International Relations – Page 7 – Thoughts Towards a Better World

#1072 – Dick Bernard: September's Song, "When the days dwindle down, to a precious few…." Don and Stan and Ted and Jessica and all of us.

October 17, 2015/0 Comments/in History, International Relations, War /by dickbernard

Woodbury MN Oct 2015

It was quite a week, including Thursday at the Minnesota Orchestra where our 87 year old friend, Don, and I, watched 92 year old Stanislaw Skrowaczewski conduct Schumanns Concerto in A Minor for Cello and Orchestra, Opus 129, and Bruckners Symphony No. 7 in E major. MN Orch Oct 15 105002.
I go to concerts to listen to music; this concert was great…so said the reviewer. Age hasn’t dimmed the maestro’s baton!
The Bruckner Symphony itself is over an hour, and conductors don’t take breaks in their duties. Occasionally the maestro would hold on to the support bar behind him (the bar extended in height by about a foot, likely specifically for him), and I noticed an unused chair beside the podium – just in case? But on he went; and apparently tonight as well.
At the intermission Don and I were talking about keeping on, as Stan is doing: “when you stop doing things, you die”, said Don, with the voice of experience that I, trailing him by a dozen years, can more and more relate to.
Like all elders, Don has his rich stories. Most of his career he worked keeping track of railroad cars for the Northern Pacific RR in the days before computers. But in his younger days, his credits include at least one small dinner party with actress Elizabeth Taylor, and sitting in Joan Crawford’s seat at the Oscar’s one year (she was unable to attend). He was most impressed by Audrey Hepburn, who he met more than once in Hollywood.
Pretty good for a native of St. Paul’s Frogtown.
For Don, for Stan, it’s now past September, and September’s Song fits.
But as we know, there are lots of Stan’s and Don’s around in the world, from, let’s say, March till late December….
A week earlier I’d been at the same Orchestra Hall with Grandson Ted, now 15, and an aspiring musician.
We went to a Jazz concert in the Atrium, and Ted especially watched the drummer, as he’s been asked to be the drummer for his schools jazz band this year. He’s got lots of musical talent, and drummers have a big job. He’s up to it.
The previous night, two of us old-timers were up at our Alma Mater in Valley City ND, to meet Jessica, the first recipient of a class scholarship we have worked on the last couple of years.
Jessica, a most impressive Senior, preparing to be an elementary school teacher, made my day. I was her age, at that college, once…. (photo at end of this post)
Two days later, good friend Joe, another 87 year old, convened a major conference in Minneapolis which went splendidly Oct 9&10. It was, literally, his conference. I wrote about it here. The Workable World conference will, I predict, live on far past October 10, and far beyond Minneapolis…. It will live on, especially, in the abundance of young people who were there; who left with much to think about, and act on.
I saw Joe two nights ago, in a group where a young woman, Mnar, spoke powerfully about “Muslims as the other” in this country. Afterwards Joe wrote some of us about his experience: “[Her] presentation not only shattered a number of stereotypes about Muslims and women, but also provided some much needed lessons about the slanted way we get — or fail to get — the news.”
*
The past few day, in a physical sense, have been tiring. I am ready to “couch potato”. But that lasts only a little while.
Last night I gave in and joined Lynn, 94, for dinner. Lynn will die with his passion of world peace on his lips. He will never, ever quit.
Rebekah and her friend Quinn, students at a local University, brought him to our meeting, and the four of us had a too short conversation which needs to continue.
It was an inconvenience to meet last night, but it was one of those meetings I will remember far beyond last evening.
I think of a sign I saw at my coffee shop yesterday morning, and photo’ed especially for Joe.
It is below. It applies to every one of us, regardless of age.
It’s now October, and there is still hope….

Dick, Jessica and Carl, October 7, 2015

#1071 – Dick Bernard: Getting perspective on the UN System at 70.

October 12, 2015/0 Comments/in Community, History, International Relations, Peace & Justice, War /by dickbernard

Those remaining at the very end of the second day of the conference. Photo by Claude Buettner

Click to enlarge any photos.

Keynote speaker W. Andy Knight, and artist R. Padre Johnson’s well known art work of the Family of Man. Padre was at the conference.

First things first: it is impossible to summarize the Workable World Conference I attended on Friday and Saturday, October 9&10, at the University of Minnesota.
Here is the program booklet: Workable World Speakers Oct 9-10 2015. The entire conference, every speaker, was videotaped for later use, and later there will also be proceedings published for posterity. Check back at this spot in some months, and I’ll include an update.
I attend meetings frequently, both to learn something, and to give support to the process. It is much like the synergy of a basketball game. The team can play the game, but it helps a great deal to have someone in the stands – an audience. But it has been my experience that there are always “ah hah” moments, small or large insights that flow out of some comment, or an amalgamation of several comments: learning moments; insights.
There were a lot of these for me Friday and Saturday.
(click to enlarge)

Charlotte Ku and audience, Saturday Oct 10, University of Minnesota

At some point in the proceedings it occurred to me that there were roughly as many registrants for the conference (over 200), as there are countries in the UN (193), so I began to imagine each of us in the hall, including the speaker, as a “country”.
Of course, all is not alike between countries. One of we audience members, for instance, would control 25% of the Gross National Income of the entire world; another has 20% of the world’s humanity. (These are the U.S., and China, of course.) (This data an much more from Transforming the United Nations System by Dr. Joseph Schwartzberg. I highly recommend it.)
Then, there are those in power positions (I was one of these, controlling the portable microphone!) And, of course, those who registered but never came to a session, or could be there for only a short time for one reason or another.
Whatever the case, this was a melting pot of sorts: experts, critics, supporters, all with a common interest in ideas about the United Nations System.

