What follows is an email exchange that started a few days ago with a person very close to me. As the exchange develops, I'll keep posting the remainder.
Note: Plain text is the other person, and bold text is my reply.
Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2003 21:44:03 -0300
Subject: Nothing changes the meaning of truth and justice
Tarek,
I once read that Palestine was a test of love and forgiveness. From what I've seen, you shanked your first try. I hope you do better this time around.
Salaam
Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2003 22:42:18 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: Nothing changes the meaning of truth and justice
From: "Tarek Lubani"
salaams
what the hell? You wanted me to come out of there with love and forgiveness? I shall disappoint you again. I will come out of here determined to pursue peace and justice. Never love those who hate you. It's the truest waste of love, and the surest way of turning from a field negro into a house negro.
Stay the field negro.
A little X for you:
"Revolution is never based on begging somebody for an integrated cup of coffee. Revolutions are never fought by turning the other cheek. Revolutions are never based upon love-your-enemy and pray-for-those-who-spitefully-use-you. And revolutions are never waged singing 'We Shall Overcome.' ... Revolutions are never based upon that which is begging a corrupt system to accept us into it. Revolutions overturn systems. And there is no system on this earth which has proven itself more corrupt, more criminal, than this system that in 1964 still colonizes 22 million African-Americans, still enslaves 22 million Afro-Americans." April 8, 1964
tarek : )
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2003 16:41:52 -0300
Subject: Hate those that hate you... then hate some more
Tarek,
Where to begin? Perhaps by pointing out the glaring irony of using a greeting of "peace" to begin your advertisement for hate. An opening of "revenge" would have been a more fitting introduction to what you had to say.
Now know this: you are in the middle of a blinding haze of resentment, anger, and confusion that keeps you from exploring the true implications of what you say. "Never love those who hate you"? What shall I do then? Shall I hate them... hate them like they hate me? Treat them like they treat me? In that case, the only difference between me and them is power. And once the tables of power have turned, only the flag will change.
Yes, of course "revolutions overturn systems". But how? Through the same means that made that system so detestable in the first place? It is idiotic to hug your enemy and sing as they wrong you (something I have never condoned), but the other extreme is equally ridiculous and terrible.
"Never love those who hate you"! What a tribute to the double-speak and circular logic the Israelis are so fond of. More like: Hate those that hate you. How stupid. Here's a better idea: let's treat everyone with the respect a human deserves. Let's correct their behaviour when it goes bad in the same way we would correct our own son. Let/s realize that humans are capable of messing up and equally capable of correcting themselves once they realize their error.
You've become expert at playing up your "angle" and even more adept at discounting any criticism (remind you of anyone?). Like Goring said, "all you have to do is: denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger". Is that what you meant to do by calling me a collaborating "house negro"? Well I'm afraid you have it backwards, brother. The only house the Israelis ever built was the house of hate and revenge. I do not live there, though you seem quite comfortable with its furnishings.
Your noble determination "to pursue peace and justice" rings hollow in my ears. It is amazing that you can call for justice in one sentence and advocate hate in the next (remind you of anyone?). You will never find justice if you strip humans of their humanity. A fight for justice cannot involve those who discriminate between man and man. If the Israelis saw the Palestinians as equals in humanity, they would not dare do the things they now do. And here you are, setting these people apart from the rest of the world. Think this over, and reflect on whether or not the soldiers you see are merely better armed mirror images of yourself.
Salaam.
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2003 19:20:29 -0400 (EDT)
From: tarek Lubani
Subject: Re: Hate those that hate you... then hate some more
Assalamu alaikum.
I think you are missing a few critical points:
1. Do not love those who hate you. This does not in any way equate to "hate those who hate you". On the same token, treating somebody with decensy and respect does not mean that you have any "love" in your heart for them. For example, one could treat a prisoner convicted of heinous crimes with respect and also afford them all their human rights, whilest simultaneously not hating nor loving them. To love those who hate us is to lose both the definition of love (Should I "love" the Israelis like I love Angelina Jolie?), and the caution that we must necessarily take when dealing with the enemies of justice.
2. The situation in Palestine has none of the confusion or blindness that you attempt to confer upon it. This is an absolute myth. This thing has nothing to do with religion or even nationalism. It is - quite simply - an imperial power doing what imperial powers do. This is about violating basic human rights so that one class of people can live at a higher level at the expense of another class. To claim any complications is to fall into the propaganda trap of "this is too hard for you to understand. Go back to sleep". Don't fall for it. None of these issues have ever been complicated.
3. The argument you are making is tantamount to pacifism. Once you have picked up a gun, you have thrown love clear. You cannot kill a man with "love" in your heart. That means that we must pursue pacifism to resolve the problem. As you probably realize, pacifism in its most extreme sense (i.e., this) cannot be used to address all situations. Since you are so fond of the Nazi examples, let's try another: Could Nazi Germany have been defeated without any military means? Let's go one further: Should we "love" Hitler?
4. How are we to overthrow a system whose roots are racist and whose methods are deadly brutal? How do you propose? Do you deny the basic (and deeply enshrined) human right of armed resistance against an oppressive occupation? Human decensy and respect is contradictory to - but certainly can be had in - war. One exhausts the possibilities, and then one does what is necessary to maintain their own human rights.
5. Sermons. There is nothing easier than sitting back and dictating how the Palestinians should run their resistance, and what they should feel in their hearts to pass "the test". The reality on the ground does not justify the blatant disrespect for human rights that some Palestinian actions show in retaliation to their oppression (Blowing up bombs on their person where the risk of targetting civilians is absolute). However, the reality here does mean that we cannot ever judge a Palestinian who says they "hate Israeli soldiers". In so doing, we do nothing more than belittle their suffering.
Everybody wants peace. Anybody can have peace. The only question is: Peace at what cost?
salaams
tarek : )