Writing that last post reminded me of a memory that I want to share. Back in 2009 ( I think), Isreal was again bombing Palestine in sustained airstrikes. I was a teacher at a charter elementary school whose owner/president was a right wing Christian. To get the job, I had to sign a morality clause that included a rule against public unseemly behavior. During the time of Ft Lauderdale public protests against these Isreal airstrikes on Gaza, teachers were told not to attend these protests and if we did, we could be fired if we were somehow public seen or photographed. They said it was covered in the "morality clause". I felt strongly that I needed to let my protests be seen so I defied the rule and went to the protest. While I was there, I stood next to a man waving the Palestinian flag and I got to talking with him. I told him about my undemocratic school prohibition for attending the rally. He bought over another friend and told me they were Palestinian and they wanted to thank me for risking my job to be there. They we so moved, and I in turn was moved by THEM. I made a painting (my first foray into oil paintng) of this man waving his flag. This is my painting of that man and another of me at that protest. It is meaningful to me. If you like this painting, you can purchase a print fit at my Etsy shop.
The other photo is myself with the man in question behind me in the red shirt. He had given his friend the flag and we were now holding signs at a busy Ft Lauderdale road downtown.
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