A Moment of Contemplation

On this day of awe for kids, soberness and thoughtfulness for adults and inspired belief for the Christian world, I sit and wonder.

Why must we limit this display of joy, love and generosity for our brothers and fellow creatures to one day a year? If it exists within us for one day, then surely we can summon our better selves to serve us throughout the year.

My daughter said it best: "what is there is gratitude. Gratitude for this season when for a few moments a huge population of the planet turns their attention to love, peace, healing and hope. It doesn’t last long, and it doesn’t happen for everyone. But it does happen which means it exists as a way of being for all of us all the time."

Peace to all and to all a good day.

The Presidential Elections in Bolivia

President Evo Morales is expected to win another five year presidential term in Bolivia today.

Morales has inspired the indigenous people all over the country but especially in the Chappare Region of Eastern Bolivia, where it is said he voted early this morning and where the indigenous "cocaleros" are prevalent. Morales is a former cocalero and the first native Bolivian to be elected president in the country's history; thus, the Aymara and Quechua people feel this is their opportunity to have a voice.

How does one argue with that? Still there are many complaints of a Morales crackdown on the opposition, unjust imprisonment of those who are vocally non-supportive and spending state funds to campaign.

It will be interesting to see how relations with the U. S. proceed after months of strain and Morales' history of anti-American rhetoric. What about the joint eradication program which ended when Morales accused the DEA of spying on him? Will he allow a new U. S. ambassador to be appointed to the Embassy in LaPaz? Will the U. S. at least give Morales credit for the growth of Bolivia's economy?

I've been following the Democracy Center's live blog as well as updates from the Carter Center which is monotoring the elections across the country and I await the results of the vote which should be decisive sometime tomorrow.

I refuse to worry.

The market lost almost 1.5% on Friday, Dubai is failing and our own economy, though improving, is still struggling mightily. The Secret Service unwittingly allowed an un-authorized couple not only to enter the White House but to mingle with our nation's VIPs and shake the president's hand (this alone sends chills along my spine) yet the administration continues to iterate that it has every confidence in the elite body whose sole purpose is to protect the life of the U. S. President.

Uh, oh yes, there's the Middle East problem and the tiresome game of "chicken" between Israel led by the bellicose Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and the Palestinians.

We're told to prepare ourselves for a major speech on Tuesday by President Obama regarding our nation's future commitment to what has become known as AF-PAK, the political stew of intransigence involving, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Taliban, Al Queida and India, not to mention the poor disenfranchised tribes who know little and care less about the central government in Kabul headed by an increasingly corrupt Karsai government grudgingly supported by the U. S.

Then we have Iran, whose current regime has become so insecure by the continued resistance to the elections in June, they are holding and executing (it is said) some of the detainees who voiced opposition. One recently released Mazia Bahari, a Newsweek journalist, has said in recent interviews that the Revolutionary Guard is becoming more and more powerful. This is bad.

Oh, and one of our most respected and upstanding athletes has just rammed his car into a fire hydrant and went on to claim a neighbor's tree early Friday morning and now rumors of an affair with an Australian madam are beginning to seep out. I just don't know. . .

Still, I refuse to worry.

Jodie Picoult is described as "faulknerian" -- why I don't know, except that she wrote a book about a brother and sister who loved each other. I've done that and nobody called ME "faulknerian."

The reality shows are taking over the air waves and there is nothing worth watching on TV anymore except Charlie Rose. Where is Lawrence O'Donnell when I'm desperate for another "West Wing?" He's become a pundit on the cable talk shows, of course.

Still I don't worry.

This morning I read that the Republican Party could as likely run Dick Cheney as their presidential candidate in 2012 as Sarah Palin. This fills me with such warm and fuzzy confidence that I can cheerfully hug my teddy bear at night and sleep the blissful sleep of a child because compared to this dazzling single piece of information, everything else fades away and becomes part of the bogeyman gumbo of childhood like waiting for the appearance of ogres under the bed.

I don't have to worry about the hidden monsters anymore. I've already met them.

Remembering JFK

Each year during the past forty six, there has been less and less said about JFK's assasination. It appalls me, but I understand that most of us living today weren't even born in 1963. I was kind of in love with the Kennedy administration even though I was still too young to have voted for him. His legacy today, however, is laced with a kind of blandness as though aside from his youth, his wit and charisma, his attractive young family, he really accomplished very little.

