"Love A Goat, For All I Care!"

As everyone knows, Vice President Biden let loose with another (seemingly) unsanctioned comment this past weekend on NBC's Sunday morning talk show,"Meet the Press," when he replied that he was "absolutely comfortable" with the thorny topic of same-sex marriages as well as supporting parity with rights accorded to those in "traditional" marriages.

Within minutes, the offices of both the President and Vice President went into hyperdrive in an attempt to walk back his off-the-cuff comment by releasing statements hoping to assuage various potentially untenable voting blocks.

In the two days since the Biden interview, Press Secretary Carney has been inundated with question after question from the press hoping to elicit salacious information for columns purporting potential rifts within the administration.

His steadfast reply, despite the single-minded stream of consciousness of the reporters, is "the President's stance on same-sex marriage is evolving."

This is one of the facets of politics that drives me bonkers.

Vice President Biden, in my opinion, may have answered the question honestly ~ as average citizen Biden might have done if asked. But during a crucial election year, no White House can afford having one of the President's minions going off the reservation by making rogue, unsanctioned comments. Once the wheels of a Presidential campaign are in full motion, every syllable and turn of phrase is vetted and tested by pollsters before any candidate or spokesperson utters a word. Modern Presidential candidates don't enjoy the luxury of being spontaneous or brutally honest with the end result being that their true beliefs are often intentionally blurred so as not to offend an essential voting demographic.

Rest assured that President Obama and former Governor Romney, like Mr. Biden, each has a definitive view of same-sex marriage; I suspect the public will not be privy to an airing of the victor's unvarnished opinion until after the election in November ~ unless the comments by Biden quickly followed by those of Secretary Duncan (Education) were intentionally fed to the media as part of an overall strategy by the Obama campaign.

Being neither the President nor a candidate running for office, I am free to offer my view on the subject.

When it comes to matters of privacy, my general credo is this:

When the day comes that the affairs of my house are completely in order; when I have no pressing problems or indebtedness; when there remains no single task which demands my attention, then and only then will I allow myself the luxury of even considering if I should involve myself in the private lives of others.

I have often told friends that when it comes to matters of the heart, my personal opinion is that a person can "love a goat for all I care!" There is "an edge of truth to my jest." It has never been nor will it ever be my prerogative to involve myself in the matter of whom others should or should not love; the choices people make for the sake of their personal happiness and in the name of love is not for anyone to judge.

Can I say I have never harbored concerns about an individual a friend might be dating. Yes. Have I always agreed with the ultimate choice a friend or family member has made in a life partner. Absolutely not! However, when push comes shove, it has never been left to me to determine who is best suited for whom when choosing a spouse.  Thank God.

As for this business of same-sex marriages, people are entitled to their fundamental disagreements and concerns. One might be justifiably opposed to same-sex marriage on the basis of a strongly held religious belief or even a personal sense of morality. Or, one might simply be homophobic, bigoted or wholly ignorant about the actual world that ~ like it or not ~ exists outside of every closed mind and door; even these individuals, sadly, have the right to their opinion. I will never hold someone's opinion against them so long as their views are expressed respectfully and intelligently without vitriol or malice.

At this writing, some thirty states have enacted laws that prohibit same-sex marriages. And the state of North Carolina, just moments ago, passed a statewide ballot initiative which has resulted in ratification of a State Constitutional Amendment to protect a ban already in place from being usurped by the judgement of a lower court in the future.

Despite these significant efforts as well as hundreds of newspaper articles and op-ed pieces I have read over the years, for the life of me I have yet, to my satisfaction, been given one sound explanation as to how a private decision between two adults of the same sex who decide to marry one another somehow adversely affects society.

As best I can tell, there hasn't been a demonstrable uptick in petty or violent crimes committed by these couples in states which have sanctioned the marriages. And unless I am grossly misinformed, malevolents like Richard Nixon, Bernie Madoff and Osama bin laden were never married to men.

I would honestly welcome reading a well-articulated, reasoned social justification for banning same-sex marriages (that doesn't invoke the tired arguments of old).

