Dec 28 2008
No excuse for violence like this
A brief note from the editor - This really doesn’t apply to 99.9% of the people who read and comment on my blog, but after yesterday I feel it has to be said. I realize that certain topics can inspire passionate feelings from people. This has always been a website that encourages good-spirited and good-humored debate. Yesterday we broke away from that a little bit. I don’t want this to be a trend. Look - Anybody is allowed to say whatever they want on here. You’ll never see me delete a comment so think about what you say before you put it down (as a journalist I have a fundamental beef with censorship). Just, for the sake of not ruining anyone’s day over my little old blog… keep it respectful. Or sarcastic. Because at least that’s funny. Okay? Okay!
. . .
Now on a more somber note I have to follow up on my post from yesterday, because the details coming out of Israel are absolutely horrific. Photos courtesy of the Associated Press.
Death totals out of Gaza continued to rise today as Israel waged forward with its offensive into the war-weary region. 290 people now have been confirmed dead, including 20 children under the age of 16 and 9 women. Over 800 people have been reported wounded as well. The Israeli attack has been the deadliest ever against Hamas. Late into Sunday night the unclaimed dead were stacked into piles outside of makeshift field hospitals, chilling images of partial body parts wrapped in blankets, waiting to be identified.
Hundreds of Gazan refugees fleeing the fighting rushed the Egyptian border, trampling one Egyptian guard to death in the process. All across the middle east huge crowds gathered to protest the fighting. European leaders such as French President Nicolas Sarkozy are pressuring Israel to relent the attacks. Even Turkey, who is an ally to Israel in the region, is pressuring Israel to stop. Turkey’s Prime Minister called the attacks an “assault on humanity” in a statement earlier today.
Still, Israeli leaders say the attacks are necessary in order to cripple Hamas’s ability to attack Israel. As more heavy rockets pounded the region Israeli troops reinforced the border with tanks and heavy weaponry, and the Israeli cabinet approved calling up a reserve of 6,000 soldiers possibly to be used in a ground invasion.
This isn’t a movie people. This isn’t CSI or reality TV. This chaos is happening now. People’s lives are being ripped apart. Loved ones are being lost forever. Children who had their whole lives ahead of them are now being buried. And as the violence continues the hatred and anguish between both sides is swelling.
