Israel is failing at Racial Politics

April 19, 2018 Carma Henry Opinions 0

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Bill Fletcher said that Israeli forces have sent a clear message: Palestinians have no rights that the Israeli establishment is bound to respect.

Israel is failing at Racial Politics

In the Aftermath of “Bloody Friday,” It’s Clear that Israeli Forces Don’t See Palestinians as Human

By Bill Fletcher, Jr., (NNPA Newswire Columnist)

Two developments in Israel present a teachable moment in terms of the racial politics of the Israeli state. The first development was the slaughter of Palestinian protesters on the Gaza border on March 30. The second development, to be discussed in my next column, was the April 3 reneging by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on an agreement to send African migrants to Western Europe and North America rather than back to their countries of origin.

The brutal crackdown by the Israelis on the Palestinian protestors is noteworthy, not only because of the criminality of the act, but that it also captured the attention of the world. The Palestinian protesters were embarking on a non-violent campaign to raise attention on the outstanding demand of Palestinians for their recognized right of return to their homeland.

The Israeli establishment has continuously refused to recognize the international law governing the right of return of refugees following an armed conflict. Between 1947 and 1948, thousands of Palestinians were driven from their homes by Zionist military units during the formation of Israel. The Palestinians expected that they would be able to return home to reclaim their land after the armed conflict ceased. This has been refused. As a result, forces within the Palestinian movement chose to begin a non-violent protest leading up to May 15, the anniversary date of the founding of Israel.

The Israeli government warned that they would use armed force, but such a warning holds no legal or moral value since they were simply saying that they—the Israeli political establishment—would not recognize non-violent protests. Hiding behind allegations that the Palestinians attacked the Israeli troops, the Israeli forces responded with superior force that was out of proportion to the nature of the protests.

The Israeli establishment refuses an investigation and believes that the soldiers acted correctly, but one must ask, how is shooting civilians acceptable? The only answer is contained in the notion that the Palestinians are not to be considered humans. Since there is no justification in murdering unarmed civilians, particularly since the Israeli forces have many means at their disposal in order to respond to non-violent disruptions, the message is clear: Palestinians have no rights that the Israeli establishment is bound to respect.

 

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About Carma Henry 13712 Articles
Carma Lynn Henry Westside Gazette Newspaper 545 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311 Office: (954) 525-1489 Fax: (954) 525-1861

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Lincoln Motor Company launches ultimate car clubhouse in Frisco Lincoln Experience Center Opening Is a Homecoming for Dallas ISD Arts Magnet Grad Earl Lucas, a chief designer for the Lincoln Motor Company, performed extensive work on the new Navigator. (Lincoln Motor Company) By David Wilfong (North Dallas Gazette/NNPA Member) The Lincoln Motor Company recently unveiled its new “Lincoln Experience Center” at The Star, Dallas Cowboys’ world headquarters in Frisco. The Lincoln Experience Center is intended to be the ultimate car clubhouse, where visiting patrons can enjoy a premium beverage and peruse the latest offerings from the automaker. The interior of the center is filled out in style. The walls and floors reflect luxury and surround a beverage station formed in an abstract homage to a vehicle hood. Color swatches are displayed like modern art on the walls, and interactive multimedia stations help visitors familiarize themselves with everything Lincoln. Of course, floor models of the latest Lincoln vehicles also reside in the two-level center. When it came time to introducing the latest Navigator, a young man stepped forward and began by proclaiming himself, “the biggest Dallas Cowboys fan in this room.” Earl Lucas, chief exterior designer for the Lincoln Navigator, grew up in Dallas—Oak Cliff to be specific—and the opening of the new center was a special day for him. “Dallas is my home,” Lucas said. “My parent’s only sister and friends still live there; to come home and be a part of the opening of the Lincoln Experience Center is a narrative that I could have never written for myself. Growing up in Oak Cliff, if someone would have told me that I would be designing cars for Lincoln, I would have told them, ‘I don’t believe you.’ I grew up a big-time Dallas Cowboys fan and to see the Lincoln Experience Center as part of that campus, just outside the Cowboys Ring of Honor… warms my heart and makes me feel a sense of accomplishment. God is good.” Lucas is a graduate of Dallas ISD’s Booker T. Washington, a high school that once served as the African American high school in Dallas, but in recent years is known as an “arts magnet.” Graduates have included many famous musicians who are household names, but Lucas was a part of the visual arts program, whose alumni may not be seen as often on TV, but who make their mark in various industries, as well. “My experience at Booker T. Washington was only filled with creative freedom and a place that allowed my interest in art to blossom into the career I have today,” Lucas said. “‘Arts’ [as it was referred to when I at-tended] allowed me to be sur-rounded by teachers and students that enjoyed painting, jewelry making, dreaming of ‘what if’ and, most of all for me, drawing. When I finished and went on to College for Creative Studies [in Detroit, Mich.], my understanding and abilities of artistic fundamentals was more advanced than the incoming students. In essence, ‘Arts’ gave me an advantage and prepared me for success as a car designer by exposing me to different artistic expressions.” Following college, Lucas dove into the auto industry with the Ford Motor Company, which also owns the luxury Lincoln brand. “To work for a premium brand like Lincoln is truly a highlight in my 19-year career at Ford Motor Company,” Lucas said. “After completing a three-year international assignment in the [United Kingdom, living in London], I was requested to return to the United States and assigned to the Lincoln Motor Company. My role as a Chief Designer came by way of working on a number of significant programs for the ‘Blue Oval.’ I am blessed to have designed and worked on many programs and acquired the skill necessary for the role of Chief Designer.” With that role came the opportunity for the one-time arts student to put his mark on one of the premiere SUVs on the road. The Lincoln Navigator is not only packed with creature comforts on the inside, the exterior of the vehicle is the result of meticulous planning, as Lincoln wants it to stand out at first sight. “When it comes to the design, the feature I am particularly proud of is the signature face or front end of the Navigator,” Lucas said. “Lincoln products are all about seduction and human surface language, so creating the Navigator’s face was a big challenge…literally. The scale of the grille and size of headlamps by definition can be imposing and intimidating. However, we were able to create a confident face that speaks Lincoln and gives a sense of protection to the passengers on the inside.” While his career path has followed a wide track from Oak Cliff to London and back, Lucas said that “Big D” is always on his mind, and he makes a point to remind himself of his home turf every single day. “In my office is a huge photo of downtown Dallas,” Lucas said. “I think of Dallas often and consider the lessons learned on her streets integral to my accomplishments. Know this Dallas— no matter my travels, my design assignments and our final products—I am forever linked and take her everywhere. My growth started from that origin and I hope that she is proud of me.”

October 19, 2017 Carma Henry 0

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