right aid

it is easy to get lost in the babble of the political season. as we wait out the seemingly never-ending term of george w., we eagerly await the changes that will be brought forth by the coming election.

the ineptitude and indifference of america's current administration is more shocking than ever. in our continuous war in iraq, we see soldiers and civilians perishing - for what cause? it's hard to understand all of this death and destruction, which seems quite pointless ...

today we see images of a burma (myanmar) ravaged by a catastrophic cyclone. a natural disaster reported to have killed 300 people in the early days ... now the death toll stands at close to 100,000 people, with over a million left homeless. more acutely, the militant and suspicious regime is nitpicking over visas for aid workers - all provisions have been packaged and sent to nearby airports (bangkok, dacca, dubai), and yet the lifesaving necessities can't make it into burma. this, yes this, is truly criminal.

why our country has invaded and stayed in iraq defies understanding. but why we stand idly by while a few despots in southeast asia stand between their 'people' - of whom they hold in the lowest esteem - and the food and medicine which could save them is beyond me. if we want just causes for military invasion (which is not at all what i'm advocating here - pacifism, not war), this is certainly one that springs to mind. or zimbabwe, where another unjust official (mugabe) hijacks elections and takes his country from breadbasket of africa to begging orphan. where were we when the taliban was blowing up historical statues in afghanistan?

the united states, and the world, should vehemently, and if necessary by force, intervene in burma. the nobel prize winning aung san suu kyi has been faltering under house arrest for years, and nothing has been done. vital supplies are not making it into the country. monks are repressed during non-violent demonstrations. and land is usurped in the absurd building of a new capital city, displacing thousands.

if america is really interested in standing up for freedom, democracy, and human rights, we must apply the same principles and measures to all countries equally - and not waiver because one country is where all of our walmart goods are made, or because another country holds vast oil resources.

human dignity is not an economic principle. it is a fundamental right which we, as privileged players, must uphold.

IN-A certain way...

many people have asked jane, throughout the last few months, how she has remained so upbeat and positive ... not letting things get her down OR slow her down.

i suppose, in part, that this is her nature ... she is in fact quite strong physically and emotionally, so that plays a great role in all of this. and her history - leaving iraq by force at the age of 10, moving to a new country with a new language, then repeating again at the age of 15 (although not a enforced relocation, formidable nonetheless). the rigors of medical school, residency, internships, fellowships, and then simply surviving new york, regular life, three kids, work, et al. ultimately, it all makes one stronger.

we have friends who have gone through really rough patches, and certainly one can reflect on any manner of humanity and see the horrible things that people endure, for no good reason. health is one thing (and when it goes in the wrong direction, very bad indeed), but think of unnecessary war, the genocide in rwanda, the holocaust, recent events in kenya - and it just leaves you scratching your head.

and then there is the matter of ina (my late sister), who passed away at the age of 30. today on her birthday, we think of how she lived, gracefully and full of dignity, with diabetes - trudging through, working, being a mother, sister, wife, friend, daughter, niece. we realize that, of course, it's how one lives that is critical. she is a figure who remains inspirational in the best way possible, and it's easy to recall how full of life she was on this, her 'special day'. it's too much to actually question 'why' or 'how' - just a matter of keeping on keeping on.

so, jane has had a good many examples to follow, to bolster her own innate positive outlook on things, and for that we are all thankful!

common things

in november 2006, alexander litvinenko was poisoned at a sushi lounge frequented by our very own family. he took ill, and in a famous and well circulated photograph, he is pictured at his hospital bed, a shadow of his former healthy and vigorous image.

it is believed that mr. litvinenko, a former russian kgb agent, fell victim to the very agency to which he once pledged allegiance. after implicating his own superiors in the planned murder of a prominent russian citizen, he was confined, later fleeing to britain (where he was granted political asylum). his public attack on the motherland surely prompted the vengeful retribution that lead to a dose of polonium 210. not to mention the creation of huge nervous tension culminating in the closure of said sushi lounge, and the discovery of the ominous material on aircraft flying between london and moscow.

mr. litvinenko was a staunch opponent of the ongoing war in chechnya.

in addition to a shared hairline resulting from an unwanted dose, jane is also in the throws of a different sort of poisoning, which will ultimately have quite a diametrically opposed effect than that received by the aforementioned spy-turned-activist. and similar to alexander, jane too fled her homeland, albeit without the espionage credentials, to find safe haven in far off lands (hence the numerous passports!).

incidentally, and most probably quite obviously, she too is a staunch opponent of an ongoing war.

need i say more?

h