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

Fri Jul 21 20:31:58 EDT 2006

Grace, that is a great statement. And it should be your quote, your statement as our candidate for governor! We could print it up with whatever other local, state, or national party statements on the other side of the sheet. Ity should be a press release as well. What do you think?

[As a factual matter I believe that both the Gaza and Hizbollah captures were on the borders, not within Gaza or Lebanon, but in effect the IDF military units that were attacked were border guards.]

-----Original Message-----
>From: gracegrnrnbw at aol.com
>Sent: Jul 21, 2006 7:39 PM
>To: etwee at earthlink.net, statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
>Subject: Re: [adcom] Re: [statecom-discuss] gr response to the recent round of terror
>
> Bill is right about this - we should avoid getting into this competition about all violence being equal. Physical violence that is backed up by huge power imbalances is not the same as physical violence that is not. I like Ron's point about avoiding the buzz terms of the right - like terrorist and suicide bombers.
> 
> But I have to say, what I miss most in all of these statements - is the raw, heart felt no brainer.
> 
> Like:
> 
> The GRP and its candidates join people across the world in our horror at the apparently purposeful attack against civilian, noncombatants by the Israeli government. We join the almost universal call for an immediate cessation of Israeli attacks of all kinds on Lebanon and Gaza - which have been widely recognized as war crimes. And we call on our own government to withdraw not only the illegal supply of fuel for Israeli jets and other direct military assistance in these attacks but all other forms of assistance - because as US citizens we demand that our government not make us culpable in the massacring of innocent people.
> 
> We recognize and believe credible sources that both Israel and the US government do not deny, that Israeli attacks were primarily initiated in response to the capture of a combatant in a military action outside the borders of Israel (right?). And that the Israeli government has refused any negotiation for release of the Israeli soldier beinng held or other peaceful resolutions. Instead, they have used their vastly superior military power, for instance, to bomb all civilian roads leaving Lebanon and then bomb civilian targets having trapped non-combatants in kill-zones. 
> 
> This is purposive massacring of civilians and we call on all people of conscience to join us in demanding immediate withdrawl of Israeli forces, cessation of military action and of all US support - we especially name all the political leaders in Massachusetts, both elected and aspiring, to check their facts and recall their humanity and remove their support for Israeli internationally-recognized criminal acts. If you cannot stand against crimes against humanity whereever they occur and by whomever they are purpetrated, how can you lead this state? How will you stand for the interests of we the people against, for instance, huge monied interests when tunnels collapse or global warming spirals in its negative impacts on the live sof the people of this commonwealth?
> 
> While this analogy is imperfect, we know that most batterers were battered themselves and we know that the young shooters in Columbine were emotional abused and socially ostracized before their acts of violence, that cannot excuse battering, nor massacring of school mates. Likewise, while we recognize the long history of oppression of jewish people across the world (including the US's exclusion of refugees from Nazi germany), that cannot excuse violent acts of aggression against other innocent people. Massive bombing of civilians cannot honestly be called "defense of Israeli people". And our obligation as true friends of people in Israel, like elsewhere in the world, is not to blindly condone agression, but like with a batterer, we must honestly name reality, put our bodies in the way of their target and refuse to support the continued violence. 
> 
> .......
> 
> Okay I ran out of steam - and all the other stuff folks have written is important too. but I am somewhere closer to the above.... Love, Grace
>    
> -----Original Message-----
> From: etwee at earthlink.net
> To: statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
> Sent: Fri, 21 Jul 2006 4:26 AM
> Subject: Re: [adcom] Re: [statecom-discuss] gr response to the recent round of terror
> 
>  Actually Colby, what "everyone else does" is to criticize the strong and the 
>weak, the invader and the defender  equally when boith sides are not equal....
>
>-----Original Message-----
>>From: "Colby E. Peterson" <saphron at verizon.net>
>>Sent: Jul 20, 2006 10:06 PM
>>To: Discussion List for StateCom members <statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org>
>>Subject: Re: [adcom] Re: [statecom-discuss] gr response to the recent round of 
>terror
>>
>>I won't participate in allowing this party to continue to be victims  
>>of Zionist media destruction because we aren't willing to broadly  
>>condemn violence.
>>
>>The reason we are on the defensive all the time is because we are not  
>>willing to apply equal principles to opposing parties. I am tired of  
>>fighting with outsiders (who are definitely reading all of this right  
>>now) about how a "peace party" is not readily prepared to criticize  
>>all violence. We are not criticizing anyone when we "call all parties  
>>to end violence and come about to a solution peacefully." How can you  
>>not support that? I'm tired of doing what everyone else does-  
>>romanticizing some or any movement when we know that peace and  
>>diplomacy is the only ultimate solution to this problem. We can state  
>>who's right and who's wrong based on our platform, but I am not going  
>>to sit by and let us become known as "the party that supports  
>>terrorism."
>>
>>- Colby
>>
>>
>>
>>On Jul 20, 2006, at 9:54 PM, david rolde wrote:
>>
>>> The resistance are defending the people using the
>>> means they believe are necessary. I won't participate
>>> in criticizing Palestinian or Lebanese resistance
>>> movements. - David
>>>
>>> --- "Colby E. Peterson" <saphron at verizon.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Yo, just one more thing!
>>>>
>>>>> 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.
>>>>
>>>> Yes, we all know how brutal and racist Israel is,
>>>> that's what this
>>>> statement is about. But we don't place the same
>>>> demands (or "calls",
>>>> as Bill put it better) on all parties, then we are
>>>> not being fair,
>>>> and we are implicitly aligning ourselves with those
>>>> who would use
>>>> violence to achieve their goals. That is a bad
>>>> situation for us to be
>>>> in. I urge us to reinsert the language that calls
>>>> for a "non-violent"
>>>> solution to this war- that's what we really care
>>>> about, right, the
>>>> end of fatalities?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Jul 20, 2006, at 6:17 PM, david rolde wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> 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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>
>Bill Cunningham
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Bill Cunningham