Ariel Sharon's Kadima party, meaning "forward" or "onward", is aptly named. I can imagine that Ariel Sharon and his spin doctors thought they could bilk a new group of supporters into believing that his new party would move the nation forward to some rosy future of peace and security, just as easily as he fooled his last group of supporters into trusting the "bulldozer" and "father of the settlements" would not betray the cause he championed above all others.
Kadima can mean moving forward, progress and forethought, but in Sharon's case, it reminds me of when my children were young and wanted to charge off in some direction, unaware of what lay ahead. Kadima! was the charge they yelled as they went running down a hill, usually to end in a fallen heap, crying at the bottom. Kadima is the reckless charge of a young child who does not have to take responsibility for unseen dangers that are hiding just beyond the bend.
A child falling down a hill is nothing compared to a nation losing its way, a leader betraying his own people by sacrificing their safety and entrusting their security to others. Kadima is the blind cry of innocence; and a nation cannot afford to have blind, innocent leaders.
Kadima is the dare one teenager gives to another as they dive head first into a pool of water before checking the depths of the water below. Their youth can lead to serious injury, but the cry of Kadima runs through them and so they dare. Yes, Kadima is perfect for the likes of Ariel Sharon and his would-be supporters, because only the foolish and reckless would believe a man who has proven he will not heed the promises he makes, the wishes of his supporters, the suffering of his people.
When my brother first received his driving permit almost 30 years ago, anyone with a current driver's license was allowed to teach him to drive. With all of my three years of driving behind me, I drove my brother to a large, empty parking lot in my parent's old station wagon. We switched seats and I suddenly realized the responsibility I had in my hands. A car is an amazing invention, if handled carefully and responsibly. Otherwise, it can be an instrument of great damage and even death.
In the first moments, as I taught my brother how to start the car, I realized that before you learn to go, you must learn to stop, to evaluate, to understand the strength and responsibility you have in your hands. Kadima is easy. Press the gas and see how far you can go. Kadima into madness and death. Kadima into irresponsibility, betrayal and corruption.
I told my brother to gently release the brakes and the car began to roll. He asked if he should give the car some gas. "No," I said quickly, understanding something that he had yet to learn. Before you can go, you must learn to stop. You must respect the machine, the power you have behind you.
"Gently, slowly, hit the brakes," I told him. He did so and despite the fact that I was bracing myself, I nearly went through the front window. The car stopped abruptly.
"I just touched it," he said in surprise. He was beginning to understand the power he had. For the next few minutes, my brother simply practiced releasing the break and applying it. A lesson learned. Learn to stop, learn to evaluate. Kadima can bring danger to yourself and those around you.
Ariel Sharon has had the power of the nation and the army at his disposal for years now, and yet, he has not learned to correctly wield that power. He abused the army, turning it against his own people in order to accomplish what he thought was best. He has earned a reputation of corruption beyond any Israel has known in the past. Like a mindless teenager filled with the challenge of Kadima, Sharon careened down the hillside into madness, leaving a nation crumpled and broken behind him.
Sharon abused the faith of his supporters by using their votes to implement a plan they did not support. And, when they told him in no uncertain terms that they opposed his new direction, he ignored them. He manipulated, he cheated, he betrayed and he lied. All to do what he thought was best. Kadima, demanded Sharon. Kadima, without checking the depths of the water. Kadima, and terrorists have taken advantage of our weakness, foreign governments have forced their vision upon us, and we meekly accept rockets fired from the north and from the south.
The nation is less secure today than it was when Ariel Sharon took office. People are poorer. Cities are dirtier. Corruption is rampant. The country is more vulnerable, divided and distrustful. Kadima has destroyed the spirit of a generation of youth, who look to the soldiers as betrayers of the land and the faith they love. Kadima has led to 9,000 people being homeless and robbed of their possessions and communities.
Kadima has broken the determination of countless soldiers who don't understand why they were used to fight a battle against the people they swore to protect. They see the disdain in our eyes, the anger we feel, the hurt. Kadima brought only madness. Ariel Sharon may ask for more supporters, but it is to those that he betrayed that he must first answer.
In leaving the Likud party, Sharon has offered many of us a welcome gift. He has confirmed that it was he who led the nation to betray its people, not the Likud ideology. He has returned the vote he stole from us, recognizing that you can only fool someone once. He leaves behind a Likud party stronger for having been cleansed of the dirt and filth that often comes with lies and corruption.
Very soon, Likud members will proudly tell Sharon what we thought of his betrayal. Before the next election, the Israeli public must learn to stop and evaluate where we are, what we have done to ourselves, our youth, our army. We must stop this reckless, mindless rush towards surrendering everything before even reaching a negotiating table. Sharon's Kadima into madness must end and he must be defeated.
Rushing off into the unknown can be exciting and fun, but it is not the cry of a responsible adult or party that asks for the nation's trust. Kadima is a cry for the young, the blind and those who have faith. Ariel Sharon's party is indeed young, certainly it is blind to the suffering created by Ariel Sharon and, while it may have faith in itself, Israeli voters need only heed what Sharon did to the last group of people who had faith in him.
