Dude, come on. Let’s stop with the fucking “it must be that you hate jews and israel” bullshit. we’ve made *multiple* posts about Hugo Chavez as well, does that mean we’re also commie sympathizers? Deciding our politics based on the number of posts we do is weak.

Maegan,

I do think that Puerto Rico is a colony. This is part of what I commented yesterday in another post:

“Statehood and independence supporters think (and I happen to agree) that the status quo is a colonial status…”

Just wanted to clear that out first. Now, regarding the Palestinian issue I have to admit that I’m taking on VL the frustration I’ve been feeling regarding the coverage in the media and the sympathies the Palestinians get when there happens to be a war with Israel. Let me offer an example I wrote about in my blog in May 2007.

“Thousands of Palestinians fled a battered refugee camp….when a fragile truce eased three days of fierce battles between….army troops and Islamist militants.

Flying white flags from their car windows, up to 10 people crammed into some vehicles as they fled Nahr al-Bared camp. But the truce was interrupted by sporadic gunfire and residents begged visiting reporters to evacuate them.

Two people lay in pools of blood in the street. It was unclear if they were dead or wounded. A man trying to carry a wounded woman to safety left her in the street when bullets began flying.

Aid groups used the periods of calm to deliver essential supplies to the camp. But some U.N. aid trucks withdrew when shells exploded near their convoy, killing at least two youths as they tried to collect bread, witnesses said.

Gaza? The West Bank? No. Lebanon. You can find the whole, unedited reuters’ report here: http://tiny.cc/UCDPu

In that occasion, the Lebanese security forces went after a group of militants that where planning to rob a bank and were based on the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp. They used tanks, heavy artillery and snipers that shot anything that moved. Where was the outrage? Where were the crowds marching in Madrid, London, and Berlin..? I mean, people that claim to care about the Palestinians should care about all of them, not just the ones in Gaza or the West Bank.

That particular conflict in Lebanon has the benefit of pointing out to those who care how the Palestinians live in Lebanon. One example (URL http://tiny.cc/QAtva):

“By far, Palestinian refugees, have the worst living status among Palestinians living in the Arab world.
Palestinians in Lebanon are denied citizenship and the freedom to live where they choose. They may not attend public schools or seek treatment in state-run hospitals. They are barred from taking up 70 specific professions and crafts, including construction, bricklaying, teaching and law.”

Can you imagine what could have been of Suheir Hammad have her parents inmigrated to Lebanon instead of the U.S.? Can you imagine what could have been of Antonio Saca, the president of El Salvador if his Palestinians parents have inmigrated to Lebanon insted of El Salvador?

Again, I apologize for coming to your website and commenting about this the way I do, but its seems to me that when it comes to human rights, double standards should not be allowed.

“because el Salvador has such a great human rights record? You speak of not having a double standard when it comes to human rights but it seems that you too want to pick and choose.”

You want to change the subject? It’s fair, is your blog, you can do whatever you want. But what’s the relationship between the fact that El Salvador doesn’t have a great human rights record and that Antonio Saca parents are Palestinians that emigrated to El Salvador and did quite well?

Because the basic point I was trying to make was that Palestinian’s “Arab brothers” in Lebanon don’t care a lot about them, the may 2007 conflict brought that out in plain sight and nobody gave a damm. Insted of Antonio Saca in El Salvador I could have spoke about Palestinians in Europe, and that would not have change the point I was trying to make.

Oh Gaza , Oh Gaza .

Oh Gaza , Oh Gaza, for you I cry,
Knowing that as I write another child will die.

Woman suffer, elders cry as your children shiver in fright,
Why has the world forgotten this Gazan plight?

Oh Gaza , oh Gaza , for you I weep.
Knowing that children lie in shelters not so deep.

1000 of you have been killed,
Why has the world allowed your blood to be spilled?

Oh Gaza , Oh Gaza, for you I pray,
Knowing that our leaders won’t listen nor care.

In your schools your blood flows,
Why has the world ignored your cause?

Oh Gaza , Oh Gaza, for you I hope,
Knowing that amongst the death and misery your children can’t cope.

God protect your sons and daughters,
Why has the world not stopped the guns and mortars?

Oh Gaza , Oh Gaza, for you I protest,
Knowing that not as a Muslim nor Jew, but as a human I contest.

Your children killed as they play, which brings me tears,
Why has the world leaders only thought of their political careers?

Oh Gaza , Oh Gaza, for you my heart bled,
Knowing that your children cried alone next to their dead.

How did we let this crime take place,
Why has the world let them slaughter this Gazan race?

SAVE US

Help us, help us you plead,
Save our children at this time of need.

But the worlds eyes have become blind,
So don’t think the world is so kind.

After all you are the people of Palestine ,
A place where justice don’t shine.

Save us, save us you scream,
But freedom to you will always be a dream.

