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Articles of Interest
Children of Abraham Meet at Coe College for
"Know Your Neighbor"
About 30 people were in attendance at the April 17 Children of
Abraham roundtable discussion designed to help people get to know those
of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic faiths. All three faiths were
represented at each of the tables following short presentations on the
beliefs and values of the individual faiths.
Discussions touched on pragmatic topics such as hosting community-wide
picnics on a regular basis to allow people to get to know each other as
neighbors and friends; and submitting guest editorials which focus on
the good people are doing for their neighbors and communities. In
addition, much was said about the importance of living lives of ethical
purity and learning to disagree with others in a respectful manner.
The presence of a smiling God was surely evident throughout the evening.
Children of Abraham has held four public meetings thus far in their
14-month history. Future meetings are in the planning stages.
Worship Opportunities
The_Hindu_Temple
Mother_Mosque_of_America
Cedar Rapids Zen Center
Islamic Center of Cedar Rapids
Temple_Judah
Muslim_American_Society_Iowa_Chapter
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The Hindu Temple
I had a delightful visit
Sunday, July 8 at the Hindu Temple Association of Eastern Iowa in Cedar
Rapids. I was greeted outside the modest and charming southwest side
building by Gangadhar Rao Vemuganti (Chair Person of the temple) , who
served as host for the community. Prior to the service, as Hindu chant
music played, he greeted worshipers and visitors. I was quite pleased to
notice two couples who were there for the first time.
Gangadhar showed me where
to put my shoes, as no shoes are permitted in the worship area. He then
assisted me to a seat along the outer wall of the worship space in order to
observe the prayer service.
The Temple’s worship area
is beautifully appointed, with a draped statue of Lord Ganesha, goddess
Durga and paintings of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses. In addition, the
ceiling is draped with flowers and burning incense creates a true flavor of
worship. The altar is on the elevated section of the worship space, where
priest and leaders sit to conduct the service. Worshipers sit close to the
altar but on ground floor where white sheets are spread on the carpet.
The second Sunday each
month is a Puja prayer service led by families in the community, followed by
an Annadata meal, at a cost of $3:00 held in a fellowship area. The meals
are also hosted by families in the community.
I was very pleased to see
how children were involved in the prayer service. A young man about 14 years
old and his brother, about eight years old, helped to lead the service, as
instructed by their parents. They performed the various offerings of flowers
and milk to Ganesha Deity. These offerings were explained in English,
helpful for one like me who understands only one word in Hindi: Namaste (the
God in me greets the God in you).
Following Puja, hymns and
sacred songs were sung by the community, first led by children in the
assembly and then by women. Song sheets were passed out so that everyone
could join in. The music was delightfully joyous, accompanied by clapping
and finger cymbals. Although this is a relatively small space, a marvelous
sound system makes the prayer service and the song leadership clear and
bright, easy for everyone to hear.
The schedule for worship and
a handy map and driving directions are posted on the Temple’s website,
http://www.iowahindutemple.org. Questions about the Temple can be directed
to Gangadhar through the website. |
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Mother Mosque of America
1335 9th St. NW,
Cedar Rapids, IA 52405
319.366.3150
http://www.islam101.com/
On June 11, 2007, about 25 members of Christ
Episcopal Church toured the Mother Mosque of America, led by Imam Taha Tawil.
Visitors from a Malaysian television station were on hand taping part of the
lecture, so that was a real treat.
The lecture was geared toward Christians and Imam Taha left ample time for
questions and answers. We began with the reminder that Ishmael, first-born
son of Abraham, was the father of the Islamic faith. Thus, Abraham is the
father held in common among Muslims, Jews and Christians.
There was considerable discussion about the
difference between culture and religion where various customs are concerned
here in the United States and around and world. For instance, the fact that
women can drive cars in Kuwait but not in Saudi Arabia is a cultural, not
religious custom.
Following some lovely refreshments we went
up to the prayer room and were allowed to observe one of the five daily
prayers in which all Muslims participate. Prayers are all done facing Mecca,
and all done in Arabic, using the same language and wording, making Islam a
truly global faith.
