What must they think?

One thing that always intrigues me about current affairs is what people think as they act out the dramas that become part of what the media delegates as news. To honestly try and conceive of what these fellow humans might be thinking is something that I ponder on a great deal. This is exactly what I did when I heard of Vittorio Arrigoni's execution in an abandoned building by a group in Gaza.

After spending two years in the Gaza Strip as a peace activist, Arrigoni must have truly believed in his cause. He must have had balls like boulders to stay there during Operation Cast Lead, and for that I think he deserves respect. It's one thing to be an idealist and activist living in a developed country, it's a whole other ball of wax to put yourself on the receiving end of an IDF bombardment in one of the most densely populated and militant places on earth. Although I am extremely skeptical of Westerners ever being able to do anything intrinsically good for anyone, I none the less must respect Vittorio Arrigoni for joining with some desperately vulnerable people and standing his ground.

What sort of thoughts motivated such dedication? Also, what sort of thoughts did he have when he was kidnapped a few days ago by a group who he could have no doubt intended to execute him? I'm not sure why, but I have a feeling he didn't break, beg or try to bargain with Jahafil Al-Tawhid Wal-Jihad fi Filastin. He surely had learned what sort of forces that were at work in this complicated situation and must have been as aware of the danger that came from the Palestinian side as he was of the danger from the Israeli one. I suspect in those hours before he was hung he must have had a view of the world that if it could have possibly been shared with the rest of humanity, would have given the world pause. The brutality and insanity of this world must have weighed heavy on this man as he sat handcuffed, blindfolded, surrounded by men consumed with rage and revenge, awaiting his reward for thinking he could do something meaningful in a world that is so painfully meaningless. Just considering what those final thoughts of his were I feel is the only fitting tribute that can be paid to a person who willing put his life on the line because he believed that by doing so he might save someone else. Such people think long and deep about the world and then act accordingly, and so if we are going to think at all of them when they die, it should be to take a long hard stare at this world we participate in.

Maybe the depth and intensity of the suffering that is the occupied territories, and all the people caught up in it, will yet teach us something lasting and meaningful, just as the holocaust once did. With so much violence in the world consuming places like Afghanistan, Libya, Mexico, Cote d'Ivore, and so many more, it is hard to imagine that there is any way to stop the bloodletting. If only we could understand for a minute what it was like to be alive in such places maybe then we could see the world as Vittorio Arrigoni must have in his final minutes. Maybe then we would realize the urgency of fixing what is wrong with our minds and its byproduct, the modern world, so that such things can no longer happen with such mundane regularity.

"Cool it, brothers..." -Malcom X's last words before being assassinated

*photo curtsy of the late Vittorio Arrigoni

Observations from my Itinerations

It has been an entertaining journey thus far. Western Europe is a concept that I've studied in some detail, and so naturally discovering it first hand has been both amusing and informative. First of all, Europeans are delightful humans that seem to relish their identities in a way that seems marvelous to me. They drink deeply from the cup of their existence, even if they do so at the expense of the rest of the world.

England- These folks surely know how to compose themselves into a country. Maybe its the island factor, maybe its the history, but they are certainly a unique bunch. It is true that the food is awful and the people are largely unattractive, but what they lose in these departments they fully make up for in humor. The concept of taking the piss out of someone is a cultural construction that I for one absolutely adore. That one can criticize someone or something in a casual yet direct manner is surely a wonderful attribute for a nation to have; especially one that so thoroughly needs it. I also admire their ability to bow their heads and take all manner of governmental interference in stride while working away their days and drinking away their nights. The best thing I noticed about the English is that they produced the Welsh, Scottish and Irish by virtue of their Imperial endeavors to consume them. For this they should be thoroughly complimented.

Spain- Any country that parties till dawn and shuts down in the afternoons to take a siesta is alright with me. The funniest thing about their civil government is how incredibly cool Spanish police are about things that you would get arrested or fined back in America. There is a joke among foreigners living there that asks, 'who is running this country, for is surely can't be the Spanish?'. This is a valid question because they are a remarkably lazy people unless having a good time. The popularity of the dread-lock mullet with counter culture Spaniards was something that never stopped making me laugh, just as their scandalous and sexy women never ceased making me stare. My most hilarious memory was of passing by an ancient church to look in on a religious ceremony in which a guy wearing very fashionable European clothing swung a chalice of burning incense amidst the crowd, which included women with high heels and short skirts. It all makes sense when one realizes that up until a generation ago, Spain was an incredibly conservative country with a Fascist government. Now it has swung equally far in the opposite direction. This would explain the hordes of youth to be found anywhere in Spain smoking weed, drinking and having clothed sex publicly with not even the slightest attempt to conceal their behavior.

France- I have spent the most time in France, but it has almost entirely been in Paris. I have been told rural France is far different, and will be investigating this shortly. The French are perhaps the most unusual people I've ever spent time with. It is hard to even write about a subject matter so unique. One thing I can say for sure is that if nothing else, they know good food and wine. In this respect France has been very giving to me, and I for my part have been greedy and needy. To be French is to be something that can surely never be explained accurately, and since such is not my goal, I will not hesitate to generalize. When on the Metro you realize how incredibly oblivious people are of each other. They have about as much concern for the person next to them as they do for the dog shit they constantly have to avoid because no one in France thinks it worthwhile to pick it up. I have to love them for their complete apathy towards things that don't matter. It is admirable how they can build a transportation system like the Metro and not care enough to even enforce people paying for it, which I reckon about 1/3 don't. The funniest thing is how much they love to talk to their friends but avoid everyone else. I do love them for their aesthetics though, which almost always is of the highest order. A good taste in art is a viable substitute for individual kindness.