When I was a teen, I was outraged when I found out how my country supported Gen. Franco, the fascist dictator of Spain. Later, as we destroyed various governments in Vietnam, along with their leaders, my sense of anger grew. That international evil, combined with the tolerance of Jim Crow in the South, led me to the progressive, yes liberal, social justice orientation that still informs both my vote and my churchmanship.
This decision, to be pro-democracy, pro-diversity, and anti-exclusion is not without cost. A friend of 42 years, who now refuses to take or return my calls. A brother who now avoids conversations so completely, we have become the Christmas ornament -- seen only when the tree is lit. Other shattered or damaged relationships. At,least one job lost because I insisted on promoting a completely qualified woman.
I cherished some of those relationships and while I would not give up my core for them, I regret the losses.Still, one either shouts justice to power, or one does not.
2014 is not only strikingly cold and snowy in North America, it is quickly shaping up to be a bad year for justice. Bad enough that Uganda is trying to become the next oppressive murderer regime in Africa. Anything the Africans might have done, they will be doing worse under their institutionalized homophobia laws. Bad enough that as we leave Afghanistan at long, long last, the government is tilting towards the oppression of its women. Bad enough that Israel and Russia are being led by out-of-control expansionists.
, No, all of that pales at least for a moment as we see General Cici of Egypt make a bid to become the world's worst judicial murderer. Of course, he may not make it, we have to dig into the horror that was China under Mao, but he has a chance. 528 people whose crime, was that they supported a legitimately elected government, and objected, non-violently) to the military coupe that destroyed the elected government.
Here in, the conflict. When Mubaric's regime collapsed the Egyptian people wrote a democratic constitution, held ele'ctions. They chose a president, who had been a member of the "Moslem Brotherhood," a group that was in opposition to Mubaric regime.
I have been ill the last couple days. If you read this and wondered why it must sort of stopped, please blame that. I did write a conclusion, which appears below. I apparenty did not save it properly. My apololgies. Jim B.
The army receives a lot of its funding from Egypt. General Cici is widely seen as an American pawn. We fund his army, train his officers, and buy the ammo. All of this is explained by the price of the the Egypt - Israel treaty. When we give money, we expect and get some control. So faced with a government that neither we nor the Israelis could expect to be less compliant than Mubaric had been, we have gone out of our way to approve of the coupe which overthrew the elected government.
I am a self-confessed progressive. I voted for Mr. Obama. And yet here I sit appalled at our support of a regime that plans judicial murder, using our support. If I were Egyptian, I would understand why some of my fellow citizens are anti-American. Like most of my countrymen, I want to be loyal and supportive to government of by and for the people. Support for murder in Egypt will make that much more difficult.
This decision, to be pro-democracy, pro-diversity, and anti-exclusion is not without cost. A friend of 42 years, who now refuses to take or return my calls. A brother who now avoids conversations so completely, we have become the Christmas ornament -- seen only when the tree is lit. Other shattered or damaged relationships. At,least one job lost because I insisted on promoting a completely qualified woman.
I cherished some of those relationships and while I would not give up my core for them, I regret the losses.Still, one either shouts justice to power, or one does not.
2014 is not only strikingly cold and snowy in North America, it is quickly shaping up to be a bad year for justice. Bad enough that Uganda is trying to become the next oppressive murderer regime in Africa. Anything the Africans might have done, they will be doing worse under their institutionalized homophobia laws. Bad enough that as we leave Afghanistan at long, long last, the government is tilting towards the oppression of its women. Bad enough that Israel and Russia are being led by out-of-control expansionists.
, No, all of that pales at least for a moment as we see General Cici of Egypt make a bid to become the world's worst judicial murderer. Of course, he may not make it, we have to dig into the horror that was China under Mao, but he has a chance. 528 people whose crime, was that they supported a legitimately elected government, and objected, non-violently) to the military coupe that destroyed the elected government.
Here in, the conflict. When Mubaric's regime collapsed the Egyptian people wrote a democratic constitution, held ele'ctions. They chose a president, who had been a member of the "Moslem Brotherhood," a group that was in opposition to Mubaric regime.
I have been ill the last couple days. If you read this and wondered why it must sort of stopped, please blame that. I did write a conclusion, which appears below. I apparenty did not save it properly. My apololgies. Jim B.
The army receives a lot of its funding from Egypt. General Cici is widely seen as an American pawn. We fund his army, train his officers, and buy the ammo. All of this is explained by the price of the the Egypt - Israel treaty. When we give money, we expect and get some control. So faced with a government that neither we nor the Israelis could expect to be less compliant than Mubaric had been, we have gone out of our way to approve of the coupe which overthrew the elected government.
I am a self-confessed progressive. I voted for Mr. Obama. And yet here I sit appalled at our support of a regime that plans judicial murder, using our support. If I were Egyptian, I would understand why some of my fellow citizens are anti-American. Like most of my countrymen, I want to be loyal and supportive to government of by and for the people. Support for murder in Egypt will make that much more difficult.
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