…
Something happened last week, that made me rethink and reevaluate my beliefs (?) or perhaps as someone who claims to be agnostic, I should not use the word BELIEVE, but instead call it opinion.
The inner voice! My feelings, my conscience, my moral compass, the part of me that (so far) hasn’t been bought, manipulated, or altered. An inner-core feeling, a heart-mind connection that is just there – always has been.
A little girl died. A mother left her 16-month-old baby girl Jailyn alone for 10 days and went on vacation in Puerto Rico. It happened here in Ohio, in the state where we live. The mother, Kristel Candelario, who was sentenced to life in prison for the death of her toddler blamed her mental problems for the decision to abandon her daughter.
I couldn’t help but think about our new inhumane, pro-life abortion laws that force women and girls into carrying out pregnancies they don’t want -or can’t handle. I can’t adopt a dog without being evaluated, why does the same logic not apply to people who want to become parents. I never understood. (Sorry, I got sidetracked.)
How can anybody leave a baby alone and go on vacation? The death of the little girl was gruesome. Left alone, lying in her feces, slowly starving to death. Frightened, being left unattended, forgotten. The little girl’s crying could be heard for days on the ring cameras in the neighborhood.
It hit me hard when I listened to the news and I couldn’t get the image – the story – out of my mind.
Human cruelty, is something I struggle with (don’t we all?)
But then slowly my inner vision shifted, away from Jailyn toward countries where babies, children and young mothers are being slaughtered.
Sudan! Rwanda!
And the latest genocide Gaza! (Don’t call it genocide, Bridget. You cannot criticize Israel and the Jews.)
I have to be on the side of Israel. I was raised to be loyal to Israel. My forefathers sinned, and I am carrying their guilt on my shoulders. I am from Austria! Austrians, and Germans, we have to stand with Israel.
Always? (No questions asked?)
What’s going on in Gaza is too much to bear. I cannot watch it anymore. (Then don’t look, isn’t that the new normal approach? “I can’t watch the news anymore, it’s just too bad.”)
“But I don’t stick my head in the sand,” never have and never will but I understand the impulse to do just that. Not seeing, means you don’t have to take sides. Pretending to not know, gives one the illusion to be innocent.
The other day I listened to a podcast from a reliable source, talking about a starving infant in Gaza begging his mother for food or milk. A simple wish the mother cannot fulfill. The mother is not going on vacation, her child is not abandoned, and the mother is not cruel. The mother and the child live in Gaza (don’t call it living) the mother and the child still exist in Gaza (there that’s the truth and it takes your breath away.
The podcast didn’t just make me weep, it crushed my heart and weakened my body for some time. The same reaction I had when I heard about baby Jailyn.
We need to make Israel stop killing innocent people now.
I canceled a dinner meeting with a Jewish friend. I am not ready to meet with her. I know she wants Hamas gone at all costs (all human costs?) I understand her anger. The attack on Israel was a cowardly act, violent and brutal – merciless and planned by evil. (Just like the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001).
Can you kill an ideology? Can you take a country away from people, and make it your own (yes, it’s called war.) Is everything allowed in war? (NO!!!)
How is it even possible to support a military action anywhere when cutting off water, food, medical supplies and other living necessities on a whole general population becomes the strategy of victory?
We send money and ammunition to Ukraine to help them defend the invader Putin. We send money to Israel, to kill terrorists (or to kill Palestinians?)
Imagine the uproar if the US had done the same in Afghanistan after the attack on the World Trade Center. Imagine we would have killed 30,000 civilians in the search for Bin Laden. (Imagine it please and let me know what you saw.)
Are Muslim lives less valuable? (Get rid of all people who are praying to the wrong god?)
As a child, I knew that many of my older neighbors in Austria, and many of the grandparents of my classmates in Germany, had been on the wrong side of history during WWII.
The Jewish people have been through so much. 80 years ago they were the target of a genocide and most of them were forced to leave the countries they once called home. I visited Auschwitz, and Dachau and didn’t eat for days. I have a hard time eating right now when I look at Gaza.
(I need my mind to be quiet)
I have Jewish friends. (What about your Muslim friends?) I am from Austria (so?) Haven’t Jewish people suffered enough in the concentration camps 80 years ago? (80 years and we still pay for it?)
I have to be loyal to Israel! (Why?)
They have a right to defend themselves and kill 30,000 Palestinians because Hamas, a terror organization, attacked Israel and killed 1200 Israelis, and took 130 (?) hostages. (Don’t you dare mention all the Palestinian kids who are held in Israeli prisons without trial, nobody wants to hear this now.)