One speaker, in answer to a question, described the UN at 70 to be much like an airplane over New York City which has a problem with a wing which has to be repaired on the fly.
This provided rich imagery for me, about how the immensely complex business of the United Nations is an endless series of crises to manage amongst people with different priorities.
What if, I thought to myself, we in that audience at Cowles Auditorium had some problem dropped on us, and there was no one to decide except ourselves?
Given how people can be, it could be a dicey proposition to even decide on a simple matter. It’s easy to despise “government”, but one sort of government or another is essential to individual and group survival.
The conference was expertly moderated by Prof. John Trent of the Centre on Governance at the University of Ottawa; Maryam Ysefzadeh and Tim O’Keefe of Robayat helped quiet our minds with gentle Persian music.

Maryam Yusefzedah and Tim O’Keefe Oct 10, 2015

We were reminded that the United Nations was a creation of a specific moment in time, post World War II. Change is required for any such organism, and indeed change is happening in small increments and in less than obvious ways (from the bottom up, for instance.)
But imperfect as the institution is, it is far far better than the alternative of no United Nations.
That is my main takeaway. With all its fault, the United Nations is essential to our future as a planet…and I think the collective speakers and audience and most of the rest of humanity know and appreciate that.

Prof Robert Johansen of the University of Notre Dame spoke on the dilemmas and realities of Peacekeeping in the contemporary world.

POSTNOTE from Dick Bernard: As one would expect from an academic conference, there were many comments of note, that stick in my mind: here’s a single one for starters. A speaker talked about the U.S. role as present day hegemon (which I define as “big dog”) of the planet. Of course, there have been successions of hegemons over the centuries, and ultimately they all overreach – something of a nation version of the Peter Principle: each rising to their level of incompetence, then collapsing….
It was observed that President Obama, in his role as leader of the U.S., has been working to tamp down a bit the U.S. tendency to interfere in everything, everywhere. This diminished interference can be interpreted by some as weakness, but at the same time, it is a strategy that helps to keep the U.S. as primary hegemon of the planet. In an odd, but logical way, the actions of President Obama support the objectives of the very people who are most critical of him as being weak and ineffective. And at the same time, those who would promote a more aggressive policy of particularly military engagement in the world would act against the U.S. own hegemonic interests.
At least for me, there was a lot of food for thought in this observation, such as I heard it stated.

#1069 – Dick Bernard: A Conversation about the United Nations: Looking at the UN at 70

October 6, 2015/0 Comments/in International Relations /by dickbernard

Friday and Saturday, Oct 9&10in Minneapolis, is the Workable World Conference devoted to ideas about transforming the UN system. All details are here. Registration is still open. Here is the program of speakers at the event: Workable World Speakers Oct 9-10 2015

