It’s another Monday which, in the past, meant a Climate Movement Monday post about a frontline community suffering the worst effects of climate change plus a suggested action or two to take on their behalf. I’ve got nothing to offer.
Confession: I can’t stop thinking about Palestinian people and have spent much of today in tears. Over 5,000 Palestinians dead since October 7, including 2,000 children. That equals 128 dead children per day. This is genocide and the U.S. government is sponsoring it. The military industrial complex is getting richer off the slaughter of Palestinians and my two Senators and one Representative can’t be swayed to step down from their “I stand with Israel ” stances. Nonetheless, I continue to call them daily to demand a ceasefire and today felt a slight shift in the tones of the two staffers who took my calls (I left a voicemail for the other). One said that all calls received at that office were demanding a ceasefire. The other was someone I’ve spoken with multiple times, someone who has exhibited clear disdain for my position, but who today listened to me speak through my tears and then sincerely thanked me for calling. It’s not much, but I’m clinging to those shifts in tone.
PLEASE call your representatives to demand a #CeaseFireNOW.
U.S. Capitol switchboard: (202) 224-3121
Millions of people around the globe have taken to the streets demanding a #CeasefireNOW!
Boston march for Palestine this past weekend. (found on Twitter along with this video of the march)
This is reminiscent of the millions of us taking to the streets in 2003 to demand the U.S. not invade Iraq. We were ignored then and know how that turned out. And same as twenty years ago, Islamophobia is now on the rise due to those fanning the flames. In case you missed it, a six year-old Palestinian-American boy (Wadea Al-Fayoume) in Chicago was fatally stabbed 26 times by his landlord who also stabbed the boy’s mother a dozen times. She survived and was released from the hospital today.
What is the point of me sharing all this? I cannot remain silent during an ongoing genocide because silence normalizes the policy. Just as I refuse to “return to normal” during the ongoing Covid-19 epidemic, I refuse to look the other way while an occupied people are being bombed out of existence. One of the most important acts of resistance is the refusal to be desensitized to the suffering of others.
It would make me very happy to engage with people here on what’s happening, so please let me know how you’re doing and whether you’ve made headway with your representatives or attended a march. Basically, any and all comments are welcome!
In the meanwhile . . . solidarity! ✊🏽
Tracy Abell 
I also cannot get the Palestinians out of my mind. I woke around 3:30 a.m. this morning in distress. The violence of men has no end.
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Tracy, once again, my comment on your blog appears as Anonymous. I have no problem on WordPress Reader.
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Oh, Rosaliene. That hurts my heart knowing you woke in distress early this morning. Unfortunately, you’re not alone in those feelings. Yes, the violence of men (and many women, as revealed these last few weeks) is horrific. It all seems to obviously wrong and yet they refuse to see that.
As for your comment being Anonymous again, I will try to see if I can figure out the problem. I’m very sorry for the inconvenience!
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❤
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It has been incredibly frustrating having these conversations with friends and family. This isn’t a left vs. right issue, this is a colonial vs. anticolonial issue, and a lot of my theoretically progressive friends are realizing that they are not anti-colonial. I studied American (medical) history in college only a couple years ago, and wrote/read so many papers on settler colonialism and how white supremacy and propaganda mobilized ordinary people to slaughter indigenous populations. Children. The idea that black/brown bodies are inherently worth less than white bodies is foundational. So this happens over and over and over again, every generation facing a new version of the same story. Ive done everything I can think of. emails and calls and donations and screaming into the void that is social media. I feel empty.
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Thank you so very much for reading and sharing your experience. YES to finding out that supposed progressives are not much help in all this! It’s disheartening and also isolating to feel alone with these emotions and sense of urgency. The studies you did showed you the patterns so you recognize them while too many others aren’t reading to expand their perspectives. In case you have anyone who might be interested, Haymarket Books is offering their three titles on Palestine for free (ebooks). Thank you for all your calls, emails, and donations. It might not feel like a lot, but you’re engaged. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself. And your comment here has given me a huge boost, too. Thank you again.
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