Thursday, October 20, 2005
Loveland, Colorado
Rain on the canvas above, cold air on my hands, warm Charlie lying curled up beside me. We are both under blankets on a futon, on the floor of a yurt, on an organic farm in Loveland, Colorado. I am visiting my friend Val who taught with me at the Ramallah Friends Schools in the West Bank (www.palfriends.org/). Yesterday we went to a biodynamic farm and harvested carrots. Today it’s raining and a perfect day to write.
It’s been a long while since I have been able to sit long enough to put words down. My four days in Columbia, Missouri, were packed with five events each day. Then it was off for a day each in Kansas City, Missouri, and Lawrence, Kansas. What stands out most from these places are the people I met, beginning with Iman Labadia, the main organizer of my events in Columbia. Her energy and organizing skills matches that of my friend Jim Harb in Knoxville, TN. She arranged events at colleges and highschools, a bookstore, a radio station, and a local tv station. Iman is one of those who never looses an opportunity to make a connection and I soon learned anyone she said “I should meet” I really should.
One of these is Ibtisam, a Palestinian poet and writer, around my age, who left Ramallah 15 years ago. She came to the presentation at Missouri University and eloquently expressed the generosity of the Palestinian people and the suffering of peoples everywhere, including that of Palestinians. “The Jews have perhaps been the most persecuted people in history….We, the Palestinians, were ready to share our land. Come, we said, come, this land will be a haven for both of us… But our land has been taken.” She has a book soon to be released about her childhood in Ramallah (details when I have them). And Chronicle will be publishing her first children’s book. We talked about collaborating on another book. It will tell the story of her first good dream, at 25 years of age, of a whale and a zippered pocket in his belly which she climbs into.
And, there is Carol, a woman who was part of a coalition of people who protested my coming to Columbia, and who came to the MU event so she could “see for herself”. Before the event started, she introduced herself and throughout the evening was closely watched me. At the end, she embraced me and the work.
There are longtime peace activists Robin and Paul whose home, The Peace Haven, I stayed in. Paul, who teaches classes on terrorism, made five star breakfasts each morning and Robin sent me off with a care package which included black seed tea and handmade soap from Prague.
There is Paul Sturtz who started a storefront theater in Columbia (www.ragtagfilm.com) and initiated the True/False Documentary film festival (www.ragtagfilm.com/truefalse/home.htm). Paul showed Iman and I samples of animated documentaries created by his students. After just a few minutes of watching, I knew what I am doing next. An animated documentary. Paul gave me a list of tools I will need and offered help in learning to use the equipment.
Paul and Iman at Ragtag Theater
There is Nanette a human rights investigator and community educator who came to three presentations. To one she brought her 11 year old daughter Kai Lee. To another, her friend Rebecca who had recently come back from Israel through Birthright Israel, a program which pays the airfare for Jews who want to visit.
There was a group of students at Hickman High School. Most of them were either from the Muslim Student Association or Amnesty International. “What can we do, now, here?” one asked. We talked and brainstormed creative approaches to education.
And there were shared dinners. I met with members of the Columbia Tikkun group at a vegan restaurant on 9th street. And on two separate evenings broke the Ramadan fast with Muslim families: one Palestinian American; one Iranian.
Group shot after Missouri University event
Presenting at Hickman Highschool
Students from Amnesty International and Muslim Students Association, Hickman Highschool
With Paul and Robin
November 10th, 2005 at 12:06 pm
Hi Ellen,
I would have cats curled up with me, but your picture of you and your dog is warm and fuzzy.
I am glad you enjoyed your trip here to Columbia and wished I felt the same about having you here, but I don’t think your efforts to make people understand Palestinian suffering came without costs to our efforts to build empathy for the pain of all involved in this tragic conflict. Also, there are errors in your brief description about me, my efforts, and position.
Your comment: “And, there is Carol, a Jewish woman who was part of a coalition of people who protested my coming to Columbia, and who came to the MU event so she could “see for herself”. Before the event started, she introduced herself and throughout the evening was closely watched me. At the end, she embraced me and the work.”
