[TreesAndBirds]

1697383405[/url]']
Speaking of no-win situations...
https://nypost.com/2023/10/13/balthazar-...rael-post/

This NY Post story certainly drives home the folly of picking sides, because no matter which one you take, castigation awaits. I've stated I think both sides are terrible, so nobody can accuse me of being pro-either side of this stupidness.

But, I agree with this McNally guy and never would have deleted my post that got such a hostile reaction. When people resort to seemingly dead end acts when they have nothing, it's an indicator of how desperate they are. When people who have reached the point they don't think they have anything to lose so much that they are willing to sacrifice themselves, it's time to listen to them and find out what it will take for them to stop being so desperate, or would have prevented them.

Mary Antoinette stood in her luxurious threads while the masses had nothing, said "let them eat cake." and motivated them to take her head off. Dismissing the most important concerns of others never ends well, especially when those being dismissed have nothing to lose. Those who have something to lose need to at minimum placate those who have nothing or they will have hell visited on them from people willing to give up their own lives to express their dissatisfaction.

It's frankly just as embarrassing to me as a human that so many people don't grasp these realities and insist one side is right, as it is to see the human failure epitomized by the Israel-Palestine conflict in the first place.

Rodney King said it right: "Can we all get along?"

I disagree that “desperation” is the key factor here. Its certainly not the only significant one. The 9/11 suicide bombers didnt come from desperate circumstances. The Japanese suicide bombers during WW2 did what they did because they were taught that the emperor was god and they should sacrifice for him. I have read portions of the books used to educate the children of Gaza (in English translation) and they are horrific in what they teach about Jews and Israel. So please consider that it is how these young men are educated that is the key factor. 

Now of course circumstances in Gaza were bad before the war. So desperation would be understandable. But it didnt need to be that way.  When Israel withdrew from Gaza 20 years ago the population was half what it currently is. Its location on the Mediterranean is beautiful. Israel hoped that the people of Gaza would choose to build a good life and live in peace. It didnt happen. The leaders of Hamas chose something very different. 

All that said, you are welcome to listen to what these young men have to say. Because they are not looking to turn the area into a liberal democracy. Or anything close. They are looking to turn it into Iran (although more likely Syria would be the result). And I think people should hear that.

[TreesAndBirds]

1697383405[/url]']
Speaking of no-win situations...
https://nypost.com/2023/10/13/balthazar-...rael-post/

This NY Post story certainly drives home the folly of picking sides, because no matter which one you take, castigation awaits. I've stated I think both sides are terrible, so nobody can accuse me of being pro-either side of this stupidness.

But, I agree with this McNally guy and never would have deleted my post that got such a hostile reaction. When people resort to seemingly dead end acts when they have nothing, it's an indicator of how desperate they are. When people who have reached the point they don't think they have anything to lose so much that they are willing to sacrifice themselves, it's time to listen to them and find out what it will take for them to stop being so desperate, or would have prevented them.

Mary Antoinette stood in her luxurious threads while the masses had nothing, said "let them eat cake." and motivated them to take her head off. Dismissing the most important concerns of others never ends well, especially when those being dismissed have nothing to lose. Those who have something to lose need to at minimum placate those who have nothing or they will have hell visited on them from people willing to give up their own lives to express their dissatisfaction.

It's frankly just as embarrassing to me as a human that so many people don't grasp these realities and insist one side is right, as it is to see the human failure epitomized by the Israel-Palestine conflict in the first place.

Rodney King said it right: "Can we all get along?"

I disagree that “desperation” is the key factor here. Its certainly not the only significant one. The 9/11 suicide bombers didnt come from desperate circumstances. The Japanese suicide bombers during WW2 did what they did because they were taught that the emperor was god and they should sacrifice for him. I have read portions of the books used to educate the children of Gaza (in English translation) and they are horrific in what they teach about Jews and Israel. So please consider that it is how these young men are educated that is the key factor. 

Now of course circumstances in Gaza were bad before the war. So desperation would be understandable. But it didnt need to be that way.  When Israel withdrew from Gaza 20 years ago the population was half what it currently is. Its location on the Mediterranean is beautiful. Israel hoped that the people of Gaza would choose to build a good life and live in peace. It didnt happen. The leaders of Hamas chose something very different. 

All that said, you are welcome to listen to what these young men have to say. Because they are not looking to turn the area into a liberal democracy. Or anything close. They are looking to turn it into Iran (although more likely Syria would be the result). And I think people should hear that.