This is blatently wrong. Kennedy's greatness grows with each year even though the tributes wane. True, he allowed Khruschev to get the upper hand (at first). Also true, that the Berlin Wall went up during his tenure. Indeed, he resided over the Bay of Pigs fiasco and we're all aware of his "indiscretions."

But I believe today, that had that young president lived, he might have been one of our greatest leaders. Remember, he had only a thousand days in which to accomplish his agenda.

The thing I remember about the Kennedy administration was the sense of idealism and public service it inspired in our youth, more than I have seen since, even though President Obama came close in 2008. We wanted to serve; patriotism was not just a word being being thrown back in our faces when we disagreed with government's policies, it was a conviction. We believed passionately and reacted fervently.

As for his accomplisments, take note: the Peace Corps, the Alliance for Progress, Civil Rights legislation, the Space Program and the introduction of the Green Berets. His major accomplisment, however, was a tight and tense little psychological drama between the USA and the USSR known as The Cuban Missile Crisis, which, without the successful maneuvering of the Kennedys, might have left the world in a state of nuclear disaster.

I guess his potential greatness will never be known which is what happens when someone takes you out before your time. But I think when all is said and done, his star will ultimately shine as one of the brightest.

And though there seem to be few tributes today, JFK, this forty-sixth anniversary of your assasination, I remember. And I am grateful to have learned my political abcs under your leadership. You never blamed others for your mistakes -- you took your lumps with calm and grace. How refreshing it would be if our leaders today would learn to do the same.

Biding Biden

Joe Biden has been taking a lot of flack lately. From Arianna Huffington came the amazing and off the wall statement that Biden should resign if President Obama decides to escalate the war in Afghanistan by sending in more troops as prescribed by General Stanley McChrystal. Why? Because she feels that no one spoke up during the decision making process to bomb Iraq during the Bush years and that officials filled the "Best Seller" stacks by writing "mea culpa" explanations long after the time they could have made a difference by speaking up.

And I agree that our president can not make intelligent decisions when he is coddled by those who would not rock the boat with an opposing point of view.

That's not Biden however. He IS speaking up and he has the president's ear. Any president needs to surround himself with men like Biden -- men who are not afraid to voice their opinions even though they differ from the president's and many of those top ranking White House aides who support him. Biden is that man and Obama chose him to be that man who perhaps at times, can the be that perfect source of irritation required to produce to right decision.

I like Biden. He should not resign no matter what the decision is, because the president needs and wants him. He is a crucial element to a thoughtful and intelligent decision making process and the President of the United States is too intelligent not to realize it.

FOX Trot

I really have to disagree with the White House on this one. I'm mostly a supporter of the new administration and not generally a fan of FOX News; however, in this instance I think the WH needs to take a more grown up position instead of the "I'm taking my marbles and going home" attitude we've been witnessing by not going on FOX News.

Please!

There are clowns on FOX News that we all know are not journalists, but that's true of the other cable stations. I don't approve of any of them, no matter what their views. However, we need a free media including the many over-blown egos at FOX News, to spew their points of view, stir up their listeners and make people get involved. It doesn't mean we have to like what they say, but we can't just ignore them -- we own the air waves, right?

If you don't like it, complain about it. But don't pretend they don't exist and for God's sake, be brave enough to to get up there and have a rough and tumble disagreement -- I'd expect the viewers would welcome it.

The Places in Between by Rory Stewart

This is the story of a real-life adventure by a young Scotsman who walked through Afghanistan, “…surviving by his wits, his knowledge of Persian dialects and Muslim customs and the kindness of strangers. By day he passed through mountains covered in nine feet of snow, hamlets burned and emptied by the Taliban and communities thriving amid the remains of medieval civilizations. By night he slept on villagers’ floors, shared their meals and listened to their stories of the recent and ancient past. Along the way Stewart met heroes and rogues, tribal elders and teenage soldiers, Taliban commanders and foreign-aid workers. . .” (Back cover of Harvest Original Harcourt, Inc. publication.)

This was a fascinating book in every way and gives all of us insight into the tribal mentality of the average Afghan, his loyalties, his rivalries with other tribes, his distrust of his own government and finally, his ancient respect and generosity for the lonely traveler.