An open letter to the family and friends of Tom Hurndall

[Resistance]

by Miriyam Aouragh | Electronic Intifada

Dear family and friends of Tom,

Despite nine dreadful months in a coma, Tom's death took us by surprise. It left us in a moment of stunned retreat while staring at the television screen. Upon hearing the news of his passing, many thoughts crossed my mind. I am sure that others felt similar emotions, ranging from anger to sadness and settling on renewed determination.

Tom's death was the result of a cowardly act of viciousness, itself the result of an entrenched racist and oppressive system. Tom's killing revealed not only the mercilessness of the tactics used by the Israeli army, but also disclosed the hypocrisy and compliance of our own Western governments.

Tom symbolized the peaceful, yet at the same time strong, will of humanity. That is more than can be said of the many "Coalition Forces" army casualties in Iraq who receive elaborate memorials and media coverage. We all remember the sharp double standard when an Israeli bulldozer crushed the young American peace activist Rachel Corrie to death in Gaza. Not long after that dark day in March, all media spotlights and patriotic rhetoric were focused on another young American woman: Private First Class Jessica Lynch, an injured war heroine "rescued" by Special Forces in an aura of Hollywood style triumphalism.

(more continued at the link)

[mmm]

1. YES! I send my monthly check to this cause.

Let the money be well spent.

[Resistance]

2. awesome

peace groups like the ISM deserve all the support they can get.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Blitz]

5. Did you see my post

in the aftermath of Hurndall's killer confessing? Perhaps you should look it up before calling me out. I'll look for your apology right here.

[Resistance]

6. I take it that's a "no"?

[Blitz]

7. Like I said, I'll await your apology

after you track down my post.

As for videos, to the best of my knowledge, none exist regarding that incident. Even so, the Israeli government did the right and moral thing, as usual, in bringing the guilty to justice.

[tinnypriv]

8. Well, this comment:

<< The Israeli government did the right and moral thing, as usual, in bringing the guilty to justice >>

Just reveals you know nothing about the matter.

Israel's largest newspaper (and most respected military correspondent) recently ran a story on Tom (and others) entitled:

Poorly Investigated, Forgotten and Buried

BTW the Israeli government does not even interview civilians in the vicinity of shootings of civilians in the occupied territories. It relies on the testimony of those doing the shooting and others in the IDF, unless pressured otherwise by the media.

You might want to look up the January 23 edition of Yediot Aharonot, before commenting further out of respect for Tom's family.

[Resistance]

9. I guess the "right and moral thing"

also includes shooting at visiting family members to the site where the killing took place.

[number6]

4. Remember Tom

:kick: