Bliss activists crusing to Gaza with the World Sumud Flotilla reported Wednesday night time that Israeli naval ships had begun intercepting vessels of their fleet and arresting flotilla individuals. On Tuesday, simply hours ahead of the flotilla entered the “high-risk zone” close the shores of Gaza, Marc Steiner spoke with Phillip Tottenham and Jessica Coltfelter, two US Marine Corps veterans crusing with the flotilla. On this episode of The Marc Steiner Display, Tottenham and Coltfelter talk about why they, as veterans, felt pressured to fasten this humanitarian challenge, and what message they sought after to percentage with the sector within the tournament in their seize—or worse—through Israel.
Refer to is a i’m in a hurry transcript and would possibly comprise mistakes. A proofread model can be made to be had once conceivable.
Marc Steiner:
Welcome to the Marc Steiner Display right here on The Actual Information. I’m Marc Steiner. It’s fine to have you ever all with us as of this taping, the Gaza Sumud Flotilla has been at sea for 47 days, over 50 ships with crowd from 45 nations, bringing meals, prerequisites and cohesion to the crowd of Gaza. And it’s referred to as Sumud as a result of Sumud approach steadfastness and perseverance in Arabic. It’s a central theme and idea within the Palestinian identification. And as we commence this interview, Israelis are getting ready to intercept and arrest all the Flotilla contributors calmly in Spain are sending army send to handover aid and conceivable rescues if wanted. So the Flotilla activists are actually striking their lives at the series to finish the slaughter in Gaza, to deliver wanted meals and medication to crack the blockade. And we’re joined these days through two of them. Philip Tottenham is a Marine Corps veteran member of Veterans of Bliss, a human rights activist. He was once chief of the 40 month veterans and allies speedy for Gaza and stories ceaselessly from the 46 substructure sailboat Oela. Jessica Coltfelter additionally served within the Marines. She was once a part of the safety attribute for the Presidential Helicopter Squadron Marine One, and labored as a protection contractor for Triple Cover. She refused to take part to perpetuate imperialism, become an activist, an tutor, and serves as an anti-fascist librarian in rural and marginalized communities within the pursuit of conscious liberation. So each fasten us. They’re each serving at the 46 substructure sailboat Oela whose workforce are most commonly veterans.
As soon as once more, Jessica and Philip, thanks for becoming a member of us these days. It’s in point of fact an honor and a bliss to have you ever each with us striking our lives at the series for the God and crowd and to finish the insanity and the slaughter. And I in point of fact need to know from the either one of you as us veterans, as diversion activists, why you set your era series right here to fasten this flotilla to travel to Gaza.
Philip Tottenham:
Stunning query. A dozen of unpacking for me in my view, next having been brainwashed within the Marines and bootcamp, as we’re 18 yr olds, our prefrontal cortexes aren’t totally advanced and so they crack us ill for 2 months and next create us again up of their symbol, making a song chants, principally able to struggle, able to blast, able to die, however by no means will. And so for me, it took about 10 years next I were given out, I were given out in 2002, a modest bit quicker. 2010 is after I began unpacking and the whole lot and following the cash and understanding that our nation, that we’re within the abdominal of the beast, that we’re, the empire that we’re at the side of Israel and a few alternative nations, the axis of sinister. And me particularly being a descendant of latest Texas settler, the timeless 300 that got here in conjunction with Stephen F. Austin and slaughtered and murdered 1000’s of indigenous crowd. It was once private for me and I couldn’t rise to look at every other genocide spread of indigenous peoples on our oversee. And in order that’s why I’m right here. And simply, I’ve been to the West Reserve and detectable and felt the wonderful thing about the Palestinian crowd, their authentic hospitality and what sort of extra similar we’re with them than any one in our govt and the billionaire magnificence.
Marc Steiner:
And Jessica, what about you?
