I saw this group on FB today. I like what the writer says, although I don't agree that it's too late to change. I'm just not sure what the appropriate change is.
But here is the writer's description of the group. This is copied from their FB page. Although I haven't yet joined the group, I post here in hopes of publicizing the author's viewpoint.
"I've browsed through the names of almost 600 facebook groups about Israel (well, the english ones), and decided to create one more. Why? Almost all these groups (Israel wants peace being one of few exceptions) was either definitely pro-israeli or pro-palestinian.
I believe that Palestinian resentment towards Israel is justifiable. They were expulsed, or "only" not let back into their homeland (after they've fled from it during the war of 1948). By people who weren't even born in this land, but decided to establish their state there, in a majorly non-jewish land, because almost 2000 years earlier, their ancestors lived there. That, not some inherent antisemitism, is the real cause of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
But time's passed. Most of citizens of Israel are already born in this land, and one can not blame them for zionism, and they have no other fatherland than the land they were born in. To take this land away from them, to take their - existing and prospering - state away from them to give it to people born in jordan, Lebanon, Syria etc, because their grandfathers lived there, would be wrong, just as it was wrong to do it to Palestinians 60 years ago.
Of course, 60 years is not the same as 1947-70=1877 or so, therefore, obviously, some amendments need to be
made.
So what's the sollution to the problem? Obviously I don't know. But I want to stress the fact that saying Israel shouldn't have been created after ww2 and condemning late XIX / early XX century zionism doesn't necessarily mean denying Israel its right to exist today.
Also, one may support the fight of Palestinians (for the independance in 1967 borders, not for all Palestine) and condemn the means they're using at the same time.
This is the first and only facebook group I've created. I don't know if it shall be successful, perhaps not. But I look forward to any discussion.
Take care, Maciej.
P.S.
Please, forgive me any linguistic mistakes I've made"
Again, this is not my post, but one from a FB group created by Maciej Czyż at the University of Warsaw.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
The new iPhone
So it's Sunday, June 13. Haven't posted in a couple of days because I don't have anything to say. But the exercise is to write each day.
On Tuesday, I can order a new iPhone. I think I will, despite the fact that I've been spectacularly unimpressed with this latest iPhone 4. It's not clear to me that it definitely has flash memory, which would be something that would make it useful to me. More megapixels in the camera plus a camera with autofocus plus a camera with flash are good, but again, without flash memory, even 32G is not so great. Because you know that every time there's an OS upgrade, it's more memory consumptive. (Add that to the fact that you have to upgrade iTunes every single time you plug in your phone, and it gets to be more than tedious). All the other functionality: the videoconferencing with the two way camera -- that doesn't make much sense over the existing 3G network. It can't handle the current data traffic. They want to put in more data consumptive apps? And AT&T wants to change the unlimited data plan they forced us to buy when we got the 3G? I'm liking this iPnone thing less and less.
Add to it the network failure AT THE UNVEILING. If that's the best you can do at the unveiling of this new product, what are we to expect when we use it? You couldn't figure out that there'd be lots of wifi traffic AT AN ELECTRONICS SHOW?!?!?!? Is this indicative of Apple's planning prowess? I'm not impressed.
But I've joined the cult, it appears. Despite all this I'll be online on Tuesday ordering my new iPhone, cuz I like toys and this is a cool toy. Plus, I already promised my existing iPhone to my Dad. Though I could just buy him a new one from Walmart or the Shack or somewhere.... It's actually looking like the iPhone 4 will be available at other retail outlets besides just the Apple store. Which would be good. Maybe no more huge lines.
I've written enough for tonight.
On Tuesday, I can order a new iPhone. I think I will, despite the fact that I've been spectacularly unimpressed with this latest iPhone 4. It's not clear to me that it definitely has flash memory, which would be something that would make it useful to me. More megapixels in the camera plus a camera with autofocus plus a camera with flash are good, but again, without flash memory, even 32G is not so great. Because you know that every time there's an OS upgrade, it's more memory consumptive. (Add that to the fact that you have to upgrade iTunes every single time you plug in your phone, and it gets to be more than tedious). All the other functionality: the videoconferencing with the two way camera -- that doesn't make much sense over the existing 3G network. It can't handle the current data traffic. They want to put in more data consumptive apps? And AT&T wants to change the unlimited data plan they forced us to buy when we got the 3G? I'm liking this iPnone thing less and less.
Add to it the network failure AT THE UNVEILING. If that's the best you can do at the unveiling of this new product, what are we to expect when we use it? You couldn't figure out that there'd be lots of wifi traffic AT AN ELECTRONICS SHOW?!?!?!? Is this indicative of Apple's planning prowess? I'm not impressed.
But I've joined the cult, it appears. Despite all this I'll be online on Tuesday ordering my new iPhone, cuz I like toys and this is a cool toy. Plus, I already promised my existing iPhone to my Dad. Though I could just buy him a new one from Walmart or the Shack or somewhere.... It's actually looking like the iPhone 4 will be available at other retail outlets besides just the Apple store. Which would be good. Maybe no more huge lines.
I've written enough for tonight.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Friday night in NYC
So after work, I headed down to the Liberty game. MSG is SOOOO expensive. I'm grateful they gave me $200.00 in food vouchers -- a Liberty souvenir cup of soda was $6.00. I tried to get the most protein for my buck and setlled on a bag of peanuts. They were inedibly stale and cost me $4.50.
The game was good. When the Liberty played Atlanta last month, they were embarassed at home, blowing something like a 15 or 20 point lead at the half to lose. Despite playing that seemed to me to be uneven, they did defeat Atlanta this time. The game was good, but the real show was on the train ride on the way home.
At 42nd Street or so, a young man got on. I don't think he was under the influence of drugs, though his behavior seemed very odd. He got on with a wrap or a tortilla in his hand, and a paper bag from Chop't. He was carrying an equipment bag on his shoulder that said "fencing" on it. He dropped the paper bag, and somehow when he bent over to get it, he spilled the contents of his wrap all over a woman who was standing beside him and all over the floor.