The United Nations Building, snapshot, June 30, 1971, Dick Bernard

Workable World endeavors to take a look at the United Nations at 70, and how it might be transformed to work more effectively in the present and the future. Speakers will present their thoughts on solutions which can then be debated in other forums at other times. Basis for the conference will be the book, Transforming the United Nations System, Designs for a Workable World.
There is a lot to learn, and I’ll be there for the entire conference. I’ve heard only two of the speakers previously. It is important to listen to new viewpoints; then to become engaged – to participate in helping make a positive difference.
There is potential for positive change presenting itself at this conference.
And this world of over 7 billion people and over 190 nations can be a better place because of this discussion.
*
Back in 1945, when the UN was chartered by 50 nations in the rubble of WWII, communication and most everything else was primitive compared with today. A preview showing at the conference of a soon-to-be-released film about Garry Davis, World Citizen number one, will have some film from the first UN General Assembly. (A short clip from that film is accessible here.)
Today, there are over 190 nations in the United Nations dealing with serious crises in many arenas, some, as climate, even more threatening to living things on the planet than war itself. Our globe is one nation, not many….
None of us are helpless; everyone of us can help. But the trick is finding a way to work together.
*
In my view, this weekends session, featuring largely academic presenters with much knowledge about the international stage, will appropriately share the stage with an e-mail I received from a long-time friend a single night ago.
The subject line of the e-mail said this:
“Just received this e-mail from a friend in Aleppo, Syria”:
“As for your question, mostly everyone I met over here and everyone one I know online, in other Syrian provinces or in the diaspora, support the Russians and their coalition with Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanese Resistance against the terrorists.
“I wish to see the end of that nightmare before the end of the year. The dream is closer now, thanks to the Russians, who are targeting the real bases of terrorists, not claiming doing so like the U.S. Coalition. Only now, terrorists in Idleb are fleeing to Turkey, and the ones in Reqqa are fleeing to Iraq.
“Some comment[er]s are afraid that it could be a new trap for the Russians, as what happened to them in Afghanistan back in the 1970s and 1980s. However I guess they learned their lessons and won’t make the mistake again.
“I’m waiting for the Russian[s] interfering in Aleppo. So far nothing happened over here. But they are preparing the arena for it.”
*
Of course, I know nothing about the writer of the above e-mail, his (or her) personal bias, etc.
Presuming the person on the ground is in Syria, and Syrian, the opinion, even if only from a single individual, is at least as authentic as CBS News’ Scott Pelley’s nightly nutgraf about the “Assad Dictatorship”, or other such presumptions of certainty or “truth” delivered in other forums by other people about anything and everything.
The e-mail is a symbol of another reality today, which is both a blessing and a curse.
Today, unlike in 1945, anyone with a keypad, as I use, here, has the capability of spreading a message worldwide, true or false, malicious or well-informed, polished or not. We can spread truth or gossip with ease. Immense good, or evil, can be promoted instantly, worldwide. Each of us need to make informed decisions based on strong evidence based on knowledge; and we need to participate in making our world a better place.
Over and over, from Nazi Germany to Rwanda, to endless other situations, we’ve learned what happens when innuendo and blaming some other, takes root and spreads like wildfire.
Maybe that writer from Aleppo is right, maybe not.
Maybe Scott Pelley is portraying news with integrity, or maybe there is a canned narrative being sold….
*
This world is a very complex and imperfect place. But we tend to judge things instantly, based on fragments of information coming, as via the e-mail, from persons or entities of unknown reliability. Disorganized anarchy can too easily happen.
This is a dangerous problem, making it ever more important that there be international leaders who can not only assess risks and opportunities and respond, but work at least minimally collegially with colleague leaders who represent differing points of view.
In the end our future depends on us, a well informed and engaged citizenry, participating in all of the many ways we can to make our world a better place.
Personally, I think the idea of a United Nations was and remains the best idea for a stable world, though the results will never be perfect.
This weekend is a time to learn. Come on over.

At Global Market, Minneapolis MN, International Day of Peace Sep 21, 2015

#1065 – Dick Bernard: Creating a Workable World: Transforming the United Nations System

September 24, 2015/0 Comments/in Climate Change, History, International Relations, Peace & Justice /by dickbernard

Friday evening and Saturday,October 9&10, at the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Dr. Joe Schwartzberg’s book, Transforming the United Nations System, will help focus attention on transformation of the United Nations, this year celebrating its 70th birthday. All details about this “Creating a Workable World” conference, including about conference convenor Joe Schwartzberg, can be seen here.

The conference promises to be a very interesting exchange of ideas about making the UN better.
There is no shortage of opinions about “the UN”. Far too many of these opinions, unfortunately, are ill- or un-informed.
Powerful people with their own agenda, who hate even the concept of the UN system, want it gone. Most of us have little or no knowledge of how the UN or its broad network (as World Health Organization et al) works. The UN is a complex system, a global community, which is often called upon to deal with impossible situations: hunger, refugees, atrocities, on and on.
One might call the UN a global mechanic, on call to take care of wrecks.
The UN was created out of the horrors of WWII, officially founded October 24, 1945, and during its entire history it has been called to help order chaos in an extraordinarily complex and imperfect world.
70 years after emerging from the ashes of WWII, it is still dominated by the five winning countries of that war: the United States, Russia (formerly Soviet Union), France, United Kingdom and China.
The most populous of its over 190 countries, China, outnumbers the smallest, Nauru, by a factor of 145,000 to one. Its power actors represent competing ideologies, only slightly dimmed by the end of the Cold War.
Dr. Schwartzberg’s academic work describes the UN system in understandable terms, and furthermore proposes a framework of solutions for the future. This major conference will be a unique opportunity to learn more, and engage in conversation, about the UN and its future role in the world.
I’ve read the book, and been part of a discussion group which talked about every chapter. It was a rich learning experience, a framework of reference.
*
What is the world that is the United Nations? There are endless examples….
A week ago I attended a talk by Dr. Jeffrey Broadbent of the University of Minnesota which added greatly to my knowledge of how complex this world is.
Dr. Broadbent’s topic was very simple: watching how newspapers in 18 countries treated the topic of global climate change, thus assessing national attitudes. (His website can be accessed here.)
His powerpoint was simple and very complex. Here’s a photo of one slide:
(click to enlarge)

A schematic representation of newspaper reporting on climate change….Dr. Jeffrey Broadbent

This slide shows two foci; a later slide introduced a third, called Mitigation, as an approach to climate change. It was all very complex, but at the same time understandable.
Near the end of the program, a black man, a native Oromo of Ethiopia, rose to powerfully observe that none of the data presented appears to represent Africa.
Indeed, that was true, because Africa does not have dominant newspapers from which to glean the data Dr. Broadbent seeks.
But the point was nonetheless made: Africa is already, and will doubtless increasingly be, bearing the brunt of the failures of the more developed world, with consequences for us all.

