The Korean Peninsula

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The handshake and the stepping across the line at Panmunjon yesterday were of more than symbolic significance.  It passes with more than routine notice: a step on a long road ahead, hopefully between two sovereign nations, together, rather than manipulated by some Greater Power(s).

I’ve written about Korea a few times, most recently here.

A while back I made a rough map to orient myself to this part of the world which has, for the past 65 or so years been neither at war nor at peace.

Korea and environs

(The lavender rectangle on the map was a scale of miles.  But think in terms of perhaps 100 miles, east to west.  Pyongyang and Seoul, the two capital cities, are not much more than 100 miles apart.  This is not a place for idle threats or speculation or insults like “nuke ’em”, “rocket man” or such.)

This morning my favorite compiler of opinions about this and that had a collection of opinions about what happened yesterday at Panmunjon.  You can read it here.

The longest leaps often begin with the smallest steps.

Let’s hope those symbolic gestures, yesterday, come to have great historical significance in years to come.

POSTNOTE: This is my first publication since April 11.  First, a problem with my writing platform required a rebuild; then that was done and life has been extremely busy.  I think I’m mostly back in business.  Those who were subscribers will have to resubscribe once a new subscription feature is selected.  It’s good to be back, at any rate.

On a related note to the above, there is still room for persons interested in attending the “Forgiveness” dinner with Louisa Hext on Tuesday, May 1.  This will be a very good evening.  The flier is here:

World Law Day 2018-05 Louisa Hext FLYER

Waiting around….

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NOTE TO READERS: For some months my wordpress was being cantankerous with me. At first, it wasn’t allowing me to do edits. The disease seemed progressive. I had grandiose thoughts that I had been hacked, and was being silenced.

Finally, I called Jody, who’d first put me on the internet 16 years ago, and set me up on this blog nine years ago.

She took a look, and there came a rapid diagnosis. In the tech world, time doesn’t stand still. “What you’re working with is like 1.0, and today is like 10.0”, or words to that effect.

Oh….

So, I’m in process of a makeover. Likely I’ll have to “sneak” this on-line past whatever block it is that won’t let me publish or edit – in other words, I’ll publish this like I published the most recent one. What do I do? You don’t want to know. But, if you see this, I succeeded once again!

Meanwhile, the coming makeover won’t make my writing any better. I’ll find out if old subscribers are still subscribed, or if you need to start over as well.

I’m fond of the photos on my home page, but we’re working on some changes and hopefully will soon be back in business.

Stay tuned. And have a great day.

Special Events in Minneapolis MN

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(click to enlarge)

Printable pdf: World Law Day 2018-05 Louisa Hext FLYER

Reservations requested for the May 1 dinner, information on the Flyer. This will be the 6th World Law Day program, continuing a tradition which began in 1964.

Exhibit continues for eight more days, including Sunday 2-5 p.m. and Monday noon to 4 p.m. at Modus Locus, 35th and Bloomington Ave S. Minneapolis MN. Full news release here: F Word- Stories of Forgiveness

“I Am Somali”: Three Visual Artists from the Twin Cities.

(click to enlarge)

Printable pdf: Somali Art002

Martin Luther King Jr.

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Today is the 50th anniversary of the death of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. King’s life is not a new subject for me. I put his name in my own search box and it shows up in 43 different posts.

Here’s the photo I used September 5, 2011. This book was a gift from my friend, Lydia, and it is the most meaningful book I have read. I highly recommend it. And here’s my post from six years ago.

Why We Can’t Wait was about the year 1963, published 1964, still in print today. MLK was 34 years old, and already knew three Presidents in person. His Letter from a Birmingham Jail is in the book, and he talks about some early mentors in the movement, going back to his 20s.

Dr. King’s youth is what always strikes me. He died before he was 40.

Most of my associations today are with “old-timers” from the days of Vietnam, back when we were young.

Dr. King is frozen in time. For us time has moved on.

Today, 50 years after Martin Luther King Jrs death, there will be endless analyses of what his life and death meant.

What I see, as a still very active senior citizen, is that the torch has basically been passed, as it should be, to the youth.

We have a role, as elders, to inform and to provide resources, to those who follow us.

But young people, like the Parkland students, are the Martin Luther King’s of our time.

And Martin Luther King and many others made a huge difference, and so will these youngsters of our generation.