Hi friends and neighbors...It's been a few days. Life is like that sometimes. It gets too overwhelming or too filled with "stuff" and then blogging becomes a luxury item much like that irresistible pair of Manolo Blahniks you've had your eye on but can't find the spare $800 to actually purchase.
I'm going through a "personal time". And it will remain personal, no offense. My mother taught me about hanging dirty laundry in public. Kinda ridiculous when you figure we lived in a sprawling burbs home with washer and dryer. Where in the heck would we have hung laundry? Here in Holy Land Central (HLC) of course. Thanks to ma, I know to only hang out the fresh-from-the-laundromat, clean smelling stuff that needs a drying off. Occasionally slightly-wet-and-sandy-from-the-beach towels.
I will, however, say that the horizon has cleared and smooth sailing is ahead. How's that for a wee bit of drama, eh? Nothing like a drama queen in the early morning to liven things up. If someone could just hand me a Margarita over rocks with salt while I steer this ship....
Here's one bit for blogo-heaven this fine Lag Ba'Omer Tuesday in HLC:
I finally summoned the effort to rent the Oscar nominated Paradise Now. Effort because not knowing what to expect - gruesome, dismembered bodies? - I put it off. Too much work.
There are no bodies. Am I giving too much away? Naw. But there is a good amount of material for contemplation. The vantage point was much more level than I expected and I was reminded of points forgotten about our "situation" here in HLC. For instance:
Back in the day when Palestinians were a vital part of Israel's workforce - before being replaced by Chinese, Thai and Filipinos - I found it impossible not to put myself into a Hilton Tel Aviv dishwasher's shoes. He spends his days watching manicured women sashay in Manolo's around the pool and returns to his twelve children compressed into a 2-room, tin-roofed Balata Refugee Camp hut each evening. I guess I'd be sort of pissed off too, wanting my piece of the action.
No, that does not justify suicide bombings that claim the lives of innocents. But it provides an inkling of from whenst comes the impetus, politics notwithstanding.
I was also reminded of interviewing Palestinian psychiatrist Dr. Eyad Sarraj, also back in the day when suicide bombings were in infant stage. At the time he explained the mindset of bombers and those who train them. This movie reminded me that Dr. Sarraj was spot on. The "trainers" don't send their children to be martyrs. They choose the vehement and vulnerable. As an aside, Dr. Sarraj was put in jail during Arafat's reign for speaking out against the Palestinian Authority. Another reason Yasser was so well liked by his people.
Overall, two thumbs up on the movie. It's not the best I've seen but it is gripping, very well done and offers insight.
A gooday to all - we're off to holiday goings-on in the park and fireworks later tonight.
1 comment:
I always understood that soldiers ARE the ideal target. But in the final scene I was like: Are you kidding? Unless it's a Sunday and everyone's returning to base (which the film soldiers clearly weren't), what's up w/all the soldiers on the bus?
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