I'm still alive

For those of you who come in here every now and again (I like to think that people like this exist) please note that I'm still alive. I'm not writing much lately because I'm very busy. I'm such a procrastinator that I always live to regret it. I end up with a lot of work to do with little time to spare. It's frustrating because life is throwing at me things that I have to do which I don't particularly enjoy doing. What a waste of time I hear you say. I partially agree. I'd love it if I could just play music. Write and record songs and destroy my own voice in a vain attempt of doing something that resembles singing. But oh well. I'll be better in four years time. But that's such a long time.

Food for thought

“A Native American grandfather was talking to his grandson about how he felt about a tragedy. He said, ‘I feel as if I have two wolves fighting in my heart. One wolf is the vengeful, angry, violent one. The other wolf is the loving, compassionate one.’ The grandson asked him, ‘Which wolf will win the fight in your heart?’ The grandfather answered, ‘The one I feed.’”

— a native American Indian story

I read the above quote on a website a couple of months ago. It somehow popped in my head again yesterday and so I went to read it again. I think it's great food for thought. Not much commentary necessary with it. So i'll leave it at that. Buon apetit.

John Paul & Barabbas

Anybody who is not in a coma knows that last week has seen the death of the Pope. It's obvious that this man has left an impact on many people around the world, not least in Malta. Images of grieving people have flooded our screens and papers. Malta is no exception. People on the streets, are still talking about the way the Pope affected them and about the greatness of John Paul II. I don't want to go into the merit of whether John Paul was or wasn't a great man, that is up to the interpretation of each individual. What I want to focus on is the reaction of the people.

Pardon my cynicism but I feel uneasy when people conveniently become profoundly religious after the death of a leader. It reminds me of the hysteria in Beatles and Michael Jackson concerts. A type of hysteria in which any criticism of the Pope or his policies become a no-no. And all those who dare are deemed as blasphemous.

It would be interesting to ask all those who suddenly became the holiest of all holy, what they think about our detention centers. What is their opinion? What do they think about those who have to endure life inside them? What do they think about the prisoners? What do they think about the gay community? And what about the junkies? What do they think about the excluded and the emarginated, the downtrodden and the weak? What is their life like when there is no funeral in the Vatican? Is this a genuine commitment to Christ's teaching or a media charade?

According to the bible, Christ made it abundantly clear what a Christian life is all about. In no unclear terms he says:

"I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me water; I was a stranger and you invited me into your homes; naked and you clothed me; sick and in prison and you visited me"

To keep with the Christian frame of reference, will these people be yelling "Barabbas, Barabbas" in a couple of days time?

The Age Of Consent

Last Friday I got hold of George Monbiot's book 'The Age of Consent'. Although I enjoy reading, I'm not the type to be obsessive about it as I can be easily distracted. But this book I couldn't let down. I ended it on Sunday.

That's quite a feat considering I've got other pressing reading priorities at hand, namely a research project for a Diploma, the deadline of which (29th April) keeps haunting me in my dreams (not really). I'm just as relaxed as I was a couple of months ago. Still waiting for the day when it finally hits me really hard in the face and I realise that I have only two days left to finish it.

But anyway, that's not the point. The point I was trying to get to is simple: read this book, now. Especially if you're interested in the Global Justice Movement. This book, although at times a bit opstimistic in its proposals, does just that. It offers proposals. And they're concrete albeit not without flaws. But as the author keeps insisting, anybody who has better ideas should propose them. Criticism without constructive proposals is irrelevant at best and idiotic at worst. It is vividly explained and quite convincing in it's argumentation. It also offers a way of action that the world (meaning its people) can use to change the balance of power. This book should be stuffed in the face of anybody who comments that the Global Justice Movement is just a bunch of idealistic freaks who overdose on utopia. This is the first step to an open debate about concrete alternatives to world structures. Do you want to be involved?

I'm back...(woo hoo)

After a couple of week of absence (I'm sure nobody realised) I'm back filling this space with rants and thoughts. The reason behind my inconspicuous absence was that I decided to take a needed break and catch up on some stuff that needed catching up on. The break, I took (I'm quite good at this sort of thing you know). The catching up? Well, let's just say I still have to do most of it...

But anyway, to all those who bother coming in and actually do some reading (definitely not Silvan) I'm back...(zut!)