Bush Banters as a Buffer in Beijing - NYTimes.com
Interesting article about Bush's strategy in Beijing. I'm reminded that despite the need for respect, there are still serious issues in China in terms of human rights and religious freedom.
What do you think the US response should be to China in the context of the Olympics?
Monday, August 11, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
olympic fever, who knew?
It has been an interesting weekend --- lots of opportunities to reflect on different strands of my life. First, the opening Olympic ceremonies were AMAZING. It only confirmed my sense that whatever we in the West might think about China and their politics, we must also remember to respect their dignity, culture and history. I was in awe with the beauty and intricacy of the artistic portion of the ceremonies. I also felt pretty humbled by the magnitude and scope of Chinese culture; it really made me reflect on the shallowness and relative newness of our own.
It’s been really fun watching the Olympics. I didn’t expect to take so much interest in them, but the intersection of so many countries and cultures through the lens of sports and teamwork really fascinates me. I thought of my Korean friends with pride when I watched the swimming competition, and Park Tae-hwan take the gold! How exciting. I really have felt humbled and repentant of how much we in the West ignore Asian culture. It’s not blatant condescension, but we still communicate our sense of superiority regardless. The Olympics have been a really good chance to for me reflect on and repent of this.
I also loved- LOVED – watching the parade of nations. At times, I felt tears running down my face. It was an opportunity to pray for each country as they came onto the world stage in Beijing. My heart simultaneously rejoiced with the picture of so many peoples gathered together in joy and anticipation and broke with the knowledge and awareness of so much pain and conflict in the world. When the five Palestinians marched I could hardly hold it together (good thing I was alone :)). I was struck by their dignity and grieved by the palpable weight of their occupation and oppression. The newscaster mentioned that their swimmer has never had the opportunity to train in an Olympic length field due to lack of access and travel restrictions. Shame! The news of US visa rejections of 5 Palestinian Fulbright scholars is still weighing on me.
Final thought, the young 9 year old survivor of the earthquake leading the flag march for China was adorable, inspiring, and sobering. As was, the US flag bearer, a “lost boy” of Sudan. I love that the United States truly is a nation of immigrants and that our face has always been diverse. I only wish we would celebrate and embrace this diversity more when we are off the sports field.
Anyway, I think it’s safe to say that I officially have “Olympic Fever.” I guess this is the one arena that I feel ok about feeling patriotic and proud of my country, especially because I’m also feeling so proud of all the others.
I also love all the cameos of George W. Bush. That guy really just doesn't have a sense of how to play to the camera. During the opening ceremonies, the camera caught him checking his watch, staring at the ceiling in characteristic blank concentration, and just looking downright bored. Come on, Mr. President.To be fair, I did see a good interview with the president where he basically said that despite our differences, the Olympics are a time to show respect of the Chinese people and their accomplishments. Agreed.
It’s been really fun watching the Olympics. I didn’t expect to take so much interest in them, but the intersection of so many countries and cultures through the lens of sports and teamwork really fascinates me. I thought of my Korean friends with pride when I watched the swimming competition, and Park Tae-hwan take the gold! How exciting. I really have felt humbled and repentant of how much we in the West ignore Asian culture. It’s not blatant condescension, but we still communicate our sense of superiority regardless. The Olympics have been a really good chance to for me reflect on and repent of this.
I also loved- LOVED – watching the parade of nations. At times, I felt tears running down my face. It was an opportunity to pray for each country as they came onto the world stage in Beijing. My heart simultaneously rejoiced with the picture of so many peoples gathered together in joy and anticipation and broke with the knowledge and awareness of so much pain and conflict in the world. When the five Palestinians marched I could hardly hold it together (good thing I was alone :)). I was struck by their dignity and grieved by the palpable weight of their occupation and oppression. The newscaster mentioned that their swimmer has never had the opportunity to train in an Olympic length field due to lack of access and travel restrictions. Shame! The news of US visa rejections of 5 Palestinian Fulbright scholars is still weighing on me.
