.comment-link {margin-left:.6em;}

Hybrid Thoughts

10/04/2006

I'm back home


It's been a very rough few weeks for me at work and in life, and I needed to go back home to be with my family. I requested two weeks of "vacation without pay" and flew back to Haifa, Israel alone to spend the high holidays with my family.

I wanted to be with my family during the war but because I did not have a passport yet I couldn't leave the US. I finally received the American passport two weeks ago and was able to leave the country.

I don't know what I expected from this visit, but it's more painful that I imagined. My nephews and niece still talk about the war. My friends still talk about it. My parents still talk about it. People on the streets or anywhere I hear them - are still discussing it. It's not over for us. We're still living in fear that Nassaralla will continue to use his leftover missiles in a second war, and the foreign troops in Lebanon will again be helpless to prevent any casualties. Rather than rebuilding our country and talking peace, we're training our military for the next war, because the Hizbullah continues to threaten Israel with another attack.

Maybe the minor comfort we get is from hearing that the Lebanese are mocking the Hizbullah for claiming victory in a country completely destroyed by the results of their actions. Maybe the comfort is in knowing that Hizbullah did not come out the winner if the Lebanese are calling for Nassarallah to resign.

I came here because I needed time off from work and I needed time with my family. It's not a vacation by any means. But no one would understand that. No one. Coming back to friends and family who are all still recovering from a trauma is not a happy occassion and does not make this for a relaxing atmosphere to enjoy the holidays.

posted at 10/04/2006 07:42:00 PM

6 Comments:

  • I am happy you are home and hope you are enjoying yourself. I hope you are safe.

    I have to admit that I did get a kick out of the fact that Hizbullah claimed victory out of not getting killed. The mighty warriors (Hizbullah) hid while civilians took the brunt of the bombings. Oh well, apparently this is the new state of warfare.

    Stay safe and give us lots of pictures.

    By Blogger Mike, at 6:52 PM, October 04, 2006  

  • Hezbollah? Murderers, cowards, liars, hypocrites. Putting civilians in the way to take the bullets, wearing masks to hide their chickenshit faces, and firing unaimed rockets in the general direction of people, any people. Stay out of the way and keep your head down before one of those Muslim killers thinks you look dangerous. Pretty sick religion, this Islam.

    mtrain

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:19 PM, October 05, 2006  

  • I see this is becoming quite the hate blog. You deny other people the right to free their occupied lands?

    What a bunch of hypocites and racists you are.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:24 PM, October 11, 2006  

  • Anonymous, this blog is free for anyone to comment. I rarely delete comments - whether I agree with them or not. And believe me I do disagree with many comments.

    As for your question whether I deny other people the right to free their occupied lands - no, I don't deny that. But let's keep it in proper perspective. The Hizbullah (i.e. Terrorists) are on occupied lands that belong to Christian Lebanese. The Hizbullah are outsiders by all means. They are not native to Lebanon. I will never deny the poor Lebanese people the right to free their land from the #*@&ing terrorists who are controlled and managed by the government of Iran and Syria!

    And I was absolutely thrilled when Syria finally left the occupied territories of Lebanon a year or so ago. So no, I wouldn't deny the people the right to free their land.

    But I get the impression you are trying to deny our right to live in our own land by attempting to call it "occupied". Wars all over the world are resolved by taking land. That's what we did, as did many countries around the world THROUGHOUT history, including numerous Arab countries. Deal with it. All the other countries do!

    But it's not land you seek. Is it? You seek to annihilate us and get rid of the Zionists. So why not just say that outright? We gave away enough of our land for the sake of peace and got NOTHING for it but more terrorist attacks. Should we believe that giving you the "Occupied Territories" will bring peace? Oh com'n, we know better. We've been proven wrong time and again!

    "Hypocrites, racists"? - your tone of response and your hiding behind a no-name sheds you in the same light and doesn't help your cause.

    Hatred begets hatred. It never ends. I think you can do better.

    PS We're occupying lands just as much as Sudan is occupying Darfur. Don't throw stones if you live in a glass house. ;)

    By Blogger Mybrid, at 7:20 PM, October 11, 2006  

  • We are not occupying Darfur; Darfur is an integral part of Sudan and you have NO inkling of an idea about the nature of the conflict there even if you have a bumper sticker that says "Save Darfur" - you could care less about those people.

    and we do not want to annihilate you - the Jews were living with us in this land for many centuries in peace.

    It is only when the Europeans (who by the way DID annihialte the Jews) 'settled' the Jews in our lands did the wars begin.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:15 PM, October 13, 2006  

  • Like I said, we are occupying lands as much as Sudan is occupying Darfur. The occupied territories are equally an integral part of Israel! And YOU have no inkling of an idea about the nature of the occupied territories other than what you've read and heard from Arab propaganda (or any other media that you THINK is non-biased).

    Have you ever BEEN to the occupied territories? Have you ever LIVED in Israel? Have you ever visited this country? Have you ever read a history book about the Jews written by a Jewish scholar? Or do you always opt to read things written by other Arabs or from an Arab point of view? Before you claim to have an inkling about it, admit that it sheds a question mark over your knowledge of this topic when it's all one sided.

    It's funny you would say that the Europeans settled the Jews in "your" lands. I realise you honestly believe it, as do millions of Arabs around the world, because that's what they've been raised to believe.

    It's foolish to argue with someone who honestly believes he's right. I can sit and write books, and spend hours talking to you - but you will never be convinced because you'll never open your mind to believe anything but what you've learned through the years.

    But just to clarify in public to others who may be following this discussion - the Europeans didn't settle the Jews. Jews lived continuously in the Holy Land for over 2000 years, far longer than any other "people". They were banished from the Holy Land by the Babylonians and then again by the Romans. Archaeology, historical writings, graveyards, books, architecture, and simple facts prove our claim to the holy land.

    I find it very odd that you would call a land in Israel "our land" when you're so far removed from it, that the only connection you have is by knowing me and nothing else. It's your land as much as Darfur is my land. You've never in your life set foot on this land, nor has any of your ancesters! Religion doesn't give you the sole right to a land. History does.

    Oh, and your sentence about the Jewish settlements that supposedly started the wars - ummmm....yeah, you really need to brush up on your history about that one. The Arabs have been at war with each other and with anyone occupying the Holy Land LONG LONG LONG before 1948. But I'm sure you knew this already but chose to twist it a bit in your favour.

    And before you declare me to have no inkling of an idea about the nature of a conflict, maybe you ought to step back and think carefully how much YOU know about the nature of the Israeli conflict?

    Because honestly, I don't believe you do. I've spoken to you enough times to realise it.

    It's not about how one argues, or who wins an argument. It's about knowing ALL the facts and not just one side of them as you've been raised.

    I don't hold you at fault for not knowing it, nor am I going to argue with you over it. It's just not worth it!!!

    It won't matter what I'll say, you'll search your hardest to prove me wrong. It's something you enjoy doing. As do I. But is it worth the effort? Worth the argument? Neither of us will concede defeat. Neither of us will admit being wrong. You believe you're right. I believe I'm right. That's all there is to it.

    You can bring facts from one book. I can bring facts from another. You'll continue to hold my knowledge in contempt, because you honestly believe you know more. If you are so convinced you know more than I do - then it's fine. I don't mind it. But thinking that you know more than I do, doesn't necessarily make it true.

    By the way, you're very wrong about me not caring about the people of Darfur. VERY wrong. But I'm not going to discuss it in public because it's a private thing that I choose not to discuss with you.

    By Blogger Mybrid, at 6:47 PM, October 13, 2006  

Post a Comment

<< Home