Gaza

I am sick over what is happening in Gaza. And if you criticize Israel, you are antiSemitic. When I was in Jerusalem eight years ago (I spent New Year's Eve in Israel), there was a tour guide who began talking about the "dirty" Arabs. His words reminded me of similar words I had heard about Jews. I didn't mention that to him, though. I am always amazed that a people who have been so discriminated against, so persecuted, so victimized can turn around and do the same thing to another group of people. My heart breaks for Israel.

It was, of course, western European and US powers that set up the situation. We simply pushed our problem onto the Palestinians. Add a bit of religion and you get a powder keg.

And I weep for the poor here in our country. I weep for heartless people. I weep for all of us who choose our own comfort over justice. I include myself in that category. My guilt doesn't seem to do much to impell me to better action.

I am going on vacation on Friday. I'm off to Bonaire to scuba dive and forget about the world's problems. I'll take in the beauty of God's world. I am always amazed at the beauty in the reef, a beauty that was invisible to people until only a few decades ago. And it is a beauty we are ruining with development and global climate changes. So, perhaps I won't forget about the world's problems.

What one small change can I make today? And then another one tomorrow?

I am as guilty as any in not wanting to give up to make this a better world.