Carter Meets With Hamas Officials

Ok, so I'm not going to profess to be anything near an expert on middle east affairs, in particular the contentious situation between Israel and Palestine; I do however, try to pay attention to what is going on and I find he animosity and opposition expressed toward former U.S. President Jimmy Carter to be both provocative and disagreeable. United States officials have condemned Carter for, "engaging in diplomacy with a group they consider a terrorist group." I'm sure this is an outgrowth if America's very close relationship with Israel, their key ally in the region, and it's also a very predictable one for various reasons.

Carter has been quoted as saying thus, "I'm not a negotiator. I'm just trying to understand different opinions and communicate, provide communications between people that won't communicate with each other," WOW, what an idea! How dare he try to bridge the communication gap between the United States and an organization that they classify as an enemy! I don't think we should ever view diplomacy or dialogue with an "enemy" as being detrimental to anything other than this inexorable push the United States always has for war and bullying opposition. Too often our country turns a deaf ear to anybody who disagrees which only compounds the problems and contention that we face from other countries. Establishing a discourse between two opposing parties is always beneficial since it can build a rapport between nations, and possibly even lend itself to more amicable relations. Hamas may be conducting terrorist operations, but who the terrorist is and who the victim is will always be a matter of perspective and is completely subjective. To some nations we are terrorist are we not? Terrorism should be defined by the act, not by the pretext which it is operated under, or the nation that commits it.

So where does this leave us? We should laud Carter for trying to understand the opposition. Often when complaints are raised, even in our own personal lives, you can pacify the opposition simply by holding them with some regard, by taking them as legitimate grievances. Think about it; Do you listen to someone when they assign universal labels to you in an assuming and pretentious manner? Absolutely not, one takes offense and shuts down their senses of logic and reason. Of course it is much harder to control one's self than to drop bombs and call out the troops. This where it is important for us as citizens of this country to not buy in to the beat of the war drum, to denounce rhetoric that fosters distance rather than diplomacy. Idealist yes, but not unreal or impossible if you think about it.

Now I know what you're thinking you jingoistic flag waving patriots! Remember 9/11! Kill the terrorists! You're supporting terrorism! No, my friends you're supporting terrorism; whether it's state sanctioned or not, the United States is guilty of terrorist acts much like other countries and non state organizations out there. Think about our activities in Latin America....the U.S. has conducted operations on innocent civilians, killing numbers that would pail in comparison to those who died in the World Trade Center attacks. And no, I am not condoning their actions, these people didn't have it coming, our government maybe, but not the innocent civilians, but they're the ones who are caught in the middle of these squabbles and who end up dying, not our leaders or rulers. So appreciate what Carter is doing, he could be saving your sons and daughters from going to war.

Again, I don't condone terrorism from any country, including my own. I would denounce it no matter what the country. I find it irritating when those in our country paint others terrorist in complete disregard for our own troubled past. To disagree is understandable and expected between members of the world community, but what is wrong with talking things out? Yes it takes more time, yet it may mean that the U.S. has to give something up to find that happy medium, and yes it is very very hard work, but the results are much longer lasting than war. War and distrust begets much of the same. So thank you, Jimmy Carter, for trying to understand an issue before drawing conclusions and making judgment calls, I wish our leaders currently in office would take your lead.

All quoted material is from the following article from CNN.COM.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/04/18/carter.hamas/index.html?eref=rss_topstories