In his speech before Israel’s Knesset, Bush likened Iran to Hitler’s Germany and those who seek dialogue to Chamberlain. Having just visited the Jewish Community of Iran, who worship quite freely and live quite openly, I can say that they do not support such a claim. Comparisons like this are not only not helpful, they are insulting to those who are building lives and communities in the Islamic Republic of Iran. There are many issues that need to be resolved, but bellicose language and violent hyperbole only undermine the sincere efforts of the genuine partners for peace that exist in every society.
Iran so far away…
May 14, 2008
I’m back from Iran and begining to process everything that occured. It was truly a fascinating and inspiring time and I pray that tensions will ease and there will be peace between our two countries. I am certain that an attack on Iran would be catastrophic for all involved. Military service is mandatory for males above 18 in Iran, so military personell have a wide range of political beliefs. They are prepared, however, the defend their country against outside aggression. It would be a mistake to assume U.S. bombs would be greeted as “liberation.” We’ve made that mistake before and it is costing far too much in money and lives. I pray we won’t make the same mistake again.
All too familiar…
April 26, 2008
Another child killed in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. I wrote about in the first few pages of my book nearly two years ago and it still goes on, the same story. It’s reported on and lamented in the press and in propoganda on all sides, on every continent, and yet it continues, the murder of kids to acheive political ends. The murder of people to acheive political goals. Everyone has blood on their hands, and Carter is vilified for trying to talk. The narrative needs to change.
My Namesake
April 23, 2008
I just found this photo of the man for whom I was named, my great-grandfather, Charles Greenblatt.
The picture is dated March 14th, 1918 and the caption reads: “The Army food alone should discourage the thought of WAR.”
I never knew this man, and only saw this picture last week, after my grandfather, his son, died. We were going through old photo albums and this one jumped out at me. Though he was making a joke, I can’t help but ponder his thoughts about the Great War in which he was about to participate. Though much has changed in modern warfare, and WWI changed much of it, he implies one truth, that armies march on their stomachs, but there is something underneath his puckish comment and mischievous look. This was a time when war was an adventure, something gentleman did. The brutality of it ended that illusion, but as he wrote this note, the pacifist movement was emerging, and failing, to stop war, and the Red Cross was emerging, trying to make war more humane. Neither of those movements have been terribly successful. This image has its corollary in contemporary YouTube videos from soldiers with a similar irreverent tone. War is perhaps still an adventure for young men, in spite of the brutality and an awareness of the brutality. Peace is still just as elusive now as in my great-grandfather’s day.
Back
April 12, 2008
I’m back from Uganda and had an amazing and inspiring time. The Abayudaya community is facing myriad challenges with faith, grace, and dignity. They have a long way to go in terms of development, but they are eager to work for it and they provide a fantastic model for interfaith cooperation and local capacity building from which I think we can all learn. And then there was this beautiful moment, my first Havdala service, which ends the Sabbath. I spent it with over a 100 kids at the Jewish primary school:
Uganda
March 21, 2008
I’m just preparing to go to Uganda for a week to visit the amazing farmers of the Mirembe Kawomera Coffee Coop, and interfaith effort aimed at ecomomic development and peace building. I’ll be traveling with my childhood friend, Jon, who is an excellent photographer, and it should be an enlightening time.
I’m back from Iran and begining to process everything that occured. It was truly a fascinating and inspiring time and I pray that tensions will ease and there will be peace between our two countries. I am certain that an attack on Iran would be catastrophic for all involved. Military service is mandatory for males above 18 in Iran, so military personell have a wide range of political beliefs. They are prepared, however, the defend their country against outside aggression. It would be a mistake to assume U.S. bombs would be greeted as “liberation.” We’ve made that mistake before and it is costing far too much in money and lives. I pray we won’t make the same mistake again.
I just found this photo of the man for whom I was named, my great-grandfather, Charles Greenblatt.