[statecom-discuss] gr response to the recent round of terror

[david rolde]

annie's statement isn't perfect. But in some ways I
like it better than Colby's. I have serious concerns
with parts of Colby's statement. 

Most importantly I object to us placing any demands on
Hizballah or the Palestinians such as Colby's
sentence: "We call on all parties to reopen
discussions  immediately and to stop escalating
violence in the region." The violence is entirely the
fault of the Zionist entity. We cannot place any blame
on people for defending themselves from brutal racist
colonial expansionist occupation.

The reason for using quotes on the word "Israel" is
because the word "Israel" and the word "Palestine"
refer to the same location. The nation of Palestine is
occupied by a colonial power that is trying to wipe
out the indigenous population and change the very name
of the country to reflect the identiy of the
colonizers. It is offensive to use the word "Israel"
to refer to all or part of the nation of Palestine
without some sort of disclaimer or explanation. Using
quotation marks around the word "Israel" is an easy
way to avoid the racist mislabelling of the country.
But perhaps the reason for the use of the quotation
marks is not clear to all readers, and an explanation
of the situation may be a necessary addition to the
statement. 

As to the dismantling of "Israel". Our statement on
Palestine says, "The Green-Rainbow Party of
Massachusetts rejects all apartheid-based governmental
systems and calls for a secular, democratic governing
entity for all people in the geographic region of
historic Palestine (today referred to by some people
as Israel, the West Bank and Gaza). We support a
democratic system with equal rights for all in which
the peoples of the region democratically decide their
future." Clearly "Israel" is a racist apartheid state
whose laws are based on one interpretation of the
Jewish religion (anti-Zionist Jews consider it to be a
terrible misinterpretation). So "Israel" as it exists
now needs to be dismantled in order for a truly
democratic government to come into existence in
Palestine. For clarity this could be explained in the
statement rather than just saying "dismantle 'Israel'"

 
Anyway, I started writing this email on Tuesday and
stopped in the middle because I had to leave to go to
the Communications Committee meeting. I hadn't
finished stating all my concerns with Colby's draft.
But in the meantime I have written another draft
statement based on Colby and annie's statements with a
lot of changes and additions.  I  honored the request
to not put "Israel" in quotes all the time and to make
specific demands for justice in all of Palestine
rather than simply calling for the state of Israel to
be dismantled. And I guess I wrote a draft without
using the word terror or terrorism or terrorist. Maybe
we should add something about state terrorism as Bill
suggests. Actually I'll quickly add that in and we can
see if Colby has concerns about it. I'll send my draft
in the next email.  - David

--- BillCunningham <etwee at earthlink.net> wrote:

