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The Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said, "We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender." At the time, Churchill was addressing a British public that was eager to defend their land and destroy the fascist Nazi regime that was attempting to overrun the world. Today the British people don't appear to have the same enthusiasm in stopping a fascist regime in Iraq. Only 54 percent support the war according to a poll taken by ITV-London. That percentage of supporters continues to wane as the war wears on. There are some elements that are different from the factors that rallied the British people into World War II over 60 years ago. Firstly, there have been no immediate attacks on British soil, such as the Blitz of the past. Secondly, many Brits seem to hate Americans and the policies of the United States. I personally marched against the war in Iraq back in February and continue to question the motives of our government in their involvement in the conflict. Some people I have met in London have decided that because I am American I must be in favor of the war. I have faced ridicule a few times a week since arriving here. Most of this ridicule occurred right after I opened my mouth. On a few occasions I have been minding my own business in the underground and had a well-dressed middle-aged woman tell me, "Your president needs to mind his own business and not bomb Iraq." How do I respond to such a statement? I always respond the same way. "I sure as heck didn't vote for him [Bush] and don't know many people who did. So don't blame me for this war." Usually the person who first told me their viewpoint on the war simply leaves the issue alone, but the other day I met a person who said the same initial statement to me but surprised me with their response to my declaration. A woman I met while walking on Hampstead Heath said that she supports getting rid of Saddam but she just doesn't like the bombing. This is an interesting viewpoint: fighting a war without bombs. Of course this realization came after being angered by yet another person assuming that because I am American, all I want to do is talk about is politics. If they find out I'm Jewish the berating becomes worse. They of course want to know why "I" am killing the Palestinians. To this I simply say, "I am not--I am fighting for them to be free, but I will not give up the fight to make Israel free also." It is Passover time again. I will be on vacation in Barcelona, Spain breaking the matzah and enjoying four cups of kosher wine. I will review the freedom of the Jews after the persecution of slavery in a continent that is not just anti-American currently, but also horribly anti-Semitic. I will sit at the Seder amongst strangers and friends united as Jews. I have realized through this experience of being abroad during times of war that being different is alright and that educating others is a great way to show tolerance. I hope that this situation of war brings the same freedom to the Iraqi people, the Palestinian people, and most importantly the Israeli people - the three groups that everyone always wants to talk about but no one wants to support. I want to defend my little island like Churchill once said. I hope while abroad to defend my little Island from those whom despise me for being what I am: an American Jew in London. Dan Stamm is a junior criminal justice and journalism major. He can be reached at justmrpibb@hotmail.com |
As I sit and write this article, the world around me is constantly changing. Every few minutes television shows are interrupted to bring the viewer the latest news on the war. Cable networks are showing around the clock press briefings and news coverage. But you might follow the news and think that this war does not affect your life. Trust me, this war affects everyone Last week I was driving home on the Beltway after a long night at work. Behind me I heard several sirens, so I pulled my car to the side to let what I thought was an ambulance pass. My heart skipped a beat when I saw that the title across the van was not "ambulance," but "bomb squad." What was I to think knowing the bomb squad was out in transit on my route home? And the real question was, how many more vans are out there that are not clearly marked? Being from New York, I also saw one noticeable change while I was home on spring break. Whereas previously one might look up at the sky to see the heights of the Empire State Building, the sky is now filled with army helicopters hovering above the city. This is a measure of security, something that I also saw in Maryland, but it just scares me. What does the government know that they are protecting us from? This war also affects our economy. Many graduates find businesses closed and human resources departments not looking to hire. No one knows what the future holds, but with President Bush planning on spending so much money on the war every day, businesses do not want to take any chances. This war, then, affects the many future unemployed, students who have such high dreams and career plans that will have to be on hold until the economy picks up. To all my female readers out there, I hope you realize how much this war affects us. The Pentagon says women make up 15 percent of the active-duty forces, in comparison with just more than one in 10 during the first Persian Gulf War. Eight percent of those in the U.S. military now are single parents, such as Specialist Shoshana Johnson, the first female P.O.W. Forty-three percent of the women in the military are married. Women are leaving their families and getting into their uniforms to go fight along combat line, something that was not allowed to them before 1994. The soldiers could be any one of us. There is no longer much distinction between men and women fighting overseas. And as Jews how does this war affect us? One only has to look as far as a friend or family member currently in Israel to see the impact. My roommate's sister is in Israel learning for the year in seminary and the other night she sat around with her friends decorating the boxes that hold their gas masks. Is this what people should be doing in Israel? We live in the United States and sometimes have too much misplaced faith that we are invincible. The war will affect us, even if we are not overseas. It will call on our friends and family members who are on reserve to fight and protect us. It will kill many and leave others wounded. This is a time of war and we must become educated. I don't care if you are one of the protesters against President Bush and the war, or if you are one of those in favor of it. Just take a side and join your comrades on campus sharing your ideas and beliefs. Do not simply think that you will not be affected so there's no need to care. You must care. Care for our military soldiers. Care for the families and friends here and abroad. And care for yourself because this war will touch and affect you some way. Gabrielle Stamm is a senior communication major. She can be reached at gms@wam.umd.edu |