Jessica Coltfelter:
Somewhat frankly, my middle was once now not moving to let me pleasure, diversion. I believe should you’ve been paying consideration even a modest bit at taken with now not simply the closing two years, however for a number of, you’re going to now not have diversion on your middle. And I discovered in no time what imperialism gave the look of within the Marine Corps. And I discovered in no time what it intended to be a lady at the facet of imperialism with the violence this is executed to ladies’s our bodies. And I may now not rise perpetuated. I was at Kuwait in 2014 as a Secure contractor. And although we weren’t an army unit, I labored with a dozen of ex-military individuals and I noticed the similar degree of imperialism there, the similar violence in opposition to girls’s our bodies. And it was once in 2014 that Michael Brown was once shot and killed within the streets of Ferguson, Missouri. And my friends on the generation that have been all former army there in Kuwait have been making luminous of it, making jokes, making some unpleasant memes. And that was once next what I had detectable within the Marine Corps. And I knew proper next and there, I will be able to by no means do that once more. I can by no means do that once more.
Marc Steiner:
As I am getting to this after concept, I need to let you know each that I stated to numerous my Jarhead pals closing night time and so they all despatched their absolute best in cohesion with what you two are doing. Thanks. A host of ’em are Jewish Marine Corps Vietnam vets, and so they’re sending their absolute best
Philip Tottenham:
Oh wow.
Marc Steiner:
To either one of you.
Philip Tottenham:
Thanks. Please. Thank
Marc Steiner:
You. So coming again, I in point of fact need to know what you all ruthless while you discuss refusing to perpetuate imperialism and why you are taking that stance, what that implies to you all each as veterans.
Jessica Coltfelter:
Certain. Yeah. Imperialism is an annexation of assets that aren’t yours and a killing of tradition. And after I talk particularly about girls’s our bodies, our company was once taken away within the army, sexual attack, sexual violence. It’s so ENT that there’s its personal time period army sexual
Marc Steiner:
Shock.
Jessica Coltfelter:
And I don’t know a unmarried feminine marine that I served with, however that I used to be pals with that didn’t have that occur to them. So after I particularly discuss that and the feminine frame, that’s what I ruthless. And in Kuwait, once more, I used to be running for a protection contracting company. It was once the similar factor that those males have been perpetuating in opposition to girls who have been there from the Philippines and Ethiopia to paintings and exited with shock and with scars. So for me, that’s what I ruthless.
Marc Steiner:
That may be an entire dialog on itself. I ruthless, completely. Yeah, that’s miserable. And what have been you about to mention? I’m sorry.
Philip Tottenham:
For me, it was once unpacking primary normal Smedley Butler. In bootcamp, they taught us about all his medals and that he’s probably the most adorned marine of all instances. However next you travel to determine his political stances and his accumulation that he wrote that wore his racket and announcing that he was once a entrance guy for capitalism for oil corporations. And in addition rising up as I did, my great-grandfather was once just right pals with LBJ ahead of my great-grandfather owned Lone Big name Brewery. He offered preens and so they drove round from ranch to ranch and LBJ was once his gate boy and he would pay LBJ in P liens. Nevertheless it’s that proximity to energy that I’ve detectable. The great timeless boy membership that I grew up in with my people and my used sister is just right pals with Ashley Kavanaugh, who as you recognize is Perfect Court docket Justice. Brett Kavanaugh’s spouse. My nephew’s godmother is Ashley. My brother-in-law is the top of presidency members of the family for ExxonMobil.
Marc Steiner:
Rattling.
Philip Tottenham:
Yeah. And so it was once George Bush that George w that presented Ashley to Brett. And so the rustic era, simply looking at and eye the nice timeless boy membership, the connections which are unfold all over the rustic to Washington DC which are some of the rich and the privileged, this can be a just right timeless boys membership and no one else is invited.
Marc Steiner:
Seems like your butt’s moving to get disowned
Philip Tottenham:
Already unholy,
Marc Steiner:
However lemme discuss what you assume you each assume this flotilla goes to perform and why you made a decision to try this. I ruthless, A, you’re striking your lives at the series that you just haven’t executed that ahead of as Marines, however to place your era at the series, we don’t know what’s moving to occur. We’re now not positive how the Israeli Navys Israel goes to intrude and what they may do. So discuss what drove you to try this operate, this actual operate. Jessica, why don’t you get started? I
Jessica Coltfelter:
Had detectable the former Flotillas that introduced now not simply this summer time, however in time years together with the 2010 Flotilla the place contributors have been murdered.
