Sleep being especially elusive tonight and stream of consciousness in
command I realize that for me the exercise is the writing but
underlying is a sense of urgency that somebody is reading it too. A
combination of concerns have focused, quite randomly to crowd me.
Last night, browsing computer-wise, for data I discovered that a long
lost friend, Regi Brown had died five years ago. Randy may remember
him as the guy who got him a job the summer he stayed with me in D.C.
Regi a sharp young black man, West Point class of 1961, died of
pancreatic cancer at the age of 65. I was especially fond of Regi, and
his wife Emmy, a bright, energetic Chinese girl whose winning smile
was like sunshine. As always, I drifted from my friends years ago,
lost contact with Regi after he stayed with us in Key West in the
80’s. He then was a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and
International Studies, but later went on to some important government
posts. Now buried at West Point. Had he stayed Army he might have been
another Colin Powell. A star extinguished .
I remember one incident when Chuck Gladson and I were teaching him to sail and were showing him various points on our navigation chart of Annapolis when in his
take over, Army manner, he took the chart in hand and announced that in
the Army they taught him to first thing you do is orient the map.
Chuck and I rolled our eyes and announced (both being ex-Navy) that
in the navy a map is called a chart, that North is always at the top
and the orientation, such as it is, takes place in your viewing.Took it good naturally though.
My dog Pepper, presses for attention, large brown eyes pleading, who
can resist ?
Watching a lot of Frazier in rerun, I find I more and more identify
with the character that plays his retired cop father. Tonight for some
reason an innocuous episode moved me to tears. On the occasion of
his 65th birthday, the boys purchased his old police horse as a
surprise present, boarding it in a trendy stable with his own stall.
The old cop was overcome with emotion on seeing his old mount but
overcome by observing how old the horse looked reminding him of his
own aging and the significance of the 65th anniversary.
The coalescence of all of the aging symbols, Regi’s death, and
awareness of being in my 80th year (Chinese count) dug a little hard.
My Parkinson’s has produced involuntary grunting, which accompanies my stream of consciousness fantasy as if to ratify a point made in the passing imagery. Tonight, not quite able to sleep it pulled me out of bed to write. I have a little Miles
Davis jazz playing in the background, barely audible, but in competition with my tinnitus.
On reflection, the old horse in the stall, was suggestive of
retirement homes, those waiting rooms for death, just down the hall
from hospice, probably what rocked me. I recall a brief stay in one a
few years ago, brow beaten into admission under a threat of being
declared incompetent, bullied by staff barely out of their 20’s with
an agenda of their own. I recall earlier tonight jokingly asking
Becky not to put me in a home, she assured me this one was my only
home.
So anyway, tonight I wait until past midnight to see if my latest letter to
the editor made it into print, a bit of articulate sanity sandwiched
between the raves and homilies of our aging reactionary Republican
population. Even these small victories gives me a little boost, not yet
completely forgotten and irrelevant.
My intent is not self-pity but self awareness, but at 3 in the morning they may be indistinguishable .
Rejected the idea of attending my Baldwin High School 60th reunion
reinforced by Norm Raben’s observation that he doesn’t want to meet
with a bunch of old people and a review of an insipid questionnaire
sent out by the reunion committee. I guess I prefer my memories rosy
and not updated and supplanted by octogenarian realities. A dreamer
to the last. So having cleared the buildup and with thanks to my
readings of James Joyce, I will see if the late movie on TV will offer
some adequate diversion.
Yesterday watched the Senate battle over concealed weapons carry
permits. At the pistol range Saturday - my new laser sights proved out -
still a good shot. Keep my carry permit current. The local gun nuts (NRA) are convinced that the liberals are going to take their guns away now that Obama is President but my concern is the local gun nuts.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Interfaith Ecumenism or Apostate ?
