war scenes

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For the last 23 days I've come home every night for more news on Israel's war on Gaza and the Palestinian people. Burnt into my memory are the white phosphorus blasts, like upside down fireworks, shot over Gaza households; children and old women, blood streaming down their faces, treated in the hallways of hospitals with no free beds or rooms; Israel's military spoke people and their mechanical chain of responses: "Hamas is a terrorist organization. Hamas fired rockets. Hamas hides under civilians."


The numbers tell part of the story. Since Dec. 27th: at least 1,300 Palestinians killed, at least 850 of them civilians (civilians are women and children in these numbers- every male over 18 is cynically labeled non-civilian), at least 400 Palestinian children killed. While the cease fire is officially called, they continue to pull more bodies from the rubble of Gaza's 4,000 destroyed buildings. In the same amount of time, 13 Israelis have been killed. 3 civilians, 10 military, and of those 10 military 4 were killed by their own tank fire. Hamas rockets accounted for only 4 deaths, 3 civilians and one soldier, meaning Israel's own tank fire has killed as many Israelis as Hamas rockets since Dec. 27th, the start of this so-called war.

Hamas rockets can't justify this death toll, which includes the bombing of hospitals, UN schools, and UN humanitarian storage facilities in Gaza (the later 2 sites both presenting clear evidence that no Palestinian combatants were using them).

The role of the United States in these events has been shameful. In the first week of Israel's campaign, the U.S. blocked security council resolutions calling for a ceasefire. Then on January 8th the U.S. was the only security council member to abstain from the vote. Afterwards, now in clear defiance of the U.N., Israel increased the intensity of its warfare, counting on U.S. approval against international opinion and international law.

On January 11th the U.S. House passed resolutions (390 to 5) supporting Israel's right to defend itself. That is, for the 4th largest military force in the world (Israel) to carry out war in one of the most densly populated areas of the world with a civilian population of 1.5 million, 55% of which is children, in search of homemade rockets. Defense indeed.

Real defense of Israel would mean calling for an immediate ceasefire, one that Hamas had been observing at least as well as Israel before the beginning of Israel's recent campaign. Before the July 2008 ceasfire, Hamas had shot 179 rockets per month into Israel. After the ceasfire, in the four months before Israel sparked agressions again, Hamas was shooting an average of 3 rockets a month.

Both Hamas and Israel deserve our condemnation, not only for their lack of regard against civilian populations (they both are and have been committing war crimes), but also for their short-sighted politics. If the goal of Israel was to weaken Hamas, they've done the opposite. If the goal of Hamas has ever been to represent or protect the Palistinian people, then their tactics have failed and continue to fail.

But the international community and the U.S. (they are distinct here because they have been more seperate than ever on this issue in particular) already agree on the condemnation of Hamas. Meanwhile the list of Israel's atrocities are covered in U.S. media and politics (this seemingly includes Obama) by the words "Hamas, terror, rockets." More than just the civilian death toll, they gloss over the barring of international journalists to the Gaza strip by Israel and Israel threatining the safety of international aide workers on multiple occasions.

Now we have a cease fire. And for peace the U.S. needs to be involved in rational humanitarian dialogue. This includes moving as far as possible from Bush's simple proclamations, like his Jan 15th farewell nod to Israel and Iraq: "Good and Evil exist in this world, and between the two, there can be no compromise."

Against that quote I want to end with Fares Akram, a Palestinain journalist whose father, an unmarked civillian, was killed on January 3rd:

"My grief carries no desire for revenge, which I know to be always in vain. But, in truth, as a grieving son, I am finding it hard to distinguish between what the Israelis call terrorists and the Israeli pilots and tank crews who are invading Gaza. What is the difference between the pilot who blew my father to pieces and the militant who fires a small rocket? I have no answers but, just as I am to become a father, I have lost my father."
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Obama

i started this blog post a week ago, just 2 days after seeing Obama's acceptance speech, choking up when hearing Obama's refrain, watching the crowd near my home town, feeling comfort in the fact that the citizenry finally toppled the Bush empire.

i believe that we can change societies because i've witnessed it happen. and, while i battled the post's pretensions and let it sit, i watched as people around the globe expressed their beliefs and hopes of social change with our new president.

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Symbols are powerful things. Sometimes they have a life all their own. They may come to mean something more than first intended. History has been made. We shall see what kind of history it will be.

-Mumia Abu-Jamal, Prison Radio

Obama represents possibility, an ethical climb to a more just world order, and proof of our continuing social unfinishedness. in 1619 a European ship carrying 20 African Slaves landed in Jamestown to work in the growing tobacco fields. many humanitarian battles later, we have a half-African elected president of the United States. just 43 years after blacks gained real voting rights, the country's youth and minority came out in support of a black president. while the last eight years will come to represent madness, greed, fear, prejudice, stupidity, and depression, we have elected a president who embodies the possibility of social progress.

but what should we do now?--those of us who won't base our economic and social systems on the belief that humanity is by nature greedy and vindictive, and those of us who remain unconvinced that Christ's second coming is the solution to global warming and inhumane occupations in the Middle East. what should we do to help pass the progressive legislation we hope for with Obama?