Making a point with Dr. Broadbent, Sep. 16, 2015

(Similarly, alternative media like Facebook, now dominant over print media in many quarters, are not yet part of the analysis. The research is still a work in progress.)
Whatever your knowledge, or your feelings, about the United Nations, the October 9 & 10 Workable World Conference will be worth your time. Check it out.

The United Nations Building, snapshot, June 30, 1971, Dick Bernard

More on the general topic of the UN at 70 here.
The matter of the removal of the United Nations Flag at Hennepin County (MN) Plaza here.

#1063 – Dick Bernard: The International Day of Peace 2015

September 18, 2015/0 Comments/in Community, History, International Relations, Peace & Justice /by dickbernard

The United Nations Building, snapshot, June 30, 1971, Dick Bernard

The United Nations has had an International Day of Peace since 1982; and in 2001, set the day for future annual observances as the autumnal equinox, September 21, of each year. The theme is “an annual day of non-violence and cease fire”
(The observance of Peace Day at the United Nations in 2001 happened to be September 11, 2001. According to my friend, Madeline Simon, “on Sept 11, 2001, the celebration started–but was not completed, due to the attack. [The event] appeared to somewhere on the roof area [at the UN], and then an evacuation of the building followed.”)
The first Peace Day I actually attended was at Minneapolis’ Loring Park on September 21, 2003, organized by a coalition of downtown churches led by First Unitarian Society and member activist Madeline Simon. It was an inspiring program.

International Peace Day at Loring Park, Minneapolis, September 21, 2003

As time has gone on, thanks to efforts of groups such as Peace One Day, the Day of Peace has thrived. The young man whose passion led to the UN proclamation setting Sep 21 as the day to spotlight peace, Englishman Jeremy Gilley, has seen the day grow from a few curious supporters in London, to as many as a billion people who know of peace day, and take the message to heart. The film which introduced Peace Day to me in 2003 is still available, here, Peace One Day Pt. 1. Gilley’s accomplishment has been an amazing one, a testament to one man’s grit and persistence, and it has grown, and grown, and makes a difference in the world.
Check out celebrations of the International Day of Peace in your area. If none exist, become part of the solution for next year.
In the Twin Cities I know of at least three events this coming weekend (there may be more):
1) In St. Paul, at the Landmark Center on Saturday, Sep. 19 at 2 p.m. an important exhibition and film will commemorate Pictures from A Hiroshima Schoolyard. More information on this program and related events here.
2) In Minneapolis, at the Loft Literary Center on 1011 Washington Ave. S, the Loft will be dedicated as a Peace Site at 2 p.m. on Sunday Sep. 20
3) In Minneapolis, 3:30 – 5:30 at Midtown Global Market 920 E. Lake St Minneapolis more info at this Facebook link. About the worldwide event: Families in U.S., Japan, China, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and more will sing for peace on September 21st: To celebrate the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, thousands of Music Together families with young children around the globe will participate in a livestream of [their] song for peace, “May All Children.” For 22 hours, families from around the globe will gather and sing “May All Children” in the 4 PM hour in their local time zones, creating an ongoing live presentation of the song from many different cultures. Children, parents, and teachers from more than 30 locations are participating in the event, including New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Croatia, Bermuda, and across the United States. The livestream will run for 22 hours on September 21, 2015, 12:00 AM to 10:00 PM Eastern Time. Live link here.
There is a culture of Peace that is alive and well in our communities, showing itself in many and sundry positive ways.
Become part of the movement to make every day, everywhere, a place of peace.

#1059 – Dick Bernard: The Little Kurdish Boy who Drowned, continued.

September 7, 2015/0 Comments/in International Relations, Peace & Justice, War /by dickbernard

Saturdays post brought an emotionally powerful response from our friend, Annelee, who grew up in Nazi Germany and was 18 when the war ended in May, 1945. Her comment, here, is worth reading, carefully, and applying to our own lives.
Sunday morning, enroute to Church in downtown Minneapolis, I met two buses whose signage said their destination was “State Fair”. Today, Labor Day, is the final day of the 12 day gluttons paradise. I like the Minnesota State Fair, and indeed was there last Monday, and if the spirit moves me I may go for a couple of hours early today as well.
(click to enlarge)