In the meantime, each of us has enough on our private plates to last a lifetime; tend to your home, your loved ones, your problems … or even your goat if that makes you happy.

Everyone else, in my opinion, should just mind their own business! 

Pilgrim's Progress(ion)

This is Peregrine White's cradle.

Surely, everyone ~ at some time ~  has wondered what finally came of lil' Pere's tiny woven cradle; it's whereabouts has certainly kept my mind racing well into the wee hours of many a night. That, and a little too much caffeine. 

But, on Sunday, May 6, 2012, the cradle will take second billing to thoughts of its former occupant when our cousin, LouAnn, is awarded her official passport as a newly minted member of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants.

Founded in 1897 by a group of descendants of the Pilgrims who sailed aboard the Mayflower in 1620, the Society's mission was to memorialize the establishment of Plymouth colony.  Any person who can accurately document direct lineage from a Mayflower passenger, following stringent approval by a Historian General, qualifies to become a member of the society.

We had all heard the story over a lifetime; we were somehow related to Peregrine White who, of three children born aboard the Mayflower, alone managed to survive the harsh ordeal of their pilgrimage.

But, talk to anyone and they are ALL related either to Peregrine or another of the Mayflower's 102 passengers.  I always lazily assumed the oral tradition might have been true but never saw a clear path that would have allowed anyone to actually prove it ~ as if I would have bothered; like most other members of the family, it was simply a quasi-factoid stored in the dusty recesses of my brain. 

And, let's face it, talk of buckle-shoed, funky-hat wearing Puritanical Pilgrim relatives from four centuries ago wouldn't have exactly made for great party conversation.

The family link with the Mayflower was destined to remain a mere rumor passed along from generation to generation until our intrepid cousin decided the storied tradition of the tale would not suffice. Whether she would ultimately succeed or fail, LouAnn decided to put the story to the test and began the tedious process of researching our family tree.

Stubborn. Dogged. Tenacious.

Three adjectives that barely describe the zeal with which LouAnn first linked one limb of the family tree to the American Revolution, earning her membership to the Daughters of the American Revolution, but eventually ~ and successfully ~ to the Mayflower and the male child born of William and Susanna White on November 20, 1620.

The first surviving child born to the Pilgrims of the Mayflower in The New World.

Typing those words finally has the effect of cementing the significance of proving the oral family history passed along over centuries is undeniably true. And while I would like to believe the link to an historic past somehow makes our family special, the reality is that tens of millions of other Americans can be successfully tied to our Pilgrim heritage as well.

Twelve generations have followed 9th Great-Grandfather Peregrin's birth in Provincetown Harbor aboard the historic ship.

When I reflect on the determination exemplified by LouAnn's life and years-long struggle to resolve the many questions of this family lore, I think it is safe to say that the grit and spirit of our Pilgrim ancestors is alive and well today.

Congratulations, LouAnn!

Senator Obama meet President Obama

I am a political junkie.

I truly enjoy the biennial cycle of primaries culminating in the November elections. With cable twenty-four hour news cycles, and nearly 800 channels from which to choose, I am seldom at a loss to find a panel of biased pointy-headed politicos discussing the latest polls while trying to somehow convince the television public how all of it relates to an event that is still months away.

It is stupid and a colossal waste of time. But I am resolutely unmoved.

When I was a kid, I only knew the damned political ads and conventions interfered with many of my favorite programs; politics were nothing but a meddlesome inconvenience not to mention boring.

But, with 795 fewer channels from which to choose as well as parents who held dominion over the television "console," I eventually was left with no choice but to watch many a party convention as well  the frenzied circus that was election night coverage.

Hey, it was better than a book. 

Only coming to understand our Constitution and the established process for elections later while in high school, I did at least manage to grasp the big picture while watching the tedious, program-interrupting programs:

Someone wins. Someone loses.

While that basic tenet hasn't changed, it does seem our politics has changed dramatically from when I was a child. Despite my adult obsession with all things political, I am increasingly exasperated by the growing ugly influence of political strategists, polls, money bundlers, PACS, as well as infotainment personalities passing themselves off as "journalists" presuming to educate us "simple folk"as to how we should think and vote.