I was very pleased for Imam Taha in that he
had a visitor at evening prayers, a young man who had just moved to Cedar
Rapids from Chicago, looking for a simpler and more peaceful lifestyle.
Those of us who were so inclined removed
our shoes to observe the prayers. Others were allowed to observe from the
non-carpeted area. Imam Taha asked us why we thought the carpet was a beige
color. Of course, it made sense that this was the color of sand. In fact,
the Mother Mosque has beige carpet because it was on sale at the time. This
got a hearty laugh from everyone!
The two hours went by so quickly, given
Imam Taha's wit and ability to communicate in a clear and gentle way. The
Mother Mosque is the oldest standing mosque in the United States and a
testament to the faithfulness of immigrants four generations ago who founded
it. Today, it is a cultural and heritage center as well as a mosque and soon
to be registered as an historic site.
Imam Taha Tawil spends a lot of his time in
prison ministry, serving Muslim inmates at Anamosa and Fort Madison in
addition to county jails. He and his family live in Cedar Rapids. He is
originally from Jerusalem. |
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Cedar Rapids Zen Center
P.O. Box 863,
Cedar Rapids, IA 52406
319.247.5986
http://www.ibiblio.org/zen/faq.html
http://www.avalon.net/~crzc/
I
had the privilege recently of spending one-on-one time with Zuiko Redding,
the Teacher at the Cedar Rapids
Zen Center. The Center is housed in a lovely home on Bever Avenue,
and is only six years old. The community comprises between 30 and 35 people.
And, while Zuiko and I were together, a call came in from someone who wanted
information on zazen (meditation) times, a welcome call any time, in any
faith community!
Most
of our time was spent with Zuiko telling me about Buddhism and the Buddha.
We shared tea as the afternoon sun cast long shadows through the discussion
room. The large, sturdy wooden table was a hospitable place to share our tea
and conversation. And throughout the room were plants of every type and
size, all of them thriving on the energy of the Zen community and their
Teacher.
Upon
entering the center, I was asked to remove my shoes and place them in the
shoe rack and then slide my feet into the softest blue slippers I had ever
enjoyed. The coat rack is ample for the center’s community and Zuiko first
led me into the kitchen to put on water for tea, and then into the
discussion room for our conversation.
Zuiko’s knowledge and wisdom really came through as I listened to her. Her
love for Buddhism was apparent. I learned, for instance, that Zen Buddhism
is a branch of Buddhism which focuses on the meditation portion of the
Eightfold Noble Path. The Eightfold Noble Path is the last of the Four
Noble Truths taught by the Buddha, and it describes the way in which his
followers should lead their lives. Zen Buddhism began in India, spread to
China Korea, Viet Nam and then to Japan and now into the West. Other
Buddhist traditions also spread to these countries as well as the rest of
Southeast Asia and Tibet.
Zuiko left her career as a college professor to study for six years in
Japan, and spends a lot of her time being there with parishioners:
listening, sharing and interpreting the teachings and precepts, helping them
deal with the problems every one of us experience from time to time –
depression, parenting, marriage issues, and the like – in accordance with
the Buddha’s teachings. She also leads morning and evening zazen during the
week and gives dharma talks (sermons) on Sundays. She also leads special
ceremonies from time to time.
Buddhism focuses on the teachings of the Buddha, who lived and taught in
India 2,500 years ago and who, as a young boy named Siddartha Gautama, sat
under a tree watching his father plow the fields. What he experienced in
that place was peace – no longing for something more, no sense that
something was missing. As a young adult Siddartha had questions about our
relationship to life and existence that trouble us all. At the age of
twenty-nine, he left his family and his inheritance to seek answers as a
mendicant religious wanderer. After six years of religious practice, he
understood that, just as he had experienced as a child watching his father
plow, the answers to our questions come when we drop our agendas and our
self-centered thoughts and are truly present with our lives just as they
are. At this time he became the “Buddha,” the “Awakened One.”