First, I was not part of a “coalition” protesting your coming here. In fact, there was none so far as I know. Tikkun simply sponsored your trip and found others to assist in funding and housing you. I am a member of this left-leaning group - and another of your sponsors. I objected to sponsoring your trip until we had more information on some of your positions (see below), but missed the key meeting where this was discussed and decided, so I tried to obtain the clear information I was after and when I didn’t, merely stated my concerns to these two groups -and, yes, watched and waited, hoping I was wrong in these concerns.
Second, I did hug you. I found you very sincere and warm and this is who and what I hugged. I, however, was horrified with your answer to two young hijab-clad women who asked how to answer questions about suicide bombers who killed within Israel proper. You told them that these were poor depressed people, made excuses for their killing innocents, yet held the Israeli army responsible for any of their killing of civilians. You didn’t mention that the suicide bombers were part of a network who financed and planned these bombings, that they do not normally act alone and you did not universally condemn killing innocent people.
I was told by our Tikkun leader that over dinner you specifically endorsed the ISM position, that the Palestinian people have the right to choose their own form of “resistance,” even to killing those parallel to the ones you blamed the IDF for killing - children, workers.
Thus, I hugged you as a person, as an artist who wants to make people aware of Palestinian suffering, but not your stereotyping Israelis and your making excuses for killing innocent civilians. I honor innocent life, all innocent life… and I write this on a day when I mourn those killed in bombings in Jordan. May peace be with you and with ALL peoples of the world.
I hug the beautiful side of you and hope you will soon hear the pain of all, not just some,
Carol
cc: Iman, “Tikkun leader,” Nanette
November 10th, 2005 at 4:37 pm
Ellen, just a quick note. A friend to whom I’d cc’d the above wrote me that she is pretty sure “some one” told you that I was part of a “coalition” and therefore I wanted to make sure that I didn’t leave the impression that I thought you made this up. Carol
November 11th, 2005 at 2:00 am
Dear Carol,
Thank you for your email. It is late so I may not be as articulate as I like, however, I feel I need to respond to your words, tonight, as best as I can. And maybe fill in what I have missed later.
I belive we need to hear the stories of ALL those who are suffering, including Palestinians, including Israelis. When I speak with audiences, I say this in my introduction and encourage folks to seek the storeis of ALL those involved in the conflict. I also let people know that I lived in Palestine for six years and the stories I tell are primarily of Palestinians living and working under occupation. (I didn’t live inside Israel but for a number of months. )You may think it is my responsibility as a peacemaker to have divided my time. However, I believe, it is my responsibility, and a responsibility of all artists and activists, to tell the stories that are hidden. And to tell the stories that address the root cause of the suffering which I believe, in this case, is the occupation. I respect that we may see this differently.
It is my intention to be clear with audiences that I regard the killing of civilians as abhorant, unethical, and immoral. This is true of the killing of any civilian wherever they live, however they identify. I believe and I hope I was clear about this when speaking in Columbia.
It is also my intention to tell the stories of people in Palestine. Their stories, their names and faces are missing and hidden in our mainstream media. I want to help humanize a people who are vilified. We so often hear of suicide bombers and Islamic militants. We don’t hear of Palestinian students, hairdressers, doctors, artists.
And I want to tell the stories of occupation, a word that is rarely used in the media. Sometimes these stories give context to situations, such as suicide bombings, that are often treated as if they exist in a vacuum. These stories don’t excuse the bombing, but I want us to consider what these young people are responding to.
I believe to end the violence and bring peace to ALL we need to name and end the occupation.
Well, I need to get off to bed. It’s been a long few weeks of touring. Thank you, again, for your words. I am sure my response is inadequate. It is what I have for tonight.
In Peace,
Ellen
November 12th, 2005 at 12:40 am
Hi Ellen,
Glad to hear that you deplore “the killing of civilians as abhorant [sic], unethical, and immoral. This is true of the killing of any civilian wherever they live, however they identify. I believe and I hope I was clear about this when speaking in Columbia.”
