The Palestinian writer, Ghassan Kanafani, assassinated in a car bombing in Beirut nearly 40 years ago, was despite his political beliefs, still able to portray, understand and recognise the suffering of a Jewish Holocaust survivor in his novella, Returning to Haifa.
When the Israeli playwright, Boaz Gaon, came across Kanafani's Returning to Haifa, the story inspired a project Return to Haifa..
Please read Peter Marks's article in The Washington Post describing the evolution and reception of Gaon's play.
29 January 2011
08 November 2010
Even if there is only one decent X..
"Even if there is only one decent German, [that person] would deserve to be protected from the barbarian rabble, and for that one German's sake, one should not pour out one's hatred for the entire people."
Etty Hillesum, born Middelburg 1914, died Auschwitz 1943.
For X, choose your 'category'. It's whatever makes you feel uncomfortable, whatever nationality, belief, human need inspires you with apprehension, alarm, unease, fear, annoyance, scorn.
Trust me. You already know that exception.
And there's more help from Etty. Think on this:
"Ultimately we have just one moral duty: to reclaim large areas of peace in ourselves, more and more peace and to reflect it towards others. And the more peace there is in us, the more peace there will be in our troubled world."
One of my ongoing projects is finding ways to boost positive emotion in learners. What I have learned from this practice is how easy it is to spread goodwill. It helps, I think, that my formative years were spent in Africa, so I don't have the wariness towards strangers of my fellow Islanders, in the corner that lies south of Watford. I am given to striking up conversations at bus stops, for example.
But even at bus stops, I know the cloud in my thought...against those who fail to acknowledge that a queue, even a queue of one, requires respect. Trivial, innit? Observe how far I have to go in reclaiming peace within myself..... .
Etty Hillesum, born Middelburg 1914, died Auschwitz 1943.
For X, choose your 'category'. It's whatever makes you feel uncomfortable, whatever nationality, belief, human need inspires you with apprehension, alarm, unease, fear, annoyance, scorn.
Trust me. You already know that exception.
And there's more help from Etty. Think on this:
"Ultimately we have just one moral duty: to reclaim large areas of peace in ourselves, more and more peace and to reflect it towards others. And the more peace there is in us, the more peace there will be in our troubled world."
One of my ongoing projects is finding ways to boost positive emotion in learners. What I have learned from this practice is how easy it is to spread goodwill. It helps, I think, that my formative years were spent in Africa, so I don't have the wariness towards strangers of my fellow Islanders, in the corner that lies south of Watford. I am given to striking up conversations at bus stops, for example.
But even at bus stops, I know the cloud in my thought...against those who fail to acknowledge that a queue, even a queue of one, requires respect. Trivial, innit? Observe how far I have to go in reclaiming peace within myself..... .
07 January 2009
Enough of fame; a pox upon these actions
The fame of good men’s actions seldom goes beyond their own doors, but evil deeds are carried a thousand miles’ distance. [Chinese proverb]
In this time of conflict and turmoil, insecurity and despair, if there’s one question one cannot ask, with the expectation that there will be universal agreement, it seems to be the one that starts, “Who could fail to be moved by...?”
Adding to our grief is the loss of trust in the innate goodness of our neighbours on this planet. For now we all know that there is clearly a substantial body of people, not just ‘out there’ but even ‘right here’, on every ‘side’, across every political and religious divide, who indeed fail to be moved by the horrors that they and their teams unleash.
The Independent never fails to bring to my attention the anguish of victims. This must have an effect on its sales: from those like me, who look at the headlines and photos, who reflect, wince, then opt for another paper, as opposed to those bold souls who buy because of those very headlines, those very photos.
On Monday, the blow was the death of Fares Akram‘s father. Now it’s someone we ‘know’. Fares’s Dad. Journalists force us up close and personal. We now chalk up for our Ongoing Concerns lists, Fares’s wife, their baby and the nameless, invisible, overlooked women and children in that region, whom they represent.
Yesterday, the photo of the three Samouni children being carried to their graves. The day before, the anxiety of Ibrahim Dawwas. Next week, no doubt, a flurry of images. From Zim, the DRC, Afghanistan...
Enough. Enough of fame. A pox upon these actions.
In this time of conflict and turmoil, insecurity and despair, if there’s one question one cannot ask, with the expectation that there will be universal agreement, it seems to be the one that starts, “Who could fail to be moved by...?”
Adding to our grief is the loss of trust in the innate goodness of our neighbours on this planet. For now we all know that there is clearly a substantial body of people, not just ‘out there’ but even ‘right here’, on every ‘side’, across every political and religious divide, who indeed fail to be moved by the horrors that they and their teams unleash.
The Independent never fails to bring to my attention the anguish of victims. This must have an effect on its sales: from those like me, who look at the headlines and photos, who reflect, wince, then opt for another paper, as opposed to those bold souls who buy because of those very headlines, those very photos.