What about the rights of the Palestinians? They have been controlled by Israel for decades. They are held prisoners in their own country.
The Jews have our religion (even though I don’t have a religion). They pray to the same god as most of the Western World. The right god, because the god the Muslims pray to doesn’t matter to us (why?)
Don’t you dare write a blog post about it, Bridget. (Well, too late now.)
Benjamin Netanyahu is not the problem. When he goes another one will take over just as extreme. 40% of Israelis have voted right-wing (which is fascinating all by itself. Have they not felt, and witnessed firsthand what that can do?)
Israel and the US? (Don’t go there?) If I criticize Israel or Biden, I will be called an antisemite. (Which is utterly nonsense but that’s how they play it.)
If you don’t vote for Biden, Trump will win. (Where is my place in history? Isn’t a vote approval?)
Trump selling bibles for $59.99 and his right-wing supporters are buying (it). If it wouldn’t be so sad it could be comical. Right-wing Christians. (Happy Easter!)
My grandma was part Jewish. I wonder what she would say right now. (You know, Briget. You know!)
A two-state solution? (Israel is bulldozing Gaza on purpose to make it unlivable.)
The Palestinians are up against Israel, Germany, the United States, and all of the other countries that make up the Western empire, and all of the world history of wrongs committed against the Jews for why and how they continue to be denied the dignity of human rights in their own lands.
South Africa is suing Israel. The 84-page filing by South Africa says Israel violated the 1948 Genocide Convention, drawn up in the aftermath of World War II and the Holocaust. The UN is speaking up. (Why don’t we listen?)
Genocide!
How a group of religious people who have experienced it themselves do it now to others, is hard to understand.
Just free the hostages!~
Anyone saying “All Hamas has to do is return the hostages and it all stops” is lying through their teeth. Netanyahu himself said they wouldn’t stop even if that happened.
What do I really think? (Crying over Baby Jailyn)
Israel has, in my opinion, used past treatment of Jews to push the limits of protection at any cost. During WWII around sixteen million people died in concentration camps, six million of them were Jews. I know that is not forgotten and the citizens of Israel are scared but the current government with Netanyahu is engaging in military overreach by doing nothing less than attempting to eradicate the population of Gaza by claiming they are only looking for members of Hamas.
But Netanyahu is not Israel! Yes, he is, they voted him in, just as many here will vote for Trump, who happens to approve of Netanuahu’s actions. (Trump needs to sell more bibles.)
My outlook on Israel has changed. They might win the war, but the battle is lost. I can never look at Israel the same way I did before. As a matter of fact, now I know where I stand (and so do you.)
I can no longer watch, read about it, and stay quiet.
I want to be on the right side of history (even though there is nobody who will ever ask me.)
RIP Jailyn
RIP children of Gaza
You are absolutely on the right side of history. What the Israeli government is doing is unconscionable.
America has also lost all moral standing with their support of this genocide.
I don’t believe I will ever look at the US again with affection or respect.
It’s simply mindboggling. Our tax money is used to give Israel money, our private donations go to organization helping the victims of Israel’s attacks.
I think while criticising jews is antisemitism to criticise the Israeli government is fair. We all criticise our governments on a daily basis.
You are spot on. I wish everybody would understand the difference.
Heartfelt. You are not alone.
Thank you, Rupali.
I admit I do stop watching the news… I have clinical depression and feel for all those facing difficult situations. But I always go back when I can because I know I should know what is going on in the world too.
I do feel for both sides and no matter what there is no winner. I could say a lot of “ifs” and “if nots” but history is set, what’s done is done it is the future we need to look to. Yes, I do think the hostages should be set free, I don’t see it happening though. Yes, I do think Hamas should be stopped, but since they are “hiding” there is no safe way to do so without innocents dying and that is where Israel is wrong. If only the leaders would go back to a good old fashioned dual to settle a dispute maybe not so many innocents would be caught in the crossfire. There is no war without loss and that is the worst thing about war. Next is the soldiers who are only following orders. It all leads back to the leaders who sit in a bomb shelter and ship out orders to kill no matter what…
“War is not good for children and other living things.” is so true. But those in power are too cowardly to actually fight and put there own lives on the line. what makes their lives more precious than the 18 year old soldier yet to live most of their lives yet?
