About Le Anne Clausen Expertise I can answer questions about life as an expatriate in the Middle East; women's experiences, international human rights efforts and issues, interfaith relations in areas of conflict, with a particular emphasis on Iraq, Israel/Palestine, and Afghanistan.
Experience I was a human rights worker for four years in Palestine/Israel, Iraq, and Afghanistan. I have additionally traveled in Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. I speak intermediate Arabic and some Hebrew, and I have an MA in Christian-Muslim relations. I am currently working to create an interfaith peace-teams based human rights organization
Publications "Be the Healers" (a response to Abu Ghraib), July 2004 issue of the Lutheran magazine. Also: www.christian-muslim.net; www.young-activist.blogspot.com; additional articles and interviews about me can be found via Google search.
Question Okay, so we recently watched a movie "The Grey Zone" from the holocaust and I'm doing a paper on it. Exploring how one or more of the real life aspects of WWII or the holocaust is presented, discussed, or analyzed in the text. The problem is, I don't really know how to relate this with current life situations. I.E. I was thinking about relating to the Israel and Palestine conflicts, but I'm just really confused of what to do. If you can find help me relate some ideas and sources that would be superb.
Thank You!
Answer Greetings Mike, and thanks for your question. I'm not familiar with the Grey Zone movie, but I could offer a little help with relating the Holocaust to today's events. First, I would recommend you to the websites of Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, to search under the topic of 'genocide.' Rwanda and Darfur are two very recent examples.
Also, when writing about Palestine you want to be careful not to equate it to the Holocaust, since it is not a genocide (the widespread and accelerated killing off of an entire group of people); but nonetheless there are some very serious human rights violations going on there. You might look at how an abused people can turn around to harm others as a way of how the Holocaust is still causing harm. (Similar to abused children abusing their own children--not all do it, but some do it terribly).
You might also look at Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations websites to get a better sense on what's going on there, such at Bat Shalom, Gush Shalom, the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, Rabbis for Human Rights, the International Solidarity Movement, and Christian Peacemaker Teams. Give yourself a good day or two to read up on these topics; but you'll do quite well; they're all rather respected organizations in the area among those who are working for peace based on human rights.
