Allen L Roland's Radio Weblog
My ongoing theme is always the truth , as I see it , and the exposure of lies, deception and manipulation wherever they exist. I remain firmly convinced that the world can no longer resist its innate urge to unite and co-operate with one another and we are very close to the point where war can no longer be an option if this transformation is to occur. Website: allenroland.com Email: allen@allenroland.com
Last updated:
1/1/2009; 10:36:10 AM


December 2008
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
  1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 31      
Nov   Jan



Subscribe to this blog in Radio:
Subscribe to "Allen L Roland's Radio Weblog" in Radio UserLand.

Click to see the XML version of this web page.

E-mail this blog's author, Allen L Roland:
Click here to send an email to the editor of this weblog.

WEBLOG ARCHIVE

2009/01

2008/122008/112008/102008/092008/082008/072008/062008/052008/042008/032008/022008/012007/122007/112007/102007/092007/082007/072007/062007/052007/042007/032007/022007/012006/122006/112006/102006/092006/082006/072006/062006/052006/042006/032006/022006/012005/122005/112005/102005/092005/082005/072005/062005/052005/042005/032005/022005/012004/122004/112004/102004/092004/082004/072004/062004/052004/042004/032004/022004/012003/122003/112003/102003/092003/082003/072003/062003/052003/042003/03

 1/1/09
 12/31/08
 12/30/08
 12/29/08
 12/28/08
 12/27/08
 12/26/08
 12/25/08
 12/24/08
 12/23/08
 12/22/08
 12/21/08
 12/20/08
 12/19/08
 12/18/08
 12/17/08
 12/16/08
 12/15/08
 12/14/08
 12/13/08
 12/12/08
 12/11/08
 12/10/08
 12/9/08
 12/8/08
 12/7/08

 

Saturday, December 27, 2008

 
HAROLD PINTER  /  A  FOE OF ALL INJUSTICE INCLUDING
 ISRAEL'S   
Harold Pinter
Harold Pinter / Oct 1930 - Dec 2008
An earlier photo of Harold Pinter. Photo: Martin Rosenbaum
 

" The planned war of Iraq can only bring about the collapse of what remains of the Iraqi infrastructure, widespread death, mutilation and disease, an estimated one million refugees and escalation of violence throughout the world, but it will still masquerade as a 'moral crusade', a 'just war', a war waged by 'freedom loving democracies', to bring 'democracy' to Iraq . The stink of the hypocrisy is suffocating ... We have a clear obligation, which is to resist. " Harold Pinter / January 21, 2003

Harold Pinter died Wednesday, at the age of 78, after a long battle with cancer. 

In its obituary of Harold Pinter (1930-2008), the New York Times called him "the most influential and imitated dramatist of his generation" and "one of the few modern playwrights whose names instantly evoke a sensibility."

 In recent years he had seized the platform offered by his 2005 Nobel Literature prize to rightfully denounce President George W. Bush, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the war in Iraq and Israel's ongoing illegal occupation of Palestine. 

He often referred to Tony Blair as a "deluded idiot" for supporting Bush's war in Iraq 

But most people do not realize that Pinter was Jewish and heartily condemned Israel's illegal occupation of Palestine and Israel's current brutal treatment of Gaza. Pinter was one of 105 prominent Jews who signed a We're not celebrating Israel's Anniversary petition in April of 2008.

The final paragraph of this petition reads as follows  ~ " We cannot celebrate the birthday of a state founded on terrorism, massacres and the dispossession of another people from their land. We cannot celebrate the birthday of a state that even now engages in ethnic cleansing, that violates international law, that is inflicting a monstrous collective punishment on the civilian population of Gaza and that continues to deny to Palestinians their human rights and national aspirations." http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/30/israelandthepalestinians

But Pinter is better known for his aversion to George W Bush ~ whom he rightfully called " a very, strange man " as well as " a  Mass Murderer ".

His 22 screenplays are known for a impending sense of doom ~  which Pinter effectively purveys through his terse dialogue and a brilliant use of silence.  

But his early vocal dissent and opposition to the Iraq war in January 2003 is now worth noting  ~ for it reflects that same sense of impending doom and was indeed prophetic in predicting the quagmire that now exists in Iraq and throughout the Middle East.

 

House of Commons Speech - Tuesday 21st January 2003 
 
Harold Pinter 
 

" One of the more nauseating images of the year 2002 is that of our Prime Minister kneeling in the church on Christmas Day praying for peace on earth and good will towards all men while simultaneously preparing to assist in the murder of thousands of totally innocent people in Iraq.

I've been taken to task recently by the American Ambassador to Britain for calling the US Administration a blood thirsty wild animal. All I can say is: take a look at Donald Rumsfeld's face and the case is made.

I believe that not only is this contemplated act criminal, malevolent and barbaric, it also contains within itself a palpable joy in destruction. Power, as has often been remarked, is the great aphrodisiac, and so, it would seem, is the death of others.

The Americans have the ostensible support of the 'international community' through various sure-fire modes of intimidation; bullying, bribery, blackmail and bullshit.

The 'international community' becomes a degraded entity bludgeoned into the service of a brutal military force out of control. The most despicable position is that of course of this country which pretends to stand shoulder to shoulder with its great ally while in fact being more of a whipped dog than anyone else. We are demeaned, undermined and dishonored by our government's contemptible subservience to the United States.

The planned war can only bring about the collapse of what remains of the Iraqi infrastructure, widespread death, mutilation and disease, an estimated one million refugees and escalation of violence throughout the world, but it will still masquerade as a 'moral crusade', a 'just war', a war waged by 'freedom loving democracies', to bring 'democracy' to Iraq.

The stink of the hypocrisy is suffocating.

This is in reality a simple tale of invasion of sovereign territory, military occupation and control of oil.

We have a clear obligation, which is to resist. " 

--------------------------

I have the feeling that one of Pinter's out spoken pleasures, which he took to his gravewas that he was right about Blair, he was right about Bush,  he was right about the consequences of our illegal war and occupation of Iraq and he was right about his harsh and rightful judgement of Israel's illegal occupation of Palestine. 

As such, he was a foe of all injustice including Israel's well publicized ongoing massacre of Gazans. http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/8194/

 Allen L Roland http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/2008/12/27.html 

 
Freelance Online columnist and psychotherapist Allen L Roland is available for commentsinterviews, speaking engagements and private  consultations ( allen@allenroland.com

Allen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK  on www.conscioustalk.net 


 

Allen Roland’s weblog: http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/
Website: www.allenroland.com
ONLY THE TRUTH IS REVOLUTIONARY


3:48:52 PM    comment []



© Copyright 2009 Allen L Roland. Click here to send an email to the editor of this weblog.
Last update: 1/1/2009; 10:36:16 AM.
Powered by