As I watched a beautifully produced political video today featuring a statesmanly former President Clinton extolling the success of President Obama in making the tough call to terminate Osama bin Laden, instead of feeling a patriotic sense of pride in that accomplishment of one year ago, I found myself disappointed and frustrated.

To be frank, like so many other political ads, this video just seemed inappropriate to me.

None of us will ever appreciate the true nature of the burdens that rest on the shoulders of any person who ascends to the office of the President; sending young women and men into harms way, to put their lives on the line in the duty of our country surely cannot be cavalierly carried out by any man. 

Love George Bush or loathe him, no one but he will ever truly know what it was like to sit in that chair behind the Resolute desk within the Oval Office following the events of our nation's day of horror in 2001.

And to be President Obama, sitting in the Situation Room, surrounded by his Cabinet Secretaries and the heads of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, all waiting for him to single-handedly make the decision to selectively assassinate another human being, even an Osama bin Laden, must surely have been extremely difficult on at least some level.

No one of us will ever truly understand.

And, every Presidency experiences highs and lows; one takes historic credit for the good and, unfortunately, must also suffer the hardships of the bad that comes on his watch.

President Obama will forever be rightfully credited for ridding the world of bin Laden; at least, he and a select few brave Navy Seals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYykD6_OHO0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Simply put, as regards the ad, what I personally found disappointing was the ultimate carry-away message, "What would Romney have done?" The clear implication, supported by a couple of random campaign quotes made previously by Romney, that he would not have supported the decision to take out bin Laden, to-wit:

"Mitt Romney criticized (candidate) Barack Obama for vowing to strike Al-Qaeda targets in Pakistan if necessary." Reuters August 7, 2007

"It's not worth moving heaven and earth spending billions of dollars just trying to catch one person." Associated Press April 26

This line of reasoning, while convenient, is also intentionally misleading, disingenuous not to mention hypocritical.  It also plays on an assumption of our collective ignorance or stupidity ~ take your pick.

No one ~ not candidates Clinton, Bush, Obama, or a Romney ~ can ever be held inviolately accountable for every word ~ quoted in context or not ~ made during the course of campaigns or even while in office.

Life is always in flux:

President Bush famously made the ultimate decision to exert Executive Privilege by making interim recess appointments which immediately set opponents declaring it an abuse of the powers of the Executive Branch; then-candidate Obama roundly rejected the use of such tactics.

Four years later, President Obama has now famously made the ultimate decision to exert his Executive Privilege by making similar recess appointments and pushing through facets of reform stalemated by a stubborn Congress.  Don't be shocked but his opponents on The Hill are now loudly decrying this abuse of his Executive privilege.

This is the reality of the Presidency; in this case,

Four years ago, Candidate Obama knew nothing about nor could he begin to understand the man who would eventually be President Obama; they are two vastly different people ~ out of necessity and as a matter of reality.

So it is that after watching this political video, I was truly disappointed President Obama allowed his personal stature as well as that of his office to be diminished by approving such derivative garbage.

I have great faith in our system but am growing increasingly tired, as I write ad nauseum, of the grossly contentious and fractious posturing of our political parties, as promulgated by their handlers.

Even Ariana Huffington, an ardent liberal supporter of President Obama, expressed her contempt for the ad when she wrote "any man ~ even Jimmy Carter ~ would have made the same decision!"

You can bet the inconvenienced and bored kid of my youth, if granted the vision of foresight, could have even told you this brand of politics as practiced by all parties doesn't elevate anyone; it diminishes each of us and our country in turn.

Political Theater

On April 25, the United States Supreme Court will take up the emotionally-charged topic of illegal immigration when the nine justices hear oral arguments in the matter of Arizona v United States; specifically, SB 1070, the Arizona Illegal Immigration Law enacted in 2010 that set out to "discourage and deter the unlawful entry and presence of illegal immigrants."