No, you were not clear in this in your presentation to the University of Missouri-Columbia audience - or over dinner as reported by the leader of our local Tikkun.
She stated you were quite explicit in your support of the ISM position, which does not decry such civilian killings.
War is “hell,” Ellen, and those of us for peace IMHO need to work for both sides to be able to hear each other. This does not mean not telling your story. It does mean IMO not generalizing to all Israelis and IDF members and being quite clear that whatever motivates the young Palestinian people who volunteer to be the sacrificial offering for radical teror groups, they are in fact killing innocent people and this is wrong. We can’t have it both ways: to kill innocent civilians on one side is wrong, on the other explainable. Either both are explainable - and wrong -or neither is.
Your visit here, due to the above issue, was quite divisive. In fact, it activated a whole group of people who had silently objected to your visit, and likely led to the defunding this week of a controversial film by a local government!
Carol
P.S. My friends were amused by your identifying me as a “Jewish woman.” They wanted to know if you knew that I am normally viewed as left wing, standing up for Palestinian rights, against the barrier. There are “Jewish women” on all sides of this issue!
November 12th, 2005 at 12:37 pm
Dear Carol,
Thank you, again, for taking the time to write (and for catching my spelling mistakes–I could use an editor).
Yes, I support the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) which is a movement committed to resisting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land using nonviolent, direct-action methods and principles.
The ISM does not see it is their role as an international organization to tell an oppressed people how to run their revolution. And it only supports and engages in nonviolent methods of resistance. ISM has been very clear with all factions in Palestine on its stand on nonviolence.
I think it’s helpful to imagine if we, US citizens, were under occupation. If people came to the United States and began occupying this country, taking our land, forcing us to comply to their will. We can imagine there would be people who would respond nonviolently and violently. And lets imagine an international peace group coming here to help those of us engaged in nonviolent action. Now, if that peace group, lets call them the International Solidarity Movement, felt it was their position to tell us how to run our resistance I would personally feel this was not their place, even if I believed in using only nonviolent means myself. I would want everyone to be invited to come to the table, even those whose methods I disagree with. It’s only when we include everyone at the table that we can influence and be influenced. (Note: Suicide bombings were not used as a tactic in the first intifada, which was a largely nonviolent revolution, but only in the second intifada. This is in part, because of the perceived failure of nonviolence in ending the occupation.)
I don’t see only two sides to this struggle. (And I don’t see you only as a Jewish woman, however, described you as a Jewish woman to give others a sense of the personal nature of this struggle for you. It would be different if you were Christian or Buddhist. ) As I stated earlier I am against the killing of all civilians and am working to end the occupation to help bring peace to all.
In Peace,
Ellen
November 12th, 2005 at 1:55 pm
Thank you, for expressing you opinions, Carol. When I shared dinner with the Tikkun group and was asked about the International Solidarity Movement the only folks who responded to my words were those in agreement with me and the ISM position. If it were not for your email, I would not have had a sense that there was any disagreement. Several at the table bought the book and, after the event, two members asked me to let them know when/if I return to Columbia so that another event could be organized. I understand, now, from you, there were others (from Tikkun?) who found the presentation divisive. Again, I thank you for your courage to speak your mind.
November 12th, 2005 at 11:21 pm
Hi,
Your analogy is interesting. Here is mine: the US destroyed Fallujah and some one studying in the US had people dear to him or her who were seriously effected by this, whether by death, injury, or being left homeless in winter.
Well, this person had friends who knew how to make bombs and so acquired a bomb, decided to bomb the buses in your home town to show “resistance” and “solidarity,” what would you call this.
One cannot condemn the killing of civilians on the one hand and excuse the killing on the other…
As for your presenting my supposed position, based on my being “Jewish,” this is nonsense. Jeff Halper is “Jewish,” so are many who are anti-occupation in Israel on elsewhere. Yes, you were attempting to stereotype me. You owe me an apology for this.
Carol
November 14th, 2005 at 2:36 pm
Hi Ellen,
Great pictures. Should you want to pursue this further, let’s go off list. You have my email, I had yours some time ago, but not anymore.
Carol