[IMC-Boston-Editorial] comment: please do not hide/delete
Sofia JarrinT
sofiajt at yahoo.com
Sun Aug 13 15:31:53 PDT 2006
hey guys,
The person below who was quote on my last article will most probably write a comment to defend Israel's attacks against Lebanon (see below). Please do not hide/delete since he deserves to be heard after I quoted him...
peace,
sofia
Jonathan McIntosh <jonnyrebellious at gmail.com> wrote:Its starting...
------ Forwarded Message
From: stoptheism at att.net
Date: Sun, 13 Aug 2006 13:11:39 +0000
To: Seva Brodsky <seva.brodsky at gmail.com>, Jonathan McIntosh <jonnyrebellious at gmail.com>
Cc: Solomonia Admin <solomon at solomonia.com>, Seva Brodsky <seva.brodsky at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Attn: IndyMedia, c/o Sofia Jarrin and Jonathan McIntosh
http://www.sfweekly.com/Issues/2006-08-09/news/feature.html
-------------- Original message from Seva Brodsky <seva.brodsky at gmail.com>: --------------
Jonathan,
Please pass this e-mail on to Sofia Jarrin, as her e-mail was not conveniently available on the website -- I wonder why? I could, I suppose, try to Google for it, but it would take some of my time, which I am very short on these days, so please either forward this to her, or kindly send me her e-mail address.
Also, how did you get that Press ID? I want one too! Please advise. Thank you!
In re http://boston.indymedia.org/newswire/display/186905/index.php and http://capedmaskedandarmed.com/photoblog/?m=200608 :
"Under a thin veil of desperation, about 500 Lebanese, Lebanese-Americans, and supporters from many walks of life assembled for the fourth consecutive week at Copley Square to protest the ongoing indiscriminate attacks of Israel on the Lebanese civilian population and its infrastructure."
Well, as per other "independent" reports, there were not "about 500", but about 200 demonstrators there. Further, the ongoing attacks by Israel are aimed exclusively and purposefully at Hezbollah targets, NOT "n the Lebanese civilian population and its infrastructure" -- had Israel wished to destroy Lebanon, it would have done so in one day, back on the 10th of July, 2006. However, Israel has been going EXCLUSIVELY after targets of military significance. Have mistakes been made by Israel? No doubt -- war is a bloody business, and mistakes are occasionally made, and even when there are no mistakes, civilians die in the war, however unintentionally.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has already issued an apology to the Lebanese people on account of civilian deaths. Israel issues warnings before attacks, thereby eliminating the element of surprise, in order to enable the civilians to flee, as Israel bends over backwards in order to save enemy's civilian lives, thereby fighting with one hand behind its back. And we all now know about Hezbollah tactics, which are the same as those of other Arab "brave resistance" and "freedom fighters" -- using their own civilian population as human shields.
We dont target civilians, said Seva Brodsky, 43, at a counter protest of about 10 people who see the attacks as an Israeli defensive sweeping strategy against terrorism. Yet, by Thursday the civilian toll in Lebanon was at least 1,000 civilians, 30 per cent of them children under 12, while 3,580 have been wounded. In 30 days, 915,792 people have been displaced, including 220,000 Lebanese who left the country, according to the governments High Relief Commission. At least 124 Israelis have been killed since the fighting started, including 84 soldiers, and hundreds more wounded."
See above. Please also note that there were up to 20 people on our side, as opposed to "about 10" as per your report. Facts ARE important, statistics do matter, information is crucial, knowledge is power.
How do you define terrorism? said Tony Lakkis, 43, a Lebanese national and American resident who has lived in the United States for 31 years. Is terrorism those who go bomb homes killing civilians? Or is it suicide bombers who explode themselves on the streets? I think they both are. Lakkis mother, sister, and sister-in-law are currently living in northern Lebanon.
This is how I define terrorism: indiscriminate, purposeful and deliberate killing of innocent civilians. This is the whole purpose of Hezbollah rockets, which are stuffed with ball bearings, designed to inflict maximum casualties among Israeli civilian population. What Israel does, on the other hand (see above) is to go after targets of military significance, while trying hard to avoid enemy civilian casualties. Can you tell the difference? I sure hope so.
