The Joke's On Us

The conflict in the Middle East seems to have been going on forever. It's weird because everyone has a solution that will end the conflict. Politicians, diplomats, generals and taxi drivers have been fighting for years about whose solution is the most serious one.

Maybe it's about time, after over 100 years of conflict, to tell the truth: The whole situation here is a joke. Quite a stupid one, I admit, and most of us don't really get the punch line. Still, it's a complete joke nonetheless, and we should treat it as one. Never has the sad fact that the above mentioned people can't take a joke been made more painfully obvious.

It is amazing to see how the whole conflict obeys the rules of comedy. Eventually it's a story of a Jew, a Christian and a Muslim (the rule of three) that are fighting in a very clumsy way (classic slapstick) for years and years (the repetitive element) with everything they've got (improv comedy at its best) and roasting one another (sometimes literally). Like the circus, the event tends to end with an overloaded fire-truck making an exit.

And don't get me started with the reasons for the conflict - I read Bazooka Joe jokes that were smarter. The Jewish settlers are fighting over pieces of land, what are we farmers in the Middle Ages? Do we need more room for our sheep? We are Jews; we know how to be doctors, agents or comedians. Or the Arab world's constant attempt to destroy the state of Israel - I mean really, don't you think it's about time you mess with someone your own size?

So maybe it's about time to put in some comedy.

I have a dream, that one day a Jewish comedy writer, a Muslim comedy writer and a Christian comedy writer will write together the perfect sketch - one that will make everyone feel just a little bit more sympathetic towards the other side. I have a dream, that a Muslim writer will see the human side of a Christian writer, and they will both get a nice stack of money for it from their Jewish agent.

I know it's not a serious solution, but serious solutions don't seem to work - maybe it's time to rethink the situation. Maybe it's time that instead of politicians who act like clowns, we find a good clown who will act like a politician.

Comments

[kolys]

02:27 PM on 04/30/2009

This is an awesome suggestion, actually; a lot of people seem to rag on entertainers moving into the political sphere (*cough*Franken*cough*) but political satire has been around for almost as long as there have been politicians. The humorists among us often have a perceptiveness that the people in power lack, and a finely honed knack for making their point heard.

Frankly, if we could just get a Christian, a Jew and a Muslim to walk into a bar, it'd be a good start.

[kika]

03:50 PM on 04/21/2009

Mr. Marcus, i loved the idea, do you need volunteers?

[Adva]

04:03 AM on 04/21/2009

It's a great suggestion, Omry, and very well put. Indeed, if more people had a better sense of humour, I don't see how wars (and a great deal of other forms of violence too) could have taken place. Should we introduce mandatory humour classes in schools? Worth a try! :-)

[Norma Fares]

08:20 PM on 04/20/2009

I liked the idea. If Jews --being the agent--could make ,from their position, some corrections for the many fake hatred stories about Jews --that are widely educated/spread in Arab countries parts of the Middle East-- would be just great. Understanding/reflecting Christian's and Muslim's pain is good. Learning to understand the Jewish people pain is a must...a necessity. And I think it's high time.
From that perspective (as money is important but is not every thing in life) I share your dream and dream to dream with you, too!
Thanks Omri for your "content development" and for sharing it with us, from the Middle East!

Norma