The expected decision this summer should determine if the law as enacted is, indeed, Constitutional or if it violates the purview of the Federal Government.

Arizona must convince the high court that by allowing millions of immigrants to live in this country illegally, the current Federal Immigration System has been derelict with regard to enforcement and that, ultimately, the States have "inherent policing powers" when it comes to undocumented immigrants.

Senator Obama, while campaigning in 2008, made assurances to the Latin community that he would seek passage of far reaching immigration reforms early in his administration that would include a "path" to legalization in addition to tightened enforcement. Unfortunately, all such efforts failed to materialize fully or were stalled.

The position of the Administration regarding SB 1070 is essentially that the law "legalizes discrimination" when police are forced to act on a "reasonable suspicion" when coming upon a person of "questionable" origin. Additionally, the Solicitor General will argue that the States do not have the inherent right to make decisions on matters of immigration.

I am no legal scholar and admit to having no specific solution ~ as if anyone cares ~ to tamping the tinderbox that is immigration.

My problem again rests with any number of esteemed Representatives and Senators of every political persuasion; today, my ire is directed at Senator Chuck (who's never met a camera or open mike he hasn't loved) Schumer, (D-NY).

Whether one accepts the arguments of the government regarding SB 1070 or not, Sen. Schumer affirmed, yet again, the belief that many duly elected representatives seem to hold the Federalist System, as established by our Founding Fathers, in utter disdain; Washington, Jefferson et al deigned that the "central government" would have a select set of enumerated powers extended by the Constitution while the individual States would retain all other powers for self-governance distinct from the Federal Government.

So it was that I was truly embarrassed as I watched Schumer make a fool of himself today when announcing that he will preemptively offer a Bill in the Senate that will proscribe States from enacting further immigration reforms with the cynical anticipation of the law being upheld by The Supremes. Schumer's plan is to offer the Bill before the case of Arizona v United States is even heard by the high court and months before a ruling is forthcoming.

Regardless of one's political persuasion or position on the matter of illegal immigration and SB 1070, I am of the belief that everyone should be at a breaking point when it comes to the continual parade of "silliness" that pervades official Washington.

This "action" on the part of Schumer is pure theatrics for the consumption of a "lazy and gullible electorate." Sen. Schumer knows damned well that the Bill stands no chance of passing muster in the Senate by members of either major parties. But he will proceed, as many have done before him, with this carnival sideshow, consuming valuable time and fortune, content in the arrogant self-assurance that the move will, most importantly, secure more Latino votes for "his team" come November.

As one solitary voter, I am sick of the posturing and games from both sides of the aisle. The times we are traveling together call for serious work and solutions forged by serious people.

My hope is that every qualified voter will assume the mantle of responsibility and vote his/her conscience this Fall. And regardless of where one lands politically, I pray we might finally send a message to The Hill, through our vote, that the "age of silliness" and apparent contempt for the American voter is finally put to rest.

I also pray that the American Electorate is more intelligent and engaged than many members of Congress would allow.

Vote The Man, Not His Tie

Over the next two weeks, whether reading a newspaper, listening to a radio, or watching TV, no one living outside of a cave will avoid the mudslinging that has become a predictable component of most campaigns for public office.

I hate to break it to the political guru’s but spending piles of campaign cash on expensive television airtime is a colossal waste of money as far as this voter is concerned. These campaigns are exactly why the Gods invented the DVR; I have been spared most of the divisive drivel.

At the onset of each election cycle, politicians make lofty promises to stick to the “high ground.” Underneath the sanctimonious veneer, however, is the sure knowledge that there will eventually come a time when they “approve” ads replete with sordid half-truths, parsed statements, and blatant lies regarding their foes.

And it apparently doesn’t matter if the political landscape appears gloomy or bright for candidates in the final weeks and days before an election; once campaign managers and pollsters have crunched the numbers, the day finally arrives when every politician comes out fighting. And once the white gloves come off, all pretense of “playing fair” goes the way of the morning trash.

I suppose the political machines can present reasonable arguments for such decisions; after all, the tough choices aren’t created in a vacuum and are vital for political survival. Right?

