My Grandmother Would Have Loved Shahar
Israel's Shahar PeerGrandma Would Have Loved Her
Demonstrations are like enemas.
Although often necessary, one does not have to like them.
Or at least that's been my experience as a journalist who certainly reaped their noisy benefits – just as the infrequent enemas I've endured over the years certainly, as my mother would put it, “cleaned me out.”
Certainly, in the Mea Culpa Department, my role as a member of the investigative team that won the Pulitzer Prize for covering the Kent State Shootings eons ago elevated my often dubious status as a journalist over the years.
However...
From the tragic (Kent State) to the absurd (Fox News' tea parties), I've found demonstrations do more harm than good for the general well being of American society.
Even worse, were in not for the media, the number of protests and other various displays of public displeasure would be slashed by a goodly 90 percent.
In other words, without the news media, most demonstrations would come off like the proverbial Zen koan involving the sound a falling tree makes – when there's no one around to hear its crash.
Again, based on my experience with demonstrations over the years, I found the participants are there to make one or two statements:
Either “Look at me!”
Or “Look at this!”
Unfortunately, most of the demonstrations I've covered as a journalist were of the noisily narcissistic “Look-at-Me” kind.
In other words, an obnoxious gathering of in-your-face assholes makes for great visuals on the Six O'Clock News.
However, they've usually left me wishing the Dickwad de Jour protest climaxed with a thorough drenching from a battery of fire hoses.
Anyhow....
It's as my dear Quaker Ganga Anna Sharpless Pratt tried and failed to teach me: “Thee should always speak thy peace – but best to speak it peacefully.”
Which is why Richard Nixon was the last Quaker to frequent the Evening News.
Even though, as my mother often explained to her non-Quaker her friends, “Being a California Quaker, Mr. Nixon's is NOT a member of a Philadelphia meeting.”
Oh yes.
Although a “Birthright Friend,” on my best day I've been an award-winning newspaperman and craven Black Sheep Quaker.
But I digress...
The purpose of today's blog posting it to express my displeasure over the unpleasant behavior of New Zealand tennis fans hurling epithets at Shahar Peer, a young Israeli tennis star competing in an Aukland tournament.
Like they need to Shut the Fuck Up.
Screaming “Go home, Shahar!” and “You have blood on your hands,” the in-your-face demonstrators claimed to represent a group called Global Peace and Justice – although their gross behavior was clearly light years away from either peace or justice.
No matter.
And Down Under Dickheads aside....
In a response far more mature and dignified, Peer told the media: “I also want peace in the world, but I don't think this (tournament) is the place for this protest.”
That said, the young Israeli woman proved herself a far better Quaker than I given the mature way she handled the New Zealand chapter of Flaming Assholes for Peace and Justice.
So....
My Ganga would have been quietly proud of Peer – and invited her sit with the elders on the Facing Bench at Sunday Meeting and then join her for tea.
That said -- and given my affection for certain blunt Anglo-Saxon words -- I fear I would not have been asked to join my grandmother for afternoon tea with Shahar..
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