Compassion, Understanding and Even-Handedness

NMB, Florida September 26, 2001 A.H. Schectman

THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on Issues, Ideas and Reflections on the Times. Published Now and
Then. Opinions Pro or Con Are Welcome.

COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING AND EVEN-HANDEDNESS

I have been exchanging compositions and ideas with a long-time friend and
almost colleague. He is anti a lot of things and is compassionate,
understanding and I know he is not even-handed in his support of the
Palestinian People. I agree with him that the Palestinians are in a hard
place. They are helpless between two grinding aggressors, the Israelis and
their Arab neighbors. Their Arab neighbors are aggressors against the
Palestinians simply because they have not helped them so much as use them.

I have compassion and understanding for the cause of the Palestinian People
to achieve full nationhood. I do not have compassion and understanding for
their cause (pressed upon them) to drive the Israelis into the sea. By doing
this they will be doing much of the work of the anti-Israeli Arab forces
ringing this small democratic country (well, much more democratic than any
of their neighbors).

For some time now we in America have found ourselves to be outthought,
outvoted and outmaneuvered by the third world aggregation of small nations
who are thrilled to see America outwitted and their Israeli and Jewish
clients continually debased.

The apologists for the anti-American position in the world must also find
themselves in the position of being the friend of their enemy. Our
"even-handed" commentators serve the third world cause by blaming Israel for
the United States being under physical as well as propaganda attack. These
apologists are convinced they are right because the cause of the underdog,
the debased and those struggling to breathe free is the cause the United
States has been famous for. So, how come this came about?

It came about because compassion is misused, understanding is twisted and
there is no even-handedness in espousing one side over the other. I have no
wish to claim that Israel is always right. I have a wish to claim that the
United States is in no way wrong! What do you think?
Carol's Evaluation: 10 out of 10.