A Woman in Labor

It happens every day. A pregnant woman feels the pains of labor. She asks her husband, or someone, to drive her to the hospital. The pains become worse. They hurry. Usually they arrive at the hospital in time and, a day or two later, bring home a new baby boy or girl.

But sometimes the routine is complicated. What if the pregnant woman lives in Baghdad? What if she has to pass through a U.S. military checkpoint on her way to the hospital? What if panicked soldiers fire into the car, killing the woman and her unborn child?

Whose country is it? Does Iraq belong to the American soldiers who stand guard in the streets? Or does it belong to the Iraqi people?

I assume soldiers receive training. I assume if someone had a gun and wanted to stop a car, he could do so without killing the passengers. Shoot out a tire. Don't shoot an expectant mother.

Every time an incident like this occurs, we should imagine if something similar happened to an American. Imagine this woman is your neighbor. Or your daughter. Or your Aunt Katherine. How would you feel if this happened to your wife or your mother?

How would you feel if a coalition of countries invaded the U.S. in order to overthrow our unjust leader and stationed troops in the streets? If they raided our houses in the middle of the night. If they set up roadblocks which made it difficult to do simple things like driving to the hospital.

How ever you would feel, that's how an Iraqi feels. We're are all human under the labels.

Giving birth is not without risks. But being shot should not be one of them.

You cannot excuse a crime

When I was a little girl and I got in trouble, I would start to explain what had happened. "I didn't mean to hit my sister. But I was reading and I had just gotten to the best part and she came up and startled me." Like that.

Every time, my father, who as a rule didn't say much, said "No excuses."

It's taken me a long time to internalize this lesson. To the point that if I'm late on a writing assignment I don't need to tell the editor about my family problems, car problems, health problems, and how I tried so hard to overcome the obstacles but simply could not do it. All I need to say is, "I'm sorry." Then move on.

So I've learned the lesson, and try to apply it. What about the American media?

When American Marines go balistic and massacre twenty-four Iraqis, the behavior is excused. "They 're under pressure."

When an Army truck sped through Kabul and crashed into several cars at an interseciton, killing several people, the speed at which the truck traveled was excused. They had to speed because of concerns about attacks. (Haven't they told us Kabul is under military control?"

I had more examples but I will have to excuse myself. I won't bother you with details about how heavy my eyelids have suddenly become and how inviting it seems to go to sleep.

But I won't make excuses. Good night.

"Idol" atry

This happened last week, so it's already old news. But it points to a larger problem.

A new winner was selected on American Idol. I never watch the show and I couldn't care less. The point is, the event was a major news item. I wish I could remember exactly when TV shows became news. Even though I don't watch the show, I was inundated with information about it. I found myself switching channels, trying to avoid learning more details.

The hot news right now isn't the recent "Idol"atry, but the birth of another celebrity baby. I know the child's name and that she was born in Namibia. I learned this while, again, trying to avoid these useless tidbits. But they are relentless.

Sports is news. Entertainment is news. Celebrities are news.

Rarely we here real news. It took three days for the networks to adequately cover the earthquake in Indonesia. Some of them glossed over the riots in Afghanistan. I had to read the initial allegations of a massacre in Iraq on the the internet because only one network covered it, and then very briefly. (Although the neglect was almost better than when I heard a Sunday political commentator allege that perhaps the Iraqi civilians deserved to be killed.)

Today Memorial Day is news. This always perplexes me too. Holidays come consistently every year. Why are they news? We anticipate them. Rituals never really change. What's new about that?

I miss Walter Cronkite.

Haditha: Why do "they" hate "us"?

Reports are now becoming public of the massacre of 24 Iraqi civilians. The incident happened last November and was perpetrated by Marines who were angry about the death of one of their comrades. They reportedly went house to house and killed whole families.

Five hundred Vietnamese were killed in My Lai when soldiers, stressed over loss of their comrades, raided a village and slaughtered indisciminately.

In 1890 US troops killed two hundred Native Americans, including women and children, who posed no threat at all.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Inalienable rights. For all.

Haditha did not produce as many deaths as Wounded Knee or My Lai, but it was still an act of senseless murder. While the network news programs work feverishly to convince us that American troops are helping Iraqis, the headlines keep proving otherwise.

Do they hate us for our freedoms? Or is there another reason?

Justice

Enron executives were found guilty. Amazing. There may be justice after all.

A horse is a horse is a horse, of course

I like animals. If my husband would allow it, we would have at least one or two cats in our house, and maybe a guinea pig or rabbit. Every creature is important.

But I am tired of hearing about the horse. He broke his leg. That's sad. But I don't need daily updates on his condtion.

