Still Fed Up

This has been a horrible week for me to try writing a decent blog. Maybe I'm not feeling very peaceful. At least not when I look at the headlines.

More than half of what I read or hear is about Iran--either for or against war, the failures in Iraq and Afghanistan, the persecution of the Palestinian people, or unethical behavior by our so-called leaders. There doesn't seem to be much to be happy or proud about, at least not on the national or international scene.

My son's school went on a field trip today. They went on a hayride, saw farm animals, ate apple cider doughtnuts, and generally had a great time. There. I just reported something peaceful.

Muhammad said there will come a time when the best people can do is to live in the mountains and take care of their families and their goats. I think that time is fast approaching.

A Classic Truth

I've been very busy these last few weeks and I think it's catching up with me. Right now I can barely keep my eyes open, so I'll keep this short.

Give peace a chance.

Still Hoping

Sometimes I look in the news for topics to discuss in this blog. Sometimes the news headlines are so aggravating or so depressing that I would just rather not even think about what's going on the in world.

Like the immunity granted to Blackwater. Or the decision by California's governor to allow cloned meat into the food supply. Or any time I read about another case of child abuse. A man in Lexington was recently arrested for abusing a 6 week old baby. Nine months to carry and wait for the child. Six weeks to lose him.

But I won't talk about these things tonight. I'm fed up.

I am still looking for peace, and finding it here and there. If there were no peace, and no promise of peace, I don't know how I could wake up tomorrow.

"Playing With Fire"

No, today's blog isn't about the wildfires in California. It's about something much more frightening.

The star of this show is the United States government--the White House, to be specific. Supporting roles are played by Iraq, Iran, and Turkey, and the Kurds, with cameo appearances by Russia and China, Syria, and Lebanon. The role played by Israel is debatable, depending upon your point of view.

Two wars don't seem to be enough for this administration. There is very serious talk about a third. They keep talking about Iran. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Syria was thrown into the mix. And of course there's Lebanon, where Hizbullah--a recognized political party--is determined to defend against Israel (again, this whole question is debated, often loudly).

While the White House disses Iran and imposes new sanctions, Turkey makes a move into northern Iraq against the Kurds--who did, after all, launch a raid into Turkey earlier this week. This unwelcome development is being blasted on all sides.

Ooh, I shouldn't use the word 'blast.' This is what scares me. All these players are poised and hungry for conflict. And then of course there's Pakistan, which is a powder keg within itself because of the U.S.-backed dictator, Pervez Musharraf.

When I teach about World War I, I emphasize, as do most social studies teachers, the danger of entangling alliances. The situation we have now is more one of entangling enmities, most countries out for their own good and the rest of the world be damned.

World War I began with a single bullet. I hope that moment stays relegated to history books. Meanwhile, I'm holding my breath and praying. Often.

Who's to Blame?

I've read discussions on the internet about who caused the fires in California. Apparently some are trying to insinuate that the fires were caused by terrorist attacks.

Interesting. If terrorists were involved, they certainly weren't practicing Muslims. The unnecessary destruction of property, including trees, is forbidden. Killing by fire is also forbidden in Islam.

There's the whole discussion about whether this is an act of God. I believe it was. I can't say the flames were sent down to punish anyone. That's not my call to make. What I can say is that nothing--including these fires--can happen unless God allows it. I have been in enough near-accidents--caused mostly by my own carelessness--to know that God can and does stop bad things from happening. Or sometimes He allows it. And I could engage in a debate about this to last a year, but it all comes down to faith. Even you got it, or you don't.

So why did the fires happen? The only reason I can say with certainty is that government officials, both local and national, ceased to take the threat seriously. The local government proclaimed the end of the fire season. The national government decreased funds for wildfire prevention.

Beyond that, I can't say. Does it really matter?

More of the Same

It rained all day today. That's the first time I've seen this much rain since arriving in Lexington back in June. Hopefully, we're approaching the end of the drought and Kentucky will be green again.

Meanwhile, more houses and businesses have burned in southern California and more residents have been forced to leave their homes. There's no end in sight until at least Thursday.

Fire and rain. Like east and west, they represent extremes. And life is still very, very interesting--which is not always a good thing.

Fire and Rain

I remember when the weather was simply a trivial way to conduct a conversation when there was nothing else to say. Nobody talked about the weather much when I was growing up, not unless they were bored.

Now the weather has pushed its way into our everyday lives. The seasons no longer follow a predictable cycle. Yesterday it was 80 degrees down here in Kentucky--warm even for the south in late October. We haven't needed to worry about turning on the heat yet, though that could change this week. Who knows?

We have finally had rain, after months of drought. It rained most of the day today and we hope for rain throughout the week. I also hope the rain reaches northern Georgia, where things seem to be especially rough.

My sister came to visit last week. She lives in southern California. They haven't had rain for a year. They have had fire. Now they have more. The last I heard, the fire was still "0%" under control.

These are trying times. I hate to think what winter can bring. Last year here in Kentucky there was no snow at all, I hear. But I was in Milwaukee, where temperatures plunged to 20 below. (That's not counting the wind chill.) I shudder to think of it.

These are very trying times.

Privacy?

The most interesting story I read today was about the arrest of a woman in Pennsylvania. Apparently, she was cursing at her overflowing toilet. While I probably wouldn't curse in that situation, I can certainly understand the sentiment.