Minnesota State Fair, August 31, 2015

Meanwhile, back in reality-land, the picture of the drowned little boy is a haunting one, and if I end up at the Fair today, my view will be modified by events of the last few days in Europe and the Middle East.
A thought came to mind: last Monday I indulged in my once a year addiction there: deep fried cheese curds. They were advertised as having the same price as last year, $5.00, a “heckuva deal”, but the container seemed smaller than previously – perhaps a marketing strategy, less curds for the same dollars. Whatever. I bought ’em, and ate ’em and, as always, wondered why, afterwards. See them next year….
It also occurred to me that if everyone of us in the U.S. ponied up $5.00 one time, it would raise over $1.5 billion to bring help wherever needed. My $5 could be that single order of cheese curds that I certainly don’t need.
Meanwhile “over there”, the World Food Programme – one of the spinoffs originally part of the United Nations – announced it was out of money to provide minimal food relief to Syrians in refugee camps. This may have been to spur donations. It survives through international donations, including from the World Food Programme-USA.
On the news Sunday afternoon it was suggested that the U.S. State Department has devoted $4 billion to help alleviate the situation, but I’ve learned in the past to not trust numbers without more elaboration. I looked at the Department of State website and while it is a very interesting site to review, nowhere did I find such a declaration.)
Of course, I doubt many at the Fair tomorrow would think about giving up even $5 of their fun budget to help the refugees who are in Europe and those in desperate need in Syria and elsewhere. It is all so confusing. “Who can I trust with my money” is a common, and even rational, question.
And even the apparent U.S. Federal Aid of, they say, $4 billion, which seems generous, might be at least partially allocated to, for instance, the Department of Defense for war. (Though I don’t have facts on this, this isn’t a hypothetical concern. I once tried for nearly two years to get the Department of State to break down for me its own news release granting $50,000,000 Aid to Haiti in late 2003. They simply would not comply, though by the time I finally gave up, I had learned that the $50 million had gone to the Department of Defense to protect American interests, and to U.S. AID (Agency for International Development), the latter almost certainly for political destabilization of the then-sitting and democratically elected government in Haiti that the U.S. didn’t like. But it was very obvious that no one wanted me, or anyone, to know where that $50 million really went, if it existed at all.)
My sole point in all of this: I am not – none of us are – in a position to constructively change world policy on humanitarian aid in times of crisis, even if we know it is crucial. A few months wait for someone who is starving doesn’t work for the starving person. The money needs to be there, somewhere, to get used when it is needed. An at-best confusing system of assorted charities dealing with emergencies is not adequate. That is why I need to lobby harder for national and international systems, like a more effective and empowered United Nations, that is ready to step in whenever and wherever there is a humanitarian crisis as is now the case in Syria. Only there can my $5, or $10, really make a difference right away.

U. S. Navy Country Current Aug. 31, 2015, Minnesota State Fair

A final note: on that Monday at the Fair, I came across a wonderful U.S. Navy Country and Bluegrass music ensemble (above). They were so good, I came back to a second show at the Fair. You can catch them in several segments on YouTube.
At one point the leader recognized his fellow servicemen and women, “taking care of business” around the world to protect our American way of life. His was an applause line, of course, as when he asked we veterans to stand and be recognized as the service anthems were played. But herein is one of our national dilemmas. As a nation we are incomprehensibly wealthy compared to most, and our great wealth blinds us to the needs of others, including the poor in our own country, and our obligations to devote more of our resources in others behalf.
Are we able to learn? Can the little Kurdish boy who drowned help teach us a lesson that will endure?
POSTNOTE: Our initial contribution – $100 – today goes to the American Refugee Committee. They know the trade, and I know them from experience.
Comments, if you wish, to dick_bernardATmsnDOTcom.

#1058 – Dick Bernard: The Humanitarian Crises that we watch on Television. That little Kurdish boy who drowned….

September 5, 2015/0 Comments/in Community, History, International Relations, Media, Peace & Justice, War /by dickbernard

It was heart-wrenching to see this picture in an e-mail this morning:
(click to enlarge)

Here is the text of the e-mail: “Join us on Sunday, September 4 [6?], at Minnehaha Park [Minneapolis MN] to DEMAND an end to inhumane treatment of refugees, an end to tight border regulations and border walls, an end to police abuse of refugees and immigrants everywhere.
While a little Syrian boy didn’t survive his journey to safety around the world, the image of his body washed up on Turkey’s shore did. Images are not enough. As hundreds of thousands of people undertake the dangerous journey to Europe’s asylum, we must take to the streets to demand the world support them and keep them safe.
MEET AT MINNEHAHA PARK AT 11:45 TO BEGIN THE RALLY. BRING SIGNS AND SMALL DONATIONS FOR MOAS (MIGRANT OFFSHORE AID STATION) WILL BE COLLECTED AS WELL.
REPRESENTATIVE KEITH ELLISON WILL BE HOSTING HIS LABOR DAY PICNIC AND WE HAVE A CHANCE TO REACH A WIDE AUDIENCE.
See our facebook page for more info.”
I’ve watched on every newscast the last couple of days first, the Turkish policeman carrying the lifeless body of this three year old Kurd who, with his mother and brother, drowned attempting to reach freedom. Yesterday and in today’s news we see the anguished young father returning to war-torn Syria to bury his wife and children, saying he does not plan to leave home again: he had left to help save his childrens future; now he has nothing but memories.
The news is full of stories about the tens of thousands seeking refuge from war-torn Syria in other places. We seem to say, “not our problem”….
What troubles me, as an ordinary American, is how insulated I am from these harsh realities. It is so easy to deny our place within the family of man, Watching the news images doesn’t affect me – we see so much of this so often on the tube, but most of us rarely experience anything like it, personally or through people we actually know.
We are isolated from an awful reality of so many. And life goes on: go to the State Fair, the last summer weekend at the lake, etc., etc.
For some reason, the TV image of the Turkish policeman carrying the lifeless Kurdish child reminded me of a long ago photograph from the Fargo Tornado Jun 1957003. The previous day a deadly tornado came through Fargo and West Fargo, killing at least seven people, including this little girl:

