On Gaza, Goldfish and Ghazals (from rosie)
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On Gaza, Goldfish and Ghazals (from rosie)
31-Dec-2008
Well, I guess I've been many Rosies since I joined an embryonic blogging community here in October 2007. I have been the first Rosie of whom I was (and remain) very proud, and then the vanished Rosie, and then some other Rosie I didn't even recognize in the summer, and a lurker Rosie. And finally of late (to my surprise) an intermittent Rosie the Goldfish. And it isn't good for Robin's (Roxane's) personal growth to be both here and not here, so as 2009 opens its arms for us, I thought I'd say something in honor of the years and then swim away again (granted, holding no crystal ball in my fins).
And so I was thinking of a few things I wanted to say to you and then Gaza exploded and I knew that that must be my point of departure (no pun intended). for this blog, as I often played a pivotal role in the always much-commented threads on the Palestine-Israel predicament--because I was the only non-Zionist Ashkenaz Jew among the regular bloggers. And so I drafted a kind of overview of my ideas on the predicament in general, all of which I've explained before, I guess as a kind of a legacy:pacifism, Truth and Reconciliation; One State Solution (I know these seem more and more as dreams but I shall continue to dream);; wiping from the website, the map and the pages ot time the very dangerous, incendiary term Zionazi,;some recollections of my father, a Zionist by upbringing but a great humanitarian and a very humble man. And so forth.
And then I realized there was something far more fundamental underlying all this. It is that in political discussions on this website from the very first day I have always been able to forge very close friendships with people of the most disparate ideologies imaginable and to reach understandings with them--often quite quickly, too. And it is in large part because I always operated under the assumption that anyone who is a regular member of this blogging community is a person of character who comes here in good faith. Because if they weren't, they would not be toiling into the wee hours of the morning, day after day, night after night, writing to somehow communicate something.
I've watched the political conversations on this site evolve from complete and utter anarchy to "civil discourse" and often I have felt (including on Gaza), that it has merely evolved from a hot war to a cold one. And I think that the next step toward getting beyond this war once and for all, toward achieving peace with each other so that we can bring its fruits to the world at large, must be the bloggers' holding the same basic assumptions about each other as I have them. And I've said it before and I'm saying it again because if I have to choose one legacy here, I think that would be it.
* * *
When at my best, this website has fulfilled me very much as a vehicle for peace activism and it has also been for me one great poem. A poem in which all of you were the rhymes and the rhythms and the resonances and my words followed you and at our best, our poem began to sing.
That would be my most fervent wish for the future of this evolving cyber-democracy. That it sing.
* * *
Happy :New Year Sale Noh Mubarak Feliz Navidad Shanah Tovah
L'shanah ha baah b'Yerushalayim
Next year in Jerusalem
Yerushalayim shel Zahav Jerusalem of Gold
The New Jerusalem
(I was advised to pust this post of mine from Q's blog herre too:) It is a song that was written in celebration of Israeli expansion into occupied territories in the '70s. It has many Biblical references and really only ONE objectionable verse: from Jericho to the Dead Sea. I don't see it that way. I see it as everyone living together from Jericho to the Dead Sea. The song and the singer are wonderful. It may be objectionable to some people that the children all wear yarmulkes (skull caps), however these are similar to those worn in many Muslim countries. There are also a few Mogen Davids (Star of David) thrown in the lighting in the background. Some people may find this objectionable. I don't care. It was the only youtube clip I found of the song. And anyway I am kind of tired of being ashame d of the Mogen David just because it is "Zionist". It's not, it's Jewish. And it's more than that. It has the same symbolism as the cross, the Yin Yang, the Swastika (an ancient Indo-European (Aryan) symbol as you probably know). It signifies the reconciliation of opposites. It is a universal symbol.
There was a German Jewish poet of the Reich and he wrote these words; I am proud to be a Jew (Ich bin stolz darauf). I may as well be proud because I'll be one whether I'm proud or not." I may as well stop being ashamed of the Mogen David.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRijgRZmqvI
//www.ahbjewishcenter.org/shabbat045.htm
translation
(It will mean what I make it to mean because I make it so).
In loving memory of my father,
Julius Michael (Yehudah Mikhel) Goldsmith
(1908-1997)
and of my brother, Raphael Kenneth
(1940 -1970)
Robin Jayne Goldsmith (Roxane)
New York City, 11:00 p.m..Dec. 31,2008
| Recently by This Ticket Valid One Way Only Way Jan. 1 2009 | Comments | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Ten Proposed Rules for Civil Discourse and Moderation (by rosie) | 16 | Jan 07, 2009 |
| just a short message from rosie | 2 | Jan 06, 2009 |
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Thanks paster, TARJOMEH
by Rosie Aqualung (not verified) on Sat Jan 03, 2009 08:03 AM PSTactually the same translation is up there but i couldn't get the links to post as links. j changed the link to the song but he didn't change the other link and it kinda got lost in the shuffle, especially after it was recommended that i add my comment from q's blog (worse still in BOLD), it's now very hard to see. Thanks for posting it here, it's much more visible...
A literal translation:
by Anonymous Copy Paste (not verified) on Fri Jan 02, 2009 06:55 PM PST.
.
.
The mountain air is clear as wine and the scent of pines
Is carried on the breeze of twilight with the sound of bells.
