A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forte

Last night, like I have for (nearly) every single night since November 1, 2009, I sat down and dumped out some brain matter in my little corner of the blogosphere. As I do most nights (if I remember), I crossed posted it to Facebook, and allowed Twitter to pick up the feed as well.

And then I went to bed.

This morning I woke up, took my kid to school at the crack of yesterday (oh zero-hour, how I love thee...NOT) and then went into work for a few hours. A few comments popped up on Facebook, which was fine and dandy and mid-morning I left to drive north to teach.

Teaching was wonderful. The kids are still fresh and excited. They were happy for music and happy to sing. They were excited about what we plan to do this semester, and we had a few more new faces. It was a great morning. I drove up north singing, and I drove back singing. I know it's early in the semester when everything is still good, but I was lifted up all the same, equally grateful for music, students, and my opportunity to be involved in the musical, creative, and educational process.

I settled back in at my desk and booted up several programs and windows in my usual anal-retentive precise order:  Email, new webby library catalog, old DOS-like library catalog and Firefox (blog, gmail, facebook, twitter).

Oh my. 

It seems that while I was off whistling a happy tune, there was QUITE the discussion about my post from yesterday.  Well, I was in such a good mood, I decided to let all the parties get it out of their system, and then I'd go back and deal with it later.  I'd let "later" be tomorrow, but it's already tomorrow, and I know if I don't tackle this now, I won't sleep.  So here goes.

I like to think that one of my strengths is to write from a fairly non-confrontational point of view.  That isn't to say that I don't have an opinion -- of course I do -- but for better or for worse, I have never particularly been a "my way or the highway" kind of person.  In fact, one of my baby blogs that dealt with political issues was called "Waffles of Compromise" because I felt as if I could usually see the positive aspects on either side of a debate.  You might think it's more waffle-ish and less compromise, and you might be right.  Or not.  (SEE?)

At any rate, I entirely stand behind what I wrote, but I feel compelled to reiterate a few points that I think have gotten lost in the shuffle.

Yes, I had (and still have) a problem with statements about cursed nations, pacts with the devil and the repression of "Napoleon the 3rd, or whatever."  I have to wonder, how long will it be before I am blamed along with the entire female population for some calamity or other because we're cursed because Eve talked to the serpent and ate the apple?  As troubling as those thoughts are, one of my big concerns is the timing of  these statements.  I had, indeed, heard that he and his organization had sent relief.  Wonderful.  As he should.  As we should. As everybody should.  But what would compel anyone to assist with one hand and rebuke with the other?  And as for the tired, "they took my comments out of context," all I can say is, I've heard that "bad editing" excuse from plenty of reality television type people.  Yes, there is such a thing as editing.  But they can only edit what you say.  And, to the best of my knowledge, although Mr. Robertson has issued statements on the "pact with the devil" statement, I have yet to hear a plausible explanation how on this earth a tragedy of this magnitude could be considered "a blessing in disguise."

The point of my post yesterday was to encourage everybody to action; to DO and DO and DO some more for those who are hurting.  This is not the time for sermons or speculations or suppositions.  There is so much to do, there is so much need out there, there is so much hurt that needs healing.  If Mr. Robertson has sent all the aid he claims and has organized support groups to go over there and take an active part in compassionate assistance, that's great.  But his terribly mistimed, unnecessary and ultimately hurtful statements have drowned out any good work he may have done and any good intentions he may have.  As one commentator stated online, "Oh Pat... you are like the weird uncle we wish nobody would listen to."

I have read two excellent and well-balanced articles on the Mr. Robertson in light of the Haiti tragedy that can be found HERE and HERE.  I think this says it the best:

"To suggest that Haiti's extreme poverty or epic tragedy is a result of God or the devil is not for you or me to say. It is our responsibility to communicate the character of a loving God who calls us to care for orphans and widows, to feed the hungry, to welcome the stranger, clothe the naked and look after the sick."

I'm OK with debate, and I'm perfectly fine with differences of opinion.  I am quite certain that we all have more things in common with each other than differences.  But now is the time for action.  Now is the time to DO.  Be the living spirit of the compassion.  Be the helping hands of love.  Save all the rest for another day.

I love you all.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forte

Last night, like I have for (nearly) every single night since November 1, 2009, I sat down and dumped out some brain matter in my little corner of the blogosphere. As I do most nights (if I remember), I crossed posted it to Facebook, and allowed Twitter to pick up the feed as well.

And then I went to bed.

This morning I woke up, took my kid to school at the crack of yesterday (oh zero-hour, how I love thee...NOT) and then went into work for a few hours. A few comments popped up on Facebook, which was fine and dandy and mid-morning I left to drive north to teach.

