Sunday, November 15, 2009
Why I Hate Richard Nixon
Screw Watergate! That is nothing compared to what he did in Arkansas in 1969.
In 1969, celebrating 100 years of college football, then-president Richard Nixon attended the Texas vs. Arkansas game. He announced that he would give a plaque to the winner of that game (Texas in a nail-biting 15-14 victory) and declare them National Champions.
Slight problem, however. Nixon was a bit premature with his declaration. Penn State was also undefeated and no New Year's Day bowl games had been played yet.
After the governor of Pennsylvania, Joe Paterno and 90,000 angry letters contacted the White House, it was decided Nixon would present a second plaque to the Nittany Lions for having the sport's longest unbeaten, untied streak. Legend has it, however, that when the White House called about picking up the other plaque, Paterno said, "You tell the president to take that trophy and shove it."
In 1974, Joe Paterno gave the commencement speech at Penn State asked, "How could the president know so little about Watergate in 1973 and so much about college football in 1969?"
In 1969, celebrating 100 years of college football, then-president Richard Nixon attended the Texas vs. Arkansas game. He announced that he would give a plaque to the winner of that game (Texas in a nail-biting 15-14 victory) and declare them National Champions.
Slight problem, however. Nixon was a bit premature with his declaration. Penn State was also undefeated and no New Year's Day bowl games had been played yet.
After the governor of Pennsylvania, Joe Paterno and 90,000 angry letters contacted the White House, it was decided Nixon would present a second plaque to the Nittany Lions for having the sport's longest unbeaten, untied streak. Legend has it, however, that when the White House called about picking up the other plaque, Paterno said, "You tell the president to take that trophy and shove it."
In 1974, Joe Paterno gave the commencement speech at Penn State asked, "How could the president know so little about Watergate in 1973 and so much about college football in 1969?"
Labels: Life
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Why I Never Dated a Married Man
I would love to write about how I'm all "Women should stick together" and "I would never do that to another woman" and get on my moral high horse about breaking up families and vows taken and shit.
But the honest to God truth is that I am completely selfish and egomaniacal and can't stand to be second in anyone's life. Hell, I could have titled this "Why I Would Never Date a Workaholic" because my reasons are exactly the same--if I am in a relationship I want to be number 1--the only exception to that rule is my children. They can be number one and I can be number 2. But nothing else.
I could never be in a relationship with someone who did not spend holidays with me, who I couldn't pick up the phone and call on a whim, or who was sleeping with someone else (because never get fooled by the whole "we don't have sex anymore" line).
And let's face it, if he cheats on his wife/significant other, he's going to cheat on me, too (so maybe I'm not so egomaniacal). The line "Once a cheater, always a cheater" is true. I am not that special and going to be "the one" who changes him.
I knew a woman who wasted 10 years on a married man and when he finally did leave his wife, there was yet a third woman in the picture who he moved in with. Duh!
But the honest to God truth is that I am completely selfish and egomaniacal and can't stand to be second in anyone's life. Hell, I could have titled this "Why I Would Never Date a Workaholic" because my reasons are exactly the same--if I am in a relationship I want to be number 1--the only exception to that rule is my children. They can be number one and I can be number 2. But nothing else.
I could never be in a relationship with someone who did not spend holidays with me, who I couldn't pick up the phone and call on a whim, or who was sleeping with someone else (because never get fooled by the whole "we don't have sex anymore" line).
And let's face it, if he cheats on his wife/significant other, he's going to cheat on me, too (so maybe I'm not so egomaniacal). The line "Once a cheater, always a cheater" is true. I am not that special and going to be "the one" who changes him.
I knew a woman who wasted 10 years on a married man and when he finally did leave his wife, there was yet a third woman in the picture who he moved in with. Duh!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Dreams
I've dreamt about John every night for the past 2 weeks. Not about his sickness, but a John who is alive and well. Not about the past, but about the future we will never have. I dream about a John who lies next to me in bed at night, who is helping to wash dishes in the kitchen, who is sitting next to me watching television.
Our conversations are about the mundane, kids, what to have for dinner, our days at work, but there is a love and intimacy there that is comforting. Not the passionate intimacy that happens at the beginning of love, but the quieteintimacy that happens after loving someone for so long--the type of intimacy where you can finish each other's sentences, read each other's thoughts, sit in silence for long period of time and never have it be awkward or uncomfortable.
On these nights, I sleep soundly and peacefully because of the dreams. Then I wake up and realize he is not here. I mourn the loss. I don't mourn our past as much as I mourn the future we should have had.
Our conversations are about the mundane, kids, what to have for dinner, our days at work, but there is a love and intimacy there that is comforting. Not the passionate intimacy that happens at the beginning of love, but the quieteintimacy that happens after loving someone for so long--the type of intimacy where you can finish each other's sentences, read each other's thoughts, sit in silence for long period of time and never have it be awkward or uncomfortable.
