It is getting harder and harder as time passes. Someone I met here said that an International once visited Palestine and was so moved they wanted to write a book, so they returned to start the interviews and research for their book and could only manage to write an article, then they learned even more and couldn't sit down to write an e-mail.
I never took a moment to consider how dangerous apuntes can be; I want folks to read these and read the tons of other blogs and books on Palestine. I want people to do something beyond reading and writing. When will more people start rebeling?
One of my dearest comrades forwarded me these words from one of my favorite writers:
We all know that there are language forms that are considered impolite and out of order, no matter what truths these languages might be carrying. If you talk with a harsh, urbanized accent and you use too many profanities, that will often get you barred from many arenas, no matter what you’re trying to say. On the other hand, polite, formal language is allowed almost anywhere even when all it is communicating is hatred and violence.
Power always privileges its own discourse while marginalizing those who would challenge it or that are the victims of its power.
Just watch what’s happening in Palestine.
I find the language of Israel, for example, the language of an occupying army that practices collective retaliation, that drops bombs on villagers because someone utterly unconnected to them kills an Israeli soldier, this language is considered (by many in the world community) as rational and civilized, yet the language of a Palestinian revolutionary, fighting to end the occupation, with whatever limited means he or she has at their disposal, is considered the language of savagery and of barbarism and of terrorism. It would seem to me that the Israelis deploy their language privilege to cloak the reality of what they’re doing and distort what the Palestinian struggle for liberation is all about.
Gracias Junot Diaz, for your palabras...
8 comments:
Fernando your writing is very powerful keep it up. Things here in nyc are hot maybe the earth is trying to tell us something. Send my love for all the folks out there who are managing to survive and thrive throughout this madness. I can't wait to see you when you get back.
peace, Rafa
One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. - a Zapatisto( I think. I remeber this quotation from memory.)
Stay safe. The work you're doing is so important.
My mom sent this to me today to get me out of a funk. Belive it or not it helped me snap out of it. I hope it inspires you too.
The bigger the risk, the deeper the trust, the louder the prayer, the more angels show off. I believe in you.
This blog entry moved me. Email me when you're back in New York.
Meli G
RESTREPO...TODAY THERE WAS A RALLY IN TIME SQUARE TO SUPPORT THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, IT WAS VERY EMOTIONAL...PENSE EN TI...SAVE RETURN HOME.....TITIA
silence can be resistance! I always would beat myself up when I could not write and attributed it to laziness or some kind of lack of motivation. some things are so difficult that they just get lodged in your skin; sometimes, it takes years to express them.
i want you to know..i'm reading..
-ladybug
Please Vote and tell your friends to Vote!
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/07/15/mideast/index.html
6:30am here, just got to read your writing for the first time since you left. your palabras are moving me - not in new york, but visiting family in places where there have been no rallies in support of the people of palestine, i am so thankful for them. when you return: a beer in the hood and a million questions, you know i am still working on going with joaquin, sometime next year... stay safe and stay up, fernando!!!
alex
Lately I find myself interested in the Israel/Palestine conflict. Perhaps because it s a very rich culture in both sides; also; because its a conflict that seems not to have a solution; according to the people in power, but in reality everything has a solution. Therefore, I think people like yourself, are doing a great job showing us [thruogh] your blog the real crisis that is taking place in the Middle East. We don't see the reality in the regular news, only illussions that they want us to see. Thanks for the information, keep up the good work, and stay safe.
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