Opinion
When are American soldiers not really engaged in combat?
Generations of political leaders have eroded America’s prosperity. They've exported jobs, supported casino capitalism, funded wars. Now it's not just our tax dollars they’re after. It’s our children.
The coming wars are not patriotic. They are the result of the abject failure of political leadership and a long trail of lies stretching back decades.
Those who control the narrative and push for ever-increasing war as a solution to all ills are leading America, and America’s future generations, into an abyss from which we may never be able to recover.
Generations of political leaders have destroyed America’s economic largess through the signing of trade agreements which exported jobs and industry abroad. They have removed consumer protections and supported massive bailouts of casino capitalism, and now - again - predators are circling to extract every cent possible from the public purse through the forever war machine.
This time, however, it’s not just our tax dollars they’re after. It’s our children.
The word Muqawama in Palestinian lexicon does not need elaboration beyond the immediate meaning it generates among ordinary Palestinians. Only recently, and specifically after the Oslo peace accords and the sudden infusion of western-funded NGOs, did such terms as ‘peaceful resistance’ and ‘non-violent resistance’ begin to emerge within some circles of Palestinian intellectuals. These phrases, however, never truly registered as central to the collective discourse of Palestinians. For them, Muqawama remained: one - indivisible, all encompassing.
Our legal actions and activist mobilizations prevented Israeli arms companies from exhibiting at Eurosatory 2024.
A coalition of human rights, anti-armament, arms-control, and Palestine advocacy groups sustained legal and campaign pressure to stop the Israeli pavilion at the world’s biggest arms fair, Eurosatory. Despite the legal complexities and manoeuvring encountered, and the inaccurate media coverage that continues, the central fact is that this coalition ensured that Israeli companies were stopped from exhibiting at the arms fair. It is easy to see that commercial relationships forged at shows like these by Israeli companies and delegations generate billions of euros worth of contracts, strengthening the economic power of the arms companies and, through them, Israel’s war machine. For a few days we managed to have Eurosatory prohibit any employee or agent of these companies, regardless of their nationality, from being present in the hall. At one point, up to 850 participants linked to Israeli arms and security companies had their badges disabled.
Renowned Ohio based artist Samuel Deji Adebuga is set to unveil his latest exhibition on Saturday, July 13th at the 700 Bryden building in Columbus, Ohio from 4pm to 8pm. The exhibition, titled "Deji Adebuga: The Retrospective Exhibit 2024" will showcase Adebuga's unique artistic vision and talent.
Adebuga's latest collection captures the essence of human emotions and experiences, offering viewers a thought-provoking and immersive artistic journey. Through his masterful use of color, texture, and composition. Adebuga invites audiences to reflect on the complexities of life and find connection in their own personal narratives.
The exhibition will feature a diverse range of artwork. " Art is a language that has given me access to new narratives, using mixed media to exaggerate details in mostly traditional-based motifs." explains Adebuga. Adebuga's signature style, characterized by bold brushstrokes and expressive forms will be on full display, captivating art enthusiasts and collectors alike.
I clearly remember my first day at an UNRWA school in a refugee camp in Gaza. I was five years of age. It felt like my life was over.
The distance from Block 5 of the Nuseirat Refugee Camp to the New Camp – located within the municipal boundaries of Nuseirat - was long, exhausting and terrifying.
I had to walk for several miles, on a very dusty journey that compromised my new, specially tailored red suit and orange sandals.
On the arduous journey, passing through citrus orchards and heaps of sand, I was accompanied by hundreds of children, some more experienced and confident, and others, like me, crying all the way to the UNRWA Elementary School for Boys.
On the way, I learned about the 'crazy man of the orchard', the disheveled guard who chases after unruly children whenever they try to pluck orange fruits from the Hirthani trees. I also learned about the unleashed dogs that belonged to some Bedouin tribe, whose bites may result in many rabies injections and terrible pain.
We all want the same thing — to live in safety with our families and contribute to our communities. When government policies harm families, the policies should change. And when children are involved, our government should take the greatest care before doing something that changes their lives so irrevocably.