Flurry wha?

Drew just called me and told me to look outside. I stood in front of my patio doors looking at green grass and cloudy sky. I'm like yeah? And he's like are you looking outside? And I'm like.. yeah? lol And then he's like "It's snowing!" And I said um, no it's not over here. (He lives about 1.5 blocks away.) Then he's like are you sure? Then i repositioned my glasses and focused very intently... YES! I see about 3 snowflakes fallling! lol So funny. This is the first "snow" I've seen in North Carolina.

Nigerien mother... child famine

A Reuters picture of a mother and child at an emergency feeding center in Niger during the recent famine there won the coveted 2005 World Press Photo of the Year Award, organizers said on Friday. The picture, taken by Canadian photographer Finbarr O'Reilly in Tahoua, northwestern Niger, on August 1 2005 shows the emaciated fingers of a one-year old child pressed against the lips of his mother. (Finbarr O'Reilly/Reuters)

The story...

Cartoons

Was what I said about the Mohammed cartoons insensitive? Now that everyone is saying they're so reprehensible, I'm having second thoughts. I do think they crossed the line. But in principal, having Mohammed drawn... I am not opposed to that at all, even though it is against Islamic law. Caricaturing him as a terrorist, or a womanizer... obbbbviously that's mean-spirited, racist, and should not be printed. But anyway. Responding with violence is ridiculous. I'm sorry, but it is.

Constant Gardener

I just watched The Constant Gardener last night, and really enjoyed it. Not in the happy way (it's very sad), but in the compelling way.

When I think of Africa, a few feelings rush over me. One is just joy. Such contentment and family and joy and color cover the continent. It is such a beautiful and hopeful culture.

But the next is... not so much sadness, as just stress and tension and anxiety. You have the heat, the chaos, the poverty, the disease, the unemployment, the lack of access to basic things like clean water and medical care and education. There's also a high level of corruption and distrust. And it's unfamiliar to me, which makes it somewhat scary (like anything unfamiliar). When I think of Africa, my body literally tenses up, overwhelmed by great need and even greater confusion.

This movie is about the intersection of economic interest and the value of human life. More specifically it's about a woman who undercovered a gigantic pharmaceutical conspiracy that was killing Africans.

I was about to say it's a little empty because there's not much redemption in the movie... not much mention of God. But then I realize I have to ask myself, where was God in that movie? Where did I see Him/Her? (It's a Both/And not an Either/Or, by the way!)

I saw Him in the truth-seeking of the husband. He tried to understand her heart by seeking and searching along her path. Pursuing truth out of love for someone... that is God, right? Of God.

I saw Him in the innocence of the children, in the joy of simple gift-giving (in an early scene), in the longing for adventure, in the affection and committed love.

But it's a way complex world. You know, a lot of people who were involved in the act of evil in this movie, they were all directly responsible, but they all played just a little part into it. What corporate evil I am also furthering?

It was a compelling movie, I'll leave it at that. Can't believe Drew thought it was boring. Sheesh...
So, PS. I totally thought that was Kate Winslet in the movie the whole time. Ha! That girl looks so much like her, I think.

Yada yada yada

This article about sex and "yada yada yada!" is really interesting. Do you think this is really what Seinfeld was insinuating? Sheesh. If so, I really missed that.

Well, anyway, I have heard that the Hebrew "To know" implies "to love." Good old ASP! (That's the DC program I did in 2002. We learned lots of Hebrew words. Shalom, for instance. Hehe.) Anyway I appreciate the reminder that there is a kind of sex that is knowing and loving, and then there is a kind of sex that is meaningless and even sad and harmful. I'd just started forgetting that. Media.

La machina

Here is my beautiful piece of machinery. Hehe. I've only written two letters with it, though. DARN needing to do work and stuff!

Rwanda

I really, really, really want to go on this trip to Rwanda and meet my sponsored child. Ooooooooooh I want to go so bad. It is really expensive. But it would be so amazing. I guess I am going to have to make the decision by March based on how much work I can conjure up (BY THE GRACE OF GOD) by then.

Yehaw

I got a TV!! I love it. Well the TV part isn't working yet. (Apparently you have to get the antenna separately? Ghetto.) But I can watch DVDs and I feel like I have a new friend hanging out with me. Hehe! I am currently watching Elf (one of my personal favorites, as you know) while doing other stuff. I also just went to my favorite gym and my favorite grocery store (Fresh Market). It's a really happy day. I'm going to visit my neighbor at the hosptial, uhhh read my work-related book that I'm excited about, put together a coffee table I got from Ikea, make a salad, make some cookies to bring over to Amanda's, go to a mini super bowl partay there, and be very content with Sunday.

What wouldn't Jesus do?

Heehee.

Cartoon Hatin'

This international fury over cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad is very interesting.

