oscar valdes

Digesting Trump. Squaring with Immigration

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First of all, digest Mr Trump the nation must.

Digest him as in understanding what drives him.

Otherwise we leave unprocessed the yearnings and motivations that led his followers to the absurdity of the assault on the Capitol on January the 6^th and make a repeat possible.

Otherwise we leave unprocessed the ongoing attachment by a significant sector of the Republican party to a man who lacks the ability to lead.

Mr Trump can stir and inspire many people but that does not make him a leader.

A leader is the person who can work with those they inspire to elevate them through a greater understanding of what ails the nation, not simply to play to their passions.

If the so called leader does not do that, then they are no more than a rabble rouser.

At the very core of what divides the nation today are immigration and inequality of opportunity.

I’ll take immigration.

There is a reluctance in the average Trump supporter to accept that immigration is essential to our path forward.

Without immigrants from all over the world – not just from England and Ireland and Germany and Scandinavia – we would not be where we are.

It is hard for the average Trump supporter to accept that.

Without immigrants we will not have the hard edge to answer China’s challenge.

Business loudly asks for them. ‘Give me your immigrants!’ the business community says loudly to the world. ‘If you want to work hard and make something of yourself, this is where you must come!’

The average Trump supporter, fearing they may lose standing in their own land, is reluctant to endorse that call.

Trump sensed that and said to himself, ‘this is my ticket to the White House. God knows that in all my years I’ve never done a thing for anyone in public life (a life mostly spent building hotels and golf courses for the rich and then filing timely bankruptcies) but I now see this great emotional need in Americans, so why not milk it?’

And people fell for it.

Many Trump supporters realize now that something is very wrong with the man they voted for but are having trouble moving past.

Immigration has much to do with it.

Immigration is not an easy subject. The rest of the world is also having trouble dealing with it.

But hold on to those antipathies and gradually nations will lose their competitive edge.

Hold on to those antipathies and you lose the stimulus for renewal.

To our credit, in spite of strong nativist sentiments, America has kept its doors open to immigrants.

Immigrants equate renewal. Renewal equates progress.

Keep our doors open and we will have plenty of brain power to shape our future.

Close them and we will injure ourselves.

Trump could not lead because he could not build bridges. Not to other Americans, not to other nations, not to himself. Yes. Let me restate the latter. He could not build bridges to himself. If he had, he would have become an integrated man. But he did not. An integrated man is one who reflects and recognizes others may have better formed opinions than his. Trump could never do that. And thus his fundamental failing.

An integrated man would have accepted the loss in the election and asked his supporters to accept the results, examine the mistakes made and move past.

An integrated man would have accepted that the doctors in the Center for Disease Control knew more about viruses than he did. If he had, he would probably have won the election in spite of all his failings.

But he could not accept any of the above because he does not have an open dialogue with himself that can lead to reflection and to accepting that others may know more than him.

Doctors at the CDC spend all their time dealing with viruses, but Trump thought he knew more than them.

But the man could tweet. Oh, yes. And degrade others. And make stuff up. Plenty of it.

That so many Americans fell for his act and still do is something that needs to be digested.

Processed. Understood. So we can move on.

The whole nation has to process a profoundly maladjusted leader and why we chose him in 2016.

That is on all of us. That is on the entire nation.

If we do not do the processing required, then we will repeat the same mistakes.

We cannot afford that.

China, of course, is counting on us not doing our homework. And so are all our detractors in the rest of the world.

Oscar Valdes. Oscarvaldes.net

Lukashenko, the Belarusian Dictator, Talks to Roman Protasevich

Aleksandr Lukashenko leads Protasevich to a private room, just the two of them, so he can have a face to face talk with the activist. They sit across each other, the moment tense.

‘I forced your plane down… to have you make the confessions that you started mass unrest here in Minsk. I could do it and I did… but that doesn’t mean that I don’t admire you.’

Protasevich is surprised by the statement.

