Gazans may not have enough to eat, no place to go, no job to do, no factory to run, but they can now surf!
This break through is thanks to a "surfing for peace" movement that donated surfing boards to Gazans. Israeli companies donated 12 surfing boards. Wow!! (update: NYT has a long article about it)
I really don't like to scoff at any gesture of solidarity no matter how small because we disparately need all. But this particular one I find it hard to stomach. There is something terribly condescending about it. Am I wrong?
An afterthought: In light of the fact that Hamas formed a "marine force" recently, a force that has no boats and no other equipment, which is meant to crack down on drug dealers and prostitutes (I didn't know we have ship loads of prostitutes infiltrating the Gaza shores!), maybe the surf boards will come in handy and tip the balance of marine power.
Update: 8/23/07: Israel shelled Palestinian fishermen on the Gaza coast, destroying 10 boats and arresting 8 men. Details in Arabic. In other words, there wasn't much surfing or much peace.
8 comments:
NICE BLOG
Amal, you're being unnecessarily generous by calling this a gesture of solidarity. It reeks of insolent thoughtlessness.
Hi Nada E,
I guess. I'm trying to separate the outofitness of the donors, who may mean well, and the pernicious way the media is using them and the story to cover Gazans out of real existence.
Sorry, I think you guys are being overly cynical. This is one small, possible "floater" for peace.
To anonymous:
If it's a "floater for peace," it's of the "let them eat cake" type.
That's a pretty trite response. I "floater" means to see how it goes, and then go ahead and do more if it is successful. If every gesture that is well-intentioned and benefits even a few, is disregarded as condescending no one will ever benefit. Yes, the Palestinian people need more than surfboards. Let's see them get anything from neighboring countries including, of course, Arab countries. They have been ignored and spurned by governments who could help the most.
Condescension may be a subjective quality. But this story has received more notice in the USA than most of the news from Gaza. There are many here who knew little or nothing of Gaza before seeing it. Maybe a curious few will be educated about the situation there.
I share the scepticism of those who feel this gesture is not worth the media-hype. However, as a surfer who spends a lot of time in countries in conflict, I can see value in this project. As a long-time surfer I can attest to the fact that getting out into surf can give you a perspective that few other recreational activities offer. The psychological impact of a few hours of 'peace' cannot be under-estimated. To assume that because people lack basic necessities means they should be deprived of a chance to experience the thrill of riding waves is both insulting and indulgent.
However, I repeat my original argument that a gesture like this should not be a publicity stunt or a feelgood response to horrow. Perhaps it's just people trying to make a small difference against horrendous odds.
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