Wednesday, May 07, 2003

The wife of assassinated Egyptian President Anwar Sadat spoke at the Carnegie Music Hall last night. She had some interesting things to say.

First, she is hopeful about conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

"We are confronted with a global epidemic of fear and mistrust," Madame Sadat said, describing the conflicts in Israel that she thought were drawing near an end more than 20 years ago. ?These are fearful times, but we must not allow fear to rule our lives or blind us to our beauty and sameness as human beings."

"Bulldozers and tanks will not give a feeling of security to Israel. Suicide bombers will not give freedom, independence and dignity to Palestine," Madame Sadat said. "Mutual respect, along with a sense of general trust and understanding, must be established between the East and the West."

Of course but, how to make it happen while so many Palestinian terrorist groups still maintain that Israel must cease to exist is the question.

About the war and those in the Hollywood elite who spoke out and those who parroted their line she had this to say.

"War is terrible and war is suffering and destruction of the highest degree," Madame Sadat said. "Although I hate war, you would think me a hypocrite if I stood before you tonight condemning all war and the leaders who send their young men [to fight]."

"In this modern age of modern communication, young people and even adults can mistake celebrity for courage, money for influence," Madame Sadat said. "All of us are against oppression, against terrorism, against war. The decision to go to war was the hardest my husband ever had to make because he knew how many lives would be lost or changed forever because of injury."

"The Iraqi people have suffered they deserve their freedom and democracy," Madame Sadat said. "My heart is aching for those who have lost loved ones in this war. No war, regardless of its swiftness or accuracy in execution, is without joy when it ends."In this modern age of modern communication, young people and even adults can mistake celebrity for courage, money for influence," Madame Sadat said. "All of us are against oppression, against terrorism, against war. The decision to go to war was the hardest my husband ever had to make because he knew how many lives would be lost or changed forever because of injury."

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