When I wrote the blog post about Jimmy Carter and how I felt he wasn’t being anti-Semitic, I believed that a man, a good man would not have an agenda that many believed he did; one that was seemingly against Israel. I believed this, because I highlighted his belief in peace, and how, if anything, his thoughts about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict would act as catalysts to providing peace to both states. I believed that the good in someone was true, and that a man of his character could not be capable of such deception; but based upon conversations and investigating different perspectives with Bugboy and a close friend of mine who is actually from Israel, I have come to believe that there is potential for it to actually be otherwise. The reason I feel the need to update/change what I said, is because I realize that one of the most important things we can do in life is see different perspectives to learn more about ourselves and the world around us. I realize that it is important to truly understand what this book may actually represent, where before I rested on his principles, and what I believed to be a steadfast goals of peace and understanding. I also rested on my perceptions of the way he represented himself and what he said in this book to the media. What I realize, is that by listening to, and understanding different perspectives, what I feel from this is disappointment.
Like my friend, I defended Jimmy Carter’s character, not his book, because I couldn’t allow myself to believe that someone capable of such good, could also be capable of defamatory agendas; as the case may be with his book. I believed that, like many Americans, the real goal was peace for both states, but unfortunately, it isn’t a goal that is being reached because of aspects unreported here in America. I have a ignorant perspective of many things that occur in the region simply because I live in a country that has chosen a side, and when I heard a diplomat coming to the aid of a supposed “underdog”, I believed he meant for good. But what I did not know, but learned from Bugboy and my friend, is that Palestine continues to attack Israel, even though Israel has refrained from retaliation. What I did not know essentially prevented me from seeing the perspective of those that were against Carter, those that saw that his book represented something other than a simple peace agreement between Israel and Palestine. I wanted to believe, and based on the information that I had, I did. But now that I have seen different perspectives, I am not so sure anymore, and that is disappointing.
I, like many others, would love to see peace between these neighboring states. I would like for there to be a world where we could live without greed, hate, fear, and war. I would like to believe that people want the same things that I want, but I realize that isn’t going to happen. I wanted to write this, mostly because I don’t like being misrepresented, but even more, because I don’t like being narrow-minded, and refusing to understand the gray that exists within each and every seemingly black and white situation. I came to this realization by being shown different perspectives, and am better for it. This is what I want for myself, to represent an educated perspective, and if that means it can change, then all the better. I wanted it to be clear that not everything is so cut and dry, and I am not so naive as to believe that. I am one that believes in the best from people, and sometimes, it seems, that means I will occasionally be disappointed.