I was welcomed to Monday morning by a daily newspaper featuring three articles about the latest fashion in communicable diseases: the Swine Flu. Generally, this particular daily newspaper doesn't feature more than one article on a particular subject, so this must be a really big deal.
As I began reading through the articles, whose fear-inducing titles proudly proclaimed that the "Swine Flu's Course [is] Unpredictable" and letting us all know that "Fear Over Swine Flu Grows" throughout the world. Apparently, we should all be really, really scared.
For some reason, be it my natural aversion to all that is trendy or maybe just my common sense, as I read through these articles, I began a silent protest against any type of irrational fear of this "epidemic"--which, I must point out, isn't even guarenteed to become an epidemic quite yet. This point is really the heart of my protest. While I certainly feel for those who have been afflicted by this sickness and their families, and I carry some amount of healty fear of it, as I do any other serious sickness, I don't see what the point is of freaking out about this, especially if we don't even know if it will become our next plague yet. And even if it does become so, what can I do about it? How can I stop a plague from infecting millions of people--myself having the potential of infection as well? And why should I spend my time worrying about it? In my opinion, worry leads to stress, which makes people much more suceptable to infection.
Additionally, I am refusing to allow the media to control me by scaring the crap out of me. I highly suspect the media's motive to be to get everyone hanging off of their every words, fighting each other to get to the newspaper stands first to see just how safe or unsafe they may be. People need to make sure that the 'epidemic' is close enough to them that they can feel rightfully frightened but far away enough that they have dramatic tales to read about families being quarantined in Mexico. And the media is more than happy to give them just that for the right amount. I refuse to buy into it.
And then comes the irony, forever present if you keep your eyes open. Sitting right beside the major article about the swine flu is a much smaller article about a group of doctors stating that men over 50 do not necessarily need to screen for prostate cancer. The kicker?? Within the article, a figure is quoted that 28,000 men were killed last year by prostate cancer. Why are we advising against screening for a deadly disease that killed 28,000 people in one year while simultaneously spreading word that the Black Plague, Part Deux is on its way without even knowing how much of a 'pandemic' the recent outbreak of swine flu will even be?
This is my protest, and I'm sticking to it! Until, as irony would have it, I contract swine flu and proceed to stick my foot in my mouth, where it probably belongs anyway.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Oh, The Irony
As our nation's economy continues to....I won't use the word 'crumble' here...that is just too pessimistic of a word and I always prefer to err on the side of optimism. Besides, stating that our economy is crumbling would be somewhat of a stretch of the truth. So I will put it this way: As a portion of our nation's once successful industries continue to make declines in their prosperity (better than crumbling economy??) it's interesting to see how the international markets are doing, and why.
Having said that, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on the latest hot-spot for the auto industry, one of America's industries that we all know is sadly struggling in our current recession. Americans seem to have the idea that if American business is doing badly, then all the world's business must be following suit. And in many cases, this statement holds true However, there is one place on Earth where the auto industry is actually booming--and here's the kicker--not only despite America's policies, but also because of them!
With that, I'd like to propose GM, Ford and the rest of them consider a new headquarters where the auto industry is steadily doing better...Baghdad! According to the April 4 edition of The Washington Post's Express newspaper, "Business, not bombs, is booming at Baghdad car dealerships, as well-heeled Iraqis are indulging in a passion long out of reach--spiffy new cars...This may make Baghdad one of the few cities where the auto industry is doing relatively well."
OK so this is great, but where, exactly, does the bitter irony set in? Right about the following sentence in the article, which states, "With its limited banking system, Iraq has laregly avoided the global finanical meltdown. And unlike elsewhere in the world, gas prices--about $1.52 a gallon--aren't much of a deterrent to those Iraqis eager and able to catch up with teh good life behind the wheel."
