A special note from our
good friend Howard Zinn.
I've been thinking a lot
about courage.
Right now, while I'm
snug and fed this
Thanksgiving holiday in
the comfort of my home,
halfway around the world
a group of teenagers is
sitting in a jail cell
today, demonstrating the
very definition of
courage and sacrifice.
It's frustrating.
Humbling.
And I'm damn glad to
have the chance to do
something big about it.
See that fresh-faced,
bold young woman on the
right? Her name is
Raz Bar-David Varon.
She's an 18-year-old
Israeli who just
graduated from 12th
grade. And as I write
this, she's sitting in
jail in Tel Aviv because
she refuses to join the
Israeli army.
In my day we called them
the "refuseniks" and
here in the U.S. they're
"conscientious
objectors." In Israel,
they're still in high
school and they are the
Shministim. Get used to
that word because I'm
going to ask you to know
it, to say it, to use
it. You see,
Raz Bar-David Varon and
another dozen or so
Shministim have asked
Jewish Voice for Peace
for our help and this is
one request we can't
refuse.
The Shministim - all
about ages 17, 18, 19
and in the 12th
grade - are taking a
stand. They believe in a
better, more peaceful
future for themselves
and for Israelis
and
Palestinians, and they
are refusing to join the
Israeli army. They're in
jail, holding strong
against immense pressure
from family, friends and
the Israeli government.
They need our support
and they need it today.
They have asked people
like us to let the
Israeli government know
we are watching, and
that we support their
courage. They're hoping
to receive hundreds of
thousands of postcards
to be delivered to the
Israeli Minister of
Defense on December 18th,
when they will hold a
huge rally and press
conference. They're
hoping to stand strong
on the steps of this
majestic building - and
on the steps of history
- representing not only
the thousands of
refusers who came before
them, not only the many
young people to whom
they are an example of a
better world, but also
to represent
us. They
have asked you, me, and
every person who strives
for peace to be on those
steps with them, on that
day.
I will be there.
See:
Will you join me? It's
simple.
Sign a letter now.
And don't stop there -
ask your loved ones to
join you. During this
week of giving thanks,
signing a letter is the
least we can do to give
thanks for the
courageous among us.
Raz is a Shministit. Raz
is Courage. And with our
support of her today,
you and I are Shministim
too.
Thank you - and go
sign that letter.
Howard Zinn
I
am Raz Bar-David
Varon.