To a
Buddhist, “God” does not exist as a conscious being, but as the ongoing
processes of change and interdependence, of elements and energies coming
together and drifting apart, which create the reality of life in each
moment. Buddhists call this “Emptiness” or “The Ground of Being.”
Buddhists feel that our problems arise when we compare our ideas about how
we want our lives to be with the reality of existence. Since reality is
about the whole universe, it often does not go according to our ideas.
Problems and dissatisfactions arise when we cling to our ideas rather than
putting them aside and doing what reality is asking of us. For the
Buddhist, salvation lies in meeting Reality fully and completely. The mind’s
ego games are set aside so that the individual can focus on the fact that
every one of us is connected to everything on the earth – plants, rocks,
trees, other people – and that everything is in a constant state of change
from one moment to the next as energy and matter are received and dispersed,
received and dispersed. When we die, for instance, our lives continue in
those whose lives we have touched, as our bodies change to become part of
something new.
This
is only touching the surface of an understanding of Buddhism, to be sure, an
understanding of someone who knew very, very little about the faith and
needs much further study. On Sundays, Zuiko does a sermon for the community
to help them grow in their knowledge and understanding of their faith and
practice. An example would be a talk “the Middle Way.” This is not about
finding the middle point between two extremes. Rather, it is a process of
negotiation which allows for graciousness and tact in all things. If, as a
vegetarian, for example, a Buddhist were invited to another’s home and roast
beef was served, the guest would take a small portion, eat it and thank the
host for the offering, being flexible in order to honor hospitality of the
other.
After our conversation, Zuiko took me to the meditation hall, called the
“zendo.” She showed me the proper way to enter and greet the room; how to
move about in the room; she even had a chair set up for me so that with my
bad knees I didn’t have to sit on the floor! She explained the greeting of
others at the beginning of zazen and then how to sit and how to hold my
hands.
When
she asked if I would like to do a short meditation time with her, I was
ready! It began with her ringing a bell, the tone of which was spiritual
ecstasy in itself. As my own meditation practice isn’t what it ought to be,
I spent most of my time noticing the thoughts that would pass through my
mind, as if I were to somehow keep a journal of them. But I soon let that
idea go, as I let the thoughts go, and focused on my breath in order to
enjoy the peace. Ten minutes was much too short a time, but Zuiko and I
needed to bring our time together to an end.
I
will be back for longer zazen periods and take advantage of the center’s
regular meditation times for improving my own practice. The New Year’s Eve
festivities sound inviting: a sitting from 7:30 to 10 p.m. and then sharing
noodles while greeting the New Year. The Greater Cedar Rapids area is truly
enriched by the center and the dedicated Teacher who serves there.
To
discover more about the Center, you can go to http://www.avalon.net/~crzc.
People of all faiths are welcome. Those who have not done zazen before
should attend an introductory evening before coming to their first zazen.
Introductory evenings are held on the third Wednesday evening of each month. |
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The Islamic Center
of Cedar Rapids
2999 1st Ave. NW,
Cedar Rapids, IA, 52405
319.362.0857
http://www.islam101.com/
http://www.crmosque.com
The Islamic Center of
Cedar Rapids (ICCR) is a very welcoming community. Visitors are invited
anytime to watch and listen to prayer room activities (lectures, the 5 daily
prayers) from an observatory room. I chose, however, to participate in
prayers as an Episcopalian visitor. And now I have made Friday jummah a part
of my weekly schedule.
As one would expect in any mosque or Islamic center, men and women occupy
different parts of the prayer room: men in the front and women in the back.
This was the second lesson I learned, since on my first visit I didn’t know
any better and sat in the men’s half. A lovely woman came to me and gently
led me to the women’s side, with only kindness and understanding in her
heart. There was no judgment for having made the mistake.
The first lesson I
learned was from the ICCR website, in that a modest Muslim woman
participates in prayer with only her face and hands showing. Among the
women, however, there is actually a wide diversity of dress when it comes to
head scarves and clothing, ranging from black to pastels with shimmering
light. Everyone, women and men alike, removes their shoes.
