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Comment on column
by Felicia Cerini
May 4, 2008

Dear Free Press Editors,

I just read Jason Miller's essay called Jesus Knows a Camel... dated 4/7/08. I can't argue with any of it but his statement that Israel is a murderous state. I am a left wing liberal but I am pro-Israel. I have read many smears of Israel on left wing sites. I don't know why it is but people who smear Israel on the left obviously are ignorant of the history and context of what's been going on there since 1948. I suggest that you don't have your writers write about issues when they don't know the history. Stick to what you know. Leave Israel to the experts. It is so complicated that if one just reads the newspaper these days and that makes them think they actually understand the issues--it's not possible. It will take a lot more study. Newspapers do an abysmal job of covering Israel. They always leave out half the story.

There is so much background information that is needed to really understand. So stop blaming the victim. You may think you get it, but you obviously don't if you let that sort of commentary on your site.

The Arab world has used the Palestinians as a political football and as propaganda very effectively and you are falling for it hook, line and sinker. It is so easy to blame Israel-such an easy scapegoat...things don't ever change, do they...You've got a lot of reading to do if you think you're going to tackle that subject correctly.

Let's put it this way. The Arab countries have never accepted the Israeli state. If you think they have...how naiive are you? I don't have time to go throught the entire history here. But it takes an expert or years of reading to tackle this subject. You obviously are not experts.

Here's a question for you. Where would you rather live? Any Arab country or Israel? That should make you think about who shares our values about democracy and civil rights. Our country hasn't been living up to its ideals but I'd venture to say that Israel is doing a better job in that dept than the US.

If you are an Arab in Israel who just tried to blow yourself up, Israel will put you in the hospital and nurse you back to health. What do you think would happen to an Israeli who found himself accidently in Gaza? Israel is not perfect but is certainly not a murderous state. Remember who started every war and remember who said no to every peace deal.

Felicia Cerini