Did you realize German U-boats sunk 25 US trade ships in the east-coast Atlantic-seaboard of the US at the same time the US was getting involved in the war? That's what they are talking about right now. Watching the film I have learned a lot I didn't know about WWII.
And the tremendous horror of it all strikes me! Ugh, my god, so much killing, so many lives lost, what a tragedy to the world. The death and bodies blown to pieces, the faces stopped forever or the walking corpses of the internment camps just stop my heart. So many, millions upon millions dead, all those souls violently taken! Watching is a reminder of the darkness of humanity. It is a reminder George Bush needs to heed: death and destruction, military action is the last, most desperate action any government must take.
I am also struck about the similarities between wars - are the "jap" internment camps much different than Gitmo Bay? Is the lens of fear which leads us to lock up everyone just in case anyone is the enemy any different than all the wars we have fought before? Why would anyone choose the course of war unless it was so absolutely necessary to save the world, not just ourselves?
I also heard two great (oh wait, they are talking about the Batan death march and a survivor just said, "If I would have know what lay ahead of us on the Batan death march, I would have taken death"...my god, how can people do these things to one another?)
As I was saying I heard two great stories on NPR driving home tonight. One was about how Bush vetoed the SCHIP program today. David Brooks, conservative columnist said Bush vetoed the legislation because wanted to limit spending - I mean can I call it just a lie? He said a bunch of other things that made me gag but that I can't remember right now. What GWB is doing to our country on so many fronts is tragic. Hopefully the house can find enough votes to override the veto. If not, hopefully it helps the Dems continue to kick the Republicans butts in both congressional and the presidential elections.
The other story was about how Vladimir Putin intends to continue taking as much power as he can in the Russian government. Now, I don't remember all the details of the story, but I remember wondering how having an adversarial, we won't work with anyone who doesn't agree with us government, as run by Bush and Cheney, motivates Putin to try and grab as much power as he can. Either, he is thinking "they can do it, so why shouldn't I" or he is trying to protect his country from the over reaches of the US gov't. I am not sure. Daniel Shore, NPR news analyst had a great story you can listen to at the link which opens this paragraph.
(Okay, WWII docu update - can you really believe the japanese americans were interned in OUR country! Sheesh, and we are surprised when Gitmo and Abu Graib happen...are we surprised? There is a beautiful Japanese-American woman in her 60's struggling through tears to tell of her family's jailing during WWII...she is talking about how her first days of college were right after Pearl Harbor and how she felt her race for the first time, felt people looking at her like she was something to be afraid of or hate...
There is something about the video contained in the PBS documentary. I am not sure where they got all the videos, but they are vivid and stark. There is video of deaths and fighting and horrific things. There is video and pictures from the war depicting the stories of the WWII veterans featured in the documentary. Powerful stuff.)
Anyway, back to my comments about NPR - what I am amazed by is all the huge things happening in the world right now - the Iraq War, Putin in Russia, tensions with Iran, the leftist movements of South America, the US electorate's possible rejection of right-wing Republicanism, China's industrial revolution, Arizona and other border states struggle with immigration policy, the internet, human connections all over the world, the Baby Boomer retirement and the generational differences between WWII vets, boomers, Gen Xrs and G nexters - there are big, rapid events and trends significantly changing the world, and we get to bear witness. It is kind of scary and kind of cool all wrapped up in one.
I hope our country's voters make good decisions in the 2008 elections. I hope we elect a visionary leader capable of moving us forward into new areas of human/world potential never imagined. Or, imagined but ignored - like world peace and world health and world equality. Who can do it? If no one has by 2020, Beth's cousin, KC, and I, will consider our candidacy.
So, check out NPR and check out PBS and support them both with your financial contributions. They continue to represent a powerful, well produced, independent source for world news. I learn a lot from both mediums and expect a lot of you all do to.
Alright, if you are interested, here is a briefing of other things in the life of yours truly, DRB:
- I came back from vacation and spent Saturday doing yard and house work, Sunday doing homework, Monday at work catching up, Tuesday morning at work I spent blogging in the and then continued playing catch-up on work things in the afternoon, and today back on track and productive.
