It goes without saying that many of us have been audience to the ongoing debate surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as to the most recent episodes of violence that have broken out in recent days. From podcast commentary and Facebook comments to news articles published by Reuters and the New York Times, I've seen little to no impartial reporting being done on the most recent happenings in Sheikh Jarrah in Jerusalem. Conversely, I've seen all sorts of untempered emotional responses to the events in question. All too many times, the international community sees fit to 'take a side' in conflict, but rarely steps back to obtain a greater perspective. So much for 'fact-checking.' As with any deep-seated ethnic conflict, easily researchable background issues may play a role in the issue at hand. Ever care to look at who owns the houses in question located in Sheikh Jarrah? Ever read the Hamas Charter? Have you ever considered that neither side might be justified every time they take an action? I am sure that Israel and Palestine have both made mistakes when acting on the world stage. I see all too many political figures taking one side or the other, but failing to admit that any nuance might exist that could color their perspectives. All too many politicians wait for the imprimatur of their respective parties then proceed to spout party opinions with no factual support. God forbid we say something that contradicts our Republican or Democrat overlords.
But really, why don't you and I do our own research before firing off hot takes. Agreed?