Category: End War

It’s Still Up To Us

In January, 2020, I wrote much of this in response to the saber rattling over Iran. And now the war hawks are at it again.

Our history is full of people who have championed peace and diplomacy over war. We have honored those people and those ideals. Yet time after time we have allowed lies and greed to lead us into endless and inhumane wars.

Recent flagrant disregard of international law has opened the door for retaliation and the escalation of death and destruction. Leaders toss around nuclear options as if we could all relocate to another planet.

The fumbling assertions and disagreements within the Trump administration demonstrate the dangerous incompetency at the helm.

This president continues the legacy of past presidents, which is to be led by those who make money on weapons and war. When they speak of protecting United States interests, they are speaking of oil. If we allow this escalation of war and the stealing of resources, we are complicit.

But make no mistake it is Congress who declares war, not the president. And it is the people of the United States who can still determine their collective history.

Therefore, it is imperative we stand for peace and diplomacy in whatever means is available. It’s also imperative that we end our financial ties to the industries of weapons and oil and stop funding Israel’s war machine. And to evangelicals hoping for fulfillment of prophecy, I say, “Snap out of it”. We need your kind hearts; we need your love of humanity. 

We must demonstrate to a world very uncertain of our motives but very certain of our ability to create chaos and death, that we, the people, are ready to change course.

It‘s still up to us.

There’s still time for peace.

photo from the Truthout article from January 8, 2020.

Where Are the Voices for Peace

Thousands of dead, millions displaced and stalled peace talks. These are the headlines out of Sudan. Aid trucks are not given adequate passage to reach innocent women and children and the story of war repeats itself ad nauseum.

The same story plays out as Israel now invades the West Bank. Palestinians refer to this as another Nakba.  And the cries for ceasefire continue to be ignored and the world continues to watch and the United States continues to fund this genocide. Some watch in horror, some with disregard.

Most disconcerting are the proclamations of the leaders. In Sudan’s case, Al-Burhan, the head of the Sudanese army refuses to attend peace talks and has said that the fighting will continue for 100 years and there will be no forgiving the Rapid Support Forces as the civil war wages on. 

Israel’s Foreign Minister Katz calls for the mass displacement of Palestinians in what had been the more secure West Bank. He wrote, “We need to deal with the threat exactly as we deal with terror infrastructure in Gaza…This is a war for everything and we must win it,”.

Somewhere, somehow, someone must find a way to stand for peace. People are following these ruthless leaders. Soldiers willingly give their time, bodies and lives for senseless power grabbing greed.

Somewhere, somehow, someone must stand for peace.

The United States has been among the many powers who have led by force. We have touted war as a means of achieving peace. There can be nothing more ridiculous and insane. 

Sudanese and Palestinian people are the latest victims in the human history of conquest and violence. When we finally work as hard for peace as we do for war, this dynamic will change. 

Check out these voices for peace:

The Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice – a network of over eighty organizations advancing a sustainable world free from violence and injustice.

The Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine – a coalition of over eighty organizations working towards ceasefire in Palestine and a US arms embargo to Israel.

And for a personal dive into our humanity and peace: The Prem Rawat Foundation’s Peace Education Program

You can listen to my conversation with Palestinian American Muhammad Kharbush, “And Still They Survive.” Born in 1948, the year of the Nakba, Muhammad gives his oral history of the past 76 years. Thanks to WDRT studio.

Kissing a War Criminal’s Ass

The brag on Capitol Hill is that Netanyahu has now addressed the joint session of Congress more times than Winston Churchill. For nearly ten months, the extremist right-wing prime minister has extracted civilian punishment on the people of Gaza for the attack by Hamas that killed 1200 and took 240 hostages. The Palestinian death toll nears 40,000 with many believing it’s closer to 186,000. 

The indiscriminate slaughter of innocents, predominantly women and children, and the very targeted murders of journalists, professors, and medical personnel along with the total destruction of infrastructure has led to the accusations of crimes against humanity.

Recently the head prosecutor of the International Court of Justice applied for an arrest warrant for Netanyahu. The process could take months. But the starvation, dehydration and epidemics ravaging displaced Palestinians means the people are running out of time.

Biden has been in lock step with Netanyahu while the majority of our citizens have demanded immediate ceasefire and are now calling for an arms embargo. Yet the joint session of Congress invited this war criminal to speak. Bibi didn’t offer anything new. He didn’t accept Biden’s offer to secure a ceasefire and his cabinet last week rejected the suggestion of a two-state solution.

