Re: Topic for discussion: getting along

From: Georgie Hinklemyer <samoolives_at_yahoo.com_at_hypermail.org>
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2004 05:46:14 -0000

Sounds good to me. And yet, there was the perfect counterpoint in
Saturday morning's LA Grimes Opinion section under the heading of Gd
as part of the Pledge. "It is a fantasy for The Times to think that
Christian people are going to throw their convictions overboard for
the sake of a little cheap unity." Signed - the Reverend whatever.

It's not just a blindness (blinders?) on one side. The madness is
everywhere. I was reading an old US News magazine which had an
article about how no one really debates any more. He was at dinner
with several friends, and openly stated an opinion about something or
other. Not too nice about colleges, in particular. One of the
guests, who happened to be high up in the education eschelon,
repeatedly called the author's statements "intellectually bankrupt"
and left the party. Didn't even bother to give an opposing opinion.
The author's conclusion: no one bothers to communicate any more. Just
state your opinion in a lovely soundbite and dare anyone to
contradict. If they do, insult and leave in a huff.
-G.H.


--- In OliveStarlightOrchestra_at_yahoogroups.com, "Georgie Hinklemyer"
<samoolives_at_y...> wrote:
> (Posted on her behalf, with permission.)
>
> After getting yet another canned blurb on "9/11 attack was caused by
> God being removed from our schools and civic affairs" I got to
> thinking and this is the result. I doubt this will go nearly as far
> around the world as the easy answers, but... at least it's something
> to consider.
>
> Thoughtful discussion of God, religion and philosophy are frequently
> dismissed as effete nitpicking and shunted aside because they rarely
> make good soundbytes. Use of 'God buzzwords' is common, and because
> they are meant to appeal to the unthinking, "faithful sheep" in all
of
> us I look on them with vast suspicion.
>
> Removing prayer from our officially sanctioned civic activities is
NOT
> the reason for the 9/11 attacks. Or rather, it is but not the way
many
> would have us think. The Trade Towers were attacked because they
> represent something complex - The United States is the most obvious
> and powerful example of a secular society which believes God and
Faith
> are in the believer's heart; they are not tools for the State to
> manipulate to keep the populace thinking 'properly'.
>
> Consider: The Towers were not a military target, not a religious or
> governmental seat. The Trade Towers represent commerce, wealth,
> trade, international civil relationships built on mutual benefit
> across ethnic and religious lines where all the participants
benefit.
> THAT is why they were attacked.
>
> The terrorists don't care a bit what religion we follow; they really
> don't care about what their followers believe either so long as they
> are isolated, terrified, angry, and poor and so desperately
> marginalized that they must take any scrap to survive. They attacked
> the Towers and they continue to attack such targets all around the
> world, no matter what ideology they claim to follow, because those
are
> their real enemies.
>
> Wherever people of different backgrounds gather and say "You talk
> funny and I don't like your food, music or religion. I don't want
my
> kid to date yours. But we have a common goal and we can work
together
> for that." is where the terrorists are most vulnerable. Because
when
> people realize their 'enemy' isn't they also stop being afraid and
> they start thinking about how to live instead of when to die and
kill.
>
> Think about how angry, afraid, desperate and bitter you would have
to
> feel to leave your family and friends, strap on a bomb and go into a
> shopping center to blow up some strangers. How much would have to
be
> taken from you? How many dead friends, relations, hopes and dreams?
> What rhetoric would be needed? What sort of circumstances? Those
are
> our enemies, and they're powerful.
>
> It's time to fight this. Our enemy is not the stranger, within or
> without, it's fear. It's knee-jerk reaction to the different. As
> social animals we all are hardwired to prefer our own 'pack' or
> culture, but that doesn't have to mean we want everyone else gone.
We
> have a common goal with everyone who wants peace and quiet, safety
and
> civility. We still may not like each other's food or music but
that's
> ok.
>
> Elena
Received on 2004-06-27 22:46:15