Saturday, November 29, 2008

CONSERVATISM

Conservatism, when I hear the word I recoil. Images of fundamentalism, ethnocentrism, and dogmatism come to mind as I hear the word proudly trumpeted. Conservatism obsesses over ethnic and group identity. Everything is always us vs. them. Conservatives will never forget every little transgression against members of the group they associate with by members of another group. Their ideology always judges their group at its best and everyone else at their worst. In America it conflates the responsibility for 9/11 to all include Muslims and in the Middles East it conflates the responsibility for the Nackba to include all westerners. In every case they will be unable to see such events outside of an ethnocentric context.

Conservatives are fundamentalists. They feel threatened by the modern world and withdraw to an intellectually prehistoric existence. They retreat from everything new and unknown into a willfully ignorant mindset. They deny climate change, they cling to a narrow, and selective, interpretation of religion, they stage boycotts of stores who do not use "merry Christmas" in advertising, they listen to commentators and read books that tell them what they want to hear, and they remain absolute in the beliefs they want to hold. They have had to start their own version of Wikipedia because the factually based version was too threatening to their belief system. While liberals reformulate their beliefs to conform to reality, conservatives reformulate reality to conform to their beliefs. They believe what is comfortable to believe and are uninterested in anything that doesn't reinforce their preexisting viewpoints. In short they are almost impossible to reason with.

They are dogmatic. Their political beliefs are defined by words and symbols rather than ideas. Christian conservatives idolize Jesus, yet live a life antithetical to everything he taught about helping the poor, loving your enemies, and making peace. They exalt principles, character, freedom, and liberty, but they have only a vague idea of what these vague words mean. They are so attached to these words that they are more likely to be persuaded by a dictionary than by a logical argument. When Joe the Plumber was asked about his views on taxes, for example, he got defensive, called the interviewer names, and was unable to articulate any argument for his position other than "look up principles in the dictionary and you'll know what I mean."

The brand of conservatism preached by talk radio, right wing bloggers, and some religious figures is a morally bankrupt, intellectually deficient, and factually deprived outlook based more on circumstantial factors than any carefully thought out ideological beliefs, yet it is a dangerous political force that has been a major source of strife and hindrance of progress across the globe.

CHRISTMAS

A mob of stampeding bargain hunters trampled a Wal-Mart employee to death in a rush to be the first to purchase discounted merchandise most of them didn't need. The materialism that grips America, particularly around the holidays, is disgusting in light of the poverty that grips much of the rest of the world. It is ironic that America celebrates a holiday ostensibly dedicated to a man who led a humble life dedicated to serving the poor by spending money on things no one needs. Whenever I see a hummer with a Jesus bumper sticker or hear of people detailing their "Christmas shopping" I recall one of my favorite Bible stories, the one of Jesus telling a rich man that he must give his wealth to the poor before he could become a follower.

Friday, November 28, 2008

MUMBAI ATTACKS

It looks as if the tragedy in Mumbai is finally coming to an end. The world does not yet know who the attackers were or what they wanted, but it is clear that no grievance, not even the most legitimate ones justify the murder of over one-hundred and fifty civilians. Whatever cause the attackers sought to advance in the eyes of the world they have inevitably harmed, this is always the case with terrorism. Hundreds of civilians are dead, hundreds more are wounded, and millions are living in terror. The anger of a few can bring anguish to all of humanity.

In confronting man made disasters this is an important lesson to remember. It is important not to let anguish harden into rage, the same passion that drove the perpetrators of this atrocity. The victims are in anguish, that is understandable, we anguish with them, but we cannot allow more hatred to grow from that anguish. Many are channeling their anger at what happened towards the Pakistani nation and the Islamic faith. There is no basis for these allegations, they would not be justified if every attacker were a Pakistani Muslim, but they start, or perhaps continue a dangerous cycle. Enough people have already died senselessly. The bereaved must respond with restraint and avoid retaliatory actions. That would only create more needles suffering and continue the cycle that produced this attack. As a great Indian once said "an eye for an eye makes the world blind".

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

ENOUGH!

