Thank you, Buddy, for the beauty of the sky, shore, and dimly revealed boats on the glimmering water. Thank you, Heather Cox Richardson, for your steady mind through the anguish here in the US; the survival of Ukraine as a democracy; the pain and terror in Israel, along with deaths (many of them children), bloodshed and humanitarian cris…
Thank you, Buddy, for the beauty of the sky, shore, and dimly revealed boats on the glimmering water. Thank you, Heather Cox Richardson, for your steady mind through the anguish here in the US; the survival of Ukraine as a democracy; the pain and terror in Israel, along with deaths (many of them children), bloodshed and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The demands for a keen mind and for moral clarity could hardly be more difficult.
My heart aches as the number of children killed in Gaza nears 2000. What a senseless waste of the next generation. In the newsclips, I watch as refugee children play pick-up games in the streets, trying to find some normalcy...
Humans need to dedicate serious resources to conflict resolution. Certainly terrorists must be tried and held accountable. But we should all be thinking of ways to foster community, to help advance kindness, compassion. Living in hatred is truly living in Hell. There is sincere joy in seeing others thrive -- not just "our" side! Respect and generosity can are wonderful values to teach; if we humans fail to do so, Nature might just step in to remind us...
Joeth, I share your heartache for those who are in harm's way, in the Middle East, where women are treated like beasts of burden, in the Gaza strip where people are huddled together like beasts of burden, in Ukraine where a megalomaniac is wreaking havoc and death on innocent people. We need to be careful here at home, too. With the world population continuing to explode while resources dwindle, the future looks bleak. I sense that my two daughters feel likewise: one was 38 before having a daughter and the one who is now 39 is childless, one with an MBA and the other a J.D.
I’m not sure what you mean about women being treated like beats of burden in the Middle East. My women friends and acquaintances from Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Syria are professors, doctors, writers, engineers, and journalists. One was an actor but died young of cancer.
True, there are exceptions, but look at what is going on in Iran right now as well as Afghanistan where females are being denied an education. In my mind, there is no question but that Muslim females are second- and third-class citizens. There are exceptions. I am speaking about the generality.
I didn’t mention Afghanistan, which isn’t in the Middle East, or Iran, because I’ve never been there and have no friends in or from that country. I wouldn’t want to live in either one, but from reports of friends who have been to Iran there is a real middle class there and women professionals and politicians. Afghanistan under the Taliban is a different and terrible story, but not in the Middle East.
Most women (and for that matter men) in the US and Europe aren’t professionals either. But big generalizations are often based on assumptions drawn from news stories and common sense rather than experience or research. (One thing I’ve learned over my longish life is not to trust “common sense”!)
You are are certainly right about population, Richard. Frankly, we have way too many people to provide them with a life of the basics, never mind, all the consumer goods, tech, etc. Food, clean water, shelter and freedom from constant warfare and violence. We have no children in part because we saw early on that there are too many people. I think about this often and it is only going to get worse with climate change and parts of the world convulsed in violence. This is one of the reasons we see so many people at our southern border and Europe sees their migrant problem. I confess that I don't see much chance for change.
Thank you. The UN warned us in the 1970’s. I am encouraging adoption of orphans in the hope that more young people who want children will opt for that so that we don’t have to count on war, disease, and starvation to reduce population.
Michele, I was a senior in high school when at noon time a classmate, Gwen McCracken, mentioned to me the concept of Zero Population Growth. It was a concern of mine then and it has only gotten worse. Along the way we destroyed the habitat of many of the other creatures that share this planet with us. It's as though we are a wildfire, out of control, destroying the landscape that is essential to life.
Excellent description. I confess I don't care if we die out, but it fries me that we will take so much other life. I am amazed on how fast we have accomplished much of this on this continent. The apple guy at the Saturday Market told us he had seen no bats and fewer swallows this year, both essential to insect control.
It is depressing, Michele. On a good note, I live in central Florida and at night here I do see bats harvesting the skies outside my home. I have a screened-in area where I can sit and watch their amazing skills at work.
On another dismal note, the question is whether Democratic institutions can survive what appears to be the inevitable clash of the Titans: religions, ethnicities, political systems, demography degradation and more.
Richard, I learned from a sociology professor when I was 18, first year in nursing school, about the out of control population growth. And it stuck with me. I was stunned and that was 1965 so no one was talking about climate change and refugees from affected nations and islands. I never had children but that was mostly raised by a narcissistic mother and
Didn’t want to continue that possibility. But what thst professor taught us stuck with me. And now that all our protections are AGAIN being controlled by men. The Supremes, courts, unknown people in courtrooms and Congress. I’ve done my part…
Maybe if there were journalistic standards, something far more erudite than the Fairness Doctrine ever was. We need to demand of our legislators the civilized use of our public airwaves, in particular. (Also, more rigorous University curriculum, (including History, higher math and Economics,) and training for all who that get their paychecks in the electronic media.)