There was enough left to eat, though, and he tore into it. As I said, I don't think he was high, I think he was probably an athlete who had gone through a long workout and who was very hungry. He was devouring his food. At times it seemed he was eating the wax paper it was wrapped in, and I swear he must have no fillings, because he looked like he bit the tinfoil a couple of times. He ate with the same gusto that people eat with when they're drunk and hungry. I made contact with the woman upon whom he spilled the food, and we shared a raised-eyebrows smile. A couple was sitting beside me, laughing with each other. They thought I was laughing along with them, and I explained that no, the fencer was the source of my amusement. The husband, Greg, and I began talking. He and his wife Melissa were both theater majors. They got married and are starting their life in NY.
We had a lovely talk about living in NYC and priorities. I talked about nonprofits, and he talked about the green restaurant where he works, and how they share in the profits. It's over by Columbia, at 125 LaSalle, and is called Pisticci. I'll have to go there sometimes.
They got off at 96th street, and a homeless guy got on. He got on with an apparent air of desperation; maybe I'm jaded because I regarded him as one of the people you know is gonna start begging even before they do it. He got on and was looking all desperate and hopeless to set the stage before he started. Then he began in earnest, asking if anyone could spare a penny, a nickel, a quarter or a dollar so he could buy a black T-shirt.
A guy sitting down the seat from me looked up from reading his Kindle. He listened to the homeless guy talking about wanting to buy a black T-shirt. The guy reading the Kindle, who happened to be wearing a black T-shirt, got up, took off his T-shirt, and gave it to the homeless man. He had a hoodie, so he simply put it on and zipped it up. By the time he finished putting on his hoodie, and when I looked again, the homeless man was in the next car and had put on the black T-shirt. I can't be sure, but from his location and body position, it seemed he was preparing to beg.
I told the guy down the bench that the homeless man had indeed put the shirt on. We were coming up to my stop, and I told him what a kind thing he'd done, thanked him, and asked God's blessings upon him, as did an older woman who was also getting off at the same stop. As I left, I saw the black-shirt-clad-homeless man, appearing to approach the people in the next car.
Came home and watched the news for a while. In addition to the possible shutdown of State government, due in large part to Pedro Espada and Ruben Diaz, I watched with interest the story on schoolkids who launched a protest because their free or reduced-fare Metrocards might be discontinued. We had this conversation on FB, but I have a hard time finding sympathy for kids not getting free Metrocards. When they're on the train, they hog seats and are often loud, obnoxious, and profane. I realize this isn't all kids, but during morning rush hour when I'm trying to wake up, or during evening rush hour, when I'm all tired from having worked a real job all day, I sort of resent having to stand up while a couple of rude, loud 16-year olds hog the seats, cursing like sailors and dropping the N-word every other syllable. I don't want to subsidize that kind of behavior, and I certainly don't want to subsidize people who make me uncomfortable. One of my friends noted that they complain about not getting free Metrocards, but they all have cellphones and text. He says they should use that money to pay for their Metrocards.
They can use any means they want, except my tax dollars. But what was really interesting was that these kids, who organized a protest march to MTA headquarters, marched over the Bridge into Brooklyn and then WENT TO THE WRONG ADDRESS.
To my mind, that's further evidence that we don't need to pay for their transit to school. IT clearly isn't working for them.
The game was good. When the Liberty played Atlanta last month, they were embarassed at home, blowing something like a 15 or 20 point lead at the half to lose. Despite playing that seemed to me to be uneven, they did defeat Atlanta this time. The game was good, but the real show was on the train ride on the way home.
At 42nd Street or so, a young man got on. I don't think he was under the influence of drugs, though his behavior seemed very odd. He got on with a wrap or a tortilla in his hand, and a paper bag from Chop't. He was carrying an equipment bag on his shoulder that said "fencing" on it. He dropped the paper bag, and somehow when he bent over to get it, he spilled the contents of his wrap all over a woman who was standing beside him and all over the floor.
There was enough left to eat, though, and he tore into it. As I said, I don't think he was high, I think he was probably an athlete who had gone through a long workout and who was very hungry. He was devouring his food. At times it seemed he was eating the wax paper it was wrapped in, and I swear he must have no fillings, because he looked like he bit the tinfoil a couple of times. He ate with the same gusto that people eat with when they're drunk and hungry. I made contact with the woman upon whom he spilled the food, and we shared a raised-eyebrows smile. A couple was sitting beside me, laughing with each other. They thought I was laughing along with them, and I explained that no, the fencer was the source of my amusement. The husband, Greg, and I began talking. He and his wife Melissa were both theater majors. They got married and are starting their life in NY.
We had a lovely talk about living in NYC and priorities. I talked about nonprofits, and he talked about the green restaurant where he works, and how they share in the profits. It's over by Columbia, at 125 LaSalle, and is called Pisticci. I'll have to go there sometimes.
They got off at 96th street, and a homeless guy got on. He got on with an apparent air of desperation; maybe I'm jaded because I regarded him as one of the people you know is gonna start begging even before they do it. He got on and was looking all desperate and hopeless to set the stage before he started. Then he began in earnest, asking if anyone could spare a penny, a nickel, a quarter or a dollar so he could buy a black T-shirt.
A guy sitting down the seat from me looked up from reading his Kindle. He listened to the homeless guy talking about wanting to buy a black T-shirt. The guy reading the Kindle, who happened to be wearing a black T-shirt, got up, took off his T-shirt, and gave it to the homeless man. He had a hoodie, so he simply put it on and zipped it up. By the time he finished putting on his hoodie, and when I looked again, the homeless man was in the next car and had put on the black T-shirt. I can't be sure, but from his location and body position, it seemed he was preparing to beg.
I told the guy down the bench that the homeless man had indeed put the shirt on. We were coming up to my stop, and I told him what a kind thing he'd done, thanked him, and asked God's blessings upon him, as did an older woman who was also getting off at the same stop. As I left, I saw the black-shirt-clad-homeless man, appearing to approach the people in the next car.
Came home and watched the news for a while. In addition to the possible shutdown of State government, due in large part to Pedro Espada and Ruben Diaz, I watched with interest the story on schoolkids who launched a protest because their free or reduced-fare Metrocards might be discontinued. We had this conversation on FB, but I have a hard time finding sympathy for kids not getting free Metrocards. When they're on the train, they hog seats and are often loud, obnoxious, and profane. I realize this isn't all kids, but during morning rush hour when I'm trying to wake up, or during evening rush hour, when I'm all tired from having worked a real job all day, I sort of resent having to stand up while a couple of rude, loud 16-year olds hog the seats, cursing like sailors and dropping the N-word every other syllable. I don't want to subsidize that kind of behavior, and I certainly don't want to subsidize people who make me uncomfortable. One of my friends noted that they complain about not getting free Metrocards, but they all have cellphones and text. He says they should use that money to pay for their Metrocards.
