Jeff McCallum

on hearing Sami Rasouli speaking to the Christians,  St. Paul, Mn.4/26/07

Getting in the way

is how he put it

the affable Sami

getting in the way

I immediately thought of the American girl

Rachael Corie

getting in the way

of an Israeli bulldozer

could I pay the price

would he

Sami ambled on for twenty minutes or more

rambled in a disjointed

almost childlike way

as the slides flew past

many hands forming the dove of peace

signs in Arabic calling for peace

cataract clouded eyes

families sharing a meal

Tired

bone tired

I surmised reading his frantic schedule

hearing his pleading words

He confirmed

after the talk

he had no time to see a doctor

and no funds for a speech writer

I thought

Just a grass roots attempt at stopping the war

slowing the slaughter

getting in the way of the American death machine

He did find the time

to point his finger at Israel

as he became more focused in the second half hour

This folksy former local

Founder of Muslim Peacemakers

pointed out again and again

the Star of David seemingly everywhere

almost like it was occupying his homeland

in a great conspiracy with America

Perhaps they are

I thought

though the way to peace hardly seems to point this way

from either end of the Crescent

or any point of either Star

Blame seemed so irrelevant

counter productive

more like an agenda

for hate

Yes

it stopped my mind from sympathizing

focused it on those at the edge of the spectrum

those who incite  the violence  on all sides of the triangle

looking backward through the looking glass

holding their places on this earth

regardless of the price

sowing and grimly reaping

reaping and thereby sowing

Help me to understand

I asked

We tried

he said to me

to get Hammas to acknowledge Israel

We tried

All I ask Sami

is that you too acknowledge

amidst the terrible slaughter

children and mothers

cousins and brothers

soldiers and Holy men

car bombs and smart bombs

the myriad wrongs

that each day conspire to kill our souls

as they blind us to our brothers and sisters

that you point only to peace

to love and understanding

and yes

forgiveness

As the mothers of senselessly slain Palestinian and Israeli children

grieve together

let us grieve together

Stop this war

and that war

and all war

and as fellow travelers

move along on this pilgrimage called life