I am not a political person – big P, small P or middle-sized P. Wading into debate where feelings run high makes me feel queasy.
It’s not that I don’t believe these things matter or that I lack conviction. It’s just that I prefer to keep them to myself unless I’m absolutely 100 per cent convinced and rock solid on every aspect of every facet of every argument on the subject.
Of course you’ve seen me blogging up about the issues that are close to me, so close the focus is sharp. Women’s rights, journalism and what the independence referendum means to me, for example.
But how can I speak strongly on someone else’s fight when the details are sketchy to me. You need to get yourself pretty near to a person to know what ignites their passion.
With this in mind, I won’t pretend to know how the facts of the situation in Gaza translate to murderous passion for the Israelis and the Palestinians. I don’t understand how it feels to be on either side – how the history and anger flows through the veins of this conflict.
What I do know, however, with utter conviction, is that the killing and injuring of children – however it is dressed up – is wrong beyond measure. There is no wrong great enough to justify this as a reasonable byproduct. Not now, not ever.
Have we learned nothing in the century since the start of the “war to end all wars”? Good grief, those who marched off then couldn’t begin to imagine the so-called progress that would happen in the next 100 years, but they might have hoped they left a more civilised planet.
In all that humanity has learned and created, there must be something, surely, that can be used to find an end to the terror and bloodshed that continues to pour over the innocent.
I don’t know what the answer is – I don’t even fully understand what the question was – but can’t those who do, please, find a way to solve this. Nothing is more important than preserving life, how can it be?
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACgwr2Nj_GQ]
I wholeheartedly agree with every single word you've written. Praying for peace!!!
Let's hope something comes of the ceasefire.
Well said, Ellen. Thank you.
Not that it's likely to make much difference, but maybe if we all say it often enough.