In the time it takes you to load this page and read the first sentence someone, probably a child, will have starved to death. They likely didn't know that in other parts of the world people would remark "aren't we lucky, there are a lot of starving people out there" in between bites of turkey. How could they believe, in their impoverished state, that garbage disposals take priority over them in the distribution of the world's uneaten food. Perhaps they were too young to know that things were different elsewhere, that they were born into the third world, but they died for no other reason.


The West has progressed since the Irish Potato Famine, when nearly a million people died, some eating grass on the side of the road, while Ireland exported four times its domestic food needs. The number of daily deaths from hunger has declined by 10,000 in the last ten years, but the problem has not been adequately addressed. As the industrialized world surges forward with research on potential cures for cancer, bio-fuels, and high tech computers two billion forgotten people languish in chronic hunger. The world produces enough food to feed itself, but the pursuit of bio-fuels, the overconsumption of food in developed nations, and the tons of food that are thrown out every day have kept the hungry starving. 30,000 people will starve to death today, but tomorrow, if we work together that number can be reduced to zero.

Monday, November 24, 2008

BRING THEM HOME




Most American have never heard of the Chagos people. Even among intellectual and leftist circles their case is virtually unknown. I had not heard their story until I stumbled across while doing research for an unrelated school project. The Chagossian were brought to Diego Garcia, the largest island of the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, as slaves to work French Plantations in the 18th century. They developed into a distinct ethnic group with a unique language. Once freed from slavery the Chagossian worked as fishermen and coconut farmers in their tropical paradise. This way of life would continue until its tragic disruption in 1971.

In 1965 the archipelago was detached from the soon to be independent Mauritius to form the British Indian Ocean Territory. Under the Territory's Constitution the island's residents were not given citizenship and no provision was made for democratic government. Then in 1971 the British government agreed to host a U.S military insulation. The U.S was adamant that the Chagossian be expelled from their homeland. The British complied, deporting the entire population of the islands.

Today the Chagos people yearn to return home. Their great suffering is enough reason to support their return, but their plight is also a symbol. It represents to much of the world the desecration of nature by the lust of the powerful, it reinforces the perception of an evil American military empire, and it symbolizes the indifference of the powerful to the weak. Is this really how we want the rest of the world to view us?

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Kleiner Junge

I just heard this wonderful song for the first time and wanted to pass it along. My translation is at top and the original in German is underneath.

Small Boy
Udo Lindenberg

When he was a little boy

and he wouldn't want to eat

his mom said that many children where starving

He was shocked and ran to his piggy bank

With all of his money he asked his mother what they must do

But she answered that with his few pennies and the world's many wars she wasn't sure that he could do anything

The world has always been twisted

she said, so we must move on even if it makes us sad

but he thought that when he gre older he would be different

he cried all night

"what is with God"

and his mother answered

"He had the heavens to make and is far away"

"what about the Pope"

"He has a lot to think about, his birth control bans brings babies into the world that must immediately die"

"and what about the politicians"

"Many are total criminals, they lie , cheat, steal, and declare war.

They make people into murderers and babble their way to power"

The small boy would grow bigger

And his ego grew like a Palestinian refugee's ghetto

As big as a planet, but just as distant

He was different, he was big now, but his conscience had not shrunk

and if he became angry and screamed and wept in the office

They just laughed him out

insaneasylum, insaneasylum, insaneasylum

What is with God, with the Pope, the politicians, the terrorists?

What is with you?

Kleiner June
Udo Lindenberg
Als er ein kleiner Junge war

und mal nix essen wollte, sagte Ma

daß viele Kinder hungrig sind und sterben

er war so geschockt und dachte: so'n Wahnsinn

und rannte zu seinem Sparschwein hin

da war sein ganzer Reichtum drin

„Mutter, wir müssen was tun!"

„Mit deinen paar Groschen," sagte Ma

„kriegste diese Welt leider auch nicht klar

das ist hier nun mal so'n bekloppter Planet

wo die Menschheit schon immer total durchdreht

daran wirst du dich gewöhnen, damit muß man leben

auch wenn es manchmal traurig macht."

