Text – Page 115 – Citizen Reporter

Dilip in Mumbai

I meant to post this last night, so I’m just going to stick last nights date on here. As most of my attention has been focused on Lebanon over the past 3 days, I had originally meant to talk about what took place in Mumbai. But instead of telling you the obvious stuff, like how sad it was that so many people died… I would rather direct you to an article. But this isn’t the typical blogger lazy-link-to-an-article post, the article I recommend is from a blogger who has appeared on my podcast and you can find in my blogroll: “Death Ends Fun”.
Although it might sound a little odd, I have to say the descriptions put forth my Dilip regarding his first hand observations of the aftermath on those trains, as people struggled to help each other and to save whomever they could, it was oddly beautiful. I’m sure it wasn’t his intention and few people would ever call such an occasion beautiful, but the underlying spirit of his words really captured this very caring and determined energy of the people of Mumbai.

So I recommend you read the article, and I leave you with one good selection from it:

The lot of us, dripping water on the hospital’s
spotless floors, stride up to the blood bank. There’s
time to get their names: Binaifer the woman, Shoukat
the driver, Tabrez, Maaz, Anil and Nawaz. We have,
ladies and gentlemen, sound the trumpets, a Hindu, a
Christian, four Muslims, a Parsee and an agnostic
(me). All here to give blood for faceless fellow
humans. (Not my blood, after all, because I donated
just two months ago.) It really shouldn’t, but this
touches me somewhere deep, something fierce.

European Airlift for Beirut

Now they’ve gone too far. You can’t just go and bomb your neighbor’s airport. There’s no way this world is going to survive if this is how things are allowed to work. Sorry Israeli government, sorry that your military is involved in such a quagmire that a handful get taken prisoner by groups of which you also have prisoners. I realize it makes you look bad and you have to put on a show to ensure your voting public that you’re strong and powerful and have the biggest bombs in the region. I recognize how the bullshit works in Israel, but out of everything that has taken place in my lifetime, this is just too much.

If you for some reason didn’t know it, because perhaps your local media decided not to report it and to hide reality from you, early this morning the Israeli military bombed southern Lebanon, a neighboring sovereign nation, and proceeded to bomb the only international airport, and last I checked, there is a sea and air blockade on Lebanon. The Israeli government has decided to take this action, with the blessing of the United States and what seems like a silent nothing from Europe. Nevermind getting the opinion of the nations of that region, they never bother with that.

Of course this was in response to something, it is always in a response to something. In this case: the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah who are largely based in southern Lebanon. Of course the kidnapping is in response to lots of things as well, the incursions into Gaza, which are also a response to something.. etc etc.. same old chain of -he started it – he started it.

But this goes beyond the usual games. The shots and rockets flying accross the border, now we’re talking about unilaterally deciding to incompacitate your neighbor country because you decide it is necessary. We’re talking about Lebanon… a civilized beautiful country where millions of people live peacefully. The vacation playground for people from around the world, and Israel decides to bomb the airport?

This is too much. When I think of my friends in Beirut. My wonderful friends and friends of friends, the most loving and world conscious people you could meet. They are now cut off from travel. Those who make their living from tourism are also doomed… it is summer time, no doubt all the tourists are flying in and out all day. Bombing the airport is like cutting their lifeline.. their livelihood. This cannot be.

So now the question. Who can do what. What can be done to stop them. Not much it seems. But I have one far fetched suggestion:

If Europe truely cares about Lebanon, and preventing the outbreak of war in a country so near to its borders, then send EU peacekeepers. Send the soldiers and put them in the airport. Station them between what seems like two very unstable and dangerous groups: the Israeli Army and Hezbollah. It is not secret that a European or American life is worth more in the eyes of the international community, than that of Lebanese person. For this reason, Europe must take a risk, defy the reckless policies of the United States, and stand in the way of this war mongering. Let’s see them drop a single bomb on an airport or a neighborhood where its well known European soldiers are standing guard.

Update: I just noticed that Italy and France have both condemned the attacks. Tourists are fleeing the country as fast as possible. This a disaster… action is required, no more bullshit stern statements.

On the Road with D-Rock

Those of you who are frequent visiters of this here blog, and perhaps read the comments, know my bestest buddy D-Rock. A fixture in the comments and the content for the past 4 years, he has left his DC dayjob and is now riding his motorcycle all over the North America.

Today I thought I’d share a little of his recent email and a photo, without his permission:

I got back last night from a VA, NC, TN trip to see Great Smokey National Park, Cherokee National Forrest and sweet ass Deals Gap.

Some cool things that happened:

1) An old fella in overalls at a Waffle House in NC asked if that was my “fancy motor-cicle” in the parking lot. He said motorcicle as in icicle – that was awesome

2) It was 48 degrees at night when I camped in the NC mountains

3) I got nervous when I heard an indescript animal sound while camping, I asked someone about it later when they were walked by. He informed this city boy it was a cow and there’s farm nearby – FYI cows sound fucking fierce in the wild

4) Ashville NC is a crazy little hippy town – filled with high school drama kids, red neck bluegrass hippies and extreme outdoor sports people. You should check it out and eat at a place called the Mellow Mushroom

5) If you straiten your back and hold your head up when riding so you don’t see the mirrors or wind screen just the ground moving beneath you – it feels pretty close to flying

6) Thomas Jefferson’s house was much smaller than I expected – I liked that

7) I said: “yes/no Mam” at gas stations and resurants more in 4 days than I’ve ever said before in my life and I noticed nouns stayed singular even though they were plural i.e. 65 mile and hour, 8 foot of water etc. I kinda like it

8) Even though you’re by yourself you’re never alone

GI Jane Emailed from Afghanistan

I emailed GI Jane, who if you recall, is currently stationed somewhere at a base in Afghanistan. I had heard she mentioned me to Madame L in an email, something about an interview with an interpreter. When I heard this I immediately thought back to our last emails before she deployed, how she was anxious to get it over with and also that she be stationed somewhere relatively safer than out in the mountains in a tent somewhere.

