No more rockets
In 2005 Israel withdrew completely from Gaza, no soldiers, no civilians,
nothing! What did Israel hope to accomplish? An area ruled by Arabs, for Arabs,
living side by side with Israel in peace. What did happen? Constant rocket
attacks since then, over 6,500 rocket and mortar attacks against Israel.
The cease-fire lasted six months. The rockets began again and Israel knows that
Iran has helped supply, train, encourage and pay for better rockets, faster
rockets, more accurate rockets to hit deeper into Israel than before. Now
750,000 Israeli citizens are at risk. Would America stand for it for even one
day if Mexico fired rockets at San Antonio?
Like all sovereign nations, Israel has the right and duty to defend its citizens
against attack. Hamas’ acts of terror have left Israel no choice but to take stronger measures to
defend its citizens.
How to stop the violence? It would take about two minutes. No more rocket attacks over the border by Hamas. If the rocket attacks were to stop, Israel would not have to defend
itself against them. Period.
Gloria Schwartz
Executive director
Springfield Jewish Federation
Violence brings violence
In response to the current escalating violence in Gaza, and the events 100 years
ago which led to the Springfield riots, I believe that everyone in our city
should visit the current Illinois State Museum exhibit, “Across the Divide: Reconsidering the Other,” curated by Robert Sill. The exhibit ends Friday, 1/9.
All of the work is excellent, intense, and provides much food for thought.
However one piece that is especially relevant today is titled “passing.” The artists, Michelle Feder-Nahoff, who is Jewish, and Kanaan Kanaan, who is
Palestinian, collaborated to design their work “so as not to prick the other’s hand while passing the needle back and forth in a delicate dance of
cooperation…. The work suggests that the religious and political divides that
act as barriers to peace can only be resolved through cooperation and trust.”
While realizing that the problems in Israel and Palestine are complicated and
longstanding, as a believer in nonviolence I must speak out for an end to the
bombing and further destruction which results in injury, loss of life and
increased hardship. As a family member whose tax dollars unwillingly support
this violence, I have written, and encourage others to contact, our
representatives and senator, as well as the Obama transition team. Hopefully we
will all educate ourselves on both sides of the issue, remembering that our
perspective depends on where we stand, and violence only brings about more
violence. We can no longer afford to solve our troubles with weapons: instead
we need to strive to solve them with words of forgiveness, reconciliation,
compassion and justice.
Diane Lopez Hughes
Springfield
Illinois vs. Alaska
I was offended by Dusty Rhodes’ Dec. 18 article, “No, it’s not like this everywhere.” Her first paragraph did not sit well with me at all. It is okay to take your
shots at our elected officials. However, when it comes to bastardizing the good
people of Illinois, I draw the line.
We all know how corrupt the political situation is in Alaska. Nevertheless, you
justify it by proclaiming the brilliance of the lawyers there. I proclaim that
Alaska’s judicial system is just as corrupt.
Please do not get me started on the good ole boys of Texas. If you find our
state not to your liking, please feel free to move back to Alaska or Texas
tomorrow, better yet today.
Illinois has produced and continues to produce many great things for this
nation. Sure, we have had our share of corruption, and we are not proud of it.
However, when it is massive, such as with our former governors, we do something
about it. Not like in Texas, where they have a good laugh, go barbeque a steer,
have a bucket of beer and shoot up stop signs. We here in the Midwest are
smarter than you give us credit for, even if we do move at a slower pace than
you moose stew eaters prefer.
We vote for what we believe in — a newer and better way of serving the State of Illinios. We cannot judge a
person’s soul or intentions nor can we anticipate one’s greed for power. We like to take a man at his word, give him a chance and if
he bleeps up, then we will fry his bleep.
Ronnie Booth
Springfield
This article appears in Jan 1-7, 2009.