I am sad that people can't take a joke, but it really goes to a deeper level than lacking a sense of religious humor.

From my understanding and research, Muhammed is not supposed to be depicted in images. Wikipedia says, "Islamic teachings forbid the depiction of Muhammad as a measure against idolatry (see aniconism); however, in the past there have been non-satirical depictions of Muhammad by Muslims. Although Jyllands-Posten maintains that the drawings were an exercise in free speech, many Muslims in Denmark and elsewhere view them as provocative, racist and Islamophobic." (From this article.)

Whether cartoons humorously depicting Muslim figures should be allowed is one thing. Whether they are overly racist and offensive (and therefore inappropriate) is another thing. What makes this issue difficult is that both are occurring and it is almost impossible to separate the two questions.

American culture says take the holy and sacrosanct, and mock it through satire until there's nothing left. That's what we do. It's the American way.

I guess I am pretty American in that regard. We live in a secular society. I would tolerate almost anything on the printed page as long as it doesn't incite violence against people. What is interesting is that violence has been incited in retaliation for these cartoons (so, the reverse is occurring).

Now again, with the disclaimer that my understanding is limited, it seems that the global majority of Muslims want the government of their nation-state to operate as an Islamic republic. Again quoting good old Wiki, it says, "Today, the creation of an Islamic Republic is the rallying cry for Islamists all over the world." (From this article.) That's where I disagree. You can live your life however you want, but demanding a government that enforces religious law in everyone's lives is wrong, in my perspective. It is nothing short of some degree of Taliban. So, on the question of whether a cartoon depicting Islamic figures should be allowed, I say yes, absolutely. Even if it is against Islamic law, it is not against American law, or Danish law, or French law... and for that matter, I don't think it should be against Iranian law or against Pakistani law. 99.999 percent of people can think it wrong, but the one person who communicates carefully but powerfully through that image should be allowed to. That person should not be forced out of the country. That's just my free-press-loving, idea-happy, nothing-is-too-holy-for-humor, minority-empowering perspective. So sue me. (That's American, too. Ha.)

THAT being said... there is no reason to draw a cartoon of Muhammed wearing a bomb in place of a turban. There is no reason to further the stereotype that all Muslims are violent. It is inappropriate. All things are permissable, but not all things are beneficial. It just ain't right in a multi-cultural society.

However, the violent response has been interesting. lol What a mess all of this is.

Hannity, Robertson, and [blech!!]

I'm sitting here watching Hannity and Colmes, and they just had Pat Robertson on as guest. The whole thing is so pathetic. The discussion is so uncivil and ridiculous. This goes, I'm sure, for most political commentary shows, but I guess I am just especially repulsed when it's Christ-lovers being so obnoxiously cocky, interrupting, and narrow-minded. What's most important? Is it being right? Is it being patriotic? The whole scenario reminds me of something I read in a Relevant article once...

Okay I was going to quote it but can't find it. The point was that when you're talking about an emotionally and morally charged issue with someone who disagrees, the central thing is not to be right or to convey that you have the moral perspective or even simply, A moral perspective. (No one cares if you are super moral! All kinds of people can have that going for them and trust me, it's not the best thing going... Not to say morality is overrated, it's just not faith, hope, or love which are at the top of the "most important" list.) Anyway, so, the central thing is to listen and to communicate with love. I know that sounds incredibly cliche, but in our culture, where tolerance is a virtue, you can be tolerant simply by carefully listening to other perspectives and communicating your own. Isn't that a conversation after all? By being snappy and super opinionated, you fail to convey the love that you are trying so hard to convey in words! That's not to say you can't have an opinion. You can think what you want to think, just get rid of the mean-spirited insistence.

Anyway, all Hannity does is pick weak liberals (Colmes), weak guests (unsuspecting losers), and WEAK POINTS to drive home with such arrogance and insistence that you just want to rack him. Seriously. lol I cannot believe this guy is getting paid to be an obnoxious political commentator. But I guess he's not the only one...

Worried for no reason

Okay, so, sorry for the long delay, but the cool purchase is a vintage TYPEWRITER!! From the 1950s or 60s or so. I really love it.

Anyway, I am in Washington, DC having some meetings with my former employer. It's interesting. I got so worried about these meetings. As in, worried sick. As in, waking up during the night (weird for me). As in, waking up at 6:29 when I had to get up at 6:30. I do that one minute early thing when worry has taken over my body and subconscious mind. It is so wild. But then, everything has gone wonderfully amazing. Well, I should clarify... things have gone so well because we really barely worked at all and we haven't focused on any of the things that need urgent attention. But, I got our organizational e-newsletter launched (huge yay!) and I am working on some strategic planning (yes, that sounds almost as pretentious as the word consultant!). So we haven't addressed the important issues, but at least there's positive energy! Yes! Okay! I have to go right now!