On Pelosi: "Blessed are the Peacemakers" (comment by M.J. Rosenberg)

[KoKo]

On Pelosi: Blessed Are The Peacemakers
mjRosenberg

You know what they say: no good deed goes unpunished.

That is certainly the case with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and her visit to Syria.

At a time (the Easter-Passover recess) when dozens of House members and Senators are visiting foreign capitals and discussing policy with foreign leaders, Pelosi is being skewered for, in the words of the Washington Post's editors, "substituting her own foreign policy for that of a sitting Republican President."

-snip-

Pelosi's visit strengthened America's position in the region, and likely helped Israel on prisoners, on Hezbollah, and in its effort to avoid another war like last summer's. It was a gutsy move by the new Speaker and one that deserves commendation, not criticism from those who are committed to the whole litany of failed policies of recent years. One would think that some of these pundits and others would look at the sheer carnage they delivered in Iraq – the 3200 American dead and the hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqi civilians -- and be shamed into shutting up. But no such luck.

-snip-

In this context, and on this Good Friday, it is worth recalling Jesus' words in Matthew 5, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God." That is not exactly what the critics are calling Pelosi. But, the New Testament notwithstanding, peacemakers are rarely praised in their own time while the initiators of unnecessary wars are rarely, if ever, held accountable for them. Pelosi is too smart to expect plaudits for trying to deter war rather than simply cheerleading for a status quo that will inevitably produce the next one.

-snip-

I hope Pelosi is not daunted by the criticism emanating from all the usual suspects. Her delegation's visit to the Middle East advanced America's interests, and Israel's too. As they like to say in that region: the dogs bark but the caravan moves on.

http://tpmcafe.com/blog/coffeehouse/2007/apr/06/on_pelosi_blessed_are_the_peacemakersi

[warren pease]

1. And Cheney thought...

...it said "blessed are the pacemakers." And he figured that fancy new defibrillator set him up for a 50-yard-line seat in hebbin.

[KoKo]

2. Well...I thought it was a good thing to post...because of the message...

maybe I was wrong...

[warren pease]

3. No offense...

It IS a good thing to post. Just had a weird thought and decided to post it. Sorry you misunderstood the intent.

wp

[KoKo]

5. No Problem...just thought with Easter and Passover it was a UNITING message..and

so many of us are so cynical that this post...((I had hoped folks would read the whole thing from TPM site) seemed to be UNITING and not DIVIDING.

It gave me a lift to know that Doug Feith doesn't speak for all of us....and that Jews and Christians can unite these days.

That's why I posted. I thought it was an interesting Passover/Easter message about what we know is going on in the ME and the opposing "hardliner" views about it.

:shrug:

[fasttense]

4. Blessed are the peace makers indeed, exactly my words when I heard she was in Syria.

Great minds and all that.

[KoKo]

6. I feel sad that this post by Rosenberg isn't getting any attention...

because it does (in many ways) cross the bridge between Christians and Jews who are "Moderate."

But, I've learned, through the years that one never knows what gets "views" on DU.

One never knows.....

[KoKo]

7. If I put a "Bunny" Avatar Up would folks go over there and read the Original from Rosenberg?

:shrug:

[grannylib]

8. Thanks for posting...so true. Why is desire for peace seen as weakness

particularly by those who tend to crow about their "Christianity" the loudest, but who are so far removed from Christian values?

Blessed indeed...have a Blessed Easter, Madam Speaker!

[KoKo]

9. It boggles my mind also. Supposed Christians Making Money Off Distorting

the message of this humble person who captured something that resonated throughout history for centuries and caused Crusades, Inquisitions and Purges.

Yet...the MESSAGE was so simple and so pure and truthful...meant to resonate with the downtrodden and NOT the VATICAN.