Friday, February 16, 2007
Biteme Michael Oren!
Michael B Oren, author of Power Faith and Fantasy can be recognized as enigmatic as those he criticizes. Oren points out that although it was justifiable in the eyes of most visitors from the U.S. to view white slavery with contempt, they failed to see that back home slavery of the black, (or Chinese – curious how he overlooked the Chinese slaves), was permissible. Mr. Oren, while snickering mildly throughout the 18th and 19th Centuries at the Puritan, and other religious rights, dedicated attempts to give back Palestine to the Jewish people who lost it through injustices, he somehow neglected to point out that no one, not even he at the time of his writing, saw any need to give back U.S. territory to the Native American Nations. Why is it that not one of these Bible beaters came to the rescue of the tribes in North America that fell victim to genocide? Oren quotes a November 1852 New York Times article, in which a Presbyterian Reverend George Potts warns Americans to treat other nations as our neighbors. If Potts did indeed state this, for newspapers are as notorious as historians at not getting the story straight, then why didn't Potts feel equally compelled to entreat the US government to make full apologies for the atrocities its government inflicted on the Native North Americans?
A true tale of humanity that took place at a local eatery at the Butler Plaza in Gainesville Florida:
I was meeting routinely with a Japanese physician who asked if I would assist him in his efforts in articulation of the onerous English language, for he was giving a presentation to other physicians on head trauma and knew his information would be disregarded if his speech was incoherent. The physician was like many physicians in that he was arrogant, believing that only his opinion mattered and all other people were merely ignorant fools who await his enlightenment. At the same time he loved held his mother and sister very dear to his heart and often expressed his longing to see them when he returned to Japan.
The physician often expressed his impatience with people who just couldn't forget the past and move on to the future. His greatest irritation was with the Chinese, who at the time were demanding an apology from Japan for the atrocities the invoked on the people of China. "How stupid. They are such children to bring up such things," the physician royally declared. When I sat silent his highness asked why I just didn't agree with him. I waited, and then proposed the following to him, "What if you returned from the United States to find your sister and mother beaten, tortured, and raped, left barely alive, and able to only express their horror with their eyes?" The physician was horrified. He could not believe I would dream of such a scenario and left. Days later he called to set-up another session in articulation. He brought with him a small token of his appreciation and admitted his failure in rationale.
We are indeed a treacherous species willing to run to the opposite side of the globe to help the needy, but fail to offer any assistance to those we pass by daily with our noses turned aside. Without reason our vision remains tunneled and our issues on our own turf go unresolved. It is always easier to recognize the “evils of others.”
Throughout the history of the species known as human, we humans, regardless of national origin, have been consistent in 3 areas; 1) our hatred void of justification, 2) our willingness to dominate and/or enslave, and 3) our cyclical, seemingly nutritious need to perform acts of genocide. When laws, or declarations are passed the consequences of not abiding by them are seldom experienced except by the fictitious Arthur in Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. When Arthur was manacled he was able to feel the bite of his own pen and seal, which he put into the enforcement of his decrees. “You see, he knew his own laws just as other people so often know the laws; by words, not by effects. They take a meaning, and get to be very vivid, when you come to apply them to yourself.”
Oren, your history is entertaining, as are you. In your next recount of your fabled history (his - story) try to include the Native American perspective, perhaps you will reconsider your adjectives implemented on Grant’s behalf. Interestingly enough Twain had an equal opinion of the original owners of North America as he did the people of the East. Just because one is funny doesn’t mean that one correct in rationale.
A true tale of humanity that took place at a local eatery at the Butler Plaza in Gainesville Florida:
I was meeting routinely with a Japanese physician who asked if I would assist him in his efforts in articulation of the onerous English language, for he was giving a presentation to other physicians on head trauma and knew his information would be disregarded if his speech was incoherent. The physician was like many physicians in that he was arrogant, believing that only his opinion mattered and all other people were merely ignorant fools who await his enlightenment. At the same time he loved held his mother and sister very dear to his heart and often expressed his longing to see them when he returned to Japan.
The physician often expressed his impatience with people who just couldn't forget the past and move on to the future. His greatest irritation was with the Chinese, who at the time were demanding an apology from Japan for the atrocities the invoked on the people of China. "How stupid. They are such children to bring up such things," the physician royally declared. When I sat silent his highness asked why I just didn't agree with him. I waited, and then proposed the following to him, "What if you returned from the United States to find your sister and mother beaten, tortured, and raped, left barely alive, and able to only express their horror with their eyes?" The physician was horrified. He could not believe I would dream of such a scenario and left. Days later he called to set-up another session in articulation. He brought with him a small token of his appreciation and admitted his failure in rationale.
We are indeed a treacherous species willing to run to the opposite side of the globe to help the needy, but fail to offer any assistance to those we pass by daily with our noses turned aside. Without reason our vision remains tunneled and our issues on our own turf go unresolved. It is always easier to recognize the “evils of others.”
Throughout the history of the species known as human, we humans, regardless of national origin, have been consistent in 3 areas; 1) our hatred void of justification, 2) our willingness to dominate and/or enslave, and 3) our cyclical, seemingly nutritious need to perform acts of genocide. When laws, or declarations are passed the consequences of not abiding by them are seldom experienced except by the fictitious Arthur in Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. When Arthur was manacled he was able to feel the bite of his own pen and seal, which he put into the enforcement of his decrees. “You see, he knew his own laws just as other people so often know the laws; by words, not by effects. They take a meaning, and get to be very vivid, when you come to apply them to yourself.”
Oren, your history is entertaining, as are you. In your next recount of your fabled history (his - story) try to include the Native American perspective, perhaps you will reconsider your adjectives implemented on Grant’s behalf. Interestingly enough Twain had an equal opinion of the original owners of North America as he did the people of the East. Just because one is funny doesn’t mean that one correct in rationale.
# posted by Bite Me Kissimmee @ 11:58 AM 