Doch er beschloß, wenn ich mal groß bin, werde ich das ändern

und heulte die ganze Nacht

„WAS IST MIT GOTT?" und Mutter sagt:

„Der hat den Himmel zugemacht, ist abgereist, ist ganz weit weg

und kümmert sich'n Dreck"

„UND WAS IST MIT DEM PAPST?" und Mutter sagt:

„Der hat schon viele auf dem Gewissen

durch sein Pillenverbot kommen Babies zur Welt

obwohl man weiß, daß sie gleich wieder sterben müssen"

„UND WAS IST MIT DEN POLITIKERN?"

„Viele von denen sind totale Verbrecher

sie lügen, betrügen und erklären den Krieg

machen Menschen zu Mördern und labern vom Sieg"



Kleine Jungs werden größer

und wenn's dann immer mehr um das Ego geht

ist ein palästinensisches Flüchtlingsghetto

bald so weit weg wie der fernste Planet

doch bei ihm war das anders - er wurde groß

doch sein Gewissen wurd' nicht kleiner

und wenn er mal ausflippte, schrie und weinte, im Büro, einfach so

lachten sie ihn aus

Psychiatrie - Irrenhaus Psychiatrie - Irrenhaus

Und was ist mit Gott? mit dem Papst, mit den Politikern, den Terroristen?

Und was ist mit dir?

THE TIME TO END SLAVERY IS NOW


Slavery is one of the oldest, most controversial, barbaric, and widespread human practices. America fought a war with itself to end slavery, William Wilberforce led a high profile campaign for abolition in the British Empire, and the institution is illegal in every country in the world. Yet slavery continues to thrive in every inhabited corner of the world. From the brothels of America to the fields of India 27 million humans toil in bondage.

It would be easy and comforting to pretend that this problem doesn't exist. There is no strategic reason to confront modern slavery, we have nothing to gain from fighting slavery, and some of us are even its indirect and unwitting beneficiaries. But so long as slavery and oppression persist anywhere freedom will be incomplete anywhere. For me, freedom means the ability to be myself. So long as that freedom comes by virtue of being a white, middle class American it will be incomplete. Slavery separates us from our fellow human beings and in so doing deprives us of a piece of our own humanity. In the words of an eleven year old Rachel Corrie "they are us and we could as easily be them". I've always wondered how people can joyfully remember their own national struggles for freedom while forgetting their millions of fellow humans who are not free.

Perhaps if they knew they would change. Perhaps if they knew that there are more people being held in slavery now than at any time in human history they would change. Perhaps if they knew that people are being bought and sold every day for as little as $35 they would change. Perhaps if they knew many cheap imports are produced in Asian sweatshops they would change. Perhaps if they knew the stories of families being torn apart they would change. Perhaps if they knew that a slave in Ghana could be rescued for the price of a new iPod they would change. Perhaps if they knew that an end is within sight if we join together they would change. Perhaps if we told them they would change.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

THE POLITICS OF STUPIDITY

My non-political friends are always surprised to hear it, but I can't stand election time. It is true, I am more involved, informed, and interested in what goes on in the political world than most other people, but my interest in politics is of an intellectual and humanistic nature. I am committed to understanding an issue before I make a decision and I am concerned before anything else with the humanitarian implications of that issue.

The politics of election time are the antithesis of the politics I am interested in. Election time is the fantasy of every bigot and pedant. It is a time when the affairs of government descend from partial to complete stupidity. It is a time when facts become irrelevant to convenient lies. It is a time when an understanding of complex issues is cast aside in favor of bumper sticker slogans and television ads. It is a time when compassion for fellow humans is a treasonous offense if they belong to a nation or religion on the wrong side of the U.S vs. Them divide. It is a time for the partisan fanatics to flock around their suddenly infallible candidate. It is a time for uninformed individuals to decide in a few days what the world's most compassionate and brilliant people struggle with for years. It is a time that I, along with most people I know, can't wait to be over.

Instead of focusing on actual issues politicians, pundits, and citizens are concerned about lapel pins, religion, teen pregnancies, war stories, and many other non-issues. Instead of trying to run a nation politicians are trying to run poll numbers. I don't have anything against having elections, with all its flaws this is still the most effective political system devised to date, I am begging everyone, though, to ignore the obfuscation in the media and think for yourself.