Personal Change
In the movie
Pieces of
April there is a wonderful
scene where April (Katie Holmes) explains to a Chinese-American family living in
her apartment building the story behind our Thanksgiving celebration. She tells
that the Pilgrims experienced many hardships during their first year in America.
She says that they learned in that year that they could not survive alone; they
needed the assistance of the Native Americans. Of course history teaches us that
both they and the Native Americans soon forgot this valuable lesson, but we are
human after all. And we talk about our animals as having short term
memories!
Yesterday I heard a song on our local country radio station. The singer was railing against Hollywood. "Hey Hollywood stop running our country down . . . If you don't love America you're free to leave it!...Ill help you pack."
Today while strolling down our tiny Main Street I saw this bumper sticker: "To Hell with other countries GOD bless America!" I probably don't have to mention which of the major political parties' presidential bumper stickers was displayed next to it! To Hell with other countries?
What is the thinking process in that song and that bumper sticker? What happened to freedom of expression? What happened to April's understanding that we all need each other to survive not only in this country but on this planet? What is beautiful about America is that that recording artist can express his thinking about his country. At the same time he can not deny other artists their right to express their deep felt convictions. And when we begin stating that all other countries can literally go to "Hell" as long as God protects us, well folks we are in the same boat as those terrorists in the Mideast. We're no different and we might as well start the Crusade and get it over with.
"Although the connections are not always obvious, personal change is inseparable from social and political change."
Yesterday I heard a song on our local country radio station. The singer was railing against Hollywood. "Hey Hollywood stop running our country down . . . If you don't love America you're free to leave it!...Ill help you pack."
Today while strolling down our tiny Main Street I saw this bumper sticker: "To Hell with other countries GOD bless America!" I probably don't have to mention which of the major political parties' presidential bumper stickers was displayed next to it! To Hell with other countries?
What is the thinking process in that song and that bumper sticker? What happened to freedom of expression? What happened to April's understanding that we all need each other to survive not only in this country but on this planet? What is beautiful about America is that that recording artist can express his thinking about his country. At the same time he can not deny other artists their right to express their deep felt convictions. And when we begin stating that all other countries can literally go to "Hell" as long as God protects us, well folks we are in the same boat as those terrorists in the Mideast. We're no different and we might as well start the Crusade and get it over with.
"Although the connections are not always obvious, personal change is inseparable from social and political change."
Posted: Sun - August 1, 2004 at 07:03 PM
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Reflection
"Chance favors only the prepared mind." - Louis Pasteur
"Art arises from basic needs-a strong need to express and celebrate our everyday events.
In a museum most people spend less than twenty seconds looking at a work of art."
"Art arises from basic needs-a strong need to express and celebrate our everyday events.
In a museum most people spend less than twenty seconds looking at a work of art."
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Published On: Dec 26, 2005 06:36 PM
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Published On: Dec 26, 2005 06:36 PM