My email was met with a very enthusiastic response, as only Jane can write. She seemed in good spirits if you don’t count the fact that she referred to daily life in Afghanistan as “prison-like”. She was also distressed about a close friend who is off on a very dangerous mission right now in what seems like a very unsafe part of the country. Seems like that applies to a growing amount of Afghanistan… unsafe.

She also told me that indeed she’d been telling an interpreter about me. He is an Afghani doctor that I guess translates for the Army, I found it completely flattering that of all the things she would be talking to him about, she was speaking of me and my podcast. The good doctor, evidently, could not believe that such interviews and such personal media outlets (me) exist. He seems eager to talk on my podcast!

Jane is the best. Not only was I excited to hear from her , but I was happy to hear she’s in a very mundane yet safe-sounding base. Hopefully she will come home soon and not be subjected anymore to that neverending, slow, mental-torture.

Now I must prepare questions that I want to ask the translator. Obviously he has things to say, but I will have my own queries for him on the subject of the present situation, the future outlook, and as an Afghani… how he would have liked to see the situation handled in terms of toppling the Taliban.

Let’s do this Radio Open Source style, if you’ve got questions you’d like me to ask, write them in the comments. Also, if you’re interested and willing, the skype out rates to Afghanistan are quite expensive and I no longer have a sponsor. There’s a tip jar to your left… send me a few dollars to fund the communication. (thanks!)

Football Kills Brain Cells

Ok I admit it.

I’m excited about tonight’s game. Who knows what will happen.

UPDATE: Well, there goes that. GOOO ITALY.

Plan Your Emergency Exit

I’m from New Jersey, and I realize that automatically gives me a penchant for sarcasm or exaggeration. But my message for you on this American holiday, which celebrates an alleged “indepedence” of some sort, is that I urge you to draw up a plan for leaving the country in the event that it becomes necessary.

I repeat. Plan what your exit would look like, if push ever came to shove. At your workplace, there is not doubt a little sketch somewhere of which exit to take in the event of a fire or other emergency, someone has laid out the plan for you, should that time ever come. And when a fire does happen, it is unlikely that you will sit at your desk until the flames spread over your body. NO! You would most certainly respond to signs or indicators, such as the smell of smoke or an alarm.

Now take it beyond your workplace, beyond the building you call your home, and look at the broader picture in terms of country. You’re probably often preached to about how you live in the greatest country on earth. A pleasant idea, surely, but there are a long list of reasons that tell another story… mostly a story about a country with plenty of bad aspects and good ones as well. And like any country, especially one where the government is very powerful, and a small percentage of people live at a super high standard while a much larger percentage teeter on the brink of poverty; the situation can become highly unstable, and above all, hazardous to you health or the future of your life or family. And like the possibility of an emergency occurring at home or at work, every American should now have a plan as to where – in terms of country – they would move to in order to escape the effects of such an emergency.

At this point, those in denial will stop reading. Those who are scared or blissfully ignorant will probably click over to some other site as well. Obviously the idea of moving your whole life, leaving the home you’ve probably had a hand in building, can be a very paralyzing and insane sounding idea. But you most find the strength to act; and the first, most basic act, is to make an exit plan.

Maybe you have friends in Canada. Perhaps the drive to Mexico isn’t a long one. A growing number of Americans are finding ways to get the passport of their heritage country, where their grandparents came from. Whatever your method, go over the steps in your head. Sources of money, how to meet the needs of you or your children. A contact you haven’t caught up with in a long time that would be able to help. Any and all of these are important.

Whatever your plan looks like, make no mistake that you need one. If you look back at history you’ll recognize the empires and you will realize the United States is the current empire. On the same hand, you may see familiar signs that led to the decline of past empires: military expansion and crusades to conquer foreign countries, lack of resources (fiscal control) when it comes to government spending, undermining of laws and legal decisions by the government or leader, etc. The list goes on, and a growing number of these factors can be identified as true for the present day United States.

So when you bar-b-q today and gather with family, blocking out all the bullshit and negative feelings that you can sense eminating from almost every statement or decision announced by the government at various levels. Forgetting for a brief moment about everything you notice on a day-to-day basis regarding the horrible state of the national health, education, and personal finances for a majority of the population. As you try not to think about the fact that even in the last week, elected officials have called for the free press to be arrested or shot, and to stop investigating and stop reporting on the actions of the government, because we are supposed to simply trust the government and fear an act called terrorism above anything else. When you have finished the watermelon and the veggieburgers, and succesfully blocked all this out today – start making that emergency exit plan.

Because if you take a deep breath, you might smell the thick smoke all around you.