Thursday, July 31, 2014

Facebook Meme Found to Contain B*!!$#{}!

Perhaps I was too subtle in my previous post calling for balance and thoughtfulness when posting on social media about the struggle for peace. Maybe some of you didn't even know what "struggle for peace" I was talking about? Because a few of my friends who "liked" the post continued to put out one-sided memes that were clearly manufactured by the propaganda arm of one side and full of misleading (or completely untrue) "facts" about the other.

So screw subtlety. Here's an example of BS posting:

Why is this BS? Isn't it just a "factual" depiction of how the land-hungry Israelis have pushed the peaceful Palestinians off of their property since showing up, uninvited, in 1946? Not exactly.

Let's actually start from one map before this meme begins:

Here we see a Palestine that is considerably larger than current Israel/Palestine. You see, for about 300 years leading up to World War One, Palestine was occupied and administered by the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman's were on the losing side of WWI, and at the end of the war, their territories were divided among the winners (and their home transitioned into modern Turkey).

From this map we see that Britain administered all of Palestine, as well as Iraq, and France administered the former Ottoman territories of Syria and Lebanon (there's more territory as well, but not part of this story). In 1920, the plan was for all of Palestine to transition into an independent "Jewish National Home."

In about 1921, 77% of Palestine - everything east of the Jordan river - was used to create an independent national home for the Palestinian Arabs, and thus Trans-Jordan was created (later shortened to Jordan). In about 1922, another 5%, the Golan Heights, was ceded to Syria. This left 18% of Palestine to be used as a Jewish national home. But not so fast...

Another World War, another attempt to exterminate all Jews, the creation of the United Nations, and then about 25 years later, the world is ready to act. But first, we'll divide the land once more.

Back to the original BS meme. I do not have the census data to swear that the 1946 image is BS, but why I suspect so is because the 1947 UN plan was based on (then) current population centers (which is why it's kind of a screwy map). From the 1946 "data" showing no "Jewish land" in the south, to the 1947 UN plan giving it all to Israel doesn't add up. There should be a lot more white there. Contrary to the popular notion that Jewish emigration to Palestine/Israel began around 1890, Jews had been settling there since at least the 1600's.

And here's a little bit of BS in the image of 1947 UN plan: it shows Jerusalem as all in Palestinian land. The plan actually called for Jerusalem to be a neutral, internationally governed, territory, not Jewish or Arab land. That never happened.

Let's look at the difference between the 1947 plan and the 1949 borders. How did the greedy Israeli's get that additional land? Well, by the time the '47 plan was voted on and adopted, Israel was able to declare its independence on May 14, 1948. The next day - let me repeat that: the next damned day - Israel was invaded by Egypt, Syria, Trans-Jordan, and Iraq (Saudi troops fought under Egyptian command, Yemen declared war against Israel but didn't really do anything beyond words).

Israel prevailed in that war - a war they did not start - and the 1949 border (the "Green Line") is the result of the armistice agreed upon by the parties. So let's look at that 1949-1967 map and discuss why it is BS.

In the '49-67 part of the meme we still see green "Palestinian" land. But there was no Palestine from '49-67. The Gaza strip was occupied by Egypt. The West Bank (including East Jerusalem) was annexed by (Trans)Jordan. Let's make sure you understand this: Palestine's Arab "friends" attacked Israel, and walked off with most of Palestine's territory. Yes, Israel gained some territory, as did Egypt. But the majority of what should have been Palestine went to Jordan. With friends like that...

In that 18 year period, at any time from 1949-1967, Jordan could have given the Palestinians their independence in the West Bank. They didn't. Egypt could have created an independent Palestinian Gaza. They didn't. The world could have cried out about the destruction and occupation of Palestine and insisted that all parties go back to the borders of the UN plan. They didn't.

Nobody said a word or gave a rat's ass about the plight of the Palestinians until after 1967. So, what happened in 1967? Another war with Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Iraq. Again, Israel prevailed (in just six days). Here's what the map of Israel looked like at the end of that war:

Israel had "taken" the West Bank and Gaza along with the Golan Heights and the entire Sinai peninsula. That's a lot of "Jewish land" that's not shown in the meme. Why? Because it doesn't fit the presumptive narrative of "land hungry Israelis." 90% of land "won" by Israel in the '67 war was given back to make peace. The meme does not include maps where Israel shrunk. BS.

