by Johnny Punish
The Trail of Tears was the forced relocation and movement of Native Americans from their homelands to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) in the Western United States. The phrase originated from a description of the removal of the Choctaw Nation in 1831.
Many Native Americans suffered from exposure, disease, and starvation while en route to their destinations, and many died, including, for example, 4,000 of the 15,000 relocated Cherokee.
Thousands of enslaved and free African Americans (as slaves accompanying their Native American slave owners and as former runaway slaves that were assisted by, assimilated by, or married to members of the tribes) accompanied the removed nations on the Trail of Tears.
Today, in modern-day Palestine, we are seeing a modern-day Trail of Tears. Last Night, 60 Minutes reporter Bob Simon took America on a real journey into the Holy Land to show us the real crimes being committed using our tax dollars.
The modern Palestinians are being summarily excommunicated from their homes and being impolitely harassed and beaten by a wave of settlements that have been cheered on via a “looking the other way” policy during the Bush Administration. This means that we, the American people, who fund Israel with Billions per year are paying for this modern-day Trail of Tears. Can we really afford it both literally and spiritually?
Most of us modern Americans regret what was done in our name to the indigenous Native Americans. Most of us know it was an injustice. I sometimes wonder that, when faced with this massacre of a culture again, would we take action? In this case, we are paying for this and either we are unaware of it, don’t care about it, or are just so shocked by it that we are just so frozen we can’t act.
Is it any wonder that Arabs have so much contempt for us? Look what we are doing! And if front-runner Benjamin Netanyahu is elected in the upcoming Israeli elections, then what he calls “Natural Growth” as they continue the expulsion policies paid for by U.S. Taxpayers will accelerate (see Israeli politician would let settlements grow)
Do you think the indigenous Native Americans were thrilled to see our westward movements into their lands while we slaughtered them in the name of? What do you expect Palestinians to think about the USA? Do you think the terrorism war will end if we continue to be Israel’s proxy for its ambitions?
We are paying for Israelis to butcher the Palestinian culture in the name of “security”. Do you think this is just? Do you think this makes our country better of, and more secure? For me, the answer is a resounding NO!
For many of my fellow Americans who have towed the Congressional Company Line, wholeheartedly believe that the Palestinians are 100% the terrorists and that Israel can do no wrong. No video evidence, words, or empathy can ever come from such stubborn determination to defend the indefensible. But for most of us who choose to not look the other way, the evidence is real and truth is truth.
You can’t change it, ignore it, or pretend it’s not true just because you were told once that these people are animals. They are not! They are people and it’s time we start looking at them as human beings and not aliens. This is our only real hope to change the dynamic in the Middle East and save ourselves from further confrontations in that twilight zone.
So watch the video above with Mr. Simon and tell me if we are not witnesses to a modern-day Trail of Tears. Worse than witnesses, it’s being paid for by you and me and that means what to you? Your comments, please.
