That thing going on in the Middle East right now...
Despite it being headline news on both sides of the Atlantic as well as in mainland Europe, the conflict currently under way between Israel and Lebanon has received very little attention on any of the blogs I frequent.
Maybe this is a good thing. Maybe not. Am I the one to break the silence? Is the silence intentional? Is there fear in the blogging community in being seen to side with one country over the other?
It's a funny thing. I'm not going to dwell on it, but I am going to say that Israel is being a prick. And I say this because all of this -- these hundreds of innocent Lebanese citizens dying under aerial bombardment from Israel, which has said it intends to set the Lebanese infrastructure back 20 years -- is over the abduction of two soldiers. We don't even know that these soldiers are dead; all we know is they have been abducted. I know Israel has a compulsory military service, but I don't know how old the abducted soldiers were. If they were career soldiers, then surely this is one of the perils of the job. If they weren't, then it's certainly unfortunate.
I am also speaking out because today I read a post on this subject that made me feel ill. It was from someone who until now has had some space in my sidebar but no longer does. I haven't removed this person solely for this, lest you start thinking I'm some sort of thought fascist. There have been several things that have annoyed me on that blog of late, but this was the last straw.
I know America loves Israel. Maybe some of my readers do. Maybe some of my readers are Jewish. This is possibly what has gone through the minds of other British bloggers. No one wants to lose readers over some war that barely affects any of us in the first person. Perhaps I should just shut the fuck up right now and delete this post before going any further. Perhaps.
I'm not a Muslim. I'm not anti-Jewish or anti-Semitic. But I am
anti-disproportionate response. And this is a fucking hugely disproportionate response from Israel. Not surprisingly, it is a response supported by that cunt in the White House and that other cunt at 10 Downing Street. A bigger pair of idiots I've yet to see in such democratically elected positions.
So, there you have it. In part, at least, I have broken the silence. At any rate, I have broken my silence. Because this Israel/Lebanon thing has been bugging me for days. And now I've spoken. Make of it what you will.
Maybe this is a good thing. Maybe not. Am I the one to break the silence? Is the silence intentional? Is there fear in the blogging community in being seen to side with one country over the other?
It's a funny thing. I'm not going to dwell on it, but I am going to say that Israel is being a prick. And I say this because all of this -- these hundreds of innocent Lebanese citizens dying under aerial bombardment from Israel, which has said it intends to set the Lebanese infrastructure back 20 years -- is over the abduction of two soldiers. We don't even know that these soldiers are dead; all we know is they have been abducted. I know Israel has a compulsory military service, but I don't know how old the abducted soldiers were. If they were career soldiers, then surely this is one of the perils of the job. If they weren't, then it's certainly unfortunate.
I am also speaking out because today I read a post on this subject that made me feel ill. It was from someone who until now has had some space in my sidebar but no longer does. I haven't removed this person solely for this, lest you start thinking I'm some sort of thought fascist. There have been several things that have annoyed me on that blog of late, but this was the last straw.
I know America loves Israel. Maybe some of my readers do. Maybe some of my readers are Jewish. This is possibly what has gone through the minds of other British bloggers. No one wants to lose readers over some war that barely affects any of us in the first person. Perhaps I should just shut the fuck up right now and delete this post before going any further. Perhaps.
I'm not a Muslim. I'm not anti-Jewish or anti-Semitic. But I am
anti-disproportionate response. And this is a fucking hugely disproportionate response from Israel. Not surprisingly, it is a response supported by that cunt in the White House and that other cunt at 10 Downing Street. A bigger pair of idiots I've yet to see in such democratically elected positions.
So, there you have it. In part, at least, I have broken the silence. At any rate, I have broken my silence. Because this Israel/Lebanon thing has been bugging me for days. And now I've spoken. Make of it what you will.
permalink posted by * (asterisk) at 5:18 PM
20 Comments:
Everybody knows that the French (well, 11 Frenchmen to be precise) are not my favourite people at the moment, but you have to respect Chirac when, on Bastille Day, he just came out and said it:
"I find honestly -- as all Europeans do -- that the current reactions are totally disproportionate."
As all Europeans do? Yes, all Europeans who are not puppets to Bush and his warped Middle Eastern policies. That's Blair out of the question, then...
oh crap..I'm sick of Bush..I busted my ass campaigning for ANYONE but him..