- Until today I had really been slacking in working out and eating healthy. I went to spin class this morning and ate healthy all day today - I am back on track.
- I got the alignment on my Prius finally made right.
- Because of the first two bullets here I felt a little down and a little worn out. As such I felt a little on the sad and frustrated side of things. Two friends, Greg a long time friend, and Dale, a new friend, both Intuitive Feelers on Meyers Brigs and Feeling Types on the Enneagram, have started personal blogs through which we now communicate. I was introduced to Dale through Greg who met Dale online at a weight lifting/fitness website. Dale is a type 4 on the enneagram, like me, and he and I have had some great posts back and forth on the blog - it has been fun getting to know another type 4 male. Anyway, I shared my frustration with my working out, my eating and my procrastinating with each of them. The sharing, along with their responses, helped pull me from the little spiral I was in - a spiral much smaller and much more quickly escaped than spirals of the past.
- I found some great fresh produce at sprouts tonight and had a yummy salad for dinner with portabellos and fresh tomatoes. I got some other yummy snacks too. I am happy we have sprouts so close - they have fresh, but unfortunately not locally grown produce. But, it's yummy, healthy and fresh, so I don't have too many complaints. What I was amazed by, before I went to Sprouts I went to Target where they had absolutely nothing organic - it's ALL manufactured, step above Wal Mart consumerism (on a side note - I understood tonight a little bit more about subliminal marketing, something I would have never thought about until Ryan posted this on his Brog).
- I chatted with Stacey who works at Landis tonight when I dropped off my bike. She is very cool and we had a nice conversation. There could be a possible future friendship and connection there. I have been having lots of nice connections lately - it makes me happy.
- But, being a four I see things that are still missing that would make my life PERFECT - more of my regular blog visitors, and I know there are a few of you, posting comments on my blog and getting to know each other - and, more people coming over to our house - geez, IF only those things would happen, life would be PERFECT (and yes, despite the sarcasm, I wouldn't be saying these things if I didn'y want these things - it's an Enneagram Type 4 thing. Look it up.)
- I enjoyed the projects for school this week. In our foundations of nonprofit management class we had to complete a case analysis using only theories from the reading and facts from the case, not our opinion, to develop a thesis and theories about how the readings applied to the case. And, it all was turned in on six powerpoint slides. The format forced all us students to really focus our thoughts and arguments. It was one of the more rigorous and enjoyable assignments I have completed. We have two more cases coming and I am looking forward to them. In our HR/volunteer management class I had to present an interview I conducted with my friend Jessica. The interview had to be about how organizations use volunteers; Jessica is the chair-elect for the Phoenix area Komen Race for the cure. I interviewed her and presented on what I learned. It was fun learning about her experiences and fun presenting.
- Is that it? Almost - Beth is in CO for work and spent time with Omar. She loves him and is ready for us to have him. Omar knows us and asked about me. We have no idea what will happen but we think we would like to parent him if he needs us to. If you pray, say one for Omar that he gets what is best in life and maybe say one for us too =)
- Anyway, I thought Beth and I might plant a veggie garden this weekend...
- I got Beth an anniversary gift tonight at Target - something she won't expect but something she will enjoy! =)
- I am getting snoozy, it's getting late!
- Our fall plans include shows at the Tempe Arts Center and Scottsdale Center for the Contemporary Arts. I also want to go to the Desert Botanical Gardens fall plant sale...I am not sure why I am telling you this, I am just rambling now...
- Tomorrow morning I am going to breakfast with local Greg, not Greg who started a personal blog with me.
- I am going to try to find some new music on Itunes tomorrow night for spin class. If you have any music, new or old, you would like to share (as in let me have a copy of the songs), let me know.
- I think this is the last one, then I am crashing - it is beautiful in AZ right now - see Lisa's recent posting, she has it right on. I tried to take some pictures with my blackberry and might get them loading on before I go, maybe. Anyway, it is gorgeous out right now and all our plants are doing well...
PS - Oh yeah, I will post the link to our MI pictures sometime this weekend. Peace homies! And good night!
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