That should be the end of the story. But her bathroom window was open. A neighbor, an off-duty police officer, heard her cursing and told her to stop. She didn't. He arrested her for 'disorderly conduct.'

The woman was not standing outside. She was in her bathroom. And don't tell me puritanical Americans are too innocent to hear the curse words she uttered near her window. The same words are on TV and in the movies.

The right to privacy isn't enumerated in the U.S. Constitution, but it has been implied and is applied to rulings on abortion. This woman didn't want to get rid of her unborn child, she only wanted to rid herself of frustration over the flooding toilet.

When will the U.S. go back to being a democracy?

Crusade

Palestine. Occupation. Checkpoints. Armed soldiers firing on rock-throwing teens.

Afghanistan. Occupation. Continued fighting. Increased opium. Civilians killed. Countryside destabilized. Endless war.

Iraq. Occupation. Continued fighting. Ruined infrastructure. Civilians killed. Nation destabilized. Civil war. No end in sight.

Iran. Nuclear power. Saber rattling.

Who's next? Syria? Pakistan? Sudan?

The Crusades began in 1066 with a speech by Pope Urban II. They have never ended.

Well. . .

It's been a long, busy day and I'm tired.

So. . .Eid Mubarak!

Appreciating Truth

A much-maligned former president spoke up today, affirming what most of us already know. Members of the United States government do sanction and carry out torture, in spite of the recent White House denials.

Jimmy Carter wasn't the most successful president, but I do think he has been the most successful former president. He has used his experience and wisdom to speak out against lies and injustice.

He is still maligned. Fortunately for the rest of us, that doesn't seem to stop him.

Another Small Kindness

It's such a simple thing, yet meaningful.

This morning we had a short rain shower. Soon after the rain began falling one of our neighbors came to the door and rang the bell. I was surprised when I opened the door and he told me that it was raining so I'd better close the car windows.

When I was young, this is how neighbors were. I haven't seen neighborly kindness like that in over thirty years.

Muslims believe in the importance of small deeds. I'm sure the man at my door this morning does too. And I am very grateful to have such nice neighbors.

A Senior Moment

I mentally wrote this blog at least three times over the weekend. Something would happen, like Bush's statement on torture or the shooting deaths in northern Wisconsin, and I would think about my Monday blog.

However, I had a long and busy day today and all of my wonderful thoughts have disappeared. So please accept my apologies. And next time I'm inspired, I promise to write something down somewhere.

Interesting

Over three thousand miners were trapped in a mine in South Africa yesterday. All were safely rescued. The U.S. has lost miners in several accidents over the past year--probably not more than 30 overall, but in many cases none could be saved.

I wonder why.

Scrooge Would Be Proud

"Let them die and decrease the surplus population," said Ebenezer Scrooge. That's the only rationale I can see for this morning's veto of a health care plan for children.

I could write volumes about today's veto, and I'm sure volumes are being written. But I find it hard to know what to say. The decision was so obvious to nearly every American citizen and a majority of Congress. That didn't stop our own Ebenezer from robbing American children of health care.

I am sick of living like this. I want a divorce. I'll accept impeachment.

He Was Right

Five years ago, Barack Obama spoke out against the war in Iraq. His voice was one of the minority. But, as it turns out, he was right.

Iraq is a quagmire. The Iraqi people are much worse off than they were before the arrival of U.S. troops. American casualties continue to rise (though at a slower pace, war supporters announced gleefully yesterday-- it doesn't matter if one soldier is killed, not if that one soldier is your son). Terrorism, whatever that is, has increased since the beginning of the war. Have I left anything out? Oh yeah. Depleted uranium poisoning. Cholera. Where's the good in this war?

Or any war, for that matter. Wars are fought by the young to satisfy the greed of the old. And in this case, the old did not fight when they were young. They had other obligations.

I won't promote a political candidate on this blog. But we could use a little vision in the White House.

Peace is Dangerous

I've come to a startling conclusion--an epiphany. They were right. The National Guardsmen who shot and killed four students at Kent State University. The Washington D.C. police who arrested hundreds during the anti-war march last month. All the unsung heroes who, largely unappreciated, performed their jobs diligently to save society from a tremendous evil.

Peace is dangerous.

It's sounds ludicrous, I know, but just think about it for a moment. What about all those anti-war demonstrations? Do you realize how much of a hazard to public safety they caused? All those demonstrators on buses, converging on a single city. Imagine the potential for road accidents. Think of the bus driving alongside a compact car on the highway. The poor family in the compact car doesn't have a chance. They could have been crushed.

And all those people left their homes for the weekend. What if their homes had caught fire, possibly burning down whole neighborhoods? They should have stayed home and taken care of their properties.

And I shudder to think about the large crowds in D.C. during the demonstrations. There could have been a stampede. Imagine, also, the wear and tear on the streets and sidewalks. Who is going to pay to repair those?

Even worse, imagine that the demonstrators succeeded. Think of the defense contractors. They're family men. What would happen to their children? Would they be denied health insurance because their fathers were unemployed? Would they go hungry? They may become violent, bringing guns to school and joining gangs. Has no one considered this?

And what of the soldiers? If they weren't in Iraq and Afghanistan, they would be here in the U.S. They would be driving cars, creating a greater likelihood of accidents. They may even be playing ball with their kids. Think of all the broken windows. Someone might get cut on the glass.

We must be thankful for wars. They feed the defense contractors' children, decrease the U.S. population, and keep our young people out of gangs.

Think of it. George Bush is a genius!