On Monday, the blow was the death of Fares Akram‘s father. Now it’s someone we ‘know’. Fares’s Dad. Journalists force us up close and personal. We now chalk up for our Ongoing Concerns lists, Fares’s wife, their baby and the nameless, invisible, overlooked women and children in that region, whom they represent.
Yesterday, the photo of the three Samouni children being carried to their graves. The day before, the anxiety of Ibrahim Dawwas. Next week, no doubt, a flurry of images. From Zim, the DRC, Afghanistan...
Enough. Enough of fame. A pox upon these actions.
05 January 2009
Yay, Yay! Yum, Yum!
The cheer of a favourite four year old expresses some of my glee on coming across the teaser Kindness — the great taboo on the front page of Saturday’s Review Section of The Guardian. What a start to the year...
Turned out this section’s lead story was an extract from the book On Kindness, a joint effort from psychoanalyst, Adam Phillips, and historian, Barbara Taylor.
This against the background of ongoing conflict across the globe, and the increasingly vicious conflicts that dismay and depress.
While a soppy Fifties scene accompanies the story in the print edition, a Fra Angelico fresco of St Lawrence distributing alms accompanies the online edition.
What this, and the story’s headline, the Christianity-associated admonition to Love thy neighbour, could suggest is that kindness is predominantly a Christian value, and I wonder how many atheists, agnostics, and those of other faiths, scanned the headline, dismissed the story, and paged on.
But then, who am I to talk? After all, I eventually felt I had to two words to this blog’s title, hoping this would somehow clarify that it’s not based on some Old Testament rant.
The book itself looks both at the evolution of the concept of kindness over the centuries, going on, from a more psychoanalytical perspective, to examine our ambivalence about kindness . The Guardian's piece gives an overview of attitudes to kindness over the centuries, its appeal to, and dismissal by, the human psyche, concluding with the claim that “it is kindness, fundamentally, that makes life seem worth living; and ... everything that is against kindness is an assault on our hope.” (My italics. My sentiments.)
I recommend this read.
Note: On Kindness is published by Hamish Hamilton. I see that it’s currently going for half the published price on Amazon UK but, re the US, please note that your Amazon indicates the book won’t be released there until late May.
Turned out this section’s lead story was an extract from the book On Kindness, a joint effort from psychoanalyst, Adam Phillips, and historian, Barbara Taylor.
This against the background of ongoing conflict across the globe, and the increasingly vicious conflicts that dismay and depress.
While a soppy Fifties scene accompanies the story in the print edition, a Fra Angelico fresco of St Lawrence distributing alms accompanies the online edition.
What this, and the story’s headline, the Christianity-associated admonition to Love thy neighbour, could suggest is that kindness is predominantly a Christian value, and I wonder how many atheists, agnostics, and those of other faiths, scanned the headline, dismissed the story, and paged on.
But then, who am I to talk? After all, I eventually felt I had to two words to this blog’s title, hoping this would somehow clarify that it’s not based on some Old Testament rant.
The book itself looks both at the evolution of the concept of kindness over the centuries, going on, from a more psychoanalytical perspective, to examine our ambivalence about kindness . The Guardian's piece gives an overview of attitudes to kindness over the centuries, its appeal to, and dismissal by, the human psyche, concluding with the claim that “it is kindness, fundamentally, that makes life seem worth living; and ... everything that is against kindness is an assault on our hope.” (My italics. My sentiments.)
I recommend this read.
Note: On Kindness is published by Hamish Hamilton. I see that it’s currently going for half the published price on Amazon UK but, re the US, please note that your Amazon indicates the book won’t be released there until late May.
29 December 2008
"If not me, then who?"
This story doesn't strictly speaking 'qualify' as an 'act of kindness done to enemies' but as the current conflict is providing scant opportunity to record such acts of kindness, I am extending the scope of this blog to acknowledge an extraordinary, experienced trauma surgeon, John P. Pryor, of Philadelphia, who was killed in Iraq this Christmas.
I came across his story on the Tanker Brothers blog, and subsequently read more on sources linked to it. This surgeon was motivated by compassion to apply his medical skills in the service of those victims of war whom the public, and particularly those who oppose war, often overlook: the combatants.
According to a report which Tanker Brothers quote, these words of Albert Schweitzer reflect what John Pryor stood for. "Seek always to do some good, somewhere. Even if it's a little thing, do something for those who need help, something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it. For remember, you don't live in a world all your own. Your brothers are here, too."
This conviction led John Pryor to Iraq, a decision which, according to the report, "was not always supported by those closest to him".
Spare a thought for a man who laid down his life for his brothers. And for those closest to him in their great loss.
