Before we start in on this, a little background on me. I am a Christian. I am a woman. I am a Republican. I am a conservative. I support my constitutional right to carry a gun and to own as many as I want. I love Hobby Lobby and what they stand for. Everything else that I want to say about what I believe...will have to wait for another time :-)
Here we go. God help me with the backlash I am going to receive from my liberal friends...
If you're a news watcher, well ok...right now, if you're a human in our world, you've heard/seen/talked about the Israel and Palestine/Gaza "conflict". Let's call a spade a spade and talk about what this really is. It's a war. Every day, innocent civilians, women, and children are being wounded and killed...on BOTH sides. And my heart aches.
From the time I was a child and my parents taught me the "kid" prayer. Come on, you know it, it goes, "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep"...and my parents, from the time I was young enough to pray this prayer, taught me to pray for "peace in the Middle East". I never knew what that meant, and I never really explored it much, until now. Shame on me for never knowing. Or researching. I can try and excuse it and say that it was happening on the other side of the world, why would I care or think to explore? But I can't even say that excuse because of the constant conflict I saw and experienced with the fighting that happened at my VERY diverse high school between different groups of people. The same groups of people that are shooting 100+ rockets a day back and forth at each other today.
As I hug my babies in my cool house while we have our AC running (a luxury I always take for granted), I hear my kids show playing downstairs as I clean up lunch stuff, and hear a sound from the music of their show ending that resembles some of the rocket siren warnings that I've heard on different videos played out on the media. I can't imagine my 5 year old knowing the drill for what that awful "warning siren" means. It means finding some kind of shelter, laying down and cradling your knees, and if you can't find shelter, it means curling up into a fetal position and protecting your head and neck from a possible explosion from a rocket fired from people who hate you...simply because of who your ancestors are. And because of what you believe. Knowing that you have to stay there for at least 10 minutes, just in case they sent over one of those trick rockets that will explode 5 min after it lands, with the hope of injuring unsuspecting people that are leaving their shelter spots. You guys, I can't. I just can't.
The title of my post is "I stand with no one" and that's exactly how I feel. I stand with no one. But, I will tell you WHAT i stand FOR. I stand for the rights of the Jewish people. To live in their free state without constant threat from nations around them. I stand for the rights of the people of Gaza, who are under a terrorist organization who are hiding behind the mask of "government". I stand for the rights of the children being hung on fences by Hamas (said terrorist organization mentioned above) to prevent the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) from shooting rockets at the target. I stand for every single child who is growing up around the terror and disgusting environment that is war and hatred. I stand for peace in the Middle East. I stand for tolerance of people that are different than ourselves. Whether it's looks, beliefs or who they pray to, I stand for peace.
Let's explore some of what I said above. How might Hamas know where the IDF is planning on sending their rockets? Because Israel has given them warnings about where they will be targeting. So, naturally an organization that liberal media keeps defending, an organization that I will call out as a TERRORIST organization, is hanging children on fences in front of said target. You know, because that's how a government that "loves it's people" acts. I don't think so.
The candid thoughts and words are about to start flowing...so if you're pissed off at my views already, I encourage you to stop reading...
Ive heard the reference, Zionism=Terrorism. Let me tell you what equals terrorism. Hanging children in front of KNOWN targets and using them as human shields. I mean, WHO DOES THAT? Storing and hiding rockets and bomb supplies in schools and hospitals. A government (Hamas) who executed 20 people who protested against them. Terrorism is 'the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims'. Controlling your people by keeping them hungry, sick, in a constant state of war. Using kids as human shields. Firing thousands of rockets into densely populated areas of Israel.
I've been asked by my liberal friends, "what two sides do I see with this conflict? Because there is only one side", and I'll tell you exactly what I see. I see the people of Gaza hurting, wounded, hungry, scared, alone, many orphaned, dead, abandoned by their own government and terrorized. I see our liberal media defending the actions of Hamas/Palestinian government in the name of #freepalestine. Gazans need to be freed from the clutches of Hamas so the fighting will stop. I feel for the Gazan people as much as I do for the Israeli people. But, I have to be honest, I am so sick of people blaming Israel for what's happening. Gazans are trapped under Hamas, children and innocent civilians are being killed every day because they don't value anyone's lives, not even their own. They [Hamas] have initiated, continued and WILL CONTINUE to fuel this conflict...all in the name of destroying Israel. I believe Israel has the right to protect itself, as well as I believe the people of Gaza have the right to live prosperous and happy lives. Until Hamas is stopped and dismantled, this will never happen and the fighting will continue. They will destroy anyone and anything in their path. They consider dying for their ideology, a way of worship. Unfortunately, others are being affected and will continue to be affected as long as people keep spewing this anti-Semitism crap.
One of the best quotes I've heard so far is this, "If Hamas were to lay down their weapons, there would be peace. If Israel were to lay down her weapons, she would cease to exist."
I've heard comparisons of Nelson Mandela and MLK Jr to Hamas. Because many didn't' support them either but in the end they are celebrated....or some ridiculousness like that. Let's all laugh at that comparison and move along and not muddy the waters with comparisons that are NOT the same thing. I've heard it SCREAMED all over the media that Israel is the oppressor. Israel isn't oppressing anyone, they are simply defending themselves against a group that is radical and out to destroy them. In speeches to the Palestinian people, Hamas leader, Khaled Meshaal said, "Palestine, from the river to the sea, belongs to us and no one else." and "Before Israel dies, it must be humiliated and degraded." Umm alright...but you're not a terrorist organization? You don't hate Israel? Ok...pardon me for quoting your own ridiculousness. Hamas refuses to live in peace with Israel. I think we all know who the oppressors are.
As far as the comparisons to people like NM and MLK Jr...I can't. Not. The. Same. Maybe if MLK or NM had a laundry list of war crimes, bomb making supplies and rockets hidden in schools and hospitals, and pictures leaked of them using children as human shields...? Maybe then you could try comparing them....oh wait, no. ALL OF WHICH apply to Hamas. Please. For those of you who "don't know" what Hamas is, look at what they are doing to the Gazan people!!
All in all, my thoughts come down to this....
The oppression of the Gazan people needs to end. TODAY. Unfortunately, there are enough people who refuse to see at who's hand this war is being fueled and provoked...people who refuse to see who is actually oppressing those poor, innocent civilians and children. Instead of acknowledging that it is at the hand of the terrorist organization, known as Hamas, people would much rather pin this on Israel because she defended herself when provoked and attacked.
I stand for the freedom of all people. For the freedom to be able to live in your home and not fear a rocket destroying your house. Whether you live in the Gaza strip, Tel Aviv or Grand Rapids.
To the people of Israel and the Jewish community, please be comforted and encouraged by these words...
'Israel, The Lord who created you says,
"Do not be afraid, I will save you. I have called you by name - you are mine. (2) When you pass through waters deep, I will be with you; your troubles will not overwhelm you. (3) For I am The LORD your God, the holy God of Israel, who saves you. (4) I will give up whole nations to save your life, because you are precious to me, and because I love you and give you honor.....(7) for they are my own people, and I created them to bring me glory."
- Isaiah 43: 1-4, 7
I think that pretty much sums it up!
I apologize for my candid rant. But I am SICK of little children dying at the hands of adults who can't and won't resolve this and live in peace. I've HAD it!