‘Yes, admire you,’ says Lukashenko.

‘I admire… that when you were only 17 you started being an activist against my regime. At that young age, you had a strong belief that Belarus should be a free nation… not under the influence of Putin.’

Protasevich is surprised by Lukashenko’s candor. He lowers his head, not sure what to say. He now looks up at Lukashenko. ‘Do you want to stay under Putin’s influence?’

Lukashenko looks off, uncertain.

‘I’ve not felt free as a leader… not felt like I could do what was right for Belarus.’

‘Why not?’ presses Protasevich. ‘What is stopping you?’

‘I’ve made mistakes… have not had advisers with independent minds… but that’s my fault.’

Sensing an opening, Protasevich leans forward, and as he eyes Lukashenko says, ‘You feel trapped?’

Lukashenko stares back at him.

‘I don’t even know why I’m having this conversation with you. I don’t have to. Do you understand?’

Lukashenko’s cold stare sends a wave of fear through Protasevich, but the activist holds his gaze.

‘Maybe I do feel trapped…’ continues Lukashenko, ‘no way out for me… maybe life in a dacha near Moscow while Putin is alive. After that, who knows what.’

‘You could…’ begins Protasevich, tentatively… ‘decide to change course…’

Lukashenko frowns.

‘I mean…’ continues Protasevich, making bold, ‘you could ask to meet with the opposition’s representatives… and begin talks for a transition to democracy.’

Lukashenko pauses, reflecting, then leans forward with a hint of interest. ‘I’ve thought about it.’

Protasevich pushes on, ‘You worried about what Putin might say… or do?’

‘I suppose…’ answers Lukashenko.

‘What if… we guaranteed your safety.’

Lukashenko laughs as he sits back. ‘You can’t do that. Putin has long tentacles.’

The men stare at each other for a moment.

‘No… there is another way…’ restarts Lukashenko. ‘What I’d like to do is send word to the resistance… that I will begin to be more lenient… little by little… and maybe… in two years… we can have another election… but this next time… whatever happens, happens… I will not interfere… and if I lose, I’ll step down… but I’d like to have assurances that I won’t be sent to prison.’

Protasevich sits back.

‘What will Putin say?’

‘I’ll have to deal with him. There are risks, of course. But let that be my contribution to the process.’

Protasevich clasps his hands in front of him, conscious that he is witnessing a special moment.

‘I would like to speak only to you… only you will be my contact with the opposition,’ says Lukashenko.

Protasevich nods, intrigued by why he’s been chosen.

Lukashenko reads him accurately and says, ‘Why you? Because you have shown uncommon courage… and you love Belarus.’

Protasevich looks down at the ground, then, ‘Why now?’

Lukashenko stares at his strong hands as he pauses. ‘I don’t want to go down in history as Putin’s puppet.’

Then he extends his hand to Protasevich. ‘Do you accept?’

‘I do.’

The two men shake hands.

‘A security force will drive you and your girlfriend to the border with Lithuania tomorrow morning. We’ll be in touch. This conversation is to be kept secret, to be shared only with your top people. Or I will deny it.’

‘I understand,’ replies Protasevich.

Lukashenko rises and exits.

It could happen, couldn’t? Maybe it has. Maybe it will. We can only hope.

Oscar valdes oscarvaldes.net

Available in apple and google podcasts, spotify, anchor.fm, buzzsprout.com and others.

Texas In The Spotlight

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

The governor is about to sign a measure approved by the state’s legislature that will allow anyone 21 or older to carry a handgun without a license or the background check and training that went with it.

Gun lovers are rejoicing.

Finally, Texans are being allowed to be Texans.

They will be fully able to defend themselves from others intending to harm them.

Finally, freedom from the restrictions imposed by liberals who insist in the absurd notion that we’re all in this together.

Finally, an enlightened Republican legislature, is making it possible for Texans to resolve disputes on the spot. You fire, I fire.