Final thought, the young 9 year old survivor of the earthquake leading the flag march for China was adorable, inspiring, and sobering. As was, the US flag bearer, a “lost boy” of Sudan. I love that the United States truly is a nation of immigrants and that our face has always been diverse. I only wish we would celebrate and embrace this diversity more when we are off the sports field.
Anyway, I think it’s safe to say that I officially have “Olympic Fever.” I guess this is the one arena that I feel ok about feeling patriotic and proud of my country, especially because I’m also feeling so proud of all the others.
I also love all the cameos of George W. Bush. That guy really just doesn't have a sense of how to play to the camera. During the opening ceremonies, the camera caught him checking his watch, staring at the ceiling in characteristic blank concentration, and just looking downright bored. Come on, Mr. President.To be fair, I did see a good interview with the president where he basically said that despite our differences, the Olympics are a time to show respect of the Chinese people and their accomplishments. Agreed.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
olympics, shame, and peace
As we have talked more with our friends familiar with China, and I have learned more about Chinese culture, I have begun to question activist tactics that have focused putting pressure on China through the Olympic games. This is a moment for China to feel pride and dignity in its people, country, and progress, and I'm convinced that any attempts to pressure China through shame will only back-fire with increased nationalism and dogmatism. Plus, the Chinese reactions to Western pressure are completely understandable given our complicated histories and interactions. I still feel strongly that China needs to be held accountable for human rights abuses and its participation in supplying weapons to Darfur and Zimbabwe (not to mention Burma and Tibet). But I think we Westerners need to be careful in how we issue our responses to China, especially because of the sensitivity surrounding our cultural differences and history.
So, I was really excited about this response, which seems a middle way. The video made me smile too!
Join the online handshake here:
So, I was really excited about this response, which seems a middle way. The video made me smile too!
Join the online handshake here:
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
santa fe summer
Than and I are back from a wonderful and much needed weekend away in Santa Fe.
We had much to reflect on and celebrate – one year of marriage, one year of Texas, the gift of community, the opportunity to study, and God’s ongoing provision and care in our lives. Thanks to the generous support of our families, we enjoyed a carefree weekend. I didn’t think about our budget once!
Santa Fe is a great city to visit. Our B&B was a block away from the historic Plaza.
So, once we parked our car, we spent the rest of the weekend walking and wandering through the narrow streets.
Friday night we dined at Aqua Santa – an intimate restaurant where food is freshly prepared in an open kitchen. We sat outside in the rustic courtyard framed by large Japanese lanterns and flowing vines. This restaurant has no pretense, only commitment and passion for excellent food. It was perfect. I had fresh soft-shell crab. I ordered without hesitation, but once my food came I realized that I didn’t know how to eat soft shell crab. I gave it my best guess eating most of the shell and the body but leaving the legs. It was an interesting experience to say the least – delicious, but I don’t think I’ll be eating it again anytime soon. Let’s just say I began to over-think what was going into my mouth.
There was a bit of awkwardness throughout the weekend as apparently our tastes run 20 years older than our age. Everywhere we went --- our B&B, dinner, shopping --- we were by far the youngest customers. This makes for a lot of awkward interactions with staff.
Saturday night, we enjoyed drinks and southwestern appetizers on the rooftop cantina at the celebrated Coyote Café. Cheaper with great food and fun atmosphere, we finally felt our age. The BBQ duck quesadilla and the hibiscus-tea-ni were some of my favorites!
We finished the weekend off with two trips to Tara’s Organic Ice Cream --- the most amazing ice cream you will ever taste! I sampled the cardamom and chocolate tarragon flavors. Than had cinnamon and Turkish coffee. Mmmmmm.
We had much to reflect on and celebrate – one year of marriage, one year of Texas, the gift of community, the opportunity to study, and God’s ongoing provision and care in our lives. Thanks to the generous support of our families, we enjoyed a carefree weekend. I didn’t think about our budget once!
Santa Fe is a great city to visit. Our B&B was a block away from the historic Plaza.
So, once we parked our car, we spent the rest of the weekend walking and wandering through the narrow streets.
