Friday, December 20, 2013

Published letters & online comments 2013


 [AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]
CSM

http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Readers-Respond/2013/1216/Readers-Write-Democrats-didn-t-lose-to-personality-US-hypocrisy-on-Israel

US hypocrisy on Israel

Thank you for Katrina Lantos Swett's Nov. 18 commentary, "JFK was right about religious freedom's promise." True religious freedom would indeed curb sectarian strife and extremism. And yes, American diplomats and forward thinkers should be advocating for such freedom worldwide. But how will countries in the Middle East be able to hear, much less understand, that message when so many American religious, political, and business leaders praise and protect Israel as "The Jewish State" while turning a blind eye to its persecution of Palestinians and other Arabs?
Calls for US support of religious freedom will be sanctimonious hypocrisy as long as we fail to insist on real democracy and a fully secular end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in line with international law and human rights.
Anne Selden Annab
Mechanicsburg, Pa.


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New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/18/opinion/parsing-an-academic-boycott-of-israel.html?ref=international
LETTERS Published: December 17, 2013

Parsing an Academic Boycott of Israel

Re “Boycott by Academic Group Is a Symbolic Sting to Israel” (front page, Dec. 16):
To the Editor:
 
You report that “the American Studies Association resolution bars official collaboration with Israeli institutions but not with Israeli scholars.” Sounds more like a partial boycott and, yes, a “symbolic sting,” as your headline has it. Israel’s ambassador to the United States claims that Israel is “the sole democracy in the Middle East.” But there is very little freedom or justice for the native non-Jewish people of historic Palestine. 

A secular two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would go a long way toward eliminating the religious extremism, bigotry, injustice and refugee crises created by the conflict. 

ANNE SELDEN ANNAB
Mechanicsburg, Pa., Dec. 17, 2013

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USA TODAY
RE: UN secretary-general: JFK left indelible imprint on me
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/11/22/ban-ki-moon-un-secretary-general-jfk/3639233/

comment left on website

Delighted to see UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon's inspiring op-ed "JFK left indelible imprint on me"...  In giving sincere thanks, and telling such a charming story, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon helps elevate an important person, but more importantly he promotes magnificent ideas and ideals. 
Annie Annab


http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/11/22/ban-ki-moon-un-secretary-general-jfk/3639233/

UN secretary-general: JFK left indelible imprint on me

Meeting the president as a youth led to my decision to choose a life of public service.

 
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The Patriot News
http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2013/11/editorial_retraction_gettysburg_address_no_one_is_perfect.html#incart_flyout_opinion

Editorial retraction about the Gettysburg address shows no one is perfect: PennLive letters

By Letters to the Editor
on November 16, 2013 at 12:18 PM 

Loved your editorial "Retraction for our 1863 editorial calling Gettysburg Address 'silly remarks'!
Hindsight certainly is 20/20. It really is totally impossible to know beyond an educated guess what speeches and stances will stand the tests of time, as well as what ideas and projects are a worthwhile investment. However we can try our best to be educated and compassionate, as well as humble, knowing that, as my brother was fond of saying when we were little: "No one is perfect."
In light of that fact, I cannot help but wish the Patriot News the best of luck, and hope that you have many, many more years ahead of publishing good, bad, and atrocious news and opinions.

ANNE SELDEN ANNAB, Mechanicsburg
 
 
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THE NEW YORKER
comment I left online RE New Yorker "Thinking Outside the Two-State Box" by Yousef Munayyer

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/09/israel-palestine-two-state-solution-counterargument.html

September 20, 2013

Thinking Outside the Two-State Box

The one state scenario is what already has been for decades... and tempting albeit short sighted one state  rhetoric (both Israeli & Palestinian) builds the box and the trap that keeps Israel and Palestine in an escalating conflict.

Now is the time for negotiations and negotiations need clear, easy to understand assessments of the situation:

Two fully secular, fully independent and secure sovereign nation states- both FULLY respecting universal basic human rights and the rule of fair and just laws, allow for a transition away from the nefarious bigotry and injustice and intransigence and grandiose delusions that have been galvanizing religious extremism and violence on both sides.

Two states, with Palestinian refugees able to return to original homes and lands in Israel, or resettle in the New Palestine, or move on and away. 

Two states, as a gateway to a future where tourists, teachers, students, workers, family members, friends, artists, poets, filmmakers, researchers, archeologists,(...etc...) will be able to travel back and forth knowing that their home and their garden and their loved ones, who ever and wherever they might be, are safe from destruction.

Two states with every citizen free to find ways to make diplomacy and compassion an every day endowment for everyone's sake.

 
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CSM

Monday, August 19, 2013

My letter PUBLISHED CSM August 19, 2013... Strengthening reasonable voices on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a good idea – but only if those voices respect universal human rights. A fully secular two-state solution is the best way forward.

[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]  
 
http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Letters-to-the-Editor/2013/0819/Readers-Write-US-must-preserve-not-develop-Arctic-Way-forward-for-Israelis-Palestinians

Way forward for Israelis, Palestinians

Regarding Nadine Epstein's July 22 commentary, "Israelis, Palestinians need help for two-state solution": The one-state situation is what already is and has been for decades, with Israel easily able to find more excuses (and ways) to usurp more Palestinian land, liberty, and life. Making a cruel situation even worse, Islamists have been thriving on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ensuring that Israel too often perceives Palestinians as terrorist threats rather than as real people.

Noticing and hopefully strengthening reasonable voices, as Ms. Epstein suggests is needed, is a good idea – but only if those reasonable voices firmly respect universal basic human rights. The goal must be a just and lasting peace. A fully secular two-state solution is the best way forward.

Anne Selden Annab
Mechanicsburg, Pa.
 
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The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/29/opinion/global/a-chance-to-talk-with-iran.html
Published: July 28, 2013
To end the Israel-Palestine conflict
 
Regarding “The two-state imperative” (Globalist, July 23) by Roger Cohen: My heart sinks when columnists toy with the topic of Israel-Palestine by insisting that Israel needs a two-state solution in order to remain Jewish. There is a much better argument, a more civilized imperative and a much more righteous as well as sensible way to build a just and lasting peace: Both Israel and Palestine need a two-state solution in order to actually end the Israel-Palestine conflict. A fully secular end to the conflict would be based on respect for international law and universal basic human rights. 

Religion should be a personal private choice as well as a cherished inheritance, not a state-sponsored project. Taxpayers here and there should not be forced to fund and empower religious scholars and schemes. 

Anne Selden Annab, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

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