Hence the war goes on and many more die,
But don’t think that the leaders will cry,

They quarrel over words to delay a ceasefire,
As your situation becomes even dire.

Don’t bomb us, don’t bomb us you pray,
But don’t think for a moment they will care,

They bomb your mosques and schools,
Breaking at ease the U.N rules,

And then they say they are friends of you,
Even though they impose this bloody coup.

Don’t kill us, don’t kill us you cry in fear,
But don’t think for a moment they will shed a tear,

War is business oh my Palestinian friend,
So don’t think that this is going to end,

Don’t you know that from your misery money is made,
So excuse them when they are making a raid

See our pain, see our pain you cry,
But don’t think for a moment our leaders will try.

They gave your oppressors the arms to kill,
This could have been over if they had the will.

Yet they say they will come to your rescue,
And act their dramas and wait for their cue.

So Oh my Palestinian friend, don’t cry no more,
They will never be happy till you leave this Gazan shore.

MY BROTHER AND I

I wake to the songs of my 13th birthday,
my mother looks happy as Yusuf and I play,

The bomb drops, and i see my mother in the corner of my eyes,
My brother screams as my mother dies,

How could they kill my beloved mother,
All i have now is my younger brother.

I wake to the war that is hell,
are these the stories my father would tell?

I see my brother still crying in pain,
as we say our byes to the mother who’s been slain.

Where do we go, where do i take this sibling of mine
How do i flee my land of Palestine.

I wake to see the bombs above my sky,
I hold my little brother as he begins to cry,

We begin to run, but where do we hide
We are so lonely, who is on our side?

What threat do my brother and I pose,
we run to the borders, but they say it will close.

I wake to thunder and rain,
i look at my brother to see him in pain,

He cries to me for the gold that is food,
Fustration and panick fills my mood,

Over missiles and bombs i rush to scrounge for meat,
There is no food, not even the smell of wheat.

I wake to find the army firing over my head,
the streets are empty, the children have fled,

So we hide in the classes of a school,
Nobody could bomb this, not even a fool,

An explosion lets rip, and hastily take cover,
and i quickly look over my shoulder to see a dead brother.

I wake to find myself alone,
And cry for the brother i buried at dawn,

I walk the streets to see the devastation,
And I see the orphans desperation,

And i know that i will never see,
The people of Gaza to be truly free.

Lalon Amin January 2009

A Day in Gaza

I walk the streets of the Gaza Strip,

Knowing that this isn’t going to be a normal trip.

A wounded child comes and holds my hand,

He wants me to witness the death of his land.

He takes me to see the living oppression,

Death and misery is my initial impression.

I can almost smell the children’s fear,

I see the orphans and it becomes more clear,

Looking at their faces of misery and pain,

And the clothes that have become bloodstain,

That I walk the valley of war crimes,

Memories of death throughout their lifetimes.

I see the destruction left by the bombs,

This isn’t taught in the Torah and Psalms?

Homes are flattened as their mosques burn,

Once this is over how could they return?

Then I see the children, who have poison on their skin,

I begin to cry for the Orphans who have no kin.

Then the child takes me to a nearby school,

There I see dead children, why is this war so cruel?

I can’t find words to comfort or console,

How could the oppressors answer their own soul?

I look at the burning compound where they stored food,

How could they be no justice in this bitter feud.

Then I see my little orphan friend falling,

He says he can hear his mother calling,

He whispers and makes his final request

That I tell the world to make an inquest,

As to why so many children died,

And why know one listened as they cried.

He looks calm as he stares at death

I cry as he takes his last breath,

Oh my little Gazan friend,

Why did we allow you to become part of this trend?

Where children die in the land of Palestine,

Because they were not part of the oppressors bloodline.

Lalon Amin

WHY?

Why is it that your pain hurts me so much,

Yet I have never felt your Gazan touch,

Why is it, that your sorrow brings me tears,

Yet I have never heard your worries or fears,

Why is it, your child’s death makes me cry,

Yet I have never seen your child die,

Why is it, your plight makes me wonder,

Yet I have never spoken to you to ponder

Why is it, your suffering makes me weep,

Yet I have never felt emotions so deep.

Then I realise Oh my Gazan buddy,

We are the Ummah, you are part of my body.

Lalon Amin

How Dare You

How dare you oppose occupation,

Why would you fight deportation?

How dare you want your land,

Why would reject our offer of mud and sand?

How dare you want to live a life of joy,

Why wouldn’t you want to be conquered like Troy?

How dare you want peace for your child,

Why would you want them to live, lives so mild?

How dare you protest the iron walls around you

Why would you oppose this bloody coup?

How dare you fight oppression,

Why wouldn’t you want to live a life of depression?

How dare you seek equality,

Why would you want to live a life of tranquillity?

How dare you want to live a normal life,

Why would you not want this misery and strife?

How dare you say you want to be like me,

Why would you think you could ever be free?

You are the people of Palestine,

What’s yours is mine, and what’s mine is mine.

