adventures

The problem is of course, that the longer I leave writing a post, the less sure I am where to start.

A funny kind of highlight at the end of June was getting in a fight with a Zen Buddhist practitioner. They had joined a group of Christians who hadn't had any past experience of interfaith dialogue for the week-end. A Muslim woman had also come to speak. Anyway, while she was speaking, the Buddhist man asked the kind of question that is less of a question than it is a soap box statement. The ironic bit, was that it wasn't really a religious dialogue question, it was more a secular atheist attack on this woman because she was Muslim, but hiding behind this thin veil of "I'm a peaceful Buddhist practitioner." I was so not impressed. It really got my adrenalin pumping.

I thought it was funny in an ironic way that I (with all my interfaith experience) was the one who got all angry and had trouble not exacerbating the conflict.

July has been amazing because I haven't gone anywhere! I haven't stayed in the city this long basically ever. That has on the one hand allowed me to engage more both in work and socially, but it's been balanced by a fantastically excessive number of visitors from back home, which means I'm still not totally just engaging in my present. Or rather, my present remains more complicated than it could be.

Last week was great because I was helping with a holiday club. It's like vacation Bible school, only there's little kids from lots of backgrounds. I got to play an artist in the daily drama, my painting was stolen. Such good times! Little kids are also fascinating and fun. They really care. They are really selfish. They are really unselfconscious. And they are all fantastic artists.

That said, I had more trouble with the 10 and 11 year olds. Their way of interacting reminded me of certain eras of merciless teasing in my life that made school miserable. But when I raised it with the other adults, they just shrugged and said, "that's how kids are." I found it a little painfully ironic that in a "peacemakers" holiday club we weren't even trying to teach kids alternative ways to joke together without tearing each other down. I think I need to learn more about children and teaching.

Certain bits of my networking feel like they are beginning to come together. I'm feeling out an opportunity to do some English tutoring in a Bengali community. Our hopes for a women's dialogue group are starting to solidify, hopefully to take real shape in the autumn.

Anyway, work life slows down here in August, which I think is just great. I'm looking forward to a quieter work month, as my visitors' comings and goings will keep me on my toes just fine.

Please do sign

http://www.avaaz.org/en/honour_the_afghan_code/b.php/?CLICKTRACK

happy news

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/07/27/teens_march_across_us_to_protest_war/

Here's a hopeful bit of news. Spread the word. It's a miracle it got any coverage at all.

http://brianx.com/brmtlvsbstn.html

Read it and be reminded of the truth. Uh huh.

In other happy news, my grandmother is doing much better. Thanks to one and all for concern and prayers.

There have been a number of adventures in the last month. I intend to share a couple soon.

cheers
dm

IRAQ REFLECTION: Midterm Report Cards

"CPTnet
25 July 2007

[Note: The following reflection appeared on the blog of CPT Director Emeritus Gene Stoltzfus. It has been edited for length and clarity. People wishing to see the original will find it at http://www.gstoltzfus.blogspot.com/.]

Earlier this month, the White House provided a midterm report on its strategy of surge in Iraq. The report card provides an "assessment of how the Iraqi Government is performing in eighteen specified benchmarks, rather than the effects being generated."

All of us remember with trepidation the distribution of the report cards.
Report cards are the expression of power and provide leverage for schools, certification bodies, parents, and sometimes even students. Of the eighteen benchmarks (see http://the18benchmarks.blogspot.com/2007/07/18-benchmarks.html)
listed in the Iraqi report card, eight are judged satisfactory, eight are judged unsatisfactory and two receive a mixed grade. When I went to school, a report card like this would not have been considered a moment for celebration.

In reflecting on the report card, Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice said, " I hope we can show America can protect its interests in Iraq." Some people continue to be confused about what those interests are. And in response to the suggestion that Al Qaeda now seems to be stronger than ever, President Bush replied, "They are weaker than they would have been," which of course is an unprovable observation that probably honestly reflects the thinking of a dwindling number of people in his administration.

Behind these observations is the reality that the US Congress and the President get to do the report card because they control the weapons of the biggest army on earth. This position of power does not require the substantial understanding, listening, and reflection skills we expect from teachers, and does not inspire the things that make for peace.

The Iraqi report card makes no mention that for centuries Iraq has found ways to "live and let live" among the various clans and religious tendencies. Fundamentalist religious movements barely touched Iraq until recently but have now generated styles of intolerant behavior that will require generations of struggle and negotiations to overcome.


Just below the surface of every report card, students, parents, and community regularly ask how the educational system works and if it is broken. Out of that conversation arises a call for an analysis on the real stuff of education. A similar analysis needs to be done for invading armies.

We need to develop different benchmarks and report cards for nations and civilizations. We need benchmarks that take into account every person's security, the security of the earth-- including its plants and animals, the security for that which is above the earth and under the earth, and the need for the unknown and knowable parts of divine power to become visible. Would that be too much? Can we settle for less?"

bad news

My grandmother had two strokes on Saturday. It's pretty bad. Please pray for us, especially my dad and his siblings.

And from the National Association of British Arabs...