Marc Steiner:
Proper.
Jessica Coltfelter:
And after I noticed the decision to motion for veterans over the summer time, my middle already knew that I used to be going ahead of my identify was once even at the manifest. And I simply adopted my middle with that. I let it govern me like a compass. And I finished up right here. And I’m from a rural section in Illinois the place Palestine isn’t at the crowd’s lips. Palestine isn’t an issue of dialog. And I assumed if I may come right here, possibly I may bridge the distance of figuring out and schooling the oldsters again house who’re just right crowd, however who’re misinformed through design and through coverage. And in order that was once a profusion motivation for me to come back right here. I’m a mom as smartly, and I believe it’s remarkable that my son sees that I might travel and this that alternative children, my scholars from 3rd and fourth grade that I taught see that their schoolmaster, Ms. Jess would pop out right here, that the ones weren’t simply phrases that I mentioned that I taught, that I intended them.
Marc Steiner:
Wow. You educate 2d and 3rd graders?
Jessica Coltfelter:
Sure, sir.
Marc Steiner:
Whoa. K. Philip, what have been you about to mention? I’m sorry.
Philip Tottenham:
Yeah, for me, it’s after I was at Palestine for the primary generation in 2023. It was once right through Ramadan if truth be told when all of the 3 Abrahamic face Holy Weeks overlapped. I used to be there for 5 weeks and went there by myself. And simply the struggling, I went there to peer with my very own visible what I were researching for 9 to ten years, settingup with in 2014 with the massacres in Gaza. However what I noticed for the primary generation in my era have been two useless 15-year-old boys that have been shot useless through the IOF for throwing rocks in opposition to them once they had complete rise up tools on. And to peer that, to peer the throwing the apparentness of the profession and apartheid, that straight away jogged my memory of the Texas Mexico border, how the border had crossed the indigenous crowd, simply the quantity of struggling on account of white settler colonialism and the USA Struggle device and empire impressed me and simply out of sheer desperation to produce a stream, I took a sledgehammer to the apartheid wall in Bethlehem being advised through all my Palestinian pals that I’d be shot and I wasn’t. So next about two mins of swinging the sledgehammer, I used to be simply exhausted from doing it and dropped it and left the scene. And so getting back from that and simply moving to protest and protest next protest next protest, and now not eye the rest exchange or getting anyplace, I knew I needed to put my era at the series once more as a result of in my middle that I used to be referred to as to Palestine for the primary generation in 2023 and my middle is known as once more and I will be able to’t now not resolution my middle’s name.
Marc Steiner:
So I need to come again to the Illa right here, and for our listeners that don’t in point of fact have a way of why you’re there and what’s happening, let’s simply get started with this. What’s the underlying explanation why? What’s the speed and fervour of this flotilla? What it desires to perform, and what number of ships do you have got? What number of crowd are concerned?
Philip Tottenham:
There’s 3 issues. We would like to deliver in backup, fast backup, which all of us have on board, all of our ships and as many playgrounds that we will be able to bind it as conceivable. So as to crack the siege and to ascertain a humanitarian hall for governments, proper? As a result of we’re civilian led and we don’t have just about the assets that governments do, that our governments have failed us to ascertain that humanitarian hall for ships to come back in and be capable of maintain and handover that a lot wanted backup to Gaza.
