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Turning my back on Gaza

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Here are some of the excuses that I hear going 'round and 'round in my head for not responding to the siege in Gaza:
1. I don't understand the history
2. People have a right to defend themselves
3. I should read a book first about the history before I open my mouth
4. Well, people are dying right here in Chester, PA
5. Maybe they are only exaggerating the number of civilians being killed
6. Well, if Hamas would just stop their violence then the Israelis could be peaceful
7. If I speak out about the injustice that I see there, someone will call me out as a fraud, not really knowing what I'm talking about
8. Other black folk will be looking at me saying, "how do you have time to focus on those people, when our people are so oppressed?"
9. I'll be dismissed so, why bother?
10. It's all too big - too complex - been going on for so long that nobody can speak about it with any clarity -
11. I’m not living in the fear that the Jewish people endure, or the daily suffering of these Arab people, so I should shut-up and stay out of it
12. It's just too horrible to look at right now...rather focus on the Inauguration
13. Anyway, I’ve got tons of stuff to do.

And, so it goes on, filling my head so as to block out my senses. The senses that alert me that there is no justification, that the excuses are bullshit and that its time to speak out. THIS IS WRONG PERIOD. Just like bombing the people - babies, daddies, teenagers.... in Iraq was and IS WRONG PERIOD. IT NEEDS TO STOP!
Turning off my senses now means I can stay comfortable NOW and have amazing hindsight later. When will we be sick and tired of hindsight...It is totally inexcusable to allow hindsight to be an option when we have been shown the signs clearly - over and over again. How many lives, How many times?

My list of reasons serves to assure my place as signatory to the cover up contract, - covering the the seemingly unfaceable truths - the family that I deny, the work that I resist engaging in, the words that would have to flow strongly and powerfully from my lips and the actions that I would passionately undertake as soon as I really opened my eyes, my heart, my mouth, my mind and all of my senses - as soon as I opened my world and exercise my God-given RESPONSIBILITY.
http://www.gazasiege.org/

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