Thank you, Buddy, for the beauty of the sky, shore, and dimly revealed boats on the glimmering water. Thank you, Heather Cox Richardson, for your steady mind through the anguish here in the US; the survival of Ukraine as a democracy; the pain and terror in Israel, along with deaths (many of them children), bloodshed and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The demands for a keen mind and for moral clarity could hardly be more difficult.
My heart aches as the number of children killed in Gaza nears 2000. What a senseless waste of the next generation. In the newsclips, I watch as refugee children play pick-up games in the streets, trying to find some normalcy...
Humans need to dedicate serious resources to conflict resolution. Certainly terrorists must be tried and held accountable. But we should all be thinking of ways to foster community, to help advance kindness, compassion. Living in hatred is truly living in Hell. There is sincere joy in seeing others thrive -- not just "our" side! Respect and generosity can are wonderful values to teach; if we humans fail to do so, Nature might just step in to remind us...
Joeth, I share your heartache for those who are in harm's way, in the Middle East, where women are treated like beasts of burden, in the Gaza strip where people are huddled together like beasts of burden, in Ukraine where a megalomaniac is wreaking havoc and death on innocent people. We need to be careful here at home, too. With the world population continuing to explode while resources dwindle, the future looks bleak. I sense that my two daughters feel likewise: one was 38 before having a daughter and the one who is now 39 is childless, one with an MBA and the other a J.D.
I’m not sure what you mean about women being treated like beats of burden in the Middle East. My women friends and acquaintances from Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Syria are professors, doctors, writers, engineers, and journalists. One was an actor but died young of cancer.
True, there are exceptions, but look at what is going on in Iran right now as well as Afghanistan where females are being denied an education. In my mind, there is no question but that Muslim females are second- and third-class citizens. There are exceptions. I am speaking about the generality.
I didn’t mention Afghanistan, which isn’t in the Middle East, or Iran, because I’ve never been there and have no friends in or from that country. I wouldn’t want to live in either one, but from reports of friends who have been to Iran there is a real middle class there and women professionals and politicians. Afghanistan under the Taliban is a different and terrible story, but not in the Middle East.
Most women (and for that matter men) in the US and Europe aren’t professionals either. But big generalizations are often based on assumptions drawn from news stories and common sense rather than experience or research. (One thing I’ve learned over my longish life is not to trust “common sense”!)
You are are certainly right about population, Richard. Frankly, we have way too many people to provide them with a life of the basics, never mind, all the consumer goods, tech, etc. Food, clean water, shelter and freedom from constant warfare and violence. We have no children in part because we saw early on that there are too many people. I think about this often and it is only going to get worse with climate change and parts of the world convulsed in violence. This is one of the reasons we see so many people at our southern border and Europe sees their migrant problem. I confess that I don't see much chance for change.
Thank you. The UN warned us in the 1970’s. I am encouraging adoption of orphans in the hope that more young people who want children will opt for that so that we don’t have to count on war, disease, and starvation to reduce population.
Michele, I was a senior in high school when at noon time a classmate, Gwen McCracken, mentioned to me the concept of Zero Population Growth. It was a concern of mine then and it has only gotten worse. Along the way we destroyed the habitat of many of the other creatures that share this planet with us. It's as though we are a wildfire, out of control, destroying the landscape that is essential to life.
Excellent description. I confess I don't care if we die out, but it fries me that we will take so much other life. I am amazed on how fast we have accomplished much of this on this continent. The apple guy at the Saturday Market told us he had seen no bats and fewer swallows this year, both essential to insect control.
It is depressing, Michele. On a good note, I live in central Florida and at night here I do see bats harvesting the skies outside my home. I have a screened-in area where I can sit and watch their amazing skills at work.
On another dismal note, the question is whether Democratic institutions can survive what appears to be the inevitable clash of the Titans: religions, ethnicities, political systems, demography degradation and more.
Richard, I learned from a sociology professor when I was 18, first year in nursing school, about the out of control population growth. And it stuck with me. I was stunned and that was 1965 so no one was talking about climate change and refugees from affected nations and islands. I never had children but that was mostly raised by a narcissistic mother and
Didn’t want to continue that possibility. But what thst professor taught us stuck with me. And now that all our protections are AGAIN being controlled by men. The Supremes, courts, unknown people in courtrooms and Congress. I’ve done my part…
Maybe if there were journalistic standards, something far more erudite than the Fairness Doctrine ever was. We need to demand of our legislators the civilized use of our public airwaves, in particular. (Also, more rigorous University curriculum, (including History, higher math and Economics,) and training for all who that get their paychecks in the electronic media.)
Alas, there will always be some of that hate and anger in our beautiful world.
Good vs Evil exists. It is up to those of us who can help to do so. And that can mean even the tiniest acts of kindness and respect.
Very well said Joeth.
Kindness is under rated.
I agree with your assessment, Fern. A keen mind and moral clarity, indeed.