As Lincoln abolished slavery, Israel must abolish occupation

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Interesting op-ed from Bradley Burston in Haaretz, musing on things after watching Spielberg's "Lincoln"... wow has he really evolved politically over the past 12 years

As Lincoln abolished slavery, Israel must abolish occupation

I realize now that I am an abolitionist and that occupation is slavery. I also realize that I need to pay more attention to Abraham Lincoln, in his ability to remind us all of the wisdom hidden in the obvious.

By Bradley Burston | Feb.26, 2013 | 11:35 AM | 31

I've been hearing people say lately, that if they hear one more negative thing about Israel, it will drive them nuts.

I've heard this from people who hate Israel to death, from people who adore Israel all but uncritically, and from the group I belong to, people who love this place and find it maddening in every sense of the term, painful to love, painful to leave, terrifying in prospect, an indelible, at times miraculous shadow sewn to the soul.

In theory, a movie house ought to offer a certain escape from this. No such luck. When my wife and I took the bus to see "Lincoln" this week, the driver let us off at the stop closest to the theater: Rabin Square, site of the 1995 assassination and, although we didn't know it yet, a lens through which to understand the darkness of Abraham Lincoln, an America torn to catastrophe by slavery, and, most of all, ourselves.

I know something of American history. I know much about the Civil War. But for my wife and I, the two and a half hours we watched "Lincoln," were spent watching our Israel tear itself to death over how we relate to, or manage not to relate to, Palestinians as people.

Over and over, in the film's debates over slavery, an endless, unbearable war, and their interconnections, it was impossible not to see the parallels to Israeli society, politics, warfare, and daily life.

It was impossible not to see, in this theater across the street from Rabin Square, what one determined, inspiring, all-too-human leader, in cooperation with the vast majority of a nation, could accomplish for the sake of fundamental human justice - and the price that one fuming, armed extremist might make that leader pay for any success in moving forward.

Sometimes you have to look away from what you're overused to, in order to see it at all. Sometimes you need to be in some faraway dark place, for there to be light shed on your own.

I realize now why "apartheid" is too easy, too slick, too Madison Avenue a term, for what occupation truly is and does.

Occupation is slavery.

In the name of occupation, generation after generation of Palestinians have been treated as property. They can be moved at will, shackled at will, tortured at will, have their families separated at will. They can be denied the right to vote, to own property, to meet or speak to family and friends. They can be hounded or even shot dead by their masters, who claim their position by biblical right, and also use them to build and work on the plantations the toilers cannot themselves ever hope to own.

The masters dehumanize them, call them by the names of beasts.

The clergy of this Old South in the new West Bank, claiming God and the Bible, preach that it is permissible to rebel against the government, against the army, in order to protect the plantations and the sanctity of the institution of occupation.

The spokesman of this Old South, speaking to us across the secession lines, trade in fear of those under oppression, warning that they will take us over and kill us, if they are allowed to be free.

The day we went to see "Lincoln," headlines spoke of 15 Jewish youths nearly killing an Arab Israeli in Jaffa, bloodying his head and one eye with bottles and glass shards, sending him to hospital in serious condition. The victim was attacked as he re-filled his vehicle with water, in order to continue to clean their streets. His wife quoted the attackers as saying as they beat him, that Arabs were "trying to take over the country."

I realize now that I am an abolitionist. I realize how many, many people I know, people in that unnamed, largely unorganized group I belong to, are abolitionists as well, people for whom the central, the crucial, the overriding issue facing Israel and Israelis – and Jews the world over – is how to bring the occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem to an end.

I realize now that I need to pay more attention to Abraham Lincoln, in his ability to remind us all – in our natural desire not to hear one more bad thing – of the wisdom hidden in the obvious.

"Those who deny freedom to others," he once said, "deserve it not for themselves."

And this: “Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.”

http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/a-special-place-in-hell/as-lincoln-abolished-slavery-israel-must-abolish-occupation.premium-1.505908#

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

But, Lincoln didn't abolish slavery, except in the Confederacy, over which his authority had yet to be determined.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

But, Lincoln didn't abolish slavery, except in the Confederacy, over which his authority had yet to be determined.

Well... look at it like this: Israel can just abolish the occupation in the West Bank and Gaza, over which their authority is illegal anyway.

[Novembro 1,763]

Well... look at it like this: Israel can just abolish the occupation in the West Bank and Gaza, over which their authority is illegal anyway.

And that would be awesome.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Israel can just abolish the occupation in the West Bank and Gaza, over which their authority is illegal anyway.

Yes they could. They could also just pack all their bags and move to Palm Springs. I doubt either is likely to happen in the near term, but one can always work toward these, or other possibilities.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Yes they could. They could also just pack all their bags and move to Palm Springs. I doubt either is likely to happen in the near term, but one can always work toward these, or other possibilities.

Well lots of Israelis move to Palm Springs. But the GOI is not likely to.

As for the occupation... it's almost over anyway, as the morphing into the next stage is nearing completion: a single apartheid state.

[Danno 1,228]

Well lots of Israelis move to Palm Springs. But the GOI is not likely to.

As for the occupation... it's almost over anyway, as the morphing into the next stage is nearing completion: a single apartheid state.

I admire people who cling to hope.....

But finish this sentence for me and we shall judge your optimism.

I WOM would bet my house and life savings .... that the Occupation will end by _______.

If I am right I will collect that same amount.

Wann play?

[Boiler 46,144]

When Allah (glory be his name) abolishes fatwas?

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

I admire people who cling to hope.....

But finish this sentence for me and we shall judge your optimism.

I WOM would bet my house and life savings .... that the Occupation will end by _______.

If I am right I will collect that same amount.

Wann play?

If you are right about what ?

[Danno 1,228]

If you are right about what ?

Not me.... if you are right on your time-line bet, you will collect a sum in the amount of your house value and life savings

(no one bets with nothing to gain).

Sorry for the confusion.

Care to name the date?

[Dan and Judy 614]

Lincoln was a tyrant, responsible for the deaths of 620,000 Americans.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Lincoln was a tyrant, responsible for the deaths of 620,000 Americans.

Gun nuttery killed more than that plus the number of all other American war casualties since the country was founded. And it did that in just the last 4 decades. Thanks to gun nuttery, that tree of liberty has been getting plenty of food over those last 4 decades. More than all the wars this country has ever fought could provide - combined.

Edited February 27, 2013 by Mr. Big Dog

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Not me.... if you are right on your time-line bet, you will collect a sum in the amount of your house value and life savings

(no one bets with nothing to gain).

Sorry for the confusion.

Care to name the date?

I think maybe you didn't understand my post.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I think maybe you didn't understand my post.

That is a very real possibility.

[Dan and Judy 614]

In theory, a movie house ought to offer a certain escape from this.

That's what Lincoln thought.