An American Stain

Do we all remember the song "America the Beautiful", words by Katharine Lee Bates?

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

There are a lot of verses but if you look, you'll find these words, too:

America! America! God mend thine every flaw......America! America! God shed his grace on thee Till selfish gain no longer stain The banner of the free!......America! America! God shed his grace on thee Till nobler men keep once again Thy whiter jubilee! 

I searched for those words after reading this:

Joint Statement From the U.S.-Palestinian Political DialogueMedia NoteOffice of the SpokespersonWashington, DCDecember 12, 2016

Delegations headed by Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee Secretary General Saeb Erakat and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Stuart E. Jones met today in Washington for the U.S.-Palestinian Political Dialogue. The Dialogue offered an opportunity for the Delegations to discuss a range of issues of concern at a senior level, including regional matters.

Both delegations strongly condemned terrorism and its supporters in the region and worldwide. The delegations agreed on the threat presented by ISIL, sharing the deep concern that ISIL has dramatically undermined regional stability, particularly in Iraq and Syria, and continues to commit gross, systemic abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law.

Both delegations also discussed the significance of the PLO’s long-standing commitment to non-violence and reiterated their commitment to a negotiated two-state outcome, which is the only way to achieve an enduring peace that meets Israeli and Palestinian security needs and Palestinian aspirations for statehood and sovereignty, end the occupation that began in 1967, and resolve all permanent status issues. They also agreed on the crucial role of civil society, and the need to create economic and political opportunity for the next generation of Palestinians...

There is a stain in those words of summation.

The Palestinian Authority supports terrorism through its payments to terrorists and its incitement campaign and its glorification actions. 

The Palestinian Authority abuses human rights, of its own residents as well as Israelis and violates international law.

The Palestinian Authority violates its own civil society through embezzlement, oppression, lack of freedoms and not governmental transparency.

Woe this America.

Woe these American officials.

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