For Mine Own Safety's Sake

Our fire is indeed friendly this week. Maybe it is the start of a whole new age. Gail and I seem to agree (Apocalypse Alert!), and I agree with both Rob and Earl. But here's the thing:

Obama's, or anyone else's, support of the existence of Israel as a Jewish State does not imply either hatred of or lack of sympathy for Palestinians. Nor does caring about the plight of Palestinians necessitate the rejection of Israel as a Jewish state. As Earl points out, lots of Israelis speak for peace, and ironically it is easier to do there than here.

This is not about fuzzy sentimentality. There are variations of two options. There is ongoing war--bitterness, attrition and escalation. This is lose-lose whatever the short-term outcome. There is peace--somehow peace, whether by treaty or just not killing each other on a one day at a time basis. That is win-win. There is no stable win-lose scenario.

People of good will (in my view, most of humanity) have to care about the poor and desperate and know, as Joe Louis said, "You can run but you can't hide." There were 16 killings in LA over the weekend. Most were gang related. Two societies one rich and educated and another lacking both education and opportunity cannot live side by side in peace. Not here. Not there. Not anywhere. I do not justify violence anywhere but its causes must call me and touch me. Why? If for no other reason than as Thomas Moore said in A Man for All Seasons, "For mine own safety's sake."