Lalon Amin

Oh Gaza, Oh Gaza

Oh Gaza, Oh Gaza, for you I cry,

Knowing that as I write another child will die.

Woman suffer, elders cry as your children shiver in fright,

Why has the world forgotten this Gazan plight?

Oh Gaza, oh Gaza, for you I weep.

Knowing that children lie in shelters not so deep.

750 of you have been killed,

Why has the world allowed your blood to be spilled?

Oh Gaza, Oh Gaza, for you I pray,

Knowing that our leaders won’t listen nor care.

In your schools your blood flows,

Why has the world ignored your cause?

Oh Gaza, Oh Gaza, for you I hope,

Knowing that amongst the death and misery your children can’t cope.

God protect your sons and daughters,

Why has the world not stopped the guns and mortars?

Oh Gaza, Oh Gaza, for you I protest,

Knowing that not as a Muslim nor Jew, but as a human I contest.

Your children killed as they play, which brings me tears,

Why has the world leaders only thought of their political careers?

Oh Gaza, Oh Gaza, for you my heart bled,

Knowing that your children cried alone next to their dead.

How did we let this crime take place,

Why has the world let them slaughter this Gazan race?

Lalon Amin

Save Us

Help us, help us you plead,

Save our children at this time of need.

But the worlds eyes have become blind,

So don’t think the world is so kind.

After all you are the people of Palestine,

A place where justice don’t shine.

Save us, save us you scream,

But freedom to you will always be a dream.

Hence the war goes on and many more die,

But don’t think that the leaders will cry,

They quarrel over words to delay a ceasefire,

As your situation becomes even dire.

Don’t bomb us, don’t bomb us you pray,

But don’t think for a moment they will care,

They bomb your mosques and schools,

Breaking at ease the U.N rules,

And then they say they are friends of you,

Even though they impose this bloody coup.

Don’t kill us, don’t kill us you cry in fear,

But don’t think for a moment they will shed a tear,

War is business oh my Palestinian friend,

So don’t think that this is going to end,

Don’t you know that from your misery money is made,

So excuse them when they are making a raid

See our pain, see our pain you cry,

But don’t think for a moment our leaders will try.

They gave your oppressors the arms to kill,

This could have been over if they had the will.

Yet they say they will come to your rescue,

And act their dramas and wait for their cue.

Help us, help us you plead,

Save our children at this time of need.

But the worlds eyes have become blind,

So don’t think the world is so kind.

After all you are the people of Palestine,

A place where justice don’t shine.

Save us, save us you scream,

But freedom to you will always be a dream.

Hence the war goes on and many more die,

But don’t think that the leaders will cry,

They quarrel over words to delay a ceasefire,

As your situation becomes even dire.

Don’t bomb us, don’t bomb us you pray,

But don’t think for a moment they will care,

They bomb your mosques and schools,

Breaking at ease the U.N rules,

And then they say they are friends of you,

Even though they impose this bloody coup.

Don’t kill us, don’t kill us you cry in fear,

But don’t think for a moment they will shed a tear,

War is business oh my Palestinian friend,

So don’t think that this is going to end,

Don’t you know that from your misery money is made,

So excuse them when they are making a raid

See our pain, see our pain you cry,

But don’t think for a moment our leaders will try.

They gave your oppressors the arms to kill,

This could have been over if they had the will.

Yet they say they will come to your rescue,

And act their dramas and wait for their cue.

So Oh my Palestinian friend, don’t cry no more,

They will never be happy till you leave this Gazan shore.

Lalon Amin

My brother and I

I wake to the songs of my 13th birthday,
my mother looks happy as Yusuf and I play,
The bomb drops, and i see my mother in the corner of my eyes,
My brother screams as my mother dies,
How could they kill my beloved mother,
All i have now is my younger brother.

I wake to the war that is hell,
are these the stories my father would tell?
I see my brother still crying in pain,
as we say our byes to the mother who’s been slain.
Where do we go, where do i take this sibling of mine
How do i flee my land of Palestine.

I wake to see the bombs above my sky,
I hold my little brother as he begins to cry,
We begin to run, but where do we hide
We are so lonely, who is on our side?
What threat do my brother and I pose,
we run to the borders, but they say it will close.

I wake to thunder and rain,
i look at my brother to see him in pain,
He cries to me for the gold that is food,
Frustration and panic fills my mood,
Over missiles and bombs I rush to scrounge for meat,
There is no food, not even the smell of wheat.

I wake to find the army firing over my head,
the streets are empty, the children have fled,
So we hide in the classes of a school,
Nobody could bomb this, not even a fool,
An explosion lets rip, and hastily take cover,
and i quickly look over my shoulder to see a dead brother.

I wake to find myself alone,
And cry for the brother I buried at dawn,
I walk the streets to see the devastation,
And I see the orphans desperation,
And I know that I will never see,
The people of Gaza to be truly free.

Lalon Amin