Same old song

Apologies for light posting. I wrote a column for Wednesday's paper that resulted in an avalanche of email, hate and love, just about all of which I answered.

The topic? Gaza.

It was an interview with Kim Elliott, publisher of the online periodical Rabble.ca who, along with Code Pink peace activists and others, traveled through the blockaded area to assess the destruction and impact on the people after Israel's Cast Lead bombing and invasion. I was glad to see that Common Dreams reprinted it.

Here's a snip, with some links:

The group had freedom to tour at will, Elliott insists. "We didn't have anything to do with Hamas other than that they stamped our passports. We wandered around by ourselves all night. We were safe because, as we'd heard, Hamas had so cracked down on the gangs that had started to take over."

Elliott, whose interest in the Palestinians began long ago and who has visited the Middle East many times, went to Gaza so she could bear witness to the effect of the attack and Israel's long-running siege, which strangles the movement of food, medical supplies and other necessities into Gaza.

Which is why there are tunnels from Egypt.

The media emphasize that the tunnels are used to smuggle rockets and weapons into Gaza – true – but everything from zoo animals to seedlings also move underground. Just this week, Egypt seized 560 sheep that were being herded through.

"The inhumanity of the border is, oddly enough, what left the most striking impression – more than the incredible destruction of homes," Elliott explains. "The Red Crescent Society said they need at least about 1,000 trucks a day to go through every day to properly sustain the people. On average since the siege, it's about 100 trucks. Some days, there are none. Most of what is feeding the people is going through the tunnels."

So, with all the injustices around the world, why focus on Palestinians?

"I got my human rights background at Amnesty International and, up until very recently, they wouldn't touch this issue, in Canada especially. People felt so threatened!" she says.

"So, not only were the Palestinians suffering enormous human rights abuses...but the focus of the media in disenfranchising them and the way people are attacked for working this issue motivated me."

Needless to say, all the usual suspects, the ones who used to harangue me back in my media columnist days, dropped back into my inbox to let me know they think I am as anti-Semitic as ever.

What was heartening however was the even greater number of supportive emails thanking me for having ''the courage'' to say what too many others in the media won't touch. And who can blame them, considering the inevitable reaction?

Why do I bother? Because the prime minister of Canada finds no sympathy at all in his heart for the plight of the Palestinians. He does not speak for me here, nor does he speak for millions of other Canadians who were appalled by the bombing of Gaza.

What's more, Canada sells arms to Israel, arms that have been used on civilians.

But hey, I have been dealing with anti-choicers for the past year or so, and the Zygote Zealots have toughened me up.

I can handle it.

Comments

[John from Toronto]

Courage? Get over yourself Antonia. Writing for the Star it would take courage to write approvingly in any way about Israel.

Courage? Ask a journalist in Iran, Russia, or the Palestinian territories whether what you do is courageous.

And who are "the usual suspects"? That is such a slimy comment.

[tor]

You're amazing Antonia! You're a bright light in this ridiculous Canadian media landscape.

Thanks for writing so honestly about issues that matter to so many Canadians yet are ignored by most journalists. You have a lot of support.

[Aswad]

Your doing a great job Antonia!! I was on that trip to Gaza with Kim and the amount of suffering the palestinians are being subjected to was unbelievable. I salute your service.

Peace,
Aswad.

[Jenn]

I rarely write comments on journalists' work - online or as letters to the editor - but I'd like to in this case because I thoroughly agree with Antonia that it takes a lot of courage to come out against Israeli policies in the occupied territories.

I find it refreshing to hear a different perspective and, having encountered passionate Zionists myself, realize it is nearly impossible to criticize Israel without being shouted down (or in this case emailed down?) as being an anti-Semite or somehow evil for even questioning the legitimacy of institutionalized violence against a colonized people.

Thanks Antonia for doing this. I'm sure there are many other usually silent readers who feel the same way.

[the regina mom]

Love ya, A! You're an inspiration to feminist writers across the country!! Keep up the great work!!!

[Antonia]

Ah ''the usual suspects'' are the people who regularly write every time I delve into this subject. (Just like ''the usual suspects'' who weigh in on other matters, such as men's rights or abortion.) So I resent your ''slimy'' intimation.

Let me tell you something: I have been a professional journalist since 1973. In all that time, I have received two notices of libel, both connected with Middle East ''watchdogs'' who took exception to my writing about the occupied West Bank. They never sued. They were just sending a message.

Interestingly, I have never been taken to the press council either on this matter. Nor have any of my columns needed to be corrected.

