lazy day

Lazy day

There really isn't much to blog about. But I fear the wrath of my friends/ fellow blogders/ fellow bloggers/ buddies in boredom who might kill me for not blogging anything of substance (substance meaning 'daily life' and not 'bloody T. S. Eliot (I wonder what Eliot fans, (OR the literary community :p) would say to that ;))

So what's new? I know I should be revising, I had planned to be reading up on O & G, but it is so hot and I am so lazy. So what did I do? Slept almost the whole day. Daydream about certain males. Check out my brand-new, clean-shaven ***** (HAHA!! Gotcha, Bren :D just kidding) Listen to some jazz. Check out this site: http://hotzone.yahoo.com/ mainly cos I think Kevin Sites is cute, though actually, I much prefer Robert Fisk's journalism. Hey, remember the days when Christiana Amanpour was so hot? :)

Anyway, Hotzone just serves to remind me of how dumb/ narrow-minded some westerners can be. Especially when it comes to Eastern (to be speaking in a very broad term) religions, values and cultures. I really feel that a lot of the world's problems can be reconciled, if not solved (that would be asking for the moon and the stars) if the world would be willing to be educated about each other's cultures, values and beliefs via dialogue, inter-cultural exchanges, education and the like.

From the comments written there about the reporting on the Israeli-Hezbollah war, some of Kevin's readers are, dare I say, downright bloodthirsty. I was shocked, though perhaps I shouldn't have been, by some of the comments. "It is us against them, and it is better us" (Us being Israel and the US) "Iran is a legitimate target, so is Syria and any other country that calls for destruction of Western values. Iran and Syria have being chanting death to America and death to Israel. They have plenty of people who want to become martyrs. Why don't we grant them their wish."

Granted I think the fundamentalist M views on 'being granted 40 virgins in heaven if we die martyrs' downright STOO-PIT!, I really don't think that Western values are all that great. Come to think of it, what IS the definition of Western values anyway? Eastern values are easily pointed out: obedience, filial piety, to name a few. Western values? Any ideas?

I think the commentator has forgotten that Christianity itself has roots in the Middle East. (I assume the writer to be Christian, because at one point, s/he made the silliest comment ever: that Lebanese civilians who want to evade Israeli bombings should run to Christian areas...)

The particular dude believes that to solve all conflicts, Israel and the US should just kill off Hezbollah. I have never seen such a silly and narrow-minded point of view. Really, Hezbollah, like Al-Qaeda cannot be destroyed overnight. It is, I believe the result of YEARS and perhaps even CENTURIES of bitterness and hatred, and twisted education on the part of their religious leaders. It is no longer Religion, it is now Fanaticism.

The crisis in the Middle East have lasted for aeons. It cannot be solved just by killing their leaders. Their guerilla militia are trained in many countries, some even peaceful, more neutral ones like Jordan, or Egypt, or Turkey. Some are even educated in America itself. The seeds of such hatred and dissatisfaction do not lie so much in their religion, as it is in their upbringing. Perhaps, it is also in their interpretation of their holy book.

But such discrepancies in interpretation not only occur in their religion, it also occurs in Christianity. I had a former coursemate who told me that in her church, she should/ could not:
a) wear any form of jewelry whatsoever
b) befriend anyone of a different 'sect' i.e. (thou shalt not yolk with unbelievers)
c) cut her hair
d) wear tight-fitting/ revealing clothing (e.g. baby-tees, plunging necklines, short skirts, and the like)
e) use any form of make-up (no painting the face!)

The first thought that went through my mind: They probably appreciate the 'purdah'. Really now! She says it's because her church takes 2nd Timothy to heart. ??? Oh well.... Just goes to show, doesn't it? Another example: How do you explain the Mormons?

But I digress, that was just an example. What I was trying to point out is that a loosely formed organisation like Al-Qaeda and Hezbollah would not be wiped out just by shooting a few leaders (watch Munich for a good example) because the death of one leader might just bring to rise another more bloodthirsty leader to take his place. There would just be the sprouting of many others who would willingly take the place of past leaders in the name of God and Glory (I believe, more Glory than God) It is a vicious vicious cycle. And any narrow-minded, short-sighted world leader (by this, one particular FOUR-LETTER WORD president comes to mind) who can't see that is seriously in need of Diplomacy 101 and Middle-Eastern Education 101.

Sometimes I think some Westerners lack a great deal of tact. And diplomacy. And understanding of the world beyond their borders. And they seriously need to wisen up. With the frightening speed of globalisation, the rest of the world can easily access such open websites as that and realise (whilst rolling their eyes) at how obviously hilarious their misunderstandings and cultural faux pas can be.

*note: disclaimer: views are mine own. not the views of every asian/ christian/ asian christian out there. and by westerners, i am boldly generalising. i am aware that there are nice, understanding westerners as well. thank god for that!