Kudos to the over 100 legislators who boycotted the speech. Their refusal to stand and applaud a war criminal was patriotic and human. Bravo to the thousands of humans, including the hundreds pepper sprayed and arrested, for daring to expose the depravity of genocide and our complicity with it.*

Biden still has time to rectify his inhuman support of an unhinged prime minister. He has the capacity to pressure Israel to end this madness. It’s up to each of us to demand he do so. 

  • Since the initial writing of this piece, the main stream media news has shifted to condemn all Pro-Palestinian protesters, who stood up against our Joint Session of Congress welcoming a war criminal, and who have for the past 10 months demanded a ceasefire on innocent civilians and an end to US military support of Israel – as agents of Hamas and Iran.
  • These are blatant lies demonizing college students, rabbis and all people of conscience who have from the beginning challenged US complicity in this genocide – because of a few.
  • My writings since the horrific attack by Hamas on Oct 7, have never supported Hamas. Not will I ever support the actions of the right-wing Netanyahu and the illegal settlers that are displacing and killing Palestinian people.
  • We must rise to our humanity and stop allowing intentional media driven storylines to destroy the anti-violence, and anti-war – for all peoples’ sake. Palestinians, Israelis and us. We must STOP aiding Israeli military. NO MORE BOMBS for GENOCIDE.

Liberal Ambivalence

People take great pride in espousing what they believe to be true. “Hear it, repeat it, swear by it” should be our national motto.

People ask me what I believe and I say, “You don’t want to know what I believe. Beliefs change like clothing. Ask me what I know.”

I get a few sideways glances but few dare to ask. I understand why. Very few take the time required to delve into the realm of knowing. Comforted by belief, however ludicrous, we accept what we have been told as gospel. 

The annihilation of Palestine is peppered with belief. Belief in Zionism, belief in Rapture, belief that our leaders have our best interest at heart. I heard someone tell Tammy Baldwin that what is happening in Gaza is genocide. She replied, “We don’t use that word.” Why Tammy?

Does it have something to do with who finances campaigns?  Or do you really believe that what is occurring for the past eight months – and truly much longer – is not genocide? Cutting off food and water, bombing crowded markets, hospitals, schools…all with United States tax dollars and your support. Let’s call it what it is.

We are so into belief that we no longer push for what is right. Our beliefs keep us from any meaningful dialogue towards peace. Instead, we “save” four hostages by killing a few hundred civilians. And it is “we” since it is our money and weaponry so cavalierly being used to kill.

But, mustn’t say genocide. 

But I can’t blame you alone, Tammy. For every one of you there are countless numbers of people who shrug their shoulders and mumble something inane like, both sides are wrong (or are they right?). Ah, the delusion of ambivalence. How well we wear it. 

Ignorance must indeed be bliss. We can all do much more.

Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine – Learn more. Take action. Talk to people.

Weary of War

The United States will again hinder the course of international justice and challenge universal standards of morality. Biden has denounced the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for top Israeli officials and Hamas leaders. 

Since its inception, the International Criminal Court has strived to establish rules of engagement for war and peace – a monumental undertaking given the diversity of thought that exists in the world.  Driven by a desire for human dignity to prevail, the court seeks to create a system of justice that would offer solace to victims and direct the course of human interactions towards peace.

The United States is a non-member of the ICC, and has supported the International Court when the Court has sought to employ justice against its foes, but has balked when the same Court has attempted to enact jurisdiction over the United States or its allies. Perhaps it’s time we evaluate our relationship to power and militarism and attempt peace keeping through diplomacy.  

The United Nation’s effort to establish peace among nations is repeatedly hindered by the United States. We’re often the first to veto efforts to rein in aggression. This we have seen throughout Israel’s inhuman assault on Gaza. Even our allies are turning toward peacebuilding and away from supporting arms sales to Israel.

And in a major turn of events, Norway, Ireland and Spain have begun to recognize the statehood of Palestine. As the three countries united in this action, they expressed it as a step towards peace – for both sides of the conflict. 

Many of us are weary of the normalization of war and the devastation of human life and the environment. Polls are bearing this out. 

Those fearing Biden will lose the election would do well to push him towards peace. 

Countries that recognize the statehood of Palestine.

Bring Peace to Rafah

Democrats are terrified of Trump. They admit that Biden’s choice to support Israel and the slaughter of over 35,000 human beings, including 15,000 children is “wrong”, but they are terrified that if they speak out, Biden will lose and democracy will be no more.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but democracy took a back seat to militarism in this country a long time ago. Militarized police on university campuses should be telling us this. 