One thing I
particularly enjoy about sitting with the women is that children of all
ages, from babies to toddlers to youngsters, are cared for by the Sisters
during jummah. It is a great joy for me to see children worshiping Allah in
their own, innocent way.
Many members arrive at
1 p.m. on Fridays to prepare themselves for prayers. Brother Mohamed Soliman
told me this quiet time was good to prepare oneself for prayers. I have
found using my prayer beads (which are also common among Muslims) is helpful
for me.
The call to worship
begins at 1:15 p.m. It is recited in Arabic, a beautiful language. Then
comes the lecture (or sermon), which is based on teachings of the Quran, the
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) or other beloved prophets e.g. Moses,
Abraham, Jesus. Quotes are first delivered in Arabic then translated to
English.
Community prayers
follow the lecture. This is a very intimate part of the jummah, for within
the darkened room, the people stand shoulder-to-shoulder to pray. Yes,
shoulder-to-shoulder. I was corrected on that once. The Sister standing next
to me motioned to come closer to her so that our shoulders did indeed touch.
And after each
recitation of the Fatiha (which precedes recited verses from the Quran),
everyone says Amen (Ahmeen) on the same pitch. It is a true testament to the
unity of the assembled that there is no searching for the common pitch.
Everyone has that pitch from the beginning. I am even learning what the
pitch is, for sometimes during the week I hear the pitch. If I would get out
my pitch pipe I could tell you what the note is. You’ll just have to come
and experience it for yourself.
My arthritic knees do
not allow me to make the reverent bow to the floor. But this bothers no one.
I simply bow my head, either while sitting or standing. I am beginning to
feel more comfortable standing and bowing my head at the appropriate times,
as other Sisters and Brothers do the same.
The Friday service
ends at 2 p.m. and the Brothers greet each other, and the Sisters greet each
other. I have made several friends among the Sisters. They know I am a
visitor only, with no intent to convert, and yet they love me and shower me
with hugs and holy kisses. The fellowship continues all the way to the car,
with people chatting in the atrium, in the hallways, at the front entrance
to the center.
Deep reverence for
Allah and valuing one another, gentleness, kindness. These are the words
that best describe my experiences at the ICCR.
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Temple Judah
3221 Lindsay Ln. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403
319.362.1261
http://www.rj.org/
http://www.templejudah.org/
I was privileged to
attend a Sabbath service at Temple Judah one Friday night. The services
begin at 7:30 p.m.
While ascending the two
flights of stairs to the worship space, I felt a great sense of awe and
wonder at coming into the presence of God. But don’t walk right in. Everyone
needs to stop before entering the worship space to pick up an order of
service (printed on white paper) and a prayer book (blue books in the book
case).
One of the things that so
struck me about the particular service I attended was the family and
community atmosphere. There is a level of intimacy that comes through from
the leadership which helps everyone, even a visitor like me, settle in and
feel comfortable so that the time just flies by.
Another thing that I
really enjoyed was the emphasis given to the ministries of children. The
particular evening I was there, a young man played several pieces on the
organ and did a super job. Then a young woman was chosen to assist with
drawing the curtains back to reveal the Torah. A young man took the Torah to
each worshiper in order for them to kiss the back of their prayer book and
touch the prayer book to the Torah, a very meaningful ritual.
Much of the service is
conducted in Hebrew, of which I know nothing. But there are several times in
worship in which the English is translated on a line under the Hebrew so
that the full meaning of the text is clear. That was very helpful to me as
we went along.
Music is a special joy at
Temple Judah. The music leaders are well rehearsed and highly talented.
Their leadership for the great amount of singing during the service is
excellent. Everyone in the community seems to enjoy the singing, as the
sound resonates throughout the worship space and the joy in each heart seems
to increase.
During the service a
cantor chants a portion of the Torah which was truly a high point for me.
The great scroll is opened and the cantor begins, reading directly from the
Torah. This took this old Episcopalian back to memories of the tales of
synagogue worship where Torah was used in teaching and preaching.
