Say Anything Blog

Why?  I think Cox and Forkum nailed it.

Cox and Forkum are usually right on target, but I thought the cartoon you linked to was particularly apt.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

I agree, every effor should be made to move toward peace, but Hamas and other Palestinians are getting in the way.

If Palestinians don’t want groups like Hamas speaking for them then they need to stand up and denounce them.  And they have to mean it too.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

On the basis of a ‘number’ (4? 5? 10?) of Palestinian gunmen murdering five Israelis, you reach the conclusion that ‘Palestinians aren’t really interested in peace with Israel.’

Excuse me?! The actions of a small group of lunatics are somehow representative of the opinions of ALL Palestinians?

I don’t doubt that large numbers of Palestinians support these crazy acts. But this kind of extrapolation is untenable, and has appalling long-term consequences.

Hamas WANTS war with Israel. If Israel abandons moves towards peace following their actions (presumably because they indicate that ‘Palestinians don’t want peace’, the consequence is that there is an active incentive for Hamas to carry out acts like the ones we saw yesterday. Hamas want to derail peace initiatives, and they know that all they have to do to achieve this is to murder innocent civilians.

The implications? In responding to these terrible atrocities (hunting down these terrorists and those who actively support them), the Israeli government should not assume that the perpetrators speak for all Palestinians. They are NOT one homogenous terrorist/war-mongering mass. And consequently ruthlessly pursuing terrorists is in no way incompatible with constructive, peaceful dialogue with those Palestinians who recognise the futility of violence.

As difficult as it is, every effort should be made to maintain moves towards peace in the face of these atrocities. To do otherwise would be to give groups such as Hamas precisely what they want.