I read the words of Kanan
Mikaya and wonder...what's with the weird spelling?...this guy is teaching
at the very Jewish Brandeis at Waltham?...why knitpick this guy?...
Sorry. I see this as sort of
a scolasticized euphemism, with added implications to the impossible. In the air
of this conflict, the explanation is not the act but the react. The act is the
fact. In fact, the reason to its being is NOT the result but the cause.
This is war. There is only
one result of war; a winner and a loser. The winner writes the story and the
loser, at best, goes away to fight another day.
So far, we have the edge in
body count. I suppose that is a basis of winning the righteousness arguement. The [enemy] continues to insist on death
as a viable spiritual/political act. I wonder how long this will continue.
However long, the resolve of this nation MUST be to allow them their martyrdom, but ONLY on our terms in OUR country.
However sad, our war is just. The resolve of its action may only be toward some as yet undefined justice. All else is bullshit.
However sad, our war is just. The resolve of its action may only be toward some as yet undefined justice. All else is bullshit.
BUT, who am I to judge? Who
is to judge? And who is to judge the judge?
I have just turned off the
NBC series "Second Shift" as they have opted to dramatize reality. The horror of
the fact stands without this mistaken effort. I resent that actors stand-in for
real heroes. I resent that Hollywood hacks write stories that must, by their
being fiction, fall short of the true heroism of September 11th. I resent that
somebody is making money in this fiction. Is this un-American or a form of
patriotism? Or just bullshit?
Looking at America, I am
recently struck with the dynamics and fragility of systems.
As reflected on
survival, a natural balance (that humankind long ago dis-balanced) is gone,
but maybe not gone forever.
Maybe I am reaching for
justification of my own choices at this later age. Or maybe I am setting up some
justification of a future act. At this time, I am uncertain of much. I am,
however, certain of one thing: Kanan Mikaya's view of the Muslim reality is far
more real than any other that I have read recently. I am also certain that, by
his position here, his influence is either infinitesimal or not at
all.
But...the limits of the
system, and its self-righteous adherents mistaken commitments to wrong policy,
make for tenuous decision-making on my part. Although unafraid, I am aware of
the oblique manner of my own influences. These I both challenge and attempt
to promote. That is American. Also being American is the marketing of
transparent envelopes (yes, on the market already), and a spray that allows
viewing the contents of a letter, are being featured on CNN...along with letter
opening sealed boxes and inflatable environments capable of protecting a family
of four from biological attack.