Signs of the Times, Then and Now
In Gilbert King,"The Two Executions of Willie Francis," Washington Post, 19 July, the author of a book-in-progress on the case of Willie Francis reminds us of the horror capital punishment in mid-twentieth century America could be. Thanks to Jonathan Dresner for the tip.
In Rami Khouri,"The Road Back to Beirut," Agence Globel, 19 July, the editor of Beirut's Daily Star explains why, away from home when the fighting began, he is trying to find his way back to Beirut ("steadfastness in the face of the Israeli assault is the sincerest -- perhaps the only -- form of resistance available to those of us who do not know how to use a gun, and prefer not to do so in any case, for there is no military solution to this conflict.") So long as western diplomacy concentrates on the protection of Israel and leaves Palestinian and Arab grievances unaddressed, there will be no peace. No wall, no buffer zone can protect Israel from Muslim rockets fired from greater distances.
New buffer zones imposed by the international community to protect Israel, while leaving Arab grievances to rot, will only prompt a greater determination by the next generation of young Arab men and women to develop the means to fight back, some day, in some way that we cannot now predict.Thanks to Hala Fattah for the tip.
Piecemeal solutions and stopgap measures will not work any more. Ending these kinds of military eruptions requires a more determined effort to resolve the core conflict between Israel and Palestine. This would then make it easier to address equally pressing issues within Arab countries, such as Hizbullah's status as an armed resistance group or militia inside Lebanon, which itself is a consequence of Israeli attacks against Lebanon and the unresolved Palestine issue.
In Israel's determination to protect itself and the parallel Arab determination to fight back, we have the makings of perpetual war -- or, for those willing to be even-handed for once, an opening for a diplomatic solution that responds simultaneously to the legitimate rights of both sides.
In the meantime, I keep looking for a reasonably safe route back to our home in Beirut. Standing with the people of Lebanon in their moment of pain is the highest form of solidarity I can think of, and also the only meaningful form of defiance and resistance to Israel that I -- and several hundred million other Arabs -- can practice at the moment.
Somini Sengupta,"You Won't Read It Here First: India Curtails Access to Blogs," NYTimes, 18 July, reports that the Indian government has blocked access to certain internet providers, including blogspot.com. See also: Prithvi Datta Chandra Shobhi,"Blogging in India," Land of Lime, 19 July. The ban, which includes geocities, typepad, and yahoo!, has caused an uproar among bloggers in the world's largest democracy. Shivam Vij,"Blog Blockade Will Be Lifted in 48 Hours," Rediff News, 19 July, reports just that. This BBC report is more disturbing. It's a dangerous precident to set. Thanks to Jonathan Dresner and Manan Ahmed for the tip.
Finally, my fellow Christians, of the dispensational, pre-millennial, and pre-tribulation stripe over at Rapture Ready have been getting"glory bumps" and doing" cartwheels around the neighborhood" with excitement about the warfare on Israel's borders. That"glory bumps" thingy worries me. It isn't biblical and I'd have ‘em checked out. Could be std's. Thanks to Manan Ahmed and Ken Silverstein,"Silver Linings and a Cross of Gold," Harper's, 18 July.