Have received several private messages these past months, so responding publicly:
When choosing to share sources that have informed, moved or resonated with me and many others, in response to the ongoing violence in Palestine/Israel, I aim to share perspectives that are thoughtful and considered on a distressing situation. These mindsets often reflect a philosophy which calls attention to the perpetuation of violence and condemns it, because cycles of violence are inconceivably callus; they escalate when left unaddressed; and are not justifiable.
Since Oct 7, Anti-Semitic and Islamophobic fallout has increased. Retribution against those who speak and protest alongside the oppressed in Palestine has also amassed.
Sharing some of what’s happening in Gaza, the West Bank and the overwhelming death tolls of Palestinian civilians is not something I’ve hesitated to do, because
- despite the death of many journalists, there is ongoing documentation from correspondents, doctors, humanitarian aid organizers and civilians directly on the ground.
- over these past years, I’ve found myself wanting to be informed about the maltreatment of the Palestinian people — which ranges from forced displacement, expulsion, apartheid, colonialization, military occupation and threats of genocide — as these subjects are trigger points given my own/our collective history…
- I believe we all recognize organized oppression when we see it, whether we want to immediately admit and engage with it or not.
Major news outlets are now reporting more extensively on the prolonged violence inflicted on Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, the incessant bombardment in Gaza, and its devastating impact on generations of families & the environment which will likely be uninhabitable for years to come.
Major news outlets continue to significantly cover the Oct 7 Hamas terror attack that ensued in Israel, and the hostages both released and held in captivity from that date. It also seems that major news outlets are reporting as comprehensibly as possible on the abhorrent antisemitism Jewish and Israeli people across the globe are facing at this time.
I have only shared a few written summarizations documenting those atrocities over these months, because the Israeli government initially did not release information, saying they wanted to protect and respect the privacy of the victims and their families (which is understandable); along with the fact that several accounts of events have been either uncorroborated, or since been proven fabricated.
There is no reason to participle in comparisons of pain or horror, as many horrors have been/are being committed — both from government sanctioned terror (approved & supported by several named democratic governments), and from a named terrorist organization and their affiliates.
No blame is due to those who have no influence over the extremist powers that want to control their fates, nor the propaganda machines that accompany them.
While there have been several articles and video offerings by Muslim, Palestinian, Jewish and Israeli, folks, the two essays I have posted, shared and reshared since October 7, 2023 were released by the Jewish Currents publication.
— “We Cannot Cross Until We Carry Each Other” by the editor-in-chief of Jewish Currents, Arielle Angel
— “The Work of the Witness” by Palestinian American writer Sarah Aziza
Their sentiments strike so deeply. The clarity of their words have remained resolute. And I hope that their voices will continue to resonate with others.
Again —
What I seek out and hope to share are perspectives that are thoughtful and considered on a distressing situation. These mindsets often reflect a philosophy which calls attention to the perpetuation of violence, and condemns it, because cycles of violence are inconceivably callus, they escalate, and are never justifiable.
At what moment will we all feel it necessary to join the plea, and call for an immediate ceasefire?
#EndCyclesOfViolence #Ceasefire
“History is always complicated, but this is familiar, and not that difficult to understand.”
(sadly, not sure where this quote came from, but I copied and pasted it from somewhere back in October 2023)