Of course, ten years ago came Katrina, devastating, particularly, New Orleans.
Ten years later, all is not back to normal, though everyone tries to put a positive face on our response to that tragedy, short and long-term.
It’s old news. So easy to forget.
Many years ago, perhaps sometime in the 1990s, an African-American minister put things in their proper context for me. I need to revisit his lesson….
By random chance, I happened to be listening to Krista Tippett’s Speaking of Faith (now called On Being) on Minnesota Public Radio, and her guest was a former evangelical Bishop down south somewhere.
He had built a very large congregation, based largely on expert preaching about the reality of Hell. He filled the hall, so to speak.
One day, at home, he happened to be watching the television news and saw the procession of refugees from the Genocide of Rwanda (1994). In the picture were children.
At that moment, he said, his definition of Hell changed, and the next Sunday, so did his message: Hell was not down there, for bad people; rather it was right here on earth for those poor refugees, particularly those innocent children.
For him, it had dire consequences. His congregants didn’t come to Church to hear messages like “hell on earth” as applied to real persons like themselves – that was too close to home for them, apparently.
His congregation quickly declined, and he literally had to start over.
I don’t remember his name, and thus I can’t find archival record.
For a moment, though, he changed my attitude, and it is good that I can remember it at least the anecdote now, and get more personally engaged.
We are, all of us, part of a much larger world, than just our home, town, state, or nation.
We best not forget that.
NOTE: Follow up post published on Sep 7, here.
COMMENTS:
from Alberder: This was a powerful post. Thank you.
from John: The hell on Earth part is true. The refugee/migration crisis of today will only get worse. But just imagine how much money is being made by the military industrial complex.
from Annelee who grew up in Nazi Germany, whose father refused to join the Nazi Party, then was drafted into the German Army as a road engineer:
Time moves on, the little Kurdish boy’s drowning, the Turkish policeman holding his lifeless body, the inconsolable father will shake most people up for a while — little will be done and people will move on with their lives glad they are not in the refugees situation.
I am guilty too of moving on with life —but memories of my past will not leave me.
I remember 1945 when 3 million Sudetenland Germans [what is now western Czech Republic] were forced to leave their homeland; when residents of what became East Germany left their homes and lived in refugee camps for a decade or more.
As you know I have a little doll house chair that keeps my memories alive. Today, my aunt Lisbeth is so much on my mind [one of those expelled from Sudetenland]. I still can see her when she handed me the little chair— she took it from her home— even though she had lost everything— she thought of me.
“Papa? may I ask why God leaves us so alone? I am NOT losing my faith, just questioning?????”
I watched 2020 last night when the Holy Father [Pope Francis]—spoke via phone to homeless and refugees.
A young man told his life story: His Mexican father brought his family to Texas where they worked to have a better life. The young man attended school in Texas— when he applied to attend the university, it was found that he and his family were illegal immigrants from Mexico. He and his family were deported to Mexico where they live in a homeless shelter.
Germany has so much to be ashamed of — from 1933-1945 — but I am proud that Germany will take 800,000 refugees to ease the suffering of people who were caught in a web not of their making.
———————————
My niece Manuela was here [from Germany]: I always tried to console Mama when she wished we would learn what happened to Papa [Annelee’s father, who refused to join the Nazi party and was drafted into the Germany Army to work on road construction – he was an engineer]. I always said that maybe it was better not to know.
Manuela: “I always wanted to know what happened to my grandpa [Annelee’s Dad] during or near the end of the war. I had it researched, which is costly, but possible now. here is what I have learned so far:
[Annelee’s Dad] was taken prisoner by the Russians during March 1945—-
He ended up in Siberia where he with other German prisoners of war built roads.
After 1945 Poland demanded German Prisoners from Russia —Papa was selected with a great number of other prisoners to be sent to Poland —- Poland sent these prisoners to Auschwitz.
While there they were killed to avenge all the Jews that Germany had killed at Auschwitz.”
NOTE FROM DICK: This is a particularly profound commentary on the reality of war. Annelee has been to Auschwitz four times, and never knew what Manuela, her niece, has revealed. The Jewish population of Poland was virtually obliterated by the Nazis; but a similar number (though fewer as a percentage of the population) of Poles were killed as well. Annelee’s “Papa” did the right thing, refusing to go along with the Nazi line, but was punished by the victors anyway. Those of us who feel we are insulated simply by virtue of thinking righteous thoughts have best think about this again. We are part of whatever system we happen to be in.
from Larry, in Fargo ND: Excellent piece on the refugees, Dick. Your comparison of the photo of the three-year old from Turkey with that photo from long ago is, sadly, appropriate and thought-provoking. As Shakespeare wrote, “what is past is prologue.” Truer words, unfortunately, were never written.
from Jeff: Good piece.
The photo was one of those that ends up changing minds. (starting to see some help for these unfortunates in EU)
As to yr preacher who had a change of view on “Hell”, I do remember that, think there was a magazine piece on him a few years back.
We apostates prefer to point to the continuing occurences of bad things happening to innocent people of course as proof of the absence of a “just” god.
Since the death of this innocent child alone, much less the people found suffocated in locked trucks, or hacked to death in Rwanda, Nigeria, (add your location), defies certainly the logic Of St Augustine and Aquinas, but certainly extinguishes the dim light of faith for many of us as well.