Friday night we dined at Aqua Santa – an intimate restaurant where food is freshly prepared in an open kitchen. We sat outside in the rustic courtyard framed by large Japanese lanterns and flowing vines. This restaurant has no pretense, only commitment and passion for excellent food. It was perfect. I had fresh soft-shell crab. I ordered without hesitation, but once my food came I realized that I didn’t know how to eat soft shell crab. I gave it my best guess eating most of the shell and the body but leaving the legs. It was an interesting experience to say the least – delicious, but I don’t think I’ll be eating it again anytime soon. Let’s just say I began to over-think what was going into my mouth.
There was a bit of awkwardness throughout the weekend as apparently our tastes run 20 years older than our age. Everywhere we went --- our B&B, dinner, shopping --- we were by far the youngest customers. This makes for a lot of awkward interactions with staff.
Saturday night, we enjoyed drinks and southwestern appetizers on the rooftop cantina at the celebrated Coyote Café. Cheaper with great food and fun atmosphere, we finally felt our age. The BBQ duck quesadilla and the hibiscus-tea-ni were some of my favorites!
We finished the weekend off with two trips to Tara’s Organic Ice Cream --- the most amazing ice cream you will ever taste! I sampled the cardamom and chocolate tarragon flavors. Than had cinnamon and Turkish coffee. Mmmmmm.
Cheers to one year of marriage!
Monday, August 4, 2008
days of lament
This weekend, as Than and I browsed the galleries of Santa Fe, we stumbled on a photographic exhibit of the 1960s. I saw black and white prints taken directly after MLK Jr. was shot and the charred remains of the original print after Bobby Kennedy was shot. I could hardly hold back the tears. Standing a foot away from the prints, I felt closer to history than ever before.
All I could think was --- what happened?
I felt retroactively a bit of the anguish and despair that so many described in the wake of these deaths, especially as I realized how little has changed. One of the most depressing things about this presidential campaign is seeing the racial rhetoric and fears of the 1960s resurface in more subtle forms.
I’m reading Charles Marsh’s memoir right now titled The Last Days: A Son’s Story of Sin and Segregation at the Dawn of the New South. What perhaps shocked me the most was his description of the Jesus People movement in its initial beginnings.
Check out these lyrics by Larry Norman:
i was born and raised an orphan
in a land that once was free in
a land that poured its love out on the moon
and i grew up in the shadows of your silos
filled with grain
but you never helped to fill my empty spoon
and when i was ten you murdered law
with courtroom politics
and you learned to make a lie sound just like truth
but i know you better now
and i don’t fall for all your tricks
and you’ve lost the one advantage of my youth
you kill a black man at midnight
just for talking to your daughter
then you make his wife your mistress
and you leave her without water
and the sheet you wear upon your face
is the sheet your children sleep on
at every meal you say a prayer
you don’t believe but still you keep on
and your money says in God we trust
but it’s against the law to pray in school
you say we beat the Russians to the moon
and i say you starved your children to do it
you are far across the ocean
but the war is not your own
and while you’re winning theirs
you’re gonna lose the one at home
do you really think the only way to bring about the peace
is to sacrifice your children
and kill all your enemies
the politicians all make speeches
while the news men all take note
and they exaggerate the issues
as they shove them down our throats
is it really up to them
whether this country sinks or floats
well i wonder who would lead us
if none of us would vote
well my phone is tapped and my lips are chapped
from whispering through the fence
you know every move i make
or is that just coincidence
well you try to make my way of life
a little less like jail
if i promise to make tapes and slides
and send them through the mail
and your money says in God we trust
but it’s against the law to pray in school
you say we beat the Russians to the moon
and i say you starved your children to do it
you say all men are equal all men are brothers
then why are the rich more equal than others
don’t ask me for the answer i’ve only got one
that a man leaves his darkness when he follows the Son
Later, this movement would morph into the Religious Right.
What happened?
