Mother's Day Thoughts

On a more serious note, let's remember that women across the globe are victims of the male hierarchy, men who believe that equality given to women is a diminution of the equality of men, and besides, if given the vote, women will vote for people who'll "redistribute wealth" (horror of horror), and if given political power, will enact humane laws.

Sadly, some women buy into the male hierarchy, the male Oligarchy, failing to see what a hellish price they pay, never to be accepted as human beings, but only to be used as political pawns, trophy wives, and discarded when no longer "beautiful" or useful.

On this Mother's Day, it's vital that we see the larger picture, the depths of discrimination in nearly every culture, where women are only to be seen as mothers and wives, and never to be heard.

Such attitudes are a violation of every thing sacred. I pray that men will see how diminished and distorted they are when depriving women of their personhood, and how vital is the personhood of everyone to the welfare of the earth.

Mother's Day, a time to recognize women for all that they are - certainly many are wives and mothers, but that must never delimit or define their personhood.

A salute to all the women who are nurses and doctors, engineers and city planners, who work on the assembly lines and dig ditches, who wait on tables and teach at universities, who love and sorrow, laugh and cry, in all the transitions and vicissitudes of life ... who are wholly/holy human, reflecting the glory of God's infinite fullness.

Travels to Florida

Travels to Florida.
I was six or seven, maybe five or eight.
Maybe all, because we went most every winter.
For a couple o'weeks to Miami or St. Pete.

I remember leaving Sheboygan in the morning.
I said, "I have so my butterflies in my stomach, I could fly."
My parents laughed, and I always remember that.
My brother was in the back seat, too. No seatbelts of course.

I remember going south ... once, I got the flu.
And we holed up for a few days in a Georgia motel.
A kindly doctor came to look at me.
He gave me a shot. I remember that.

I remember seeing the first palm trees on our way south.
I remember seeing "Colored Only" signs.
By movie theaters and drinking fountains.
I think I remember because of the dissonance.

I remember the "colored gentlemen" on the sidewalk.
An elderly man, as I remember.
My mother and I were walking toward him.
And he stepped off into the gutter, to let us pass.

I remember that.
It causes me some pain today to remember.
It was odd at the time; now, I know how cruel it was.
I don't remember what I felt, but I remember.

It was odd.
I guess that's why I remember:
The gentleman.
Who stepped off the sidewalk so my mother and I could pass.

State of Israel Struggling for Racial Purity?

The State of Israel is struggling to find its identity for the 21st Century; what began with great idealism and dreams of democracy is slowly eroding under the impulse of the worst kinds of human instincts. The following two articles from the Los Angeles Times tell an ugly story of fear and racism.

The first article describes the plight of 60,000 African immigrants, many of whom arrived on foot from Ethiopia, through Egypt, to find safety in Israel's Democracy. Their mistreatment is obvious, and clearly an expression of racial hatred. The young hooligans terrorizing these immigrants is reminiscent of Kristalnacht, 1938, Germany.

The second article details the efforts of Israel's medical schools to curtail Arab enrollment.

20% of Israel's population is Arab. Exempt from compulsory military service (after all, who wants to train and equip Arabs - sounds like the British in South Africa who used Black soldiers from other countries but not from SA itself), Arab students are eligible for medical school a few years earlier than Jewish students. While the schools deny any such effort aimed at a specific group of people, it's hard to see this as anything else but a concerted effort to isolate and exclude a group of people.

Thanks to the LA Times for good reporting.