Until couple of days ago, Oprah was one of the favorite show for my family, but it looks like we have to think of that again.
According to the Israeli press, Oprah is going to Israel for a "solidarity" visit. Coming from someone like Oprah, she should be sympathizing with the oppressed and above all, not showing solidarity with a racist state. Most surprising is that the word "apartheid" has no meaning for her or "ethnic cleansing."
Wiesel called on Winfrey to visit Israel, where "the major war against terror is currently taking place."
in her speech, Winfrey said she sympathized with the suffering of the people of Israel, and that she intended to accept Wiesel's invitation and come with him to Israel.
Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Gillerman, who attended the event, said that a visit of a figure with such influence on the international media could help bring an end to the indifference towards the terror threat faced by Israelis. (Source: YNet)
It is sad to believe that Oprah believed these Zionist lies about fighting terror. Someone needs to tell her that Israel is the terrorist state which kills the Palestinian children everyday and commit war crimes every sunrise and that Palestinians are not terrorists but freedom fighter struggling for decades to return their stolen lands and live in peace.
Action:
Please write to her and send whatever information you can including reports from human rights organizations (Example: Yesterday's Amnesty report) and/or articles. Even recommendations for books that might educate her. I'm sure she will change her mind if she knows more about the racist state she intend to visit.
This is a page where you can write your thoughts:
http://www2.oprah.com/email/reach/email_reach_fromu.jhtml
Also, you can send your ideas in for a future show, which might be about the suffering of the Palestinians, and their Nakba. This is a page where there are a few email addresses:
http://www2.oprah.com/email/email_landing.jhtml
Please write to her and spread the word widely. Tell her:
We love you, Oprah! We don't like to see Zionist dirt on your hands.
{ 12 } Comments
If zionism is racism, so is the strife for the creation of a Palestinian state.
Read the facts, before you comment! And don't believe the (Arab) media so easily.
Hi there,
There is one important issue we all seem to forget. We talk about the West and the Middle East. We from the West are raced with the idea that Israel belongs to the West. With our education of what happened in WW2 we can not hate the people of Israel. In the Middle East the majority of the people are educated to hate Israel. So it's all a matter of education and that might take a long time. Stop the hate and let there be love. I think Oprah is a woman wise enough to know what she is doing. If your love for her depends on her going to Israel you shoul revalue your love for her. We live in a free world and what we do is not to be put in a box of small thinking. Open your mind, you have a wonderful blog, you can do wonders with it instead of pointing your finger to others. Good luck. Tom
My letter to Oprah:
Dear Oprah,
It pained me that to hear that you are going to visit "in solidarity" with Israel. If you do so, I urge you to visit Occupied Palestine, incognito, perhaps. Go to the checkpoints, have tea with people. I urge you to go to the links at this page for some background and information about African American and South African (Israel supported the apartheid regime, BTW) solidarity with the Palestinians and about Black Palestinians:
http://www.endtheoccupation.org/article.php?list=type&type=181
This is their page on Black America and Palestine links.
There is nothing "anti-semetic" about opposing a racist and oppressive government, just as there was nothing "un-American" about the Civil Rights movement. Please think again!
Sincerely…
The news reports say that Oprah accepted the offer to visit Israel in this show of "solidarity" from Elie Weisel this past Sunday at an awards ceremony here in the States.
Interestingly, on May 18th, Raghida Dergham writes from the Petra Conference in Jordan sponsored by the 'King Abdullah Fund for Development', and the 'Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity' the following:
'During the Conference, sponsored by the 'King Abdullah Fund for Development', and the 'Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity', speeches were delivered by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his predecessor Shimon Peres. During a working luncheon and the discussion between Peres and the Advisor to the Palestinian Authority President, Yasser Abd Rabbo, Peres emerged with an amazing statement in response to Abd Rabbo, saying: "There is nothing called occupation". In saying so, Peres completely abolished the term 'occupation' from the Israeli-Palestinian relationship and refused employing such description to the Israeli role with the Palestinians. What was even more surprising took place the next day, when four scientists submitted the summery of their reports on education, health, economy, and environment, pointing to the sordid and deteriorating conditions experienced by the Palestinians as a direct result of one factor or another, but without making any reference to the fact that any of these conditions were the result of the occupation and arbitrary actions that accompany such occupation.
