Hello From a New Woman!

Hello once again World! I know it's been a long time. I won't fill in the boring details but I will say that I am a new woman today. I have relocated and--I can hardly believe it--finally found a JOB with a SALARY and (this is the big one) INSURANCE!!!! (And the crowd goes wild!)
And, per usual, I have found something even better: NEW THINGS TO BITCH ABOUT!!!!

One thing I definitely don't have to bitch about it the fact that I was in DC to witness (without actually seeing) Barack Hussein Obama become the 44th and first black President of the United States of America!!!!!! First time in my life I can say I'm proud to be an American. It's a weird feeling. I like my President. I wear a hat with his name on it. Yeah, that's weird.

However, it wouldn't be the world we live in if there wasn't something to complain about. My issue of today is one that is probably not this-much-sarcasm-appropriate--the recent catastrophe in Gaza. Now that I'm in DC there are many ways to be involved in fighting against this crisis, which is a great feeling. I have tried to take on as much as I can. One of the things I have promised myself I would do is write an e-mail to President Obama every day, demanding he do something. And I have decided to share those e-mails and the other actions I take on this blog.

Here's what I have so far:

January 22, 2009

Dear President Obama,

I'm still so happy to be addressing a letter to President Obama! Congratulations once again on your new job! I volunteered for your campaign in New Jersey and nothing makes me happier than to know that you are our President!

I wrote to you yesterday expressing my concern about the current crisis in Gaza. As of today, Israeli troops have been pulled out of Gaza and the truth of what has happened there is just beginning to come to light. There are already reports of phosphorous being used against Palestinians to burn and otherwise injure them. This is a blatant international crime and a grave injustice to all of humanity. Generally when these horrific acts of violence are occuring in the world, the US will either do something or completely ignore it. In this case, we have done neither and take the additional step backwards of supporting the proprietors of this violence and inhumanity.

I unfortunately don't have any solutions to suggest--not that they would matter much anyway--but I can say once again that this issue deserves to be addressed immediately and that Israel must NOT be allowed to continue their barbarity against the Palestinian people. I am in no way anti-Israel--I am pro-peace and human rights. Israel's actions have shown that they are willing to stop at absolutely nothing to completely devastate the Palestinian population.

I beg you to listen to the millions of people globally who agree with me. Israel must be held accountable for its actions.

Sincerely,

Davina Abujudeh

And from yesterday....

January 21, 2009

Dear President Obama:

I am writing to you as a very concerned American and one of your constituents. While I am indeed buoyed with your message of change and hope, I am appalled by the ongoing tragedy and serious humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been ongoing for 60 years now, and residents of the West Bank have been living under Israeli military occupation since 1967. While Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza in 2005, it still controls the border, airspace, commerce, and sea shores. I strongly urge you to support the value of all human life, which includes the lives of the Palestinian people. They have been living in isolation and under extreme hardships, please don't allow this to continue.

Just like you, I am an American child of an immigrant father. My father is from the West Bank. He was born in 1948 and has suffered irreverable mental and emotional damage from his childhood as a Palestinian living in the West Bank under Israeli occupation. I just turned 25 and haven't spoken to my father in over 12 years because of his mental/emotional problems. As a result of growing up under brutal occupation, he was never able to completely "start over" in America and will carry that emotional baggage with him until the day he dies. Although his story is one of success compared to the overwhelming majority of Palestinian stories, he is still forever marred by the simple fact that he was born in the wrong place at the wrong time.

What is and has been happening in the West Bank and, especially recently in Gaza are clearly and undeniably human rights abuses to the extreme. I urge you to look at this situation for what it is and to take the action needed to end this crisis and find a workable solution to this conflict. It has been too long that Israel's government has been given free reign to slaughter Palestinian civilians and to strip them of all the basic human rights we, as Americans, take for granted every day.

We can't change what has happened in the past but you have already proved that anything is possible for the future. You have inspired me to continue pursuing what I believe in and I hope that you will listen to the people--though they may be the minority--standing up for the rights of the Palestinian people. We have all been taught as children that what is right is not always popular and what is popular is not always right--I ask that you look beyond what the general American public/media has to say about this conflict and to address this issue honestly and from your heart, as you so clearly do with every other issue you are presented with.

I'm asking you to call for an immediate end to the siege on and blockade of Gaza. Residents of Gaza should be able to move freely and be able to have access to basic necessities like water, food, shelter, electricity and other necessities. Numerous international aid agencies have documented high levels of malnutrition and chronic vitamin deficiencies in Gaza's 1.5 million residents. Israel's attacks on Gaza have left thousands dead and injured, with the toll being especially high on Gaza's children.


Achieving a just and durable peace to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict necessitates that the United States value all human life and take immediate action.

Sincerely,

Davina H. Abujudeh


With more to come.

Thanks!