War and Peace with Ken O'Keefe

Ken O'Keefe and his brothers were the police last May, when they defended their ship, the Mavi Marmara, from Israeli military invaders. Nine men aboard Ken's ship were killed that night.

Photo and video by Tim King Salem-News.com

(SPOKANE, Wash.) - One overnight accommodation on the Ken O'Keefe NW tour happened at an exquisite place of natural beauty called Soap Lake, Washington. We actually ended up at Sun Lake; one of many in a series that is reminiscent of something one may have seen in prehistoric times, thanks to the kindness of Ken's friend Dr. Bill Dienst, who has visited Gaza five times and was aboard the first Freedom Flotilla with Ken and many other advocates.

What a contrast that must be for someone who has seen the kind of needless death and oppression Ken has witnessed in this life of his, that ran the gamut from California surfer, to an enlistment in the U.S. Marine Corps during the first Gulf War, and then onto a life of activism that is sometimes criticized because O'Keefe of AlohaPalestine.com, is serious about the points he has to make.

He represents a revival of the belief that real peace can not be secured in this world without ample resistance, and sometimes direct action leads to violence. So be it if it has to be. The question is whether a person should defend their loved ones, or simply watch them be slaughtered. Marines are not trained for the latter.

Others in the past have realized this. The Buddhist Monk Thích Nhất Hạnh, author of over 100 books, coined the term Engaged Buddhism in his book Vietnam: Lotus in a Sea of Fire.

Gandhi wrote: "I have conceded that even in a non-violent state a police force may be necessary...Police ranks will be composed of believers in non-violence. The people will instinctively render them every help and through mutual cooperation they will easily deal with the ever decreasing disturbances..."

Ken O'Keefe and his brothers were the police last May, when they defended their ship, the Mavi Marmara, from Israeli military invaders. Nine men aboard Ken's ship were killed that night.

The Mavi Marmara, a Turkish ship owned and operated by IHH (The Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief) along with several others, was going to attempt to break Israel's illegal siege of Gaza by reaching the Port of Gaza with the fleet of ships, carrying Palestinian human rights activists like Ken, reporters from numerous media outlets, and tons of what the people of Gaza need; building supplies to reconstruct their homes and businesses damaged and destroyed by Israel's bombs; items including food, wheelchairs and medicine.

With this being the goal, and before the ships ever entered "Israeli" waters, the passenger ship Mavi Marmara was attacked by air and sea. Israel sent its best, Commando Group 13, and they had their asses handed to them after landing on the deck of this ship.

And before they ever set foot aboard the Mavi Marmara, the Israeli Defense Force helicopter's sniper killed one photographer, a gentleman standing near Ken O'Keefe. He was shot right through the forehead. This week the action on Israel's part was heavily condemned by the United Nations. Serious accusations of war crimes and execution killings are at hand.

This news arrived during Ken's tour and has certainly added something to a story that had plenty of people around the world seriously unhappy already. This confirmation of Israel's criminal action is the latest blow to the Jewish state's fast fading supposed 'moral image' that Americans are increasingly realizing, is a mask for a nation with true genocidal ambitions; one that makes no qualms about it either. The people aren't just divided by religion and offered separate laws and options in Jewish; they even have Jewish and Arab roads.

Another member of our team is Salem-News.com Reporter Eileen Fleming of WeAreWideAwake.org, the author of three books with a fourth soon to be released. She is chronicling Ken's life on this tour. Eileen has been to Israel/Palestine seven times and will visit Iran in the coming months. Ken's NW time here has been extremely interesting, and the addition of his mom Pat Johnson to the tour has been a blessing for us all. This was especially good news for Eileen, who as a nurse before becoming a journalist, is a researcher with a keen interest in the childhoods of people who go on to do amazing things.

There is one thing Arab people in this part of the world have more of, and that is military checkpoints. I haven't been there, but I have a lot of close friends and current contacts who have been in Gaza and live there now.

I hear so many horror stories, and they aren't all that old in this case. A few short generations ago Gaza was mostly accessible, but in the 80's Israel built a wall along the entire perimeter of Gaza. The Israeli Navy patrols the coast and halts all vessels trying to reach Gaza. It is insane from what I am told and I do know what military checkpoints are like, I have been around plenty of them in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are the reality of military occupation.

Thich Nhat Hanh - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tim King: Salem-News.com Editor and Writer

Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines.

Tim holds numerous awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), first place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Tim has several years of experience in network affiliate news TV stations, having worked as a reporter and photographer at NBC, ABC and FOX stations in Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website. As News Editor, Tim among other things, is responsible for publishing the original content of 65 Salem-News.com writers. He reminds viewers that emails are easily missed and urges those trying to reach him, to please send a second email if the first goes unanswered. You can send Tim an email at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com

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Bonnie King has been with Salem-News.com since August '04, when she became Publisher. Bonnie has served in a number of positions in the broadcast industry; TV Production Manager at KVWB (Las Vegas WB) and Producer/Director for the TV series "Hot Wheels in Las Vegas", posts as TV Promotion Director for KYMA (NBC), and KFBT (Ind.), Asst. Marketing Director (SUPERSHOPPER MAGAZINE), Director/Co-Host (Coast Entertainment Show), Radio Promotion Director (KBCH/KCRF), and Newspapers In Education/Circulation Sales Manager (STATESMAN JOURNAL NEWSPAPER). Bonnie has a depth of understanding that reaches further than just behind the scenes, and that thoroughness is demonstrated in the perseverance to correctly present each story with the wit and wisdom necessary to compel and captivate viewers. View articles written by Bonnie King