This evening I participated in a lecture at Maui Community College hosted by Maui Peace Action. The lecture was titled:
Ann Wright: Eyewitness to History – Israel’s Attack on Gaza Flotilla at Maui Community College.
I arrived at 6:30PM and opened her book on sale DISSENT: Voices of Conscience GOVERNMENT INSIDERS SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE WAR IN IRAQ There is a foreword by Dan Ellsberg one of my personal heroes for publishing The Pentagon Papers, looked like a good read and would have purchased it if they had change for a travelers check… anyway.
Prior to attending I brushed up on the topic reading various websites here are the links:
http://www.raymondcook.net/blog/index.php/2010/06/10/hamas-israel-and-the-flo…
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Communiques/2010/Equipment_aid_Gaza_flot…
http://www.freegaza.org/en/boat-trips/survivor-testimonies
http://www.counterpunch.com/lindorff06162010.html
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-05-31/israel-was-right-to…
After listening to Ms. Wright there was a Q&A opportunity to interact and the group attending the event were extremely interested in sharing as was I. The audience was polarized in both directions and I asked to speak and share some aloha and a solution oriented strategy for the Gaza situation. I have lived in Maui, Hawaii for 25 years and am very lucky to be here. I have no idea what it would be like to be six years old and live in Gaza as a Palestinian, I believe all people deserve to live in peace. I read what Leslie H Gelb printed in the daily beast “There is a reasonable solution to this terrible dilemma: The Gazan people are in need of food and medicine, and Israel must protect itself against Gazan terrorists. President Obama should propose this simple arrangement: First, those wishing to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza agree to land aircraft, dock ships, and use land checkpoints all reasonably designated by Israel for inspection of contents. Second, Israel agrees to inspect cargoes within two to three days, and allow all humanitarian goods to proceed to Gaza immediately.
The United States surely has the power to accomplish this. It would prevent much needless killing and haggling—and phony posturing around the world. And if one or both sides rejected the deal, then that one, or the both of them, are on their own.”
One staff member of the Maui Peace Action came up to me and threatened to call security and have me taken away as a result of my statement. Not everyone appreciated my contribution since it was not a question addressed to Ms. Wright but a reasonable solution to share with all present I did address the audience directly.
Ms. Wright commented later that evening and agreeing in point to my statement earlier which helped reduce the awkward shame i had experienced being threatened by Maui Peace Action to be forcibly removed by campus security.
After reading all the accounts online it was difficult to understand the motive of the Gaza Flotilla was it to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza?
Ms Wright set the record straight that the Gaza Flotilla was set to run the blockade and hope that it had enough international eyes watching to force Israel into submission and allow them through, or at least bring international attention to the situation.
There was a satellite uplink from the Gaza Flotilla and a live broadcast was underway until Israeli tactical jamming systems broke the uplink.
I later asked Ms. Wright what ever happened to Kevin Neish’s photos he had smuggled out on a removable media card? Neish says the card ended up in the hands of an organization called Free Gaza, and he has seen some of his pictures published, so he knows they made it out successfully.
Wright was not aware of the photos or there whereabouts. No sign of them at http://www.freegaza.org/
Everyone deserves to have an opinion, you don’t have to agree with everyone’s view, an american hero once said give me liberty or give me death, lets hear it for the WikiLeaks & whistleblowers in the 21st century, heroes who are willing to put their lives on the line for freedom against all tyranny regardless of which nation is doing the killing
After reading wikipedia page on Ann Wright I believe she is a true american hero http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Wright
Peace Out
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