People of the Book

I would like to add People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks to my Fight Evil, Read Books list.

If the phrase, "People of the Book" means Jews, Muslims and Christians to you, then the title might be misleading. The book does have all of those represented, but the book in the title is a Jewish haggadah. A haggadah is the book that Jews use at a Passover Seder to tell their story. The particular haggadah in question is one that really exists and is called the Sarejevo Haggadah. The "People" in the title of the book are the many people through whose hands the book passes in its five hundred year history. The book is a work of historical fiction; none of the characters are real, but the events of their lives happened to real people in some fashion.

There are several themes in the book, but the one that makes me put the book on my list is the idea of, "It could never happen here." Throughout the five hundred year span of the story there are diverse communities of people who have learned to coexist and even intermix in some cases. They all believe that hatred for their neighbors could never flare up in their communities. They believe themselves beyond that. Indeed there are always a few people who buck the systematized killing of whichever group is being killed, but the massive killings happen none the less.

I believe we live in a time and place where we imagine that it could never happen here. But of course we imagine that! It means that we think well of and trust our neighbors. On the other hand, perhaps it also means that we think a little too highly of ourselves; we believe that we could never be swept away by the fear that leads to hatred. That kind of fear requires a vigilant guard. This book might help us to guard against the evil that creeps in when someone tries to lead you to fear The Other.

Even if you don't get into it as deeply as I did, it's still a darn good story with fascinating history.

Mama Mia!

First, always trust
Charlotte
if she tells you that something is a good time.

Second, three kids and a husband does not make it impossible to decide on a last minute night out with your girlfriends. Hit the speed dial and just do it. At 39 I sort of thought my spontaneous and silly days were past, but no.

Three of my girlfriends (we missed the fourth, but she already had plans, darn.) and I went to see Mama Mia! last night. We laughed until we cried, and Ginger and I even tried a little chair dancing. There was cheering and clapping- during the movie, and talking to the screen! In front of us were five ladies who about 15 or even 20 years older than us and they were also having a ball. They did keep begging Pierce Brosnan not to sing, which made me laugh even more. I was actually giddy as we left the theater.

Fourth, don't be afraid to embrace the moment, and if that means cranking Ginger's ipod and dancing in the theater parking lot, then go for it. I honestly can't remember that last time I had such free and silly fun with my friends.

Shades of Grey, or Maybe Purple?

Does anyone remember that line in the Gettysburg Address about the government being "... of the people, by the people and for the people?" You know what that implies don't you? Right, it implies one, that WE are the government, and two, that the government is made up of human beings- frail, imperfect human beings. There is going to be no perfect government and no perfect government solution to anything, but because of implication number one, we can't just chuck the whole thing. After all, who chucks themselves?

I got an email from my mom about the laws and promises broken by the democratic party in relation to the social security system. It was the usual nanny state concerns that many Republicans have. On the other hand, I've listened to three or four episodes of This American Life that told stories of the numerous civil rights laws that have been tossed aside by the Bush Administration. I sort of think that you're going to be more upset with whichever party is breaking the laws that you hold in a higher priority, but either way something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

What makes me sad about our election system is that no one comes out a winner. By the time we elect someone he or she, as well as the losing opponent, has been torn to shreds. For some reason too many people don't feel comfortable standing by their man unless the other man, or woman, is an evil villain. It's pretty extreme and I can't say that I'm all that comfortable with it.

I was thinking of this in church on Sunday when the teacher was talking about Jesus' command to love your enemies. He was saying that you're not going to find yourself in the Kingdom of God now if you can't love your enemies. Somehow my thought train went through several stations until it arrived at the realization that, in governmental politics at least, we make enemies where there shouldn't have to be any. We divide ourselves up into groups with impenetrable boundaries and then are angry because we can't get anything done. We want people to be both compromising and uncompromising at the same time. We want there to be the side of right and the side of evil and then expect those same people to work on the same team.

I can't say that I see it happening in Washington or Lansing, but I think we need a little humility, a little seeing the other side as being made of the same imperfect humans as your side. Which brings me back to Mr. Lincoln. Since we are the government, maybe WE could start this humility thing. We could choose to stop carving things up into what we see as clearly black and white, red and blue territory. We could choose to be different in our own small circles and in the way we deal with The Other that we see every day.

I know how pie in the sky that sounds, but aren't you ready for some pie? Aren't you a little beat down by having to fight for your side all the time? Doesn't marshaling your arguments and lining up your shots just make you tired and hungry? Come on, let's just sit down together and have some pie; blueberry is a nice purple pie.