They can use any means they want, except my tax dollars. But what was really interesting was that these kids, who organized a protest march to MTA headquarters, marched over the Bridge into Brooklyn and then WENT TO THE WRONG ADDRESS.
To my mind, that's further evidence that we don't need to pay for their transit to school. IT clearly isn't working for them.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
***sigh***
So the dingleberry on the behind of the NYState Senate, Democrat Pedro Espada, apparently encouraged by the positive result of holding the Senate hostage last year (for which he was named Senate majority leader) has once again decided to defect to the Republican party. This is simply so he can clog up the wheels of government, because his district isn't getting what he wants.
Come on, dude. You're willing to hold the entire state hostage until you get what you want? Really? And why exactly is this guy still in office? He's blackmailing the entire New York State Senate. After the budget is passed, getting rid of Espada should be on the Senate's agenda.
Of course, we live in a world gone mad. The folks who control lighting on the Empire State Building refuse to light it up in blue and white in honor of what would have been Mother Theresa's 100th birthday, but they can light it up for Homer Simpson, or a new record release... They talk about not wanting to open the doors for honoring religious people. But they'll honor religious holidays.
This country is as insane over our clinging to religious beliefs as we are over our clinging to discomfort around race. We want so much to be pc and strive so much for pc behavior, that it appears we've lost our basic capacites for analysis and/or critical thought. The whole white liberal fear of appearing racist, and the non-Jewish fear of appearing anti-Semitic appear to deprive otherwise logical human beings of their basic faculties of common sense. Rather than going off on that tangent, let's take a look at Staten Island, where a Muslim American group has bought an old, unused church and plans to convert it into a mosque. People had a community meeting about it, but the police had to be called in, and the plans for meeting were finally abandoned. People were in an absolute uproar. But wait a minute: the church wasn't being used... If people cared so much about the church, why weren't they attending it? And if they don't care to attend it, why get all up in arms when another religious organization wants to make use of it? Oh, that's right... they're Muslim, and therefore they must be terrorists. Islam's been around for about 13 centuries. Anybody remember what European "Christians" were doing in the 13th century?
And while we're talking about "Christians," or even Gentiles, I guess -- what's up with the hate mail directed at Rabbi Nesnoff? He's not the cause of Helen Thomas speaking her mind, and he's not the reason people are reacting irrationally to her (see the paragraph immediately above). I think that what he did was the equivalent of a journalistic sucker punch, but Ms. Thomas has been in front of microphones enough to know how adept reports are at distorting the truth. Rabbi Nesenoff was just doing what any reporter would do. Just as much as I support the spirit of Ms. Thomas' statements, and as much as I happen not to agree with what the good Rabbi did, I just as vigorously condemn those people who would respond to him with death threats or with any sort of derogatory comments. He's acting as a reporter for his website, for Christ's sake!! This is the epitome of trash reporting gone viral. How could anyone even remotely personalize Rabbi Nesnoff's actions?!?!?
****sigh****
The whole world's gone mad.
Come on, dude. You're willing to hold the entire state hostage until you get what you want? Really? And why exactly is this guy still in office? He's blackmailing the entire New York State Senate. After the budget is passed, getting rid of Espada should be on the Senate's agenda.
Of course, we live in a world gone mad. The folks who control lighting on the Empire State Building refuse to light it up in blue and white in honor of what would have been Mother Theresa's 100th birthday, but they can light it up for Homer Simpson, or a new record release... They talk about not wanting to open the doors for honoring religious people. But they'll honor religious holidays.
This country is as insane over our clinging to religious beliefs as we are over our clinging to discomfort around race. We want so much to be pc and strive so much for pc behavior, that it appears we've lost our basic capacites for analysis and/or critical thought. The whole white liberal fear of appearing racist, and the non-Jewish fear of appearing anti-Semitic appear to deprive otherwise logical human beings of their basic faculties of common sense. Rather than going off on that tangent, let's take a look at Staten Island, where a Muslim American group has bought an old, unused church and plans to convert it into a mosque. People had a community meeting about it, but the police had to be called in, and the plans for meeting were finally abandoned. People were in an absolute uproar. But wait a minute: the church wasn't being used... If people cared so much about the church, why weren't they attending it? And if they don't care to attend it, why get all up in arms when another religious organization wants to make use of it? Oh, that's right... they're Muslim, and therefore they must be terrorists. Islam's been around for about 13 centuries. Anybody remember what European "Christians" were doing in the 13th century?
And while we're talking about "Christians," or even Gentiles, I guess -- what's up with the hate mail directed at Rabbi Nesnoff? He's not the cause of Helen Thomas speaking her mind, and he's not the reason people are reacting irrationally to her (see the paragraph immediately above). I think that what he did was the equivalent of a journalistic sucker punch, but Ms. Thomas has been in front of microphones enough to know how adept reports are at distorting the truth. Rabbi Nesenoff was just doing what any reporter would do. Just as much as I support the spirit of Ms. Thomas' statements, and as much as I happen not to agree with what the good Rabbi did, I just as vigorously condemn those people who would respond to him with death threats or with any sort of derogatory comments. He's acting as a reporter for his website, for Christ's sake!! This is the epitome of trash reporting gone viral. How could anyone even remotely personalize Rabbi Nesnoff's actions?!?!?
****sigh****
The whole world's gone mad.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Responding to my church brethren:
I guess I just flamed my church's website. There was this long, judgemental discussion on a bishop scheduled to celebrate Communion. He was sued for a sexual indiscretion with one of his male assistants, and offered an affirmative defense. Our church appears outraged, and maybe they genuinely are. Homosexuality is clearly not an issue for me, but this is a church that encouraged me to leave it when I wrote an article suggesting Christians should perhaps consider a non-hateful response to gay people. So I wrote them the following:
Haven't been on this forum in forever, and reading this thread reminds me of why.