Finally, Texans can call for the death of dialogue. For the death of words to take the place of bullets.

It has not been an easy journey. Not easy to arrive at the conclusion that being 21 years old gives you the insight to draw your weapon and fire away.

The profound wisdom of homegrown philosophers was thoroughly examined during the exhaustive process to arrive at the momentous decision.

Freedom, yes, finally, freedom for Texans.

No need to worry about the conditions that lead others to despair and to wish to harm others and themselves.

No need to fret over the human deterioration that leads others to devalue their lives and that of others.

No need to invest in the arduous process of creating better human beings.

Just give them a gun and the matter is settled. The one who draws faster is the one who comes out ahead. Period.

And this is happening in 2021.

This is happening the same year that a Texas hero, Donald Trump, took it upon himself to encourage an assault on the US Capitol because he was angry he hadn’t won the election and how dare the rest of the nation not think like Texans who adore him.

Mind you, Texas has beautiful people, caring and thoughtful, who don’t agree with this decision. But the majority has spoken.

To those who disagree, you can always move out.

Personally, I will make a point to put the state in my flyover list. Just in case I displease a native who will then draw his weapon.

To the gun lovers I say, please, do not let this hold you back. Work on seceding from the rest of the nation. I, for one, will be glad to let you go.

We could still cooperate on matters of defense and other things. Sure.

But here is what I predict. Soon enough, the rate of shootings of innocent people will start to rise and become the highest in the nation.

Nothing can take the place of nurturing the ability to think and being more compassionate.

And it takes hard and patient work.

There is a place for guns in our world, but not to have unrestricted access to them.

I now grieve the loss of Texas from my romantic heart. I had thought of visiting Austin one day, spending time in Dallas, San Antonio, returning to Houston.

I can think of great Texans I would have liked to meet, like Lyndon Johnson and Barbara Jordan.

And I am sure there are many others.

For now, though, the lights in Texas are dimming.

May the forces that are working to keep them alive, one day again prevail.

Meanwhile, good luck, Texas.

Oscar Valdes. Oscarvaldes.net

Andrew Brown Jr, Age 42, is Shot Dead

On the morning of April 21^st, a police team from Pasquotank, North Carolina, is sent to ‘execute search and arrest warrants’ on Andrew Brown Jr, who had a history of prior convictions and resisting arrest.

They find him at his home, in his car, having just returned from a morning drive.

Mr Brown resists the arrest, drives off instead and as he does the officers fire 13 shots into his car, one hitting him in the back of the head and wounding him fatally, after which he crashes into a tree 50 yards from his house.

Mr Brown should not have resisted arrest.

He should have stepped out of his car and surrendered.

There were several officers surrounding him with plenty of weapons to fire away.

What’s wrong with this picture?

There is no mention in the article that anyone was in danger from Mr Brown’s actions.

No mention of what his convictions had been, what kind of crimes had Mr Brown committed to warrant the size of the police force sent out to arrest him.

He was still living in his home, even going out for a ride that morning and then returning.

He wasn’t racing out of State to avoid capture, so just what were the infractions?

Probably minor.

Still, he was in violation of the law and he should have surrendered.

But he didn’t.

What could possibly be wrong with a man who is so defiant with the police, recklessly so?

Something was wrong. Something that needed a different kind of intervention than a posse of cops armed to the hilt and ready to shoot the person.

Answer anyone?

Then here it is.

Send in two social workers from the county, a man and a woman, to knock on his door.

‘G’morning, Mr Brown. We’re social workers with Pasquotank County and we’ve come to chat with you for a moment. May we come in?’

No, he wouldn’t let them in but he was willing to step out into the porch.

‘What’s this about?’ asks Mr Brown, warily.

‘We know you have a history of resisting arrest and there’s a warrant out for you. Look, resisting arrest can get you into a whole lot of trouble. What’s the problem?’

‘Things are not going well for me…’ replies Mr Brown.

