In Search Of Humanity

Very recently, someone said to me "Nukes will bring peace". This statement is, in my opinion, the greatest contradiction I have ever heard and apparently, whoever has this opinion doesn't know about the Israel-Palestine conflict, which isn't really a conflict any more, its oppression. Has this news flashed by your eyes yet? With the World Cup and what not going on, it's hardly surprising. That's what the media is good at- diverting people's attention to what is totally unimportant.

Don't you dare contradict me to say that the World Cup is more important that the open slaughter of Palestinians, or more important that brutality comparable to the Holocaust that is happening today. And don't you dare try to make a point like "The Holocaust cannot be compared to what Israel is doing!" because excuse you, it IS comparable- or would you rather wait until this has become history taught in textbooks, or a controversial issue decades later when, no matter how much you debate on it, it can't be changed?

A lot of people are passionate when it comes to discussing the Holocaust and how inhumane that period of human history was, how thoroughly "ethnic cleansing" was carried out, how efficiently planned the entire procedure was. Well, looks like it's that time again. Where are you, when it's your chance to raise your voice and change the course of history? What makes you think that this is really just a question of terrorism and security and not of humanity?

Perhaps we should start from the beginning? Keeping  things simple, Israel is a "country" created on borrowed Palestinian land. You'd think this displaced nation would have been content to finally get their "promised land" delivered to them through the US and the UN but that's not the case at all. Now that Israel has the power to be an oppressor, it seems determined to try it out. Don't believe the oppression? Look at the figures.

And this is in just the span of three days. And if figures don't do it for you, take a look at this.

shadowhunterhalfling  shadowhunterhalfling

m-o-o-n-l-i-g-h-t-o-f-l-i-e-s: I have to say something. Everywhere, it’s a norm to teach children how to use the microwave and how to count their money — how many cents equal a dollar. My friend’s paternal family are in Gaza. She went to visit them a few years ago. When she came back, she told us about things she did with her cousins. Her aunts and uncles and her grandmother. It was the normal things you do with your relatives, you know? Except for the part where they drop to the ground when hearing an explosion nearby. They do it like it’s as natural as breathing, like it’s an everyday routine. It’s so casual, nothing new, to watch the house right next to yours being blown into pieces. Children in Palestine know the right position to be in during a nearby bombarding. And it’s not just that your house can cave in on you while having lunch that’s a norm. It’s a norm for a couple of Israeli soldiers to get into your house, take all your belongings, hit you in the head with the butts of their guns, and leave like they’re walking out a restaurant. It’s a norm to leave your house and never come back. Men and women and children in Palestine live in homes that can’t shelter them. But do they live in fear? No, they don’t. And that’s sickening. Why? Because being blown to pieces while walking on the pavement is as natural there as being approached by a mosquito. Your child is going to school, but they might never come back. Your husband’s going to work so he could afford dinner for you, but he might never come back. And you’ll have to suck it up and be okay with it and move on, because it’s a norm, and there’s nothing you can do about it. And there’s no one to care and no one to help you. It’s disgusting how even here in the rest of the Middle East, people are gathered in coffee shops watching Argentina vs Netherlands and ignoring what’s happening to their brothers and sisters in Gaza and the cities near Gaza. I see a lot of things. I see beautiful posts about acts of kindness, with hundreds of thousands of notes. I see a lot of things on Tumblr that make me feel like my faith in humanity isn’t a stupid thing I convince myself with for comfort. But look at this post. It’s about my relatives and my friends’ families and strangers who are dying in their own homes for absolutely no reason. It’s about children and young people having their lives taken and loved ones taken. It’s about a people who never knew peace, who get accused of terrorism and awful actions when in fact they’re walking in a world where wolves are out to get them and no hunters care to look their way, to offer a helping hand. I know you won’t reblog this post. But why? Please tell me why. Why are the lives of these people — not only the ones lost, but the ones existing in suffering — less important than the world cup or Dean in gym shorts? Why are you scrolling past this? #important things

2,069 notes

shadowhunterhalfling

Are you telling me that Israel’s means and ways of ruining my family’s lives are justified by their so-called intentions? Have you been to Gaza? Have you seen their homes? Can you speak in defense of those who destroyed homes? You said nothing to the video I mentioned, dear. Have you any proof that all the abuse I’m talking about isn’t true? I don’t think you can prove that to me. I’ve never met an Arab who would blow up a building. Does that make you believe that Arabs aren’t terrorists? You don’t have proof. Maybe I don’t have proof I can present to you. We can conclude from that that continuing to argue about this will get us nothing but frustration, both you and I, so I don’t think we should continue talking about this. Nobody knows everything, and every story is true according to where you stand, where your point of view is. And I completely understand why you want to argue with me about this. I’m bad-mouthing your people. I don’t want to bad-mouth anyone, and you can be angry about me telling you that Israelis are doing horrible things. You also have the right not to believe me, because I wouldn’t believe you either if you told me that my people are assaulting individuals in their homes. Israel wouldn’t have had to provide Palestinians with limited water and electricity if it hadn’t taken everything and left over a million Palestinians living in slums. We can keep talking about this, but I don’t think arguing is useful to anyone. Do you have anything else to tell me before we stop this back-and-forth talk? I’m all ears. I want to know how things are from your point of view. I told you mine. I told you that I’m not allowed to go home, that Palestine has always been like a fantasy land to me. When I was a kid, I used to ask my dad if grandpa had flying horses in his farm (silly, I know). My family always lived back-and-forth around the Middle East because they couldn’t go home. It’s a home I never knew. And even if we were allowed to go back, what are we going back for? There’s nothing left. That’s what I have to tell you, sweetie. What do you have to tell me? I’m all ears. #answered

4 notes

I stand with Gaza. I will not sit back and let Israel do what it wants. People say that commenting, posting, raging on the internet won't solve problems, but I believe that awareness IS what can solve problems. I want you to know that no matter how small my voice is, its still a voice. And as long as there is a voice to condemn these atrocities, there is hope. I want you to be aware and spread awareness. I want you to show the world that we still have humanity. This isn't a question of Palestinians or Muslims or whatever other racism that's rampant right now. This is a question of being human.