Ten, the Hard Way
JWPF’s Head Statistician reports that last Saturday was the first time we placed ten vigilers on Washtenaw Avenue since June of 2008, but we did! And for the story behind the headline: Ms. D is the wife of the owner of a local motorcycle shop; this fall she was raising funds for Toys for Tots by raffling off tickets to win her hand-made, motorcycle-themed, quilt. When I explained that I, as a peace activist, could not donate to a cause that promotes the Marine Corps, she pleaded that the proceeds would benefit children. Would Ms. D be willing to stand vigil with Jewish Witnesses for Peace and Friends in exchange for the sale of one raffle ticket? Sure, why not? was her response, especially after reading the yellow journalism hit piece on our group by Art Aisner.
Sure enough, Ms. D showed up Saturday, and pushed our numbers back into double digits. A woman of her word, we at JWPF send our appreciation her way!
Potential at ICPJ?
A six-member panel spoke at last week’s ICPJ event to review Barack Obama’s first year in office. Ron Gregg, representing Common Ground, the replacement group for the deposed Middle East Task Force, toed the Zionist line as he spoke of last year’s war in Gaza, and the requirement for Israel’s security being front and center of any peace negotiations.
Mr. Gregg was gently reminded that, to consider his movement at all progressive, a little thinking outside the envelope was necessary: for instance the war in Gaza was in essence a slaughter, a massacre, and not at all a war; he was reminded that infants were attacked by white phosphorus bombs. And he could not return an answer when asked whether a thief who attacked his home and killed his family members was deserving of any claim to security.
He was also reminded by an audience member that not only was there no Arab/Muslim presence at the meeting, but that the ICPJ in their successful efforts at removing the METF for our audacity at promoting Palestinian calls for BDS drove the only Palestinian Arab/Muslim member on their Board of Directors away. That member stands with JWPF on Saturday mornings.
New Feature of our Reports
Readers have always been able to communicate with this writer about the contents of our reports, but some chafe under the recognition that their comments are not seen by the readership at large.
Thanks to a new policy at Deir Yassin Remembered, which allows Board of Advisor members the ability to post items to a new blog, our Vigil Reports will be now posted at https://blog.deiryassin.org/ and readers may place comments, subject only to rules of decent communication, which will be visible to all. The last two reports have been posted, and weekly reports such as this will post shortly after readers receive them. We look forward to your use of this new feature.
Boycott Israel
Henry Herskovitz
Jewish Witnesses for Peace and Friends
https://blog.deiryassin.org/
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