A Foot In Both Places
People just want to get along. People just want peace. People want to live free, feed their families, work hard, and love. I've come to the conclusion, therefore, that our nations' leaders are not people. They're some other species, that have taken over the debate and made this world a crazy place.I don't believe in a fully anarchistic society. Not at all. We need governmental bodies to build infrastructures, protect lands, habitats and species, provide health care and education, and at times, given human nature, protect us from each other. We need governments. But not lead by these bunch of non-people. They are killing all the good people.
My sister sent me a link the other day to a wonderful site created by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). It's called A Foot In Both Places.
A Foot in Both Places is an interactive educational toolkit, featuring stories, photographs, music, games and more.As I previously stated, events like 9-11 have made us afraid. And these non-human leaders I was talking about have nurtured that fear, exploited it, and turned it into hate. Oh yeah, I now harbor quite a bit of hate. But, not against the people that the non-people want me to hate. I now really, really hate the non-people for their manipulation of our press, our thinking and our lives. I do hope they get caught up in their own self-created blow-back, but it's not going to be automatic. It will take work by all people to make the non-people pay for their crimes against the people, against humanity itself.It is built around 25 interviews with Arab, South Asian, and Muslim community activists. It focuses on how communities have responded to the post–9/11 climate, and what types of alliances they have built to defend their civil rights and civil liberties. Also included is a comprehensive listing of resources and links for further study and action.
I suggest everyone view A Foot In Both Places. I highly recommend it. I also highly recommend perusing the rest of the AFSC website. Admittedly, I too was caught up in the hate think, as hard as I tried not to be so manipulated. But, it's hard. It's way more easy to place blame on others for things that aren't easily understood. And, therein lies the rub - understanding. Without it, we're lost. With it, we can live as human beings, in a world of peace. That is my hope.
posted by Dusty Dog at
5/07/2006
5 comment(s):
The Friends are truly great people. Last year a group of visiting journalists and social workers visited Israel. They spent a day with Azmi and me, interviewing us, seeing how we live, etc....
One in the grtoup was the editor of the Friends Bulletin in California. He put an ad in his bulletin about a Palestinian school in need of English books.. he gave our address for shipping... The books are still coming. They are really dedicated people and live what they believe.
By
Anonymous, at
10:12 AM
BTW... This latest change is super! Your links show up better and it's real easy to read...
I vote for this one...
By
Anonymous, at
10:29 AM
I'm glad you like “Foot In Both Places”. Perhaps an acknowledgement that it is Rachael's work would be nice. Hell, she is your sister not-in-law.
On another note: I like to think that we are good (hence "US") and they are bad ("THEM"). But I don't think it is ever that easy. I certainly agree that most of us just want to live in peace if given half a chance. And I certainly agree that the @#&^'s in power are doing everything they know to keep peace from happening. Although I can't imagine I would ever be that evil, I have seen over and over the incomprehensible evil that people do under various kinds of stress and fear. Everyday people who when they put on a uniform become war criminals, or people when they feel threatened turned to hate against whatever other will make it all make sense.
It's really important to recognize that ALL OF US have some of the best and some of the worst of humanity. That recognition makes the world a more confusing place and certainly a sadder place, but finding the US in THEM (and vice versa) also makes it a more beautiful, hopeful place. So as much as I want to see the arms and oil merchants as not human, I know they are.
One more thing….. From your sister the anarchist: I also believe in structure and governing bodies. But I believe the power has to come from the people being governed and not imposed by an elite.
Love Ya. The site looks great! Sue
By
Anonymous, at
12:43 PM
Sue, when I talk about people and non-people, I am speaking in metaphors. Of course, I know they are people. But, given power, and we know how power corrupts, I do believe that they have lost most of any semblance of humane-ness, and are hence, non-people. I'm sorry, but I find it really hard to accept the fact that there may be some of "them" in me. Call me stubborn and ignorant, but I refuse to align myself with any part of them, regardless of how minute (hopefully) it may be in me. It's how I survive.
BTW, Monks Cafe in a few weeks? June 10th, maybe?
By
Dusty Dog, at
12:53 PM
Isn't Monks Cafe the place Seinfrld hangs out in with his buddies?
By
Anonymous, at
1:02 PM
Post a comment
<< Home