"The macabre evil of the Hamas raid on Israel has long since been repaid by the industrial terror of Israel’s response."
Because I'm such a big fan of your work on climate change, I'm especially taken aback by this statement. The point of Israel's actions in Gaza, at least as I understand it, is not to "repay" the evil of October 7. While there are no doubt many who wish for retribution and revenge, Israel's actions are meant to destroy Hamas so that its citizens will never again face similar attacks (which Hamas is promising to launch repeatedly). It's fair to argue, with evidence, that the magnitude of destruction caused by Israel's response is more than necessary to achieve this objective. You might even argue that Israel has no right to defend itself if such defense necessitates killing innocent civilians. But to argue as if this was only about revenge is missing the point. Thanks!
many thanks for your civility--a model for us all. Let us hope no one acts out of feelings of revenge, though my sense of the human soul (mine anyway) indicates it may be a more common feeling than we would wish.
And one might also observe that Hamas has done Palestinian civilians no favors. So it seems all people have an interest in rooting them out. Sadly they have dug in in such a way as to make their removal maximally destructive. This is a thorny problem. However I understand your point that there is a bigger picture that’s obscured by this war. Could world leaders do more to move Netanyahu out of the way? He is a disaster.
Thank you Bill for placing the Israeli - Palestinian conflict in this most appropriate context.
Humanity is abandon in fighting over land and resources in a degrading environment. And, sadly this is just the start. Water wars are right around the corner (no, already here).
Meanwhile, I have returned to a meditation practice that has been on hiatus for too many years and spend time each day focusing on impermanence.
Thank you Bill. So appreciate your voice and work. Sustainable peace and a sustainable planet are inextricably linked. A culture of domination, extraction, patriarchy is at the core of what we need to shift to create a better world for our kids. Bringing in more of “the feminine”....
ah, yes--that was in the chart at the top of the piece, which draws on the daily temp anomalies from around the globe. I doubt if anyone has had time to write a story about it yet, but if you follow Eliot Jacobson on social media you can keep depressingly up to date on this!
Great RELEVANT writing on the state of the world 🌎 on 🔥🔥🔥. It would seem timely to abandon the biblical history and continuing divide in the Mid East about whose lands belong to whom and focus on salvaging them when and if we can. Yesterday, 2 degrees should have topped headlines everywhere but I see only you, so far, bringing truth to the table of public awareness. Thank you for your efforts to turn heads appropriately.
What deranged species we are that allows Putrid, Trumpet, Musket, NetinYAHOO etc to hold all living creatures by the throat. To permit a handful of damaged men with tortured tiny devil souls to literally ruin it for everyone in the most barbaric way, is a reflection of how bizarre are our human values.
If these disconnected and self-serving greed monsters had to carry babies in their wombs, breastfeed, pack lunches while soothing tears, scrubbing the toilet, dressing self, planning child care drop off, what’s for supper - and the myriad of other harried caregiving tasks on a typical person’a plate, including anxiety about buying groceries and paying bills - I would think their priorities would humanize. (Assuming “human” epitomizes humaneness.)
Bill, I strongly support your statement in this column. Not entering polemics of some commentators, let's just say that a ceasefire applies to all sides, and the slaughter on a massive scale of a civilian population, and the violent dispossession of millions of people from their land is never justified. End of rationalizations on all sides to the contrary -- no evidence can suffice to make such an argument. Full stop.
Speaking of voters and what they want. Are you familiar with the Environmental Voter Project? They seem very on top of things. I was wondering if you had considered partnering Third Act with them. They target low propensity environmental voters, are non-partisan, and have the infrastructure all set up. I could imagine it being a good partnership. Third Act shouldn't have to reinvent the wheel.
"The macabre evil of the Hamas raid on Israel has long since been repaid by the industrial terror of Israel’s response."
