obama says israel must stop their settlements into palestinian lands, and palestinians must renounce violence, and their policies of "incitement." such statements are lauded for being even handed. how so? what of the thousands of people who have already settled? what of the hundreds of thousands of palestinians still forced to live apart from their homeland? to all this, what is it to say no more settlements? and if palestinians must renounce violence, what of israelis, or americans, for that matter? more to the point, when will the governments of israel and america renounce violence? and if they are not willing to do so, as their recent brutality in iraq, gaza, afghanistan, lebanon, and pakistan suggest, then why should we put any stock in what an israeli or american leader has to say about violence?

in january, israel brutalized gaza for three weeks, killing 1400 people. every year, we give israel three billion dollars in military aid, as well as prosecute our own wars. and yet, palstinians must renounce violence. for you see, the battered woman, and not the abusive man, needs to renounce violence. only the victim needs to practice nonviolence. only we and our allies get to kill.

and yet, somehow, obama's statements represent great progress. liberals and leftists fall over themselves applauding his vague platitudes. they think change is coming.

yes, but what kind? surely only a change of form, of style, a surface change, when what is needed is a fundamental transformation.

a change where only the guy getting bombed needs to be peaceful is no change at all. it's the guy dropping the bombs that needs to turn pacifist.

until then, bullshit and hypocrisy will reign, regardless of the relative erudition of the leader speaking the hypocritical bullshit.

yes, end the settlements. and so much more.

so much more.