‘So you need help… maybe we can help. We’ll do what we can, but we want to stress that resisting arrest can get you killed. Do you want to live?’

Mr Brown smiles as he drops his head. Maybe he’s not sure he wants to live.

‘Let me restate that,’ says one of the social workers, ‘resisting arrest will get you killed. Is it worth it?’

Mr Brown shakes his head slowly.

‘Then let us help you. How about if you turn yourself in? We’ll do what we can to get some financial and mental health assistance for your family while you’re in custody,’ says one social worker.

‘And we’re willing to work with you to keep you from getting in trouble again, whatever it is that you did,’ says the other.

‘You’ll do that?’ asks Mr Brown, a hint of relief.

‘Yes. We’ll do the best we can.’

‘I… I have trouble learning… ‘ begins Mr Brown, ‘I have trouble thinking… I don’t make good decisions… but I’m not a bad person… you get what I mean?’

‘We do,’ say the two social workers in unison.

‘And on top of that I haven’t been working. I get so angry sometimes. I can’t provide for my family.’

‘Let us help you,’ replies the lady social worker. ‘One step at a time.’

‘Will you be willing to come in with us today?’ asks the other social worker.

‘Turn myself in?’ says Mr Brown.

‘Yes.’

Mr Brown lifts his head and swallows hard. He closes his eyes for a moment… then he nods in assent.

‘It’s your decision Mr Brown. We’re not with the police. It’s up to you.’

‘I know. Thank you for coming out. Let me go in and tell my family.’

Dear reader, think about it.

Could this have been the case for Andrew Brown Jr., age 42 in Pasquotank county, North Carolina?

Yes.

And if so, he would be alive today. Alive to learn to be a better man, a better father, a better citizen.

Alive.

Sad, isn’t it? How easy it is for guns to take the place of words.

And will the African American leadership in our nation please send out a call to all African Americans to not resist arrest, not run from the police? Please.

Just so we can give words a chance.

Oscar Valdes. Oscarvaldes.net

Are We Letting Putin Get Away With It, Again?

Earlier today, Sunday, a jet fighter from Belarus forced a Ryanair commercial plane flying over the country to redirect to Minsk, the Belarus capital. The commercial flight had departed from Athens, Greece and was en route to Vilnius in Lithuania.

The Belarus regime, surely with the consent of Vladimir Putin, set up the ruse that a bomb was aboard the commercial flight and so needed to land immediately at the closest airport.

But the whole thing was nothing more than a plot to capture 26 y/o Roman Protasevich, a Belarusian activist who had helped set up a Telegram channel with 1.5 million subscribers in his country, so that people could continue protesting the fraudulent reelection of Alexander Lukashenko in 2020.

It is a profound failure of European Union intelligence to not have protected Mr Protasevich, to not have warned him of the possibilities of flying over Belarus.

Officials in the EU have raised their voices in protest and so has Antony Blinken, America’s Secretary of State, who demanded the immediate release of Mr Protasevich, but watch how Putin, emboldened by the manner in which he has handled Alexei Navalny’s poisoning and imprisonment, will dance around the issue claiming no knowledge of the affair and state that Lukashenko acted independently in an effort to protect the passengers from the alleged bomb.

And the strong likelihood is that he will get away with it.

Immediate and strong punitive measures are in order, both against Lukashenko and Putin.

The European Union has to step up and see this blatant attack on civil liberties as what it is and not find ways to delay action.

Something about the efficacy of the West’s response against Putin’s transgressions has been fractured since Mr Trump’s election in America.

The cracks continue to widen.

I can hear Putin in his palace saying, ‘here’s to you, Donald. If you could launch an attack on the US Capitol, surely I can snatch a dissident from the skies. Good luck in the midterms. And count on me for the next election.’

Will the European Union muster the courage to stand up to Putin?

Oscar Valdes. Oscarvaldes.net

Where Are the Palestinian Diplomats?

