September 11 Reflection And The USS Liberty

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Fifteen years ago on September 11, America and most of the World were united.

Today the USA is more divided than since the Civil War.

On this 9/11, this reporter will be delivering the speech at the end of this article which explains HOW and WHY I got aboard the cause of the USS LIBERTY Veterans.

It also furthers the chapter THAT DAY from my first historical fact filled fiction, from which I excerpt:

The Sunday after that day the world stood still, the Hunters’ seven children and eighteen grandchildren had gathered together. Everyone was down at the lake except for Jake, Terese, and Kat, who were in the family room.

Jake contemplated Kat’s chances of having ALS or a bad neck, and brooded.

Terese said, “There’s an interfaith gathering today in Shea Stadium, and I want to view it.”

She turned the TV on just as the shofar sounded in New York City, and hundreds of priests, rabbis, sheiks, and clerics of all kinds somberly filed into the stadium in front of a sorrowful nation. Kat became luminous.

“Wow, look at how beautiful all of that is! All of those holy ones in their uniqueness and all the shades of people in the stands reaching out to each other — how blessed we are in America to live among such diversity, and how beautiful it is to see us coming together out of such sorrow. This is the way we can let the pain go: by reaching out to the stranger, we comfort them and heal ourselves. America’s worst day has brought us and the world together. Why, it’s only a few angry mad men who did the evil! The international community can confront this together, by confronting this evil as sister and brother.

“What an incredible opportunity America has been given to lead and not seek revenge. Imagine the dysfunctional family of Father Abraham building on this momentum, to confront the evil that is terrorism, by confronting it with good and unity among us. Didn’t St. Paul say that the only way to resist evil is with good?

“Imagine how much better the world will be when America chooses not to use military power! Now that we all know our nuclear arsenal cannot protect us Americans will want to discover why these mad men did this evil and go after that! The global village is the community to address this issue; terrorism is everywhere, and now America has woken up to the fact that we are not immune. We are all in this world together; we will either learn to share this world as sister and brother, or we will blow it up.”

Terese responded. “Kat, human nature is to strike back and seek revenge, but we have the witness of Christ, Gandhi, and Reverend King how to effectively respond to violence. I hope and pray this president follows their ways, but I see hawks circling.

Jake cleared his throat and intoned, “Another thing is that acting out of fear makes one do stupid, irrational things. You know I have always said to never ever react out of fear, for the gospel says fear not! And fear drives out compassion and hardens the heart.”

The TV mesmerized Kat, Terese sighed deeply repeatedly, and Jake brooded…[HOPE ALIVE]
IF all goes as planned on this 9/11, this reporter will be delivering the following at a FOSNAFriends of Sabeel North America sponsored event honoring USS LIBERTY survivors:

Hi I am Eileen Fleming, from New York but I live in Florida. Before that day we call 911, I was a comfortably numb Christian and privileged American.

I am also the granddaughter of a German Jew who died before I could learn how many of my relatives were gassed or fried by the Third Reich.

THAT DAY we call 911 irrevocably altered my life and shortly thereafter I realized my childhood dream of being a writer and reporter simply because The Media was NOT asking my questions!

I began to research America’s Middle East policies and being a follower of the NONVIOLENT Jesus, who taught me I must forgive to be forgiven and love my enemies;

I was led to join the Olive Trees Foundation for Peace founded in Orlando by a 1948 Palestinian Muslim refugee from the Galilee who made his way to the USA and realized the American Dream.

Dr. Diab inspired American Christians, Jews, Muslims and others to learn about the Israeli Palestinian conflict and we raised funds for over 40,000 fruit bearing tress that were rooted on both sides of The Wall before the non-profit disbanded.

In 2005, Dr. Diab was my shepherd on my first of 8 trips to both sides of The Wall in the Holy Land and shortly thereafter I connected with SABEEL,

But I knew nothing about the USS LIBERTY until 13 October 2007, when I heard Phil Tourney speak in California at The No More Wars for Israel Conference, which had been dedicated to Israel’s Nuclear Whistle Blower, Mordechai Vanunu.

I was asked to speak at the conference because I met Vanunu while in Jerusalem in 2005, and we began a series of interviews that are freely streaming at youtube, enshrined in hundreds of articles and four of my so far seven books.

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Before I made the trip to California, a few human rights activists warned me that I should NOT attend the conference because there would be anti-Semites, neo-Nazis and white supremacists in attendance!



I thanked them for their concern and imagined Jesus would welcome the opportunity to speak to anti-Semites, neo-Nazis and white supremacists and so—I gleefully traveled from Florida and arrived in California to learn I did not even have a room at the Inn where the conference was scheduled to take place.

The hotel had also cancelled the event due to complaints that there would be anti-Semites, neo-Nazis and white supremacists in attendance.


The conference was rescheduled at a Church nine hours later and indeed, I did not agree with many things some of the other speakers said, but I uphold that all people have the right to think their own thoughts and speak their own minds.

However, when USS LIBERTY survivor and then current President of the USS LIBERTY Veterans Association, Phillip F. Tourney spoke about that day in infamy on 8 June 1967, I KNEW why I had made the trip!

Tourney spoke in depth about the 34 Americans who were brutally slaughtered, 172 wounded [including himself] all because Israel attacked America’s virtually unarmed premier spy ship the USS LIBERTY while she navigated in international waters during the Six Day War.

When Phil said “It was God that kept the LIBERTY afloat” I knew I would do more than just listen to him.

In 2012, I ran for US HOUSE on a platform that included establishing every June 8 to be known as USS LIBERTY REMEMBRANCE DAY. I am here today, to ask YOUR help in making that a reality in hearts and minds throughout America by signing and widely sharing this USS LIBERTY PETITION that will be delivered to Congress following the 8 June 2017, USS LIBERTY reunion in Norfolk, VA.

The full speech I read at the No More Wars for Israel Conference in 2007, can be read HERE

I began by stating,I am not now nor have I ever been Mordechai Vanunu’s spokesperson…
I concluded:

I am here today to tell you that for the last three years, Mordecahi Vanunu’s speech and movement have been restricted under the British Mandate Emergency Regulations -a relic from the British Mandate period in Palestine-before the state of Israel was founded and replaced British rule. Nothing like it exists in any democracy in the world. When Vanunu was convicted, he joked, “Perhaps I should turn to the Queen or Tony Blair for justice.”

I am here today to tell you that for the last 21 years, Vanunu has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. This year he was nominated by Bishop Desmond Tutu, who in 1984 received the Nobel for his courageous and fearless opposition against the South African apartheid system.

I am here today to remind the world of what Israel promised in 1948:

On the day of the termination of the British mandate and on the strength of the United Nations General Assembly declare The State of Israel will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel: it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion it will guarantee freedom of religion [and] conscience and will be faithful to the Charter of the United Nations.” – May 14, 1948. The Declaration of the establishment of Israel

I am here today with hope and a prayer that Israel and America will hear the prophets of Israel, such as Micah who reminded the people of what God requires:

“He has told you o’man! Be just, be merciful, and walk humbly with your Lord.”

View Eileen Fleming’s first two questions to Vanunu regarding his Christianity and where the U.S.A. could find WMD in the Middle East:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKTX3vrHQOE

Learn More HERE

https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00IZA7460?tag=viglink123356-20

Eileen Fleming,
Senior Non-Arab Correspondent for USA’s The Arab Daily News

Author, Reporter

Coordinator LIBERTY CENTRAL II

 

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