Once, on the Mount Vernon Trail, I came around a blind corner, up a steep incline that required significant speed. Right there, in the middle of the trail was a wee one, perhaps 3 years old, stopped.

Not sure if it was shoelaces, or what, but I had to veer off the trail, bump over some rocks and nearly lose my saddle to avoid him.

When I looked back in shock and suggested that the dad move the kid off the trail, he screamed "Mind your own business." I fear I fairly shrieked, "It WOULD be my business if I'd just killed him!" I wish I'd added some profanity, but I was so shocked and relieved, it was all I could do to make my legs move again.

Hi Shir. Will miss you. In terms of boycott. I've struggled over the years with the point you are making. But you know the U.S. has given Israel as close to unconditional support as one nation every gets from another. And Israel's policy has not improved. Also if U.S. pressure is going to be applied it will have to be private, because the U.S. government is not going to put pressure on in the near future. At most, it will wag a finger and say "you Rascal" when Israel does something especially egregious. I know that there is natural feeling by its citizens that Israel should be left alone, and eventually things will work out. But what Israel does affects the whole Middle East, which has a certain importance to every nation in the world that uses oil. So it really has no moral claim to be left completely alone. And as I said, in a practical sense, non-interference (or interference only on the side whoever is in power in Israel) has not exactly worked out well. If Israel really wants to be left alone, I'd be for that - as long as it includes an end to all aid to Israel, and end to U.S. veto of resolutions in the Security Council that affect Israel, an end to purchase of Israeli military, intelligence and security products and an end to the sale or gift of such products to Israel.

Given that is not in the works, I think private boycotts are really comparatively mild. And the definition of madness is to keep doing the same thing and expecting different results. People outside Israel need to change the way we deal with Israel. And I doubt there is any we can do that that won't seem shocking at first to the citizens of Israel. Bishop Tutu says your system is worse than South African apartheid, as does Nelson Mandela. I'd say they are in a position to know. So, some of the tools that helped end apartheid had to at least be seriously considered.

Connie, what a scary, horrible thing to have to see.

Happy birthday, Cass!

Typo, I'm not saying that boycott is all bad.

But once Israel will feel it's completely on its own, without anyone to report to? There will be bloodshed, in biblical terms.

As for Bishop Tutu: I'm certain that he knows the South-African apartheid, but I'm not sure just how much he is familiar with the Israeli/Palestinian system: you really need to be here to see it in person. The news are distorted, both for bad and good (because that's the narrative the news use: very black and white).

As for the support of the U.S. to Israel: I kindda wondered why you keep up with that too. But it's not just the U.S., and we're not talking just about the military budget. I'm talking about the moment where Israel will be left on its own, the moment where the (unjust) fears of so many Israelis would come true, that the world doesn't want a Jewish state. It's the Middle East. We have a strong "kill or be killed" tradition here.

Last night a friend (who supports in ending the siege as well) told me the next anecdote: that there seems to be a logical fallacy in the demand of Israel to stop the siege of Gaza Strip, or to be condemn to a siege by the world. That it's OK if the UN decides so, but not if a country (though, again, Israel is so much more an experiment than a country) use that force.

In plate-of-shrimp news, the Kojo Nnamdi show on our local NPR was about Hollaback DC today: [link]

Shir, good luck with your schoolwork!

My own pet peeve about bicyclists is when they are going THE WRONG WAY in the bike lane! Nobody knows to look for you there, dude! So stupid and dangerous and totally unnecessary.

Happy birthday, Cass!

Will miss you, Shir. Definitely keep us posted on how things go with the Hollaback site. (The Girl is ridiculously busy with UK Feminista and other things at the moment, but I'll remind her that she was going to talk to someone in Israel who she thought might be interested in your project.)

That's horrible, Connie. I hope you're as OK as possible.

Toast.

Forgot to say - thought it would make you guys laugh. I've been accepted to present something at a mini academic conference (y'know, for mini academics). I e-mailed to check that the place is wheelchair-accessible. Yesterday they got back to me - yes, it's accessible, but I can only attend if I bring a dedicated "buddy".

I stared at this e-mail for a full ten minutes, with no idea whether to laugh, cry, or sue the organizers. (Maybe I'll do all of that, while at the conference, and really worry some people.) Mostly, I'm finding it bloody hilarious.

So it's accessible, as long as you have someone to carry you up the stairs? The fuck?