For a remarkably well-done, thoroughly realistic WWI battle scene, I hope that readers of this column will watch the 6 minute video: https://genius.com/Sabaton-the-price-of-a-mile-lyrics.

The video portrays a scene from World War I, in which German infantrymen defend against a French attack across No Man’s Land, The attack is “successfully” repelled (with French “surrender monkeys” eventually running away to their trenches), only to see the German “Master Race” soldiers foolishly counter-attack - going “over the top” - only to see the attack fail miserably, The final scene shows the Germans “running away” back to their trenches. Powerful imagery revealing the futility of war.

At the end of the video, the following quote appears, from Erich Maria Remarque, the author of “All Quiet on the Western Front”:

One thing that becomes clear to me when I wander into the world, and the minds, of geopolitical professionals—government people—is how limited and linear their thinking seems to be.

When I do so, an internal distress signal starts beeping and won’t stop, especially when the issue under discussion is war and mass destruction, i.e., suicide by nukes, which has a freshly intense relevance these days as Team Trump plays war with Iran.

What doesn’t matter, apparently, is any awareness that we live in one world, connected at the core: that the problems confronting this planet transcend the fragmentary “interests” of single, sovereign entities, even if the primary interest is survival itself.

At a talk I delivered in Northern England in March 2018, I proposed that the best response to falsified accusations of antisemitism, which are often lobbed against pro-Palestinian communities and intellectuals everywhere, is to draw even closer to the Palestinian narrative.

In fact, my proposal was not meant to be a sentimental response in any way.

“Reclaiming the Palestinian narrative” has been the main theme in most of my public speeches and writings in recent years. All of my books and much of my academic studies and research have largely focused on positioning the Palestinian people - their rights, history, culture, and political aspirations - at the very core of any genuine understanding of the Palestinian struggle against Israeli colonialism and apartheid. 

Wednesday, January 15, 2020, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
In collaboration with OSU Chadwick Arboretum & Learning Gardens, Sustainability at Ohio State, and Great Lakes Brewing Company, we invite you to join us for the first Green Drinks of 2020. We are kicking off the Earth Day Columbus campaign by celebrating volunteerism with many great local nonprofit organizations: 2020 will be a very important year for the environment as Earth Day turns 50. Together we can make a difference in the new year!  Beer, non-alcoholic beverages and light snacks will be provided. Donations of $5 - $10 at the door for working professionals are highly encouraged. All proceeds go towards buying tree seedlings for Earth Day. 1 tree= $1.  Location: Nationwide& Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Drive, Columbus 43210.  Free Parking.  Facebook.