This argument has been circulating in the Christian Church since the fourth century. The Donatists and Catholics were in major disagreement: Donatists thought that the person administering the sacraments had to have lived a blameless life (in that case it had to do with whether or not they had been traitors against the faith), while the Catholics maintained that the mystery and the Power was in the sanctified elements, which were greater than the people administering them.
I personally believe that the Blood of Jesus is stronger than the flawed and frail human vessel used to administer sacraments. That's what gives me hope every day. I look to the Bible and see examples of how God has continually used humans right where we are, with our sexual sins, with our spiteful words, with our misdirected attentions, and with all our murmuring and grumbling -- God has still, in God's omnipotence, been able to use us according to HIS plan, despite ourselves.
I know my sins, and they are many. I thank God for His Grace and Mercy, and I thank God that HE stands in judgement, rather than my CME brothers and sisters. You all quote the law on homosexuality and sexual immorality, but what about all the other laws? What about the prohibition against shellfish? What about the prohibition against pork? What about tattoing the sacred Temple of God's Spirit? What about cutting the corners of the hair and wearing different kinds of cloth? Those are all also Levitical restrictions, and also condemned with sexual misconduct. The reason for them all was to separate God's people from the people around them. No disrespect intended, but you guys sound like all the secular folk who murmur and gruble among themselves.
And what about Jesus' commandment that we we should Love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love our neighbors as ourselves? Is this forum how we show our Christian love? What about Jesus' direction that the one without sin should cast the first stone? From the outside looking in, it seems that we who profess to follow Christ are still a brood of vipers who do not understand.
I don't mean to offend anyone, but it seems like this thread has been focused on symptoms of our corporate spiritual dysfunction without addressing anything about the actual dysfunction.
My $0.02...
Haven't been on this forum in forever, and reading this thread reminds me of why.
This argument has been circulating in the Christian Church since the fourth century. The Donatists and Catholics were in major disagreement: Donatists thought that the person administering the sacraments had to have lived a blameless life (in that case it had to do with whether or not they had been traitors against the faith), while the Catholics maintained that the mystery and the Power was in the sanctified elements, which were greater than the people administering them.
I personally believe that the Blood of Jesus is stronger than the flawed and frail human vessel used to administer sacraments. That's what gives me hope every day. I look to the Bible and see examples of how God has continually used humans right where we are, with our sexual sins, with our spiteful words, with our misdirected attentions, and with all our murmuring and grumbling -- God has still, in God's omnipotence, been able to use us according to HIS plan, despite ourselves.
I know my sins, and they are many. I thank God for His Grace and Mercy, and I thank God that HE stands in judgement, rather than my CME brothers and sisters. You all quote the law on homosexuality and sexual immorality, but what about all the other laws? What about the prohibition against shellfish? What about the prohibition against pork? What about tattoing the sacred Temple of God's Spirit? What about cutting the corners of the hair and wearing different kinds of cloth? Those are all also Levitical restrictions, and also condemned with sexual misconduct. The reason for them all was to separate God's people from the people around them. No disrespect intended, but you guys sound like all the secular folk who murmur and gruble among themselves.
And what about Jesus' commandment that we we should Love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love our neighbors as ourselves? Is this forum how we show our Christian love? What about Jesus' direction that the one without sin should cast the first stone? From the outside looking in, it seems that we who profess to follow Christ are still a brood of vipers who do not understand.
I don't mean to offend anyone, but it seems like this thread has been focused on symptoms of our corporate spiritual dysfunction without addressing anything about the actual dysfunction.
My $0.02...
Monday, June 7, 2010
Helen Thomas
So Ms. Thomas, a White House Press reporter for over 50 years, is being forced into retirement because she said that Jewish people should "get the hell out of Palestine" and "go home" to Poland and Germany.
I don't want to appear to defend a racist or an anti-Semite, but I didn't take her comments that way. If a bunch of African Americans went to Liberia and then decided we wanted to take over Cote D'Ivoire and Senegal with military force, I don't think it would be racist for someone to tell them to "get the hell out of Africa" and "go home" to the United States.
What no one is talking about is the fact that Palestinians, most of whom are brown-skinned Arab people, are being systematically oppressed in an apartheid-like system in Israel. That system is perpetuated by white-skinned people, many of Eastern European descent, whose only claim to Israel is their profession of the Jewish faith. If Judaism were a religion that did not have an ethnic identity at its core, perhaps the issue would not be so problematic (or so racialized), but I can't help but think of how the Israelis were so reluctant to accept the Falashas under the right of return rule, but how they will accept people who apparently have no DNA linking them to the Holy Lands.
Saying that people should go back home to Poland and Germany simply speaks to the number of Eastern Europeans who are claiming to "return" to a land from which they have no genesis. Given the history and treatment of Jewish people in the twentieth century, that return would not be a problem, if only Israel did not perpetuate racism in the process.
Why is it bigoted and racist for Ms. Thomas to speak truth to the situation? Why should it be the end of her career? She's spent 50 years calling things the way she sees them, which is exactly what she did in this instance. We are so afraid of being politically incorrect or offending people, that we overextend ourselves in the opposite direction, failing to stand up for the truth, and thereby offending many more people.
Perhaps Ms. Thomas's remarks were brutal, perhaps they lacked the flair and finesse we so often see in diplomatic circles. But she addressed the elephant in the diplomatic room, which is the Israeli invasion of Palestine, and she addressed the elephant's color, which is just as odd as that of many who claim to "return" and "repopulate" Israel.
I can see how her remarks could be interpreted as offensive, if one wanted to assume she were referring to the events of WWII, but I think it much more appropriate to assume her remarks refer to the events of the last 60 years, specifically of Israel's occupation of Gaza since 2005, and of its ongoing treatment of Palestinian people.
I don't think Americans realize that Jesus was Palestinian, or that the vast majority of Christian holy sites are in Palestine, which just happens to be the area inhabited by the folks Israel persecutes, and just happens to be the area that Israel would not want to give up in a two-state solution. It's as if the West has bought all the hype about Palestinians, and, in the midst of professing to be non-Christian, as if we are clinging to some Revelation-themed view of the Holy Lands.
Where there is no vision, the people perish.
I don't want to appear to defend a racist or an anti-Semite, but I didn't take her comments that way. If a bunch of African Americans went to Liberia and then decided we wanted to take over Cote D'Ivoire and Senegal with military force, I don't think it would be racist for someone to tell them to "get the hell out of Africa" and "go home" to the United States.
