I believe there is one right that is absolutely the most
basic right there is, the right of all creatures, including humans, to defend
themselves. I suspect this is the closest thing to a universal human (or
critter) right there is. Certainly this is recognized in the United States as a
very basic right, now even enthroned in the famous (or notorious) “Stand your ground” legislation that has apparently swept
the country. It is only right and proper is it not that everyone should be able
to defend themselves from aggressive attacks on their very being?
If this is so, if this is an absolutely fundamental right,
how is it that it does not apply equally to all people? The Palestinians would
seem to be a remarkable exception. We hear all the time about how it is the Israelis right to defend themselves,
but when it comes to Palestinians this right does not seem to apply. That is,
Palestinians are not supposed to have weapons, smuggled in or otherwise
obtained. Even though faced with Israeli aggression it is somehow thought to be
inappropriate for Palestinians to be armed and able to defend themselves.
Apparently it is thought perfectly alright for Israel to illegally settle their
lands, destroy their homes and their orchards, herd them into a large outdoor
prison, assassinate their leaders, bomb their homes, children and women,
control their rations and other necessities, blockade and humiliate them, make
their lives so miserable they will hopefully leave and disappear, but it is not
alright for them to arm themselves and fight back in any way. They are not, in
fact, expected to defend themselves from the Israeli aggressors. I mean, the
Palestinians are not invading Israeli territory or destroying their orchards
and homes, building illegal settlements, and so on, even though they might wish to do so. They are not doing such
things, but Israel has been systematically doing such things to them.
Apparently they are just supposed to accept this without any attempt to defend
themselves, so much for t he universal right of self defense.
The same thing is true of both Hamass and Hezbollah,
considered terrorist organizations by Israel and the U.S. These are in fact
both attempts to defend their respective countries from Israeli aggression and
are not considered terrorist organizations by themselves or many other
countries. And if they are being supported by Iran, which I suppose is probably
true, so what? Is Israel not being supported by the U.S., Britain, and others?
Here again, the basic universal right to self defense somehow does not seem to apply
to these countries. Nowhere is U.S. hypocrisy more obvious than President Obama’s
defense of Israel’s right to defend itself from missile attacks when the U.S.
itself is busily raining down missiles on several other countries, Pakistan,
Yemen, Somalia, and who knows where all else, countries that cannot, in fact,
defend themselves. I believe this to be absolutely shameful and, in the long
run, probably stupid as it will not be long until many other countries have
drones and the “War of the Worlds” will become a reality.
Of course on a larger scale there is the Iran question, are
they attempting to build a nuclear bomb or not? Personally I doubt they are, as
being intelligent people, they are aware that having such a weapon is basically
pointless when surrounded by others who do have such weapons but cannot , of course, ever use them. But what
if they are trying to secretly produce such a weapon? They are surrounded by
nations who do have such weapons, and they are constantly threatened by Israel
and the U.S. I suppose that in the completely stupid world we live in their
having a bomb might somehow make a difference but as they could never use it
without their almost instantaneous demise it would seem a terrible waste of
money and time. But here again is a case where their basic right of self
defense is being violated. Thus it appears that the universal right of self
defense is not really universal at all and depends upon the (non-existant)
good will of Israel and the United States. After all, “Might makes right.” And
of course it is so much easier to herd people into cramped quarters where they
can be slowly destroyed when they are denied the right and the means of self defense.
I do not believe
history is going to be kind to either Israel or their partner the United States
for the obvious war crimes being committed on a daily basis in that troubled
region of the world, and it will certainly not look kindly on the colonialism
that brought this unfortunate situation about in the first place. A Jewish
homeland might have been a dream realized had the Israelis stayed at home.
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