My eighth floor office oversees 3rd Avenue at 42nd Street, so I have a pretty nice view of the Israeli consulate. Given the recent conflict in Gaza between the Israel Defense Force and Hamas militants, I also had luxury box seats to a large rally below my window, where hundreds of people waved Israeli flags, sang songs, and gave speeches in support of Israel.
A few days ago, I had asked a politically-aware friend what his take on the recent conflict was, and he sort of shrugged and said, "What else is new?" I think the apparent repetitiveness of the conflict disturbs me. (1) Palestinians fire rockets or commit some variation of terror towards Israel, (2) Israel goes into the (Gaza or West Bank) and wreaks havoc killing militants and some civilians as collateral damage, (3) an uneasy cease-fire is reached, (4) repeat and rinse. You almost (I stress almost) might wish for an all out knock-down drag out war to establish a victor and a clear end-state of stability as opposed to what seems like meaningless skirmishes where hundreds die and no progress is made. So the question is: what exactly is the end game at least from the Israeli perspective?
An article in Newsweek provides a pretty bleak analysis of this. The columnist, John Barry, points out that the end of a war by either negotiation or decisive victory hasn't be attempted by either side, using the Iraq insurgency as an example of a much "stronger" resistance which the Palestinians are capable of executing but have opted not to do so and arguing that Israel's past military responses as restrained compared to its full potential as a nuclear-armed juggernaut. He then points out that neither side has "really committed itself to the painful compromises that a negotiated outcome would entail."
What Barry never really addresses is what would happen if, for example, Israel decides to pursue a decisive military victory because of their conviction that the Palestinians will never live up to any negotiated settlement. Or in other words, why fight towards an accord (as opposed to destroying the enemy to the point of incapacitation) which is never taken seriously or cannot be enforced due to the inability of the Palestinian Authority to control radicals who will stop nothing short of the extermination of Israel?
If Israel's present end game (as stated by a senior Israeli defense advisor) is "a military effort to crush Palestinian resistance for a generation" you can't help but feel conflicted. Nobody is in favor of war, but nobody could be in favor of an illusion of peace which doesn't really exist.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
I Think Daniel and I Will Stick With Hide & Seek
Recently, a father and son were charged with stealing gravestones from a monument company in suburban Albany, New York. I'm all for bonding experiences which cement the father-son bond, but committing felonies together is something that I'm probably going to pass on.
I have to admit that there's a certain rush and sense of bonding when you join someone in a bit of mischief. Come on, who won't admit that there was a little camaraderie developed in younger and wilder days when you played "ring and run" with your buddies or sat around making prank phone calls (in a pre-Caller ID world)? I'm sure there's a social experiment that vouches for this. I mean, not that I ever did such stupid things, of course.
So maybe Daniel and I aren't completely above an occasional brush with authority. On occassion, Daniel and I will be watching cartoons, I'll see Sarah pull into the driveway and I'll turn to Daniel and say, "Mommy's home! Hurry up and turn off the television or we'll both be in trouble!" at which point Daniel will jump off the couch, run over and turn off the television and jump back on the couch and open a book. Yes, a pair of wild and crazy rebels we are.
I have to admit that there's a certain rush and sense of bonding when you join someone in a bit of mischief. Come on, who won't admit that there was a little camaraderie developed in younger and wilder days when you played "ring and run" with your buddies or sat around making prank phone calls (in a pre-Caller ID world)? I'm sure there's a social experiment that vouches for this. I mean, not that I ever did such stupid things, of course.
So maybe Daniel and I aren't completely above an occasional brush with authority. On occassion, Daniel and I will be watching cartoons, I'll see Sarah pull into the driveway and I'll turn to Daniel and say, "Mommy's home! Hurry up and turn off the television or we'll both be in trouble!" at which point Daniel will jump off the couch, run over and turn off the television and jump back on the couch and open a book. Yes, a pair of wild and crazy rebels we are.
The Stigma of Political Conservatism
A recent article on FOXNews.com detailed how conservatives in Hollywood are being encouraged to "come out of the closet". It's unfortunate that in our democracy that there's so much fear of repercussion to voice dissenting ideas, and it's pervasive in all environments. Progressives in conservative regions of the company likely feel that they need to silently smile uneasily when "liberal-bashing" arises in the same way that conservatives quietly shuffle their feet when a group of people make jokes about the idiocy and doom of conservative ideals.