In this hour of need, when Palestinian casualties, men, women and children are climbing in numbers that greatly exceed Israeli ones, as is always the case, where are the Palestinian diplomats?

While a truce in the hostilities is discussed, the slaughter continues. Irreparable losses mount.

Lives are lost. The already impoverished living conditions in Gaza are made worse.

Where are the Palestinian diplomats?

Where is the internal resistance to the Palestinian forces of destruction, still vainly clamoring for a victory in the battlefield to reclaim lost territories and access to holy sites?

Where are the Arab nations that should be interceding and telling Hamas to stop what amounts to calculated self-destruction?

A time for reckoning must come. It has to because it will save lives and offer hope for some kind of solution.

Hamas, or any armed Palestinian faction cannot destroy Israel.

Israel is there to stay.

But world opinion can be enlisted in favor of the cause of displaced Palestinians, provided they commit to peaceful solutions.

It will take Palestinians renouncing the current leaders that continually raise false hopes that an armed solution is possible.

It will take Palestinians confronting leaders who stir hatred instead of healing.

What is lost is lost. But much can be retained and even gained if Palestinians commit to peaceful resolutions of the conflict.

All manner of world assistance could pour into Gaza and the West Bank to aid Palestinians. To help with education and training and jobs, provided there is a clear commitment to peaceful coexistence.

Wounds need to be healed and a thorough examination of the history of the existing divisions made. Nations from all over the world would be willing to step in and assist.

Universities and training centers could be set up in Gaza to elevate the conditions of the people, instead of continuing to live under the blockade they are now under.

But peace has to come first.

A willingness to say, ‘no more bloodshed regardless of what happened before. Let us stop killing each other. Let us stop dying for the sake of old hurts. Let us celebrate life and build a future.’

If Palestine would embark on such a course, it is quite possible that progressive forces within Israel would be mobilized to assist in the process.

But it has to start with the Palestinians. And this is a good time as any.

Let the world help. Please.

Act now.

Embrace peace.

Put down the guns.

Resist and disown those who preach warfare.

Oscar Valdes. Oscarvaldes.net.

Donating My Body. A Vignette

The other day I ran into an old friend who told me his dad had died recently. ‘It’s getting expensive to die,’ he told me. ‘If I hadn’t planned ahead it would have dinged me.’

‘I’m glad you did plan,’ I said.

‘You know how much it would’ve cost me?’

‘Haven’t a clue…’

‘Thirty thousand dollars.’

‘Oops. That’s a chunk right there. I’m glad you planned.’

We talked a while longer, I expressed my sympathy and reminded him that he had always been a good son to his dad, which he had been. We then parted, agreeing to meet up again soon.

The thought of how much it cost to die stayed with me. Thirty thousand is a lot of money.

A lot of money to give to people to put you underground and cover you up with dirt. We’re talking plain old dirt. Not dirt from Tibet, Nepal, Tahiti or some other distant exotic land, no, it would be just plain old Los Angeles dirt.

Then, for another three grand they plop a stone or chunk of concrete on top with your name engraved in it, date of birth and death and maybe something that sought to capture a distinctive feature of the deceased.

It may well work for lots of folks, but it doesn’t appeal to me.

There must be better options.

Burning, of course, is popular in some countries, and has been done forever. But the idea of polluting the air with all that smoke doesn’t make sense.

Then I remembered that when I got my driver’s license renewed this last time, there was the option to donate organs.

At least I would be of use to someone who needed replacement tissue. I liked that. But what about donating my whole body? Donating it to a medical school for instance?

Interesting.

I began to think of the details. For instance, my body being placed on a slab or steel table for Anatomy students to dissect, cut, remove, section off, whatever. I have to remind myself that I won’t be feeling anything.

Still, I could imagine an instructor using me to teach a class as he/she pointed out my various parts. And afterwards, the students returning to practice and go over the details so they would really get it down and do well on their tests.