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No we haven't.

we elected symbolic power, kinetic energy-Yes we did on November 4^th. we resisted another masthead of idiotic, fear-mongering religious fanatics-Yes we did. and we should celebrate- Yes we have--but let's not be too pleased. we elected a progressive symbol, but let's not get that confused with Obama's function as a policy maker. Let's have no illusions. We suffered 8 years of illusions and can stand no more.

Obama's executive decisions just began, and we already have a disconnect between the progressive symbol of Obama and his moderate-conservative economic and foreign policy positions. just after the election, he named Rahm “Rhambo” Israel Emanuel as his chief of staff. what should concern us here is Rhambo's stance on the gravest humanitarian concern of our time- the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. the Gaza Strip has effectively become a 140 square mile prison, one in which Israel has recently barred the U.N. delivery of all food and “basic humanitarian assistance,” starving 750,000 Palestinian civilians. Obama's appointment of an Anti-Palestine chief of staff should be no surprise, considering the absurd concessions Obama made to AIPAC ("Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel and it must remain undivided"- a comment that “exceeds what most Israeli leaders would say”). under a rational, humanist president, the Gaza Strip wouldn't exist in its current form for another day (even Hamas, a democratically elected government party nonetheless labeled a terrorist organization, has called for a two-state solution), but Obama's first appointment and his stance throughout his campaign has signaled no positive change on this issue of basic humanity. today, we need to view Obama with suspicion instead of being blinded by his symbolic progressivism. those who starve in Palestine tonight, and who will continue to suffer if we leave Obama to rule uncritiqued, have no illusions of change. we can't afford any illusions either.

after Greenspan blew his mind and deregulation brought the world's economy to its knees, one commentator stated "with Democrats like these, who needs Republicans" when referencing Obama's pics for Treasury Secretary, Goldman Sachs was Obama's 2nd largest contributor of campaign funds, Obama has moved toward the center when talking about the war in Iraq and has promised more warfare in Pakistan and Afghanistan, he doesn't support gay marriage, and he hasn't yet put his support behind John Conyer's single-payer health care plan.

the message is that we haven't won anything but the opportunity for change. we're done selling Obama, and we used great energy and collaboration to get him elected- now we have to maintain that energy to educate about rational legislation (i would say "sell" "progressive" legislation, but basic rights should be mainstream and need no advertisement). our vote was a historical one for a great symbol and an energizing figure, but as a legislator Obama was only the better of two politicians in a sad political reality.

if we want to change corporate take over, change the cynical health care industry, change legalized prejudice, or change belligerent and immoral U.S. foreign policy, we still have to do it in spite of our formal leaders. we can, and we have to, but we can't rest now.

get in the streets. i'll be there soon.

love

tb

a month and week of bits

it is not uncommon to bargain for medical operations. the medical advisor at the U.S. embassy had LASIK eye surgery for $800. low-income citizens have a green card for free health care. our group leader Ersin is irritated that we keep asking which doctors take our insurance- they all do. they all do. (any operations i've been itchin for? turkish for "i don't care if my kidney is dragging on the ground. 200 or this boy is hittin the road"?)

Bush's approval rating 25%, only one point better than the post-watergate Nixon. U.S. citizens approve congress 13% of the time, a record low. Pew report for Turkey has 12% favorablity towards the U.S., lowest of the 25 countries polled. Polls show skepticism about change with both Obama and McCain in Turkey.

watching Al Jazeera. dusty shoes, dusty apartment. coughy face. want to be a journalist.

Sean Hannity, your ass hat is showing again.

why is the economy the stock market? who needs a stock market?

the evenness of homes and genders at Çatalhöyük has me asking "what went wrong?" in Kappadokian cave-houses i hear myself saying "that's religulous" indiscriminately.

2009 looks like a great year for socialism. inşallah. commentator says socialists are punch-drunk.

filled in an Illinois circle for Ralph Nader. ballot affidavit incomprehensible.

the English Dept. has a tea room with two employees. i pick up the phone, dial, "Muhammed, merhaba, nasılsınz, iyim. bir çay lütfen." piping hot black tea in tulip shaped cup, lemon wedge, tiny spoon, bowl of sugar cubes appear on my desk.

Turkish student listing off metal bands to me "Iron Maiden, Pantera, Korn, Slipknot, Black Sabbath." his first time talking to a native speaker.

connection hasn't the girth to support the daily show. i miss you Jon.

my students have to be laughing at me right now. yes, wrong classroom. just kidding!- wish i could communicate with you. iyi akşamlar!

la!,la!,la!,la!