The Imperative of Destruction

The Moebius Strip image was inspired by the January 5, 2009 Daily Show by Jon Stewart. http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/index.jhtml?episodeId=213378
This one-sided surface was immortalized in an Escher poster available from:
http://www.worldofescher.com/gallery/A29.html

A basic mantra of the Israeli Möbius Strip Crowd is that Israel has the right to defend itself. These views appear frequently in The Wall Street Journal and Investors Business Daily as well as media across the United States. Charles Krauthammer’s editorial entitled “Mideast Peace Possible Only If Hamas Loses” [http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=316308160577446] reflects a powerful intellect that when framed narrowly is a brilliant piece of writing. Krauthammer ups the ante and says the war aim that must be achieved is “the disintegration of Hamas rule in Gaza.” I encourage you to print his op-ed, read it carefully and write any comments in the margin. Then print, read and write comments about a blog published today by Sam Bahour entitled “No Other Option?!” [http://epalestine.blogspot.com/]. After reading these two articles, read one other article that appeared today in The Wall Street Journal. George E. Bisharat published an op-ed entitled “Israel Is Committing War Crimes” [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123154826952369919.html]. This is a point of view rarely found in The Wall Street Journal. Yet, many inhabitants of this planet who do not read this publication share this point of view.

If you are an American, what ideas in these three articles resonate with your American values? If you are Christian, what ideas in these three articles resonate with your Christian values? If you are Jewish, what ideas in these three articles resonate with your Jewish values? If you are Muslim, what ideas in these three articles resonate with your Muslim values? If you are Israeli, what ideas in these three articles resonate with your understanding of what is required for you to be secure? If you are Palestinian, what ideas in these three articles resonate with your understanding of what is required for you to live a normal life? If you are ___________________ (insert your own label), what ideas in these three articles resonate with your values?

What ideas in these three articles will resonate with your Congressional Representative? Your Senators? Your President? Your Secretary of State? What ideas in these three articles will resonate with the American People?

What assumptions made in these three articles will create the kind of world you want your children and your grandchildren to inhabit?