I don't understand why the american people largely support this maniac.
I'm waiting for the revolution
This is a heavy topic, and I think you are brave to post about it. I was slowly formulating an approach. I suspect many blogs aren't talking about it because it is sad. Almost like how about some escape and some relief from thestress of world news? I wonder...I know "things that make you go hmm" addressed it by suggesting comfort thoughts. People are scared. At my online bookclub
www.cormacmccarthy.com
there is a thread about the tension and war in middle east.
i posted atopic at my blog called "time out international park" wheere I proposed we close it down, no one gets to live there...I should repost it perhaps? Or link a new...?
Um, in regards to taking someone off your link list...I am glad you brought this up. Perhaps you could give me some insight with something that has been bothering me...you know my shctick about getting luiks right to beat Kawasaki humourously? Well, a lesson in getting what you wish for. I noticed that a blog I was unfamiliar with linked me, I checked it out and one of the first things I see is something racist!!!!!
So far, I have chosen to not acknowledge the blog or respond to their link. I didn't want to encourage them. I am thinking of posting that I don't want to be associated with them ya know? I have no idea how to deal with this at the moment...although I think I will comment by saying I do not share their opinion...any ideas?
hmm I am still processing and assimilating this current bout of middle eastern stuff. I won't bliog about it until I've clarified my own ideas a but more, and I don't tend to blog about hugely contraversial stuff since my blog is personal rather than explicitly political, and I can't be arsed with the fightyness that often goes on.
That said, I'm certainly not *afraid* of discussing what's going on, if I offend people with my views - provided they are defensible in reasoned argument and based on the evidence currently available to us rather than on prejudice and racism - then tough. This is what a democratic europe is about. People can be offended all they like.
As to whether other people don't blog about things for fear of offending their readership, I guess that boils down to what blogging means for each of us... in all honesty, that hadn't ever occurred to me. (I am perhaps overly careless of my readers!) If people do self-censor in this way, it seems to me to detract from one of the greatest strengths of the blogosphere (loathsome word) which is the diversity of opinions it can reflect and the provision of a platform for all.
read it. thinking. post more soon.
I'm with Tidy. I have begun thinking of a post about my first exposure to Lebanon...
Erm.....down with hezbollah. Maybe if they didnt bomb israel quite so often it erm...you know, may not piss of the Israeli's?
Just a thought.
Here's a radical one. STOP SELLLING ARMS!!!!
I don't have a good enough knowledge of either the history nor recent events to say I am well informed about this conflict, but it appears as if Israel has over-reacted drastically. Is there something I'm missing?
There's a lot of mad sad bastards over there in't there?
Cripes hate to see their reaction if they ARE dead.
Hmmm I've just spent half an hour going through your sidebar and can't find the offending article. I know you won't tell me who is is as it would be too obvious but I am curious....
What is that urban-memories blog all about? Humour??
ACT: It wasn't an article, it was a link, but it's gone now, so you won't find it. You need to look for what is no longer there...
All: Thanks for your comments. I have put up a new follow-up post rather than respond here. I started to, but it was getting a bit long.
i love bush!.....what?....it's what?....a person?...is it?....you sure?....really?...he wasn't talking about?....oh!....shit!.....sorry, think i got my wires crossed there.
You said "I haven't removed this person solely for this, lest you start thinking I'm some sort of thought fascist." But you removed it anyway.
Hi ACT. But before that I said it was "someone who until now has had some space in my sidebar but no longer does". The point I was making, though, was that the link was removed for several reasons, not "solely for this" recent post.
Grrrrrrrrr! It sounds like an interesting blog - I like controversy.
It's actually not an interesting blog at all, which is one of the reasons it was already on my shitlist!
Great post!
"that cunt in the White House and that other cunt at 10 Downing Street"
Sadly, the first cunt has the power to stop it all, but chooses not to.
BTW I think I know which link you removed. I followed it recently and saw the article I think you are referring to. It was sick, and jingoistic, and it made the 'writer' sound like an ignorant twat. He is entitled to his opinion, it's a shame it isn't an informed one.
I am wondering exactly how the first cunt has the "power to stop it all"???
Kate: I think you've probably sussed the person, yes...
Camie: He may not be able to. But he could, once in a while, be a little less blindly supportive of Israel and take the actual situation into account. That, at least, might help defuse things a little until talks can take place.
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