Animosity is ingrained in Israelis, Palestinians
The Los Angeles Times editorial “Netanyahu weakens Israeli democracy” in Saturday's Dispatch reminds us just how hard it is to see humanity in the people we have come to call enemies.
I am a Christian, but I joined a Jewish fraternity in college. About 10 years later, I met an elderly lady who survived Auschwitz. I saw the numbered tattoo on her arm and clearly noticed in her what we now call posttraumatic stress syndrome, 35 years after the war ended. I knew how the Jewish people deeply felt their separation from the Holy Land. I was inspired by Leon Uris’ novel "Exodus," describing the birth of Israel.
Twenty years ago, at work, I befriended a Muslim of Palestinian descent. He told me about Al Nakba (“the catastrophe”) in which Jewish terrorists drove Palestinians from their homes and massacred the residents of Deir Yassin in 1948. Many Palestinians still live in refugee camps. Even those who return home face harsh Israeli-imposed restrictions on free movement and economic growth.
I cannot imagine how it feels to live in a country with the constant threat of war and terrorism hanging over it; nor can I imagine what it must be like to live an entire life in a refugee camp — or to have my freedom restricted for decades by an occupation force.
However, I can imagine two peoples who have become so accustomed to seeing each other as the enemy that they have become blind to the other’s humanity.
Our one-sided foreign policy in favor of Israel is contributing nothing except incentive for the Palestinians to hate us.
I have enjoyed being with my Jewish and Palestinian friends. While their religion and ethnicity enrich my experience with them, their human worth is equal in the eyes of God.
Harold D. Thomas, Columbus
'Columbus Way' fails to work for everyone
The “Columbus Way” that has been credited for saving the Columbus Crew soccer club has tragically lost its way with the news that Lifecare Alliance (providing Meals on Wheels) and Maryhaven (providing addiction services in an opioid crisis) are not receiving public funding in this year's city council budget. This decision was made after city council and the Franklin County commissioners each committed $50 million in public money to the Crew for development of a park proclaimed to benefit Linden.
But who believes the $100 million commitment to a professional sports team is more important priority than Meals on Wheels and addressing the national opioid crisis? Credit The Dispatch for its March 10 editorial calling for a course correction of the “Columbus Way” to include actual citizens in the decisionmaking process instead of the Columbus Partnership providing singular direction. Unfortunately, this organization has its thumb on both city council and commissioners.
Officials should simply
upgrade the current practice facility and put the money into the Linden community, not to soccer fields that will never be used by the community.
Bret Adams, Dublin
Labor has big role in CAPA'S success
I respond to the Sunday Dispatch article "Golden touch," which is a welldeserved pat on the back to the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts. However, I feel the article left IATSE Stagehands Local 12 out of the party.
Without the skilled men and women working audio, lighting, electric, carpentry, props, rigging and loading there would be no CAPA shows. Just ask any Broadway actor or technician how things would go without us.
Also, CAPA'S stage managers/head carpenters, including Jason Gay, Kevin Campbell, Greg Bryan and Derek Warner, make it all happen. Let's keep labor in the discussion.
Richard Shack, Columbus
Electoral College is unfair, outdated
I am so sick of hearing about how if the Electoral College didn’t exist, New York and California would elect the president (Sunday letter from Mark E. Fohl). Did I miss something? Are there no Republican voters in those states? There’s just no valid argument in favor of this outdated practice.
There’s no other election in this country that uses this type of system. What’s the point of even having a popular vote if the winner is the actual loser? Talk about votes not counting. Last time I checked, the majority of American voters didn’t elect our current toddler in chief.
Ryan Beem, Columbus