Anti-semitism: It’s time I said something. I understand why people may be reluctant to weigh-in on the current tensions in the Middle East. No matter what reasoned, well thought out explanation you make, you are bound to offend someone. However, I do not want to be guilty of moral cowardice. One of the things that I was most proud of John Lewis was for standing up for LGBTQ rights in 1997, long before it was popular to do so in the Democratic Party.
I am aware that I am a business leader of no consequence nor should anyone care what I think. However, I want to be clear on what side I stand. I stand firmly against anti-semitism. Anyone who knows me, knows that I have been a longstanding critic of Israeli policies in the West Bank and Gaza. The desperate conditions that existed for the Palestinian people were absolutely heartbreaking but that does not excuse the slaughter of over 1300 Israelis. Did we all forget that this is how this got started? Violence only begets more violence. It is not a path to peace.
This was not an act of resistance. Suppose if Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. organized a group of Black people who went on to murder every white person they encountered in Selma or Birmingham, Alabama? In the heat of the moment, I’m sure there were some who wanted to. Thank God that is not the path they chose. Non-violence is the only way to a lasting peace. You cannot take the moral high ground after killing over 1300 people.
I am a liberal. I caution some of my liberal friends who criticized Donald Trump for not believing US Intelligence Agencies when they said Russia tried to interfere in our elections but now are skeptical of the conclusion of those same agencies who believe the missile that exploded in the parking lot of a hospital in Gaza was likely not from Israel.
What moves me most is the suffering of Israeli and Palestinian children. As the adults of this world, it is our job to keep our children safe, whether we have no children, or they’re not our biological children. It is the older generations’ collective responsibility to protect our children. We have failed miserably to do so. There has to be a generation that puts aside the need for revenge in order to have peace. Governments don’t make peace, people do. I believe the Palestinians and Israelis have not been served well by their respective governments. It’s up to the people to make peace. Despite Israelis who have suffered unimaginable tragedy, there are still some who believe flattening Gaza is not the answer. There is still hope for peace. There must be a strong condemnation by the Palestinian people that the attack was wrong. The issues Palestinians face in Gaza must be addressed. A condemnation of the attack, I believe will create some space for dialog.
Life is not good right now for either side. Can we all agree that we the adults can do better? For the sake of the children, I pray the adults find a way to make this happen. It is my sincere wish that both Israelis and Palestinians know peace. — Gregory Q. Jenkins, CEO of Quentasia Studios #peace#antisemitism#Israel#Gaza#WestBank
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