By William Markiewicz
(As other short items may follow, I've decided to group them together.)
Heroes or Not Heroes? (10/22)
Yes, they were heroes because they chose to fight to the last moment rather than be taken alive to rot in prison. Of course it doesn’t matter how guilty or not they may have been. Gaddafi seemingly begged for his life. Che Guevara definitely did. On TV, we watched Saddam Hussein’s last moments with the noose already around his neck, as I remember. I have never seen such bravery facing death. And those who cracked in their last moments -- were they heroes? Yes, there may be unexpected reactions, but it doesn't change the fact that they remain heroes. Was Milosevic a hero? Probably he would have been had he known that his jailers waited for his death in prison as they now await the death of Seselj, Karadzic and Mladic. They would die fighting rather than rot and die in prison while awaiting an interminable "trial."
Sanctity of Life -- a Divine Concept? (10/09)
The believers oppose abortion in the name of the sanctity of life. If the fox has to kill the rabbit to survive, then sanctity of life cannot be a Divine concept. It's true that the fox needs to survive, but why at the expense of an innocent rabbit? Giant whales swallow an incalculable number of plankton at each gulp, Cattle in the fields pasture on an incalculable number of living cells of grass. Not ethics of life but power of the stronger is manifested, and sacrificed are those unable to defend themselves. Hitler taught the SS that "nature is aristocratic" but this was a simplified Darwinism. 'Stronger' may be 'better' but 'better' is not necessarily 'stronger.' Empathy and sophistication teach us of other qualities than power. Nature brutally and directly confronts power and weakness. Believers directly connect God and nature. Nazism claims nature, while nature and empathy are on different paths. Believers make acrobatic efforts to unite God to nature and empathy simultaneously. Personally I present the problem, and no solution.
Milestones of History (9/28)
We live for memories even if sometimes the memories are gone... In "Fiddler on the Roof" Tevye speaks of "Traditions, Traditions" even if "what" it is about has been forgotten. One Hassid, speaking of agnosticism, said: "First one prays, then he believes." In England there are guardians of some places where there is nothing to be guarded; there was something, long forgotten -- but the guardian remains. Fuente de Cantos had a famous painter -- Zurbaran. The tradition of painting remains there, with or without talent. In Belgium there is a saying: "Piss in the Belgian way." Men piss again the wall, not very discretely -- just because of the "Manneken Pis". What's the point? That's just how we are...
In Saudi Arabia, Woman sentenced to 10 Lashes for Driving (9/27)
If I were a woman in Saudi Arabia, I'd apply for political refugee status, for being a woman, to any country that accepts refugees. The problems are heavy: A Saudi woman can hardly leave the country independently. She could apply at a foreign embassy in Saudi Arabia but this may carry a risk. Somebody might see her entering the embassy and, in the embassy itself, she could get a polite refusal, leaving her exposed to the consequences of the visit. Some decided woman may try to challenge the embassy, saying she will kill herself on the spot. But how many would do this? Probably, the only way to make the issue collective is to raise the question of political refugee status for being a woman. This task belongs only to Saudi women who are already abroad, but they are not numerous enough and the women's political associations in those countries need to take the lead. It would take longer but if it's the only way it should be started as soon as possible! How many Jews would have been saved, if such action had taken place before the war when the danger for Jews was already obvious?!
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William Markiewicz