Teaching was wonderful. The kids are still fresh and excited. They were happy for music and happy to sing. They were excited about what we plan to do this semester, and we had a few more new faces. It was a great morning. I drove up north singing, and I drove back singing. I know it's early in the semester when everything is still good, but I was lifted up all the same, equally grateful for music, students, and my opportunity to be involved in the musical, creative, and educational process.

I settled back in at my desk and booted up several programs and windows in my usual anal-retentive precise order:  Email, new webby library catalog, old DOS-like library catalog and Firefox (blog, gmail, facebook, twitter).

Oh my. 

It seems that while I was off whistling a happy tune, there was QUITE the discussion about my post from yesterday.  Well, I was in such a good mood, I decided to let all the parties get it out of their system, and then I'd go back and deal with it later.  I'd let "later" be tomorrow, but it's already tomorrow, and I know if I don't tackle this now, I won't sleep.  So here goes.

I like to think that one of my strengths is to write from a fairly non-confrontational point of view.  That isn't to say that I don't have an opinion -- of course I do -- but for better or for worse, I have never particularly been a "my way or the highway" kind of person.  In fact, one of my baby blogs that dealt with political issues was called "Waffles of Compromise" because I felt as if I could usually see the positive aspects on either side of a debate.  You might think it's more waffle-ish and less compromise, and you might be right.  Or not.  (SEE?)

At any rate, I entirely stand behind what I wrote, but I feel compelled to reiterate a few points that I think have gotten lost in the shuffle.

Yes, I had (and still have) a problem with statements about cursed nations, pacts with the devil and the repression of "Napoleon the 3rd, or whatever."  I have to wonder, how long will it be before I am blamed along with the entire female population for some calamity or other because we're cursed because Eve talked to the serpent and ate the apple?  As troubling as those thoughts are, one of my big concerns is the timing of  these statements.  I had, indeed, heard that he and his organization had sent relief.  Wonderful.  As he should.  As we should. As everybody should.  But what would compel anyone to assist with one hand and rebuke with the other?  And as for the tired, "they took my comments out of context," all I can say is, I've heard that "bad editing" excuse from plenty of reality television type people.  Yes, there is such a thing as editing.  But they can only edit what you say.  And, to the best of my knowledge, although Mr. Robertson has issued statements on the "pact with the devil" statement, I have yet to hear a plausible explanation how on this earth a tragedy of this magnitude could be considered "a blessing in disguise."

The point of my post yesterday was to encourage everybody to action; to DO and DO and DO some more for those who are hurting.  This is not the time for sermons or speculations or suppositions.  There is so much to do, there is so much need out there, there is so much hurt that needs healing.  If Mr. Robertson has sent all the aid he claims and has organized support groups to go over there and take an active part in compassionate assistance, that's great.  But his terribly mistimed, unnecessary and ultimately hurtful statements have drowned out any good work he may have done and any good intentions he may have.  As one commentator stated online, "Oh Pat... you are like the weird uncle we wish nobody would listen to."

I have read two excellent and well-balanced articles on the Mr. Robertson in light of the Haiti tragedy that can be found HERE and HERE.  I think this says it the best:

"To suggest that Haiti's extreme poverty or epic tragedy is a result of God or the devil is not for you or me to say. It is our responsibility to communicate the character of a loving God who calls us to care for orphans and widows, to feed the hungry, to welcome the stranger, clothe the naked and look after the sick."

I'm OK with debate, and I'm perfectly fine with differences of opinion.  I am quite certain that we all have more things in common with each other than differences.  But now is the time for action.  Now is the time to DO.  Be the living spirit of the compassion.  Be the helping hands of love.  Save all the rest for another day.

I love you all.

The Greater Tragedy

I subscribe to a couple of email news alert sites: CNN, NPR and the New York Times. I'm sure they pretty much overlap each other, but that's alright. At least I'm sure to receive the latest news when extraordinary circumstances warrant it.

The downside to being "in the know" is, frankly, being "in the know." While I'm grateful for the notification, I will admit that every time I see one in my in-box, the very first thing that runs through my head is, "now what?" I've learned that news-bulletin newsworthiness is in the eye of the beholder. Topics range from political stuff on both the international and domestic stage (which frankly are of varying degrees of importance), to national news alerts (which are mostly important) to major sports scores (world series winners, etc.) to miscellanea (generally not terribly important when you get right down to it). Last week was definitely hot in number of emails received focusing on the less than important (Simon Cowell leaving American Idol!), but with each and every email I muttered, "Lord, now what?" read the email and then deleted it, usually without a second thought.

