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Because of its impotence before the power of capital, and equally because its promises come increasingly to appear as an insult to those excluded from what is held out, culture is taken over by the very powers it had criticized. Consumer culture is the degradation of culture. (“The Culture Industry�, Theodor Adorno, Introduction, Page 17. Routledge New York, 2004.)
I watched you being interviewed on CNN and hold to the position that the Israeli actions have not been disproportionate with regards to the aggression of Hezbollah. Wolf Blitzer probed your position slightly by citing a number of authorities who have stated concern over the Israeli targeting of the infrastructure of Lebanon, to which you responded that Hezbollah have targeted Israeli civilians and kidnapped Israeli soldiers.
As of this date (Sunday, July 23, 2006) the Israelis have killed an estimated 330 Lebanese civilians, and the IDF Chief of Staff Lt. General Dan Halutz has claimed that close to 100 Hezbollah fighters have been killed. Disproportionately, only 19 Israeli civilians and 15 soldiers have been killed (also to date). What is more is that the utter destruction of Lebanese bridges, highways and basic utilities has created a human crisis in Lebanon that is culminating in a huge refugee exodus. If you wish to check on the veracity of these statistics follow these links:
"Lebanon 'torn to shreds'" http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/3D2487E0-32C8-4C57-8291-BBE2977EBF29.htm Al Jazeera, 2006-07-20.
"Lebanon shudders under deadly strikes as toll soars", AFP, 2006-07-18. http://www.afp.com/english/news/stories/060718095717.n0k96lc0.html
Dozens die in fresh Lebanon raids, BBC News Wednesday, 19 July 2006 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5193662.stm
"Crude Oil Rises From One-Week Low as Lebanon Conflict Continues", Bloomberg, 2006 http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=adw2qxp2yrrM&refer=europe
"Israeli Forces Gather at Border", Washington Post, 2006-07-22. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/21/AR2006072100968.html
I realize that presenting this information is nothing new to what you have already been briefed on, and probably in much greater detail. What is interesting to me is how a person such as you is able to compartmentalize such blatant atrocities being carried out against HUMAN BEINGS. Do you rely on a pure racism that would have any act of violence discounted where American interests are not concerned? Are you able to discount these statistics as a "life is cheap/life is precious" dichotomy that would sustain outrage over two kidnapped soldiers in the face of a human tragedy on such a massive scale?
As you know the Lebanese government have disavowed the Hezbollah aggression from the very beginning and yet the Israeli aggression has not been contained to Hezbollah, again, as you know and as the above statistics bear out. Think of your family, think of your own humanity-- the same stuff of the people behind these anonymous statistics. These are not facts that need to be contained; this is the reality that deserves our compassion.
My own stake in this is not as a Lebanese person nor as one with a direct religious or political stake in these matters, outside of the base fact that the situation affects us all because we are all human beings. Does this position make me a bleeding heart? Only one who is jaded and corrupt could think so.
Respectfully submitted for your consideration,
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