Through years of economic sanctioning and warfare against Iraq, the United States, along with a portion of the rest of the 'developed' world has actually created a country that the global financial meltdown may just bypass, or at least jsut not hit as hard. Of course, this is only one small advantage of the carnage amassed on this country over the past few....decades. And a very expensive one, as well. I would imagine (and the article supports) that there is only a very small percentage of Iraqis who can afford luxury cars and the gas needed to power them. But it will be very interesting to see what other, more affordable 'glitches' in the global financial breakdown will turn up, both in Iraq and the rest of the 'under-developed' world.
Having said that, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on the latest hot-spot for the auto industry, one of America's industries that we all know is sadly struggling in our current recession. Americans seem to have the idea that if American business is doing badly, then all the world's business must be following suit. And in many cases, this statement holds true However, there is one place on Earth where the auto industry is actually booming--and here's the kicker--not only despite America's policies, but also because of them!
With that, I'd like to propose GM, Ford and the rest of them consider a new headquarters where the auto industry is steadily doing better...Baghdad! According to the April 4 edition of The Washington Post's Express newspaper, "Business, not bombs, is booming at Baghdad car dealerships, as well-heeled Iraqis are indulging in a passion long out of reach--spiffy new cars...This may make Baghdad one of the few cities where the auto industry is doing relatively well."
OK so this is great, but where, exactly, does the bitter irony set in? Right about the following sentence in the article, which states, "With its limited banking system, Iraq has laregly avoided the global finanical meltdown. And unlike elsewhere in the world, gas prices--about $1.52 a gallon--aren't much of a deterrent to those Iraqis eager and able to catch up with teh good life behind the wheel."
Through years of economic sanctioning and warfare against Iraq, the United States, along with a portion of the rest of the 'developed' world has actually created a country that the global financial meltdown may just bypass, or at least jsut not hit as hard. Of course, this is only one small advantage of the carnage amassed on this country over the past few....decades. And a very expensive one, as well. I would imagine (and the article supports) that there is only a very small percentage of Iraqis who can afford luxury cars and the gas needed to power them. But it will be very interesting to see what other, more affordable 'glitches' in the global financial breakdown will turn up, both in Iraq and the rest of the 'under-developed' world.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
OpEd gets published!!!
That's right! To my very great surprise, my op-ed (Finding the Middle Ground, which I posted earlier) was published by my alma matter's newspaper, the UMass Boston Mass Media. They probably only published it cuz I'm an alum, but hey, it's a start!
I really like their graphic!
Friday, February 13, 2009
A Peek at Peace
I want to showcase some of the photography done by Jessie Boylan, an Australian photographer who has been travelling through Israel/Palestine taking photographs of several organizations in t
he region working on various peace projects. Jessie was in contact with the Alliance for Middle East Peace (http://www.allmep.org/), an umbrella organization of over 50 non-profits working towards peace and coexistence in Israel/Palestine. I have been working with ALLMEP since October 2007 as an intern/volunteer and assisted in coordination efforts between Jessie and ALLMEP members in Israel/Palestine.
These photos were taken at Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salaam (Oasis of Peace), a village in Israel comprised of 50% Jewish and 50% Palestinian Israeli citizens. The photos are of Jewish and Palestinian children who live in the village, and offer a glimpse of what peace between Arabs and Jews in the region can look like. More information about the village can be found on their website at http://www.oasisofpeace.org/.
he region working on various peace projects. Jessie was in contact with the Alliance for Middle East Peace (http://www.allmep.org/), an umbrella organization of over 50 non-profits working towards peace and coexistence in Israel/Palestine. I have been working with ALLMEP since October 2007 as an intern/volunteer and assisted in coordination efforts between Jessie and ALLMEP members in Israel/Palestine.These photos were taken at Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salaam (Oasis of Peace), a village in Israel comprised of 50% Jewish and 50% Palestinian Israeli citizens. The photos are of Jewish and Palestinian children who live in the village, and offer a glimpse of what peace between Arabs and Jews in the region can look like. More information about the village can be found on their website at http://www.oasisofpeace.org/.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
You can pay for me to go to Israel/Palestine!!
