Insights on stupidity

Re “How to be stupid . . .” Opinion, Jan. 8

Rosa Brooks’ insightful slings and arrows of sarcasm have never been better aimed than in her recent attacks on the stupidity of all parties involved with the horror show in Israel/Palestine.

Everybody wants to defend, attack, blame or make a martyr out of Israel or Palestine. Nobody seems to want to place the blame squarely on both of them -- where, as Brooks so powerfully states, it obviously belongs.

Tim Dufelmeier

Los Angeles

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Brooks correctly makes the point that both sides are contributing to the problem.

However, she treats the formation of Israel in the Palestinian territory and the displacement of the predominantly Palestinian Arab population much too lightly. This displacement is similar to the colonization of North and South America by the European powers.

If her contention is correct that it is too late to return the land and allow the return of the refugees, there should be recognition of this fact and proper compensation should be made.

Michael Goldman

Woodland Hills

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Incredibly, Brooks equates Hamas “suicide bombings and rocket attacks on civilian targets” to Israel “building settlements.” She characterizes both as “stupid” acts.

Suicide bombings and rocket attacks on civilian targets instantly snuff out the lives of innocent civilians. That would be murder. By contrast, building homes does not kill anyone. Moreover, settlements can be readily abandoned, as Israel has repeatedly done.

To equate deadly terrorist attacks by Hamas to the construction of tract homes is ridiculous. Or perhaps it is merely indicative of how far one must reach in trying to compare the respective “stupid” acts of Hamas and Israel.

David S. Olson

Los Angeles

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In writing her column, Brooks demonstrated that she is in fact the one who is stupid. She omits the fact that the Palestinian civilians of Gaza democratically elected Hamas, an agent of destruction and enemy of Israel. This act was probably the most stupid of all. Instead, Brooks characterizes the Palestinians as innocents in this dispute. Those who voted Hamas into office have unclean hands. Had Fatah been voted in, there would never have been an invasion.

Edward Singer

Santa Monica