'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
Alfred Tennyson
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Which side are we on? Those who consider Osama bin Laden a hero, consider Barack Obama a villain. Which side are we on? Those who consider Al Queda friends, consider the current American government an enemy. Which side are we on?
And why must we take sides at all? I was born into a nation which I came to understand was the vanguard of cultural coexistence, liberty. opportunity and human rights. At least it was in theory. I saw the struggles, and got involved in some of them, to try and establish those ideals as true. But all the time I was growing up, and still today I hear about who is in and who is out, who is right and who is wrong, even who is an American and who isn't.
I have also seen the American ideal plummet into ignorance, divisiveness, sensationalism and street corner nastiness. What brought us so low? We are caught in an evil vise where Americans are bombing Muslims and Muslims are bombing Americans. As long as we keep bombing them they will keep bombing us and as long as they keep bombing us we will keep bombing them. What kind of so-called leadership ever brought us to this desperate madness? In all my reading and viewing I haven't found one serious example of anyone trying to figure out why. .I don't know what the average citizen in an Islamic country thinks, but I know that the average American doesn't.
Islam may be the fastest growing religion in the world, but the Muslim fanatics are not going to make the United States a Muslim country any more than the fanatical Christians are going to make it a Christian country in spite of their claims.
Where are the diplomats, the statesmen and women, those who can discuss without venomous name calling? Why can't responsible, progressive thinkers sit down with theologians of all faiths, find out what are the common denominators of Constitutional law, Parliamentary law, Talmudic law and Sheria law, and from there start to work out compromises that allow for a real coexistence among people, a newer world?
Or should we just continue to attack each other until someone drops THE BIG ONE?
Which side are we on? From my point of view, considering the power, technology and weaponry available, it has never been more important to grasp the need to make the world more livable for every nation and to demonstrate what the American ideal was about from the beginning. Are savagery, brutality and war our ideals, or mutual respect, honest competition and good sportsmanship? It is too late to regress into outgrown positions, but to seek and inch forward into a newer world "Tis not too late."
DB - The Vagabond
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AUTUMN QUESTION
(This is not a contest.)
At what event of the past do you wish you could be present? Why?
Only 5 responses so far.
dbdacoba@aol.com
Thank you.
DB
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Showing posts with label Muslims. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Muslims. Show all posts
Monday, November 1, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Rest Me
Life is strenuous no matter how young you are. Yesterday I took a day off, no writing, no painting. I hope it doesn't become a habit.
I spent 5 hours on the front porch reading. There were no visitors except some desperate geriatric mosquitos.
Part of my exhaustion and need to rest comes from a deep feeling of sadness and disgust with what's happening in my country. I can't remember a time when there was such overt bigotry and ignorance. I was in high school during the McCarthy era. Then it was supposedly the Russians who were going to take over America. Now it's the Muslims. The Russians never would and the Muslims never will. No one can take over America unless we give it away. The Russians are now our friends. And if we deny the Muslims their rights we might as well tear up the Constitution.
I am not at peace, not at rest. Ignorance will not win the battle, I know that. But the fact that it is so apparent and so loud hurts my heart.
DB
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WEEKEND PUZZLE
Here we go.
A man is walking down the street and comes upon a store that sells coconuts. He goes in and buys half the coconuts in the store plus half a coconut. When he gets home his wife shakes her head and wonders what she's going to do with all those coconuts.
He gets an idea and goes out and buys a bottle of rum. But on the way he passes the same store with the coconuts, goes in and buys half the coconuts in the store plus half a coconut. When he gets home his wife has opened one of the coconuts and is ready to make a nice cocktail with the juice.
The man is so delighted that he goes out again and buys half the coconuts in the store plus half a coconut. Upon returning home he finds his wife has made them some delicious rum and coconut cocktails.
He drinks one which inspires him to go to the store again and buy half the coconuts in the store plus half a coconut. When he leaves the store that time there are no coconuts left. No one else bought any coconuts. They're all kiwi or papaya freaks or something. Who knows.
Back home he and his wife have a very pleasant evening drinking their rum and coconut cocktails.
"You poot thee rum in thee coconautt and than yoo dahnce cahleepso.
Questions: How many coconuts were there in the store when he went in the first time?
Goog lub.
DB
*******************
I spent 5 hours on the front porch reading. There were no visitors except some desperate geriatric mosquitos.
Part of my exhaustion and need to rest comes from a deep feeling of sadness and disgust with what's happening in my country. I can't remember a time when there was such overt bigotry and ignorance. I was in high school during the McCarthy era. Then it was supposedly the Russians who were going to take over America. Now it's the Muslims. The Russians never would and the Muslims never will. No one can take over America unless we give it away. The Russians are now our friends. And if we deny the Muslims their rights we might as well tear up the Constitution.
I am not at peace, not at rest. Ignorance will not win the battle, I know that. But the fact that it is so apparent and so loud hurts my heart.
DB
************************
************************
WEEKEND PUZZLE
Here we go.
A man is walking down the street and comes upon a store that sells coconuts. He goes in and buys half the coconuts in the store plus half a coconut. When he gets home his wife shakes her head and wonders what she's going to do with all those coconuts.
He gets an idea and goes out and buys a bottle of rum. But on the way he passes the same store with the coconuts, goes in and buys half the coconuts in the store plus half a coconut. When he gets home his wife has opened one of the coconuts and is ready to make a nice cocktail with the juice.
The man is so delighted that he goes out again and buys half the coconuts in the store plus half a coconut. Upon returning home he finds his wife has made them some delicious rum and coconut cocktails.
He drinks one which inspires him to go to the store again and buy half the coconuts in the store plus half a coconut. When he leaves the store that time there are no coconuts left. No one else bought any coconuts. They're all kiwi or papaya freaks or something. Who knows.
Back home he and his wife have a very pleasant evening drinking their rum and coconut cocktails.
"You poot thee rum in thee coconautt and than yoo dahnce cahleepso.
Questions: How many coconuts were there in the store when he went in the first time?
Goog lub.
DB
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