"Gaza is the world's largest open-air prison. Even calling the action against Palestinians in Gaza a war seems lacking in description. A war implies some equality in combat. What is happening in Gaza is a massacre by one of the world's most powerful armies, abetted by the silence of western nations." - Dennis Kucinich

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This sobering image from The Guardian, a perfect example of an illustration being worth a thousand words, is by well-known, UK-based political cartoonist Simon Farr.

In describing it, a Guardian blog notes, "hemmed in by barbed wire and brick walls as the bombs rain down, today's Guardian cartoon by Simon Farr illustrates the horror of life inside the Gaza Strip."

Former US Congressman Dennis Kucinich commented on it, also, saying:
"This image best describes what is happening in Gaza. Gaza is the world's largest open-air prison. Even calling the action against Palestinians in Gaza a war seems lacking in description. A war implies some equality in combat. What is happening in Gaza is a massacre by one of the world's most powerful armies, abetted by the silence of Western nations."

It's a poignantly, perfectly-timed illustration for this moment. Which is why it was surprising to discover that it was published, along with the blog mention above, on Dec. 31, 2008.

And not much has changed.

When I asked Simon Farr for his perspective, he said, "I am greatly saddened that the Israeli state continues to think that murdering women and children will weaken the resolve of the Palestinian people to resist oppression.
The opposite is true."

The 2008 Guardian blog also mentioned Mazen Kerbaj's arresting illustration, posted above and which carries a notation that it is "COPYRIGHTLESS. You are strongly encouraged to post it, print it, stick it on the walls of your city, and share it by any means with the biggest number of people you may know. please do mention/tag/link the author and/or his blog when it is possible."

An image can often offer a deeper sense of understanding than words can convey. And words that paint a visual image by using comparison or contrast are almost as effective as an actual image. For instance, Dennis Kucinich somberly notes that

"Gaza is experiencing the equivalent of three-and-a-half 9-11s EVERY DAY."

If this seems exaggerated, think again. He's done the math:

* The US has a population of 318 million. Gaza has a population of 1.8 million.
* The United States is 176 times the size of Gaza
* 1442 Palestinians have died in the 24 day siege of Gaza - Proportionate to 253,792 Americans
* On September 11, 2001, 2,977 innocent people lost their lives in the US
* Gaza is now experiencing the equivalent of three-and-a-half 9-11s EVERY DAY.



Kucinich notes:

We must distinguish between governments and the people who are governed.

We must reconnect with each other's humanity.

The plight of the Palestinian people is ultimately the plight of the entire world, locked into endless conflicts which make no sense, which could be avoided, which constitute enormous abuse of power and which bring the slaughter of innocents.

The end of every war inevitably involves negotiating with people you don't like or might prefer not to talk to.

Let our hearts be moved by the desire to end war once and for all.

Kucinich reminds readers that Gaza can be helped by donating to UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.)

Resources:

Dennis Kucinich's quotations were taken from his FOX-TV interview (click here) on Aug. 1, 2014, and his Facebook page.

Well known UK-based political cartoonist Simon Farrstudied Fine Art at Harrow and Portsmouth then lived and worked in London first as a railway guard, then as an arts administrator (Chats Palace in Hackney, the Albany Empire in Deptford), finishing up as a performers manager for Test Dept (avant guard pop), Cookie Crew (hip hop), IDJ (jazz dancers) before working as an Illustrator for the last 20 plus years. He has lived in the UK by the Suffolk seaside since 1999.

Authors Website: http://www.OceanViewArts.com

Authors Bio:

Meryl Ann Butler is an artist, author, educator and OpedNews Managing Editor who has been actively engaged in utilizing the arts as stepping-stones toward joy-filled wellbeing since she was a hippie. She began writing for OpEdNews in Feb, 2004. She became a Senior Editor in August 2012 and Managing Editor in January, 2013. In June, 2015, the combined views on her articles, diaries and quick link contributions topped one million. She was particularly happy that her article about Bree Newsome removing the Confederate flag was the one that put her past the million mark.

Her art in a wide variety of media can be seen on her YouTube video, "Visionary Artist Meryl Ann Butler on Creativity and Joy" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcGs2r_66QE

A NYC native, her response to 9-11 was to pen an invitation to healing through creativity, entitled, "90-Minute Quilts: 15+ Projects You Can Stitch in an Afternoon" (Krause 2006), which is a bestseller in the craft field. The sequel, MORE 90-Minute Quilts: 20+ Quick and Easy Projects With Triangles and Squares was released in April, 2011. Her popular video, How to Stitch a Quilt in 90 Minutes with Meryl Ann Butler can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrShGOQaJQ8

She has been active in a number of international, arts-related projects as a citizen diplomat, and was arts advisor to Baltimore's CIUSSR (Center for Improving US-Soviet Relations), 1987-89. She made two trips to the former USSR in 1987 and 1988 to speak to artists, craftpeople and fashion designers on the topic of utilizing the arts as a tool for global wellbeing. She created the historical "First US-Soviet Children's Peace Quilt Exchange Project" in 1987-88, which was the first time a reciprocal quilt was given to the US from the former USSR.

Her artwork is in collections across the globe.

Meryl Ann is a founding member of The Labyrinth Society and has been building labyrinths since 1992. She publishes an annual article about the topic on OpEdNews on World Labyrinth Day, the first Saturday in May.

OpEdNews Senior Editor Joan Brunwasser interviewed Meryl Ann in "Beyond Surviving: How to Thrive in Challenging Times" at https://www.opednews.com/articles/Beyond-Surviving--How-to-by-Joan-Brunwasser-Anxiety_Appreciation_Coronavirus_Creativity-200318-988.html

Find out more about Meryl Ann's artistic life in "OEN Managing Ed, Meryl Ann Butler, Featured on the Other Side of the Byline" at https://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/OEN-Managing-Ed-Meryl-Ann-in-Life_Arts-Artistic_Artists_Quilt-170917-615.html

On Feb 11, 2017, Senior Editor Joan Brunwasser interviewed Meryl Ann in Pink Power: Sister March, Norfolk, VA at http://www.opednews.com/articles/Pink-Power-Sister-March--by-Joan-Brunwasser-Pussy-Hats-170212-681.html

"Creativity and Healing: The Work of Meryl Ann Butler" by Burl Hall is at
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Creativity-and-Healing--T-by-Burl-Hall-130414-18.html

Burl and Merry Hall interviewed Meryl Ann on their BlogTalk radio show, "Envision This," at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/envision-this/2013/04/11/meryl-ann-butler-art-as-a-medicine-for-the-soul

Archived articles www.opednews.com/author/author1820.html
Older archived articles, from before May 2005 are here.