#1055 – Dick Bernard: Dealing with Differences. The Iran Nuclear Agreement, the Koreas, North and South, et al

August 27, 2015/0 Comments/in International Relations, Peace & Justice, Politics, War /by dickbernard

POSTNOTE, AUGUST 28: Here is the video of the entire two-hour program on the Iran Nuclear Agreement, on which I comment, below.
A few hours before attending a two hour “Round Table” on the Iran Nuclear Agreement Monday night, I was talking with a friend, who at the same time, was monitoring tweets from another friend at some political conference somewhere. A prominent Minnesota legislator was speaking at the time, and he commented, according to the tweet, that “in my district, the only acceptable vote [on any legislation] is NO”.
He would have been talking, of course, about his “base”, the majority of voters who elected him to the legislature from their district. They obviously aren’t into the give and take of what I consider healthy politics: healthy debate accompanied by compromise to reach an always imperfect resolution. Rather their idea seem “my way or the highway”. You win or you lose, and all that matters is winning…. A certain recipe for conflict where, ultimately, everyone loses.
A few hours after the Round Table, on Tuesday morning, I noted at the top of page A4 of the Minneapolis Star Tribune the below photo, which was surrounded by a long article, “Talks yield deal to ease Korean Tensions”.
(click to enlarge)

Minneapolis Star Tribune Aug. 25, 2015

Clearly these representatives of enemies of over 60 years were negotiating to resolve an issue; face-to-face with a handshake to seal a doubtless imperfect deal to both sides.
The image particularly struck me because a dozen hours earlier I watched and listened to another group of four men, talking pro and con about the Iran Nuclear Agreement before a couple of hundred of us at the Cowles Auditorium at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. The below photo is representative of many that I snapped of the group.

August 24, 2015, at University of Minnesota. From left, Terrence Flower, Oren Gross, Tom Handson, William Beeman

Each photo would have seen the four characters in a somewhat different light. Photos are simply “freeze frames”, in these digital days easily manipulated to convey the desired “spin”.
The content of the Monday gathering was no particular surprise: polar opposites invited to express their positions. A good summary was provided by Eric Black who covered the session.
William Beeman and Oren Gross apparently were the main spokespeople for the pro and con side: both were well informed and convincing; the room was probably filled with partisans, one way or the other who didn’t need convincing. Everything was very civil, but there was no bargaining, not so much as “you have a good point”….
While the Monday session was strictly a talking at, rather than talking with, exercise, it was a very worthwhile use of my time, I felt. At two hours, it is too long for airing on on-line media, which is a shame. It was very interesting to hear these four panelists talk about an extraordinarily complex topic – the multilateral Nuclear deal with Iran – to an audience which was, likely, split in its opinions about whether the deal was “good” or “bad”.
We all had an informal ballot we could fill out, assessing whether the two hours changed our individual minds on whether the deal was good or not. I answered “no”. My guess is that my answer was by far the most common vote.
We were not there to negotiate; rather to listen and learn a bit more.
Of course, this was intended, but it is also very representative of an unfortunate reality in our nation today. We are a nation filled with sound bite certainties. We make judgments based on our own fragments of information about all manner of simple and complex issues.
I happen to be in Beeman’s corner on the Nuclear deal issue (Beeman, Iran Nuclear001), but always willing to listen to other points of view.
As for “getting to yes”, those four folks (photo above) from “axis of evil” North Korea; and shining star of capitalism South Korea best represent the harsh reality of actually doing a deal, where the status quo, even on relatively simple issues from a global perspective, is difficult.
The actual negotiations for the Iran Agreement of course is infinitely more complex, but the very engagement of our countries participation and leadership in the process is worthy of congratulations to all negotiating parties.
Negotiations is part of everyones life. Why should negotiating international differences be any different?
POSTNOTE: RELATED, Note the October 9-10, 2015 Workable World Conference on Transforming the United Nations System. Details here.
Here is a link to a year-long series of posts related to international issues on this, the 70th year of the United Nations.

