Tuesday, January 13, 2009

I don't think this defines "honesty" by a long shot...

I was sent this cartoon yesterday, it was named "Honesty" and came with the message:

Here's a political cartoon you're not likely to see in the world media. Yet, it sure 'hits the nail on the head.'




I don't know what definition of the word honesty they are using, but this is a real example of "honesty" in Gaza from Reuters:



These children were not killed by Hamas, they were killed by Israel. The whole mantra of Hamas is hiding within civilian populations on purpose is hard to argue from a point of logic for anyone that knows how small Gaza is and how many people are crowded within it. Trapped, unable to go anywhere and not even being safe in a UN marked school. I find it impossible to justify the murder of innocents based on Hamas rocket fire, it's over-kill. To borrow a line from The News Writer, "it’s not like shooting fish in barrel. It’s like dropping depth charges into the barrel."

Since December 27th, at least 940 Palestinians have been killed and over 4,400 have been wounded, countless others have had their homes totally destroyed with their only crime being they are trapped in Gaza. Some of those deaths and those wounded were babies, young children, Israel was not protecting them, they were murdering them. That's just counting this latest military operation, the number of dead children in the Gaza killed by Israel and who died because they were denied access to medical care is higher than those who died since December.

What else should be known about this cartoon if you are a parent in Northwestern Ohio is that those associated with the teaching profession, including Toledo Public Schools sent the cartoon out as a forward...

The additional message was to take this cartoon and "Spread it" - which I have just done.

11 comments:

Nunzia Rider said...

Or maybe if, as one of my commenters has said, the Hamas character in the cartoon were using a peashooter. But even then. Gaza is just too crowded. And as you've pointed it, this didn't just start happening last month. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has always seen more Palestinian civilians killed (see Lebanon, 2006). Remember the last Intifada? When the Palestinians were throwing rocks?

Unknown said...

That's a very good observation, this is not a scenario where both sides are equally armed. A pea shooter or a sling shot would be more accurate. I'd still disagree with the imagery that Israel is protecting babies and that Hamas is hiding behind them but that's what many seem to believe, in part I think because it makes it easier for them to try to justify the killing of women, children and men who had no connection to Hamas.

It's the ultimate in blame the victim mentality. If those people just wouldn't live there or if they would not let Hamas be in a building near them, they'd be alive. That only works as a theory if they actually have a choice in the matter of where they can come, go, or live.

Anonymous said...

How inappropriate for a school system email address.

Unknown said...

The original sender used his private email, but he's well known in the local blogging community as a commenter who has identified himself as a teacher. The person who forwarded it to me, I have no idea why he sent it to me.

If it would have been sent out using a school email address I would have reported it to the school system.

Roland Hansen said...

Okay, LisaRenee, I have no problem at all in telling you why I forwarded that cartoon to you. Heck, you should know me well enough by now to know that I have no problem in regards to being public with my real name, unlike the anonymous trolling flamers that seem to overwhelm many blogs and internet forums.
The reason is really quite simple. You write much about the Israel and Palestinian situation in your blogs and I thought you might be interested in seeing what was forwarded to me.
It does seem to have peeked your interest.

Unknown said...

The person who sent it to you was who I was focusing on in my reference to a teacher. It didn't pique my interest Roland, it made me realize how differently some of us see the world and I wondered if I were a parent who's child was being taught Social Studies by the teacher in question how would I feel, especially if I was a Muslim.

Roland Hansen said...

I am well aware of the teacher in that we have been friends for over 40 years. Incidentally, both of you were in attendance at my 60th birthday party at which that teacher "roasted" me.
While I do not know if the teacher expresses political biases in the classroom, I do understand what you mean about how you would feel, especially if you were a Muslim.
I am sure Jewish children are faced with the same dilemna in our schools in regards to their own feelings when they are deluged with non-Jewish lines of thought.

Anonymous said...

The cartoon is an effective means to "Other" Palestinians. It is very clever: the use of the baby has a pronounced effect on our imaginations. The cartoon, ridiculous as it may be, is conducive to the assumptions about the in-human-ness of the "Other" -- Palestinians. This, then, goes to justify our mystification of the state of Israel. What’s interesting is that these messages need not be connected in any way to reality; the “effect” is distinct from the “real.”

Unknown said...

Well Roland, if I ever receive cartoons that were sent out via email from a teacher that is anti-semitic? I promise to hold the same position.

I suppose the moral of the story is similar to the Crystal Dixon story, if you hold opinions of bias, it's not always a wise idea to express them in public.

Alex, thought provoking comment, it's one I would not disagree with.

Anonymous said...

LisaRenee,
A term like anti-Muslim should be used with great caution. I am NOT anti-Muslim!! I AM anti-terrorist/anti Hamas. When the twin towers and the Pentagon were attacked, according to Al-Jazeera, 80% of the Muslims worldwide opposed the attacks. I have no problem with Muslims at all! I also oppose the Jewish Defense League and any other extremist group.

Hamas consistently declares in all of its literature and all of its public pronouncements its commitment to the destruction of the State of Israel -- every man, woman, and child! The State of Israel is a tiny nation surrounded by enemies and potential enemies. 20% of Israel's population is Muslim. You don't see them leaving Israel! Why not?

Hamas is not an isolated, tiny group. For example, Hamas is strongly supported by a powerful, radical, extremist regime in Iran. Where do you think poor, impoverished Hamas gets the rockets? What would have happened if, instead of sending rockets (which Iran got through the Israeli "blockade"), Iran would have sent food and medical supplies?

Gaza also has a border with Egypt. Why hasn't Muslim Egypt allowed the food and medicines to flow into Gaza? Could this be because Egypt fears its own terrorists who also support Hamas!?

Unknown said...

In case you were not aware, that is the flag for Palestine.

If you do not know why Egypt does not let supplies into the Gaza, then you apparently are not aware of what Egypt fears. Egypt had control of the Gaza Strip quite a bit of time until Israel invaded in 1967.

I've taken the non-hypocritical position that the Arab nations should do more for Palestine. That has nothing to do with Israel continuing to kill innocents nor this cartoon.