What shocks and saddens me is that though this song was written 40 years ago, it could have been written today if you substitute cold war references for the “war on terror." Nothing much has changed. Even issues of wire tapping are still around. The line that really caught me was "you say we beat the Russians to the moon, and i say you starved your children to do it. "
I can’t help but feel a little angry and dissapointed with my parent’s generation. While some of them were on the front lines of civil rights, social justice, the feminist movement (my dad was in Vietnam), many more sold out to consumerism, piousness, and acquiescence: a soft life. Meanwhile, they nostalgically pine for the good ol’ days. Yet, today they are the ones who quietly or not so quietly speak about Obama being a closet Muslim or a black nationalist. Not to be too judgmental, but didn’t they learn anything? I’m tired of such self-centeredness, and I have to wonder if my generation is headed the same way. For all our coolness, I don't see us as being particularly relevant either.
We didn’t heed the prophets 40 years ago. It’s doubtful that we will heed them today. But I wonder, how much longer are we going to sing these songs?
All I could think was --- what happened?
I felt retroactively a bit of the anguish and despair that so many described in the wake of these deaths, especially as I realized how little has changed. One of the most depressing things about this presidential campaign is seeing the racial rhetoric and fears of the 1960s resurface in more subtle forms.
I’m reading Charles Marsh’s memoir right now titled The Last Days: A Son’s Story of Sin and Segregation at the Dawn of the New South. What perhaps shocked me the most was his description of the Jesus People movement in its initial beginnings.
Check out these lyrics by Larry Norman:
i was born and raised an orphan
in a land that once was free in
a land that poured its love out on the moon
and i grew up in the shadows of your silos
filled with grain
but you never helped to fill my empty spoon
and when i was ten you murdered law
with courtroom politics
and you learned to make a lie sound just like truth
but i know you better now
and i don’t fall for all your tricks
and you’ve lost the one advantage of my youth
you kill a black man at midnight
just for talking to your daughter
then you make his wife your mistress
and you leave her without water
and the sheet you wear upon your face
is the sheet your children sleep on
at every meal you say a prayer
you don’t believe but still you keep on
and your money says in God we trust
but it’s against the law to pray in school
you say we beat the Russians to the moon
and i say you starved your children to do it
you are far across the ocean
but the war is not your own
and while you’re winning theirs
you’re gonna lose the one at home
do you really think the only way to bring about the peace
is to sacrifice your children
and kill all your enemies
the politicians all make speeches
while the news men all take note
and they exaggerate the issues
as they shove them down our throats
is it really up to them
whether this country sinks or floats
well i wonder who would lead us
if none of us would vote
well my phone is tapped and my lips are chapped
from whispering through the fence
you know every move i make
or is that just coincidence
well you try to make my way of life
a little less like jail
if i promise to make tapes and slides
and send them through the mail
and your money says in God we trust
but it’s against the law to pray in school
you say we beat the Russians to the moon
and i say you starved your children to do it
you say all men are equal all men are brothers
then why are the rich more equal than others
don’t ask me for the answer i’ve only got one
that a man leaves his darkness when he follows the Son
Later, this movement would morph into the Religious Right.
What happened?
What shocks and saddens me is that though this song was written 40 years ago, it could have been written today if you substitute cold war references for the “war on terror." Nothing much has changed. Even issues of wire tapping are still around. The line that really caught me was "you say we beat the Russians to the moon, and i say you starved your children to do it. "
I can’t help but feel a little angry and dissapointed with my parent’s generation. While some of them were on the front lines of civil rights, social justice, the feminist movement (my dad was in Vietnam), many more sold out to consumerism, piousness, and acquiescence: a soft life. Meanwhile, they nostalgically pine for the good ol’ days. Yet, today they are the ones who quietly or not so quietly speak about Obama being a closet Muslim or a black nationalist. Not to be too judgmental, but didn’t they learn anything? I’m tired of such self-centeredness, and I have to wonder if my generation is headed the same way. For all our coolness, I don't see us as being particularly relevant either.
We didn’t heed the prophets 40 years ago. It’s doubtful that we will heed them today. But I wonder, how much longer are we going to sing these songs?
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