This spirited rally for Gaza was attended by at least 300 people; note that
there will be another tonight. While the focus here is on Palestine, the peace
community's perspectives on the Israeli and US governments are also relevant to
VFP's current discussion about Leah's trip to Iran, a country already suffering
from crippling US sanctions (remember our February Iran action? the "No War On
Iran" meme in every march?), despite its adherence to international law. It has
signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, for example.
A few simple points of fact: The U.S. has a vast nuclear arsenal and is
the only country that has ever deployed these weapons (Iran has none). Israel is
in open violation of the NPT with its huge "secret" stockpiles of nuclear
weapons. America's economic and military support of Israel has caused suffering
and death in Palestine, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and elsewhere.
Leah (and others with CodePink, UNAC, etc.) did the world a tremendous
service by trying to shine a light on U.S. drone killing of civilians in
Pakistan; her effort to do the same for what US sanctions are doing to the
citizens of Iran should, in my judgment, be encouraged. Obviously many Smedleys
disagree; but before decrying the mission, why not consider what's actually
known, and not known, about Iran, and what a delegation to Iran might teach
Americans?
Those of us who regularly attend local and national peace vigils and
speak-outs often discuss, to anyone willing to listen, the number of countries
the Obama administration is actually at war with; the reality of drone strikes,
"diplomatic" interventions and "humanitarian" wars; and (as only Nate and Tony
acknowledge) the fact that economic sanctions are indeed an act of war against
ordinary citizens. So even if Iran's leaders *were* "evil," it's important to
recognize that sanctions do nothing to hurt Iran's leaders.
Hope the following video provides more food for thought on how military
policy targets citizens/civilians. Peace, Joan
Re:
Video:
"March and rally for Gaza, Boston, Mass., November 15, 2012"
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For VFP, which (except for Ross Caputi) missed this event. There will be
another march tonight in solidarity with Gaza, whose bombing was approved by
Obama on Monday.
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Supporters of Palestine in Boston protest Israel's killing of civilians
in the Gaza Strip, marching to the Israeli consulate with music, visuals, and
chants against Israeli apartheid, the occupation of Palestinian territories, and
US military/economic support for Israel's crimes. Hundreds of activists from
many area groups, including Jews for Palestine, CodePink, the United National
Antiwar Coalition, and OccupyBoston, joined pro-Gaza protestors in other cities
around the globe; they also encountered a counter-demonstration by Zionists.
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