We cannot deny the suffering in Gaza

I do not agree with Gali Beh’s opinion that Councilmember Taishya Adams is owed an apology for her “blood on our hands” comment. Adams was referring to Israel’s massacre of the population of Gaza, which the International Court of Justice and most countries around the world have repeatedly described as genocide. Any of us who ignore, deny or rationalize the suffering in the world have blood on their hands. Many accept as fact the cries of innocence of Israel’s generations while ignoring its history of oppression. Israel’s defenders refuse to believe anything that challenges the stories they tell themselves.

A year ago, the majority of Israeli political and military leaders labeled every Gazan a member of Hamas and publicly declared their intention to turn Gaza “into an island of ruins.” Bombing apartment buildings, unplugging incubators, and starving people is not self-defense. It’s revenge. Adams’ statement is therefore not controversial. It’s compassionate.

Lacking context, Beh cites the killing of two Israeli soldiers in Ramallah as if it symbolizes the Israeli-Palestinian tragedy, while ignoring fifty-seven years of persistently cruel and illegal occupation and the genocide that Adams had the courage to recognize.

In light of the tragic deaths of Israelis on October 7 and the continued deaths of Palestinians, here is a fairly common example of Israeli behavior: On Saturday morning, December 27, 2008, Israel launched Operation Cast Lead by bombing the Gaza Strip, simultaneously violating the Jewish Sabbath and a ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Two weeks later, on another Sabbath, Israeli authorities blocked vital supplies from entering Gaza, insisting they could not violate the Sabbath. Easily surpassing the Al Aqsa flood of October 7, Israel killed 1,400 people, including 300 children, during Operation Cast Lead.

Richard Forer, Lafayette

Selling democracy for personal gain

Why are we selling our democracy to billionaires? Do they care about anything other than power and their own financial interests? I think of Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Patrick Soon-Shiong and their families deciding not to endorse Kama Harris for president in the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times respectively. Perhaps they didn’t want to put their financial interests at risk in case Donald Trump won the election, as he did. Bezos’ interest is his company Blue Origin, which aims to provide national security rocket launch services over the next five years, and there is Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, who has military contracts, including Star Link. President-elect Trump asked him to co-chair a new agency that would oversee and regulate Musk’s contracts. Who else is selling out our democracy for personal gain?

Catherine Harris, Boulder

Soldiers cannot have died in vain

Freedom of speech, right to vote, freedom of religion, separation of church and state, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and peaceful transfer of power. These are just a few of the rights and freedoms afforded by the American system of government. Trump and MAGA supporters are determined to get rid of it. If they succeed, the more than 1.2 million brave American service members who have died protecting these and other freedoms since 1775 will have died in vain. Think about it.

Peter Ellsworth, Loveland