And, in line with my continuing effort to believe the best in everyone, I remain hopeful that most people seeking the prestige and power attendant to high office do so while guided by a moral compass, of sorts. But the trouble I run into while observing many a politician is that I am often left scratching my head – not at all certain as to the direction in which magnetic North actually leads them.

I know. There are apparently no hard and fast rules demanding “morality” from our politicians.

But there is a decidedly ugly stench that follows in the wake of many of these politicians as they crisscross home turfs doing just about anything to vanquish opponents in order to win coveted seats on Capitol Hill.

This reality of politics, at least to my way of thinking, is nothing but unseemly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As I secretly listened to many adult conversations late at night as a child, I became convinced that voting practices were directly tied to ancestry. The grownups, sitting in smoke filled rooms around tables while playing cards, would pontificate about many of the important issues of the day as well as their proud family traditions of voting the party of either FDR or Lincoln. I eventually concluded that even the thought of casting a vote which didn’t comport with those long held traditions was anathema to them.

“Vote the party, not the man.” This was their mantra.

Much has changed during my lifetime.

While an adversarial electoral process is central to our democratic republic, the years following the fall of Nixon have been marked by a progressively ugly turn in the collective political discourse.

Watching many of the powerful people running for office, as well as those already tasked with carrying out the “people’s business," often conjures images in my mind of politicians who are no more dignified than a mob of frothy-mouthed, rabid squirrels on a peanut.

The thirty six years since Watergate have brought a decided worsening of bipartisan tensions, increased vitriol, and harboring of political grudges made only worse during the sixteen years of Bill and GW.

And now as we approach the first mid-term elections for the sea change President who enjoyed across the board election night popularity of 72%, there is a nearly incomprehensible and feverish anti-incumbent, anti-Washington sentiment looming large across the country, the likes of which I have certainly never felt.

Citizens could spend days or weeks passionately debating the various factors that have led to this dramatic shift. Unfortunately, the time for such discussion has drawn to a close; suffice it to say, there is certainly enough blame to go around for everyone. As we complete the chapter on yet another ugly tale of modern election history, my (naïve) hope is that voters will deliver a serious statement come November to those who work for us on the Hill that the “silly seasons” of politics must finally be put to rest.

One of the best bits of advice I have read recently comes from the learned, P Cooney DDS MD, who wrote:

“Americans need to stop voting for the guy who has the nicest tie.”

“As a nation, we can no longer afford to simply vote along strict party lines, or make clarion calls to simply, ‘Vote the Bums OUT.’”

We each have a responsibility to familiarize ourselves with the very serious issues at hand, and to make every conceivable effort to learn as much about prospective office holders and their positions before stepping foot into the voting booths.

And, I don’t agree with many of the pundits who have effectively declared Americans to be brain dead, lazy or apathetic.

For those who don’t live in the bubble of DC, the everyday exigencies of life often stand in the way of using precious time studying candidates and issues. But, seriously, what has official Washington done lately – other than seek campaign contributions – to encourage the voting public? Hell, it’s somehow no longer embarrassing for a representative to publicly admit he doesn’t know the substance of the Bills for which he votes. And, at least once this past year, we were all famously told to calm ourselves – they would cast their votes, leaving us to merely be content learning the consequences of the watershed Bill later.

As for any charge of apathy, I do fear many voters have sadly resigned themselves to a nearly certain, inglorious fate. This isn’t apathy but, rather, speaks to the absence of hope. Who can honestly blame these citizens for feeling as they do? We are all effectively bystanders – even victims – to the apparent lack of seriousness on Capitol Hill; whatever decisions they make, good or bad, we are all forced to simply accept whatever comes. And, I have too many friends who are now irrevocably convinced that their representatives have but one genuine concern – their own political survival.

I, for one, have had enough.

This isn’t a Red or Blue issue for me.

No matter the crush of time weighing down on my everyday life, or even a sense that my vote might not count, I am committed to doing my due diligence before the November elections. I intend to learn as much as I can about the prospective candidates in my district before making an informed decision.