Then I thought that some of those students would be young ladies, Sherry or Helen or Alice, and as they dissected my various parts they would inevitably have a moment when they would think of whom the body might have belonged to. And I can imagine them even giving me a name, if my real name wasn’t affixed to the body, which I doubt it would, just so it would be easier for them to remember details. Like they might find that one cadaver had a good set of lungs to work on, or good blood vessels, or other organs.

And Alice might say to Sherry, ‘for liver and pancreas anatomy, Jack over there in the corner makes it really easy.’

I wouldn’t mind being called Jack or anything else. So long as I was getting a little attention. Compared to being underground and being visited once a year on Father’s Day, it’s no contest, I’ll take donating my body any day.

Then there’s the possibility, remote but still there, that one of the lady students might develop a little affection for me, just for helping her get on with her studies and, after a good work session, pat me on the forehead and say, ‘Thanks, Jack – you’ve been a great help.’

Who knows what the possibilities of that are, but at least it’s a possibility, and it would beat the idea of being stuck underground with just the company of worms going through me.

Then there’s even another option to consider.

It would take some arranging but it may be possible, that once all the soft tissues are used up, my skeleton would be returned to one of my descendants.

What for, you might ask? Well, to assemble so that all the parts would hang together, then folded up and stuck in a closet, but come Halloween, I’d be taken out and stood up in a corner of the party room, maybe a hat put on me, or some other decorative garment. And my descendants and their descendants, would get a chance to come up and say hello. ‘So, you’re grandpa (or great grandpa) right?’ Of course I would just stare back, but it would sure beat being underground, damp and cold, stuffed in the rotting box.

And I would be saving my descendants a whole lot of money in the process.

Inevitably, as they moved around and changed homes, the suitcase carrying my skeleton will be forgotten in a dusty corner of the garage, I know that, but someone else might adopt me then, and I might get lucky and make it to the next Halloween.

All I’ve said relates to my body. As far as my mind is concerned, I’d much prefer that on Father’s Day, or whenever my descendants would wish to remember me, that they would pick up one of the books I wrote, or one of the short stories or blogs, and read a few pages. Then we would be dialoguing, we would be connecting, and I’d be entering their minds, not to stay, but to visit with their thoughts. Better that, than to make a trip to the cemetery and lay some flowers on me, flowers I’ll never see.

We all have our preferences, but for me, between light or dark, I’ll take light anytime.

Oscar valdes oscarvaldes.net oscarvaldes@widehumr

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Declaration of The American Immigrant

We come to this country to embrace our possibilities,

To expand our minds, our hearts and productive capacities

As we strive for self reliance.

To those who drafted the laws that made our entry possible

We say thank you,

To those who have built this country

We say thank you and here commit to continue the task,

To those who have fought for and defended this nation

We say thank you and here commit to do the same.

We will honor you and your efforts through our work and determination to succeed.

As we do, we vow to be generous to those who are less able for nature does not endow us equally.

We will fight to be the best we can be for as we do

We earn our freedom,

The power to bow to no one

And the privilege of lighting the way for others to follow.

Long live the freedoms of this land

The right to dissent and challenge authority,

And the opportunity to pursue our uniqueness.

Thank you America

Oscar Valdes Oscarvaldes.net

The Further Decline of The Republican Party

It wasn’t enough to not rise in criticism of Mr Trump’s claim that the presidential election was ‘rigged and stolen from us.’

Not enough for Republicans not to denounce his encouragement of the assault on the Capitol on January 6^th.

Republican legislators had to improve on their dismal record and now have voted Liz Cheney out of her 3^rdposition in the Republican hierarchy in the House because she would not accept Trump’s statements.

Liz Cheney would not consent to slavish obedience to Mr Trump. She may not even retain her seat in the upcoming mid term elections in Wyoming, which she represents.

I find it absurdly fascinating, that the former president still casts a spell over so many legislators.

Absurdly fascinating that the task of educating Republican voters has been deferred, and that bowing to an out of office failed politician is still considered lofty.