Rabbi Aaron Sherman
delivered a fine message. Of course, he has a way of making theological
points sound so practical that taking home a resolution or two is very easy.
His wisdom enlightens rather than confounds, which is a true joy for the
visitor to whom everything is a new experience, a new stimulation.
Following the service it
is customary to wish those around you a peaceful Sabbath by saying, “Shabbat
Shalom.” Several people in the congregation, even though they’d never seen
me before, made it a point to welcome me with the greeting.
In essence, here I was,
knowing no Hebrew, having no knowledge of the music they were singing, not
understanding the chanting of the section of Torah for the evening, and yet
I felt very comfortable and comforted by the worship experience.
After the service is a
coffee hour where worshipers socialize, greet visitors and catch up on the
needs of members of the community, in as loving a way as I’ve ever seen.
This community is truly a family alive in love and fully dedicated to
serving God in their daily lives. It was an honor to be among them. I look
forward to returning.
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Muslim American Society Iowa Chapter
1035 3rd AVE SE. Suite 111, Cedar Rapids, IA. 52403
319.892.0256
www.masiowa.org
There are two experiences
I need to share with you about the Muslim American Society Iowa Chapter (MAS
Iowa).First is a peace rally I
attended last summer during the fighting in Gaza, sponsored by the MAS Iowa
Freedom Foundation Justice for Palestine effort. This was the first peace
rally I’d ever been to (yes, much of my youth was spent in complacency) so I
had no clue what to do. But someone put signs down on the lawn and others
were choosing theirs, so I chose mine. It said, “For God’s sake, when?” I
liked holding that sign.
It was one of the hottest
days of the year, yet it didn’t seem to bother me as I was focused on
praying while holding the sign for passing traffic on the First Avenue
bridge to see. I knew none of the other sign-holders, yet we seemed to bond
in the silence, each bringing their own desire for peace to the rally.
People did different
things. Some sat in the shade. I put one foot in the street and the entire
group was promptly reprimanded to stay on the curb so as to not get hit by a
passing car. Two police cruisers were on hand to protect protesters.
Something about rallying for peace, though, helps keep a crowd pretty quiet.
About an hour into the
rally, Imam Ahmed Elkhaldy began on the speaker-phone, talking about the
need to respect the dignity of every human soul, of literally every living
being and every living thing. There was no longer a division of Jew or
Muslim or Christian. All of us are one, all Children of Abraham.
Others spoke as well,
including an inspiring message from Rabbi Aaron Sherman of Temple Judah,
calling for peace in the Middle East and an end to fighting, an end to war.
This experience was a
powerful one for me. I truly hope I never forget just how powerful
demonstrating for peace can be.
The second thing I need
to share with you about MAS Iowa is how during the most holy month of
Ramadan, I was sick. I missed two Iftar (breaking of the daily fast)
dinners. Both of those nights two sisters from MAS Iowa, Sister Angela and
Sister Tracy, traveled all the way from Third Avenue and 10th
Street SE in Cedar Rapids to the East edge of Marion to bring me food from
the dinner. They stayed with me a while, talking and being ever so patient,
knowing I was lonely from being sick and in bed all day. And when I began to
get tired, they graciously left. They weren’t afraid of my germs. They were
there only to comfort me and show me dignity and love.
At this point I am
healing well, thanks first of all to prayer, and second of all to medicine,
and I am looking forward to sharing an Iftar dinner with MAS Iowa before
Ramadan ends.
If you would like to be
notified about upcoming MAS Iowa events, email
info@mas.org
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For many Latinos, 2006 will be a year to
remember
Mercedes Olivera
For
many Latinos, 2006 will be an especially difficult year to forget.
From
City Hall to the county courthouse, Latinos increasingly spoke with one
voice as they marched through the streets and to the polls.
And
with the national spotlight focused on a Dallas suburb, coupled with the
possibility of congressional passage of comprehensive immigration
reform, 2007 may also be memorable.
The
passage of punitive immigration legislation in the U.S. House led to
historic marches around the country in the spring, including the
megamarch of almost half a million people through downtown Dallas in
April. The local march drew national attention.
