So, hasn’t everything been busy lately?
First of all, I would like to bring to light what could be seen by many to be a rather obvious topic, the inauguration of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States of America. I’m sorry if this is late, I apologize if every single blogger on the web has spewed out empty thoughts on this matter, but the straight, simple fact is that a great number of people (myself included, to an extent) thought that we would never see an African American standing on the steps of the White House, being sworn in as leader of the world’s most influential superpower.
This leads me conveniently on to what I feel was something of a talking point for the ceremony, the issue of race. I mean, of course it is a great thing that the American public has shown it’s decency and grasp of equality by voting in a black President, but the televised inauguration was riddled with what I considered to be needless references to the colour of his skin. Yes it was something that should have been mentioned, yes his rise to power against all odds was something that should have been celebrated, but to mention it as much as they did somewhat undermined exactly what they were trying to glamorize. The fact that a man who fifty years ago wouldn’t have been able to get a respectable job could become the most powerful man in the country the same as anyone else. By commenting on it so much, they almost turned it into an attraction, an advertisement for modern American liberalism. Perhaps I’ve spoken ahead of myself, I mean, they didn’t comment on it half as much as I thought they would, and it is a major feat. It just hope that Barack Obama is remembered as more than just “the first African American President”, I hope he is remembered as “A competant, strong willed President” with the issue of his race backlighted in favour of what the man actually does during his term(s). Whatever happens, the ceremony was beautiful, and clearly touched hearts and reached minds around the world (some excellent pictures from the day can be found here – http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/01/the_inauguration_of_president.html).
I apologize if that made no sense, as ever I tend to spurt out my thoughts without really thinking them through. Consider it the written form of cinema verite… Or gibberish, depending on how much you like me.
Now, I feel it prudent to mention the ongoing military action (or, as some would call them, crimes) being waged by the Israeli Defense Force in the Gaza Strip. This is a topic that most people have some sort of opinion about, and I myself have been questioned time and time again on “who I support” in this conflict, as if it were a football game. Because of this hollow ground, it is with a degree of moderation I attempt to write this: I have been following the events in the Gaza strip closely, as the politics of that region, as well as the history of the State of Israel itself, interest me. Perhaps this could be considered trivialization, but the situation could be explained using the example of a small child that has received nothing but disdain and scorn from every social group that they attempted communication with. Eventually, this child is going to grow bitter, angry and disillusioned, and will seek security and, to an extent, solitude. Once this is granted, the child will become the monster it was formally tormented by, and the cycle begins again, with the exact same symptoms of anger and faked superiority that were exhibited by it’s tormentors. It is about this time we must realise that the monster did not create itself, we did.
Of course, this comparison is weak in places, I doubt that the state of Israel’s military campaign could be stopped with a reassuring hug (although I suppose it’s worth a try), but what I am trying to point out is that yes, the military action the IDF is conducting is a crime, maybe even a sin, and of course it should be hindered and stopped as soon as possible, but have the Jewish people not been subjected to equal horrors throughout history? It is all to easy to write an entire country (or people) off as a token “Evil Empire” without seeing the bigger picture. While many senior members of the Israeli government are ignorant to this very same picture and serve only to exacerbate the already uncontrollable tensions in the Middle East, the source of the problem also lies within the ranks of Anti-Semitic, extremist groups. I have spoken to a Israeli born friend who declared themselves to be Jewish only to receive boos and hisses from their classmates which is, frankly, disgusting. It is because of this that when asked what side I support in this ironic but somehow fitting war for sacred ground, I reply “The innocent”. The harmless citizens, Jewish, Muslim, Christian or Non Believer that are just like each other, struggling to get by in a world tearing itself apart due to the actions of the powerful and insane.
- Thomas “Why can’t it all just be a theme park?” Harrison