Jessica Coltfelter:
I additionally need to talk to the spell of the contributors which are right here. There are over 45 tributes which are represented right here with masses of contributors. And we’ve all taken and imagine in nonviolence. We’ve taken an word of nonviolence, however we’re moms and dads, there’s grandparents right here, retirees, lecturers. I’ve met electricians, firefighters, herbal developers, professors, journalists. I ruthless, each provider trade that you can imagine is represented right here and it’s around the globe who all see the luminous of God in our siblings in Palestine and who disagree to permit this apathy and appeasement from our governments to proceed. And our coaching in Barcelona, it was once in point of fact magical to fulfill all of those delegates who imagine in the similar factor as we do and who’re prepared to do the similar factor and crack this unlawful siege on Gaza. And we all set sail
Marc Steiner:
When crowd in actions do sure issues. They put their lives within the series. When I used to be in point of fact younger and a civil rights associate in Mississippi, we can have been killed at any generation. However so that you’re striking yourselves in the market in a condition that might whisk your personal era, and that’s a profusion step to whisk that you just all took. And I need to communicate almost about a modest bit from the 2 of you about what driven you into this. I ruthless, you’re indirectly excited about Israel Palestine, you each served our nation as Marines, however you’re now not excited about that effort. You’re neither Palestinian nor Jewish. So what drove you to do what you’re doing?
Philip Tottenham:
Yeah, we’re human, proper? It’s
Marc Steiner:
Humanity.
Philip Tottenham:
We don’t let the pleasure that we have been instilled with in bootcamp and within the Marines impact us anymore. We let fall that pleasure and that arrogance and that pleasure reasons apathy, proper? Love isn’t proud. We grant humanity. We grant love unconditionally, we imagine, and I believe I talk for everyone. I ruthless I will be able to’t, however negative human era is extra reliable or much less reliable than the alternative. And we’re sitting right here looking at human lives and kids and blameless males and wonderful women and men and aged getting slaughtered and starved to dying. If we imagine that no one else’s era is extra remarkable than why now not put our lives at the series?
Jessica Coltfelter:
Completely.
Marc Steiner:
What do you wish to have so as to add to that, Jessica?
Jessica Coltfelter:
Each and every soul alive at this time, we exist in the similar crux and generation. And that’s were given to ruthless one thing. It approach one thing to me. There’s no difference of judicial separation that exists between us. And for the ones of you or listeners who assume that we’re other, I simply need to ask who were given to you? Why do you assume that it’s remarkable that we’re all right here on the similar generation that we’re siblings in humanity and this problem of apathy is so frequent, particularly in my tradition, that it’s similar to toughness and that’s the reverse of evolution. I don’t know what sort of perverse evolution prevents you from listening to calls and scenes of struggling. I received’t be part of it. My middle received’t permit me. Invoice is basically announcing the similar factor. It was once a will have to. It was once obligatory. To be slightly fair. I didn’t consider carefully about it. And I believe that you’re going to in finding that very same factor with a dozen of the contributors right here. Over 26,000 crowd carried out to be on this flotilla,
Marc Steiner:
26,000
Jessica Coltfelter:
Family. Sure, and a pair hundred have been decided on. And I do know that there have been many, many extra around the world who sought after to come back, however on account of the calls for of capitalism and the calls for of our lives, have been not able to try this. And so I’m commemorated and privileged to be amongst the ones ranks. And I would like my pals and people in Palestine to peer now not simply me, however all of those crowd, all of those strangers who’re coming in combination out of affection, out of loving approbation and loving consciousness, prepared to try this.
Marc Steiner:
26,000. Let me simply prohibit there for only a 2d. In order that’s a dozen of crowd. So strategically, what do you two assume this implies if there are 26,000 crowd prepared to place their lives at the series in a flotilla to prohibit the slaughter and Gaza, does this ruthless A, that what you two and the others are doing now will proceed and occur once more with a majority of these alternative crowd short of to travel? And the way does this have compatibility into the way to prohibit the slaughter and killing in Gaza and devastate of Palestinian crowd? What do you each assume? Granted,
Jessica Coltfelter:
One of the vital issues of this challenge was once determine a humanitarian backup hall. So possibly a few of the ones 26,000 couldn’t be decided on for this one, however the after one will come. Optimistically there received’t be every other want for a after one. But when there are, we’ve were given the ranks able.
