Some observations on the 4th of July in America
The 4th of July is all about American history and patriotism, so here goes a few observations:
I’m sitting at a pool in Western Michigan at Silver Lakes, getting ready to go by the huge Dunes here to watch the fireworks. I’m watching this couple that look Russian, but that are Polish. (My son is Russian Jewish). They’re watching the “country” White family (I prefer that to the “R” word some will use in these parts, and making faces at them. The “country” White family is watching the Indian (from India) family, whose wife and mother are covered in what look like Saries and are dipping their toes in the pool. And the Indians are staring at me.
Now, I don’t know what’s goining on in anyone’s mind, except my own, of course. I’m wondering if they are Polish or Russian because I love to talk about Russia and even practice some cyrillic sounds and Russian words I learned while in Moscow and Ykaterinburg. But I’m thinking none of them are being complimentary to the other. I know the “country” White family are snickering at the Indian family, because I can hear them. The Indian family is making faces at me. I’m actually darker than they are and maybe I look more Indian when my Arab skin gets so brown — blessed art those Arabs because we get the BEST sun tans. My son is pale White. (Did I kidnap the kid they must be asking?) The Russian family is watching the “country” White people, who knows wondering about all of the water toys they’ve smoothered their kid with while they play hands-on with their own.
Turns out the Russian family are actually Polish because I finally break the ice and ask if they are Russian. The “Country” White family over heard my son telling another family that you can pay a few bucks in the evening to park your car at a local store parking lot, a short walk from the wharf where you can set up some chairs and watch the fireworks over the huge Silver Lake Sand Dunes national park, and they ask me politely for the details. Soon, everyone is talking to everyone and sharing the information about the fireworks. Smiling. Even shaking hands.
Now, I don’t know what was going on during the first 90 minutes of silence and staring that took place at the pool, but in the end everyone seemed friendly and cordial to each other.
What does it all mean? I don’t know. But helping others might be all that it takes.
Ray Hanania
www.TheMediaOasis.com
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I think this is really cool. For some reason I found it very inspiring
Thanks Naim. It made me feel good, where it started a bit apprehensively. Once you break through the “not knowing everyone” feeling, you discover people are greatand fears and stereotypes are always wrong. Anyway, that’s what I got out of it.
Ray Hanania
http://www.TheMediaOasis.com
Ray, I know it means something, but I’m not exactly sure what. But as usual, I’ll give it a try.
When you didn’t know each other, some of you assumed the worst about one another. You didn’t know the other person, so you substituted your opinions or even prejudices to inform yourself about who that person was. So, for example, if you are used to thinking of Russians, etc., a certain way, then that’s the way you would think of that person sitting across from you.
Once you started talking and sharing with one another, you discovered who the other person really was, and you realized that your prior impressions were misplaced.
There’s a big lesson here, a lesson writ large. We often use out religious beliefs and our ideological perspectives to define who the other person is. “Oh, he’s not one of us, therefore, he’s no good.” But when we decide to cut the BS, and to bother to get to know the other person, then we realize that we were full of it, and that most of what we thought about him was wrong. He is one of us, even if we didn’t think so at first.
What can I say, Ray? What if most of what we believe is BS? Can we handle that? Do we dare to find out about the other guy? And if we do, can we cope with finding out that we’re not so special after all, and that he is one of us, even if he goes somewhere else to pray?
Hi Ray!
Human psychology and the ego play a big role in messing up the world. There is something to be said for the hippie idealist spirit we witnessed at Woodstock (in the documentaries — I wasn’t there) The young people there cared and shared and all started with the premise of trust and peace and love.
I think these days we begin with totally WRONG premises: might makes us secure, money brings happiness, our gov’ts will bring peace, instant gratification is happiness, dog eat dog, etc…
Perhaps its time for a revolution.
Michelle, we substitute ego for common sense, and wonder where we went wrong.
There is only one gateway to true belief: believe in what makes sense. If something makes sense, then go ahead and believe it. If it doesn’t, then have the courage to let it go. We’ve brought ourselves to the point where because of our technology, and because of the global threats we face, we can no longer afford the “luxury” of false belief. We used to get away with it. But “the times they are a changin,” and today false belief could well determine our collective destiny as a species.
Just as the world is getting smaller economically, technologically, and environmentally, so too must we come together around a new ideological framework, what I call an Ideology of Common Sense, so that we will be able to confront the universal threats we face in a concerted manner. Since the problems we face are universal, we will only solve them by uniting ourselves in common purpose. It will require us to come together on some core truths, truths which have always been around, but which have often been discarded in favor of ego.
very well said, Nissim. The most important teachings I have learned are all about our biggest challange — bittul — nullification of the ego. It’s such a hard thing in this generation because we have evolved into believing that our “values” are true and absolute. Crazy huh?
Nissim, I have come across your website in the past and I greatly admire the work that you and your wife are doing. I wish you and she would consider running for office here….. and I doubt I’m the first person who has asked you! Will you be visiting Israel in the near future?
Michelle, I like the idea of “bittul.” It’s time to get over ourselves and beyond our differences. If we step out of who we are, we may just find a better sense of ourselves.
I don’t know about running for office, but I sure want to visit Israel soon. I enjoy it everytime I’m there. I’m trying to put a project together in the West Bank, a factory that hires and employs Palestinian workers, who will produce a green technology product that can better the world in some substantial way. The factory will be run by Arabs and Jews, and Saudi financing will be the icing on the cake.
If I can put such a project together, I would be happy to live near the site, to make it as successful as possible. Such a project would resonate with hope, and could attract worldwide attention, which could bring more dollars, for more such projects, for more good paying jobs, for more environmental protection, and for more neutralizing of extremism. In other words, such a project could be a model for a solution for most of the world’s problems.
The sooner I can accomplish this, the sooner I can visit Israel. But between you and me, my wife and I will visit one way or another.