Gaza-Slavery-Fear-Accountability

 

Gaza-Slavery-Fear-Accountability

I am starting to cry as I begin to write (I cry a lot, but didn’t expect it now).   Yesterday we returned from Atlanta – my partner’s Family Reunion – a most meaningful one for me!!!

Where do I start?

There is so much!

I was told something – which I can not share At All!   It is horrible!   It explains, but it also doesn’t let its victim off the hook.

I saw incredible beauty – Thursday through Sunday – both within and outside!   I also saw pettiness, deep trauma exposed to my eyes and much more.    There was majestic beauty in the children playing together, and sadness I saw in one, who’s had and has deep pain.

I see Deep Advantage(s) among some, and limited, difficult choices in others.

I’m both – an Outsider – as a privileged white man amongst a predominantly Black, Middle Class Family and one who – has a Distinct Advantage as an (almost) insider – through:

1.)   being in a Civil Rights March in 1961,

2.)   having a Black, Female Partner who has taught me so much,

3.)   having escaped the Grasp of Deep Depression that plagued me off and on over decades, and

4.)   my own – personal work – focused most recently on trying to organize privileged white men – helping them be and become: allies – and co-conspirators – as together we seek both to prevent impending Fascism and to not simply stave off the Horrible Dangers of today, but also build – a sustainable just future for (nearly) all, if not all of us.

My Black Family – is both very real, important and incredible, and a great example related to my political work – Justice for the Palestinian People, Ending Racism, and building Reproductive Justice – they all relate together.

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There is Deep Urgency in this Moment!

Resilience – strong commitment – is necessary for far, far more people

Apathy – along with a Feeling of Hopeless – adding to it greatly

Relative Silence – among most “woke-ish” white people, especially men

The Answer lies – right in front of us, though – with NO guarantee of success!

The Answer – Though – is NOT linear – not simple – and certainly not fully clear!

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Gaza – is deeply tied to The Truths of 2025 – both literally and in a much deeper sense!

So – one may ask:

What does Gaza have to do with my Black Family – and Slavery and today’s 2025 world in this country, the United States???

I will try to address this below.

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President Donald Trump on Thursday took to Truth Social with a stern message about Hamas, the remaining hostages and the unfolding crisis in Gaza.

"The fastest way to end the humanitarian crises in Gaza is for Hamas to SURRENDER AND RELEASE THE HOSTAGES!!!" the president posted.

Trump’s post shows a bit of a shift in his messaging on the war and the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Recently, Trump appeared to put the onus on Israel and acknowledged that "there is real starvation in Gaza," representing a rare break from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who delivered the exact opposite message.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/trump-hamas-surrender-hostage-release-fastest-way-end-gaza-war

I recently visited my cousin and his wife in Chicago.   They are highly educated retired Jewish Americans, though he lived much of his earlier life in Great Britain, where he was born.    I’m guessing that they know nothing of my strong Pro-Palestinian “bias”.    I was shown an editorial from Brendan Reilly, a Chicago Alderperson (whom the wife pointed out is clearly not Jewish).   Several quotes from the writing follow:

Our Jewish brothers and sisters are under siege in America. That’s not hyperbole — that’s fact. In recent months, the escalation of antisemitic violence has been horrifying. These are not online threats or symbolic protests — they are physical,  targeted and fueled by a vicious ideology masquerading as activism. …

The Boulder firebombing wasn’t an outlier. It’s part of a growing wave of violent extremism dressed in the language of “resistance.” Jewish students at the University of California-Los Angeles have been physically prevented from attending class. Across college campuses, mobs shout, “From the river to the sea,” and post lists of “Zionists” for public harassment. …

There is no such thing as anti-Zionism without antisemitism.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/12/opinion-antizionism-antesemitism-boulder-attack/

The Democratic Party’s leadership largely remains supportive of Israel in opposition to Hamas.   