Biden is turning a blind eye towards Rafah, regardless of what his words say. Rafah is the last holdout for 1. 5 million Palestinians who ran there for safety. The government of Netanyahu is showing no sign of letting up on his seven month march of destruction and death. And Biden is showing no understanding at the consequences of his unequivocal support of Netanyahu from the start.

And one day, as we saw with Bush’s Iraq horror, we will come to know Biden’s complicity in these war crimes as calculated resource and land grabs – costing countless lives and ways of life.

War will never bring us peace. 

It’s beyond time that we stop the United States war machine. Biden is little more than a puppet to the industries of war and fossil fuels, as were the presidents of both parties before him. Choose your poison.

Students are again the conscience of the United States. The rallies and encampments are the culmination of a sincere desire for peace – with the recognition that divestment from war is our way out. End war and save the environment. End war and save our humanity.

We have a bigger choice before us than who will be in the White House in 2025. We have the choice of who will emerge from this nightmare. Peacemakers or warmongers. 

To all the terrified Democrats: try being in Rafah right now.

Silence is Betrayal – King’s moral stance against the Vietnam War continues to teach us. 

For What Its Worth

Young people are at it again. Stirring up trouble and making us think. How dare they have peaceful protests about genocide. How dare they demand an end to their college’s funding of militarism and the slaughter of innocents. The hubris. The arrogance. Challenging the United States’ long held worship of war is not easy. Just ask those who stood up in the 60’s. Or at least ask the ones who remember how good it felt to be on the side of humanity.

Once again young people are forcing us to remember the creeds we extol. Freedom of speech being among them. It’s very hard to reckon how any of us can still believe the self defense claims of Netanyahu while we watch the horror unfolding and the lies exposed.

Now we’re learning that the Israeli claims of terrorists in UNRWA have no foundation – this after the US led the charge to defund the only consistent humanitarian aid available to Palestinians. And how long will it take Congress to reenact that aid?

Remember the pier the US was building to bring relief? Whatever happened to that? Yet the international humanitarian flotilla carrying 5500 tons of aid may not be allowed to leave Istanbul. And children starve to death.

What must it be like to be a Palestinian in this moment when revenge is promoted on a grand scale and the western world silently utters thoughts and prayers and watches. We were lied to from the beginning of this slaughter, both by the ranking Israeli government and by our President. 

But too many of us are saying, “Don’t rock the boat”, not realizing the boat sank a long time ago.

“It’s time we stop”. Listen to the youth. Remember our humanity.

For What Its Worth. This picture is of Jewish students enjoying and celebrating Passover Seder – while protesting the slaughter of innocent Palestinians at the hands of the extreme right wing government of Israel.

It is worth a lot. we must keep overcoming our ignorance to uphold our humanity.

Please take some time to listen to my conversation with Alan Chavoya on militarized police, the need for community control over policing and humanistic activism. It holds groundbreaking information for those ready for change.

From the River to the Sea

“From the River to the Sea” has become the latest casualty in the war of indoctrination. Congress has enacted a resolution calling the words “from the river to the sea” anti-Semitic, while adding millions to Israel’s defense and robbing United States citizens of proper care. But more significantly it comes as Congress supports the ongoing genocide of Palestinians and repression of pro-Palestinian voices grows. 

Lazy thinking. That’s how we’ve arrived here. 

Post WWII western countries wished to be rid of the Jewish refugees. The refugees were relocated to Israel and a Jewish state was recognized by the UN in 1948.

What could have possibly gone wrong with that decision?

Already a hotbed of division, Israel expanded its territory with violence and displacement of the indigenous Palestinian people. May 15 is known as Nakba, the day of observance of Palestinian “ethnic cleansing” and land theft that occurred then and continues now.

True to their imperialistic nature, the US, Great Britain and others, supported Israel to engage in resource grabbing. This included oil and soon will be for the natural gas off the coast of Palestine – that they have just acquired through removal, and killing of Palestinians and destruction of Gaza.

“Keeping the peace” meant condemning the Palestinians to brutal occupation, because Israel is a nationalistic state, not a democracy. Palestinians who live in Israel do not share the same freedoms as Israelis. Checkpoints, water rationing and illegal Israeli settlers’ ongoing violence to Palestinians and their land have only escalated over the past 16 years. Like the apartheid state of South Africa – that the US was reluctant to see abolished – we have continued to pour billions yearly into the defense of Israel and have been willing to witness the eradication of Palestinian lands and lives.

