Thank you for giving words to what has been weighing on my heart. I have struggled to hold space for all the conflicting feelings and this captured it all so well. As a Palestinian American, it has been so difficult to see the humanity erased from the people of Gaza. Thank you for seeing them. Be well...
Thank you for your eloquence, as always. Especially the last paragraph. Gratefully, I missed the speech. I watched BBC coverage, which did focus on what happened in Gaza and included voices from the Palestinian perspective. So much pain and suffering. When will people wake up and see that all humans just want to be happy and free from suffering. We are not separate; we are interconnected.
“There comes a time when people get tired of being pushed out of the glittering sunlight of life’s July and left standing amid the piercing chill of Alpine November, there comes a time !” Martin Luther King, Jr.
Yes, I see why your soul called you to different words than you'd planned. It is the most soul wrenching experience to witness human beings continuing to repeat their atrocities towards other humans. We have evolved in goods and infrastructure but not in our humanity. No part of me can fathom this abomination of entitlement, disrespect of Spirit and Spirit's creatures, which all of us are, and as you point out Eddie their normalizing of lies and hate in media coverage that puts Israeli pain front and center, one such example. I'm reminded of the cowboy movies of my childhood, pulling us to identify with white men and their families against the "savages," and obscuring who originated the aggression, and showing not one Indigenous family. That's what is meant by controlling the narrative. The sickness in play here exceeds what my heart, body and mind can take in. What is the need on the part of so many to see Black and other Indigenous people as inferior to them, having no right to soar. A lot of it is in the service of greed and desire to exploit, yes. But it seems to me that there's something more personal and psychological at stake as well, for those who colonize. A fragility that is threatened when confronted with the reality that brilliance, one that goes beyond scores on tests, is alive and well in those who have been colonized. The brilliance captured in our beloved Maya's poem "And Still I Rise." The brilliance of our rich cultures and spirituality, our ingenuity, achievement in every sector of life, our sense of community, our capacity to love, to heal, to thrive, even, to occupy the White House, the Senate, the House. Over the top. The evidence of this seems to threaten many who wield power, and why is that? Yeah, it exposes the lies propagated through history but I think it's more about their own sense of worth. It's complicated and multi-determined this hatred, this need do dominate. I'm reminded of Esther Phillips song, Home is Where the Hatred Is. Many who have benefited from the legacy of oppression have been able to face the pain, even shame of it, and have the ego strength and support to grow into a stance of actively challenging such practices and thought. Many others hide their fragile sense of self in accumulation and domination. Out of these ashes, something healthier and radiant will come. I know this. My spirit, my Spirit, tells me so.
Israel cannot continue to exist if it doesn’t recognize the Palestinians. The rinse repeat cycle can only continue without this. Netanyahu declares war to stay out of prison. It’s up to the Israelis to save their democracy and promote peace.
i dont doubt that israel will still exist, its military force and the people that sustain will keep it afloat...i have no doubt it will exist, and perhaps even thrive...its for the souls of the people of israel i worry about :(
Thank you so much for having a heart, and a deep well of empathy. In this climate, such a respect and regard for humanity can not be taken for granted.
Heavy hearted as well. Difficult listening to his dribble, wherein he meandered everywhere across his sad discursive terrain of political grievance and self- congratulatory bullshit. We elected this simpleton. Ugh.
yeah me to, see that israelis love their families , but gaza is absent...but then again, its not on their tv and not in their media, they just simply do not wish to see it...[sighs] if the peace lasts however and international media then gets into gaza, and shows independant pictures..thats gonna hit hard and heavy questions will be asked of the israeli people, just as was to the people of germany after worldwar2 ,is it on the same scale? No,it isnt..but the intention is the same, when 50% of polled israels would be happy that everybody[men,woman and children] should be killed in gaza, and 70% polled are happy for the gazans to be ethnic cleansed and moved on ...facts remain thats a population with no room in their heart for nor even recognisation that the gazans are human beings :(
Beautiful dream of one day……. I hope I live to see it. That will only happen if we truly believe all people have worth. Nationalism is a barrier to this goal. Hell we can’t even agree that all people living in America have worth. And we call ourselves “exceptional “. Interesting.
Thank you for giving words to what has been weighing on my heart. I have struggled to hold space for all the conflicting feelings and this captured it all so well. As a Palestinian American, it has been so difficult to see the humanity erased from the people of Gaza. Thank you for seeing them. Be well...
Beautifully written Eddie.
