Web Letters: Misreading Gaza

I will quote Roane Cary's second-to-last sentence. "The alternative to that is not only more warfare but, sooner or later, world recognition that there should be only one state in Israel and the territories." This the only real satisfying and lasting alternative--one state (United Palestine)

United Palestine--a challenge to the races and religions of Palestine. Great religions must practice tolerance, equality and sustainability. How great are the religions of Palestine? Let them rise to the challenge of the times by together authoring a constitution for a new United Palestine.

We need a Israeli-Palestinian great experiment--United Palestine. The United States is a great experiment that flourishes today but is in need of renewal.

Israelis and Palestinians must convene a constitutional convention. This new constitution must explicitly foster agreed-upon social values. Think of all the social values needed to fairly and sustainably integrate two "opposing" sides.

One major social value that needs clarification is the idea of separation of church and state. We define religion as a set of beliefs and opinions concerning the existence, nature and worship of a deity or deities, and divine involvement in the universe and human life. We define church as a social organization of the followers of a same religion. The separation of church means that the state cannot favor one church over another and that the state cannot establish a religion. The state, however, does need to control a religion if its worship practices and other social manifestations become too extreme and counter to the values fostered by most people of the state.

The way a state truly incorporates the values of its people is by continually giving its people the information and power to make well-informed decisions about the state's duties and purposes. The state must foster an educational and media system that fairly represents all sides of every issue. This responsible information-disseminating system must be better than all commercial propaganda combined. The state must also provide forums for input and debate of all the issues and limit the undue influence on the political system of money and special interests.

The state must provide everyone a secure place in society according to their needs and abilities. This means education, shelter, food, healthcare and job-service opportunities. If a person has a secure, respected, responsible place in society they are not likely to jeopardize it with anti-state and anti-ethnic acts.

The state must offer personal self-realization. With current technology there is no need for all to work all the time--all should work some of the time. The state must offer something better than TV for leisure hours. Services, education, religious, political and artistic pursuits are examples.

As we see today the state must also offer a national banking and monetary system not base on debt and control of its international money flows and exchange rate.

There are some who do not have the values of equality and sustainability and are thus "free" to be greedy and selfish businesspeople. The state must control business to be fair to the people and environment and not "free" to do whatever it wishes.

The constitutional convention will flesh out many ideals for a modern ethical, fair and sustainable government.

Let's bring Palestine's two great religions together with the common values they foster.

Let's define democracy anew for this critical time.

Let United Palestine be an example for the future.

Russ Gustafson

Redwood City, CA

Permanent warfare is exactly what Israel wants. That way, it can not only own and ultimately acquire Greater Israel but it can "control" the Palestinians (or any other country that interferes) with its illegal nuclear arsenal. They don't see it as a threat to Zionism. How could it, if Israel controlled the world? It already controls America, so in effect it is Israel, not America, that is the most powerful nation on earth. It is out of control, like a mad Dr. Strangelove.

stanley hersh

New York, ny

It is so obvious that the cause of all this truly stems from colonialism, British and American imperialism on the world and the negative affects it creates. Just think about anywhere in the world where first British and then America has colonized and then left it in complete shambles for its native populations.

Now with US-backed support, Israel is trying to do the same by occupying Palestine and literally creating a concentration camp around the people of GAZA.

They don't seem to realize or care that Hamas is only doing what any occupied people would do and that is trying to win back their own freedoms. And that this is also, and rightfully so I believe, going to start an uprising of all Muslims and Arabs in the Middle East, in defense of Gaza, and then we are going to wrongfully label them terrorists and use our self righteousness to attack them.

It amazes me how completely racist the American government is to the Arab and Muslim world, choosing to make these people enemies and "terrorists" because they do not buy into or want our imperial colonialism shoved down their throats and on their land.

I find it a shame that the Israelites, after suffering at the hands of the Nazis and being put into concentration camps would turn around and do this to another set of human beings. You would think they would be more sympathetic and sensitive to life in general. Not to mention that if the Israelites would think about it for a moment, they would realize they have a lot more in common with the Arab world then they do with Americans. But I guess when the American government is giving you $15 million a day and supplying you with your military weapons and propping you up to feel like you can do whatever you want to the poor people of Palestine/Gaza, that must cut off the circulation to your brain causing you to not Think!

And what disgusts me more than anything is the American governments backing of Israel's inhumane and horrendous actions towards Gaza. It's that whole colonial Christian American way of thinking that we are better than everyone else in the world and whoever we deem to be terrorists are evil, and that since they are evil, we or whomever we prop up has every right to basically do whatever they want to do to eliminate that nation's way of life. We are basically doing the same exact thing in Iraq.

And what is even more sad is that by all previous evidence and by the lack of words coming from the incoming Obama administration, I don't believe there is going to be a positive change in this whole situation. We have seen Obama wear a Jewish yarmulke and spend way more time in Israel and AIPAC than in all of the Muslim world combined. And Hillary Clinton is another AIPAC supporter. Rahm Emanuel, and the list goes on. Sad, it really is a sad and disgusting situation.

I only wish I had more power to do something about it personally and I can only hope that the outcries from the people all around the world will make a difference, before it is too late!

kristofeR PASSAGGIO

http://enemyartistkristofer.blogspot.com
North Hollywood, CA