But my work will not stop after submitting the ballot.

Without rancor or regard for partisanship, I pray this election will have the effect of finally driving home the important message to current and future House and Senate members alike:

There is no safe seat on Capitol Hill; no one is indispensable.

As my father once told me, quoting DeGaulle,

“The cemeteries of the world are full of indispensable men.”

Please cast an informed VOTE this November.

(And say a prayer of thanks for your DVR).

If You Build It ...

FACEBOOK is an interesting “space.”

At any given moment, acquaintances and friends can learn more about you than they may have previously cared to know. People “Check In” to restaurants, bars, airports, even restrooms; chirpy morning greetings are usually met with long “threads” of pleasant “tit-for-tats;” acerbic or ironic comments, pictures, or cartoons almost always result in a flurry of “Likes” as well as “Comments.”

Most everyone enjoys a good laugh; that’s always good.

But what happens when one crosses the FACEBOOK Rubicon attempting to discuss subjects that are topical, challenging, and emotionally charged?

As if these posts were salmonella tainted eggs, I have learned that most of the entries go untouched. It’s a curiosity to me.

I truly enjoy a good conversation with just about anyone so long as personal invective and emotions are left out of the mix. Give me a reasonable argument for most any position and I will respectfully hear you out; I am, after all, still open to expanding my views. And while I understand that engaging in serious conversation doesn’t seem like an entertaining use of valuable time for some, people today seem to genuinely loathe stepping into almost any controversial fray.

I just don’t get it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The debate surrounding the Park 51 development, a mere 600 feet North of Ground Zero, is consuming the thoughts, passions and energies of many. There are those who insist this is nothing more than a “ginned up” controversy manufactured so as to fill airwave and newspaper space during an otherwise boring “dog days of summer” news cycle. There are equally great numbers of vocal, partisan foes on the other side of this fence who protest the project solely on the grounds that its concept is, at once, “insensitive,” if not wholly un-American.

To my way of thinking, it doesn’t matter that opinions are often labeled “right” or “wrong;” it’s more important to me that those who are moved to embrace a subject, come to what they consider to be reasoned (if not flawed) opinions and then allow their voices be heard.

It’s how I grow as a person; I welcome such opportunities.

FREEDOM OF RELIGION

AMY FACEBOOK: “As far as I know, none of the 9/11 hijackers or their co-conspirators have applied for a building permit. And as far as I know, the zoning of lower Manhattan allows building of places of worship. And as far as I know we still have that First Amendment thingy that says Congress shall make no laws prohibiting the free exercise of religion”

Most of us don’t recall that the process of drafting and ratifying the United States Constitution by all participating states took up most of nearly five years. Soon after Vermont became the thirteenth state to affirm the Constitution in December of 1779, the state of Virginia proposed and ratified ten amendments to the same Constitution that would eventually become known as the Bill of Rights.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; …”

These sixteen words represent the first two conditions set forth in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights; they are most often referred to, respectively as the “Establishment” and “Freedom of Expression” clauses.

The Establishment clause strictly prohibits the establishment of a national religion by Congress or the preference of one religion over another, non-religion over religion, religion over non-religion, and, later, religion over irreligion.

ROB MARVIN: “Absolutely, Amy. Free exercise of religion is the cornerstone of the freedoms laid by the founding fathers; every Muslim, Hindu, Jew and Christian is allowed to (or not) practice his religion as he chooses. What I don’t understand is how this public outcry against construction of a mosque at such close proximity to Ground Zero somehow represents a forfeiture of that right? I know of no reasonable person or group who has called for such an infringement.

Lately refusing to enter the political deep end of most any shark infested pool, Speaker Pelosi(o) recently declared this issue to be “local.”

If this is true, then Imam Rauf, who is spearheading the project, might be wise to listen to the overwhelming majority of NYC citizens surveyed ~ Muslim and Non-Muslim alike ~ who have asked only that serious consideration and empathy be accorded to the feelings of the family members who lost so much on 9/11. To many, erection of the cultural center and mosque at this site would be no less abhorrent than allowing the Japanese government to erect a Shinto Shrine or tourism bureau two blocks from the rusting hull of the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor.