Yesterdays news brought a saga of Rev. Ann Holmes Redding, who for the past 25 years has served as a priest in the Episcopal Church. Her Bishop, distressed over Redding’s announcement in 2007 that she was both a Christian and a Muslim informed her that she was defrocked, liaised, or removed from the priesthood due to her expanded theology with which Rev. Redding seemed totally comfortable. While she could reconcile her duties of giving communion, baptizing babies and presiding over the mass while kneeling on her prayer rug while facing Mecca 5 times a day, her boss , the Bishop, could not.
This got me thinking about the inclusionary and exclusionary aspects of various faiths. Putting aside my own irreverence for belief systems, which I regard as the only delusional behavior not considered aberrant enough to require medication, if not hospitalization. I began to examine the attitudes of various religious groups with respect to what some regard as tolerance and others apostasy.
With Islam, for a start, Sunnis regard Shia, and vice versa, as heretical apostates. No room for reconciliation dialogue there. Firm in their view that any deviation, however slight, puts one beyond the pale of tolerance is clear and unambiguous.
Other groups, which I view as outreach religions espouse a tolerance for all manner of variation in belief and practice, these would include Universalism, Bahai, some aspects of Judaism and Hinduism.
Most of the rest of the creeds fall some where between, not only separated by different tenants of doctrine, but also concepts expressed by such terms as sect or cult. Apparently a sect is a group considered a schism, still within the main body of thought but flirting with some marginally apostatic views. A cult on the other hand is a “johnny come lately” to the business of religion and is not to be taken too seriously. Scientology would appear to fit this latter category at the moment although its growth rate may warrant future reclassification. My own view was that the distinction between religion and cult was chiefly one of size. As a cult grew its status would likely charge to that of a religion. Mormonism is a good example of this metamorphosis. Although Mormons consider themselves Christian, most other Christians do not, relegating them to the status of cult or schism. Then too there is the “johnny come lately” quality to consider.
It would appear then that two distinct forces are at work in this area, one inclusionary, the shared beliefs (or fantasies) of a group, together with the degree or enthusiasm for rejecting other beliefs or points of view.
Further, since virtually all of religion and beliefs are based on non-provable concepts or imaginary events it seems unlikely that a “grand reconciliation” is possible and the intolerant will continue to exclude or even kill the apostate or tolerant as proof of the superiority of their position. Amen
This got me thinking about the inclusionary and exclusionary aspects of various faiths. Putting aside my own irreverence for belief systems, which I regard as the only delusional behavior not considered aberrant enough to require medication, if not hospitalization. I began to examine the attitudes of various religious groups with respect to what some regard as tolerance and others apostasy.
With Islam, for a start, Sunnis regard Shia, and vice versa, as heretical apostates. No room for reconciliation dialogue there. Firm in their view that any deviation, however slight, puts one beyond the pale of tolerance is clear and unambiguous.
Other groups, which I view as outreach religions espouse a tolerance for all manner of variation in belief and practice, these would include Universalism, Bahai, some aspects of Judaism and Hinduism.
Most of the rest of the creeds fall some where between, not only separated by different tenants of doctrine, but also concepts expressed by such terms as sect or cult. Apparently a sect is a group considered a schism, still within the main body of thought but flirting with some marginally apostatic views. A cult on the other hand is a “johnny come lately” to the business of religion and is not to be taken too seriously. Scientology would appear to fit this latter category at the moment although its growth rate may warrant future reclassification. My own view was that the distinction between religion and cult was chiefly one of size. As a cult grew its status would likely charge to that of a religion. Mormonism is a good example of this metamorphosis. Although Mormons consider themselves Christian, most other Christians do not, relegating them to the status of cult or schism. Then too there is the “johnny come lately” quality to consider.
It would appear then that two distinct forces are at work in this area, one inclusionary, the shared beliefs (or fantasies) of a group, together with the degree or enthusiasm for rejecting other beliefs or points of view.