What no one is talking about is the fact that Palestinians, most of whom are brown-skinned Arab people, are being systematically oppressed in an apartheid-like system in Israel. That system is perpetuated by white-skinned people, many of Eastern European descent, whose only claim to Israel is their profession of the Jewish faith. If Judaism were a religion that did not have an ethnic identity at its core, perhaps the issue would not be so problematic (or so racialized), but I can't help but think of how the Israelis were so reluctant to accept the Falashas under the right of return rule, but how they will accept people who apparently have no DNA linking them to the Holy Lands.
Saying that people should go back home to Poland and Germany simply speaks to the number of Eastern Europeans who are claiming to "return" to a land from which they have no genesis. Given the history and treatment of Jewish people in the twentieth century, that return would not be a problem, if only Israel did not perpetuate racism in the process.
Why is it bigoted and racist for Ms. Thomas to speak truth to the situation? Why should it be the end of her career? She's spent 50 years calling things the way she sees them, which is exactly what she did in this instance. We are so afraid of being politically incorrect or offending people, that we overextend ourselves in the opposite direction, failing to stand up for the truth, and thereby offending many more people.
Perhaps Ms. Thomas's remarks were brutal, perhaps they lacked the flair and finesse we so often see in diplomatic circles. But she addressed the elephant in the diplomatic room, which is the Israeli invasion of Palestine, and she addressed the elephant's color, which is just as odd as that of many who claim to "return" and "repopulate" Israel.
I can see how her remarks could be interpreted as offensive, if one wanted to assume she were referring to the events of WWII, but I think it much more appropriate to assume her remarks refer to the events of the last 60 years, specifically of Israel's occupation of Gaza since 2005, and of its ongoing treatment of Palestinian people.
I don't think Americans realize that Jesus was Palestinian, or that the vast majority of Christian holy sites are in Palestine, which just happens to be the area inhabited by the folks Israel persecutes, and just happens to be the area that Israel would not want to give up in a two-state solution. It's as if the West has bought all the hype about Palestinians, and, in the midst of professing to be non-Christian, as if we are clinging to some Revelation-themed view of the Holy Lands.
Where there is no vision, the people perish.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Today
was a lovely day. I went thrift shopping with Alan, and was shocked to see that a Ralph Lauren shirt sold for $14.99 at a THRIFT shop. Still, I got a Ralph Lauren, a Christian Dior, and a couple of GAP shirts all for less than I would have paid for the Lauren shirt new. Dropped them off at the cleaners on the way home, and I'll have five new dress shirts (that actually fit!) next week.
Also cleared out a couple of closets. It's AMAZING to me how much junk I can pull out of crevices and corners and then to look at how much is still left. It really drives home the idea of what a blessings God has bestowed upon me, and how incredibly overindulgent I have been. I'd like to get better with that.
Towards that end, I'm paying off my credit cards. Slowly, but I am paying them off. I'm much better at restraining myself now than I once was. I actually think this Chase Blueprint thing is a good idea. It forces you to think about how you'll pay for a purchase when you make it. For me, that's what's been the missing link -- if I charge something, I may understand how the charge fits into my overall budget, and I may even keep my total indebtedness at less than 25% of my available credit, but what I need to do is, before I purchase something, figure out how I'll pay for it. That's a way to stay out of debt.
I'm going to look for some financial blogs.
This morning I woke up to tennis. The Italian woman, Francesca Schiavone, was the underdog, first time an Italian made it into the final round in years. She was up against the Australian upset Queen -- Samantha Stosur, who upset Serena Williams and Jelena Jankovic. Stosur had an impressive physique and a good game. I watched for a while, until Schiavone tied it up at 4-4 in the first set. I posted on my FB page that I was rooting for Schiavone, then I went off to the gym and went thrift shopping. I was delighted to come home and find that Schiavone had won!
It's late and I still have to study for tomorrow's Bible study. I also probably need to go ahead and finish paying for the Israel trip next November. Really excited: Egypt, Israel, and Jordan, all in a single room this time. Doesn't get any better than that.... I'll be able to decompress at the end of each day. Can't wait!!!
Also cleared out a couple of closets. It's AMAZING to me how much junk I can pull out of crevices and corners and then to look at how much is still left. It really drives home the idea of what a blessings God has bestowed upon me, and how incredibly overindulgent I have been. I'd like to get better with that.
Towards that end, I'm paying off my credit cards. Slowly, but I am paying them off. I'm much better at restraining myself now than I once was. I actually think this Chase Blueprint thing is a good idea. It forces you to think about how you'll pay for a purchase when you make it. For me, that's what's been the missing link -- if I charge something, I may understand how the charge fits into my overall budget, and I may even keep my total indebtedness at less than 25% of my available credit, but what I need to do is, before I purchase something, figure out how I'll pay for it. That's a way to stay out of debt.
I'm going to look for some financial blogs.
This morning I woke up to tennis. The Italian woman, Francesca Schiavone, was the underdog, first time an Italian made it into the final round in years. She was up against the Australian upset Queen -- Samantha Stosur, who upset Serena Williams and Jelena Jankovic. Stosur had an impressive physique and a good game. I watched for a while, until Schiavone tied it up at 4-4 in the first set. I posted on my FB page that I was rooting for Schiavone, then I went off to the gym and went thrift shopping. I was delighted to come home and find that Schiavone had won!
It's late and I still have to study for tomorrow's Bible study. I also probably need to go ahead and finish paying for the Israel trip next November. Really excited: Egypt, Israel, and Jordan, all in a single room this time. Doesn't get any better than that.... I'll be able to decompress at the end of each day. Can't wait!!!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Doctors
I've had a lot of medical issues in my life, and have seen a lot of doctors. While a couple of people I know and/or love are in the medical profession, I don't have a very high opinion of most medical practitioners.
There's an arrogance about many them, and my own ego is just too big for that. Every time you go to a doctor's office, you have to wait. And wait, and wait. And wait. A twenty minute appointment usually takes at least an hour, and many people take off at least half a day to see a doctor. What, my time's not valuable? I don't have a job to go to? It's like they don't realize that you're coming to see them through the insurance supplied by your place of employment. Given that insurance is what really lines their pockets, you'd think they'd have an interest in accomodating the schedules of working people. Now that I work in the South Bronx and have most of my doctors in Manhattan, getting to them is a logistical nightmare. Plus, it's less and less a priority to attempt to see them, since they always run late. I just don't have time to sit around waiting in someone's office reading magazines.