The entire debate, for me, defies logic.

If the intent is solely to construct a cultural center and prayer facility cum mosque, then by all means build it. The interested parties need only consider relocating the facility to a different site. If the intent is truly not to make either a political or religious statement, there are plenty of other properties available for his consideration; Governor Patterson has previously offered as much. To do anything less, indeed to be intransigent, only serves to inflame the fears of many as to an “actual agenda.”

I can’t help but concur with the majority opinion of New Yorkers who feel that continuing with this complex, as proposed, is little more than an exercise in ‘poor taste.’

And, at its worst, the project is disturbingly provocative”

THE NINETEEN GUYS OF 9/11

AMY FACEBOOK: “Islam is a religion of peace and love, and is practiced as such by billions of people. Not unlike Christianity. There are a few extremists and nut-jobs who claim to represent a faith. Those who exploit that religion, or falsify the beliefs of that religion, as a motivation for murder. To persecute all for the actions of a few is a mistake.”

The men who hijacked the four planes which ultimately resulted in the death of thousands of innocents were clearly, as Charles Krauthammer recently wrote, “at the edge of a worldwide movement of radical Islamists with cells that exist on every continent, with global financing as well as theological support complete with large media and propaganda arms, and an archipelago of local sympathizers, such as those in NW Pakistan who protect and guard them.”

“Why is America fighting Predator Wars over Pakistan and in Yemen, surveilling thousands of conversations and financial transactions every day, and engaged in military actions against radical Muslims from the Philippines to Somalia?”

“Is America doing that because of just 19 crazed Muslim terrorists who died nearly ten years ago?”

“No.”

The radical factions of Islam most certainly do not represent a majority sampling of Islam. “But, when you consider the financiers, clerics, propagandists, trainers, leaders, operatives and sympathizers ~ by any conservative estimate, these numbers command some 7% of all Muslims.” That amounts to some 80 million Muslims engaged in such activity.

“These numbers represent a “very powerful strain within Islam.”

Memorial Footprints

ROB MARVIN: “The action of these men and umbrella organizations has altered the course of the world, and has personally affected the lives of millions, Amy. I am sure many would like to pretend the world is still a completely happy place in which to live but the reality of 9/11 changed this ideal for everyone. For myself, the numbers are staggering; I can no longer afford to look at this world through “rose-colored glasses.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Resistance to this project represents nothing more than “metastasized anti-Semitism.”

These were the words spoken recently by the wife of Imam Rauf.

“It’s beyond Islamophobia. It’s hate of Muslims.”

Like it or not, Mrs. Khan, Ground Zero will always be the “site of the most lethal attack of the worldwide radical Islamic movement, consisting entirely of Muslims, acting in the name of Islam, and deeply embedded within the Islamic world.”

I have great sympathy for everyone who suffered from the attacks of 9/11; my sympathy also extends to the peace loving Muslims of the world who have watched helplessly as their faith has been bastardized by so many.

Ask almost any German citizen if the stigma of Hitler’s atrocities during WWII still reverberate today; even those not alive during the War will attest to the great legacy of guilt which still hangs over the country some sixty years later.

The stigma of that day in September of 2001 will surely haunt the good Muslims of the world for generations to come; I believe the greatest gift the Imam could bestow upon the city of New York ~ and the country as a whole ~ would be to demonstrate “understanding and compassion” by moving the project to a different location.

Such consideration might truly move mountains.

Dr. Marvin

At the very moment countless thousands cross busy intersections; as men vie for parking spaces; flight and dinner reservations are made; couples marry; families picnic; and, as children are born and elders die, a momentous event will unfold for our family which represents the capstone on years of hard work as well as a moment certain to inalterably affect a destiny. So, while the rest of the world goes about the business of their daily lives this Saturday, my family will be in Washington DC standing witness as a green velvet-trimmed hood is placed around our youngest brother's neck, a tassel is moved to the left facement of a motarboard, and an ancient oath recited, thus marking Blake's graduation from Medical School.