Unbelievable.

For a brief moment, I thought Republicans would come to their senses.

I was mistaken.

There is, though, a movement building by a rebellious party faction that is saying enough is enough. They are saying that there should be no further tolerance for Mr Trump’s influence on the party.

But will it gather strength?

I think it has a chance.

I do because there is a segment of Republican voters who are not blinded by Mr Trump’s antics. Men and women who are able to see clearly who Mr Trump is. Now ensconced in his Mar-A-Lago retreat, he continues to nurture dreams of a comeback.

But it is pure denial. Pure fantasy.

The former president botched the nation’s handling of Covid, alienated our allies, failed to stand up against racism in the land, stirred anti immigrant sentiment.

The task ahead for the enlightened resistance against his influence is clear. Those who refuse to see him for who he is are in need of urgent reeducation.

A democrat can’t do it.

But a clear eyed Republican can.

The party has those in their ranks. They are now willing to move to center stage and defy the wrath of those who have been blinded by Mr Trump, and then firmly confront the crisis of identity the party is facing.

The majority who elected him in 2016 thought they had found themselves a prize. Instead, they got one of the least insightful presidents that have ever been elected.

It is time to acknowledge the mistake and move forward.

Sadly, there is also a chance, that such acknowledgement will not happen.

And then Democrats will find it easier to win the upcoming mid term elections. Then the next presidential contest. And the one that follows.

Truth that lays bare before our eyes, sometimes cannot be seen.

Remember the tale about the emperor without clothes?

Oscar Valdes. Oscarvaldes.net

Sheikh Jarrah and the Israeli Palestinian Conflict

Rockets and bombs have been flying and casualties have been rising while inside Israel there have been clashes between Israelis and Arab Israelis.

US diplomats spoke out against Hamas fighters firing rockets into Israel while asserting that Israel has a right to defend itself as indeed it has.

But left in the background is the spark for the raging conflict. The forceful evictions by Israel of long time Palestinian settlers in the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah.

Instead of keeping it in the background, what’s happened in Sheikh Jarrah should be put front and center.

Why should the Palestinian settlers be forcefully evicted?
It is wrong for Hamas to be firing missiles into Israel so that should stop immediately.

And so, too, should the crushing Israeli counteroffensive that is likely to soon become an invasion of Gaza by ground forces.

Surely, as the casualties mount on both sides, the numbers for the Palestinians will be much larger. And that includes children.

It seems very clear, with the long history of warfare between the two rivals, that it doesn’t take much to ignite a broader conflict.

Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu knew full well of the possible consequences of Israelis displacing Palestinian settlers from Sheikh Jarrah. But he let it happen anyway.

Property rights in the area have been disputed in the courts for years, and still he let it happen. I suppose it burnishes his image as a get tough on Palestinians kind of guy.

But we here in America, who spend lots of money subsidizing that state’s defense forces, should demand a thorough accounting of what is happening there.

We can’t just have Antony Blinken make a statement calling for Hamas to stop the firing of the missiles – which have resulted in a few Israeli deaths but which have been mostly intercepted by Israel’s powerful Iron Dome antimissile system.

We cannot have the administration be only insisting that Israel has a right to defend itself, which it has, and not put blame on Mr Netanyahu for letting the displacement of Palestinian settlers be carried out.

The American people deserve better.

The Biden administration must do better.

Antony Blinken and company should know better.

The genesis of this painful and costly clash – where Palestinian casualties will surely, by far, exceed Israel’s – needs to be brought to the table right now. And we should ask, why was it allowed to happen in the first place, when it seemed pretty clear what the consequences would be?

If President Biden can confront Saudi Arabia’s crown prince on the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and label Putin a killer for the attempted murder on Alexei Navalny, surely he can call in Mr Netanyahu and tell him that his behavior is atrocious and repugnant.

Please, Mr Biden, act now.

Oscar Valdes. Oscarvaldes.net