Walking through much of San Francisco, I feel as if a ghost- surrounded by memories of happier times when it felt like I actually had... a life. I've avoided the block where I used to live for seventeen years while married in San Francisco since the end of 2019. Just couldn't bring myself to walk past- too many remembrances, too much pain. This week I did, not for the reasons one might think, but because I wanted to reconnect with the guy at the neighborhood bodega called O'Looney's (hilariously named since it's been owned by a Palestinian Muslim named Mohamed for longer than I've known). I got to know two of Mohamed's sons when I lived there, and we would get to talking about life in America and Israel/Palestine- the latter of which I obviously knew nothing about. I learned for instance how the wall that Israel constructed separated Palestinian farmers from their olive trees, which would then wither and die- and would then allow Israelis to comment on how typical of Palestinians to squander and neglect whatever assets they supposedly owned.
This time I learned something truly shocking and enlightening- that Israel had directly contributed to the creation and empowerment of Hamas! Huh- Wai... Wha!?! I almost told him to stop, to reconsider what he had just said- ya know, the self serving, delusional, propaganda part. Fortunately, the wiser part of me told me, "Shut up and learn, dumb ass!" Long story short- in times past Israel thought it a smart move to aid and abet those directly opposed to Arafat's power base. Divide and conquer- Win-Win! Done and done. What could go wrong?
Something most worthy of American exceptionalism and hubris! America could have made Afghanistan terrorist proof had they simply invested a mere coupla million for schools, doctors and basic infrastructure after chasing Russia out with Stingers; but it was voted down- way too expensive. We rather wait and spend Billions later on down the road while we kill several thousand! But I digress... Later that evening I saw Final Account:
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