It gives me pause.

Can this grown man possibly have been the same baby who once brought renewed life to our aging parents; the ever-smiling boy in footed pajamas, pacifier askance, who led a ritual family march to bed at night; the little boy who worshiped his “Dimmy” and “Dott;” the little boy in a red apron who ran to greet Dad after school; the disengaged “Rudy Kazooty" of T-ball games; the young boy who sat on the shoulders of my medical school classmates; as well as the all-too-young man who eventually eulogized his own father?

Is it really possible?

Thousands of memories are swirling through my head; it is admittedly difficult to grasp the reality that Blake’s life to this point has passed by with the proverbial “blink of an eye.”

When Blake graduated from high school in 2001, I gifted him a copy of the "blessedly brief graduation speech" written by Dr. Seuss, "Oh, The Places You'll Go." As I struggled to come up with words which could adequately speak to my feelings now as he prepares to graduate from Medical School, I couldn't help but reflect on the same little book. After re-reading the inimitable text, I decided it remains a perfect sendoff as he moves forward with the "Great Balancing Act" that will be his life; "Oh, The Places You'll Go" succeeds where I would have surely failed, imparting upon Blake a "lifetime of wisdom."

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care.
About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street.

And you may not find any
you’ll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you’ll head straight out of town.

It’s opener there in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen,
don’t worry. Don’t stew.
Just go right along.
You’ll start happening too.

OH! THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.
You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

     Except when you don’t.
     Because, sometimes, you won’t.

     I’m sorry to say so
     but, sadly, it’s true
     that Bang-ups and Hang-ups
     can happen to you.

     You can get all hung up
     in a prickle-ly perch.
     And your gang will fly on.
     You’ll be left in a Lurch.

     You’ll come down from the Lurch
     with an unpleasant bump.
     And the chances are, then,
     that you’ll be in a Slump.

     And when you’re in a Slump,
     you’re not in for much fun.
     Un-slumping yourself
     is not easily done.

     You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
     Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked.
     A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!
     Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
     How much can you lose? How much can you win?

     And IF you go in, should you turn left or right …
     or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
     Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
     Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find,
     for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

     You can get so confused
     that you’ll start in to race
     down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
     and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
     headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
        The Waiting Place…
          ... for people just waiting.
          Waiting for a train to go
          or a bus to come, or a plane to go
          or the mail to come, or the rain to go
          or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
          or waiting around for a Yes or No
          or waiting for their hair to grow.
          Everyone is just waiting.

          Waiting for the fish to bite
          or waiting for wind to fly a kite
          or waiting around for Friday night
          or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
          or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
          or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
          or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
          Everyone is just waiting.

NO!
That’s not for you!

Somehow you’ll escape
all that waiting and staying.
You’ll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping,
once more you’ll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

     Except when they don’t.
     Because, sometimes, they won’t.

     I’m afraid that some times
     you’ll play lonely games too.
     Games you can’t win
     ‘cause you’ll play against you.

     All Alone!
     Whether you like it or not,
     Alone will be something
     you’ll be quite a lot.

     And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance
     you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
     There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
     that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go
though the weather be foul.
On you will go
though your enemies prowl.
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl.
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike.
And I know you’ll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You’ll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So…
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea,
you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

I hope no one will accuse me of being presumptuous when assuring you of how proud Dad would have been to be present in the DAR Constitution Hall as you take that walk across the stage to accept your diploma this Saturday afternoon, Blake.

Both he and your Mother would surely

Want you to always follow your most noble instincts,
Want you to always be a force for right and good,
Want you to defend the weak as they taught you,
Want you to always be brave,
Want you to know that whatever you do, or wherever you go,
     you walk with their blessing and love,
Want to you keep your faith in God, your humility and sense of humor,
Want you to allow nothing to deter you
     from getting what you want from this life,
Want you to know that while they may have had regrets or sadness in their lives,

     they have always been grateful to have you as their son.

Congratulations, Blake.