[johnnykap]

"nor does he speak for millions of other Canadians who were appalled by the bombing of Gaza."

By definition then, many more millions of other Canadians were in favor of the bombings. To quote Obama: We won. You lost. What you want is of no consequence.

Oh, and did John from Toronto ever nail you (figuratively, of course) in his post.

[John from Toronto]

Do you call the people who agree with you on the various subjects you mentioned, "the ususal suspects"? That is why what you said is slimy.

[Sarah Roche-Mahdi]

Great work, Antonia! Viva Kim!(I was in Gaza as well)

[Antonia]

You see, JohnnyKap is a ''usual suspect'' only he no longer emails me because I route his emails into my spam folder and never open them. I can count on him however to show up here on Broadsides to mock feminism, progressivism, liberalism, and all that is good.

Hi Johnny!

As for those who agree with me, they basically usually comment here, and don't bombard me with organized email campaigns, launched by various interest groups whether Church-related, anti-choice, etc.

Have you ever heard of astroturf campaigns?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astroturfing

They are quite common when it comes to contentious issues. One's email address is published, either on a website, a blog or on a forum which may or may not be open to the public, and sometimes a suggested letter is also published. It's pretty easy to know when one is being astro-turfed.

It's like when news orgs have online polls. Word goes out for one side or the other to get in and vote.

I can't believe you have no idea what I am talking about and, again, I resent your ''slimy'' intimation.

[Sebastian Stoker]

Speaking out against Israeli policy is not anti-Semitism.

And having been oppressed or abused, regardless for how long, or how brutally, does not give one the right to do the same to someone else.

If anything such suffering should give one a sense of deep empathy, and a desire to be as fair as possible with others.

Thanks Antonia for discussing issues often ignored or avoided by most of the media, and for tackling an issue that seems considered off-limits by 99% of not just the press, but also average Canadians. Pressure groups - organized or de facto - should not be acting as thought police.

[sam]

Your insight is informative, and your courage is both lovely and inspiring... :)

[Shell]

Thanks so much, Antonia! I am appalled every day at the degree of anti-human rights people I see, read, & hear in Canada who will blindly believe that anything at all that the state of Israel does is above reproach. And this includes the Christian Right, whom Harper represents in this country. It's just too bad he happens to also pretend to represent all Canadians. And what's with Iggy?!? Thought he was supposed to be bright?
Keep on keeping on!!

[...pat.]

Yes, Antonia, I add my voice to the others above who thank you for laying out your arguments. In the last while, the attitudes of "if you're not with me, you're against me" and "you have to accept everything that the government does, or you're against democracy" have been used to stifle arguments everywhere. It's been especially problematic with the right-wing leadership in Israel, and the broad brush that has been used to paint everyone who is not in favour of their political aims, decisions, and actions.

[The Stygian and his Shemitish Dogs]

Pat Pet,

Thanks for describing the scenario unfolding under the Obama presidency ......

[Sandra Ruch]

Antonia - thank you for having the courage to write the truth. We need journalists like you. The people of Gaza live in a virtual prison - it is our responsibility to tell their story until there is a just peace.
in peace,
Sandra Ruch

[Naseer Ahmad]

Thanks again for your honest reporting, Antonia. When war crimes are being committed daily, and supporters of war crimes are mobilised to spam in favour of the right to blockade an entire population, and use banned weapons on a civilain population, then calling them 'the usual suspects' is fair comment, imo.

[johnnykap]

"You see, JohnnyKap is a ''usual suspect'' only he no longer emails me because I route his emails into my spam folder and never open them.

Hi Johnny!"

Oh, hello, Antonia. I do hope all is well with you.

If you route my emails to your spam folder, how do you know that I stopped emailing you?

Do you see how you have been caught in a little obfuscation, Antonia?

[Antonia]

Because I flush them all at once with a mass delete every few days so I know who is sending and who is not. Pretty easy to figure out, no?

[johnnykap]

"Because I flush them all at once with a mass delete every few days so I know who is sending and who is not. Pretty easy to figure out, no?"

About 3 weeks ago on a Friday nite drunk, I did send you an email. Surely you would have seen that during your mass flush session, according to your own statement.

Pretty easy to figure out, indeed.

[Sebastian Stoker]

Antonia, your turn.

Someone pass the popcorn.

[Antonia]

Have you never heard the expression, ''Don't feed the trolls?''

(Besides, I am not sure trolls eat popcorn.)