Like an alien planet

Frimet/Arnold Roth..
This Ongoing War..
12 January '13..

This post is triggered by a handful of news reports this past week that got us thinking.

Imagine you came down from another planet and learned, for the first time, about a people who claim their national path to autonomy and self-fulfillment requires honoring the murderers who are central to their historical tradition (as a certain neighbourhood politician did recently - we posted about him on Thursday: "11-Jan-13: When pundits or commentators next tell us Israel must relax its anti-terrorism measures, here is what they are hiding or ignoring").

Imagine further that this people credited its strength and resilience from being part of a mighty and united brotherhood of nations (Fayyad: "We plead with our brothers etc"). Imagine, as well, that this nation blames all of its suffering on the efforts of one hated and specific other people.

But you have not just arrived from another planet, and you are visiting this site. So chances are you understand we are referring to the Palestinian Arabs. Good, because now it's time to think about cognitive dissonance.

This is worth pondering because the war of terrorism conducted by the Arabs in our part of the world has been an existential factor for generations, reaching well back into the nineteenth century. Explanations for why it continues well into the twenty-first century are not in short supply. But on the whole we think they baffle more than they clarify.

(Continue)

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