> I agree with Colby's point 2. 
> 
> As to point 1, a terrorist act is not hard to
> define. We should find some way to say how Israel
> and the US are twisting words to justify a policy of
> State terror in the strictest sense of the word.
> 
> As to point 3, it is true that this would be a new
> position. But to dismantle Israel clearly refers to
> a State. I don't see that we have ever said anything
> about a secular State. 
> 
> We must find some way to respond to events more
> quickly. Our process is not very inspiring for
> people who might otherwise rally to our banner.
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> >From: "Colby E. Peterson" <saphron at verizon.net>
> >Sent: Jul 15, 2006 11:14 PM
> >To: BillCunningham <etwee at earthlink.net>,
> Discussion List for StateCom members
> <statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org>
> >Subject: Re: [statecom-discuss] gr response to the
> recent round of terror
> >
> >My disagreements with Annie's text (which I did use
> some parts from  
> >since I think some of it was good):
> >
> >1. I disagree with the use of the word "terrorist."
> Us labeling  
> >anyone a terrorist is just as bad as our opponents
> labeling anyone  
> >terrorists, which is a term that is used to inflame
> emotions due to  
> >its all too vague definition at this point.
> >
> >2. I disagree with the use of quotations marks when
> referring to  
> >Israel. Israel is not an idea, it is a place where
> real people live.  
> >Some of us may disagree with its existence, what we
> cannot credibly  
> >deny its very existence. It also changes the tone
> of the statement  
> >and makes it less professional-reading against our
> advantage.
> >
> >3. I do not agree with the specific call to
> "dismantle Israel," as  
> >our goal has not specifically been to dismantle the
> people that make  
> >a nation, but our ultimate goal is for ALL peoples
> in the historic  
> >Palestine region to be treated equally and not
> under an oppressed  
> >system of apartheid, which we have defined as a
> secular government.  
> >This may mean that Israel is inadvertently
> disassembled, but it may  
> >follow a different scenario to equal rights and the
> end of oppression  
> >similar to South Africa where the country stayed
> but the groups were  
> >effectively integrated, but I do not think we
> should state that  
> >Israel be disassembled at this time.
> >
> >Those are my concerns.
> >
> >- Colby
> >
> >
> >On Jul 15, 2006, at 5:46 PM, BillCunningham wrote:
> >
> >> These two responses don't seem so different to
> me. Would Colby  
> >> explain why he doesn't agree with annie's text?
> >>
> >> Mike sent out a series of statements by Democrat
> politicians in  
> >> support of Israel. I think that annie's statement
> shows a point-by- 
> >> point refutation of those Democrat statements,
> showing that the  
> >> truth of the matter is the exact reverse of the
> Israel/Democrat  
> >> position.... Would annie agree to have us quote
> each Dem statement  
> >> and follow it by her corresponding statement?
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: "Colby E. Peterson" <saphron at verizon.net>
> >>> Sent: Jul 15, 2006 9:59 AM
> >>> To: "Green-Rainbow Party (GRP) Administrative
> Committee"  
> >>> <adcom at green-rainbow.org>, Discussion List for
> StateCom members  
> >>> <statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org>
> >>> Subject: Re: [statecom-discuss] gr response to
> the recent round of  
> >>> terror
> >>>
> >>> My proposed language for a response:
> >>>
> >>> 	The Green-Rainbow Party has in the past
> affirmed in Palestine's
> >>> right to defend itself from an illegal
> occupation and the illegal
> >>> actions of Israel. We today reaffirm that
> Palestine has that right,
> >>> and we stand with the oppressed. We find
> Israel's actions to be out
> >>> of line with international law and, in terms of
> a response to the
> >>> capture of a handful of soldiers, completely
> disproportionate in
> >>> scale. We find the deliberate bombing of
> civilian infrastructure and
> >>> the death of civilians to be war crimes, and
> call on Israel to cease
> >>> any and all offensives immediately and leave
> Palestinian and Lebanese
> >>> territory forever. We call on all parties to
> reopen discussions
> >>> immediately and to stop escalating violence in
> the region.
> >>> 	The Green-Rainbow Party repeats its call on all
> invested parties,
> >>> including the United States, to divest from or
> cease foreign aid to
> >>> Israel immediately to stop funding of the
> killing of civilians, the
> >>> destruction of property, and the perpetuation of
> an apartheid  
> >>> society.
> >>> 	Those who finance, direct, or otherwise support
> acts like these
> >>> need to understand that they have produced an
> extremely dangerous
> >>> situation and that they are responsible for the
> consequences. We call
> >>> on the UN and international community to take
> action to stop the
> >>> bloodshed and condemn and then sanction Israel
> for its illegal  
> >>> actions.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> On Jul 15, 2006, at 8:37 AM, annie butler wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> and now for our response.  i hope it sounds
> familiar since i used
> >>>> the words our duly elected as the outline for
> the text below.  does
> >>>> statecom respond, ad com, mrgra...all of us? 
> annie
> >>>>
> >>>> At a time when Palestine finds itself under
> occupation and attack
> >>>> by forces funded and supplied by the United
> States, the Green
> >>>> Rainbow Party of Massachusettes  stands
> shoulder-to-shoulder with
> >>>> Palestinians in support of its right to defend
> itself and people
> >>>> from terrorist and militant attacks.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> The Green Rainbow leadership strongly condemns
> the bombing of the
> >>>> Lebonese airport  by soldiers bought and paid
> for with our tax
> >>>> dollars.  Countries with influence over
> "Israel", particularly the
> >>>> United States, must move quickly to bring about
> the end of the
> >>>> current round of rocket attacks in Gaza and
> positions in Lebanon.
> >>>> Those who finance, direct, or otherwise support
> acts like these
> >>>> need to understand that they have produced an
> extremely dangerous
> >>>> situation and that they are responsible for the
> consequences.
> >>>> Palestine, and now Lebanon, have an inherent
> right to self defense.
> >>>>
> >>>> Today's attacks by "Israel" into Lebanese
> territory were
> >>>> disgraceful and unwarranted acts of violence by
> a terrorist
> >>>> organization. "Israel" must release any
> captured civilians or
> >>>> soldiers immediately. "Israel" must be
> dismantled, and all nations
> >>>> have an obligation to
> >>>> cease any and all assistance to this terrorist
> organization.
> >>>>
> >>>> If the world is serious about peace in the
> Middle East, then
> >>>> "Israel" needs to be held accountable for
> feeding, fostering, and
> >>>> unleashing, rabid, blood-spattered killers. The
> money, weapons and
> >>>> political support "Israel" receives the United
> States is  not
> >>>> uncontrollable or a natural phenomena and the
> international
> >>>> community must demand that they stop.
> Cross-border attacks on any
> >>>> country by "Israel" should result in tough
> international sanctions,
> >>>> and the UN Security Council should immediately
> pursue this option.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>> statecom-discuss mailing list
> >>>> statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
> >>>>
>
http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/statecom-discuss
> >>>
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> statecom-discuss mailing list
> >>> statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
> >>>
>
http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/statecom-discuss
> >>
> >>
> >> Bill Cunningham
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> statecom-discuss mailing list
> >> statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
> >>
>
http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/statecom-discuss
> >
> 
> 
> Bill Cunningham
> _______________________________________________
> statecom-discuss mailing list
> statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
>
http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/statecom-discuss
> 


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