Today’s Terrorist, Tomorrow’s Statesman

20 Sep 2006 0:06 (Edited: 20 Sep 2006 0:06)

Today’s Terrorist, Tomorrow’s Statesman

Sourced and posted by:http://grant-montgomery.blogspot.com/2006/08/todays-terrorist-tomorrows-statesman.html

Admittedly, we [that is, the U.S. powers-that-be] sometimes reacted rather badly if the locals do not vote the way we thought they should. ... Many Americans (I hope) are greatly disturbed by the fact that we now are in the process of establishing a policy that there is such a thing as a bad election. If we don't like the winners, or some of them, then we do not recognize the legitimacy of democracy.

The Palestinians freely choose the bad Hamas; we cut off aid to them and send more missiles and such to their enemies.

Hezbollah freely wins a few seats in the little parliament of Lebanon, and we back the Israeli contention that they should all be killed, or at least thrown in jail forever -- as if Lebanon does not deserve the fragile democracy it has.

I am not arguing that Hamas and Hezbollah are good people, but then I come from a country where the colonial occupying power, the English in their red coats, declared my ancestors were "terrorists." They used that word because our men didn't wear uniforms, and they fired from behind trees.

The British, you may remember, used that same word, "terrorist," not without reason, to describe two of the future prime ministers of Israel, Menachim Begin and Yitzhak Shamir.

[For the record: In the late 1930’s, Yitzhak Shamir joined the Irgun”freedom fighter” organization and then in 1940, followed Avraham Stern into Lohamei Herut Yisrael, after which he was imprisoned by the British authorities. In 1943, he escaped from detention camp and became one of the Lehi's principal leaders, serving as principal director of operations until 1946, when he was detained again by the British and exiled to a British­-run prison camp. He later joined Menachem Begin's Herut movement, which evolved into the Likud Party. In 1973, Yitzhak Shamir was elected to the Knesset.

[As for background of Menachim Begin’s terrorist activities, he set about planning a Jewish uprising against the British authorities around 1944, which continued until late 1947. Begin ordered many of the Irgun's operations, including the destruction of the central British administrative offices in the King David Hotel. Begin disbanded the Irgun following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 .]

Many statesmen begin as "terrorists". You have to deal with the world as you find it; that if you believe peace is better than war, and that democracy does not always produce the leaders he or I would choose, you still have to make a choice: Either you believe in democracy or you don't. That's the best we can do, and then move on from there.

[Excerpt of an opinion page by Richard Reeves, Yahoo News]

----------------------------------

To add on that excerpt, Ariel Sharon was also wanted by a Genevan court for crimes against humanity. However, it is no shocker that neither him or his predecessors should face the proverbial piper in a Genevan court. This is where it noticeably fails.

I disagree with accepting democracy as it is, I think there has been a steady decline of rights that goes against what a democracy initially stood for; freedom! The only way to resolve these issues we now face, is to educate our youth and get them politically involved, protest when need be, and take part of changing this now failing system in my opinion vis-a-vis domestic and foreign affairs.

List of my blog entries

• The Death of Dissent (25 Oct 2006)
• What does North Korea Want? (12 Oct 2006)
• Water, the real reason for Lebanese invasion (19 Sep 2006)
• A Planned Mideast War (19 Sep 2006)
• Did Israel react to an unprovoked attack by Hezbollah? (19 Sep 2006)
• The Nature of War (03 Sep 2006)
• Forgiveness (15 Aug 2006)
• The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy (13 Aug 2006)
• Israel Crosses the Line (13 Aug 2006)
• A list of UN Resolutions against Israel (12 Aug 2006)
• Use of the Veto on United Nations Resolutions (12 Aug 2006)
• Peace, propaganda, in the Promised Land (12 Aug 2006)
• Candid journalism: yes, there exists such a thing! (08 Aug 2006)
• Rights Group Accuses Israel of War Crimes (03 Aug 2006)
• Israel' Chemical Weapons (03 Aug 2006)
• Urgent help needed for Lebanese civilians: donations needed now! (24 Jul 2006)
• The truth about the Lebanese crisis (23 Jul 2006)
• Peace in the Middle East (14 Jul 2006)

User comments

• by dsstrlght @ 24 Sep 2006 22:18

  Even those of us who care and try to be involved get so bogged down with just trying to keep up with life. It's frustrating. If more people were involved, the work to be done wouldn't be so overwhelming. But it is frustrating to see years of progress undone in days and weeks. I guess you got me on a day when I'm feeling overwhelmed, feeling like the world knows how to have peace and chooses not to, and people know how to find happiness and choose the hells they know out of fear. Sometimes we have to face the fear and distcomfort change brings in order to reap the benefits. LIfe is imperfect, there are not perfect people, no black and white, but we must be willing to give those who want good the chance to do good. I don't think that's accepting democracy as it is, but it is working within it, while always educating, inspiring, demanding more of everyone, recognizing the idea that we can do better and cannot be satisfied with the status quo.. Apathy does not lead to stagnation, it leads to regression. Yes it's hard. Life is hard. But the alternative is worse.

• by hot_ice @ 28 Sep 2006 20:19

  The world all around us is crumbling, and only a handful of people are taking notice.
  Does it take us being on the verge of an apocalypse for us to start caring? Sadly, the response to that question is less than encouraging.

Post your comment

In order to post your comments here, you need be logged in to our system. Simply follow this link in order to login and to post your comments here.