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Though I don’t typically delve into politics – mainly because I always feel smarmy even wading into those waters – there’s a thing or two on my mind today.
I was reflecting on my ‘real’ job which is peace and reconciliation via The David Group International. Specifically I am evaluating plans for a fall meeting in the Middle East. It may or may not happen, but just the idea of it triggered a plethora of thoughts in my mind.
Governments are corrupt. Often to the core. What a shocking statement, eh?
There are times when, while looking at the big picture of anything from corporate greed leading to the abuse of third world countries to political and geo-political war games, power struggles, egoic madness, et.al, that I’m tempted to say that things are relatively hopeless regarding justice for what has become the nameless/faceless masses of earth’s citizenry.
It takes a while to talk myself down from these episodes – usually a good long cigar and a bit of Frangelico helps – added to that a very large dose of ‘just do what you can do and leave God’s business to God’ and eventually I rebound again.
But today, for whatever reason, I couldn’t get past these political statements of ‘regret’ put out by the U.S. over such issues as the recent Gaza blockade debacle where innocents (one of them a U.S. citizen) are slaughtered – yes, I believe that’s the appropriate word – and little if any action from the international community is taken.
For our part, the word from the Oval Office was that we ‘regret’ that the Israeli government has committed such a senseless and lawless act upon the high seas.
How nice… a group of people (unarmed and representing no particular government) giving their lives to putting politics aside in the name of extending humanitarian aid are killed and the best we can say is, “we regret this.”
Wow, way to invoke justice on behalf of the victims of this lawless act of unabashed murder. We showed them, didn’t we? We REGRET what they’ve done.
Let’s say that President Obama’s oldest daughter gets mad at his youngest daughter, bloodies her nose and shoves her down the steps and out onto the White House lawn. What should he do? What would he do?
Can you imagine the absurdity of telling his youngest that he ‘regrets’ what her older sister has done and then leaving it at that?! Really? No punishment. No discipline. No consequences whatsoever? Is that what happens in the real world of parenting? Could even the most abusive of parents respond that way?
Eckhart Tolle says that the only thing more insane than the “I” is the “we.” It seems that when the collective is involved all sense of reality is sometimes lost. And so it is that the collective world looked at the actions of the Israeli government and responded with sheer, unabashed insanity. Not even a slap on the wrist.
Do you remember the 60’s song War? The lyrics blare with the words “War, good god ya’ll, what is it good for?!” I’m hearing it in my head right now… except it goes “Regret, good god ya’ll, what is it good for?!”
9 comments to “Regretting The Politics of Regret”
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Funny how different people can view the same event and come away with totally different interpretations. Your interpretation of the Gaza blockade incident is, to me, truly uninformed. Failing to see who the backers of the ships were and their intent, despite the participation of “useful idiots” as cover, shows a very naive understanding of the situation.
Good luck with your Middle East peace efforts……I am sure Hamas will welcome you with open arms.
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I am sure you “mean” well.
It is nice of you to recognize that:
“I totally believe that Israel has the right to protect its citizens..”
When you say:
“I do not believe it requires the measures they have taken which have, in essence, led to the equivalent of 1.5 million starving prisoners due to the four-year blockade of Gaza.”
Elections have consequences…electing Hamas was the worst of two poor choices. Lobbing rockets and making border raids to kill Israeli’s will have negative consequences….such as home (rocket launch pad) demolitions
Of course many Gazans are good people…just not enough of them to make a difference to Hamas.Peace does not exist in a vacuum…there will never be peace when one party wants the extermination and or enslavement of the other.
“This blockade is NOT about security — ”
To me, a very foolish statement…keeping weapons out of Gaza is a real security issue…duh.“But what is needed is not choosing sides politically.”
This is very naive, you cannot achieve peace without political engagement or military victory. By supporting the Hamas / Turkish flotilla you have made a political choice.
Who is IHH? Well, let us see:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100602/ap_on_re_eu/eu_gaza_ships_terror_ties
AP Interview: Turkish Aid Group Had Terror Ties
Turkish aid organisation IHH linked to extremism
Published on: Monday 31 May 2010, 22:13 by Fréderike Geerdink in Human Rights, Religion, Stories
Written for: ANPhttp://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/hamas_e105.htm
IHH, which plays a central role in organizing the flotilla to the Gaza Strip, is a Turkish humanitarian relief fund with a radical Islamic anti-Western orientation. Besides its legitimate philanthropic activities, it supports radical Islamic networks, including Hamas, and at least in the past, even global jihad elements.
A “useful idiot” is a person who blindly or willing allows himself to be used by a party that has ulterior motives (historically evil) to those espoused by the “useful idiot.”
A peace or aid worker “used” as a shield for a terrorist front is a useful idiot. If the peace or aid worker knowingly supports the motives of the group then he or she is a willing tool and supporter of that group. You cannot be innocent when attached to such groups.Maybe you should protest the lack of Arab state material support for Gazans and Palestinians in general. Those states have traditionally abused and used them as pawns. What states have prevented Palestinians from becoming citizens…
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/no-way-home-the-tragedy-of-the-palestinian-diaspora-1806790.html
No way home: The tragedy of the Palestinian diasporaYou might think Palestinian refugees would be welcomed by their Arab neighbours, yet they are denied basic rights and citizenship
A special report by Judith Miller and David Samuels
I don’t doubt your sincerity, just your political bias.
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God’s love is greater then anything in this world and when we wake up to that fact we will aways see things has good and evil.
Love Dan -
What I meant to say God’s love is greater then anything and until we wake up to see this we will always see thing has good and evil.
Love Dan -
I enjoyed the conversation, thank you. As you noted in your intro:
“Though I don’t typically delve into politics – mainly because I always feel smarmy even wading into those waters ..”
Of course, such topics – secular or religious – will generate debate. Being a conservative Unitarian means being a minority within a minority. From my perspective, too many religous denomination governing bodies are too politically active and usually represent one very biased view….left or right. This alienates many members because they do not want the organization speaking for them. It is one thing to highlight the issues, discuss the relevant facts in as unbiased a way as possible, ask people to act on their informed conscience and leave it at that. If members want to form groups, protest etc. they should speak only for themselves…they should not represent the congregation as a whole…unless a vote took place and 100% support it.
It is depressing when these comments of ‘regret’ are made. Such lack of strength will surely result in the status quo remaining. And it is time to dismiss arguments – often made – that quite diplomacy is best. It seesm to rarely work.
On this side of the Atlantic, though, I think we feel Obama is generally doing a good job. Is that how you feel in the US (apart from the religious right, that is)?
Dyfed.