Before giving Sharon support, look to those who supported him last time around. They are easy to find. Thousands still live in tents and hotels, still waiting for his Disengagement Plan to offer them the security and safety he promised in his last campaign.
Kadima can mean moving forward, progress and forethought, but in Sharon's case, it reminds me of when my children were young and wanted to charge off in some direction, unaware of what lay ahead. Kadima! was the charge they yelled as they went running down a hill, usually to end in a fallen heap, crying at the bottom. Kadima is the reckless charge of a young child who does not have to take responsibility for unseen dangers that are hiding just beyond the bend.
A child falling down a hill is nothing compared to a nation losing its way, a leader betraying his own people by sacrificing their safety and entrusting their security to others. Kadima is the blind cry of innocence; and a nation cannot afford to have blind, innocent leaders.
Kadima is the dare one teenager gives to another as they dive head first into a pool of water before checking the depths of the water below. Their youth can lead to serious injury, but the cry of Kadima runs through them and so they dare. Yes, Kadima is perfect for the likes of Ariel Sharon and his would-be supporters, because only the foolish and reckless would believe a man who has proven he will not heed the promises he makes, the wishes of his supporters, the suffering of his people.
When my brother first received his driving permit almost 30 years ago, anyone with a current driver's license was allowed to teach him to drive. With all of my three years of driving behind me, I drove my brother to a large, empty parking lot in my parent's old station wagon. We switched seats and I suddenly realized the responsibility I had in my hands. A car is an amazing invention, if handled carefully and responsibly. Otherwise, it can be an instrument of great damage and even death.
In the first moments, as I taught my brother how to start the car, I realized that before you learn to go, you must learn to stop, to evaluate, to understand the strength and responsibility you have in your hands. Kadima is easy. Press the gas and see how far you can go. Kadima into madness and death. Kadima into irresponsibility, betrayal and corruption.
I told my brother to gently release the brakes and the car began to roll. He asked if he should give the car some gas. "No," I said quickly, understanding something that he had yet to learn. Before you can go, you must learn to stop. You must respect the machine, the power you have behind you.
"Gently, slowly, hit the brakes," I told him. He did so and despite the fact that I was bracing myself, I nearly went through the front window. The car stopped abruptly.
"I just touched it," he said in surprise. He was beginning to understand the power he had. For the next few minutes, my brother simply practiced releasing the break and applying it. A lesson learned. Learn to stop, learn to evaluate. Kadima can bring danger to yourself and those around you.
Ariel Sharon has had the power of the nation and the army at his disposal for years now, and yet, he has not learned to correctly wield that power. He abused the army, turning it against his own people in order to accomplish what he thought was best. He has earned a reputation of corruption beyond any Israel has known in the past. Like a mindless teenager filled with the challenge of Kadima, Sharon careened down the hillside into madness, leaving a nation crumpled and broken behind him.
Sharon abused the faith of his supporters by using their votes to implement a plan they did not support. And, when they told him in no uncertain terms that they opposed his new direction, he ignored them. He manipulated, he cheated, he betrayed and he lied. All to do what he thought was best. Kadima, demanded Sharon. Kadima, without checking the depths of the water. Kadima, and terrorists have taken advantage of our weakness, foreign governments have forced their vision upon us, and we meekly accept rockets fired from the north and from the south.
The nation is less secure today than it was when Ariel Sharon took office. People are poorer. Cities are dirtier. Corruption is rampant. The country is more vulnerable, divided and distrustful. Kadima has destroyed the spirit of a generation of youth, who look to the soldiers as betrayers of the land and the faith they love. Kadima has led to 9,000 people being homeless and robbed of their possessions and communities.
Kadima has broken the determination of countless soldiers who don't understand why they were used to fight a battle against the people they swore to protect. They see the disdain in our eyes, the anger we feel, the hurt. Kadima brought only madness. Ariel Sharon may ask for more supporters, but it is to those that he betrayed that he must first answer.
In leaving the Likud party, Sharon has offered many of us a welcome gift. He has confirmed that it was he who led the nation to betray its people, not the Likud ideology. He has returned the vote he stole from us, recognizing that you can only fool someone once. He leaves behind a Likud party stronger for having been cleansed of the dirt and filth that often comes with lies and corruption.
Very soon, Likud members will proudly tell Sharon what we thought of his betrayal. Before the next election, the Israeli public must learn to stop and evaluate where we are, what we have done to ourselves, our youth, our army. We must stop this reckless, mindless rush towards surrendering everything before even reaching a negotiating table. Sharon's Kadima into madness must end and he must be defeated.
Rushing off into the unknown can be exciting and fun, but it is not the cry of a responsible adult or party that asks for the nation's trust. Kadima is a cry for the young, the blind and those who have faith. Ariel Sharon's party is indeed young, certainly it is blind to the suffering created by Ariel Sharon and, while it may have faith in itself, Israeli voters need only heed what Sharon did to the last group of people who had faith in him.
Before giving Sharon support, look to those who supported him last time around. They are easy to find. Thousands still live in tents and hotels, still waiting for his Disengagement Plan to offer them the security and safety he promised in his last campaign.