The Combatant's for Peace is billed as a Courage of Conscience Speaking Tour. The latter part of the title compelled me to examine what courage means and who and what we praise in the name of it. I wonder how many of us Americans are showing courage by taking any actions that might involve risk, vilification, danger and possibly death in order that we could in some small measure help to save the homes, livelihoods and even lives of any of millions of Palestinians.

The Palestinians who have been living for decades in squalid refugee camps after being forcibly removed from their homes and land just because someone else wanted it. The Palestinians who are now suffering starvation, nightmarish fear and death in the Gaza strip just because the UN does not have the courage to defy the US and Israel by sending convoys with food to keep the Gazans alive. The Palestinians who watch daily as Caterpillar bulldozers sent by the US and driven by the Israelis destroy their homes. The Palestinians who are vilified in the US media for trying desperately to express their cries for help. The Palestinians who eventually ARE going to be forcibly  removed from their homes and their lands to go who knows where? The Palestinians who cannot legally flee to any other country because those countries don't have the courage to risk harboring  them. The Palestinians who risk being branded as terrorists if they happen to reside in any country.

I did not attend the speaking engagement because I could not in good conscience condemn people who take any desperate measures they can, including the use of rocks, sling shots, home made rockets or anything else to express their rage and to save themselves from the fate that I and my fellow Americans, Europeans, Israelis, Jews, Catholics, Protestants  condemn them to because none of us have the courage that the Palestinians have.
 
Elaine Antonia
March 14,2008

Elaine Antonia@hotmail.com