On these nights, I sleep soundly and peacefully because of the dreams. Then I wake up and realize he is not here. I mourn the loss. I don't mourn our past as much as I mourn the future we should have had.
Genocide in Darfur
I wrote the last two posts because I have been involved with Save Darfur for quite a while. Before John got sick, Darfur and another organization, called Equality Now, were my two main charities (Equality Now deals with women's issues throughout the world). I am also very interested in the plight of post-colonial Africa and am shocked and amazed that after World War II, after the pledge "never again" was made, genocide is still rampant in our world.
I believe one of the reasons genocide is rampant is because there really is no justice for the perpetrators. Aside from the Nuremburg Trials after World War II, very few have had to pay for what they have done.
I think another reason is because we don't pay much attention to it when it happens. I have vague memories of getting my Weekly Reader in grade school in the seventies and seeing pictures of "boat people"--refugees from Cambodia. But until I became an adult, I didn't know a damn thing about what was going on there at the time.
In 1994, when the shit hit the fan in Rwanda, the UN pulled peacekeeping troops out of there. The US, French and Belgium governments got all their citizens out of Dodge, so-to-speak, and let the chips fall where they may. Where they fell was with 800,000 citizens dead in 100 days.
The Sudanese government has been implementing genocide in the Darfur region since 2004 and not only has little been done about this, but the Olympic committee gave China the Goddamned Olympics. The Chinese government has been supplying money and arms to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to institute his genocide and the U.S. and the rest of the First-World Countries did not call for a boycott of the Olympics. No one, except a handful of people, protested this (and don't even get me started and China and their long list of human rights violations, aside from the Sudan).
Today, President Obama is going to China and I can only hope he is going to put pressure on the Chinese government to stop supporting President al- Bashir. Many complained that the he didn't earn his Noble Peace Prize. Let him begin earning it now.
Tomorrow I will get off my soapbox and go back to snarky.
I believe one of the reasons genocide is rampant is because there really is no justice for the perpetrators. Aside from the Nuremburg Trials after World War II, very few have had to pay for what they have done.
I think another reason is because we don't pay much attention to it when it happens. I have vague memories of getting my Weekly Reader in grade school in the seventies and seeing pictures of "boat people"--refugees from Cambodia. But until I became an adult, I didn't know a damn thing about what was going on there at the time.
In 1994, when the shit hit the fan in Rwanda, the UN pulled peacekeeping troops out of there. The US, French and Belgium governments got all their citizens out of Dodge, so-to-speak, and let the chips fall where they may. Where they fell was with 800,000 citizens dead in 100 days.
The Sudanese government has been implementing genocide in the Darfur region since 2004 and not only has little been done about this, but the Olympic committee gave China the Goddamned Olympics. The Chinese government has been supplying money and arms to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to institute his genocide and the U.S. and the rest of the First-World Countries did not call for a boycott of the Olympics. No one, except a handful of people, protested this (and don't even get me started and China and their long list of human rights violations, aside from the Sudan).
Today, President Obama is going to China and I can only hope he is going to put pressure on the Chinese government to stop supporting President al- Bashir. Many complained that the he didn't earn his Noble Peace Prize. Let him begin earning it now.
Tomorrow I will get off my soapbox and go back to snarky.
Labels: Life
Thursday, November 12, 2009
What Happens After Genocide Part 2
President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has a huge problem. He has no one to rebuild his country after the 1994 genocide. Over 800,000 Tutsis, mostly men and boys, were murdered in 100 days. Thousands of Hutu men are now in prison. He needs these able-bodied men to rebuild Rwanda's infrastructure, but they are accused of horrendous crimes--genocide, torture and crimes agains humanity.
His government has set up Gacaca post-genocide local courts throughout the country. Victims and victims' families may face those who've done them harm and tell their stories. Anne Aghion documented this in a documentary entitled My Neighbor, My Killer.
I watched as women faced the accused and described how they were taken from their homes, babies ripped from their arms and beaten to death in front of them, husbands and children hacked to death by machetes before their eyes. The perpetrators were their former friends and neighbors. One woman stood before her son's best friend and told how this man hacked him to death.
The idea is that these men have been imprisoned since 1994 and now are seeking forgiveness. The victims get to tell their stories and give forgiveness. There's just one problem with this plan.
As I watched the documentary, not one single prisoner admitted to what he did. Even when their accusers state that they saw these men with their own eyes do these things. If no one committed these acts then I ask HOW THE FUCK DID 800,000 PEOPLE WIND UP DEAD IN 100 DAYS?!
I sympathize with President Paul Kagame's plight. He needs these people out of prison to rebuild his country. But it's pretty damn hard to offer forgiveness to someone who is not seeking it...who instead, is justifying his actions, denying his wrongdoing, and turns himself into the victim.
His government has set up Gacaca post-genocide local courts throughout the country. Victims and victims' families may face those who've done them harm and tell their stories. Anne Aghion documented this in a documentary entitled My Neighbor, My Killer.
