[News] From Cynthia McKinney: Oh What a Day!

[Anti-Imperialist News]

December 30, 2008:  Oh What a Day!

updates at lists.allthingscynthiamckinney.com

I'm so glad that my father told me to buy a special notebook and to 
write everything down because that's exactly what I did.

When we left from Cyprus, one reporter asked me "are you 
afraid?"  And I had to respond that Malcolm X wasn't afraid; Dr. 
Martin Luther King, Jr. wasn't afraid.  But little did I know that 
just a few hours later, I would be recollecting my life and mentally 
preparing myself for death.

When we left Cyprus, the Mediterranean was beautiful.  I remember the 
time when it might have been beautiful to look at, but it was also 
filthy.  The Europeans have taken great strides to clean it up and 
yesterday, it was beautiful. And the way the sunlight hit the sea, I 
remember thinking to myself that's why they call it azure.  It was 
the most beautiful blue.

But sometimes it was rough, and we got behind on our schedule.  We 
stayed on course, however, despite the roughness of the water and due 
to our exquisite captain.

There were no other ships or boats around us and night descended upon 
us all rather quickly.  It was the darkest black and suddenly, out of 
nowhere, came searchlights disturbing our peace.  The searchlights 
stayed with us for about half an hour or so.  We knew they were 
Israeli ships.  Who else would they be?

They were fast, and they would come close and then drop back.  And 
then, they'd come close again.  And then, all of a sudden there was 
complete blackness once again and all seemed right.  The cat and 
mouse game went on for at least one half hour.  What were they 
doing?  And why?

Calm again.  Black sky, black sea.  Peace.  And then, at that very 
moment, when all seemed right, out of nowhere we were rammed and 
rammed again and rammed again the last one throwing me off the couch, 
sending all our food up in the air; and all the plastic bags and 
tubs--evidence of sea sicknesses among the crew and passengers--flew 
all over the cabin and all over us.  We'd been rammed by the 
Israelis.  How did we know?  Because they called us on the phone 
afterwards to tell us that we were engaging in subversive, 
terroristic activity.  And if that if we didn't turn around right 
then and return to Larnaca, Cyprus, we would be fired upon.  We 
quickly grabbed our lifevests and put them on.  Then the captain 
announced that the boat was taking on water.  We might have to 
evacuate.  One of my mates told me to prepare to die.  And I 
reflected that I have lived a good and full life.  I have tasted 
freedom and know what it is.  I was right with myself and my decision 
to join the Free Gaza movement.

I remembered my father's parting words, "You all will be sitting 
ducks."  Just like the U.S.S. Liberty.  We were engaged in peaceful 
activity, a harmless pleasure boat, carrying a load of hospital 
supplies for the people of Gaza, who, too are sitting ducks, 
currently being bombarded in aerial assault by the Israeli military.

It's been a long day for us.  The captain was 
outstanding.  Throughout it all, he remained stoic and calm, 
effective in every way.  I didn't know how to put my life jacket 
on.  One of the passengers kindly assisted me.   Another of the 
passengers pointed out that the Israeli motors for those huge, fast 
boats was U.S. made--a gift to them from the U.S.  And now they were 
using those motors to damage a pleasure boat outfitted with three 
tons of hospital supplies, one pediatrician, and two surgeons.

I have called for President-elect Obama to say something.  The 
Palestinian people in the Gaza strip are seeing the worst violence in 
60 years, it is being reported.  To date, President-elect Obama has 
remained silent.  The Israelis are using weapons supplied to them by 
the U.S. government.  Strict enforcement of U.S. law would require 
the cessation of all weapons transfers to Israel.  Adherence to 
international law would require the same.  As we are about to 
celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, let us remember that he said:

1.  The United States is the greatest purveyor of violence in the world, and
2.  Our lives begin to end the day we remain silent about things that matter.

I implore the President-elect to not send Congress a budget that 
contains more weapons for Israel.  We have so much more to 
offer.  And I implore the Congress to vote "no" on any budget and 
appropriation bills that provide more weapons transfers, period.

Israel is able to carry out these intense military maneuvers because 
taxpayers in the U.S. give their hard-earned money to our 
Representatives in Congress and our Congress chooses to spend that 
money in this way.  Let's stop it and stop it now.  There's been too 
much blood shed.  And while we still walk among the living, let us 
not remain silent about the things that matter.

We really can promote peace and have it if we demand it of our leaders.



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