Another ‘in your face United States’ editorial podcast but first, I explain the reason why I created this podcast in the first place and why I feel so strongly about it.
I spent the majority of my working adult years as a sailor and soldier for the U.S. government. In all of those years full of multiple deployments to a lot of countries around the world, I finally woke up after my last deployment to Afghanistan in 2002 with the U.S. Army. This was my fifth deployment to the middle east out of eight total deployments in my military career, spanning across over thirty years of my life.
I learned about how resilient a people can be in the face of generations of adversity and how caring they can be with one another, and outsiders, as long as the outsiders don’t behave like colonizers and conquerors.
All of that fear mongering about different peoples is misplaced. There are bad people over in the middle east, just like there are in the west. But the regular everyday people who go to market and raise their kids, are little different than any of the rest of us.
After my military career was over, I was very unhappy because now I could see all of the hypocrisy in the civilized western countries, especially the United States. And I have been an activist ever since.
My activism came at a personal cost though. But I feel it was worth the sacrifice to be comfortable with myself after what I have seen and been involved with. I want to tell the truth about what is going on around the world. The truth about the true cost to all of us who aren’t members of the elite rich people’s clubs.
These days, I read a lot of overseas media, rather than U.S. news feeds, and Substack journalists such as Thom Hartmann, Chris Hedges and others. I will probably add more to that list this as I discover more truths. There is no such thing as freedom of the press in the west anymore, as I told everyone last week, so independent journalism is the best way to find the truth of what is actually going on in the world.
I am just another voice among hundreds who are trying to wake the world up to what is in big trouble from man created climate change, wars over greed and power struggles and so on.
The problem is, not enough people see what’s coming. The disinformation campaigns are ginormous. My job here once a week is to be one among the many, voicing a wakeup call to anyone who will listen, that the world is in trouble.
That is the purpose of this podcast. To wake people up as to why these bad things are happening to them. Maybe if enough of us make a lot of noise over media, people will start to listen and do more to fight the greedy robber barons and politicians for a decent life.
So, now that you know a little about me and my purpose here, watch today’s video. I am still running the veterans public service announcement at the break as I feel that this is so important. If you want to donate to my cause, the donation tab on the rss.com podcast page is still there and another one my website at www.crann-na-beatha.com.
Any donations may be also designated towards a veterans charity, if you so desire.
In this week’s video, I talk about the obvious genocide and ethnic cleansing going on, like Bosnia in the 1990’s only worse and the United States role in it or lack thereof.
I wrote an article for Substack last November about why Israel is so desperate to clear out the Palestinians, and it has little to do with Hamas. They were just the catalyst for something the Israelis have been wanting to do for decades.
In this case, it’s all about the money baby, as always.
It’s about all of the oil reserves under Gaza and in the shoals just off shore. Netanyahu has already started to sign tentative lease agreements to the Europeans and the Yanks.
My goal of today’s show was to highlight the recent massacres around the aid trucks and why it is likely to continue.
I also discuss some of the other similar conflicts going on around the world because they all add up to the same thing. An addiction to wealth and power by the rich, global elitists and their political mouthpieces.
I also read two sympathetic poems written by Medium authors which I will include here at the end.
I bash American and European journalism and their politicians for not doing more to stand up for the hapless Palestinians because they could have done more in the beginning and prevented tens of thousands of innocent deaths. And now, the lack of courage to stand up to the Israelis to render aid to the survivors.
Watch the video above to get the image I try to bring watchers and listeners. I say listeners as this podcast is also available in audio form on all major mobile podcast apps every week as well.
I Am Her Son, but I Am an Orphan
Who’ll save me?
She is my mother.
I am her only child.
She is here.
But I am an orphan.
All say she’s gorgeous —
devilish lovely!
In red, she’s painted.
The color of blood.
In grey, she’s painted.
The color of smoke.
In black, she’s painted.
The color of death.
I am so small and fragile.
She doesn’t notice me.
I am so sick. She doesn’t care.
But I won’t die.
I am immortal!
I feel the pain.
So many wounds.
I taste the blood.
Its taste is metallic.
And bitter.
I am so vulnerable.
She doesn’t care again.
She gave me my name
and then abandoned me.