So I had a 4:45 appointment with a sleep doctor today. My sleep doctor is retiring. but all he does is write scrips for Ambien. I did want to go by his office to say goodbye and wish him well (even though his office didn't know if he'd be in or not), but my appointment was with someone new, whose name I never even bothered to remember. I leave my office at 4:00 (except I'm using a cheap Radio Shack clock that's 4 minutes behind), and I can never just walk out of the office, and then I chose to wait for the bus instead of taking an $8 cab ride to the subway, and by the time I finally get to the train, it's 4:28. I call the doctor to tell him I'm running late, and find they had the appointment scheduled for 4:30. If I'm going to be late, they say, I'll have to reschedule.
I didn't reschedule. I thanked them and told them I wouldn't need to see the doctor anymore. But I'm really pissed off -- what if I refused to see doctors every time they were 15 minutes late? Or what if I started to charge them for my time spent in their waiting rooms? I understand that caring for people is important, but doctors seldom actually care for people -- they usually just push people through their offices so they can process insurance claims. I can't remember the last time I saw a doctor who gave me information I couldn't get from WebMD. (My surgeons and oncologist are notable exceptions). And it pisses me off that doctors, as a whole, are so self-absorbed with what they do that they fail to understand that lots of people have "important" things to do. A lot of doctors remind me of a lot of preachers -- they've chosen a career of service, but they live it out as if they are to be served because they've chosen the career of "service."
I'm not condoning the behavior by any stretch of the imagination, but I can certainly understand the frustration level that must have been present in the British guy who went on the mad rampage today. This morning I got off the bus thinking that everyone on the route must have flunked out of elementary school. If I didn't have Jesus and a monster workout, I imagine being surrounded by people who are not on the ball, and people who are supposed to be caretakers but who are not, and people who, in whatever way, fail to meet expectations -- I imagine that being surrounded by all that and feeling one has no way out could be frustrating. Don't know that it's frustrating enough to incite murder, but I'm pretty much a pacifist until you threaten my body or my life.
***end rant***
There's an arrogance about many them, and my own ego is just too big for that. Every time you go to a doctor's office, you have to wait. And wait, and wait. And wait. A twenty minute appointment usually takes at least an hour, and many people take off at least half a day to see a doctor. What, my time's not valuable? I don't have a job to go to? It's like they don't realize that you're coming to see them through the insurance supplied by your place of employment. Given that insurance is what really lines their pockets, you'd think they'd have an interest in accomodating the schedules of working people. Now that I work in the South Bronx and have most of my doctors in Manhattan, getting to them is a logistical nightmare. Plus, it's less and less a priority to attempt to see them, since they always run late. I just don't have time to sit around waiting in someone's office reading magazines.
So I had a 4:45 appointment with a sleep doctor today. My sleep doctor is retiring. but all he does is write scrips for Ambien. I did want to go by his office to say goodbye and wish him well (even though his office didn't know if he'd be in or not), but my appointment was with someone new, whose name I never even bothered to remember. I leave my office at 4:00 (except I'm using a cheap Radio Shack clock that's 4 minutes behind), and I can never just walk out of the office, and then I chose to wait for the bus instead of taking an $8 cab ride to the subway, and by the time I finally get to the train, it's 4:28. I call the doctor to tell him I'm running late, and find they had the appointment scheduled for 4:30. If I'm going to be late, they say, I'll have to reschedule.
I didn't reschedule. I thanked them and told them I wouldn't need to see the doctor anymore. But I'm really pissed off -- what if I refused to see doctors every time they were 15 minutes late? Or what if I started to charge them for my time spent in their waiting rooms? I understand that caring for people is important, but doctors seldom actually care for people -- they usually just push people through their offices so they can process insurance claims. I can't remember the last time I saw a doctor who gave me information I couldn't get from WebMD. (My surgeons and oncologist are notable exceptions). And it pisses me off that doctors, as a whole, are so self-absorbed with what they do that they fail to understand that lots of people have "important" things to do. A lot of doctors remind me of a lot of preachers -- they've chosen a career of service, but they live it out as if they are to be served because they've chosen the career of "service."
I'm not condoning the behavior by any stretch of the imagination, but I can certainly understand the frustration level that must have been present in the British guy who went on the mad rampage today. This morning I got off the bus thinking that everyone on the route must have flunked out of elementary school. If I didn't have Jesus and a monster workout, I imagine being surrounded by people who are not on the ball, and people who are supposed to be caretakers but who are not, and people who, in whatever way, fail to meet expectations -- I imagine that being surrounded by all that and feeling one has no way out could be frustrating. Don't know that it's frustrating enough to incite murder, but I'm pretty much a pacifist until you threaten my body or my life.
***end rant***
The goal is to write something every day
And today I don't have a whole lot to write; just want to go through the motions. I'm actually quite grateful: Dr. Ruden is trying an experiment, and for this month I'm skipping my diabetes and blood pressure meds. (I'm still on a cholesterol med, even though my cholesterol is totally normal.) We'll wait for the results of the bloods drawn yesterday and compare them with the bloods we'll draw next month, and that will determine whether or not I have to continue taking meds. Still taking lots of vitamins...
Anyway. So I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful for life, health, and strength. I'm grateful for things too numerous to count.
I'm even grateful when I appear not to be -- sometimes I complain that everyone on the Bx15 line is an elementary school dropout (or failed elementary school). The reality is that I've always enjoyed a life of privilege. I don't have to stand at the front of the bus and shout to someone in the back that I'm going to have a colonoscopy, because, in the overall scheme of my life, a colonoscopy is not that big a deal. What I have to remember is that because it _is_ a big deal for someone, that that's their reality, and that's a valid reality. I'm grateful that I don't have to shout out to the world about my colonoscopy, and I need to remember that blogging about my thoughts or posting my rafting pictures is the same sort of self-centered indulgence.
