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Today I was in my synagogue in repentance and seeking forgiveness for and from those around me. As I sat there my mind wandered. I often lead groups of Americans to Israel and I always make sure my groups stop to stand in the square now named for the late Prime Minister Rabin. In the hours and days after Rabin was murdered hundreds of people wrote on every available wall that could be written on with everything from a pen to paint. Young and old wrote words of peace, love and forgiveness. Much of the graffiti has since been removed but one wall remains and has been preserved not footsteps from where Rabin was cut down. On this piece of wall one word in Hebrew looms large over all the others. The word is Hebrew for “Forgive Us”. Think about that for a moment…why “forgive us”? Why did this piece of writing and many others like it present words and thoughts of contrition? The murder was the act of one weapon held in the hand of one murderer why then did Israeli’s feel guilt? Months before the assassination at demonstrations and rally’s against the Oslo Accords Rabin’s name and image were being perverted. Plastered on billboards around the country you would find Rabin’s picture superimposed with Yasser Arafat’s image. People in a few yeshivas and houses of study were exploring and arguing over texts that has to do with the divine and land and punishment. Rabin was called a traitor and was even compared to a Nazi. While this toxic brew was simmering the peace process was moving forward and a majority of Israelis were very supportive. This initial excitement gave way to complacency over time and as many in the majority felt things were going well enough. The peace camp was quietly enjoying the fruits of their labor but the protests and the venom from those who opposed the peace were filling a political vacuum. The night Rabin was killed he was at a peace rally organized to demonstrate after many months of quiet that supporters of peace were still active. It came to late for many and it still did not address directly the vile wind blowing from those against Rabin and this peace.
“Forgive us”…these words are written on that wall because Israeli’s saw very clearly what was happening around them and they fell relatively silent. They did not demand civility when it was needed most, They felt responsible for creating the atmosphere that enabled one man do the worst possible evil. Israeli’s felt like they were accessories to the crime.
Today I had these thoughts because in the last few days I fear we are creating an atmosphere were Obama could fall victim to the same witches brew that was present in Israel in 1995. We need to stand up and demand that this ‘connect the dots” strategy in making Obama an alien foreign and a “friend of terrorists” STOP NOW. Already I see on TV and see campaign officials try to explain away that they are not responsible for a “few crazies” that yell out words like traitor or terrorist. Just a "few bad apples" or "how can we control" them are words I am beginning to hear. It has to start with demanding McCain take the reigns here but we also need to take part saying “enough !” . I don’t know about you but I don’t ever have to write on a wall in this country that says “Forgive Me” ever.
NOT THIS MAN
There’s a storm gathering force like a hurricane
It was born to chart this course with a blinding rain
The sky is battleship grey, boiling upside down
Strengthens by day, lies in wait just out of town
Acid rain will blind your eyes
To the urgency of now
Not this man. Not this time.
Don’t let them take this good man down
We don’t need another day
To honor the great fallen
Not this time. Not this man.
I fear I hear the thunder calling
The road to this throne gained by theft, not election
Is paved with the souls of the well-intentioned
Dignity shreds hang from charred cherry trees
Devil dances in his garden of roses and greed
Lies bury truth, honor shamefully tarnished
Courage of youth traded for black gold carnage
The sky’s heavy with water, rivers running with blood
Dust swirling, gusts of fury, man, it’s gonna be a flood
(chorus)
Fear has compromised our pride, forever jaded is our trust
Do we dare to get behind someone who’s speaking up for us
The intrepid carry on, grasping reasons to believe
Our chances not all gone, magic ticket to redeem
We tread water night and day, with the audacity to hope
That somewhere, someone has a way to right our capsized boat
March as one, the time is now, all we have now is our numbers
Time is surely running out to ensure our rise from under.
(chorus)
CW July 2008
Why aren't more in the SCLM not calling the McCain campaign on this? Sure Tweety and KO are all over this, but what about CBS/NBC/ABC? You'd expect FOX to just pass this by, but the rest?
Unbelievable.
http://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/britain_terror...
much to the suprize of all that know him, to learn he actually has one.
an interesting article...
http://www.newsweek.com/id/163896
the difference between left and right? Left likes to use diplomacy to fix a problem... Right just goes to get a bigger hammer.
it might work with framing a house, it doesn't work with dealing with people.
because this is a central theme of the mcsame campaign (rovian fear), and diplomacy = bombs... why wouldn't their constituency consist of scared people with bloodlust?
.
debbers
"He's a decent person. And a person that you do not have to be scared [of] as President of the United States," he responded after a man said "were scared of an Obama presidency."
"No ma'am," he says. "[Obama's] a decent family man, citizen, that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues," he said when a woman called Obama an Arab.
The person that made the comment is making threats and harboring hatred for a U.S. Senator. I'm sure nor Palin or McCain would be "proud" of that.