Eleven thousand sisters, brothers and cousins in the Family of Father
Abraham-including 1,500 youth representing 400 schools and 215 universities and
500 journalists from 2 dozen countries were welcomed by Lee Rosenberg, the
President of AIPAC who said:
"We are here because we care and decided to do something."
Do Something has been a mantra of mine ever since my first of 7 trips to
Israel and Occupied Palestine.
Because I care so much and love America and the promises and spirit of Israel's Declaration of Independence:
"On the day of the termination of the British mandate and on the strength of the United Nations General Assembly declare The State of Israel will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel: it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion it will guarantee freedom of religion [and] conscience and will be faithful to the Charter of the United Nations." - May 14, 1948, The Declaration of the Establishment of Israel
I recently decided to live out a dream I began dreaming after my first trip in 2005: to run for U.S. House of Representatives.
I decided it was no longer enough to just write my broken heart out over the 44 years of military occupation of the indigenous people of the so called Holy Land-which is in pieces; disconnected enclaves that in no way can become a sustainable Palestinian state if this map remains the same:
And because "Everywhere except in America, the Palestinian narrative is well known." -Rashid Khaladi Read more...
My conscience compelled me to attend AIPAC's annual conference to
listen, learn and discern and also so I could introduce myself as a
reporter who has been to Israel 7 times since 2005 [I did not mention I spent
most all my time in occupied Palestine] because knowledge brings
responsibilities so I am looking for a district in Florida to represent in the
House.
Everyone responded to me warmly and I felt a kinship with all, but the rebel in me rejoiced that if and when any click onto my website I will blow their mind.
As PRESS I could have been in the audience for Prime Minister Netanyahu's address at Monday night's gala, but I chose to remain outside the door greeting all with "Shalom, I love America and Israel so much that I am running for Congress."
Most all accepted my business card, some ignored me and one young man hit the card out of my hand. No doubt he acted out as a reaction to the vocal activists affiliated with Move AIPAC Over [and as the founder of We Are Wide Awake I am an endorser] who seized their right to free speech to demand an end to the occupation and oppression of Gaza Palestine.
During the gala about a dozen courageous activists vocally rose up and
one was tackled and injured by AIPAC participants.
During Netanyahu's address to Congress on Tuesday morning, just after the Prime Minister spoke about the youth around the world rising up for more democracy, 28 year old CODEPINK activist Rae Abileah was assaulted and forced to the ground by AIPAC members in the House Gallery as she stood up with a banner that read "Occupying Land Is Indefensible" while shouting, "No more occupation, stop Israel war crimes, equal rights for Palestinians, occupation is indefensible."
Rae was arrested by police at the George Washington University Hospital in D.C. where she was being treated for neck and shoulder injuries. She had no regrets for her physical pain and said she stands in solidarity with the Palestinian and Israeli activists who are routinely jailed and beaten for speaking out for democracy.
I applaud the chutzpah of these vocal activists; but I choose a different way to rise up for it has been understood for millennium that if you want to change the world: WRITE!
"I understand the need to engage in a peaceful and civilized conversation."- Sasha Matthews, AIPAC Campus Activist from Florida A&M University.
Sasha spoke those words and shared her story during a Sunday AIPAC break-out group, "From Campus to Congress: Deflecting Detractors and Exerting Real Influence."
Sasha also explained, "I am a baby in this movement and I am not Jewish or political. As a Christian I learned about the historical ties to the Jewish State in church, but I had only a lukewarm interest."
America and Israel partner closely in the field of science and technology and as a physics student Sasha, "became engaged" and was then "bombarded" with information from AIPAC.
Sasha
said, "My issue is getting students involved and the focus of my action is to
attract students in general with balloons, music and food and then bombard them
with all the information-ammo that AIPAC provides.
"I have partnered with FSU's Hillel [The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life] as
I understand the need to engage in a peaceful and civilized discussion."
Before Sasha spoke, the facilitator brought up the work of Mearsheimer and Walt, and as he was no fan, chances are that most of the AIPAC campus activists have not yet read:
The Israel Lobby by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt
Read more...
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