Blasting people to hell with constant bombing is such unconscionable violence, and we will not remain silent even as their allies, our rulers, criminalize our speech and marches.
By Canadian governments supporting the Israeli state’s refusal to share the land, they are forcing all Canadian people to become complicit in allowing such deadly unstoppable war now and in the future. Now, as Israel invades Lebanon, our worst fears have come true: Israel is ready to spark an all-out war in the Middle East, and our government is providing the political and material support to make it a reality.
But so many of us do not want that at all. For a full year, thousands of us in so many Canadian cities—from St. John’s to Nanaimo, from Grand Forks to Corner Brook—have been on the streets loudly and peacefully calling for peace and a ceasefire. We are united in our rallies as we call on our leaders to encourage Israel to end the occupation of this area in the Middle East which has been suffering from repression and bloodshed for years.
Please. Listen. Now. Please. Stop.
This occupation needs to end now.
The ceasefire in the Middle East must be permanent to set Gaza, Palestinians, and all of us free.
As a law-abiding citizen uniting with thousands of other like-minded people across the country, and around the world, I am demanding nothing less from my government leaders than that they also demand a ceasefire.
Immediately.
I am not naïve enough to think that stopping the killing machines will immediately stop all the hatred. But anyone can see that war and genocide is contagious when more of us become de-sensitized to the trauma of the gruesome unnatural death of human beings. Government leaders should take very seriously their role of protecting citizens from being traumatized by war and rumours of war.
Thousands of us have spoken up all across Canada against genocide. Now it’s clearly up to our leaders to listen, put the brakes on and call for an immediate halt to the killing of innocent people and children in Gaza or anywhere.
We expect the Canadian government to also halt so many retaliatory punishments meted out lately to its own citizens who are not blind to the process of genocide. Canadian people are from everywhere, but we are not as divided as you think. We organized and demonstrated peacefully for weeks all united in one voice and unafraid to be the compassionate human beings that we are.
Unequivocally, we do not agree with occupation and genocide. We do not want this blood on our hands. Plus, we do not appreciate retaliation against us for simply pleading for a ceasefire. We would appreciate our tax money being redirected from recruiting soldiers and purchasing deadly ammunition into instead recruiting unlimited humanitarian aid and resources that promote a kinder gentler world where no world leaders should profit insanely by using occupying armies to usurp natural resources.
Let’s forge a new path where regular citizens anywhere and everywhere can live without being targeted for death and bombed into oblivion. Understand that authorities who enable massacres are the ultimate bad bosses – those leaders who are privileged enough to not have to follow any humanitarian rules, nor listen to any criticisms at all from those less privileged. This ruling class must still bring silver-spooned progeny into an increasingly violent world where fear spurs on the idea that at least gobs of money might protect adequately against retaliation from those they trampled over and demonized.
They don’t realize the more they demonize those who don’t agree with them not sharing the land, the more demons they must battle and thus the conflict never really ends. Do they really believe they can get all the enemies they’ve made to just clear off the land? All supporters to just stop talking about this massive loss of our loved ones? Every single breath of grief to just stop existing? Are they also sure their grandkids won’t be stuck with this legacy of this ‘no-holds barred’ warring and retaliatory lifestyle forever? Lots of money, but still no peace for future families on either side.
Leaders who are deeply unwise allow brutal wars and genocides to continue unchecked. Leaving normally peacefully minded people with less and less hope is pretty short-sighted to say the least. I doubt that kind of world would be suitable, safe, or sustainable for anyone—or for anyone’s children. That’s why our sights are set on a peaceful, permanent ceasefire.
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