So did
ordinances making it difficult for undocumented immigrants to live in
Farmers Branch, a Dallas suburb.
Many
Latinos have protested that the ordinances essentially say, "Work here
but don't live here." No penalties were imposed on employers who hire
undocumented workers.
For
Elizabeth Villafranca, the Farmers Branch decision was a call to
action. This year has been "a giant lesson in civics," she said this
week, recalling the first day she expressed her opposition.
She
thought hundreds of Latinos would appear to protest the move, just as
they had for the megamarch. But she was one of the few who showed up
Aug. 21 as the Farmers Branch City Council discussed the ordinances.
She and
her husband own a Mexican food restaurant in the city. Many of their
Hispanic customers now say they will stay out of Farmers Branch out of
fear of being stopped and harassed by police.
Their
lives have changed now, she said.
"We
really have an obligation to help those who have no voice," no matter
how small the contribution, she said. "All of us have a grain of sand to
contribute to this effort."
She
says fear of the city's changing demographics is driving much of the
immigration backlash she now sees in the city.
About
40 percent of the city's 27,000 residents are Latinos.
She's
optimistic about 2007: "I believe it will be a good year for us, and
many new Latino leaders are going to come forward."
Perhaps
her optimism springs from events in Dallas County.
Although still a small voting bloc, Latino voters turned out in large
numbers in November to help turn Dallas County Democratic blue.
Dallas
lawyer Lena Levario, a Democrat, was elected to the bench of
Criminal District Court 204. She foresees many profound changes coming
to the county's judicial system in the new year.
"We're
now going to see criminal defense lawyers as judges, whereas before they
were mainly prosecutors before becoming judges," she said. "You'll see a
completely different outlook on rehabilitating people."
Ditto
for the civil courts, where a crop of new judges will rise. Some of them
were lawyers who represented individuals against insurance companies.
And though the view is always different on the other side of the bench,
there's no doubt a new attitude may permeate the county courts.
State
Rep. Rafael Anchía of Dallas hopes a new attitude also reaches
the state house.
He
foresees many struggles ahead in the Texas Legislature with the
introduction of new bills that could affect undocumented workers. He's
keenly aware that some believe the bills could ultimately make life
difficult for the majority of Latinos.
After
all, most undocumented immigrants come from Latin American countries, so
how can you tell the difference between them and U.S.-born Latinos?
Still,
Mr. Anchía said he carries with him an image that gives him – and
thousands of other Latinos, surely – a sense of hope for 2007.
It was
a very moving moment, he said, that he will never forget: "Singing the
national anthem with 500,000 people at the end of the megamarch,
thousands of American flags waving in unison. It was beautiful."
Reach
Mercedes Olivera at
molivera@dallasnews.com or at P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, Texas 75265.
Provided by the Interfaith Workers Justice
Center of Eastern Iowa
From
Where I Stand
by Joan Chittister, OSB
Justice is done: Why doesn't
it feel like it?
January 4, 2007
As the world prepared to celebrate World
Peace Day, Saddam Hussein walked to the gallows in Baghdad. "The
Americans," commentators pronounced solemnly, "had handed him over to
the Iraqis."
The phrase carried with it eerie echoes
of another moment in time when another ruler also maneuvered to avoid
responsibility for the death of another prisoner. And just as surely as
Pilate is remembered for the death of Jesus, so will the United States
be remembered for the death of Hussein, however intently we argue that
the execution was "the work of the young democracy" in Iraq.
But that is only the beginning of the
inanity of such hollow justice. The ironies and questions raised by such
an event are legion. The very process of the hanging brings such
hangings into question:
First, for his trip to the gibbet,
Hussein wore a dark suit and hat, overcoat and leather shoes. No
derelict this one. Instead, we have here a head of state, once supported
in his ruthlessness by the very ones who "handed him over" to his death.
Then, he was the U.S. bulwark against an ambitious and increasingly
Islamicized Iran. Now, he is the hero of those who would defy the United
States and its own self-righteous religious or chauvinistic tendencies.