Thank you for your eloquence, as always. Especially the last paragraph. Gratefully, I missed the speech. I watched BBC coverage, which did focus on what happened in Gaza and included voices from the Palestinian perspective. So much pain and suffering. When will people wake up and see that all humans just want to be happy and free from suffering. We are not separate; we are interconnected.
Good afternoon Dr. Eddie,
“There comes a time when people get tired of being pushed out of the glittering sunlight of life’s July and left standing amid the piercing chill of Alpine November, there comes a time !” Martin Luther King, Jr.
We have waited long enough, and the time is now!
Yes, I see why your soul called you to different words than you'd planned. It is the most soul wrenching experience to witness human beings continuing to repeat their atrocities towards other humans. We have evolved in goods and infrastructure but not in our humanity. No part of me can fathom this abomination of entitlement, disrespect of Spirit and Spirit's creatures, which all of us are, and as you point out Eddie their normalizing of lies and hate in media coverage that puts Israeli pain front and center, one such example. I'm reminded of the cowboy movies of my childhood, pulling us to identify with white men and their families against the "savages," and obscuring who originated the aggression, and showing not one Indigenous family. That's what is meant by controlling the narrative. The sickness in play here exceeds what my heart, body and mind can take in. What is the need on the part of so many to see Black and other Indigenous people as inferior to them, having no right to soar. A lot of it is in the service of greed and desire to exploit, yes. But it seems to me that there's something more personal and psychological at stake as well, for those who colonize. A fragility that is threatened when confronted with the reality that brilliance, one that goes beyond scores on tests, is alive and well in those who have been colonized. The brilliance captured in our beloved Maya's poem "And Still I Rise." The brilliance of our rich cultures and spirituality, our ingenuity, achievement in every sector of life, our sense of community, our capacity to love, to heal, to thrive, even, to occupy the White House, the Senate, the House. Over the top. The evidence of this seems to threaten many who wield power, and why is that? Yeah, it exposes the lies propagated through history but I think it's more about their own sense of worth. It's complicated and multi-determined this hatred, this need do dominate. I'm reminded of Esther Phillips song, Home is Where the Hatred Is. Many who have benefited from the legacy of oppression have been able to face the pain, even shame of it, and have the ego strength and support to grow into a stance of actively challenging such practices and thought. Many others hide their fragile sense of self in accumulation and domination. Out of these ashes, something healthier and radiant will come. I know this. My spirit, my Spirit, tells me so.
Israel cannot continue to exist if it doesn’t recognize the Palestinians. The rinse repeat cycle can only continue without this. Netanyahu declares war to stay out of prison. It’s up to the Israelis to save their democracy and promote peace.
i dont doubt that israel will still exist, its military force and the people that sustain will keep it afloat...i have no doubt it will exist, and perhaps even thrive...its for the souls of the people of israel i worry about :(
Thank you so much for having a heart, and a deep well of empathy. In this climate, such a respect and regard for humanity can not be taken for granted.
Thank you for lifting up what was not said at that ceremony today.
Definitely something to think about!! Every word touched me!
Oh lawd yes!!!
I pray that day is tomorrow. So well reasoned thank you. Hope your mom is doing well
Heavy hearted as well. Difficult listening to his dribble, wherein he meandered everywhere across his sad discursive terrain of political grievance and self- congratulatory bullshit. We elected this simpleton. Ugh.
Drivel... sorry, a bit tired of the whole of this stuff.
yeah me to, see that israelis love their families , but gaza is absent...but then again, its not on their tv and not in their media, they just simply do not wish to see it...[sighs] if the peace lasts however and international media then gets into gaza, and shows independant pictures..thats gonna hit hard and heavy questions will be asked of the israeli people, just as was to the people of germany after worldwar2 ,is it on the same scale? No,it isnt..but the intention is the same, when 50% of polled israels would be happy that everybody[men,woman and children] should be killed in gaza, and 70% polled are happy for the gazans to be ethnic cleansed and moved on ...facts remain thats a population with no room in their heart for nor even recognisation that the gazans are human beings :(
Your words express the sadness that I feel, so eloquently. How a whole population of folks can be invisible while others jubilantly celebrate.
A lovely, heartfelt column, Professor…thank you for reminding us that all lives are important and worthy of our attention.
Beautiful dream of one day……. I hope I live to see it. That will only happen if we truly believe all people have worth. Nationalism is a barrier to this goal. Hell we can’t even agree that all people living in America have worth. And we call ourselves “exceptional “. Interesting.