I came across his story on the Tanker Brothers blog, and subsequently read more on sources linked to it. This surgeon was motivated by compassion to apply his medical skills in the service of those victims of war whom the public, and particularly those who oppose war, often overlook: the combatants.
According to a report which Tanker Brothers quote, these words of Albert Schweitzer reflect what John Pryor stood for. "Seek always to do some good, somewhere. Even if it's a little thing, do something for those who need help, something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it. For remember, you don't live in a world all your own. Your brothers are here, too."
This conviction led John Pryor to Iraq, a decision which, according to the report, "was not always supported by those closest to him".
Spare a thought for a man who laid down his life for his brothers. And for those closest to him in their great loss.
08 September 2008
David Rice: his brother's salute to his memory
After his brother David died in the second tower, Andrew Rice was appalled by yet more civilian casualties—this time in Afghanistan.
But Rice chose not to fall in line with those who were determined to show the "other side" that they couldn't mess them about. With grieving relatives of other victims, he comforted the weeping mother of Zacharias Moussaoui.
He explains his approach to the loss of his brother: "I'm refusing to fall in line with what “they” want, which is visceral hatred between two sides; this gives me permission to reconcile."
But Rice chose not to fall in line with those who were determined to show the "other side" that they couldn't mess them about. With grieving relatives of other victims, he comforted the weeping mother of Zacharias Moussaoui.
He explains his approach to the loss of his brother: "I'm refusing to fall in line with what “they” want, which is visceral hatred between two sides; this gives me permission to reconcile."
[You can read more about Andrew Rice's story here and also check out The Forgiveness Project and check out Peaceful Tomorrows amongst the links under BREAKING THE MOULD in my side bar.]
A sketch in the sand, a loosened bond
I've recently come across reports of the Presidential Faith Forum in California in mid-August.
John McCain referred to a guard who had come in and loosened the ropes that bound him so tightly, before returning to tighten them four hours later. This puzzled me when I first read about it, and I didn't initially interpret it as showing kindness to the enemy. Actually it occurred to me that this act might simply have been a variation of the good cop/bad cop scenario, with the same guard playing both roles. But I've since found the transcripts of this forum online and the additional details make it clear that this 'qualifies' as kindness to an enemy in a relatively recent war. (As ever, I hope to come across more recent kindness towards enemies. Today, last week, last month, last year...)
Following the transcripts of the Forum Responses, it seems it was the same guard who approached McCain, while he was praying on Christmas Day, and who drew a cross in the sand with his sandal, leaving it visible for a minute before rubbing it away.
Come to think of it, did McCain ever return to Vietnam?
Did he ever try to track down that guard?
John McCain referred to a guard who had come in and loosened the ropes that bound him so tightly, before returning to tighten them four hours later. This puzzled me when I first read about it, and I didn't initially interpret it as showing kindness to the enemy. Actually it occurred to me that this act might simply have been a variation of the good cop/bad cop scenario, with the same guard playing both roles. But I've since found the transcripts of this forum online and the additional details make it clear that this 'qualifies' as kindness to an enemy in a relatively recent war. (As ever, I hope to come across more recent kindness towards enemies. Today, last week, last month, last year...)
Following the transcripts of the Forum Responses, it seems it was the same guard who approached McCain, while he was praying on Christmas Day, and who drew a cross in the sand with his sandal, leaving it visible for a minute before rubbing it away.
Come to think of it, did McCain ever return to Vietnam?
Did he ever try to track down that guard?
02 September 2008
Courage and compassion during Black July
A report based on an address by Dr Palitha Kahona in Toronto last week, has appeared online in the Sri Lankan Sunday Observer. It included a reference to a comment by Dr Nallai Nallainayagam on his family's experiences during the Black July of 1983. (I have been unable to locate the original.)
“The riots brought out the worst and the best of human traits. Some neighbours who have lived in harmony and peace for a long time turned informants, guiding the mobs towards Tamil homes. At the same time, many Sinhalese and Muslims, both neighbours and strangers, risked their lives to protect the lives of Tamils by hiding them in their homes and feeding them till they could be taken to safety. My family sought refuge in the house of a very close Sinhalese friend and was well looked after for more than two weeks due to the kindness and the generosity of this family and friends in the Muslim community. We have no words to thank them for their bravery and kind heartedness”.
“The riots brought out the worst and the best of human traits. Some neighbours who have lived in harmony and peace for a long time turned informants, guiding the mobs towards Tamil homes. At the same time, many Sinhalese and Muslims, both neighbours and strangers, risked their lives to protect the lives of Tamils by hiding them in their homes and feeding them till they could be taken to safety. My family sought refuge in the house of a very close Sinhalese friend and was well looked after for more than two weeks due to the kindness and the generosity of this family and friends in the Muslim community. We have no words to thank them for their bravery and kind heartedness”.
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