The brutal attack by Hamas on October 7 was anexcuse for more land theft and genocide. These are not empty words. Look at the reality, not the smear campaign of corporate media, not the profiteering war mongers and their congressional lackies.  I have never condoned the violence of October 7, and I will never accept the genocide that has been perpetrated by Israel since that day. 

“From the River to the Sea” is used by both sides. Israel has been able to dominate the narrative – both there and here in the US. It is time to turn the narrative around. It is time to pursue peace and stop listening to the voices of hate.

We have some unlearning to do…

And for some levity in the chaos.

End War Save the Planet

When we think of war it’s often through the heroic lens of a movie screen. Good guys versus bad guys and we’re always the good ones. This archaic notion is finally getting the scrutiny it deserves. Putin’s destruction of Ukraine and the reckless takeover of a nuclear power plant reveals the ignorance power carries. Now a case of ecocide is pending against Russia for breaching the Nova Kakahova Dam. 

Ecocide. The term is relatively new and characterizes mass damage and destruction of ecosystems. Widespread harm to nature is getting its day in court as countries create laws to govern and punish ecocide.

As we begin to understand the finite nature of earth’s resources, we can also begin to reckon with the diabolical aspect of war. War’s environmental disruptions have grown exponentially as chemicals and nuclear scorched earth policies are used.

Today the most glaring destruction of earth, water and air are found in the retaliatory war that Israel is using to remove the people of Gaza from their homeland. Numerous international health agencies report high levels of airborne toxins from debris, ash and dust. Carbon dioxide emissions are expected to add to climate vulnerability world-wide. But the most sinister and inhuman damage is the contamination of water.

It’s speculated that 97% of water in Gaza is contaminated. Even before this latest war, it was the leading cause of death in children. The Israeli blockade that has imprisoned Palestinians since 2007 added to the crumbling infrastructure. The water restrictions imposed on the people of Gaza created immense hardship.  Forced removals, continued bombing and total community destruction by Israel are war crimes with ecocide being among them.

The United States funds the war against Palestinian people and their environment.

We will be held accountable.

A Conversation with Rachel Ida Buff on anti-Semitism vs. anti-Zionism

The Challenge

I get it. No one wants to hear about the slaughter of innocent people day in and out. No one wants to hear that women and children are the highest casualties of the nearly 27,000 dead and 66,000 wounded. 

No one wants to believe the United States could be on the wrong side of this devastation, even as the International Criminal Justices’ nearly unanimous decisions to deter Israel may implicate us in acts of genocide. We still want to believe we’re the good guys.

And on top of the slaughtering of innocents with our bombs, the United States government has led nine of its allies to halt funds to the UN agency, UNWRA, that provides supplies to six million Palestinians in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and those who are refugees in neighboring countries. Our government took no time to consider if the allegations leveled at the agency were true or not, nor did we consider the suffering we would be subjecting to innocent lives.   

Seems we are unable to slow Netanyahu’s reign of terror, but are quite capable of derailing food and life saving provisions to survivors.

And while the cries for permanent ceasefire echo around the world, there’s still a deafening silence in the media of our country. 

So here’s the challenge. Its time we stop waiting for our government to do the right thing. Its time we demand of our clergy and all humanitarian agencies and organizations to unite in one voice denouncing this senseless violence. 

We must break free of the propaganda that allows us to sleep walk through this blood bath. If you recognize that you have a voice and that every life counts, step up to your humanity and find a way to say, “No more”.

Here are some things that you can do:

If you are of a Christian faith, urge your clergy to help save lives. Here is a petition by Mennonites that welcomes all Christians to stand in conscientious objection to the violence of war.

If you live in Wisconsin, learn about and participate in the rallies, press releases, and actions happening around the state at the Wisconsin Coalition for Justice in Palestine. With over 60 diverse organizations educating about and uplifting Palestine while demanding ceasefire and an end to occupation.

Learn from Palestinians, not the media. Friends of Tent of Nations. FOTONNA provides grassroots support through the Tent of Nations, a peace project located on Daher’s Vineyard – a 100-acre farm located about six miles from Bethlehem in the West Bank. 

Listen to my interview with Akram Abed on WDRTCommunity Radio show, Conversations, to understand life from a Palestinian point of view.

Sign petitions calling for ceasefire by Amnesty or OXFAM or a host of local and national organizations that are working towards that end.

Challenge your own personal beliefs and the indoctrination that allow us to go immediately to war and violence. Challenge your legislators to find peaceful solutions. We can do this. But it will take everyone who cares to speak up.

Olive fields in as-Samu. Photo compliments of Wikimedia Commons share alike license.