This post is the official kick-off for my fundraising plan to raise the funds I need to cover the costs of a peace delegation to Israel/Palestine this year, which I was recently accepted to. The delegation is run by an organization called Interfaith Peace Builders, and the trip I will most likely be joining is co-sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee. This delegation is centered around the Palestinian Olive Harvest. Participants on the delegation will assist Palestinan farmers, as well as Palestinian and Israeli volunteers and peace makers, harvest this crop. Additionally, participants will gain in-depth knowledge from peace groups and avegerage people living on both sides of the conflict about what it's like to live in that environment, what is being done to help resolve the conflict and what Americans can do to work towards its resolution.
Upon return to the United States, delegates are required to share the knowledge they have learned with their communities and the media. As I am already somewhat active in this area, I plan to use experience to supplement and increase my activity. Staff members of sponsoring organizations as well as former delegates will assist myself and others with finding ways to share our experience with the public and the media.
The cost of the delegation itself is about $2,000.00, which does not include airfare. I am hoping to raise $3,000.00-$3,500.00 to cover the delegation, airfare (we are provided with group flight rates, which are discounted)and any meals that aren't covered in the cost. Any additional spending money will be provided by my own personal funds. The Interfaith Peace Builders does provide scholarships for those who require them. I have filled out a scholarship application and will find out whether or not I qualify for one and, if so, how much it will be for, closer to the trip.
More information about the delegation and about the Interfaith Peace Builders can be found on their website at: www.ifpbdel.org.
Upon return to the United States, delegates are required to share the knowledge they have learned with their communities and the media. As I am already somewhat active in this area, I plan to use experience to supplement and increase my activity. Staff members of sponsoring organizations as well as former delegates will assist myself and others with finding ways to share our experience with the public and the media.
The cost of the delegation itself is about $2,000.00, which does not include airfare. I am hoping to raise $3,000.00-$3,500.00 to cover the delegation, airfare (we are provided with group flight rates, which are discounted)and any meals that aren't covered in the cost. Any additional spending money will be provided by my own personal funds. The Interfaith Peace Builders does provide scholarships for those who require them. I have filled out a scholarship application and will find out whether or not I qualify for one and, if so, how much it will be for, closer to the trip.
More information about the delegation and about the Interfaith Peace Builders can be found on their website at: www.ifpbdel.org.
Totally Unrelated
So this is completely unrelated to anything on this blog, but I have to give a quick shot-out to my favorite band ever, The Mars Volta, who just won their first Grammy for best Hard Rock album or something like that. They don't need the Grammy to prove their greatness, but it's nice to know that quality music is finally being recognized and rewarded.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
My First Op-Ed
So after two full days of lobby/advocacy training and actual lobbying on the Hill I decided that daily e-mails to Obama may not exactly be the most effective way to get my voice heard. The occasional e-mail when the occasion calls for it is one thing but daily....maybe not so much anymore.
After the "success" of having my letter published (butchered as it may have been) I became motivated to take the next step: writing up an Op-Ed. Very much outside of my usual character, I have decided to be less controversial and take a much more middle ground, as the title illustrates. I will try submitting it to some big-name papers and, after being rejected by them, will try some smaller papers--I was thinking maybe North Dakota or Alaska, maybe some rural paper there will publish it. I will keep you updated on its progress!
February 3, 2009
Finding the Middle Ground
Within the past couple of months, the on-going conflict between Israel and Gaza has been on the forefront of the news as well as the op-eds and letters to newspapers nationally. Reading these opinion pieces are often like watching a soap opera or bad reality t.v. show—the pieces next to always swing back and forth from one extreme opinion to the other. The writer writes from their standpoint, which is either “Pro-Israel” or “Pro-Palestine” and attempts to educate the world on why their side is right and should have the upper hand and the sympathy of the masses. Aside from riling emotions and potentially increasing media sales figures, this opinion writing style does little to actually address and much less solve any issues in Israel/Palestine. What is clearly lacking is the essential middle ground.