How many Americans receive the level of health care this horse has received? Are people now less valuable than animals?

When a valuable race horse breaks his leg, it's major. But when Americans become homeless or die from lack of health care, it's daily life. Get used to it.

Let's get our priorities straight.

Of the people, by the people, for the people

Nice words. A good ideal for a democratic government.

Of the people. Not the corporations. Not the career politicians. Not the millionaires.

By the people. Not foreign powers. Not lobbyists. Not military leaders.

For the people. Not for the rich. Not for the powerful. Not for overseas interests.

They keep saying we need to spread democracy to other lands. Democracy. The people rule.
It sounds nice. Maybe we can try it some day.

I've had enough of black and white

Early this morning when I turned on my computer I read about a US airstrike killing about 80 Afghans, some of whom were civilians. Mistakes do happen.

A few hours later, the story had changed. No civilians. Just 80 dead. All Taliban. Those evil warriors who threaten the stability of the puppet-government in Kabul, but aren't actually strong enough to threaten anything else.

Even if they did admit to killing civilians, it's no big deal, is it? Collateral damage. As any oncologist knows, you have to kill a few good cells to root out the evil cancer. The important thing is to destroy.

I try hard to know what is going on beyond the mainstream headlines. I used to make it my daily occupation--I must confess I am now distracted by other matters. It's important, though, to investigate and question, rather than simply accepting the official story.

It is heresy to say that the Taliban did some good in Afghanistan, so I won't say that even though this is what my rudimentary research has indicated. Not to say everything they did was good, but only to counter the propaganda that they are entirely evil. It is indisputable that the opium trade was nearly obliterated while the Taliban were in charge.

Regardless, I always ask myself why my country must run the business of other countries. Sovereignty, I believe, is an inalienable right. Yet, though puppet dictators and standing armies, my country continues to dominate.

Eighty Afghans died today. Who they were is disputed. They were human beings, that's for certain. They had lives and families. They were neither good nor evil--few people are--but somewhere in between.

I am tired of a world always painted in black and white. I'm ready for some color.

What happened to all that talk about supporting the troops?

In every war, those who support military action always throw the same argument into the faces of the pacifists. "Support our troops." If we disagree with the war, that will hurt troop morale and endanger the lives of soldiers now fighting.

There are two interesting aspects of the "support our troops" faction. One is that many of them, including all the major decision makers in the White House, failed to fight when their time came. They found excuses or joined local national guard troops, doing whatever they could to prevent being sent overseas.

The other interesting thing about these people is that they don't seem to care about the troops very much after the war. This is why veterans' hospitals are notoriously substandard. And now things are about to get worse.

The Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission is in the process of enacting a plan to reduce the benefits of disabled veterans. This will place many below the poverty level.

Think about it. Someone went to fight in a war and suffered a physical disability. Is he treated like a hero? Or is he considered to be a burden upon society?

Under the current administration, the government has poured billions of dollars into the Iraq war--much of that money did not help either the soldiers or the Iraqi people, but lined the pockets of corporate executives who failed to follow through on their contracts. More now is proposed for a wall along the southern US border. Shades of Berlin. Congress recently extended the tax cuts for the wealthy. The trickle-down theory hasn't worked for twenty-five years, but we keep pouring money into it. And there is always money for a congressperson's pet project. Bridges leading to nowhere. Useless museums.

But education is suffering. Homelessness is increasing. And now the veterans will also be thrown out into the cold.

What kind of a nation fails to serve the people who have served?

Not quite forty days and forty nights

It has been raining for about two weeks now. We've been subject to the same kind of system which has soaked New England, damaging homes and wreaking havoc. I hope to see the sun tomorrow. It's been a while since we've had a sunny day.

Rain is a curious thing. It gives life and it carries death in its wake. Sometimes we pray for it. Sometimes we pray for it to stop. The right amount of rain causes plants and crops to grow and cleanses the earth. Too little, and we can die. Too much, and we can drown.

Rain illustrates the weakness of the human being. Tiny drops of water can completely overwhelm us. Gray skies bring sadness and lethargy. Lightning strikes have proven deadly.

We have had nearly two weeks of rain, not continuously but often enough. Imagine forty days and forty nights. How long would it be before we started building boats of our own?

We are strong. We dominate the earth, taming the land and annihilating whatever stands in our way.

We are weak. Raindrops, when they join together and fall relentlessly, can easily defeat us.

Wake up!

Will we continue in our humdrum lives, working to earn our paychecks and pay our bills, buying more, wanting more, eating, sleeping, arguing, complaining?

Or will we wake up and do something about it?

