Image quote above: Ben Sheehan. @bensheehan

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Do we really want Peace?

I’m half-Jewish. (My last name isn’t Lewis).

Written about anti-Semitism for years, often in response to being called just privileged, just “white.”

What the terrorist group Hamas has done is unspeakably evil, born of misusing hurt into hate.

I’m half-not-Jewish.

What the Israelis have long done to Palestinians is deeply hypocritical, evil.

We can and must hold both truths in our hearts. We must hold all truth in our hearts, and reject the rest.

Hate creates further hate.

Aggression builds up that which we hate, as Daryl knows, and as we are taught in Buddhism.

Terrorism breeds terrorism. Oppression breeds oppression. Dehumanizing any one of us dehumanizes ourselves, and encourages “other” to dehumanize us. Israel has a right to peace. Palestinians have a right to peace. Netanyahu is cynically using this, as are extremists on both sides.

9/11 here in America turned grief and worldwide solidarity against aggression into aggression: into trillions of dollars that could have been spent on healthcare or college loans or infrastructure into blood, into blood, into generations of new trauma and hate.

Others have written this more eloquently. But peace is not happy-happy, it’s anti-BS. I see a lot of BS right now. When I see vigils tonight and folks flying flags, I remember that humanity is more than rah-rah football team. Our grief must be shared. Their grief must be shared, if we want Peace.

A vigil for one side not the other is part of the problem.

Do you want Peace? Peace is possible, it’s messy, but it’s possible…as we’ve seen in Ireland vs. the UK.

I’m just not into fake peace and I just hope you aren’t either. Solidarity for one side but not the other can be tribal, which is part of the problem.

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Waylon’s reflections on October 12th, 2023: 

Or, listen as a podcast: 

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