On both sides of this 60-plus year old conflict, one will find stories of injustice, loss, anger and, in many cases, hatred towards the other side. For many people directly involved in the conflict, it is probably impossible to change many of those deep-seeded emotions, but I would assume that the majority of Israelis and Palestinians simply want to live their lives free of violence and the daily threat of death and destruction. It is the extremists, very much prevalent on BOTH sides of the conflict, who make this dream impossible.
Most US citizens can barely fathom what life is like for the average person living in this region. So it’s almost ironic that Americans can be the most radical, the most extreme in our one-sided opinions of Israel/Palestine. This issue of taking a side and defending it with such fervor (and often with much ignorance) makes it impossible for our government to be forced to find and follow through with a viable solution to offer the region. It’s time for Americans to offer a third option to this two-sided issue: a middle ground on which people who support peace, reconciliation and coexistence can stand. Not only is it moral, but also invaluable for our country’s security.
As someone who has studied this conflict and been actively involved in working towards its resolution in some way, I have found that the more I learn about the situation the more even-toned my dealings with it become. I have learned through experience that acting off of my emotions is the easier but much less effective way to deal with the situation. Bickering back and forth about who is right and who has suffered more is doing nothing but working backwards. Moving forward (this means not looking back at what has happened) with open hearts and minds and with, most importantly, a listening ear is the only effective action Americans can take. It is not us who have to pay the ultimate price for this ongoing fight.
Davina Abujudeh
After the "success" of having my letter published (butchered as it may have been) I became motivated to take the next step: writing up an Op-Ed. Very much outside of my usual character, I have decided to be less controversial and take a much more middle ground, as the title illustrates. I will try submitting it to some big-name papers and, after being rejected by them, will try some smaller papers--I was thinking maybe North Dakota or Alaska, maybe some rural paper there will publish it. I will keep you updated on its progress!
February 3, 2009
Finding the Middle Ground
Within the past couple of months, the on-going conflict between Israel and Gaza has been on the forefront of the news as well as the op-eds and letters to newspapers nationally. Reading these opinion pieces are often like watching a soap opera or bad reality t.v. show—the pieces next to always swing back and forth from one extreme opinion to the other. The writer writes from their standpoint, which is either “Pro-Israel” or “Pro-Palestine” and attempts to educate the world on why their side is right and should have the upper hand and the sympathy of the masses. Aside from riling emotions and potentially increasing media sales figures, this opinion writing style does little to actually address and much less solve any issues in Israel/Palestine. What is clearly lacking is the essential middle ground.
On both sides of this 60-plus year old conflict, one will find stories of injustice, loss, anger and, in many cases, hatred towards the other side. For many people directly involved in the conflict, it is probably impossible to change many of those deep-seeded emotions, but I would assume that the majority of Israelis and Palestinians simply want to live their lives free of violence and the daily threat of death and destruction. It is the extremists, very much prevalent on BOTH sides of the conflict, who make this dream impossible.
Most US citizens can barely fathom what life is like for the average person living in this region. So it’s almost ironic that Americans can be the most radical, the most extreme in our one-sided opinions of Israel/Palestine. This issue of taking a side and defending it with such fervor (and often with much ignorance) makes it impossible for our government to be forced to find and follow through with a viable solution to offer the region. It’s time for Americans to offer a third option to this two-sided issue: a middle ground on which people who support peace, reconciliation and coexistence can stand. Not only is it moral, but also invaluable for our country’s security.
As someone who has studied this conflict and been actively involved in working towards its resolution in some way, I have found that the more I learn about the situation the more even-toned my dealings with it become. I have learned through experience that acting off of my emotions is the easier but much less effective way to deal with the situation. Bickering back and forth about who is right and who has suffered more is doing nothing but working backwards. Moving forward (this means not looking back at what has happened) with open hearts and minds and with, most importantly, a listening ear is the only effective action Americans can take. It is not us who have to pay the ultimate price for this ongoing fight.
Davina Abujudeh
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