"FROM NABA NEWS DESK: ON WEEKEND CAR BOMBS AND GLASGOW ATTACK

Dear Friend

Press Release by NABA on the Recent Terrorists Attacks - 3 July 2007

The National Association of British Arabs (NABA) strongly condemns the attack on Glasgow Airport and the car bombs found in London at the weekend.

Such attacks do not serve any process for peace. Neither do they reflect the wishes of Arabs who, the world over, seek only to live in peace and who, perhaps more than most, know the despair of losing innocent family and friends as victims to such vicious attacks.

The youth and professional status of those arrested today should demonstrate that we are now dealing with a generation that has grown up in a world dominated by injustice and a ongoing state of conflict and all that entails. This should give us cause for grave concern for those who have lost hope and the ability to ration and think clearly; who go beyond reasoning to kill themselves and other innocents as tit-for-tat measures. Revenge by killing innocent civilians is not a solution; it serves only to escalate conflict on all sides.

We welcome Gordon Brown’s acceptance that there must be an approach to ‘hearts and minds’ but this can only be achieved by Britain resuming its important role on the world stage as a mediator for good. We urge him to address the international issues behind terrorism.

We also urge him and the media to review the wisdom of previous government policy which has focused on faith to the determent of secular organisations. This focus has detracted and diverted potential gains that could have been made into persuading and empowering disillusioned youth to participate via the British democratic framework.

Dr Ismail Jalili
Chairman, National Association of British Arabs
(British Arabs cic)
(Past President of the British Arab Medical Association and the Iraqi Medical Association - UK)

3 July 2007"

by Rich Meyer

"CPTnet
2 July 2007
HEBRON REFLECTION: What's happening in Gaza?


North American media have again found one of their favorite stories in current upheaval in Gaza: Palestinians bent on killing, incapable of arranging their political lives without massacres. I do not claim to have the complete story, but I can interject some additional perspectives. For example, I saw Fatah and Hamas legislators in Hebron walk arm-in-arm down Ain Sara Street on a day last month when five of their colleagues in Gaza died in a gun-battle. Hebron is not Gaza. But what is behind the fighting in Gaza?

Last month in Gaza, Hamas fighters finally drove Fatah fighters out of police headquarters. Maybe North American reporters have forgotten that early in 2006, Palestinians held a free, fair, and democratic election in Gaza and the West Bank. The voters chose Hamas by an overwhelming majority.
The United States government objected to the choice and acted in a variety of ways to stop the incumbent party from handing over the institutions of government to the winning party. So, the Fatah legislators, bureaucrats and officials did not pack up. That's why they were still there in control of this police station more than a year later.

The U.S. convinced Fatah that losing the election did not mean they had to hand over power. We convinced them that maybe losing the election meant they should offer to share power, or form a "unity" government. Hamas agreed, for a time, to try some of these creative alternatives to actually implementing the election results--no doubt in part to avoid suffering the effect of embargoes and sanctions imposed by the US and Europe .

What happened last month was the election results of last year finally taking effect after a considerable U.S.-imposed delay. Tragically, twenty-five people were killed in this stage of the transfer of power. But when the US imposes an artificial governing regime (here as in Iraq) then the US needs to accept some of the blame for the resulting mayhem.

Why the differences between Gaza and Hebron? One difference is that Israeli troops continue to patrol and control Hebron. Palestinian politicians do not have many scraps to fight over. In the Hebron district Fatah didn't hold onto much -- they never had that much to begin with. . Fatah needs to do what any political party does after a drubbing at the polls--accept the judgment of the voters, regroup and reform, clean up their act and prepare for the next elections.

The interparty killings of the last months should be seen for what they are--another consequence of bungled U.S. policies. The U.S. decision to punish Palestinians for voting has claimed enough victims . As a next step, how about trying to see if Palestinians would respond better to offers of respect, hope and opportunity?"

Possibly vindictive?

"Israel jails Vanunu over foreign contacts

Mark Tran and agencies
Monday July 2, 2007
Guardian Unlimited <http://www.guardian.co.uk/>

Mordechai Vanunu in 2004. Photograph: Sean Smith


An Israeli court today sentenced Mordechai Vanunu, who served 18 years
for revealing nuclear secrets, to six months in prison for violating a
ban on speaking to foreigners.

Mr Vanunu completed his sentence in 2004, and his parole terms forbade
him from holding contacts with foreign nationals or giving interviews to
the press.

Israel limited his movements and personal contacts after his release
from jail on the grounds that he might reveal new details of his past
work at the Dimona nuclear reactor.

Today, he was found guilty of giving interviews to international media
outlets over the past three years.

"While returning a man to prison after he served 18 years there does not
bring joy to anyone, there was no other choice but to take this step to
make clear that the nation will defend its secrets and protect its
security," the prosecutor, Dan Eldad, said in a statement issued by the
justice ministry.

The statement read: "The order stemmed from the fact that the accused
had hoarded in his memory classified information that has not been
released, and the release of which could harm the security interests of
Israel."

Mr Vanunu has insisted he only wants to pursue a peaceful anti-nuclear
campaign. "All I want is to be free, to leave the country," he said.

He received his 18-year sentence after telling the Sunday Times about
his work as a technician at Dimona, with the disclosures tearing away
the veil of secrecy around an assumed Israeli nuclear arsenal."