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Mar. 26th, 2002 12:30 pmI was reading an article about the first female Palestinian suicide bombers in Israel. And thinking - there but for the grace of God...
Reading interviews with their family about their mindset before leaving and I realise that, under different circumstances, that could easily have been me. At 20 I was severely depressed. How much more frustration and despair would it have taken under those circumstances to give me a suicide option that was "an honourable thing". How willing would I have been to take it?
And with them having led, of course, others will follow.
The whole Israel/Palestine situation depresses me immensely. Reading today that Saddam Hussein is giving money to the families of those who die either as suicide bombers or are killed by the Israeli military really doesn't give much hope for what remains of the peace process. Will people suicide for financial reasons? Depends on how desperate they are.
Muslim and Infidel, black and white, Jew and Gentile, Magpie and Demon, Catholic and Protestant, Koori and Gubba. All words meaning "us" and "not us".
I can't imagine living in a situation with that level of desperation. I can't imagine being afraid to get on a bus, or go to a cafe or meet a friend to go shopping for fear of being blown up. And yet - there but for the grace of God, and an accident of birth and genes, go I.
Reading interviews with their family about their mindset before leaving and I realise that, under different circumstances, that could easily have been me. At 20 I was severely depressed. How much more frustration and despair would it have taken under those circumstances to give me a suicide option that was "an honourable thing". How willing would I have been to take it?
And with them having led, of course, others will follow.
The whole Israel/Palestine situation depresses me immensely. Reading today that Saddam Hussein is giving money to the families of those who die either as suicide bombers or are killed by the Israeli military really doesn't give much hope for what remains of the peace process. Will people suicide for financial reasons? Depends on how desperate they are.
Muslim and Infidel, black and white, Jew and Gentile, Magpie and Demon, Catholic and Protestant, Koori and Gubba. All words meaning "us" and "not us".
I can't imagine living in a situation with that level of desperation. I can't imagine being afraid to get on a bus, or go to a cafe or meet a friend to go shopping for fear of being blown up. And yet - there but for the grace of God, and an accident of birth and genes, go I.
