Different Slants

Comment by Ami

March 7, 2012 @ 4:01 pm

Bob, we all feel the pain and our faces are red with anger.

Yet NOBODY lifts a finger, not the USA, neither Europe, nor even the rest of the Arab regimes…

WHY? See what happened in Egypt, see where Libya, and the Arab countries in North Africa (where it all began) are going: No Democracy, only Islamization. When there’s no viable opposition in those countries, the ONLY well-organized are the fanatical Muslims. If/when this butcher Assad falls — there will be a vacuum and chaos, into which the ONLY powerful entity that can fill in (or infiltrate in) — ARE THE ISLAMISTS to their many factions and tribes, including al-Qaeda elements….

The Arab/Islamic world is not built for Democracy, doesn’t have the culture of Democracy, can’t handle Democracy. Not in this generation they can.

Our ONLY salvage is another, powerful dictator there. A pro-Western dictator. Perfect. Otherwise it’s gonna be a LONG blood bath. Muslims slaughtering Muslims. What else is new?

Comment by Liliana Fargo

March 7, 2012 @ 7:35 pm

To All,

I believe every Human being is created by God, ultimately the same God, and all Humans deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

The misconception that some races or cultures are fundamentally superior to others is the main reason that motivates the insanity of wars, and has caused the lost and suffering of millions of innocent and valuables lives.

I support Brave people like my friend Bob Katzman, who are capable to see beyond any cultural bias, and who are ready to stand against all cruelty towards Humanity.

Liliana N. Fargo.

” First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out, because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out,because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out , because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me ”

Martin Niemöller.

Comment by Gargi

March 8, 2012 @ 6:35 pm

Thank you, Robert Katzman!

Ditto, Lilliana…

Let’s admit finally to ourselves as a collective that this whole thing erupting on the world stage is not about “factions”. It is about all Life. Humanity as a whole, and where we want to go from here; further down the rabbit hole to hell with all these saber-rattling war-mongers who stand to profit oscenely from another war– whether they be from whatever nation– Israel, the Middle East, the good ol’ USofA, and I mean every other nation who plays the big club circuit in this world.

Know this humanity, by now: About the “so-called elite leaders at the top and the MONEY that directs their blood-lust”– the ones of all world nations– there is no loyalty to any nation anymore (if in fact there ever was). They only bow now,to the great nation of “Money-(Oil)-Power-World Control”. And all of this– all of this, is an attempt to start the BIG ONE– and Iran is in their sites.

But, what these war-mongers and weapons-dealers and fancy financiers look at with bemusement and not a care of or for– is US– People, Humanity. Yes, and the Syrians suffering right this second. And what they don’t get (because they are absent of hearts– they’re walking dead consciously, and/or they’re insane)is that people–human consciousness IS going to change. And it IS changing! And for the better. Out of their monstrous grips forever.

While this might not seem so now,if you look beneath that “writing on the wall” Bob brings up, you will see the postscript: Humanity IS going to make it– BUT…a P.P.S. is there too: Only if we stand up and speak up as a body of humanity of individuals (as Bob and Lilliana are saying so rightly here). To say NO! to this hellish wrong, this insanity, that has hi-jacked our world by a minority of way-laid other so-called humans who consider themselves gods by now.

This is way past time to vote on or to politicize about. It is going to take a full intent of human hearts and minds that want balance, want evolution, want sanity; acting with utter compassion, and courage, and clear-mindedness and moral integrity. Are we ready? We better be…!

Comment by Gargi

March 20, 2012 @ 9:59 am

I was very surprised to be only one of three (and of three women by the way) who had the courage (and more importantly felt this reality of Syria–and ALL our world reality– was important enough to acknowledge publicly on his blog, and to address Bob directly– in support or otherwise, publically… since he too took the courage to publish it publicly…in this blog he co-created.

Then, I was more surprised (not so much by receiving the slew of emails– which, by the way– after satisfying my curiosity and opening one or two– I SPAMMED all the rest and will continue to do so until they finally stop), but, by the days that have gone by since Bob’s post, that those 3 lonely initial comments are the only ones still posted…publicly (if you don’t count new ones just added from Rick, Don David, and Tom, about ’email proceedings & politics and the tumult over the Israel topic’ that have been addressed to Bob following his “Dobie…’ entry.

Surely, that slurry of unopened and spammed emails I received in my mailbox and dealt with accordingly, contained something substantial and worthy to join all of us in a public forum and not just remain lurking behind the scenes and behind the back of private emails? So, hold that thought,
because I want you to read what I emailed to Bob, when I discovered no one else had the courage to reply to Bob’s “Israel…” entreaty, initially:

(from email to Bob):
“Obviously, your speaking out has caused the bees to buzz–(and there were
more than three)…
So I feel you ought to ask permission from these other emailers if you
could post their comments/opinions publicly on your blog.
This issue and growing problem needs venting– the
air needs to reach human minds that only see the fault of one faction in the
Middle East–and cannot hear over the din of politico-corporate-militarty
saber-ratttling that we are on an extreme danger course here to BIGGER war.

I hope you do.”

***
I GOT that Bob has since said his peace…again (and that’s our Bob). I respect this…and him. And, I now know that he is NOT going to ask those who did not initially reply here publicly –(about this topic) but did ‘somewhere’ else, and some unfairly so– to now do so.

But, I am inviting those same people to post publicly what they had to say (and NO, I am not asking because Bob asked me todo this–and I’m embarassed to have to even clarify this point, but it has to be for all the sore ears out there to hear and know). I speak for myself. Bob knows this and respects me in turn. I am not a Jew (but I have the right to speak out about Israel or any damn thing I please). I am a human being (and there is no mistake in the fact that human and humane and humanity come from the same rootword)….

I always have a lot more to say, but will end this with…I stand by Bob on this, and am willing to say so…publicly.

Comment by Anonymous

March 20, 2012 @ 10:01 am

Comment by Gargi

March 29, 2012 @ 4:05 pm

Having revisited this posting, I’m adding my two cents to the register: CHING!

I enjoyed your reflections, Bob, your story about Dobie, and his replying. From a ‘writerly’ point of view, there are a few stand-outs:

“There was a weirdness to it. The Dobe-Bob-Doc connection didn’t exist prior to our handshake.”

“Friendship can be very light with you, most of the time.”

“Welcome, Anonymity. I know you so well. But it seems like even you don’t know me.”

“The capitol of the ocuntry of Reciprocity is Character. Dobie lives there. I want to think I do too.”

Pearls, all!

A shout-out to Rick for coming to the rescue with clear-eyed, sound advice to the ReaderS of this, your (too) blog. Thanks. (I can see there are no chinks in the chain of friendship that links you and Bob– over years or over oceans).

As to my response (and, of course I responded!) to the attendant brouhaha– it was stated after that said story (will say no more as I want this entry
to stand as a response to this particular posting by Bob).

One last thing, I KNOW Dobie didn’t plan it this way, but, I cannot help think about that other poor Dobby, the enslaved House Elf (of Harry Potter fame) who later became a Free Elf– and of whom it is quoted of here:

“Dobby was often ostracised for having no “proper shame” about being out of work, the way most house-elves…acted. Dobby was generally pleased to be free, although he did enjoy working (as more of a hobby than a career). He was ecstatic to be out of the abusive hands of….”(…,fill in the blanks)

Yes Dobie and Dobby managed to eek out a happy ending’ after all their struggles…so can us all!