In the article, Jerry Molen, the Oscar-winning producer of big Hollywood hits like "Schindler's List," "Jurassic Park" and "Rain Man" states "In too many cases, conservatives are immediately labeled racist, homophobic, bigoted, hateful, demonic, or even un-American without the benefit of debate, and are locked out of the hiring process, with a few exceptions."
I'm sympathetic. Try being a socially conservative Christian working in New York City and living in a nearby suburb. Even within the church, I suspect that there's fear of expressing or pressure to hold certain political ideologies, though I think my own church tends to be fairly diverse politically. I know this for a fact, as we've had political panel discussions in which I've strongly disagreed with one of our members - but importantly, there was some open dialogue and debate. As Voltaire said, "I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
We claim to be a country which embraces diversity of ideas, but in practice, even those who claim to value diversity seem to be selective in embracing certain diverse ideas over others.
But if perceived anti-conservative bias in Hollywood really bothers you, go out and rent "Team American: World Police" (unless you're easily offended) or "An American Carol". If you're on the other side of the political fence, cuddle up on the couch and catch "Lions for Lambs". As for me, I'll be happy watching "The Karate Kid" for the thirty-fourth time.
In the article, Jerry Molen, the Oscar-winning producer of big Hollywood hits like "Schindler's List," "Jurassic Park" and "Rain Man" states "In too many cases, conservatives are immediately labeled racist, homophobic, bigoted, hateful, demonic, or even un-American without the benefit of debate, and are locked out of the hiring process, with a few exceptions."
I'm sympathetic. Try being a socially conservative Christian working in New York City and living in a nearby suburb. Even within the church, I suspect that there's fear of expressing or pressure to hold certain political ideologies, though I think my own church tends to be fairly diverse politically. I know this for a fact, as we've had political panel discussions in which I've strongly disagreed with one of our members - but importantly, there was some open dialogue and debate. As Voltaire said, "I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
We claim to be a country which embraces diversity of ideas, but in practice, even those who claim to value diversity seem to be selective in embracing certain diverse ideas over others.
But if perceived anti-conservative bias in Hollywood really bothers you, go out and rent "Team American: World Police" (unless you're easily offended) or "An American Carol". If you're on the other side of the political fence, cuddle up on the couch and catch "Lions for Lambs". As for me, I'll be happy watching "The Karate Kid" for the thirty-fourth time.
Pastors and Evangelists - Isn't Rick Warren Both?
There's an interesting article in Newsweek about how Pastor Rick Warren is not and will not be the next Billy Graham. Much of this is in the midst of hand-wringing from the political left around Pastor Warren's invitation to give the ivocation at Barack Obama's inauguration despite Warren's support of Proposition 8, the successful California initiative banning gay marriage and his strong words condemning both abortion and the "safe, legal and rare"-mantra which is often spewed by pro-choicers. I was impressed and surprised somewhat by Pastor Warren's courage and conviction to speak frankly about positions which may very well spend much of the "political capital" which was gained from his burgeoning reputation as a warm-and-fuzzy Christian nice guy which everyone on the political spectrum can love. Well, it was nice while it lasted.
Interestingly, the article draws a distinction between the role of a pastor and evangelist, drawing from a conversation between Jerry Falwell and Billy Graham: "There is no question that your role and mine are opposites," Falwell told Graham. "You are an evangelist, I am a pastor. I have prophetic responsibilities that you do not have." What seems to be implied, at least in the article, is that the evangelist is focused on saving souls for the afterlife while a pastor is primarily focused on engaging the culture in this world.
With due respect to Reverend Falwell and perhaps not completely understanding the context, I'm not sure sure I agree with such a distinction. I don't necessarily think Pastor Warren does either. His own chief of staff says: "His calling is as a paramedic—not a policeman—for the Kingdom of God, to preach the good news of grace, assist the poor and care for the sick." The role of a pastor requires him to be an evangelist. Does the role of an evangelist require him to be a pastor as well?
What does it mean when Jesus says, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel?" What does the coming of the Kingdom of God mean in terms of what needs to be preached? Repentence is certainly paramount, but there also are necessary implications that flow out of this. In other words, if the evangelist is to preach the coming of the Kingdom - does the charge to respond go beyond a matter of personal repentance and salvation?