"The Copley protest was organized by a coalition of groups under the name Justice for Lebanon, who were able to raise $40,000 during a benefit concert last weekend and have launched a campaign called Boston to Lebanon, to raise 1 million dollars to help the those in need in Lebanon. We need to emphasize the humanitarian crisis, said Loai Naomani, 25, a Ph.D. student at MIT and one of the rally organizers, and how bringing aid to those in need has been hampered by the Israeli bombing. Oxfam America, for example, sent an 18-tonne consignment of water distribution, sanitation and hygiene equipment to Lebanon, but is struggling to get aid to those in most need in southern Lebanon while hostilities continue. In Saida alone there are a reported 71 centers where around 100,000 displaced people are sheltering."
It is very difficult as well as dangerous to deliver aid to the population in an area of armed conflict. Arab militants (resistance and freedom fighters, terrorists, etc.) repeatedly used humanitarian efforts (such as ambulances, etc.) to transport themselves, weapons, explosives and ammunition, with and without the knowledge of humanitarian agencies. I am sure you have seen by now the infamous picture of the Hezbullah flag hoisted next to the U.N. one on the U.N. observer post in Lebanon. Pictures speak volumes. I am sure you have heard by now of how news is fabricated -- the recent Reuters, AP, et al. scandals speak for themselves -- just go to http://www.seconddraft.org <http://www.seconddraft.org/> and http://theaugeanstables.com <http://theaugeanstables.com/> to see for yourself how Pallywood "manufactures" news. And pay attention to the ubiquitous man in the green helmet, who is so fond of being in the picture, holding the dead and the wounded, ch ildren and
civilians.
"Carol Hayek, 33, heavily criticized Israel for destroying the infrastructure in Lebanon, which has taken the country back to square one after the 1975-1990 civil war and Israels invasion of southern Lebanon in 1982. Every mother in that country will become an extremist when the economy falls, she said. Lebanon's finance minister Jiad Azour told National Public Radio that the bombing has affected every aspect of the country's economy, and it will take at least $4 billion to rebuild the country's destroyed infrastructure. Lebanon was already struggling to overcome a $40 billion public debt, primarily the result of its long internal struggle."
Fouad Siniora, the PM of Lebanon, who a couple days ago promised to bring 15,000 armed Lebanese troops into Southern Lebanon so as to impose peace, was conspicuously absent with a similar offer BEFORE the war. Well, maybe the war, as unfortunate as it is (the cease fire has been announced for tomorrow, Monday, 14 August 2006), has brought something good -- the Lebanese government is now willing to impose its power upon the militants (terrorists, freedom and resistance fighters, etc.). As well it should, since the government of any sovereign country MUST exercise exclusive control of the military. Allow me to remind you that when the war started, that very same Foud Siniora said that he was not going to exercise his military dominion (as requested by the Israeli government) because ... dig this ... Hezbollah was a legitimate resistance group. Do you see something strange with this picture? I sure do.
As for the devastation of Lebanon -- let the U.N. and E.U. pick up the tab -- after all, they are just about as guilty of the war as is Lebanon itself. I am sure you are informed and intelligent enough to figure out the reasons why they are responsible. Just one hint, though -- "it's all Israel's fault".
"Hayek said she has three sisters, five nieces and nephews 3 of them American citizens her grandmother and grandfather all living in rented apartments in northern Lebanon, after they fled the attacks on Beirut. They have food supply for 10 days and are unsure what next steps to take. They dont want to leave everything behind. Their entire lives are in Beirut, she said."
My fiancee and her entire family, my own brother, cousins, aunts and uncles, as well as many other relatives and friends are in Israel, many of them in the North. They don't want to leave everything behind. Their entire lives are in Israel, which is getting bombed by Hezbollah missiles as I write this.
"On Friday, the Security Council agreed unanimously on a measure calling for a cessation of hostilities and the deployment of 30,000 Lebanese and United Nations forces in southern Lebanon. Israeli officials have said they would expand the military campaign this weekend until they can obtain the cabinets approval. The language of the resolution calls for an immediate cessation of all attacks by Hizbullah but only of all offensive military operations by Israel, with no definition of what Israel might consider "defensive" and therefore acceptable under the terms of the resolution."
Which part of "offensive" or "defensive" don't you understand. Google is your friend, as is Merriam Webster. Mind you, those 30,000 Lebanese and U.N. troops contain the very same 15,000 troops I referred to above -- the ones Foud Siniora did not want to commit to reign in Hezbollah. The world can only hope that there was a lesson here, learned the hard way.
