free gaza

i was supposed to do the training at the center today but when i arrived the electricity was out for most of the camp. it doesn't happen all the time but it is also not out of the ordinary. there is no hot water and the amenities that we can't imagine living without come and go. so i traveled into bethlehem to run some errands and in a store the television was reporting on the events in gaza today. the man behind the counter translated everything for me. in what is going to be referred to as a response to the missiles launched from gaza on monday - which resulted in the death of one palestinian "militant" - israel used f-16's to bomb police and security buildings when children were getting out of school. the death toll has raised from 50 to over 100 in just an hour, and it will probably be more by the time you read this. we are going to a protest march tonight at the nativity church in bethlehem. violence is never the answer and while i'm definitely in no way condoning the launching of the missiles from gaza - how can we accept the deaths of so many for the acts of a few. i remember going to a speech given by ramona africa from MOVE (if you are not familiar i ask that you look at their history). she said something that i think will always stick with me. she said that even if all the things that were said about them in the media was true does that make it okay for what was donw to them. they were a movement focused on the respect of life and social awareness. it seems that as movements like that gain support from the public they are quickly attacked by the media and usually even violently from those in power who want to keep it. gotta go - more later.