Because I'm such a big fan of your work on climate change, I'm especially taken aback by this statement. The point of Israel's actions in Gaza, at least as I understand it, is not to "repay" the evil of October 7. While there are no doubt many who wish for retribution and revenge, Israel's actions are meant to destroy Hamas so that its citizens will never again face similar attacks (which Hamas is promising to launch repeatedly). It's fair to argue, with evidence, that the magnitude of destruction caused by Israel's response is more than necessary to achieve this objective. You might even argue that Israel has no right to defend itself if such defense necessitates killing innocent civilians. But to argue as if this was only about revenge is missing the point. Thanks!
many thanks for your civility--a model for us all. Let us hope no one acts out of feelings of revenge, though my sense of the human soul (mine anyway) indicates it may be a more common feeling than we would wish.
And one might also observe that Hamas has done Palestinian civilians no favors. So it seems all people have an interest in rooting them out. Sadly they have dug in in such a way as to make their removal maximally destructive. This is a thorny problem. However I understand your point that there is a bigger picture that’s obscured by this war. Could world leaders do more to move Netanyahu out of the way? He is a disaster.
Don’t think he meant intentional and literal “payback,” but rather more in the literary sense.
One of Israel's claims to fame is that they turned a desert green.
So much for that.
Thank you Bill for placing the Israeli - Palestinian conflict in this most appropriate context.
Humanity is abandon in fighting over land and resources in a degrading environment. And, sadly this is just the start. Water wars are right around the corner (no, already here).
Meanwhile, I have returned to a meditation practice that has been on hiatus for too many years and spend time each day focusing on impermanence.
Meanwhile on LNG exports, I've put together a website (leaning very heavily on Bill's analyses) to explain the issue and promote the petition and letter writing https://www.climateaction.center/stop-the-lng-climate-bomb
Spread it to your networks!
Thank you Bill. So appreciate your voice and work. Sustainable peace and a sustainable planet are inextricably linked. A culture of domination, extraction, patriarchy is at the core of what we need to shift to create a better world for our kids. Bringing in more of “the feminine”....
Would you please post sources for the statements you made in this essay.
if you read that Haaretz article, you'll have access to some of the meteorological data. what else?
That we exceeded 2degrees yesterday. Couldn’t find that online.
ah, yes--that was in the chart at the top of the piece, which draws on the daily temp anomalies from around the globe. I doubt if anyone has had time to write a story about it yet, but if you follow Eliot Jacobson on social media you can keep depressingly up to date on this!
Great RELEVANT writing on the state of the world 🌎 on 🔥🔥🔥. It would seem timely to abandon the biblical history and continuing divide in the Mid East about whose lands belong to whom and focus on salvaging them when and if we can. Yesterday, 2 degrees should have topped headlines everywhere but I see only you, so far, bringing truth to the table of public awareness. Thank you for your efforts to turn heads appropriately.
What deranged species we are that allows Putrid, Trumpet, Musket, NetinYAHOO etc to hold all living creatures by the throat. To permit a handful of damaged men with tortured tiny devil souls to literally ruin it for everyone in the most barbaric way, is a reflection of how bizarre are our human values.
If these disconnected and self-serving greed monsters had to carry babies in their wombs, breastfeed, pack lunches while soothing tears, scrubbing the toilet, dressing self, planning child care drop off, what’s for supper - and the myriad of other harried caregiving tasks on a typical person’a plate, including anxiety about buying groceries and paying bills - I would think their priorities would humanize. (Assuming “human” epitomizes humaneness.)
Bill, I strongly support your statement in this column. Not entering polemics of some commentators, let's just say that a ceasefire applies to all sides, and the slaughter on a massive scale of a civilian population, and the violent dispossession of millions of people from their land is never justified. End of rationalizations on all sides to the contrary -- no evidence can suffice to make such an argument. Full stop.
Speaking of voters and what they want. Are you familiar with the Environmental Voter Project? They seem very on top of things. I was wondering if you had considered partnering Third Act with them. They target low propensity environmental voters, are non-partisan, and have the infrastructure all set up. I could imagine it being a good partnership. Third Act shouldn't have to reinvent the wheel.
The deserts can be made green again, if the air temperature is not too great !
Thank you again Bill, for your leadership.
!!! Context is all. Thank you (again,) Bill.