The author of this article posed a question about the reason for the absence or deliberate abstention of the term 'occupation' as a contributing factor in the deteriorating Palestinian situation, and also posed a question to Elie Wiesel asking him – in his capacity as a staunch advocate of human rights – whether he believed that the occupation was incompatible or in violation with human rights. Elie Wiesel's answer revealed an amazing capacity for double standards, as he grimaced and frowned before tersely replying: "The answer to this question was given yesterday by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shimon Peres". When a Jordanian woman stood to express her disapproval of this reply, he went on to say that Peres "explained why Israel does not accept this term. And I respect his view". He added that he is very sympathetic toward the Palestinians, adding that this podium – referring to the conference – was not a platform for 'politicization' and challenge, adding, "Do not try to force tension into this conference", and that the agreement was "to take politics out of this conference … So do not politicize it".
It is strange that Elie Wiesel claims that questions about trying to find the correct placement of the term 'occupation' is an attempt of politicization, especially since he did not see any politicization in his discussions with Olmert or in inviting Peres to the conference; swinging the door wide open before politics. What was even more strange was the fact that this Nobel Peace Prize Laureate seemed to have completely forgotten that all peace plans, whether international, American or Arab, call for an end to the Israeli occupation as the cornerstone of peace treaties between the Arabs and Israel, and as a cornerstone for the Two-State solution: a Palestine State alongside Israel. Even US President George W. Bush's vision stemmed from ending this occupation."
http://www.raghidadergham.com/4rdcolumn.html
So here is Oprah, accepting an invitation from a Nobel Peace laureate who denies the very term OCCUPATION!!
She needs some EDUCATION in this matter!!
Oprah… business $$$$$ or solidarity?
mmmmmmmm
I'm not surprised at all, Oprah happens to be one of the most politically misguided people who appear on TV, she proved more than once on her show that she's 100% biased with the American administration, Israel, and the whole fiasco about the war on terror. I remember many episodes where she hosted terror "experts" who spent hours talking absolutely BS! Whenever Oprah opens a political debate, she proves to be really ignorant.
and by the way, I've read/noticed like many others that Oprah is somehow racist, many think that she, and because of her misery and struggle with racism in the US, became racist herself, in one episode, she talked about the 20 most remarkable Americans in the history of the USA, 19 of them were black!
Suzanne,
I'll be happy to read your theory. Can you tell us why/how Zionism is not racism?
Tommy,
It is easier said than practiced. Are you telling me that you love Nazi's? How can one love those who kill his kids, parents, loved ones, etc.?
We love those who are fighting occupation and support both, Jews and Arab to bring peace. You will be surprised to know that most of my loved friends are Jews and most of those who post support comments here are Jews two. We don't have anything personal with Jews, but with the racist Zionist gang.
Clo,
That's wonderful letter. Thanks for sharing it and I look forward to see more letter like this one from readers here.
Robin,
Sure she needs education. I hope more people like you and Clo write to her.
Oprah Winfrey is the honorary co-chairman of the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation. How is she going to explain to her dear friend and mentor on whose board she sits advocating peace and equality, the very man who Israel denied access to in November for a UN fact-finding mission into the Beit Hanoun massacre, and the very man who also calls for divestment because this was one of the most powerful weapons in dismantling apartheid in South Africa, her acceptance of this invitation for a "solidarity visit"? Desmond Tutu himself was one of the first to compare the occupation to apartheid http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/257.htm
Of divestment, Tutu wrote:
"If apartheid ended, so can this occupation, but the moral force and international pressure will have to be just as determined. The current divestment effort is the first, though certainly not the only, necessary move in that direction"
Oprah needs to THINK and rescind this acceptance of a "solidarity visit"
OR use this opportunity to also visit the Occupied Territories and speak with those living there, perhaps SHE can visit Beit Hanoun and speak to the survivors directly, a visit denied to her mentor. Her acceptance of this invitation as it stands is in direct contradiction of her honorary position on one of the world's most esteemed peace foundation's board.
The world loves you Oprah, now do the right thing.
Contact information:
Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation
205 East 64th Street
Suite 404
New York, NY 10021
Tel: 212-750-5504
Fax: 212-371-2776
info@tutufoundation-usa.org
Carter's new book would be a starter. But I doubt that she's not educated on the issue — more like indoctrinated.
Primary Media analysis:
Huge amount of comments about Oprah visit to Israel
http://www.google.com/search?hl=de&rls=IRFA%2CIRFA%3A2006-14%2CIRFA%3Aen&q=Oprah+Palestinian+2007&lr=
This is the only massage about us at Oprah home page:
http://www2.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/tows_past_20011109_f.jhtml
So many individual Efforts, but what is going wrong?
Missing Strategy??
hey, can you guys sign this petition? I'm personally involved in it. Last time I checked, 6233 people had already signed.
Thanks
Done.
http://www.petitiononline.com/104707/petition.html
I will forward the link to PEF