Asking the Americans: Is this supposed to be the American way? [Archives:2002/15/Viewpoint]

I would like to use my column for this week to send a message to the Americans.
Dear Americans,
Your country was founded on the grounds of independence from occupation, liberty, freedom, and justice. You have been raised on values of respecting freedom of speech, maintaining justice and transparency, and building trust with the world. The American way is the way of freedom, justice, transparency, development, and prosperity for all.
I am afraid that the current US government has diverted you from your original path. By standing beside an oppressive government that of Sharon- in its current aggression against the unarmed Palestinian population, the USA government has done no good in promoting the values the US had been founded upon.
The USA is the main and possibly the only supporter of the regime that is currently killing innocent Palestinian people, including women and children, and is using American weapons to demolish houses and farms, to besiege and trap families in houses to follow that by shelling those houses. The US even allowed this regime to attack people in churches and mosques.
Do you know that Israel is using innocent Palestinian children as shields before storming into Palestinian camps? Do you know that they have cut off water, food, medicines, and electricity supplies leaving families to starve or die? Do you know that they have prevented ambulances from saving bleeding men, children and women in the streets?
Dont you wonder why millions of people are protesting all over the world against the USA? Do you ask yourself why you are standing beside a government that is being condemned by governments of the world except your government? Is it that all those people are wrong? Is it possible that they may be lying about your ally (Israel)?
By standing by such a regime, your government is being seen as part of this operation. Do you want to be counted by the world as part of this ugly aggression? The children and grandchildren of the Palestinians victimized in this aggression will always think of the US as their enemy. How in earth did the US move from a country that supports freedom to one that supports siege and destruction? How can Americans see this happening while thinking that they are leading the free world?
There is something wrong in this equation, and Americans ought to know what went wrong.
If there is another Sabra and Chatila to be committed in Janeen and Nablus, then it would probably be a massacre committed by US and Israel and this would stay as a black mark in the US history for ever.
I have received sympathetic calls and emails from Americans who oppose this US stance, but seem to be helpless.
Israel may be Americas strongest ally, but this alliance should not work on the destruction of a third nation.
It is known that US citizens are quite patriotic and they support their governments. But they should not overlook those governments actions. They should not blindly believe that what their governments are doing is absolutely right. Americas freedom should overcome patriotism and lead its people to vision, understanding, and concern about what is being done to an unarmed population in Israel.
You may finish reading this column and go back to your normal daily life as if nothing happened. But I want you to rethink about what you read. I want you to understand that all those lives that are been taken away, all those houses and farms that are being demolished, all the sadness in every child who loses his/her mother in the hands of Israeli soldiers, and all the miseries the Palestinians are going through would have never been there in the first place without US support to Israel.
It is your conscience that I want to ask: Do you believe that this is the American way?

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