There's more wars - like the October 1973 surprise attack during the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur - but the Israelis were used to it by then and won handily, and again traded land for peace. And there were terrorist attacks from the Palestinian "freedom fighters" - from the 1972 murder of the Israeli Olympic team in Munich, to countless suicide bombers on Israeli buses, in restaurants, etc., not to mention the nonstop indiscriminate shelling of civilian centers.

And Israel - especially in more recent years - has created its share of provocations that have derailed the peace process. I'm looking right at you, settlers in the occupied territories. And so we end up with something like the image in the final "2000" panel of the meme (or "2010" or "2014" in other versions of this meme), although I can't swear to its accuracy one way or another (but at this point, I suspect BS).

One other bit of Facebook meme BS going around that I'll clear up, as long as I've got your attention, is the idea that Jews are all newcomers to the Middle East, and that Zionism was created by a guy who "wasn't even a Jew!"

The modern return of Jews to Palestine began in the 1600's, with the expulsion of Jews from Spain. This is about the same time that the Ottoman Empire took control of Palestine. To put things into perspective, the first permanent British settlement in America, Jamestown, was also founded about the same time. So, for a white American, with no intention of returning "home" to Europe, to say that Jews don't belong in Palestine requires a special kind of hypocrisy.

By the time political Zionism took root in the 1880-90s, through the promotion of Theodor Herzl, it was in response to pogroms and the expulsion of Jews from the "Pale of Settlement" in Russian dominated Eastern Europe leading to the fourth wave of Jewish emigration to Palestine.

Was Herzl even a Jew? Yes. "But I heard he was an atheist?" Yep. You can be a Jew and an atheist, and both sides of this were important to the development of political Zionism. Traditional, religious Jewish teachings about Zion, were that the Jews could only re-establish the Kingdom of Israel once the Messiah came. It took a Jewish atheist to say, "Forget the Messiah, it's time for us Jews to stop living under the boots of those who push us out from place to place and take control of our own destiny."

Now, I am not writing all this to put 100% support behind Israel. I believe in their right to exist, but I am appalled by their continued occupation beyond the Green Line, the settlements within the occupied territories, and their "kill 100 of them for 1 of us" attitude. Yes, a nation has the right and obligation to defend its citizens. I get it. But there comes a point when defense crosses into retribution. Israel is past that line.

I also believe in the right of the Palestinians to live in peace in their own self-governed lands. But I do not and cannot support their elected "leaders," Hamas, even 1%. The charter of Hamas explicitly calls for the murder of not just Israelis, but all Jews. Sorry, but once you start talking genocide, you don't get any passes from me.

Now let me be real clear about this: criticism of Israel is not automatically anti-Semitism. Support of the Palestinian people is not necessarily anti-Semitism. But, support of Hamas, clearly and without question, is (go back and read that charter before you argue with me on this one).

It also makes one wonder about the motivation for the non-stop pace of anti-Israel posts while things like ISIS crucifying their enemies in Syria while the Syrian government bombs and murders thousands of its own citizens are all but ignored. ISIS is also actively killing by the score in Egypt, Iraq, and elsewhere. Among the three or four anti-Israel posts you share daily, couldn't you find a moment to be outraged about that?

I don't bring those up to in any way explain, justify, distract from, or minimize the horror that Israel is perpetrating in Gaza. I'm just saying, if you only care about murdered Arabs when they're killed by Jews, you might have some issues.

Still, despite the actions and words of the settler-zealots and politicians in Israel, and the Hamas terrorists and extremists in Palestine, I still believe that the majority of each people want - and deserve - peace and secure co-existence. We can all get along.

And so, in my previous post, I asked for balance and fairness and sharing the blame and working together for peace. I guess that makes me Mr. Moderation, which is not popular.

A final BS meme I'll mention was a cartoon showing an Israeli fighting a bloodied Palestinian. "Mr. Moderation" enters to tell them that the blame is shared, and that they should work together for peace. For that he is shown to be a naive fool, with the Palestinian clearly the only one making any sense.

This I found offensive, not because the Palestinian came out on top, but because it mocks moderation, it mocks discussion, and it absolves one side of all guilt or responsibility. If moderation is not the answer, what is? More extremism? That's what each side has been trying for nearly a century since the Ottoman Turks lost control of Palestine. Extremism hasn't really worked out that well for anybody, has it?

So here's my proposal: Learn to work and live together without killing each other or we just give the whole damn thing back to the British to sort out.

(BTW, I know, I know. "It's only a Facebook post." That's why I rant here, on my blog, and not in the comment section of their posts. Got a problem with it? Find your own place to rant.)

Friday, July 18, 2014

Just my opinion, but

If you're picking sides in a war

If you think one groups' children are any more precious than anothers

If you only share pictures of one sides casualties (and do so repeatedly)

If you judge a situation on the history of three weeks instead of (at least) three generations

If you excuse the violence and murders of only one party

If you are keeping score based on a body count

If you think that just one side "started it"

If you accuse one side of media manipulation through the shared posts of the others propaganda machine

If you think soldiers in civilian garb are any more innocent or holy than soldiers in uniform

If you think official recognition makes anyone more guilt-free or holy than another

If you blame the people of one side while excusing the generals of the other

If you place the rights of one group to exist in peace above those of another

If you only recognize the extremism of one side's all-or-nothing stance

If you think mothers only weep in one language 

If you think you can choose a side in a battle 

and still claim that you stand for peace

You are likely a hypocrite, a fool, a liar, or worse.

Friday, July 11, 2014

BWG2: Diane Keaton’s Hotel Room (& Belinda Carlisle’s breast)

My last posting here, Brush With Greatness #1: Carole King, got a pretty good reaction, so I'll continue the series now with a story requested by one the participants in it: my brother Steve.

This story is from about 1988, also from my time working at Limelight Film & Video in Hollywood. We were shooting a couple of videos for former GoGo, Belinda Carlisle, Heaven is a Place on Earth, and the follow-up, I Get Weak, each of which was to be directed by the fabulous and talented Diane Keaton.

My job as a staff production assistant sometimes put me on-set, carrying cables, moving equipment, painting signs, buying sushi, or other such tasks, and between times were spent driving up and down LA's Westside running scripts, tapes, and money all over town.

Ms. Keaton arrived the evening before we were to shoot I Get Weak, and was staying at the Shangri-La Hotel in Santa Monica. I was to drop off some last minute papers and notes along with a cassette of the song at her hotel for her to review before the shoot.

I pulled up to the Shangri-La, went to the front desk, explained I had a package for Ms. Keaton, and figured that I'd leave it there, and my day was done.

The desk clerk told me, "Hold on a second. Don't go anywhere." He probably thought I was rather suspicious and he wasn't going to take any chances on my making an escape. He called up to her room, "There's a guy here with a package for you?" Then to me, "Are you from Limelight?" I nodded. He told her, "Yes," then handed the phone to me.

"Do you just want to leave it up front? Or, no, hold on, do you mind bringing it up to my room?"

I didn't mind. I got the room number, went up to the room, knocked on the door, and was invited in. Just me and one of my favorite actresses, alone in her room. I handed her the envelope, she opened it, checked out the contents, talking to herself, "Very good. Excellent."

Finally, after what seemed like an hour in her company, but was probably about 10 seconds, she thanked me and gestured to the door letting me know our encounter was complete. I don't remember if I managed to utter even one word in her presence.

The next day - the day of the shoot - I was off, and hanging out with my brother, Steve. After telling him about the encounter of the night before, I asked if he'd like to stop by the set and watch them shoot for a few minutes. He didn't take much convincing.

There was Belinda, with Diane screaming at her to "Act! Dammit!" doing take after take, and still not getting it the way Ms. Keaton wanted. Belinda tried harder, and harder. So hard, in fact, that her actions led to a wardrobe malfunction and one of her breasts sliding out of her top.

Steve still thanks me for that. Belinda's breast was good, but being alone with Diane Keaton in her hotel room was better.

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