Tuesday 13 November 2012

Food for thought

While I'm not a particularly political person, injustice has always upset me. One of the best things about living like I do, moving around in different circles, in different countries, is that I get to dispel some of the myths about the lives of others. I can do this because I've had conversations with people from different cultures, religions and ethnic backgrounds and people from different cultures living in different countries. Very enlightening if you take the time to listen to their stories, more enlightening if you can relate in some small way.

The man in this clip can most certainly relate to what he's talking about, what he's lived, what he's ashamed of and is working towards improving. This clip is a little over an hour long, one of the most humbling hours I've spent in a while. I actually miss talking about the Middle East, about Muslims, Suni and Shiaa, about Palestine and Israel about the current and past histories and troubles with the people who have historically struggled, been misunderstood and vilified. Hearing such an honest view, an insider view, and listening to the possible solutions was enlightening.

I've been to Israel, well to Jerusalem and the countryside between there and the Jordanian border. My visit left me with food for thought and I will write about it here when I've unpacked how I really felt about it, how it impacted on me and my later conversations with a group of Palestinians from Ramallah in Wadi Ram, Jordan. There haven't been many places in the world where I've been afraid, Jerusalem was one of those places.

For now, here's Miko Peled speaking earlier this year in Seattle. Thanks for sharing this Kate, my fellow traveller and photographer. It got me thinking.


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