In God we Trust....

One small step for believers, One giant leap for secular humanists!

Pearl Harbor

As I reflect on Pearl Harbor with deepest sadness,gratitude, and respect for our American veterans (including my much-loved grandfather), I can't help but compare the U.S. stand on international affairs during WWII to now.
The U.S. was a reluctant participant in WWII, forced to go on the defense after being bombed in Hawaii. One major objective of that war was to end the ceaseless tyranny of Nazi Europe and Japan.
Today's war path against Iraq and the "Axis of Evil" appears to be anti-terrorism on the surface, but with the addition of terms like "Evil" it stinks of a more sinister religious basis. The Iraq conflict is an offensive maneuver--the U.S. is seeking more religious and economic power. 9/11 was a tragedy of horrific proportions and has instilled fear and hatred in Americans, but how did the behavior of an extremist group come to represent the whole of Iraq aggression? While I don't agree with much of Arab customs and politics (I condemn and hate most), it makes me wonder if left alone, would these countries evolve to a higher humanist purpose over time? Discovering the poet and Arab nationalist,Nizar Qabbani, opened my eyes to the fact that their are activists for reason and equality in every race and country. Is it the "job" or right of the U.S. to impose its might and wrath on smaller/weaker people of different ideals? The Arab/U.S. conflict is in realty, a Judeo-Christian indignation at the audacity of others to differ in opinion, culture, and religion (whether you agree or disagree with the conflict--you have to admit it is a deep-seated "my religion and beliefs are better than yours" mission). So, am I Patriotic for seeking a humanist understanding or am I not a patriot for condemning Bush's crusade (in realty Bush is not his own man--he is owned and indebted to the church--as most politicians are owned by major parties)? What a day to bring up the ugly side of today's America or what a day to remember those who gave their lives to help end the suffering of Europe and protect the U.S. from threat in the 1940's?
In an ironic twist, I will share another Arabic poem by Nizar Qabbani
"A Lesson In Drawing"

My son places his paint box in front of me
and asks me to draw a bird for him.
Into the color gray I dip the brush
and draw a square with locks and bars.
Astonishment fills his eyes:
"… But this is a prison, Father,
Don't you know, how to draw a bird?"
And I tell him: "Son, forgive me.
I've forgotten the shapes of birds."

My son puts the drawing book in front of me
and asks me to draw a wheatstalk.
I hold the pen
and draw a gun.
My son mocks my ignorance,
demanding,
"Don't you know, Father, the difference between a
wheatstalk and a gun?"
I tell him, "Son,
once I used to know the shapes of wheatstalks
the shape of the loaf
the shape of the rose
But in this hardened time
the trees of the forest have joined
the militia men
and the rose wears dull fatigues
In this time of armed wheatstalks
armed birds
armed culture
and armed religion
you can't buy a loaf
without finding a gun inside
you can't pluck a rose in the field
without its raising its thorns in your face
you can't buy a book
that doesn't explode between your fingers."

My son sits at the edge of my bed
and asks me to recite a poem,
A tear falls from my eyes onto the pillow.
My son licks it up, astonished, saying:
"But this is a tear, father, not a poem!"
And I tell him:
"When you grow up, my son,
and read the diwan of Arabic poetry
you'll discover that the word and the tear are twins
and the Arabic poem
is no more than a tear wept by writing fingers."

My son lays down his pens, his crayon box in
front of me
and asks me to draw a homeland for him.
The brush trembles in my hands
and I sink, weeping.

Blue Thursday Poetry

Nizar Qabbani
1923-1998, written in 1980

Letter from a Stupid Woman (to a man)

Don't criticize me, Master
If my writing is poor
For I write and the sword is behind my door
And beyond the room is the sound of wind and howling dogs
My master!
'Antar al Abys is behind my door!
He will butcher me
If he saw my letter
He will cut my head off
If I spoke of my torture
He will cut my head off
If he saw the sheerness of my clothes
For your East, my dear Master,
Surrounds women with spears
And your East, my dear Master
elects the men to become Prophets,
and buries the women in the dust.

That Which we Call a Rose

Wherefore art thou Muhammad?

From the International Herald http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/04/europe/london.php: "The teddy bear ordeal began in September when Gibbons, who taught at one of the most exclusive private schools in Khartoum, started a project on animals and asked her class to suggest a name for a teddy bear. The class voted resoundingly for Muhammad.
Gibbons told her pupils to take the teddy bear home, photograph it and write a diary entry about it. Most of her students were Muslim and the children of wealthy Sudanese families.

