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05/08/2002 Archived Entry: "4/4/02 Middle East"

What to do about the Middle East, about Israel & Palestine? Is there no way out? I have decided to ask Rabbi Michael Lerner (of Tikkun) to attend the COF Memorial Weekend Workshop. It would not make sense to have a workshop entitled "Awakening to Meet the Challenge of the Times," without addressing one of the most significant challenges of these times.

I am not looking for a debate here about which side is right, and who did what when. But, rather, steps towards a solution that we can work on together. I frame it that way, because it would be useless to develop a proposal of what either the Israelis or Palestinians should do, without a means for effecting the proposal. I think that the issue is subtler than it seems, and that the answer lies in another realm.

We might not be able to get all the way through to the right place at the Workshop, in what would amount to, at a maximum, one plenary session, and one or two sets of breakout sessions. But, we could start, and follow-up with another gathering just on this subject. Creating Our Future could host the follow-up gathering, in consort with other related organizations, such as Tikkun (if they would care to do so). I would like to lead a visioning experience with those who are committed to working on this issue. I would be quite curious to see where it would lead.

Van Jones told me about some activists who are thinking of getting themselves over to the Middle East, in order to engage themselves as human shields, in order to protect Palestinians. It sounds like a good thing to do. I asked myself, if I would want to do it. The answer was that I would not. Why not? Because it is not strategic enough. It does not apply sufficient leverage to resolve the problem, although it is a good and noble thing to do.

Quite some years ago, my dear friend, Krishna Kaur, offered to read some cards for me. Cards that were somewhat like Tarot cards, except that these had a board to place the cards on, and there was significance as to where the cards were placed on the board, as well as to the individual cards. There was a place on the board, called "your obstacle," and a place called "your path." The card called, "The Knight Errant" turned up on the obstacle place, and "The Tree" turned up on my path. I was shocked. I said: "But my path is that of the Knight Errant. And, a Tree! What does a tree have to do with anything?"

Krishna simply said, "lets read the back of the cards," which we did. I do not remember the words on the card, but I do remember coming to an understanding that it no longer seemed appropriate for me to don my old (mental) robes of self-righteousness, and go charging off to right wrongs. Indeed, I felt rather like Don Quixote and his windmills. The tree, I remember, it was solid, rooted in the earth, and it provided nourishment and shelter for all who came under it. The whole experience was a significant part of my growing up, and understanding what my work was to be as an adult.

The last time I was persuaded to take up the "Knight Errant" role was in relation to the Y2K thing. There was a certain element of relish in taking it up in the way that I did. Kind of like an over the hill athlete putting on the old uniform one more time, and trotting out onto the field.

Perhaps it would be good another time to take a look at the Y2K dance amongst many of us activists. The thing is rushing off into the field of play, without determining the optimal role that one can play in a situation, is not the way I would like engage with this situation. It is tempting to yield to the drama of taking on the role of physical intervention. I salute those who are doing it. May you be successful in your work, and may you come to no harm.