"At the same time, Israel has asked the Bush administration the speed delivery of short-range antipersonnel rockets armed with cluster munitions, artillery that Human Rights Watch opposes for its deathly toll on civilians. Because so many of the submunitions initially fail to detonate, Human Rights Watch said on a press release, M26 rockets leave behind large numbers of hazardous explosive duds that are akin to landmines, injuring and killing civilians long after the attack. "
This is most unfortunate, and maybe the world leaders should convene and discuss which weapons are to be allowed, and which banned. This would go both ways, by the way -- I am referring to the anti-civilian weapons (purposeful and deliberate) that Hezbollah and other Arab "freedom fighters" (resistance guerillas, terrorists, militants, etc.) use.
"It is in Israels interest that Beirut flourishes and I wish the Palestinians had their own state by now, said Seva Brodsky, who seemed ambivalent as he placed an I love Beirut sticker on his shirt but saw the Israeli attacks on that country inevitable and justified. Idan from Haifa, a 30-year-old Israeli who is in Boston for a few weeks for medical testing, said that U.S. policy in Iraq does not help because it will be more difficult to deal with Iran, which he sees as a real threat to Israels existence. Everything that is done against Muslim countries is being manipulated as a crusade against Islam, he said."
As I remember and as my digital audio recording indicates, the interview that Sofia Jarrin conducted with me and Idan from Haifa (he is in the Bcc list of this e-mail), there was a whole lot more factual information that was given by us to you. You chose to redact it for your own purposes. Well, we shall include some of those facts in our own posting on Solomonia.com -- facts are important and accurate information makes all the difference, as it prevents further bloodshed, which is a direct result of wrong assumptions and intentional distortions, misrepresentations, and lies. You connect the dots.
We are truly an exit to peace with Israel in the Middle East and could be a model for it, said Mohamed Elhusseini, another rally organizer who emphasized Lebanons pro-Western, pluralistic government, But if you want a failed state, look at Lebanon right now. With every attack people are being swayed to an extreme.
I totally agree with Mohammed Elhusseini, with his every word. So what the Lebanese people must do to achieve the peace and prosperity they so desire, is to reign in Hezbollah and other militant groups, or just kick them off Lebanese soil, like they did with Syria in the wake of Rafik Hariri's assassination. Anything short of that is not going to bring either Lebanon or Israel closer to peace and mutually beneficial coexistence.
Nota Bene:
For the purposes of disclosure, fairness, and balance, I have to notify you that I have included all the people whose e-mail addresses I had that attended that very same demonstration (but were on the other side of the street from it, holding pro-Israel signs), so that they could see for themselves just how independent, "fair and balanced" your media outlet is. But then again, according to Jonathan's own admission, IndyMedia.org is a leftist organization, so there should be surprises here.
Also, as I have told Sofia Jarrin (when she was interviewing me on the 11th of August,) she was on record, as my digital recorder, with its microphone out in full view, was running all along. You have been duly notified, so I suggest you start phasing out your spin, lest I and my friends and associates expose you for your underhanded tactics, dishonesty, and blatant violations of journalistic integrity.
Conspicuously absent from Jonathan's photo reportage were the pictures of our side, the counter-demonstrators. Was our presence there a mere figment of our collectively inflamed imagination?
Stay tuned, as our report is soon to hit the streets -- I will duly notify you of the Solomonia.com blog entry when it comes out in a couple days or so.
For more background, see these:
www.jrtelegraph.com/2006/07/seva_brodsky_on.html -- link to my Hannity and Colmes FOX TV interview (w/feedback below)
www.solomonia.com/blog/archives/008799.shtml -- the first Boston incident (w/tons of interesting and revealing feedback)
www.solomonia.com/blog/archives/008897.shtml -- the second installment (w/tons of interesting and revealing feedback)
http://rule19.org/resources/z-spies.htm -- the enemy is getting restless
http://bridgenews.org/news/082006/thugmedia -- the enemy's account of events (parallel virtual reality)
http://boston.indymedia.org/newswire/display/186905/index.php -- this is how the leftist media describes the same events
http://capedmaskedandarmed.com/photoblog/?m=200608 -- this is how the leftist photographer sees it -- notice the selective vision, not a trace of counter-protesters there
www.jcpa.org/phas/phas-brodsky-05.htm -- my published paper from the summer of 2005 internship at JCPA.org -- this is a bonus for your reading pleasure
Sincerely,
Seva Brodsky
The Pest of Zion
------ End of Forwarded Message
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