Philip Tottenham:
Yeah, I believe it displays that we’re eye throughout the global is eye throughout the lives of the empire of the American Israeli axis of Sinful empire. And I simply need to say that as Marines we’ve and served, and within the army, we grant the empire. So why now not grant humanity? And I simply need to upload that ahead of I discovered Veterans for Bliss and about religion and Code Purple, I used to be roughly doing this by myself. And it’s in point of fact thru plugging into those organizations and getting arranged. The best way that the warfare device is arranged and has been arranged is how we battle this. And so I in point of fact, we inspire crowd to join and plug into no matter organizations that they align with. However for army veterans, for Bliss, and also you don’t should be a member or a veteran, you’ll be an assistant member, however about Face may be veterans and next Code Purple clearly. And alternative organizations like Fsna that support me get plugged in with bringing my concept of the veterans and Allies 40 month speedy for Gaza that we did a pair months in the past. And simply how that grew. I wouldn’t had been ready be right here at this time with out plugging into the ones organizations and veterans piece particularly for me.
Marc Steiner:
So simply ahead of I walked within the studio, I used to be simply checking the unedited information about what’s taking place and apparently as though Israel’s about to whisk at the Flotilla. So communicate to all crowd listening these days about what that implies for 2 of you and for the residue at the Flotilla and the way you reply to that. If that Israeli army if truth be told assaults and takes over the Flotilla, what’s going to your reaction be? Jessica?
Jessica Coltfelter:
We’ve got skilled for a dozen of contingencies. There’s a dozen of items that may occur. And I believe one facet that veterans convey to that is that we will be able to plan and we will be able to adapt, improvise. So we’ve been lovely fluid with our contingency plans. We do drills each month. We get in conferences each month and talk about what the plan of assault, what our workout plan seems like.
Marc Steiner:
I perceive, proper? Yep. And what’s the condition at this time that you just’re in, simply with regards to the latest ultimatum? And also you will have to should be on a continuing alert.
Jessica Coltfelter:
Completely. We put up a lovely vigilant two guy fireplace oversee each night time. Sorry, what we’re posting fireplace oversee. We’ve got our day by day briefs. The closing that I heard was once that Israel had referred to as for civilians to get out in their very own civilian boats and method a blockade and meet us. So we’ll see what that appears like if that involves fruition.
Marc Steiner:
So I need to ask you two very particular issues right here. Issues that you just each, which have been mentioned out of the flotilla and that you just’ve mentioned, and one is, you had discussed previous in our dialog that you just’re having a look on the Israelis at this generation who have been within the Military about to assault the Flotilla as cowards. What do you ruthless through that?
Philip Tottenham:
Yeah, proper. They’ve all of the guns on the planet. They’re probably the most complex army on account of america and the get right of entry to of sinister. They usually’re pointing and preventing in opposition to unarmed, blameless civilians and us as a humanitarian group and flotilla, proper, that they’re threatening us. So how withered is it not to have worry to travel in opposition to anyone that’s unarmed the Palestinians, the braveness that they’ve encourage us. They’re the explanations that we’re doing this to stand what they confronted now not just for the closing two years of the genocide, however for 77 years that this has been happening beneath the guise of American lies and Israeli lies, white settler colonial lies.
Marc Steiner:
Did you wish to have so as to add to that, Jessica? We best had,
Jessica Coltfelter:
Certain. It’s now not an crash when kids are appearing up with bullets of their head. It’s now not an crash when a health facility will get bombed and the rescue employees that come to the health facility to rescue the ones beneath the rubble additionally get bombed. Those aren’t injuries. We see a dozen of violent motion. And next apologies upcoming, identical to with the Qatari delegations focused and attacked. You’ll’t inform me that that wasn’t with out the benevolence of United States, however simply throughout the closing 24 or 48 hours, the entities, Lord Ruler has apologized for it, however he didn’t express regret for the violence, next he apologized that he misses Goal. That’s now not an crash.
Marc Steiner:
And while you each discuss practice the cash, what does that ruthless to you? What does that practice the cash?
