for one another and so the fighting will continue and the sons and daughters of each nation will never find a means to end a war inspired by their forefathers.

Maybe its just me... but the God I believe in teaches love, understanding and forgiveness. Is that a lost concept?

January 15, 2009 3:39:00 PM PST

I don't believe it is a lost concept. Its just been forgotten and its time that we started remembering. Hate only enforces Hate... if we teach each other love, understanding and forgiveness then we enforce compassion. Then... instead of destroying our nations... we'll be able to help one another to rebuild and grow together as nations (plural-nation with an s; means more than one nation).

Be the change our children need us to be...