Segment 1: Grassroots Efforts. Our guest on this edition of the Doug Noll show is Dr. Frank Romano, professor, peace activist and author three books, including his most recent, Love and Terror in the Middle East. Frank earned a PhD at University of Paris I, Pantheon Sorbonne, and a JD at Golden Gate University in San Francisco. Originally Dr. Romano wanted to become a diplomat, but after spending some time abroad he realized, with the help of a vision that came to him, that he would rather go to the Middle East and do interfaith casework. He’s now engaged in dialogues and projects to bring Christian and Muslim groups together in peace. He is also involved in peace marches and demonstrations. His goal is to bring people’s attention to Israel and the West Bank via grassroots efforts.
Segment 2: The Bonding is Intense. Dr. Romano organizes dialogues and marches to bring the conscious awareness of the world to what’s going on in Israel. He feels strongly that we can’t just talk; we need to walk the talk. Do something. Work on projects. Start with conversations and go into ruined schools and businesses and fix them. Replant trees. In his work he has had Muslims, Jews, Christians, Atheists, and agnostics all working together. Few words are exchanged, but the bonding is intense.
Segment 3: When Money, Power and Greed Get Involved. Frank feels that only with strong leadership can a country attain peace. Most politicians listen to the masses before they make any decisions. A real leader take steps to do the right thing --- perhaps even compromising his or her own political career in the process of making tough, sometimes unpopular decisions. They leave money, power and greed aside. And despite the challenge, they are ready to step up, take risks, and do the right thing.
Israel is the largest recipient of U.S. aid, as well as the largest recipient of non-military foreign aid. We subsidize the Israeli military and much of the Israeli government each year, to the tune of billions of dollars. We give three billion dollars to Israel, without any conditions. We have leverage, so why don’t we use it? Because politicians are afraid to confront AIPAC, for one reason. They are afraid to step up. When money, power and greed get involved, some politicians lose the ability to feel empathy and compassion, and become instead a machine to be used.
Segment 4: Divided by Walls. Frank tries to give equal time and attention to the West Bank and Israel, but in practice he goes to the West Bank more often because there is a greater need. Many people are afraid to go there for peace work, although in reality there is little risk. Getting into the West Bank is a real challenge, however. There are many checkpoints and walls. In fact, large Palestinian communities cannot connect with others because they are divided by walls that protect the settlements, as well as the highways used by the Israeli Jews to travel between Israel to the settlements. Palestinians are excluded from those roads. To learn more about Dr. Romano’s work, please visit his website: www.frankromano-lt.com.
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