Guy Fawkes where art thou?

[eumelia]

On the 15th of May, Israeli News networks got this message:
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's party wants to ban Israeli Arabs from marking the anniversary of what they term "the Catastrophe" or Nakba, when in 1948 some 700,000 Arabs lost their homes in the war that led to the establishment of the state of Israel.

The ultranationalist Yisrael Beitenu party said it would propose legislation next week for a ban on the practice and a jail term of up to three years for violators.

"The draft law is intended to strengthen unity in the state of Israel and to ban marking Independence Day as a day of mourning," said party spokesman Tal Nahum.

Some, a tad, a bit, of sanity remains in the Knesset - Maybe.

Yeah...

Yesterday, US Secretary of State Clinton said:
"[President Obama] wants to see a stop to settlements _ not some settlements, not outposts, not 'natural growth' exceptions," Clinton said, referring in the last case to population growth on existing Israeli settlements in the West Bank from births and from allowances for adult offspring of settlers to buy homes near their parents.

"We think it is in the best interests (of the peace process) that settlement expansion cease," Clinton added

Israel's reply, you ask?
No! Screw You!

Since the 15th there have been many a demos against the anti-Nakba bill, though I find it distressing the mainstream is saying that the Palestinian-Israelis should shut up already.
It was of course a deliberate provocation to announce the bill of the 15th of May, which is the international Nakba commemoration day.
Just like the raid on New Profile activists happened on the eve Memorial Day.

I'm feeling the Democracy.

No doubt it will come knocking on our door before long.

I used to think Martin Niemoller poem was dated, too ominous to convey the reality that I live in.
Now, I don't think it's ever been more true:
In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;
And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;
And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;
And then... they came for me... And by that time there was no one left to speak up.

I make no apologies for quoting this over used poem.

Comments

[ayellowbirds.livejournal.com]

The main problem with democracy is that the voting majority is not necessarily the brightest bunch, and people in large groups tend to get panicked and hyper-reactionary.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

You don't need to tell me that.

[ayellowbirds.livejournal.com]

It was the closest thing to something intelligent I could come up with at the time ^^;

I'm going to try to start following your journal again, sorry I dropped off way back when.

[violachic.livejournal.com]

Yeah. When I first discovered that quote, I LOVEDLOVEDLOVED it. Then I got kind of jaded, and thought it was corny. But now I'm definitely in the camp of thinking it always has profundity.

And I'm using my Wash icon, mostly because ayellowbirds used theirs. And cause he's cute.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

The first time I heard read it I was a Jaded 14 year old and thought it was stupid.
Yeah, I changed my mind by the time I turned 21.