I am so sick.
I am so lonely.
I am not deaf!
I hear the screams.
I am not blind.
I see the victims.
So many worship her.
So many think she’s gorgeous!
They don’t see me.
I am so small.
I am so sick.
They try to kill me.
But I am immortal.
I am Peace — the son of War.
Until she’s here, I’ll be next to her.
I am her son, but I am an orphan.
I live in pain. Who’ll save me?
I writhe with pain with every wounded child.
I die with every bleeding person.
I grieve with every grieving one.
Please, help me, to grow up!
Because I am her son, but I am an orphan…
Seeking Peace
In “Seeking Peace,” I delve into the heart-wrenching realities of conflict in Gaza, drawing from minimalist Zen poetry to express a deep yearning for peace amid tragedy. Through evocative imagery, I paint a scene of a land steeped in history yet scarred by ongoing strife, where the natural beauty and cultural depth are overshadowed by the profound loss of life. This poem is my introspective journey through the layers of grief and hope, aiming to uncover a universal truth about our shared human condition and the relentless pursuit of peace.
In the shadow of ancient stones,
Breaths are caught in the web of conflict,
Where olive trees weep, their roots soaked
In the blood of endless sorrow.
A land, cradled by history’s hands,
Whispers the tales of lost sons and daughters,
Echoing through the heart of Gaza,
A cry for peace in the midst of despair.
The sky, once a canvas of celestial beauty,
Now mirrors the scars of relentless strife,
Each star a silent witness to the tears
That water the earth, barren from grief.
In the quiet, between the wails of mourning,
A space for contemplation, for understanding,
Where souls entwined in pain and loss
Might find a bridge over tumultuous waters.
Here, in the simplicity of existence,
Amidst the ruins of what was and the hope of what could be,
Lies the profound truth of our shared humanity.
In the gentle whisper of the wind,
A reminder that peace begins not with a declaration,
But within the quiet depths of every heart,
A single step on a path, winding and long,
Toward a horizon where the sun rises
On a day free from the shadows of sorrow.
For in the silence of a moment,
Beneath the vast, indifferent sky,
We find the courage to let go of anger,
To sow the seeds of peace in the soil of despair,
And watch as life, tender and resilient,
Sprouts from the ashes of conflict,
A testament to the strength of the human spirit,
Ever seeking, ever striving, for peace.
© 2024 Dave B. All rights reserved.
That is all I have for everyone this week. I hope I have given all of you who watch or listen to this something to think about as you go about the rest of your week ahead.
References:
Israel’s killing rage
A familiar pantomime plays out in the shocking residue of the massacre of more than 100 desperate Palestinian aid seekers.
Andrew Mitrovica Al Jazeera columnist
The unravelling of the New York Times’ ‘Hamas rape’ story
An horrific story in the New York Times falls apart and exposes systemic issues.
From Al Jazeera
Nicaragua drags Germany to ICJ for ‘facilitating Israel’s genocide’ in Gaza
Managua accuses Berlin of violating the Genocide Convention by funding Israel’s war on Gaza.
From Al Jazeera
Several killed in Israeli attack on aid truck in Gaza: Report
At least nine people killed in attack on aid distribution vehicle, according to Palestinian media.
From Al Jazeera
Is the United States misusing its veto at the UN Security Council?
The US has vetoed three resolutions calling for a suspension of hostilities in Gaza since October 7.
From Al Jazeera
I wish to thank everyone for reading this newsletter and, hopefully, watching or listening to the podcast. Please share this with your friends and relations. My goal is inform the world on all of the shenanigans our worlds leaders are doing to us, in our names, not to gain massive amounts of followers.
If you choose to follow me, I hope it is because of my activism. I am continually working hard to improve this show to make it more professional looking and respectable and the same is said for myself as well. I don’t think I will ever get to the level where I feel the need for a suit and tie but I hope one day to sound ever as professional as those more famous journalists out there who risk their lives to bring their stories to the world
As I say good bye this week, I wish to leave you with this Irish blessing as you go about your day. “May the saddest day of your future be no worse than the happiest day of your past.” Slán go fóill — which means goodbye for now in Irish.
T. Ó Domhnaill — Gaelic Seanchaí
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