This morning, and every morning since I've been back, I've slathered volcanic mud over my face. I brought back a couple of containers of mud from the thermal springs up in Guanacaste. When I was in them, I thought I noticed an improvment in my skin tone. It could have been the tan, since when I came back, people said I'd gotten darker. As is usual for me, I didn't notice the color, only that I liked my skin more. I thought it was a result of the volcanic mud, so I've been slathering that on my face. It's kinda fun. I get up about seven and put it on, wait a few minutes until I feel it start to dry and harden, then go back to bed and snooze til about 8. It tightens up, and is generally fun to have on and to take off. Wonder what, if anything, it actually does?
I have 49 minutes left before I have to leave work, so I should get busy.
I've kinda lost my writing chops and think this exercise will be helpful in rebuilding them.
Anyway. So I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful for life, health, and strength. I'm grateful for things too numerous to count.
I'm even grateful when I appear not to be -- sometimes I complain that everyone on the Bx15 line is an elementary school dropout (or failed elementary school). The reality is that I've always enjoyed a life of privilege. I don't have to stand at the front of the bus and shout to someone in the back that I'm going to have a colonoscopy, because, in the overall scheme of my life, a colonoscopy is not that big a deal. What I have to remember is that because it _is_ a big deal for someone, that that's their reality, and that's a valid reality. I'm grateful that I don't have to shout out to the world about my colonoscopy, and I need to remember that blogging about my thoughts or posting my rafting pictures is the same sort of self-centered indulgence.
This morning, and every morning since I've been back, I've slathered volcanic mud over my face. I brought back a couple of containers of mud from the thermal springs up in Guanacaste. When I was in them, I thought I noticed an improvment in my skin tone. It could have been the tan, since when I came back, people said I'd gotten darker. As is usual for me, I didn't notice the color, only that I liked my skin more. I thought it was a result of the volcanic mud, so I've been slathering that on my face. It's kinda fun. I get up about seven and put it on, wait a few minutes until I feel it start to dry and harden, then go back to bed and snooze til about 8. It tightens up, and is generally fun to have on and to take off. Wonder what, if anything, it actually does?
I have 49 minutes left before I have to leave work, so I should get busy.
I've kinda lost my writing chops and think this exercise will be helpful in rebuilding them.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
What in the world is Israel doing?!?!
If you read my blog from February 2009, you'll see that my perceptions about Israel were altered by my visit there. Rather than a biblical land full of biblical people, I began to see Israel as a bastion of white and/or European faces claiming a right of return to lands that have always been populated by brown people.
Sorry, folks. As I write this, I am certainly aware of all my peeps, both Christian and Jewish, who unquestionbly support Israel. I can no longer be one of those people. If I am to stand for civil rights, and if I am to stand for humane treatment of people, then how can I stand for Israel? This country has racism built into its very foundation, in the guise of self-protection. But does not self protection extend to something greater than the physical self?
As a person of African American descent, I certainly empathize with how it feels to be at the effect of genocide, racism, ethnic cleansing, and all their nasty detritus. I feel that. But doesn't that then call us to a higher standard? Does not the fact that we have been the victims of systematic racial oppression demand that we be that much more careful lest we fall victim to engaging in the same sort of racial oppression? As an American, my answer is an unqualified yes. As Americans, IMHO, justice and fairness are at the core of what we believe.
So I don't understand how the US government can support Israel as it engages in systematic oppression of Palestinian people. The world community establishes borders in the Middle East in the interest of peace (much as the world community carved out the modern nation of Israel from other lands in the interest of justice), and Israel consistently chooses to ignore those borders. Without US military backing, Israel would not be able to continue such arrogance, and as an American, I am disturbed to think that my government supports the Israeli government.
There was a Turkish flotilla ostensibly bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza. Israel has no legal right to Gaza, but it's there preventing the ships from coming in. But why did the Israeli army feel the need to rappel down onto the Turkish ships? With all their military might, could they not have formed a physical barricade? Was there no strategic military alternative to rapelling down onto these ships? The Israeli soldiers fired on the passengers on the Turkish ships, saying they feared for their lives. The Israelis have some of the best military in the world, and they feared for their lives from some civilians with medicine and wheelchairs ?!?!? Why was deadly force necessary? Would it have been necessary if the Israelis hadn't boarded the ship? The Israelis are illegally in Gaza, and forced themselves onto these Turkish ships bringing humanitarian aid. Israel always claims the need to defend itself -- so what were the people on the Turkish ship supposed to do -- NOT defend themselves? As with many things I've observed regarding Israel, there appears to be a double standard: One set of rules for Israelis and one set of rules for the rest of the world.
Except that the rest of the world isn't Israel, and the rest of the world no longer shares those values that put Israel into a class different from the rest of the world community. The world community is looking to Israel, seeing its behavior, and demanding an explanation. You don't make up for past injustices against Jewish people by perpetuating injustices upon non-Jewish people. You make up for past injustices by creating a fair and just environment, one that honors everyone's humanity. If you believe you must protect yourself, then keep your guard up, but that doesn't mean you become an active aggressor. For far too long, Israel has used the cover of self protection to hide aggressive tendencies. The whole world has been and is still watching.
The US, everybody's big brother, has remained silent, but it's time for us to take a stance. We Americans need to stand up for justice. We who claim to be Christian need to stand up for justice. All of us who desire to live in love and harmony with our neighbors need to stand up for justice. Israel's behavior has been condemned by the UN; it should also be quickly and soundly condemned by the US government. What's the point in having an ally who behaves so badly? If Americans had been on that ship, would Israel have reconsidered its actions (if the answer is yes, then there is the question of why they didn't reconsider them anyway. If the answer is no, then this points to a problem)? Or would Israel have simply killed unarmed Americans also?
Israel is wrong. Its concern with self preservation is understandable, especially since it has used the guise of "right of return" to populate the Middle East with people of Eastern European descent. While I think that's ethically wrong, I understand the creation of the Jewish homeland. I just don't think it should be at the expense of the Palestinian and other Arab people who lived there. How is that different from the past atrocities that were visited upon the Jewish people? The Israelis are categorizing and killing people based simply on their ethnicity, veiling it behind the spectre of national security. That's repugnant. I don't understand why no one sees it. Of course, we didn't see through the "Weapons of Mass Destruction" nonsense, either. People who are looking for a fight will use any excuse to go in and start brawling -- or start executing.
