Unresearched Opinions

Characters: 18 year old girls

Olivia

Spencer

(sitting in a college lounge or classroom. Olivia is looking at her phone. Spencer is doing homework)

OLIVIA: (to no one in particular) Another hospital bombed. Gosh, when will they stop?

SPENCER: Who?!

OLIVIA: Israel. (she spits out the name)

SPENCER: Someone bombed Israel?

OLIVIA: No, Israel bombed Palestine. Of course.

SPENCER: Oh.

OLIVIA : They just keep choking Palestine and killing them, killing women and children, with their stupid military. My mom says that America enables Israel to do this, isn’t that terrible? Don’t you feel so guilty, like we’re the ones killing innocent people? Don’t you?

SPENCER: Huh.

OLIVIA: (oblivious to her discomfort) It’s not fair. Just because they’re Jewish, people side with them and let them slaughter a whole country.

SPENCER: It’s not just because they’re Jewish.

OLIVIA: I don’t know why people support them. That leader, Nathan-yahoo or something, he must brainwash everyone.

SPENCER: I’m sure he doesn’t do that.

OLIVIA: Of course, I’m not blaming the citizens. It’s not their fault. Unless they agree with their president.

SPENCER: Prime minister.

OLIVIA: Yeah, and him.

SPENCER: Maybe you’re being a little harsh.

OLIVIA: They kill children, Spencer. My dad says-

SPENCER: Well, my dad says we have to support Israel because they’re our brothers and sisters in Christ.

OLIVIA: No, Spencer, come on. You don’t really think that, do you? That’s how they’re convincing everyone that genocide is okay. People are so afraid of sounding like they are disagreeing with Jews, like that will bring another Holocaust.

SPENCER: You’re making their point. You hate Jews.

OLIVIA: No, I don’t!…I hate Israel. There’s a difference.

SPENCER: Not really. And we shouldn’t hate anyone.

OLIVIA: Hrmm.

SPENCER: I just don’t think the issue is as black and white as you’re making it out to be.

OLIVIA: What do you even know about “the issue?”

SPENCER: I…I know that Israel is just defending themselves from potential terrorists. Plus, the Bible guarantees that Jews will have the Promised Land, which is Palestine.

OLIVIA: So it’s okay for them to slaughter innocent people?

SPENCER: They’re…they’re not doing that. (not so sure anymore)

OLIVIA: Yes they are. They do it all the time.

SPENCER: How can you argue against the Bible?

OLIVIA: I’m not, I think the Promised Land is a great idea but you can’t just kick people out of their land. They were there first.

SPENCER: Israel had claim to it before Palestine was there.

OLIVIA: I can’t believe you’re so close minded that you don’t care about stopping the fighting. You don’t want peace-

SPENCER: Of course I want peace-

OLIVIA: You’re just like everyone else: believing what your parents tell you and not questioning-

SPENCER: I’m not a sheep; I know how to think for myself.

OLIVIA: You may know how, but do you actually do it? I think you’re just repeating what other people tell you-

SPENCER: That’s not fair. You’ve been telling me everything your parents have told you.

OLIVIA: Yeah but at least I’ve thought about it. You’re so ignorant and uneducated about Israel you don’t care that genocide is happening-

(Spencer gets up at walks away, leaving Olivia alone)

(Olivia looks at her phone again)

OLIVIA: (to no one in particular) 43 dead, 60 wounded.