Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Posts: 2498 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 7:23 pm Post subject:
Oh! Well yes, by a couple years then. _________________ God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is, he's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play funny. -- Garrison Keillor
Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 1654 Location: Penrith (where jacarandas remind me of change), New South Wales, Australia
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 4:35 am Post subject:
all part of fear and what is done with it...the fear of the unknown..the fear of the other...bullies are full to the brim with fear....closed off from life...life will flow whether blocked or not...
my hope is that we all are brave enough to open the doors we've closed...in whatever aspect of life..
wings
eagles and doves too
man-made Olympic dove made
peace-filled living hope _________________ "I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson
Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Posts: 2498 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:31 am Post subject:
Well said, madame! I have felt myself that I lot of what is wrong is people being afraid to be afraid and bringing out the heavy armaments when a bit of bravery and a slightly thicker hide are what was initially required. Once overreaction sets in it gets wackier and wackier by leaps and bounds, of course. And some of us are generations down that pike.
...this coming, as we can all observe, from the babe who won't stare down a chile. Well, I'd stare it down but swallow it... _________________ God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is, he's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play funny. -- Garrison Keillor
Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 1654 Location: Penrith (where jacarandas remind me of change), New South Wales, Australia
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:45 am Post subject:
a bit of wondering and wandering thought..
most of my childhood and a fare whack of later life was in certainty...I'd been told what to believe..and that was that...no ?s necessary thank you very very much...'cause I simply knew what was what and that was that....the given group...the "it group" if you will..
there are zillions of "it groups" it would appear....each member believing, holding, reckoning etc..that he/she has THE answer...either that god (whatever god is believed in) is on his/her tribes' side...or whatever belief..
that's all well and good....however methinks that a healthy progression from that is to reflect on the WHY we are as we are...why are there certain fears/hatreds/beliefs within a community...be it a few members or a nation....THE WHY OF WHY WE ARE AS WE ARE...big ?
and given that most rarely, if ever, reflect...the fears and hatreds and destructive beliefs will continue....
until the doves flap their wings in joy...when we all are indeed peace-filled
that is my constant hope... _________________ "I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson
Simona, it was 55 degrees & sunny in NYC on Friday...almost Lemonade weather, though Danish pastry & hot chocolate weather has returned overnight with a vengence. Here's a pretty interesting article in this week's New York Magazine IMO-
They Can't Take a Joke-Whats the matter with Islam is also the matter with Kansas. But who says freedom of speech isnt a little negotiable?
http://www.nymag.com/news/imperialcity/15949/index.html
Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 1654 Location: Penrith (where jacarandas remind me of change), New South Wales, Australia
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 2:02 pm Post subject:
thanks so much carolg for the link...have just finished reading the article..late late late time here..my head is dreaming of a pillow...will read it again tomorrow...have forwarded it to many..
must say I'm drawn to the photo..the woman on the left...her thumb ..is that nailpolish? If so...it seems so incongruous...
slogans
given to us all
blindly so-often-followed
reflection needed
(most of us dabble here and there in some form of sloganning...it comes with being tribal...we can decide HOW to be...at any time..to blindly follow the feeded slogans...or to stop and go deep within to ask "is this the me I wish to be?"
still in hope! _________________ "I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson
Thank you Carol for the link.
I read the article in the NY Magazine, I'm sorry to say - but that's my opinion - I think it's a bad , unfocused article, what we call in hebrew
"smearing". I find the writer trying to please everybody , and not saying anything significant. It's the kind of article who says: It is so and so, but on the other hand it is also just the opposite. E.G : the muslims have no sense of humor, but we westeners should negociate fredom of speech. Now everybody is happy. No good guys, no bad guys. He should decide what he thinks, what he believes in. He's a journalist,- a columnist, not a reporter- as is not expected to write like a politician. It's full of generalizations , like Muslim have no sense of humor. Muslims are people, there are certainly among them with and without sense of humor. Islam is a religion. There is no humor in Islam, Judaism and Christianity Buddhims etc. Religions are by definition humorless.( they are intended to inspire awe, not laughter). I won't go in in a debate about religion, but ( in my opinion) the riots were not about religion, they were about politics, about culture , about control and power. About who's going to rule /dominate in the future. It is indeed ( in my opinion) a battle of civilizations.
