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2001-12-12 | 1:24 p.m.

I've mentioned before the mailing list I own that I find so intimidating that I can hardly bring myself to contribute to it. Currently, Rita and Patrick (friends with each other since childhood) are arguing heatedly over the Middle East. I'd like to sort out my thoughts enough to say something, but I only want to say something if it's useful, and so far I haven't been able to formulate anything like that. Certainly not with Jasper scaling Mt. Mama.

But my friend Charlotte, defending Israel, said something useful:

Did you know that Arafat, after condemning the recent suicide bombings, sent letters to the bombers' families which praised the bombers as glorious martyr-heroes? I don't endorse anything the Israeli government has done in the last year, and I think it needs to get the settlers out of the West Bank PRONTO, but really, can you blame Israelis for feeling a wee bit cynical about Arafat at this point?

I want to try to find a source for that, but assuming it's true (and I have no reason to doubt Charlotte, as she is generally well informed), it's really despicable. She goes on to say:

I appreciate what you said about your anger on visiting the WTC site, Patrick, and how it makes you understand the violent anger of others, but at some point the cycle of violence has to stop, doesn't it, if we're not all to go up in flames. Rabin and Barak were both wise enough to see that, and Arafat was playing ball for a while, but either he's become an ultra-cynical manipulator or he just can't control his own people (I tend to think the latter).

I would tend to agree with her. And I am grateful that Charlotte is brave enough to speak and to speak as intelligently as everyone else when Patrick is blowing like the West wind. I tend to side with Patrick on the whole but so many recriminations make for a sour taste in the mouth. I wish I could come up with something useful to say or do. I hate being such a chicken. All I can think is to stick to my principles (and the territory I know best) and speak out in defense of civil liberties in this country. Oh, and try to become better informed.

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