Consider something my pastor once wrote in my Elder examination in response to one of my answers: "Actually the kingdom of God is not exclusively a spiritual realm—and this is pretty important for understanding the gospel in its fullest meaning. “Kingdom” is not a place but an action—which has led many theologians to describe the kdm of God as the “rule [not the realm] of God through his Messiah.” And since the Messiah is the second Adam who has come to reverse the fall in all of its aspects and manifestations, then the kingdom of God shows up wherever King Jesus manifests the values of his kingdom. It shows up in beautiful music, in acts of justice, in the decisions of a company to treat its employees well, in the acts of dependent prayer of God’s people, and so forth. The concept of the kingdom is why we are wholistic in our vision as a church. The rule of Christ at the moment is not always acknowledged as such—but we have the inside scoop and we know that he is at work, often despite people’s intentions. Look at the opening statement in the lesson on God’s judgment in the church and you will see how wide the concept of the kingdom is."
Finally, a word on the last paragraph on the article, which states that President Obama needs a Billy Graham-type who will pray for God's insight and compassion. That Pastor Warren holds views contrary to some in Obama's circle and Obama himself doesn't disqualify him for that role. I'd like to think that President Obama can count on Pastor Warren's prayer for both of those things - as well as the prayers of many others.
Interestingly, the article draws a distinction between the role of a pastor and evangelist, drawing from a conversation between Jerry Falwell and Billy Graham: "There is no question that your role and mine are opposites," Falwell told Graham. "You are an evangelist, I am a pastor. I have prophetic responsibilities that you do not have." What seems to be implied, at least in the article, is that the evangelist is focused on saving souls for the afterlife while a pastor is primarily focused on engaging the culture in this world.
With due respect to Reverend Falwell and perhaps not completely understanding the context, I'm not sure sure I agree with such a distinction. I don't necessarily think Pastor Warren does either. His own chief of staff says: "His calling is as a paramedic—not a policeman—for the Kingdom of God, to preach the good news of grace, assist the poor and care for the sick." The role of a pastor requires him to be an evangelist. Does the role of an evangelist require him to be a pastor as well?
What does it mean when Jesus says, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel?" What does the coming of the Kingdom of God mean in terms of what needs to be preached? Repentence is certainly paramount, but there also are necessary implications that flow out of this. In other words, if the evangelist is to preach the coming of the Kingdom - does the charge to respond go beyond a matter of personal repentance and salvation?
Consider something my pastor once wrote in my Elder examination in response to one of my answers: "Actually the kingdom of God is not exclusively a spiritual realm—and this is pretty important for understanding the gospel in its fullest meaning. “Kingdom” is not a place but an action—which has led many theologians to describe the kdm of God as the “rule [not the realm] of God through his Messiah.” And since the Messiah is the second Adam who has come to reverse the fall in all of its aspects and manifestations, then the kingdom of God shows up wherever King Jesus manifests the values of his kingdom. It shows up in beautiful music, in acts of justice, in the decisions of a company to treat its employees well, in the acts of dependent prayer of God’s people, and so forth. The concept of the kingdom is why we are wholistic in our vision as a church. The rule of Christ at the moment is not always acknowledged as such—but we have the inside scoop and we know that he is at work, often despite people’s intentions. Look at the opening statement in the lesson on God’s judgment in the church and you will see how wide the concept of the kingdom is."
Finally, a word on the last paragraph on the article, which states that President Obama needs a Billy Graham-type who will pray for God's insight and compassion. That Pastor Warren holds views contrary to some in Obama's circle and Obama himself doesn't disqualify him for that role. I'd like to think that President Obama can count on Pastor Warren's prayer for both of those things - as well as the prayers of many others.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Playing Games with Family and Friends
I had a fantastic day of games and fun yesterday - first with my kids and then with some of my friends.
With Daniel was off on a playdate and Sarah doing some errands, I played an impromptu game of hide and seek with Sophia. Well, it wasn't really hide and seek, but rather a game in which I would run to one side of our first floor and hide in a corner while Sophia would waddle over and "find" me, laughing hysterically. Then I'd scamper away to the other end of the house and hide in another corner, Sophia would waddle over and "find" me, laughing hysterically, and we'd repeat the cycle over and over. We did about fifteen times, and Sophia never lost enthusiasm for our little game. Later on, Daniel came home and joined us and I made the game a little more advanced by throwing a blanket over my head while sitting on the couch (the kids gleefully found me anyway). As Sophia was getting a bath, I played a "memory" card game with Daniel. Fun stuff.
Later on that evening, I celebrated my birthday (a week after the fact) with some friends at Dave & Buster's in Times Square. It was a fun time of food, drink and a couple of rounds of games and trivia. A friend slapped me on the back and told me that in light of the turnout (we had around sixteen or so folks that showed up) that I was loved. I'm indeed blessed not so much by the number of people who I count as friends who also were kind enough to attend, but because of who the people who I am so honored to have as friends. And we also kicked tail in Super Trivia to boot.