 

Today I got back from lunch and a CNN news alert was waiting for me in my inbox.  After the obligatory mutterings, I opened it up and read that the estimate of lives lost in Haiti was "hundreds of thousands."  For a minute I thought I read that wrong.  HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS.  Not just thousands.  Hundreds of Thousands.  My stomach dropped, my heart broke and I just shook my head.  I couldn't believe it.

It's interesting what people choose to do and say in any given situation, but especially, I think, when trouble or tragedy strike.  I hesitate to call it a "parent thing" or a "woman thing" but to me -- as both a parent and a woman -- my very first inclination is to find out what I can do to help.  The discussion can come later.  The same holds true for any finger-pointing, deconstruction of events, or the ridiculously pious, generally unnecessary, yet often mandatory recitation of lessons learned.  No, I say!  DO first.  DO and DO and DO and DO some more.  TALK about it later.  Much later.

 

 

Today, on the heels of HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS, and in the midst of my gut reaction to wonder what I could DO for people who were hurting and desperate for help,  and reading the many Facebook and Twitter messages about organizations and opportunities to assist came a lone voice.  And this lone voice decided that in the midst of tragedy centered in the heart of a city destroyed, in a country filled with mothers and fathers and children -- all fellow inhabitants of this wonderful, fragile planet earth -- that what they needed was a good religious spanking.  And the horrible feeling in my stomach grew as I wondered what kind of person chooses a rambling, nonsensical half-baked story about the French occupation, Napoleon and compacts with the Devil as a way to chastise an entire country who has lost HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of people, and whose needs at present are focused on food, water, medical assistance, care and compassion. What kind of person blames first? In the face of any natural disaster, what kind of person blames at all?

If you told me it was a religious man, I'd like tell you that I couldn't believe it.
But the overwhelmingly sad and horrible part is, I can believe it,
which makes it all the worse.

The Greater Tragedy

I subscribe to a couple of email news alert sites: CNN, NPR and the New York Times. I'm sure they pretty much overlap each other, but that's alright. At least I'm sure to receive the latest news when extraordinary circumstances warrant it.

The downside to being "in the know" is, frankly, being "in the know." While I'm grateful for the notification, I will admit that every time I see one in my in-box, the very first thing that runs through my head is, "now what?" I've learned that news-bulletin newsworthiness is in the eye of the beholder. Topics range from political stuff on both the international and domestic stage (which frankly are of varying degrees of importance), to national news alerts (which are mostly important) to major sports scores (world series winners, etc.) to miscellanea (generally not terribly important when you get right down to it). Last week was definitely hot in number of emails received focusing on the less than important (Simon Cowell leaving American Idol!), but with each and every email I muttered, "Lord, now what?" read the email and then deleted it, usually without a second thought.

 

Today I got back from lunch and a CNN news alert was waiting for me in my inbox.  After the obligatory mutterings, I opened it up and read that the estimate of lives lost in Haiti was "hundreds of thousands."  For a minute I thought I read that wrong.  HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS.  Not just thousands.  Hundreds of Thousands.  My stomach dropped, my heart broke and I just shook my head.  I couldn't believe it.

It's interesting what people choose to do and say in any given situation, but especially, I think, when trouble or tragedy strike.  I hesitate to call it a "parent thing" or a "woman thing" but to me -- as both a parent and a woman -- my very first inclination is to find out what I can do to help.  The discussion can come later.  The same holds true for any finger-pointing, deconstruction of events, or the ridiculously pious, generally unnecessary, yet often mandatory recitation of lessons learned.  No, I say!  DO first.  DO and DO and DO and DO some more.  TALK about it later.  Much later.

 

 

Today, on the heels of HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS, and in the midst of my gut reaction to wonder what I could DO for people who were hurting and desperate for help,  and reading the many Facebook and Twitter messages about organizations and opportunities to assist came a lone voice.  And this lone voice decided that in the midst of tragedy centered in the heart of a city destroyed, in a country filled with mothers and fathers and children -- all fellow inhabitants of this wonderful, fragile planet earth -- that what they needed was a good religious spanking.  And the horrible feeling in my stomach grew as I wondered what kind of person chooses a rambling, nonsensical half-baked story about the French occupation, Napoleon and compacts with the Devil as a way to chastise an entire country who has lost HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of people, and whose needs at present are focused on food, water, medical assistance, care and compassion. What kind of person blames first? In the face of any natural disaster, what kind of person blames at all?

If you told me it was a religious man, I'd like tell you that I couldn't believe it.
But the overwhelmingly sad and horrible part is, I can believe it,
which makes it all the worse.