By Victoria Stewart
I have no glib phrases and no words of comfort. The images that superimpose themselves on this computer screen, on the walls and bookcases and art that surround me are of children dead and dying, children injured, bloodied and frightened in a tiny strip of land that is being bombed into rubble as I sit here.

I can only imagine the horror of huddling in dark and perilous ruins while bombs fly overhead. I can only imagine what it is like to be cut off from food, water, heat and shelter, my children hungry, cold, frightened, injured and without adequate medical care. My children dead. I can only imagine that pain.

And I can also imagine what I would feel toward the people and the governments responsible for harming and murdering my children. I can imagine what that would feel like in a post 9/11 world, a world where the most ferocious military machine in existence is floundering in its wars of aggression, a world where the poor and the powerless and the disenfranchised are left with no choice but to fight back against the violence of monstrous oppression. I can imagine what it feels like to know that I am going to die and to decide to die fighting.

I can only imagine. My children are safe, warm, happy. I am blessed. So tonight I weep and know my pain is hollow when compared to the suffering of those shattered by Israeli bombs.
(c) 2009 Victoria Stewart is the editor of Issues & Alibis magazine.


http://www.issuesandalibis.org/

Yes I am home with my kids on this cold snowey night in Northeast Ohio, Both my kids have friends over watching the Cavs game in front of a nice cozy woodburner I can hear them laughing and jokeing. They have no clue what an ugly world this is. Its typical for we americans to have no clue but they have an excuse being children. There will be no "can drive"for the kids in gaza at school. NO donated toys or other trinkets no blood drives etc etc. This attrocity is being swept under the rug. So much for a liberal media eh?

everyone wants to get paid somehow, and often times no one wants to hear the truth..

no child should have to know those atrocities, but the whole country the whole world, would have to stand up and act..the able are much more adept at turning their heads

Beautiful....

The true atrocity is that a terrorist organization can be "elected" to govern and then hide its militant factions in religious and educational facilities.

So much for dignity.

Being they represent the people of Gaza why wouldnt they be among the people? do you expect them to go to an open field and be napalmed?

If our government stood idly by why some folks launched rockets into Mexico, would you feel bad when they were not re-elected? Would you endorse them for hiding in your church? Would you open your door for a terrorist to hide in your basement?

If someone took a shot at you from a church durring mass would you level it to the ground with all the innocents within?

If the church had been hiding shooters for years and years repeatedly ... YES. But first, I'd tell the citizens to move out of the way ... just like Israel.

Well of course I think they had no were to go except to surrender. I as a tax payer and a member of a debtor nation am sick of my country sending 8 million a day to Isreal in economic aid so they can exterminate 1.5 million people in GAza be it through the blockade or bombing. Shame on them and shame on your for defending it.

Extermination???? Do you read at all?

I don't defend war at all. I just don't endorse terrorist governments.

I guess you are pro-Hamas then? YES OR NO? Circle one

I support democracy and they were elected by the people of Gaza in a fair election. I suspect you are not the person who reads. I object to war crimes and crimes against humanity no matter what color or religion. I wont degenerate to an argument of symantics. I suggest you google the Geneva conventions. Or even the declaration of the rights of man

When you properly spell semantics, we can talk about who reads more.

You had a composite picture of Bush as Hitler for your profile. Is this not indicative of a person who is fanatical and extreme in opinion?

When Canada starts bombing you and your union sycophants, take care of it on your own. The US Government shouldn't protect you according to the Geneva Conventions.

If Canda starts shooting inefective missles in retaliation for a blockade I promise not to bomb a hockey match with my F 15's

Is there such a thing as an ineffective missile? When it makes the sound "KABOOM," is it not a success? And do you think the Canadian government would continually allow its citizens to launch said "ineffective" MISSILES? Or do you suppose they would halt them from being fired again in the interest of its people?

OH LOOK: Israel just allowed 25 tanks with food into Gaza again.

WAIT, you think CNN is a government proganda outlet right?

I'll check Fox.

Oh lets talk about the UN convoy attacked by Israel killing two UN drivers. I personaly think world opinion actualy supports Gaza once again america is on the wrong side.

On behalf of the United States of America, you are welcome to leave at any time. In fact, I will drive you to the airport. Your cynicism is of no value to our future here.

YES WE CAN.

my good man its the american way to have an opinion. Its so so unamerican to deport those who are differant. It reminds of of the German efforts of the late 1930's to kick out the jews. But that is the core of it eh? Bush has led this country so far off track up is down and left is right. Pigs fly and fox news is fair and ballanced

As much as we may disagree, I wouldn't deport you. I would, however, drive you the airport if you wanted to leave willingly.

Good talk ... I'm out for now.