One can do little. Many can do much.

Just answer this question for me, please

Suddenly, illegal immigration has become a major topic. On the news. In the streets. Even in a specially-scheduled presidential address.

Have the demonstrations caused this? Or is there something else going on?

I know illegal immigration has been an issue for at least thirty years, and my guess would be it has been longer than that. If it has been going on for so long, then why now?

Education is in the dumps. Health care is severely lacking for a large percentage of the population. Fuel is increasingly expensive. American troops are being killed on a regular basis in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Russia and China are forming a formidable alliance, along with a number of smaller countries--including Iran. The dollar is falling worldwide. And so on and so forth.

So why is illegal immigration the issue du jour? What has caused this sense of panic over something which has been quietly debated for so long?

When I watch the TV news or read the papers or mainstream websites, I look for two things. What they report. And what they don't report.

While this brouhaha is being made over illegal immigration, what else is going on? What are we not being told this time?

The 9/11 Excuse

On September 11, 2001, the world was shocked when two planes crashed into the towers of the World Trade Center, another plane hit the Pentagon and a third exploded over a field in Pennsylvania. Three thousand are estimated to have died in the combined attacks. Nearly one-third of the dead were not Americans. The world came together in support of the United States.

It was a tragic day, and one we never hope to repeat. In the days and weeks to follow, Americans lived under a cloud of suspicion, anger and fear.

It has been nearly five years now, and the White House is still using the 9/11 attacks as rationalization for its assault on our personal freedoms. First the Patriot Act, passed and then renewed. Then the admission of listening in on overseas calls. Most recently, the disclosure of the collection of the phone records of thousands of American citizens.

Because of 9/11, we must sacrifice our freedoms. Shredding of the Constitution? Safety is more important. Because of 9/11, we must invade Afghanistan. Increase in the drug trade? Unfortunate consequence. Because of 9/11, we must launch an attack in Iraq. No weapons? At least the people of Iraq are free. (Free of their homes, their familes and often their lives.)

The building of a massive monument is underway on the former site of the World Trade Center. A tribute to those who died. Wouldn't a better tribute be the pursuit of peace?

How long will it be before Americans say enough? Restore our Constitution. Bring back our rights. Return our soldiers to their families. Return Iraq and Afghanistan to the people who live there, the ones who have the most to lose.

I won't hold my breath. It won't happen soon. After all, we must remember 9/11.

From a leader

A few days ago, President Mahmoud Ahmedinajib sent a long letter to the White House. I will type in some excerpts, from a translation provided by Le Monde, a French publication.

"September eleventh was a horrendous incident. The killing of innocents is deplorable and appalling in any part of the world. Our government immediately declared its disgust with the perpetrators and offered its condolences to the bereaved and expressed its sympathies."

"There are prisoners in Guantanamo Bay that have not been tried, have no legal representation, their families cannot see them and are obviously kept in a strange land outside their own country. There is no international monitoring of their conditions and fate. No one knows whether they are prisoners, POWs, accused or criminals."

"Why is it that any techonological and scientific achievement reached in the Middle East is translated into and portrayed as a threat to the Zionist regime? Is not scientific R & D one of the basic rights of nations?"

"The people of Africa are forebearing, creative and talented. They can play an important and vital role in providing for the needs of humanity and contribute to its material and spiritual progress. Poverty and hardship in large parts of Africa are preventing this from happening. Don't they have the right to ask why their enormous wealth--including minerals--is being looted, despite the fact that they need it more than others?

"Again, do such actions correspond to the teachings of Christ and the tenets of human rights?"

And in conclusion,

"Whether we like it or not, the world is gravitating towards faith in the Almighty and justice and the Will of God will prevail over all things."

Now, do these words sound like the rantings of an evil lunatic? Or should we quesiton the propaganda we receive daily courtesy of the nightly news?

The Intelligent General

The intelligent general, if there is one
will realize the folly in putting the military
in charge of a civilian post

Of course, the intelligent general will also
understand the mistake of placing troops
in modern Mesopotamia

And I'm sure the intelligent general will
admit the Afghans are not better off with
more opium, destruction and death

But the Decider has chosen a ranking general
to oversee the gathering of intelligence
to save us from terror unseen

Be very afraid.

For the Birds

We're being warned to prepare for the coming pandemic. Bird flu looms on the horizon.

Contingency plans have been announced. Mass quarantines. School closures. Stock up, they say.

Meanwhile, a real epidemic is occuring in several midwestern states. Mumps has reappeared, with new cases reported every day.

Bird flu is discussed in nearly every newscast. Be alert. Be prepared. Be afraid. A TV movie next Tuesday will promote a climate of fear.

