Iraq War Links

I took a little different approach in that I focused on the Kurds and Turkey as I knew less about them and their role in the conflict. My one link is to a news article and the other to an actual website. See ya in class.

Carter

I read the book, the whole long book and found that I actually enjoyed most of it. I had been somewhat ignorant to the role that countries such as Syria played in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the book was quite helpful in clarifying many things. There were a couple of parts that were a little fuzzy but I thought the overall point was clear and easy to see and understand. There is blame to lay on both sides of situation. It seems like humanity in general should be past the stage where we claim land with flags and walls and forget about the families that live in that land. I don't quite understand why, if Israel's actions are considered violations of international law, there is not a some sort of consequence or plan to stop them. Israel does not seem overly concerned about respecting the borders that were set in 1967, nor do they seem concerned that the wall is inflicting immense hardship on the Palestinians. There are some key issues that are preventing peace in and Israel or at least its leaders seem more content to suppress the enemy than to find a peaceful solution; as a result, the Palestinians are retaliating in violence, what a messy cycle. The whole situation makes me sad and slightly disgusted with people.

I was intrigued that Carter said history repeats itself. The last history prof that I had made a point of saying that History did not repeat itself and then gave a list of reasons as to why. Of course I can't remember why at the moment but that could be due to the fact that the class was at 8 in the morning.

See ya Monday.

Wild Thorns

I finished the book finally and I haven't fully decided what I think. I like the contrast between Adil and Usama. The difference in their opinions and ideals and how each thinks the other is going about fighting the occupation by the wrong means. Usama was a poet as a boy, he died a poet and inbetween he seems to have tried to convince himself he was another person, one without dreams and feelings. Adil was, I think, my favorite. He seemed at times to see past the propaganda of both the Jews and the Arabs. He was caught in the middle and trying to accomplish what he could and still maintain some understanding and dignity. And yet he drinks to forget his feelings of anger and injustice. I love the scene where he carries the Israeli child on his back with the weeping widow following him, all cultural taboos and barriers forgotten and broken. They are all just people grieving and struggling in a difficult time.
I wonder about some of the messages about the individual and the society and the negative implications of a capitalist society where everyone but those at the very top of the chain are being used and abused. Everyone out for their own interest and everyone being taken advantage of, not a very uplifting picture.
The idea of a picture of a rose, an ideal, perfection, being protected by thorns. I wonder this ideal of perfection, this freedom that they are all fighting or hoping for. Is it represented in some way by the character Adil, or is it an idea that is never fully disclosed, something that the reader must comprehend and understand from their own experience.

With that said, I hope everyone had a nice weekend. =)

Norma and the Snowman

I like this story in part because it has a happy ending but also because it shows the normalcy of the characters. I was very pleased to see that the bunny was not killed. I think it is significant that the rabbit is white and attains its freedom in the end. Perhaps it is an image of perfection. I also like Norma. She is not physically perfect but the idea of her and the idea of love gives off an idea of perfection and happiness. That even if something appears to be malformed it can still have the potential for perfection. Said who comes from the mountain, despite the sound of his military abilities seems to be more of a moral educator, a teacher or mentor of sorts and very mysterious.

I blogged on monday about some of the other stories form men in the sun. I was intrigued by the story about the horse as I have never heard a myth about a blood-stained horse before. In the defense of horses they do not attack people or behave aggressively without being provoked.

Men in the Sun

I am not sure if we are supposed to blog on this or not so what the hell. I read the book and was surprised to see how fast it went. The first story was the longest but I am not sure you could classify it as the most moving or depressing as the other stories in the book are no more cheerful. I was appalled at the thought of three men standing in a sweltering tank of some sort waiting and hoping for a chance, not even freedom, but a chance to work and help their families. Standing in this tank slowly dieing from heat stroke, suffocation, or whatever. Three men of different ages all hoping for the same thing and all pushed to the point of desperation that they silently die in a tank. The silence is striking also. As Abul Khaizuran remarks at the end "why didn't you knock on the sides of the tank? why?" The introduction to book actually comments on the silence but I still can't imagine standing in the sweltering heat and dieing without a hope of rescue. Had they knocked on the sides of the tank though, would there have been any other outcome than death. They would have been caught by the authorities so perhaps death in the tank was the better option. Perhaps there was more hope in the silence than in fighting for air. I don't know but the extreme risk that people are forced to take makes me slightly sickened by humanity in general.
The story about The Land of Sad Oranges leaves a strong impression also. The father of this family driven to such desperation that he contemplates suicide and leaves the gun that he will use to kill himself on his nightstand next to a shriveled orange which seems to be symbolic of his dead past life and all the death of all his hopes.
The final story the letter from Gaza reminded me a little of what we heard at the Mosque. The person in the letter, who moved to California is one who worried only about his day to day life and himself. The person who stays in Gaza realizes that he has a duty to his family and his people and stays despite it meaning giving up a more comfortable life. The poor little girl who sits in the hospital with an amputated leg is a reminder of the importance of self-sacrifice.
Overall the impression in all of the stories is one of desperation and grief. The pain inflicted upon these people does not seem to be justifiable. One would think there could have been a better solution to the problem.

Koran

I read the passages from the Koran and did not find anything too surprising. I like the story of Mary's birth under the palm tree. Something different with a similar, but not the same, idea behind it. Many of the characters in the Bible are also in the Koran. We say the idea reiterated that there is only one god and that people must worship only that god, and preferably in an Islamic not a Judaic or Christian. I always wonder what is it about western religions that makes people think they have found the one and only right answer to the questions of the universe. Given the billions of people on the earth, the mysterious surrounding how and why the world came to be and the amazing power that stands behind that creation, I find it arrogant of people to think that they have found the "right" and "only" way to explain that mystery. And furthermore you must believe in that way lest you suffer consequences. Humans are notorious for thinking that we are not perfect and often knowing that "we are only human" so why is it that some of us think that we have found any answer to the unexplainable and it is not an answer that is all that flexible.

Anyway I am excited to go to the mosque today. I think there are important questions that can be asked of the people there and I also believe that it is very important for people to explore the religions of other cultures if we are ever to understand and coexist with those people who are different from us.