With Daniel was off on a playdate and Sarah doing some errands, I played an impromptu game of hide and seek with Sophia. Well, it wasn't really hide and seek, but rather a game in which I would run to one side of our first floor and hide in a corner while Sophia would waddle over and "find" me, laughing hysterically. Then I'd scamper away to the other end of the house and hide in another corner, Sophia would waddle over and "find" me, laughing hysterically, and we'd repeat the cycle over and over. We did about fifteen times, and Sophia never lost enthusiasm for our little game. Later on, Daniel came home and joined us and I made the game a little more advanced by throwing a blanket over my head while sitting on the couch (the kids gleefully found me anyway). As Sophia was getting a bath, I played a "memory" card game with Daniel. Fun stuff.
Later on that evening, I celebrated my birthday (a week after the fact) with some friends at Dave & Buster's in Times Square. It was a fun time of food, drink and a couple of rounds of games and trivia. A friend slapped me on the back and told me that in light of the turnout (we had around sixteen or so folks that showed up) that I was loved. I'm indeed blessed not so much by the number of people who I count as friends who also were kind enough to attend, but because of who the people who I am so honored to have as friends. And we also kicked tail in Super Trivia to boot.
Amazing Grace... Demonstrated by the NFL Establishment
I couldn't help but see that Matt Millen was in the NBC Sports studio along with Bob Costas and Jerome Bettis to provide commentary at halftime and postgame for the Falcolns vs. Cardinals playoff game. My goodness. Matt Millen? Are you kidding me?
For those of you who aren't sports fans, this is akin to having Bernard Madoff on as a guest commentator on a CNBC special on "investing to win", hiring Elizabeth Taylor as your marriage counselor or having Britney Spears as a parental advisor on Supernanny. It's absolutely mind-boggling.
There's a website developed by Detroit Lions fans dedicated to the removal of Millen which outlines his less-than-stellar record. Mark Schlereth, an ESPN analyst and one time teammate of Matt Millen said said of Millen's work for the Lions: "It may be the worst personnel job in the history of the National Football League," Schlereth said. "He was horrible. Matt was -- I mean, it was absolute garbage." NFL executives had privately conceded that Millen "has made more bad draft decisions than anyone else in two centuries." Millen was the 2nd highest paid general manager in the league, and led the Lions to the worst eight-year record in the NFL (31-97) since World War II, punctuated by an 0-16 season this year. Not exactly the sort of reputation and resume that screams "expert commentator".
But somehow he got a plush gig pontificating as a commentator on NBC. Wow - there are churches that show less forgiveness (or disregard) for past sins than the NFL, where coaches and players with terrible records on and off the field continue to be recycled for jobs. I'm not sure if that speaks to how ungracious Christians can be, or how stupid the league is. Maybe both.
For those of you who aren't sports fans, this is akin to having Bernard Madoff on as a guest commentator on a CNBC special on "investing to win", hiring Elizabeth Taylor as your marriage counselor or having Britney Spears as a parental advisor on Supernanny. It's absolutely mind-boggling.
There's a website developed by Detroit Lions fans dedicated to the removal of Millen which outlines his less-than-stellar record. Mark Schlereth, an ESPN analyst and one time teammate of Matt Millen said said of Millen's work for the Lions: "It may be the worst personnel job in the history of the National Football League," Schlereth said. "He was horrible. Matt was -- I mean, it was absolute garbage." NFL executives had privately conceded that Millen "has made more bad draft decisions than anyone else in two centuries." Millen was the 2nd highest paid general manager in the league, and led the Lions to the worst eight-year record in the NFL (31-97) since World War II, punctuated by an 0-16 season this year. Not exactly the sort of reputation and resume that screams "expert commentator".
But somehow he got a plush gig pontificating as a commentator on NBC. Wow - there are churches that show less forgiveness (or disregard) for past sins than the NFL, where coaches and players with terrible records on and off the field continue to be recycled for jobs. I'm not sure if that speaks to how ungracious Christians can be, or how stupid the league is. Maybe both.
A Tri-Generational Day Trip
With a couple more free days of vacation to burn before returning to work, I thought I'd spend a little quality time with Daniel and do a little day trip into the city. At the suggestion of my wife, I decided to also invite my father to tag along. I called my dad and extended the invitation, and he initially declined, telling me that he had to run some errands with my mother.