This isn't an anti-Semitic rant. It _IS_ an anti-Israel rant. Israel has shown increasingly aggressive and obnoxious behavior. It's like a chihuahua, a little bully in the Middle East that could apparently be overwhelmed by the sheer size of its neighbors. This bullying has nothing to do with a need for security, it has to do with Israel's affiliation with (and ability to hide under the wings of) the US. Pull US support of Israel and see how quickly it becomes reasonable. The US needs to cultivate responsible allies in the Middle East -- perhaps Egypt, Jordan, and/or Syria, and work more with them and less with Israel.
I'll admit that my thoughts and perceptions are colored by the Israeli nutcase I met who used the Bible to justify Israeli occupation of most of the Middle East, who also justified Israeli killings of unarmed children, and who thinks it's ok for non-Jewish people to live as second class citizens in Israel. The Palestinian concentration camps and the Wall are images I will never forget. Israeli apartheid cannot be allowed to continue. The increasing numbers of people who flock to Israel to escape persecution in their homelands, then engage in persecution in Israel is disturbing to me, even without addition of the racial aspect. I don't get how Israel can justify its behavior, and I don't get how the US can continue to support Israel when it engages in systematic oppression of a racial or ethnic group. They've created a racist, apartheid state all over again. What in the world is Israel doing?!?!
Sorry, folks. As I write this, I am certainly aware of all my peeps, both Christian and Jewish, who unquestionbly support Israel. I can no longer be one of those people. If I am to stand for civil rights, and if I am to stand for humane treatment of people, then how can I stand for Israel? This country has racism built into its very foundation, in the guise of self-protection. But does not self protection extend to something greater than the physical self?
As a person of African American descent, I certainly empathize with how it feels to be at the effect of genocide, racism, ethnic cleansing, and all their nasty detritus. I feel that. But doesn't that then call us to a higher standard? Does not the fact that we have been the victims of systematic racial oppression demand that we be that much more careful lest we fall victim to engaging in the same sort of racial oppression? As an American, my answer is an unqualified yes. As Americans, IMHO, justice and fairness are at the core of what we believe.
So I don't understand how the US government can support Israel as it engages in systematic oppression of Palestinian people. The world community establishes borders in the Middle East in the interest of peace (much as the world community carved out the modern nation of Israel from other lands in the interest of justice), and Israel consistently chooses to ignore those borders. Without US military backing, Israel would not be able to continue such arrogance, and as an American, I am disturbed to think that my government supports the Israeli government.
There was a Turkish flotilla ostensibly bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza. Israel has no legal right to Gaza, but it's there preventing the ships from coming in. But why did the Israeli army feel the need to rappel down onto the Turkish ships? With all their military might, could they not have formed a physical barricade? Was there no strategic military alternative to rapelling down onto these ships? The Israeli soldiers fired on the passengers on the Turkish ships, saying they feared for their lives. The Israelis have some of the best military in the world, and they feared for their lives from some civilians with medicine and wheelchairs ?!?!? Why was deadly force necessary? Would it have been necessary if the Israelis hadn't boarded the ship? The Israelis are illegally in Gaza, and forced themselves onto these Turkish ships bringing humanitarian aid. Israel always claims the need to defend itself -- so what were the people on the Turkish ship supposed to do -- NOT defend themselves? As with many things I've observed regarding Israel, there appears to be a double standard: One set of rules for Israelis and one set of rules for the rest of the world.
Except that the rest of the world isn't Israel, and the rest of the world no longer shares those values that put Israel into a class different from the rest of the world community. The world community is looking to Israel, seeing its behavior, and demanding an explanation. You don't make up for past injustices against Jewish people by perpetuating injustices upon non-Jewish people. You make up for past injustices by creating a fair and just environment, one that honors everyone's humanity. If you believe you must protect yourself, then keep your guard up, but that doesn't mean you become an active aggressor. For far too long, Israel has used the cover of self protection to hide aggressive tendencies. The whole world has been and is still watching.
The US, everybody's big brother, has remained silent, but it's time for us to take a stance. We Americans need to stand up for justice. We who claim to be Christian need to stand up for justice. All of us who desire to live in love and harmony with our neighbors need to stand up for justice. Israel's behavior has been condemned by the UN; it should also be quickly and soundly condemned by the US government. What's the point in having an ally who behaves so badly? If Americans had been on that ship, would Israel have reconsidered its actions (if the answer is yes, then there is the question of why they didn't reconsider them anyway. If the answer is no, then this points to a problem)? Or would Israel have simply killed unarmed Americans also?
Israel is wrong. Its concern with self preservation is understandable, especially since it has used the guise of "right of return" to populate the Middle East with people of Eastern European descent. While I think that's ethically wrong, I understand the creation of the Jewish homeland. I just don't think it should be at the expense of the Palestinian and other Arab people who lived there. How is that different from the past atrocities that were visited upon the Jewish people? The Israelis are categorizing and killing people based simply on their ethnicity, veiling it behind the spectre of national security. That's repugnant. I don't understand why no one sees it. Of course, we didn't see through the "Weapons of Mass Destruction" nonsense, either. People who are looking for a fight will use any excuse to go in and start brawling -- or start executing.
This isn't an anti-Semitic rant. It _IS_ an anti-Israel rant. Israel has shown increasingly aggressive and obnoxious behavior. It's like a chihuahua, a little bully in the Middle East that could apparently be overwhelmed by the sheer size of its neighbors. This bullying has nothing to do with a need for security, it has to do with Israel's affiliation with (and ability to hide under the wings of) the US. Pull US support of Israel and see how quickly it becomes reasonable. The US needs to cultivate responsible allies in the Middle East -- perhaps Egypt, Jordan, and/or Syria, and work more with them and less with Israel.
I'll admit that my thoughts and perceptions are colored by the Israeli nutcase I met who used the Bible to justify Israeli occupation of most of the Middle East, who also justified Israeli killings of unarmed children, and who thinks it's ok for non-Jewish people to live as second class citizens in Israel. The Palestinian concentration camps and the Wall are images I will never forget. Israeli apartheid cannot be allowed to continue. The increasing numbers of people who flock to Israel to escape persecution in their homelands, then engage in persecution in Israel is disturbing to me, even without addition of the racial aspect. I don't get how Israel can justify its behavior, and I don't get how the US can continue to support Israel when it engages in systematic oppression of a racial or ethnic group. They've created a racist, apartheid state all over again. What in the world is Israel doing?!?!