The mumps epidemic registers barely a blip on the public screen.

I don't know what's going on. But I am always wary when the government and mainstream media make such a big deal over something.

What are they hiding? What is not being reported? What are they not telling us?

Give me your tired, your poor. . .

I have refrained from jumping into the immigration fray because I'm not sure where I stand. I still don't know, but it's time to take the leap.

My father's parents came to this country early in the twentieth century. When I was in ninth grade, I interviewed my grandfather about his journey. Before he left Greece, his mother gave him two pair of underwear, and the following instructions. Wear one on the journey. When you arrive, take that one off and throw it into the ocean. Put the clean one on. Mothers always have to consider the practical matters.

He arrived, not knowing a word of English. At Ellis Island he communicated that he wanted to go to St. Louis, where three of his brothers already lived. They placed a color-coded tag on his clothes. When the train reached St. Louis, the conductor told him to get off.

I could go on with his stories. Sleeping in a single room with twenty other men. Founding the first Greek Orthodox church. Running a restaurant with his brothers. My immigrant heritage has always meant a great deal to me.

But it's not Ellis Island anymore. Some immigrants sneak into the country. Others overstay their visas. Traffickers often import humans from other countries for slave labor.

My grandfather came here legally. But the process was so much easier then. Landing at Ellis Island. Undergoing a basic physical exam. Get on the train, and you're on your way.

Now there is paperwork. And waiting. Fees. Many must consult lawyers.

One of the strongest arguments I've heard in the last several days against illegal immigration is that the immigrants don't pay taxes. They fail to contribute to the society.

So why don't we make immigration easier again? This country is large enough, physically, to accomodate thousands more. The low-paying jobs exist. If the immigrants are legal, they will pay taxes just like any other exploited American.

Without immigrants, this land would be both better and worse. Better, because if we go all the way back then it would still belong to the Native Americans. Worse, because if we focus on more recent history we can see the many contributions made by immigrants and the children of immigrants to this land.

When I taught social studies, I often began by showing my students two maps. First the physical map. This, I told them, is how Allah created the earth. Mountains and plains. Rivers and lakes. Then the political map. This, I said, is what man has done to the earth. Dividing into up into parcels of land and claiming ownership over something which does not truly belong to us. We, too, are temporary.

I vote for looking at earth the way Allah created it. No borders. No barriers. Oneness.

Life and death in the richest country

Experts are expressing shock over a newly-released study showing that Americans, even those in the upper class, are less healthy than citizens of Britain. This, even though Britains spend less money on health care. What in the world could it be?

I would have to study the survey, but I have my own hypothesis. I believe Americans are sick because of what we eat. We call it food. Often it is something else altogether.

Walk into the neighborhood grocery store, pick up any item and read the label. Look for levels of sugar, fat and sodium. Check out the ingredients. Artificial preservatives. Food coloring. Chemicals with names too long to pronounce.

Real food can be found at health food stores. Generally at two or three times the cost. It never ceases to amaze me that food with chemicals and preservative is less expensive than real food.

What about produce? Have you tried to buy a watermelon with seeds. That is the way God made them. But now all supermarket watermelons are seedless. How? Through genetic engineering. Do you actually want to eat "Frankenfood"? When the U.S. tried to send genetically-engineered food products to African nations, they were rebuffed. It is better to be malnourished than to ingest fake food. Which is, actually, a different manner of malnutrition.

And meat. Animals are injected with growth hormones and fed with the remains of other slaughtered animals. Sounds yummy.

Americans are said to be obese, but we are far from healthy. Soft drinks. Fried foods. Chips of all flavors. Where are the nutrients?

If I could go back in time, I would have stopped eating fake food when I was young and healthy. Now I am sick because of the chemicals and preservatives I have ingested. I have learned my lesson, and I pray it is not too late.

Americans are not healthy. Heart disease. Diabetes. Cancer. All are on the rise.

We don't need specially-flavored high-powered athletic potions. When you're thirsty, drink water. We don't need chemically-enhanced sodium-ladened fodder. When you're hungry, eat organic.

Health in this country will continue to decline until we demand clean water and real food.

Nothing

I really can't think of anything new to say today. But I've decided to jump in anyway because, after all, having nothing to say doesn't stop most people these days.

From sportscasters to news anchors, filling air time with nothing is a common practice. Unless you count endless analysis and cute stories about cats in trees as something.

I won't write cute animal stories today or analyze the implications of Johnny Damon's return to Boston in a Yankees uniform. I don't want to waste your time.

Sometimes, there really is nothing to say.