On this day of Thanksgiving I am
offering a story from long ago. Amistad is a movie based on a court
case from 1841 which was heard before our Supreme Court. It revolved
around a group of people who were abducted from their native country
of Sierra Leone. They were sold as slaves and were being transported
to a Caribbean plantation aboard the ship Amistad when they revolted,
killing the captain and the cook.
As I look at the uncertainty of our
future I thought there might be some wisdom to be garnered from our
past.
Two of my favorite scenes from this
movie:
And this:
So today I am giving thanks for those
who have struggled to overcome hardships, fought to uphold our
Constitution, and tried to adhere to the principles that were
envisioned when our country was created.
For a little break from American
politics I thought it might be interesting to visit a nice cold
place. Take some of the heat out of that emotional roller coaster we
have been on. If there is one entity that doesn't care about who is
in the White House it is planet Earth. She will do what she will do.
Unless, of course, you believe that human activity does have some
bearing on our climate. Then that might change things a little.
So today I have for you a video on
Antarctica. We have heard so much about the melting ice in the
Arctic and on Greenland, but we haven't really looked at the other
end of our planet. I think maybe we should do so.
This is just shy of an hour long. But
it is worth watching.
With this being an election year here
in the US our news media has been focused primarily on the political
scene. One can hardly blame them I suppose considering the fireworks
in this election. But while we have been so distracted there has
been the start of the long awaited battle to retake the Iraqi city of
Mosul from Daesh (ISIL). I thought perhaps I should take a moment to
consider the significance of this event.
It has been approximately two years
since the advent of Daesh in the city of Mosul. It was what one
could say an accidental invasion. From all accounts they did not
intend to stay, but merely to harass. But the collapse of the Iraqi
Army allowed the seeds that were planted years previously to find
ground and take root. From Mosul they spread to other Iraqi cities,
smothering what small pleasures there were to be found after years of
war. Daesh was more than just a terrorist organization, it was a
symptom of the divisions within Iraqi society. What we see now is
more than just a battle for one city, but a battle for an entire
nation, a battle for a unity of a people that have not yet healed
after years of war.
This video has a good panel discussion
on the various nuances of this battle. While it is Iraq's battle to
fight, it has a significance beyond one nation or one region of the
world.
Some realities of the situation on the
ground.
While we consider the various
candidates in this election it would be wise to understand that our
choices affect others and that the situations in Iraq, Syria and
Europe are extremely delicate. This battle will have consequences
for years to come, as will our choices on November 8.
