גלעד עדיין חי

גלעד עדיין חי or "Gilad is Still Alive."

If you don't know who I'm talking about, it's Gilad Schalit, the abducted Israeli soldier who has been held captive for over three years (as of this writing) somewhere in Gaza. Leave politics on the side. If you want to argue that capturing a soldier in his own country and then illegally denying him his human right as a POW to barter for the exchange of over 1000 convicted terrorists, then go right ahead. The fact is, it's disgusting what's been done to him. It's not just Hamas, it's several other people as well. Celebrities use him as a way to gain popularity, organizations drop his name just to get recognition, and Egypt just loves to be the "mediator" so that the world's eye turns on them. Countries have given him honorary citizenship as a "sign of good faith" to "symbolize peace" and whatever-the-fuck. Not just that, but the Hamas officials as well who are now able to receive an audience with world leaders because of Schalit. It makes me lose faith in humanity.

It's impossible to know how much Schalit knows about current events from wherever he is in captivity, but everything about the situations represents the worst in people. Gilad Schalit isn't special. He was brave like thousands of other Israelis and he volunteered for a combat job in the IDF's tank division. Heroic, commendable, and brave, but not unique. Unfortunately, he happened to be the one that got captured. Now his whole life and existence is being exploited at the ends of people all over the world. It's just what the terrorists want. They want us to promote his name, have "fundraisers" for him, and stupid shit like that, because it gives Hamas legitimacy as a threat and raises the value of Schalit as a bargaining chip. You want to help Gilad Schalit? Shut the fuck up and go join the IDF, or try to stop people from using his name for their own benefit. He should be kept out of the media. His name shouldn't even be known, for the sake of Gilad. The more anonymous he is, the better. Now, I know what you might be thinking. "So why are you putting all this up on your blog if you're telling everyone else not to talk about Schalit?"

Because no matter what I do, I'll never be able to even come within a thousand miles of being able to raise the awareness of Gilad Schalit more than it already is, with this shitty little blog that no one reads. His situation is too famous already because Hamas did a great job making a public spectacle of him, but there's plenty of blame to go around. Leave politics and personal opinions aside and stop signing petitions and using his name to promote yourself, at Gilad's expense. For every iota of fame that he gains, it gives more power to Hamas. Instead, if you're Jewish, come here and join the IDF.

If you're not or you're unwilling, that's okay too, but at least keep him in your thoughts and prayers. He's a human being and his purpose for existing is now totally at the whim of other people, a truly horrible thing when you think about. This whole scenario goes beyond religion–– it's a humanitarian crisis that magnifies the atrocities of human nature.

www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3774786,00.html