by Rosemary Kean
Velva Spriggs, a lecturer in Social Work at Bowie State College in Maryland writes that, sometimes, when remembering that the people of Gaza are being “deliberately starved to death,” she is unable to eat. Likely many of us, especially when preparing dinner each day, are haunted by the Israeli blockade, supported by the United States, of Gaza where food is unavailable and starvation is prevalent.
Every day we are confronted by the fact that our country is materially aiding Israel to starve, kill by bombing, or sometimes by shooting in the head, members of the civilian population of Gaza. When we object to this situation, we may be labeled antisemitic by those who define antisemitism as criticism of Israel. Here in Massachusetts we defend free speech and debate the correct definition of antisemitism, all while some children in Gaza are shot by the Israeli military and others are starving to death.
How has it happened that we have a federal government, during both Democrat and Republican administrations, so corrupt and so immoral, that it does not do what it has the power to do- to end this cruelty and loss of life?
As James Baldwin pointed out, “We carry our history within us.” Militarism, white supremacy, imperialism, and the tradition of brutal treatment of colonized people by the colonizer- all are historical realities that undergird our government’s political endorsement of the genocide in Gaza. These longstanding enemies to life on Earth are buttressed by the more recent Citizens United legislation, stacking the deck for government of, by, and for big money.
Not only is the U.S. government fully participating in this disaster, but also U.S. media, by repeating one-sided information offered by the U.S. State Department and by Israel which is rarely questioned. Even so, the most recent Quinnipiac poll shows Israel’s standing with voters has slipped significantly, and it’s not difficult to make the case that the current extremist government of Israel is not acting in the best interests of Israelis. More Americans are demanding a change in U.S. policy regarding Gaza, Palestine, and Israel.
But, the unresponsiveness of our political system to the wishes expressed by the people is impressive, if not shocking. Both Democrats and Republicans continue shipping weapons that are used by Israel in Gaza, continuing now even with the specter of the Israeli military shooting starving people who show up for food at the militarized Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution sites. And, we see with shame and outrage the United Nations votes where the U.S. blocks a ceasefire.
Some Americans, as well as people around the world, are bringing attention to the injustice and devastation of Gaza by fasting. Kathy Kelly, Board President of World Beyond War and longtime peace activist, is part of the on-going 40 day Fast for Gaza, initiated by Veterans for Peace and joined by allied groups. She sees, in our present situation, that we are all “in a grim prison where we must watch the inmates die off one by one in the next ward over.” And this horror is magnified by our knowledge that, not only are we watching Palestinians starve to death, but we watch knowing that all of us who pay taxes are funding the conditions ensuring their deaths.
Thankfully, our Gaza Israel Mideast campaign group, our allies, our MAPA staff leaders, and all of our working group volunteers are continually identifying actions that we can take, as we are able, to free ourselves and others from this “grim prison”. We are working to move U.S. policy away from its current goal of economic and political world domination. We are building our movement and building power to establish a politics of care, for people and the planet, that will abolish militarism, both in our police departments and in our foreign and domestic policies.
If you haven’t already, please join the work to “Free Palestine” and free our world from the horror of war and genocide.
Rosemary Kean is co-chair of MAPA’s board and of its Racial Justice/ Indigenous Solidarity Working Group. She lives in Dorchester.