The incident became an international cause célèbre, with Britons - both Muslim and non-Muslim - expressing outrage at Gibbons's arrest and thousands of protesters in Sudan calling for her to be put to death."

Silly Allah,imbuing kids and women with creativity and thoughtfulness! What was Allah doing during that part of his creation of "man"--smoking a doobie? If he was so all-seeing and powerful, wouldn't he eliminate the urge of kids to want to edify the Prophet Muhammad in a well-loved child's toy? It seems odd that he would want a woman put to death for the mistakes of the children of his followers (it would stand to reason though when one thinks in circles like religious zealots).
How about "towel-headed" bear? That is much more descriptive and it blissfully omits the cursed word "Muhammad" (is it a coincidence that Muhammad ends in "MAD"? I think not)!

How ironic that the American man who the Teddy bear is named after, President Teddy Roosevelt had this to say during his era: "The world would have halted had it not been for the Teutonic conquests in alien lands; but the victories of Moslem over Christian have always proved a curse in the end. Nothing but sheer evil has come from the victories of Turk and Tartar".

But as Americans can we say that we have separated church from state (education)? Let me share an anecdote with you: I was explaining evolution to some high school students one day. I was met with an extremely distraught and tearful young woman who lamented that her Christian belief had been affronted by the PBS show on evolution. The principle then coached me to tell the girl that "creationism" was a valid alternative to the theory of evolution? Years and years and volumes of scientific evidence is comparable to creationism? OK!?

There are places in the U.S. where Mormon churches are erected at the same time as schools and in conspicuous proximity to our learning institutions (I use the term loosely). Mormon students are allowed to take a "period" of their day to pursue the teachings of Latter Day Saints at the adjoining church. What about the thousands of other religions? Can you imagine how unproductive it would be if all the Christian, Muslim, Catholic, Buddhist, Pagan,Protestants,Hindus,Sikhs,Jews,agnostics, and atheists all built huge edifices in the name of their respective gods and commenced to get their learn on? Where would the education begin? Is it because the Mormon religion has a nice, white, shiny cover of mostly aryan race and polite manners? Help me jog my memory---hasn't something similar like this happened in the past with dire results?

Be afraid my friends (especially of the female persuasion--females are rarely on the winning end of such matters)! Be very afraid!

Dear Santa,

Have I been naughty or nice?




Earl Moran
(Publisher: Brown & Bigelow Inc.)

Of Apes and Shakespeare

Natural Lemon Flavored Water Beverage?

I was feeling quirky and apparently naive at lunch today. I saw the words "lemon and water" and thought that I had found a bottled water with a splash of lemon flavor. Instead I found a water with too many syllables and too many ingredients! When the word "water" doesn't show up until the end of the description, I should've known what was coming! Leave it up to Coca Cola and other big corporations to think of ingenious ways to bastardize something as natural and pure as good ol' H2O! I can just imagine the "creative team" sitting around an ominous table discussing ways to taint the American palate:

How about adding some "splenda"?
I bet 60mg of sodium will compliment the super-sodium-saturated diet of most Americans! What do you think "Bob"?
"Great idea--don't forget to add "potassium sorbate and benzoate,some magnesium sulfate and acesulfame! Mmmmm good!Just like the water Mom used to make!"

At least it tastes delicious now that they've added copious amounts of crap right? Nope--It tastes like Sprite after a half cup of ice has melted in the glass. Coca Cola company, make up your mind and stick to the tried and true: "Sprite" and "water" as separate entities do just fine!

I can join my dad in his detest of the big beverage companies! He used to only buy "Royal Crown" or "RC" cola because of the beverage monopolization wars of Pepsi and Coca Cola! However, As usual, I'm torn because even though I have a small-time business I aspire to be a big powerful corporation (or at least reap similar benefits and power). I hate how big corporations dominate the markets, but at the same time I have to admire the chutzpah to claw and scramble to the top of the American food chain!

Is Coca Cola so bad because it moves at matrix speed to come up with creative flavors,packaging,and always evolves to offer the public more and more options?! Since I tend to favor change and entrepeneurism (okay I made that word up, but maybe it needs to be made up for language to grow), I guess I have to concede to Coca Cola's dominance! Maybe they'll chock the "natural lemon flavored water beverage" experiment to the "failed" category and move on (quickly and mercifully)!