In relocating to the Middle East from the Melbourne suburb of St. Kilda, I managed to move from Australia’s Jewish heartland to a country that is entirely Muslim.
As a result, I have people on my friends list that are entirely Jewish, or entirely Muslim. I won’t name them. Because it isn’t important, but it is interesting that, from time to time, both groups have commented or liked something that I have posted. Not surprisingly, they managed to do that and not start lobbing hand-grenades at each other.
But who would get uppity about a cat video?
What is happening only a few hours flight away from where I type this is abhorrent.
Children being murdered.
Israeli folk having to hide from rocket attacks.
Palestinians getting pummeled by retaliatory force.
Both sides, angry and fearful.
But they are there, and I am here, grateful that I am not actually anywhere near anything explodey.
There isn’t any getting away from it though, my news feed is getting its own pummeling – from all sides. It seems that all sides are lobbing hateful, vile and agressive videos, or artfully spun propaganda at my feed.
“We just need to keep on bombing them for another 5.. maybe 6 days. then we will have peace.” (Circa 2006/7) From one of the nicest people I have ever met, who says that he loves living in Australia because it is safe. “My daughter can marry anyone” he said once, then after a pause, “Unless he is a muslim.”
“What would you do?” I asked
“I won’t have to do anything, she won’t marry one.”
“The SS didn’t work fast enough” – common response.
What they all have in common is a figurative bomb on their mantle piece, whose pin they would happily, no, DUTIFULLY pull, should the need arise.
Back to my feed:
Silence – it is insidious. It allows the post to be placed without frame, a brutal picture with no explanation.
Silence does not help.
I’m done with explosions.
I’m done with “They started it.”
I’m done with all the hate.
People need to do something. SAY something. Actively start looking for a peaceful solution, or at least have the courage to state their conviction if they feel otherwise.
This skulking behind posts is cowardly.
Me? I want people to stop killing each other, that’s all.
I am part of a fast growing group of people who actually don’t care about who is right or wrong – a growing number who are disgusted by all sides.
That’s my position, it might be unpopular, but at least I had the courage to express it.
Andrew’s awarded novel, “Erasure”, is available in eReader and Paperpack formats through Amazon.com
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