#1054 – Dick Bernard: Tom Atchison's Memorial; and two upcoming events

August 24, 2015/0 Comments/in Community, International Relations, Peace & Justice, War /by dickbernard

Saturday I went to the Memorial Service for Tom Atchison, deceased earlier this month at 93. His picture from many years earlier is below; his brief bio is here: Tom Atchison002.

Tom Atchison, undated photo

Tom and I got along very well, serving together for three years as President and Treasurer of the Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers (MAP) 2005-2007 (his service with MAP far pre-dated my own; I believe he was one of the founders of the now 20-year old alliance.)
I didn’t know till the memorial that Tom was “absolutely critical to the start of Wolf Ridge Environmental Center which began on Earth Day, 1969″ and has since given educational programming to “over 500,000 people”.
One of my own remembrances of Tom seems pertinent here. Sometime during our working relationship with MAP, I distinctly remember him sharing with me that when he graduated from Princeton in 1944 as a physicist, he was offered a job with the “Manhattan Project“. That project, of course, is synonymous with “The Bomb”; and Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
He declined the opportunity, and spent the rest of his working career as a “rock guy”, a research scientist with the U.S. Bureau of Mines; and spent his spare time working for a better world in peace and with justice for all.
Strange indeed how decisions made, or not, live on for all of us.
Tom’s generation is now rapidly exiting.
We tend to read and see, still, the war stories of those who served in the military (yes, Tom was a Naval officer in WWII and then in Korea, retiring from the Naval Reserves in the 1960s).
Too seldom is it recognized that great numbers of these veterans lived on, and in one unsung way or another committed to the need for peace for the survival of all of us.
I am privileged to have known many of these unsung heroes.
There is much more to be said, of course. There always is.
Farewell, Tom. You done good!
POSTNOTE:
(click to enlarge both pictures. Text of both is here: Fliers001
Sunday, we went to a small but incredibly powerful exhition at St. Paul’s Landmark Center entitled “From War to Reconciliation: Hiroshima Nagasaki Peace Exhibition”. The exhibit runs August 22 – November 28, 2015. Here’s the information:

Today the debate continues, on the pros and cons of the Iran Nuclear Deal. We’ll be at the below session this afternoon. Be there if you can.

It is ironic to me that for some reason the awful results in 1945 of the most deadly weapons ever invented are now, 70 years later, presented as justification for some countries, especially our own, to hold on to immense stockpiles of even more deadly weapons, while at the same time demanding that others be denied the right.
It is hardly rational to talk the talk of Peace, while insisting on being armed to the teeth, and threatening, in effect, Hiroshima and Nagasaki like solutions to today’s international problems.
We should be the ones “beating the swords into ploughshares” as a witness to the intrinsic evil of war, especially of nuclear and similar weapons designed to destroy us all.

Nuclear weapons, from display at Hiroshima Nagasaki Exhibit at Landmark Center, St. Paul Aug 23, 2015

Same source as above, Aug. 23, 2015

Cuba? Very important too. Here’s what I wrote to President Obama and my Senators and Congresswoman about the relationship between Iran, Cuba and ourselves….
Sens Klobuchar et al re Iran and Cuba

#1052 – Dick Bernard: A Thank You to President Jimmy Carter

August 16, 2015/0 Comments/in Health, History, International Relations, Peace & Justice /by dickbernard

Pre-note: I was privileged to hear Jimmy Carter speak in Minneapolis March 6, 2015, in Minneapolis, at the Nobel Peace Prize Forum. The near one hour talk and q&a several hundred of us heard can be viewed here.

Jimmy Carter, March 6, 2015, Nobel Peace Prize Forum in Minneapolis MN

A few days ago, Jimmy Carter, 39th U.S. President 1977-81, and 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, announced that he has cancer. At age 90, and with a strong family history of cancer, President Carter’s long term prognosis is likely not optimistic.
Jimmy Carter has been much maligned by his enemies over the years. Their criticisms speak more about them, than about President Carter.
I happen to have always been a strong supporter of President Carter, and as his Presidential years turned into now-34 post-Presidential years, President Carter has proven to be one of our nations and worlds most outstanding and respected leaders – unless one’s criteria for success is taking the nation into war, something Jimmy Carter never did, truly a badge of honor.
Jimmy and Rosalind Carter have walked the talk of service.
He has been a prolific author. I have, and have read, most of his many books.
The Carter Center has in its 33 year history been a positive presence in many countries, particularly in the areas of human rights and health.
Jimmy Carter lent early and persuasive support to the Habitat for Humanity program.
He gave a most positive definition to the word “Christian”, for many years leading a public Bible discussion group at his Church in Plains, Georgia.
He is one of a select group, and the only American, of The Elders, an organization founded by Nelson Mandela to share wisdom with the rest of us.
When his term on earth ends, the ledger sheet will show that he more than paid his dues.
Thank you, President Carter.