This is a piece on the current situation in Gaza.
Turkey and grape leaves.
On the days before the first frosts, the Caveman knew only of
roasted wild poultry wrapped in softened greens. So when the wind blew, the
Caveman thought of turkey and grape leaves; when the night was still, the
Caveman dreamt of turkey and grape leaves.
Ask the Caveman to chisel an ode to his next meal, and not even
Pablo Neruda could pen more passionately.
Little did the Caveman know – or contemplate – that, thousands
of years later, civilized families would gather to carve turkeys, ones just
like his! Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, other civilized families would boil grape
leaves as rockets raced from the sky.
But more importantly, these are the same grape leaves, just
like his!
The Caveman concentrated on building his fire. He did not have time to
imagine the upcoming rise and fall of Rome or Germany or atom bombs. Perhaps the
Caveman simply lacked imagination, but we cannot know for sure. He was too busy
keeping an eye on the turkey and grape leaves.
But ask the Caveman about Nazi ideology, and he would have answered
that genocides don’t require concentration camps and human ovens, nor does it
need ICC definitions to determine when the indiscriminate murder of a people actually becomes the indiscriminate
murder of a people.
Hell, the last time anything was that clear was when enemies could be distinguished by the Swastika!
Ask the Caveman about nuclear weapons, and he would have
understood that, if one bomb ruined Hiroshima, so could the other twenty-seven
thousand. With so many missiles pointed at each other, he would have questioned, since when did human beings decide to depend
on self-destruction?
Has it replaced turkey and grape leaves?
The Caveman certainly couldn't have written an ode to genocides and atom
bombs. Here’s to hoping I can’t, either.
Footnote: Turkey and grape leaves represent the two conflicting states, as both ingredients are used in Israeli and Palestinian dishes, respectively.
Footnote 2: The "Caveman" refers - in part - to the simplicity that "violence" should be defined as. While the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a complex topic, the fact remains that people are being killed, whether 3 on one side or 40 on the other. Too often, we forget this during discussions.
Footnote 3: Scholars and
governments alike are often hesitant on declaring genocides within conflicts. But
this label should not prevent institutions from working to stop violence.
Footnote 4: I had mentioned atom bombs because Israel is the only state to neither confirm nor deny possession of nuclear weapons. I think this act (or lack thereof) plays a major role in determining US foreign policies. If you have additional thoughts, let me know!