I watched as women faced the accused and described how they were taken from their homes, babies ripped from their arms and beaten to death in front of them, husbands and children hacked to death by machetes before their eyes. The perpetrators were their former friends and neighbors. One woman stood before her son's best friend and told how this man hacked him to death.
The idea is that these men have been imprisoned since 1994 and now are seeking forgiveness. The victims get to tell their stories and give forgiveness. There's just one problem with this plan.
As I watched the documentary, not one single prisoner admitted to what he did. Even when their accusers state that they saw these men with their own eyes do these things. If no one committed these acts then I ask HOW THE FUCK DID 800,000 PEOPLE WIND UP DEAD IN 100 DAYS?!
I sympathize with President Paul Kagame's plight. He needs these people out of prison to rebuild his country. But it's pretty damn hard to offer forgiveness to someone who is not seeking it...who instead, is justifying his actions, denying his wrongdoing, and turns himself into the victim.
Labels: Life
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
What Happens After Genocide?
After 30 years, high-ranking officials of the Kmer Rouger regime in Cambodia are finally going to trial. Their leader, Pol Pot, died in exile in the late 90s, supposedly of a heart attack, but many suspect he was poisoned. I hope so. It wouldn't be fair that a man who instituted genocide should be allowed to die of old age (ahem, Idi Amin).
Dith Pran, the man who put a face to the victims of the Kmer Rouge, died in March 2008 from pancreatic cancer.
Here is an excerpt from a CNN article on the current trial of Duch, another high-ranking perpetrator of the genocide in Cambodia:
Kaing Guek Eav is an elderly former math teacher and a born-again Christian.
He is also -- prosecutors contend -- a former prison chief with Cambodia's Khmer Rouge movement who oversaw the torture and killing of more than 15,000 men, women and children three decades ago.The trial of the 66-year-old man, better known as Duch, began Monday in front of a U.N.-backed tribunal just outside the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. Duch faces charges that include crimes against humanity, war crimes, torture and murder.
Do you know why Duch is now a born-again Christian? I don't either, but I have a theory. I don't believe for an instant he truly repented and found God. If he did that, it wouldn't have taken 30 Goddamned years to find this bastard. He would have come forward himself.
I believe he became a born-again Christian because in Buddhism whatever you do follows you FOREVER...FOREVER. Becoming a born-again Christian gave Duch the ability to "repent" and be forgiven...to continue to live for the past 30 years with a somewhat clean conscience.
It has taken 30 years to bring the Kmer Rouge to justice. Many of the perpetrators are dead, as are many victims and victims' families.
Do you want to know what happens after a genocide...nothing.
Hell, the government of Turkey still won't admit that what happened to their Armenian citizens in 1915 was a genocide. Neither will our own government (although the great state of New Jersey, where I reside, does call it a genocide).
Tomorrow...the Gacaca post-genocide local courts in Rwanda.
Dith Pran, the man who put a face to the victims of the Kmer Rouge, died in March 2008 from pancreatic cancer.
Here is an excerpt from a CNN article on the current trial of Duch, another high-ranking perpetrator of the genocide in Cambodia:
Kaing Guek Eav is an elderly former math teacher and a born-again Christian.
He is also -- prosecutors contend -- a former prison chief with Cambodia's Khmer Rouge movement who oversaw the torture and killing of more than 15,000 men, women and children three decades ago.The trial of the 66-year-old man, better known as Duch, began Monday in front of a U.N.-backed tribunal just outside the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. Duch faces charges that include crimes against humanity, war crimes, torture and murder.
Do you know why Duch is now a born-again Christian? I don't either, but I have a theory. I don't believe for an instant he truly repented and found God. If he did that, it wouldn't have taken 30 Goddamned years to find this bastard. He would have come forward himself.
I believe he became a born-again Christian because in Buddhism whatever you do follows you FOREVER...FOREVER. Becoming a born-again Christian gave Duch the ability to "repent" and be forgiven...to continue to live for the past 30 years with a somewhat clean conscience.
It has taken 30 years to bring the Kmer Rouge to justice. Many of the perpetrators are dead, as are many victims and victims' families.
Do you want to know what happens after a genocide...nothing.
Hell, the government of Turkey still won't admit that what happened to their Armenian citizens in 1915 was a genocide. Neither will our own government (although the great state of New Jersey, where I reside, does call it a genocide).
Tomorrow...the Gacaca post-genocide local courts in Rwanda.
Labels: Life
A Few Degrees of Separation
So an old college friend "friended" me on Facebook. Then I thought Hmmmmmmmmm.....I wonder who he's Facebook friends with. And then it just snowballed from there. Within 4 degrees of separation I tracked down a guy I was head over heels in lust with in college. Remind me NEVER to do that again because he now looks something like this:
I never cease to be disappointed when I search for old flames.
(By the way, not his actual picture, but a really close resemblance.)
Aidan's Third Birthday