Further, since virtually all of religion and beliefs are based on non-provable concepts or imaginary events it seems unlikely that a “grand reconciliation” is possible and the intolerant will continue to exclude or even kill the apostate or tolerant as proof of the superiority of their position. Amen
Monday, July 27, 2009
Health Care
Wearing the mask of free enterprise and flying the colors of “the private sector” health insurance companies, all 1400 of them, now rant and slander attempts to deprive them of their ill deserved billions and call “single pay” and public option programs socialism, the end of democracy as we know it, while they syphon dollars for profit and payroll out of a system that should be devoted to paying medical bills .
Corrupted by huge campaign contributions and promises of more to follow, congressmen flock to their banner blaming rising costs in health care on everything except their inflated insurance- profits, the insurance bandits bribe their way through the halls of Congress content that their bought and paid for legislators will frustrate all attempts to represent the people and pass a health care plan in the public interests.
An army of lobbyists in the employ of the insurance and drug industries swarm around Congress and the press, disseminating disinformation, a full court press of lies and distortion. “Harry and Louise” revisited, big money in action. By raising sham issues attention is diverted away from passing legislation in the public interest, business as usual is advanced and the richest nation in the world continues to have the most expensive and least efficient health care of any developed country.
Congressmen publish editorials and op-ed pieces, written by lobbyists , part of the price for campaign contributions. One thing should be now be abundantly clear; that if the billions of dollars which the insurance industry takes out of the health care system annually was devoted to the payment of health care providers, the total cost to patients would be greatly reduced.
Only when our elected representatives begin to look to the interests of the people rather than the lobbyists and those who fill their campaign coffers with an expectation of “pay back” will we have a system of care with the interests of the patient as paramount.
Currently, the plans being considered by Congress to use tax dollars to pay insurance premiums, are little more than more subsides for the insurance industry, thinly disguised as help for consumers. It’s past time to stop this charade and take insurance's out of health care.
Corrupted by huge campaign contributions and promises of more to follow, congressmen flock to their banner blaming rising costs in health care on everything except their inflated insurance- profits, the insurance bandits bribe their way through the halls of Congress content that their bought and paid for legislators will frustrate all attempts to represent the people and pass a health care plan in the public interests.
An army of lobbyists in the employ of the insurance and drug industries swarm around Congress and the press, disseminating disinformation, a full court press of lies and distortion. “Harry and Louise” revisited, big money in action. By raising sham issues attention is diverted away from passing legislation in the public interest, business as usual is advanced and the richest nation in the world continues to have the most expensive and least efficient health care of any developed country.
Congressmen publish editorials and op-ed pieces, written by lobbyists , part of the price for campaign contributions. One thing should be now be abundantly clear; that if the billions of dollars which the insurance industry takes out of the health care system annually was devoted to the payment of health care providers, the total cost to patients would be greatly reduced.
Only when our elected representatives begin to look to the interests of the people rather than the lobbyists and those who fill their campaign coffers with an expectation of “pay back” will we have a system of care with the interests of the patient as paramount.
Currently, the plans being considered by Congress to use tax dollars to pay insurance premiums, are little more than more subsides for the insurance industry, thinly disguised as help for consumers. It’s past time to stop this charade and take insurance's out of health care.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Connecting the Dots
Of late, a concept called “connecting the dots” has been presented a a method for proving facts. Borrowed from newspaper cartoons of the thirties which produced a picture by connecting a series of dots, connecting the dots has been used to demonstrate a connection between facts or occurrences which allegedly shows cause and effect by substituting this graphic demonstration for logical reasoned proof.
Unfortunately, facts or bits of data may be proximate in space or time yet have no causal connection between them. However seductive this graphic demonstration with dots may appear at first blush it proves absolutely nothing unless supported by logic and reason to demonstrate cause and effect. Used as an argument in courts it has led to unfortunate and unjust results in persuading the tryer of fact to adopt an incorrect conclusion.
