lumière des étoiles

you started it.
2006-07-17 1:25 p.m.

I just can’t watch the coverage of the “Middle East Crisis” anymore, despite my curiosity, fear, or global-political fascination. Regardless of whatever news media’s party-affiliation or political leaning in the past, I notice now how thoroughly biased they are in presenting this issue. Disturbingly, they’re squarely behind our administration’s support of Israeli moves, and have ceased to present the president as the bumbling glutton that he is, choosing instead to depict him as a noble intermediary with plenty of hard-earned “diplomacy” experience to offer and share.

I’m sorry, did I miss that part of his presidency? Perhaps I was in a coma which I have no memory of, and my family has chosen not to re-traumatize me by explaining that I missed those golden W years of peace and rational rectification.

I’m also thoroughly disgusted with Diane Feinstein, who, along with Trent Lott, of all people, kissed major W ass on Meet The Press this week. Of course, I expect Lott to act like a bastard, because he is one. But et tu, Senator Feinstein? Diane Feinstein, Trent Lott…kiss kiss, hug hug? They may as well have been stroking each other with glee over their mutual concerns, and watching that was a dark day since I’m such a fan of hers (ex). To see them both defending Israel’s extensive missile blitz AND W.’s wee efforts to intervene before more destruction happened made my stomach turn, almost as badly as the great Zell Miller/McCain sell-out of 2004.

As someone who prided herself on diplomacy in the past, Feinstein sure did seem bloodthirsty when she said that Israel had a “right to defend itself”. Well boy, that’s some spectacular show of defense, taking out airports, roadways, whole city blocks, factories, shopping malls, apartment buildings and mosques. Yes, Israel defending itself by destroying the civilian infrastructure of a people who have been just as victimized by Hezbollah as anyone else makes so much sense. Thank you, Senator, for showing us the way.

As the Lebanese death toll rose over 100 this weekend and the Israeli death toll hovered around 9, CNN found it pressing to report extensively about a young boy and his gran who got blown up in their apartment in Northern Israel by “Hezbollah missiles”. This is indeed a tragic story. As is the entire school bus full of Lebanese children fleeing a summer camp that got taken out by Israeli missiles destroying a bridge. That last one I found out about only by clicking through an online South African newspaper. Why on earth would we report about that here? It might make people realize that all of these moves – Israel’s and Hezbollah’s – are senseless and futile.

I get it, this is all political. I get it, Israel is our ally, despite whatever bad decisions they may be making. I get it, Israel has a right to exist and is under constant threat of attack from all sides. But I can’t ignore what we ignore: the deplorable treatment of the Palestinians at the hands of Israel’s past institutionalized practices, and the sinking feeling that in our media, coverage becomes a racialized issue – we’re to emphasize and focus more on white Israeli lives rather than brown Lebanese or Palistinian lives. Of course, we must align ourselves with the people whose skin color is more valuable, and stay away from coverage of those who worship the wrong religion.

Why, when we have seen footage of Lebanon, stock or current, do we see clips of people praying and holding guns, in that order? One is almost tempted to think that the media would like us to associate Islam with fundamentalist violence. But that’s just nutty, because this is the year 2006, and no one is prejudiced, as my students sometimes like to tell me. I must be imagining the news’ bias against non-white, Muslim countries. But then why choose to linger on photos of the Israeli dead, telling their life stories and speaking with cold distance about their “killers”, but then speak of Lebanese civilian deaths in that detatched, governmental “collateral damage” way? A little suspect to me. Surely grans and grandsons have died in Lebanon, as well, when Israeli missiles blew up their cars, apartment buildings, or playgrounds. Guess we’ll never know what they looked like alive.

This is not a competition. The destruction of any lives, civilian or no, serves no purpose and will not help to meet any end. I see Israel’s choices to be so destructive as over-done, exaggerated, and ego-driven – not to mention inflammatory and provocative. Hezbollah’s moves have also been extremely inflammatory, provoking this conflict – but we know all about that, since the news reminds us everyday how much Lebanese teachers, carpenters, and high school students unfortunately deserve what they’re getting.

Sigh. In the midst of all this, I heard that we made American evacuees sign IOUs before they were air-lifted out and dropped all over Cyprus, Syria, Tunisia (yes, Tunisia!) and Egypt. We are making people pay for the helicopter rides. We’re either really cheap bastards or majorly in the can when it comes to petty cash. Either is disgusting.

Tunis isn’t a bad place to end up after all; my new friend Sofienne keeps telling me how much I’ll like it there. But we’re not lingering in Tunis, and in fact, here, finally, is our itinerary. It’s very very very rough. To be honest, I’m not sure what we’re going to do. The country is so easy, according to my sources, that it’s perfectly fine to swish through without any plans, staying for a while when you find some place you like and moving on when you’re bored. So our trip looks like this for now: Tunis for a few days, Le Kef for 2, Tozeur for 3-4, depending on how many trips we make out of Tozeur and into the desert/oasis/Berber village ruins, Ksar Ghilane, an oasis/desert area which will also have to be an overnight trek at this time of the year (we’ve hired a 4wd vehicle to get us there), Tatouine for 3 days, also with some trekking excursions worked in (and yes, that’s where parts of Star Wars was filmed – Lucas like the name so much he decided to use it in the film). After the trolling slowly through the south (it’ll be a wee bit hot, so we’re not moving so quickly this year), we’ll head back north along the coast, stopping in Matmata or Kairouan for 2-3 days, then Sousse or Sfax for a few more. Ideally we’d like to end in Mahdia and/or Monastir, but we need to be back in Tunis by August 9 or 10 or something for our flight back to Milan.

I’m excited – making (lame) efforts to brush up on French and digging out anything to pack that will cover my shoulders and my collar while at the same time allowing me some relief from the heat and sun. (The coverage is both for sun and respect for some of the more conservative towns we’ll be through.) We’re taking teeny packs this year, since, for the first time in a while, we’re not trekking through the Southern Hemisphere, where winter temps (even in Africa and South America) mean sweaters, scarves and proper sleeping bags are a must. It will be nice to feel so light with my wee pack instead of my monstrous one, and I’m sure my large pack wouldn’t be an option even if I wanted it. I’m pretty fit, but not immune to the heat and sun. The less on my back, the better.

I’m actually a bit sad this year, too – I’ve had a lot of meaningful, fun days with Nicole, Thomas, and Michael, friends who I’ve known forever but have gotten decidedly close to this year. My friend Tara’s art opening will be taking place a day after we leave, and we’re also missing a great concert. But we will go to the beach with Nicole for a few days when we get back (Michael might actually leave NYC and tag along), and we will make time for family too. I miss it all already.

Will write again from Tunisia when I can – their government tends to be a bit weird with the censors, so it’s possible I won’t get internet ‘til we’re back in Italy.

Ciao for now.

xoxo