About five minutes later, I received a phone call from my mom telling me that she thought that it would be a great idea if my father went with Daniel and me (i.e. please get your father out of my hair). Lest I pick on my poor father, Sarah also encouraged us to stay in the city through dinner. Hmm... you think the women were interested in getting the men out of the house?
Our plan was to go to the MTA Transit Museum in Brooklyn, which seemed like a slam dunk for Daniel to enjoy. Three generation of Kuo men got onto the NJ Transit train in Millburn and made our way to the city in a train that was actually quite full of families who were presumably doing some holiday week city visiting as well. Daniel, as always, loved the train ride, and my father continued to rave about the convenience of the commuter train. We caught up on some small talk about family friends and such while Daniel stared out the window, thoroughly enjoying his train ride.
The museum wasn't bad. It detailed some history of the development of the New York City subway as well as tunnels and bridges in the area. The museum itself is actually a retired subway station, and on the tracks are vintage subway cars. We walked through multiple generations of subways cars, going back to 1906, and then had a chance to other exhibits around buses and reduced emission vehicles. Daniel, however, was quite disappointed as he had anticipated seeing more trains (not just subway cars) and working models as we had in our previous visit to a train museum in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. His disappointment was somewhat assuaged when we had an opportunity to ride on one of the new double-decker NJ Transit double-decker trains on the way home.
What I appreciated most was the chance to spend quality time with my son and my father. I think my relationship with my dad has actually improved a great deal (despite some typical first-generation Asian father foibles, one of which I related in a previous blog), and I think there's a number of reasons for this.
For one, being a father of a son has given me an appreciation for the difficulty for being a dad. I think my father also sees my parenting and things well of my efforts. By the grace of God, we're also both changing and I think our shared love and affection for Daniel, which was evident on this day trip, also has helped our relationship. Seeing my father's kindness and encouragement towards Daniel could tempt me to resentfully wonder why such tenderness was rarely given to me as a child, but it doesn't bother me in the least. I believe that (1) the relationship of a grandfather is much different than a dad and (2) my father might very well be a better grandfather than father, and that's okay to me. I'm extremely grateful and happy of his affinity towards my son, and I know that this has been a win-win-win for all of us.
About five minutes later, I received a phone call from my mom telling me that she thought that it would be a great idea if my father went with Daniel and me (i.e. please get your father out of my hair). Lest I pick on my poor father, Sarah also encouraged us to stay in the city through dinner. Hmm... you think the women were interested in getting the men out of the house?
Our plan was to go to the MTA Transit Museum in Brooklyn, which seemed like a slam dunk for Daniel to enjoy. Three generation of Kuo men got onto the NJ Transit train in Millburn and made our way to the city in a train that was actually quite full of families who were presumably doing some holiday week city visiting as well. Daniel, as always, loved the train ride, and my father continued to rave about the convenience of the commuter train. We caught up on some small talk about family friends and such while Daniel stared out the window, thoroughly enjoying his train ride.
The museum wasn't bad. It detailed some history of the development of the New York City subway as well as tunnels and bridges in the area. The museum itself is actually a retired subway station, and on the tracks are vintage subway cars. We walked through multiple generations of subways cars, going back to 1906, and then had a chance to other exhibits around buses and reduced emission vehicles. Daniel, however, was quite disappointed as he had anticipated seeing more trains (not just subway cars) and working models as we had in our previous visit to a train museum in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. His disappointment was somewhat assuaged when we had an opportunity to ride on one of the new double-decker NJ Transit double-decker trains on the way home.
What I appreciated most was the chance to spend quality time with my son and my father. I think my relationship with my dad has actually improved a great deal (despite some typical first-generation Asian father foibles, one of which I related in a previous blog), and I think there's a number of reasons for this.
For one, being a father of a son has given me an appreciation for the difficulty for being a dad. I think my father also sees my parenting and things well of my efforts. By the grace of God, we're also both changing and I think our shared love and affection for Daniel, which was evident on this day trip, also has helped our relationship. Seeing my father's kindness and encouragement towards Daniel could tempt me to resentfully wonder why such tenderness was rarely given to me as a child, but it doesn't bother me in the least. I believe that (1) the relationship of a grandfather is much different than a dad and (2) my father might very well be a better grandfather than father, and that's okay to me. I'm extremely grateful and happy of his affinity towards my son, and I know that this has been a win-win-win for all of us.
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