I bet on the chinese. They don't have time to go and yawn about stupid cartoons. They are working. 1.5 billion of them are working very hard. If I were Minister of Education, I'll have chinese mandatory second language in schools.
Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 1654 Location: Penrith (where jacarandas remind me of change), New South Wales, Australia
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 11:05 pm Post subject:
ditto on the second language idea...
I think of the life thread as Wonderment...in that is humour....the spirit life is full of wit and warmth ~ however in the times of big lesson-learning, humour doesn't get much of a look in...(total abscence of humour when I was studying maths at school )
My sister was telling me of a book she'd read...about Australian prisoners of war...WWII....it seems many survived because they somehow or other kept humour alive...in the face of death...remember to smile...it lightens the face..I'm experimenting now..even when sort of forced it somehow lightens the face...
The Danish cartoonists will need humour, given that: An Indian state government minister has offered a reward of $15.58 million for the beheading of any of the cartoonists who drew the controversial images of the prophet Mohammad. Yaqoob told the crowd in Meerut, 400 kilometres northwest of the state capital Lucknow, that he would give "the avenger" 510 million rupees and his weight in gold. _________________ "I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson
Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Posts: 2498 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 11:45 pm Post subject:
As frightening it is that they would seek the death of the cartoonists, I shudder to think how someone bent on the reward or full of "righteousness" would assure himself that he had the right cartoonist. This is no idle speculation. I don't think we're talking about deliberate, reflective individuals.
Where is the cultural sensitivity that appreciates the long established and well documented value of freedom of expression and civilized behavior? Aren't we at a stalemate that might end in agreeing to disagree rather than right a wrong with spilled blood? _________________ God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is, he's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play funny. -- Garrison Keillor
Do I understand you well, Rainey? What bothers you is if the one bent on reward will not kill the RIGHT cartoonist? You mean that if IT IS the right cartoonis, then it's OK ? I appologize in advance if I misunderstood you, english is not my mother-tongue and I might misunderstand.
Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 1654 Location: Penrith (where jacarandas remind me of change), New South Wales, Australia
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2006 1:52 am Post subject:
Simona darling...I'll jump in ...the way I read it, Rainey more than anything didn't mean it's ok if the right cartoonist is beheaded ~ it shows the limits of the printed word...as I read Rainey's post I could hear the inflexion..
it seems there is some form of war...some form of battle...and whenever I reflect on war I'm aware of how some trigger is the button...and the fact that so many many die...and in years slabs of time later...figures in history...battles fought and won....I can clearly remember speaking with an elderly nun once...we were sharing stories...I was in the middle of heavy angst...well you can imagine eh! ...I was blah blah blahing...and she said ...can remember soooooooooooooo clearly..and this conversation happened years back "In any great change blood will be spilt." She wasn't simply speaking of the red blood of body battles...
in all of this, I wonder how many of the participants ~ on either side...have stepped out of their shoes...of imagining the other's story...how many a taking a nanosecond to reflect....the bravery of self-reflection...
bounty
the price of a head
imagery of history times
cartoons and rupees
still in hope....big time!
I IMAGINE PEACE-FILLED DAYS _________________ "I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson
Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Posts: 2498 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2006 3:54 am Post subject:
Sorry I didn't express that better.
No, I am most assuredly not in favor of anyone being killed over anything. I am a pacifist.
A number of people have already been killed in this insane anarchy and that's already too many. Now someone is fueling the bloodlust with money. I hate that anyone is a target for an editorial opinion. In addition, I fear that vengeful people will not be careful about whom they pick as a target putting many more than the original cartoonists in danger. But I, in no way, condone violence of any kind.
Express ideas. Poke at people. Make them think. Make them mad. Make an ass of yourself. But keep your hands to yourself. And expect "cultural sensitivity when you're willing to extend it". (This is, of course, the English editorial "you" that means anyone as a general principle.) _________________ God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is, he's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play funny. -- Garrison Keillor
[quote="Rainey"]Sorry I didn't express that better.
In addition, I fear that vengeful people will not be careful about whom they pick as a target putting many more than the original cartoonists in danger. But I, in no way, condone violence of any kind.
Well, Rainey , I'm relieved to hear that I misunderstood you ( I apologize ), and that you don't condone violence and that you are a pacifist. I do agree with you that it's really unfair that the vengeful terrorists "may be not careful about whom they pick as a target" and by doing so "putting many more than the original cortoonists in danger". Innocents don't deserve to die.
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