Mom said ”Don’t pick the scab.” How many times did you get that warning the day after you scraped you knee or cut your shin bumping into the old hay mower? Mom usually put a little ointment on before covering the wound with a Band-Aid. Yes the Band-Aid kept the ointment on the wound and the dirt out; but it also kept you from picking at the scab which was the first sign of healing. When I knocked a little skin off my elbow a week ago, by the next day all signs of bleeding had left and the little wound was beginning to heal, and a little redness around the scab showed that there was still some infection. As soon as I touched the scab, I heard the familiar shout “don’t pick the scab” from a very close friend. We both knew that if I did the bleeding would start all over again.

When I awoke Saturday morning; I thought someone has been “picking the scab” between Israel and Palestine. It seems like politicians have been “picking the scab” for hundreds of years just when the common people on both sides have started to “heal” and forget their differences.

Remember Ireland (about 400 years) Scotland-England, The North vs South United States, is it really over? The Napoleonic Wars were spread over much of Europe and lasted thirteen wears. Then there were the Holy Wars of which there were many.

Most wars were fought over religion, language, and greed between leaders. It is always the common people who pay in taxes, lives and misery, no matter who wins. Thousands of innocent people have been displaced while being blamed for the defeat. It is always those who supply arms, ammo, and other war equipment who benefit financially on both sides. Often those same people do a lot of political lobbying prior to any conflict. There are always at least two sides to every confrontation and politicians work hard determining where the most votes are before declaring who they side with.

Chris Judd is a farmer in Clarendon on land that has been in his family for generations.