Unfortunately, facts or bits of data may be proximate in space or time yet have no causal connection between them. However seductive this graphic demonstration with dots may appear at first blush it proves absolutely nothing unless supported by logic and reason to demonstrate cause and effect. Used as an argument in courts it has led to unfortunate and unjust results in persuading the tryer of fact to adopt an incorrect conclusion.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Stars and Bars
The “Sons of the Confederacy” still fly a large “Stars and Bars” flag
in central Florida, an ambiguous symbol in apparent celebration of an
attempt to destroy the nation whose generosity philosophy permits the display
of their symbol of rebellion. Smirking “professional southerners,”
third rate historians, speak of the “war of northern aggression” and
noble defense of the southern “way of life,” refusing to admit that
the southern plantation society and its cotton economy was bottomed on
slavery.
One hundred and forty four years after Appomattox and the unthinkable
bloodshed of that war in defense of a vile practice of subjugation,
the canard of the nobility of the conflict and the gentility of the
southern lifestyle still prevails in certain corners.
Summer brings re-enactors to old battlefields, a dumb show of marching and counter marching in celebration as if something wonderful had once occurred on
those grounds, ignoring the carnage that actually occurred. .
A conflict which nearly destroyed our nation has spawned a cottage industry for the Park Service and summertime tourist attractions; TV’s history channel, dissects with meticulous care, every recorded recollection and photograph made
available to it as if aiding in understanding this painful chapter in our history; every battle cataloged.
Perhaps it is time to turn this page of history, let go of the
distortions and preconceptions of what is now regarded as a glorious war and turn these battlefields back into farmland and retire the “stars and bars” together
with the attempts to gentrify and glorify an attempt to preserve a system which subjugated millions of people and killed hundreds of thousands of men.
Other battles less well remembered are more deserving of our current
attention as are the veterans of these engagements. Normandy, the Bulge, Inchon, Khe Sanh and Fallujah are now more revelent than Bull Run or Antietam, and hold more educational promise. Let the re-enactors spend their summers wading ashore at Normandy at dawn, or perhaps camping and maneuvering in the Ardennes Forrest in the dead of winter with marginal clothing and supplies. A stint in a jungle similar to those in Vietnam with the excessive heat and humidity would also add a taste of realism to military play acting, and perhaps, just perhaps subtract some of the glamor and absurdity from this re-enacting nonsense.
in central Florida, an ambiguous symbol in apparent celebration of an
attempt to destroy the nation whose generosity philosophy permits the display
of their symbol of rebellion. Smirking “professional southerners,”
third rate historians, speak of the “war of northern aggression” and
noble defense of the southern “way of life,” refusing to admit that
the southern plantation society and its cotton economy was bottomed on
slavery.
One hundred and forty four years after Appomattox and the unthinkable
bloodshed of that war in defense of a vile practice of subjugation,
the canard of the nobility of the conflict and the gentility of the
southern lifestyle still prevails in certain corners.
Summer brings re-enactors to old battlefields, a dumb show of marching and counter marching in celebration as if something wonderful had once occurred on
those grounds, ignoring the carnage that actually occurred. .
A conflict which nearly destroyed our nation has spawned a cottage industry for the Park Service and summertime tourist attractions; TV’s history channel, dissects with meticulous care, every recorded recollection and photograph made
available to it as if aiding in understanding this painful chapter in our history; every battle cataloged.
Perhaps it is time to turn this page of history, let go of the
distortions and preconceptions of what is now regarded as a glorious war and turn these battlefields back into farmland and retire the “stars and bars” together
with the attempts to gentrify and glorify an attempt to preserve a system which subjugated millions of people and killed hundreds of thousands of men.
Other battles less well remembered are more deserving of our current
attention as are the veterans of these engagements. Normandy, the Bulge, Inchon, Khe Sanh and Fallujah are now more revelent than Bull Run or Antietam, and hold more educational promise. Let the re-enactors spend their summers wading ashore at Normandy at dawn, or perhaps camping and maneuvering in the Ardennes Forrest in the dead of winter with marginal clothing and supplies. A stint in a jungle similar to those in Vietnam with the excessive heat and humidity would also add a taste of realism to military play acting, and perhaps, just perhaps subtract some of the glamor and absurdity from this re-enacting nonsense.
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