Thanks for sharing your backstory, Tom. You went through a lot as a child!
I agree it's good to know how someone was shaped by events in their lives. Incidentally, I had a sort of interview yesterday by someone doing a PhD dissertation looking at moral courage in women human rights activists. I basically walked through my history and pointed out the milestones that shaped my world view and "my why" (I do know my why but it took the 20th anniversary of 9/11 for me to realize what it was even though it became evident at 9/11). I am doing some writing lately and now plan to write about my own backhistory in a more intentional way.
That's great, Karina. I look forward to reading it! I've been wanting to write something like this for a long time and didn't really intend to do it yesterday, but I was pushed in that direction by T4P having released a brief interview with me about why I'm there, and a brief bio post Amy Luddington posted on LinkedIn. It's the butterfly effect in action!
Dear Tom, thank you for telling your story. It’s deeply moving. In my world you are a miracle. The struggles you went through earlier in your life were never your fault. You were never given the environment and the ingredients to support healthy development. The fact that at the right time you were able to take responsibility for your own development tells me how good your brain is. I have deep respect for you and how you are choosing to use your life. I’ll write you a personal email to share a few other thoughts in a more private space. I’m honoured to have met you through the BCoP. A.
Thanks for sharing some of your story Tom, and for your honesty and integrity. More than just survival, your journey to activism is beautiful and hopeful for others. You’re right that “the struggle for liberation of Palestine reflects, to one degree or another, just about every other struggle for freedom and liberty”—part of why it feels overwhelming at times but also why it’s essential. It's a privilege to know you.
As I read your personal story of how you became who you are today, I am more convinced than before that God does not have a chosen nation; rather, God has chosen people in each nation and all over the world—people who are upright and human enough.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I grew up on the Palestine issue, in part because of its impact on my family who are from southern Lebanon, but also because of both my parents' interest in social justice and human rights. I do often wonder how other people who aren't directly connected find their way to this issue, so I was curious to read your story. It reminded me why the pro Israel crowd are so obsessed with controlling the narrative: once people start asking questions, they might start to believe their eyes.
I came to understand the oppression of the Palestinians as teenager, surprisingly through watching the news. During the my childhood in the late 1970s, news reports regularly covered both the PLO and IRA. As someone descended from Irish convicts (amongst others) in Australia, I wanted to be connected to these freedom fighters fighting against the establishment. Come high school I had the opportunity of doing some Middle Eastern studies - just what I was interested in. University and work and life got in the way and I didn't have time to follow closely geopolitics. I still had my basic principles of equity and freedom and justice, but missed years it now seems. Come October '23, we know what happened, and I again started absorbing everything I could. I can't do much but I can keep my small voice expressing freedom from oppression for all. Free Palestine.
I remember hearing about the PLO and the IRA when I was young too, but they might as well have been reporting from Mars for as much relevance it had to me. It's embarrassing to admit but I was really extremely self-centered, impulsive, and uninformed about the world in my youth. Especially my teens and early 20's. In one of my early posts here I copied a timeline of the so-called "Palestine Question" from the UN and interpolated what was happening in my life at the time. Like I said, embarrassing. https://webzetetic.substack.com/p/radical-transparency?r=48pzr
Looks like our timelines are very similar. It just shows how very fortunate we are to have been born where we were. My imagination can be vivid so I try to put myself in the shoes of the Palestinians or Lebanese or Iranians or Sudanese … We are very fortunate despite our depression and anxiety.
Thank you for reading and for commenting, Juliana! I get asked how and why I got involved a lot. Often people are curious, sometimes (understandably) suspicious. That's a large part of why I've been wanting to write this post for some time.
Thanks for sharing your backstory, Tom. You went through a lot as a child!
I agree it's good to know how someone was shaped by events in their lives. Incidentally, I had a sort of interview yesterday by someone doing a PhD dissertation looking at moral courage in women human rights activists. I basically walked through my history and pointed out the milestones that shaped my world view and "my why" (I do know my why but it took the 20th anniversary of 9/11 for me to realize what it was even though it became evident at 9/11). I am doing some writing lately and now plan to write about my own backhistory in a more intentional way.
That's great, Karina. I look forward to reading it! I've been wanting to write something like this for a long time and didn't really intend to do it yesterday, but I was pushed in that direction by T4P having released a brief interview with me about why I'm there, and a brief bio post Amy Luddington posted on LinkedIn. It's the butterfly effect in action!
Dear Tom, thank you for telling your story. It’s deeply moving. In my world you are a miracle. The struggles you went through earlier in your life were never your fault. You were never given the environment and the ingredients to support healthy development. The fact that at the right time you were able to take responsibility for your own development tells me how good your brain is. I have deep respect for you and how you are choosing to use your life. I’ll write you a personal email to share a few other thoughts in a more private space. I’m honoured to have met you through the BCoP. A.
Thank you so much, Avigail! I'm equally honored to have met you and appreciate the work you do so much.
Thanks for sharing some of your story Tom, and for your honesty and integrity. More than just survival, your journey to activism is beautiful and hopeful for others. You’re right that “the struggle for liberation of Palestine reflects, to one degree or another, just about every other struggle for freedom and liberty”—part of why it feels overwhelming at times but also why it’s essential. It's a privilege to know you.
The privilege is all mine!
Thank you ♥️
Thank you for sharing Tom, very proud to know you
Right back at you, Dirar!
As I read your personal story of how you became who you are today, I am more convinced than before that God does not have a chosen nation; rather, God has chosen people in each nation and all over the world—people who are upright and human enough.
I learn more about you every time I read any piece. And always proud I know you (and related! :)
Thanks Jerry!
Thank you for sharing your inspiring story.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I grew up on the Palestine issue, in part because of its impact on my family who are from southern Lebanon, but also because of both my parents' interest in social justice and human rights. I do often wonder how other people who aren't directly connected find their way to this issue, so I was curious to read your story. It reminded me why the pro Israel crowd are so obsessed with controlling the narrative: once people start asking questions, they might start to believe their eyes.
I came to understand the oppression of the Palestinians as teenager, surprisingly through watching the news. During the my childhood in the late 1970s, news reports regularly covered both the PLO and IRA. As someone descended from Irish convicts (amongst others) in Australia, I wanted to be connected to these freedom fighters fighting against the establishment. Come high school I had the opportunity of doing some Middle Eastern studies - just what I was interested in. University and work and life got in the way and I didn't have time to follow closely geopolitics. I still had my basic principles of equity and freedom and justice, but missed years it now seems. Come October '23, we know what happened, and I again started absorbing everything I could. I can't do much but I can keep my small voice expressing freedom from oppression for all. Free Palestine.
I remember hearing about the PLO and the IRA when I was young too, but they might as well have been reporting from Mars for as much relevance it had to me. It's embarrassing to admit but I was really extremely self-centered, impulsive, and uninformed about the world in my youth. Especially my teens and early 20's. In one of my early posts here I copied a timeline of the so-called "Palestine Question" from the UN and interpolated what was happening in my life at the time. Like I said, embarrassing. https://webzetetic.substack.com/p/radical-transparency?r=48pzr
Looks like our timelines are very similar. It just shows how very fortunate we are to have been born where we were. My imagination can be vivid so I try to put myself in the shoes of the Palestinians or Lebanese or Iranians or Sudanese … We are very fortunate despite our depression and anxiety.
Thank you for reading and for commenting, Juliana! I get asked how and why I got involved a lot. Often people are curious, sometimes (understandably) suspicious. That's a large part of why I've been wanting to write this post for some time.
oct 7 False Flag attacks perpetrated by netanyahu for justification to conduct a genocide on Palestine (fixed it for you).