The resolutions, sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt), failed in the face of all Republicans voting against the measure and 20 Democrats. 

Senators voted 27-70, defeating Sanders’s resolution, which sought to block more than $675 million in weapons sales to Israel. 

A second resolution garnered 24 in favor, and 73 against. That resolution sought to prohibit the sale of tens of thousands of fully automatic assault rifles.   …

The poll diverged along party lines. Two-thirds of Republicans, 67 percent, have a favorable view of Netanyahu, compared to 19 percent of independents and 9 percent of Democrats.

Those numbers largely reflected Americans’ attitudes toward Israel’s military action. Support reached an all-time low, with 32 percent of Americans supportive of the war. Among Democrats, there’s only 8 percent support for Israel’s military action, although a large majority of Republicans support the war, at 71 percent. 

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5429072-sanders-resolution-fails-israel-military/

Among those who voted against at least one of the resolutions (Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority leader and Cory Booker voted against both resolutions) are: Schumer, Booker, Mark Warner, Ron Wyden, and both of Connecticut’s senators.

At the family reunion I talked with several family members I relate to.   All of them saw a direct tie between support of Israel in 2025 and Racism in the United States.    At many protests I’ve been to in the past 22 months, there have been numerous people who are Latina/o, Filipina, (E) Indian and various other ethnicities of non-white people.  They strongly support the Palestinian People, though they are neither Muslim, nor Arab, nor Palestinian.

I strongly agree that there have been a few notable Anti-Semitic incidents in the United States, such as recently in Washington, D.C., and in Boulder, Colorado.   I strongly, strongly, strongly disagree with the key points of Alderperson Reilly in Chicago.   His writing totally omits the HORRIFIC GENOCIDE that is going on in Gaza plus The West Bank, and the rise of Fascism in Israel.

Reilly, my cousin + wife, and other Jews, who in my mind “should know better” are silent 99.9% of the time related to what matters to me.   They speak out about things that in some cases are deeply wrong, in other cases are gross exaggerations.   They are silent about the Genocide in the West Bank, the West Bank oppression and the rise of Fascism in Israel.   The parallels between Israel and the U.S are striking.

I doubt that even those strongly opposed to me (reading this writing) will deny that more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023.  Rounding the relevant numbers: 

1.)  50,000 of 2 million Gaza residents

2.)   With equating things proportionately of the more than 300 million U.S. residents

equals: 150 x 50,000 =

7,500,000 people.

United States combat and other casualties from Wars from 1775 through 2019 (including “minor Indian Wars) total less than one fifth of this total.   See:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_casualties_of_war

I have trouble reconciling the DELIBERATE starvation of people, with the focus of my cousin, his wife and others I know NOT speaking out strongly about what is going on!!!   I am referring to those I know who are Jewish, as well as others such as Senator Alex Schiff, one of my California senators.

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In Atlanta, I appreciated the kindness that was shown to me in the Planet Fitness Health Club   Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday mornings I was nearly the only, or the only white person.   I appreciated how welcome I felt in the Kroger’s food store, with similar racial demographics.   I appreciated and appreciate the kindness shown to me by my Black Family!

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The silence outside such worlds is deafening!  

Most white people I know are relatively silent on Racism!    They may donate money here and there.   They generally are Not Very Active in opposing the Genocides of The Middle East as well as historic Slavery, as well as Jim Crow that coming back today (if it ever left)!   In our name as white people – there is MUCH – blatant, horrible speech.  I don’t see most of us protesting directly.   Many of us (still) tell Black People (and Brown People) to be “Law Abiding”.   We do speak out in limited ways.  Our words are mostly related to specific instances that Directly Affect people we know.

The lies continue:

1.    Baby killers – October 7, 2023

2.    Rapists – October 7, 2023

3.    Haitians – killing pets

4.    Dangerous Black Men (such as raping white women or out of control …)

When are we or will we become accountable ????????????????????????????????

 

 

 

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