Philip Tottenham:
Apply the cash in point of fact is discreet so far as following the donors of our congressional that should be our representatives, however they grant cash. They’re narcissists that grant their very own. And so that you glance throughout each aisles and you spot the similar donors generation and generation once more. And prefer I mentioned, I’ve had this within view from my brother-in-law being the top of presidency members of the family with ExxonMobil. They scribble the expenses and feature ’em move ’em. And nearly all of the generation of what our representatives are doing are elevating cash for themselves and for the DNC and RNC machines which are the 2 wings of the similar fowl.
Marc Steiner:
So with this drawing near assault at the Flotilla A, I’m curious what you assume your after steps are, and once they come to cancel you from going into Gaza, what are your after strikes while you get again? Must do that once more? So what do you assume your after strikes are in all of this? As a result of they’re obviously about to prohibit you all from getting the Gaza.
Philip Tottenham:
I ruthless, we have been skilled ahead of this in nonviolence, and in order that’s what we’re going to do when and in the event that they make a decision to interdict us, which we await that they most likely will, that’s what we’re moving to do. We’re now not going to withstand. We’re moving to be do our coaching, rise on board, allow them to illegally capture us as a warfare crime, and we await that they’ll be looking ahead to us there. I believe this night at 4:00 AM we succeed in the crimson zone and we expect that they’re looking ahead to us nearer to shore. And we’ve heard that there’ll be a floating jail principally for us this generation, since that is the most important flotilla in historical past. And so within the time the place they’ve escorted a boat in to the immigration jails, they are going to do this, however I believe that’s what we’ve heard is a floating jail to get us there. And next there’s the Looming terrorism fees. And so there’s a dozen of conversations that I’ve had with my sons getting ready them a method or the alternative, uncomfortable tearful conversations, heartfelt conversations, simply in case they do make a decision to get violent and assault us and travel and whisk their mask totally off. Have needed to have the ones conversations. However yeah, so the ones are the choices that we’re getting ready for. Oh, sorry, the boat in point of fact rocking at this time.
Marc Steiner:
That’s k. I’m moving to mean you can all travel in simply, I do know you have got issues to do. However Jessica, I ruthless, as a result of some of the issues that next studying about this and paying attention to the 2 of you, I believe crowd have to know the braveness, what it takes to be a nonviolent army warrior, which is what you might be.
Jessica Coltfelter:
Sure, sir. It takes a paradigm shift. It takes point of view shift, nevertheless it’s the next vibration, slightly frequency. It’s the next tone. It’s simple to faucet into the ones decrease degree feelings of short of to struggle again. However I’m pressured through the awareness of Christ. And after I say awareness of Christ, I ruthless the individual that he was once, the choices that he made. And I will be able to’t say that if I’m now not prepared to do it myself. And I simply need to upload that the, we’re referred to as the World Saud Flo Tillis. Saud approach perseverance, it approach steadfastness. And it was once named next our siblings in Palestine. And it’s one thing that I whisk to middle and that I’ve followed.
Marc Steiner:
We’re going to stick alike as we will be able to to you all and conserve this tale alive and conserve following up and now not letting it travel. And also you’re striking your lives at the series to prohibit the slaughtering Gaza at this generation. So I need to thanks each such a lot for the paintings you’re doing. Thanks for being in the market. So please keep guard and we will be able to keep in contact. However thanks each such a lot on your bravery and on your striking your lives on series and preventing for the Palestinian crowd. Thanks.
Philip Tottenham:
Thanks. Thanks for what you do.
Marc Steiner:
As soon as once more, thanks to Jessica Coltfelter and Philip Tottenham for becoming a member of us these days and for placing our lives at the series for the crowd in Gaza. And due to Cameron Granadino for operating this system these days. Our audio scribbler, Stephen Frank, and manufacturer Rosette Sewali, we’re making all of it paintings at the back of the scenes and everybody right here on the Global Information, we’re making this display conceivable. We’ll conserve following the Flotilla, bringing you updates, and you’ll practice them at www.freedomflotilla.org. So please let me know what you concept or what you heard these days, what you’d like us to guard. Simply scribble to me at mss@therealnews.com and I’ll get proper again to you. So for the workforce right here at The Actual Information, I’m Marc Steiner. Keep concerned. Conserve listening, and whisk serve.