My
Narrow-minded Attitude.
by Steven Shamrak.
I am sometimes criticised for covering
only one subject in my editorial letters, namely the Middle East conflict in
general, and the right of the Jews to live in peace on their ancestral land in
particular. My critics are quite right! I can’t help it. I am passionate about
the rights of my people.
I could write about colonialism and the
effect it had on the lives of millions of Indians who were shipped throughout
the British Empire as cheap slave labour, plus the adverse social and cultural
impact it brought to the indigenous nations. The devastation of environment,
due to colonial exploitation, would also make a big and interesting subject to
explore.
I could write about the Church, its
persecution of not only Jews, but millions of Christians who had stepped out of
the official line or tried to be a good G-d-respecting human being. Nobody
wants to seriously and systematically contest the devastation and destruction
to other cultures and religions brought by the Church to many nations around
the world. Then there’s always the systematic child abuse by priests, monks and
nuns, and efficient cover-up by the Church’s official and legal system to write
about. Cultural genocide of many nations and legalization of the slavery was
also done in the name of Christ and the superiority of the Church-led nations!
Political hypocrisy and stupidity could
be another favourite subject of mine. A lot could be written about forging of
the state of Panama by and for the economic benefit of the United States;
Creating political minefields by dividing Africa and the Middle East along
colonial control lines, with no consideration for tribal interests and
historical information; How about the betrayal of Tibet and Czechoslovakia!
Most people don’t even know that the war in Vietnam could have easily been
avoided if not for the arrogance and stupidity of the French and US
governments. What about occupation of West Papua by Indonesia; the Basque
region by Spain and France; Northern Cyprus by Turkey; Western Sahara by
Algiers, as well as the misfortune of the people of Kurdistan and Kashmir.
Yes, there are hundreds of issues I care
about and could easily write about. I have chosen only one – Eretz-Israel, the
land of Israel! Please, choose the one that you are truly passionate about. If
all of us start to care, it will make the life of corrupt political systems
intolerable, and the lazy and hypocritical journalists might start to do their
jobs properly and honestly. And G-d forbid if in the process we are able to
change the world into a better place!