How dehumanization is necessary

...for killing. It's interesting that I was recently talking about moral relativism and how most mainstream Christians nearly bust a gasket when you bring it up. And yet, those same gatekeepers of morality (I'm being sarcastic, but you know people who are like this), will have no problem with the idea of killing "those who deserve it." In today's political climate, that would be the "evil-doers."

Moral relativism was in the back of my mind when I picked up the paper today. The headline read "With aid cut off, Palestinians bater, borrow or do without" (Washington Post). The Palestinians are feeling the effects of the January legislative elections that saw a known terrorist group, Hammas, being legitmately elected into office. The United States government, fighting off a potential whopper of a head-ache, led the international community in cutting off international aid to the strapped Palestinian Authority. Consequently, the Palestinian people are paying for their political actions by facing starvation and loss of other essential services.

As images of hungry Palestinian children start to be published in Time, Newsweek, and such, the rhetoric will surely be driven up a notch or two. Israeli Prime Minister Olmert has pledged that Israel would help to ensure Palestinians would have access to medical supplies, all the while never forgetting to mention that the Palestinians brought it on themselves. To be fair to the Prime Minister, it's an almost impossible situation to be in, trying to please all sides.

And so the question remains: Is it Palestine's fault? They did elect a known terrorist group to office. A hard-line terrorist group, no less. Despite what you think of either side, it's a move that couldn't have possibly helped the already tense situation. Perhaps part of the problem is rooted in that... Palestine must resolve the internal factions within before it can come to the table. And it has to be done in the interest of preservation of all human life.

Of course, none of this answers the previous question. Humbly, in my opinion, the real question should be: does placing blame advance anyone? Removing the humanity from Palestine is necessary to eradicate them. If they are just terrorists, than the justification is there for their elimination. Why are there terrorists in Palestine? I don't pretend to know the ins and outs of the conflict, but I'm willing to bet that it's a lot more complex than "good vs. evil" or "Zionism vs. Islam." So to label the enemy as "evil" is a complete cop-out that allows for killing with a clean conscience. At the root of this current wrinkle, the lack of aid, we have to realize that the willful starving of a group of people, yes, people!-- says more about us than it does them. And it is not morally justifiable under any circumstances.

There are real problems here... you don't need me to tell you that. But this is not the answer. I'm hoping that Palestinian Chairman Abbas meets with Olmert and that they are able to put aside differences and embrace the common humanity that binds us. I pray for peace and I pray for ourselves, to do the right thing, and love our enemies.