I am a Star-Bellied Sneetch. For those unfamiliar with Dr. Seuss’s Sneetches, here is the introduction:
Now, the Star-Bell Sneetche
s had bellies with stars.
The Plain-Belly Sneetches had none upon thars.
Those stars weren’t so big. They were really so small.
You might think such a thing wouldn’t matter at all.But, because they had stars, all the Star-Belly Sneetches
Would brag, “We’re the best kind of Sneetch on the beaches.”
With their snoots in the air, they would sniff and they’d snort
“We’ll have nothing to do with the Plain-Belly sort!”
And, whenever they met some, when they were out walking,
They’d hike right on past them without even talking.
So obviously I’m applying the Sneetch metaphor to Israel. I know some people tend to get their knickers in a twist when they hear the word “apartheid,” but I can say with conviction after living there for the past 13 months that members of the Palestinian minority in Israel are treated as second-class citizens. Continue reading