This probably is just all babbling nonsense… it is hard to type fast enough to keep up with my answer in my head. Bottom line… it is painful to watch, but what can we really do? The leaders push us all around like either pawns or collateral damage. Better invest in a helmet and bomb shelter… it is coming for all of us before long I am sure. 🥹
Limit your news intake and go away from mainstream news. Try reuters.com facts only, no BS, no manipulation.
You are correct. It’s always the pawn that gets sacrificed and the king and the queens (or presidents) sit in their castles and mansions and laugh hard at our stupidity and willingness to fill their wallets.
The only problem with Reuters is I get no local news then… otherwise I do like them.
I read Reuters, know where (and when) to get my local news and I know where to get my world news. All in 30 minutes 🙂
There are no longer any rules to war. You are speaking for helpless children the world over
Yes. It is shameful. Biden said ease up on the bombing and just shipped more bombs. What sense does this make?
It doesn’t make any sense, Cindy. I am just glad knowing that I am not the only one who question our involvement.
Well, I am standing with you. x
Thank you for letting me know. I appreciate it very much.
Well it is adifficult one, so i do wnat to let you know. Obviously people take care what they say but I do know what you are saying re the all these years ago. And I have been remidned many times of that Lethal Weapon film–one of them–actually where the villain does awful things but claims diplomatic immunity. There’s no moving forward going down that road and I am appalled at what I am seeing re children women, men out there. xxxxxxx
Oh Bridget! What marvellous, heartfelt, thoughts and words. It is tempting to stop watching, and listening to, the news because it hurts and upsets so much, but we must listen, we must watch, and we must try to change opinions and actions. Otherwise we are complicit in all of the evil that is done, and said, by so many all over the world. I love Allan’s comment “Imagine if the only label a person had was their name. Wow.” Now that would really be something good!
You know I agree with you, Peter. Not watching would be like giving up -or in.
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph in the world is that good men (and women) do nothing. I liked that part about Allan’s quote very much.
Sidetracked=a great opinion, This post brings many stirring thoughts into my head and makes it hurt. I agree on some points and others…well I just want to say job well done.
Ernie, thank you for commenting. I get sidetracked easily these days. The thoughts are flying around like butterflies.
I didn’t mean to make your head hurt. 🙂
It’s all good, I meant as in makes me think.
I hear you darlin, and you’re not wrong. How do we live with ourselves sometimes? 😢💙
I wonder how the young generations will feel about all this in ten or twenty years. Thank you, Jo.
I hear you Bridget, and I stand with you. This was a courageous post and put in words the sentiments I have been struggling to understand and to organize. Thank you 🙏🏻
Interestingly enough I often sort my thought during writing. So much is going on in this world and there is just too much I don’t understand anymore.
I appreciate your comment. I am not sure if my post was courageous or downright blogging suicide (again.)
Happy (Easter) Weekend.
I am on your side on this one Bridget. As the Biblical nuanced saying goes…An eye for an eye, until the whole world goes blind. If American states or other countries want to forbid planned parenthood and abortion rights, then they need to make the babies so born, wards of the state and the state will support them for life. They also need to protect all life from guns, drugs, jails and such. As to Israel, this battle between two tribes of very similar peoples has been going on since time immemorial. Neither side will stop until the other is wiped out and all the invasion of Gaza is doing is creating more terrorists to perpetuate it. As to Biden’s culpability in the matter, he is trying to change things, but the lack of bipartisan cooperation is not helpful. What is the answer? Politicians who listen to their electors, not their party. Party politics is seldom about right and wrong, it is mostly about opposing whatever the other party wants. Kind of like life. We need laws that apply to all people rich or poor, famous or unknown and they need to be applied without delay. SCOTUS needs to somehow become about the law, not about which President or party appointed them. Left, Right, Woke, Moral Majority, Pro Life, Pro Choice, Protestant, Catholic, male, female, trans are all just labels. When did we stop being human? Wishing you a blessed Easter. Allan
“An eye for an eye, until the whole world goes blind” that Gandhi quote is remarkably true.
Imagine, a world were we finally all would be equal. A dream so far from reality, still I can’t stop hoping.
Human wishes and then there are politics, laws and regulations, god(s), money, power and greed.
One day humans will finally understand.
Apologies. Of course, Gandhi said it best. Right now, many think we are all equal, but that they are just a bit more equal. Imagine if the only label a person had was their name. Wow. As to finally understanding, I fear that will only occur right before the blinding light flash of annihilation. Sorry for being a Debbie Downer.