Just as he went to the gallows, Quran in hand, praising God, expecting
glory, so did we go to war, Bible in hand, proclaiming the justice of
God.
The situation is sobering. Had we
managed, as a result of this kind of frontier justice, to turn a
political tyrant into a new kind of idol? A champion for those who are
intent on vanquishing what they see as a new generation of Crusaders? A
martyr for the Palestinian cause and a model of resistance against those
who are seen to be an unholy threat to the Muslim world? Are these two
different Gods? Or is it possible that both of us have misread God a
bit?
Second, the mask traditionally put over
the faces of condemned prisoners to save their executioners a reminder
of their humanity, he refused. This was a man whose defiance was proud
to the end. Now he is celebrated across the world as a martyr to U.S.
domination, in fact. So the question is, who won here? Anyone?
Third, his hangmen, on the other hand,
all worked with covered faces to hide their identities. Clearly, they
fear reprisal. They are not nearly as naive as we were when we rolled
triumphantly into Baghdad. They are not so callow as to expect to have
flowers strewn at their feet for hanging him.
On the contrary, they know that this very
act of hanging can only give new energy to the insurgency, to the
killings, to other executions that only continue the history of
executions symbolized by this one. So where is the peace here? What kind
of justice is being served here?
Street dancers in Dearborn, Mich.,
celebrating the execution may have come much closer to the bone of it:
"Now we have revenge," they said. Re-venge. New vengeance in the chain
of unending vengeance. Once his, now theirs. And when and where will it
ever end if someone does not end it?
Fourth, they tied a cloth around
Hussein's neck before dropping the heavily knotted noose over his head.
It's an interesting humanitarian gesture designed surely, to prove that
a barbaric act by civilized people is more humane than the inhumanity of
its violent counterparts. After all, saving the neck of a hanging victim
from rope burns is not only hardly necessary, it is also ludicrous,
laughable, absurd. What does it mean to be human? What is justice? How
is peace served by violence?
Finally, Hussein was executed on the
Muslim feast of Eid ul-Adha which celebrates the deliverance of Ishmael
from the sacrifice of Abraham. On this Islamic feast it is customary to
release prisoners -- not to execute them.
The event was, in other words, totally
surreal. Except for one thing: the questions it raises, if we will only
face them, are profoundly important ones for us as a nation and for a
world in transition to a village.
But the ultimate irony, perhaps, lies in
the fact that now political pundits are saying what philosophers,
theologians, mystics and holy ones have been saying ever since Jesus
said, "Peter, put away your sword." They are all clear: "No," they tell
their interviewers across cyberspace, "No, this will not change anything
in Iraq -- except, perhaps, make it worse."
Violence begets violence the saints have
told us over and over again.
We have seen it with our own eyes. We
invaded Iraq and started a war. We justified the invasion on false
grounds and now carry on our own backs the onus of injustice: There were
no weapons of mass destruction. The Iraqis did not lie to us. They had
nothing to do with Al Quaeda. They had not been breeding terrorists.
They did not support the attack on the Twin Towers.
All of those things have been forgotten.
Now, instead, we tell ourselves that we did, at least, eliminate a
dictator. But how? And at what cost? And with what gains as the numbers
of our dead climb and theirs skyrocket?
Maybe we should listen again to the
saints. Perhaps we should give our own role in World Peace Day new
attention as we approach the day in which we will be given "a new
strategy" for Iraq. If it were not for American voters, we would be
nowhere near such a moment. But the vote may not have been enough to
make the difference. We may all need to do more to make the point that
World Peace Day is a pressing, immediate, demanding and real challenge,
not a celebration of the kind of self-serving sanctimonious nationalism
that says we believe in peace, therefore we are peaceful.
From where I stand, it seems to me that
we need to look this execution in the eye, unmasked, and demand that our
politicians do more about peace than more violence.
I have an idea that if we begin to do
something about the violence we do as a nation in the name of justice,
we will all begin to think differently about all kinds of life always. |