And in the slumber of tree and stone captured in her dream
The city that sits solitary and in its midst is a wall.
Chorus: Jerusalem of gold, and of bronze, and of light. Behold I am a violin for all your songs.
We have returned to the cisterns, to the market and to the market-place
A shofar calls out on the Temple Mount in the Old City.
And in the caves in the mountain thousands of suns shine -
We will once again descend to the Dead Sea by way of Jericho!
Chorus
But as I come to sing to you today, and to adorn crowns to you (i.e. to tell your praise)
I am the smallest of the youngest of your children (i.e. the least worthy of doing so) and of the last poet (i.e. of all the poets born).
For your name scorches the lips like the kiss of a seraph
If I forget thee, Jerusalem, Which is all gold...
Chorus
Thx Q, It was suggested I repost this I wrote from your blog,
by This Ticket Valid One Way... on Fri Jan 02, 2009 06:16 PM PSTBar migardam.
It is a song that was written in celebration of Israeli expansion into occupied territories in the '70s. It has many Biblical references and really only ONE objectionable verse: from Jericho to the Dead Sea. I don't see it that way. I see it as everyone living together from Jericho to the Dead Sea. The song and the singer are wonderful. It may be objectionable to some people that the children all wear yarmulkes (skull caps), however these are similar to those worn in many Muslim countries. There are also a few Mogen Davids (Star of David) thrown in the lighting in the background. Some people may find this objectionable. I don't care. It was the only youtube clip I found of the song. And anyway I am kind of tired of being ashame d of the Mogen David just because it is "Zionist". It's not, it's Jewish. And it's more than that. It has the same symbolism as the cross, the Yin Yang, the Swastika (an ancient Indo-European (Aryan) symbol as you probably know). It signifies the reconciliation of opposites. It is a universal symbol.
There was a German Jewish poet of the Reich and he wrote these words; I am proud to be a Jew (Ich bin stolz darauf). I may as well be proud because I'll be one whether I'm proud or not." I may as well stop being ashamed of the Mogen David.
sounds beautiful, Robin
by Q on Fri Jan 02, 2009 05:30 PM PSTthe peace-making (attempts) is surely your legacy if there is one here for you.
I like the song and don't object to the lyrics.
Secound Round of Replies, J., M., Fish and Fish...er...Man
by This Ticket Valid One Way... on Fri Jan 02, 2009 06:10 AM PSTMirza, I don't know if I know you, but....so what?
Javaneh: Thx so much for that last e-mail in the summer, actually I'm planning another long vacation from the old homestead for y own reasons (same ol' same ol"...) but you know I'm always around anyway in spirit...
Nazy: WAIT.
Anon Iranist et al, well you know how the little fishies and I have always understood each other (even before I became one... :o)
Etermally Recurring Merman: What I mean by the scrutiny of the songs is, for example, you may have only remembered the refrain, "Welcome to the Hotel California" and the theme but yopu may not have remembered the lyric said by the owner that they haven't had that spirit (ie sense of the sacred) since 1969 (the year of Woodstock which I frequently blogged about). See what I mean about the details? Uncanny. Every single lyric except perhaps the desert PART I feel was written just for me. mifahmi? As for colitas, yes I saw the pix, thank you very much, they were lovely. Is the fragrance part of a direct quote, perchance?
PS Are you single? Just wondering. www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXAt8F5LJw0
Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air
by Another Year Another Man (not verified) on Thu Jan 01, 2009 07:37 PM PSTSpeaking of googleing for lyrics, try ‘Google Images’ for the word “colitas”, then answer this, what do you mean when you say, “...a close scrutiny of the lyrics reveals that every single one of them applies to my sojourn...”?
Replies a-comin'...to start off...
by This Ticket Valid One Way... on Thu Jan 01, 2009 06:59 PM PSTIF MY LINKS DON'T GO THROUGH DIRECT, JUST COPY AND PASTE 'EM INTO YOUR URL THINGAMAJIG...
From the other woman to another man Supposed to....not supposed to...supposing it didn't really make a difference whether I stay or go because I'm always here anyway and you're all always with me? Just a rhetorical question ..as regards Hotel California, a close scrutiny of the lyrics reveals that every single one of them applies to my sojourn on i.c., and that is often the case on I'net---word by word, uncanny...
www.lyrics007.com/Eagles%20Lyrics/Hotel%20California%20Lyrics.html - 13k
(btw for those who don't know how to get the lyrics to a song you just google the name of the song and/or the band plus the word "lyrics"....as for the Eagles, Marde Dige...just...well, wyou know how they are...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb9By-lODgk
DK: thx. back and forth, forth and back, well you know how it is with Anna and the King, and the eternal night of the iguana...w/debra and ava all rolled into one ros...and well...nothing that is human disgusts us, Mr. Shannon...ps I wonder whatever happened to Colonel H. he of the sewer mouth, do you remember that was the first time you ever addressed me on this site? Long ago in the good ol' days..
Zion, I think past couple of days we've said a lot...but don't forget about that e-mail (wrote you about it on DK's FILM POST, STRANGERS, TOP OF HOME PAGE (everyone, catch it.is AMAZINHG...
Souri, zang bezan, il faut me telephoner..si ti veux (sp?) apres les vacances..
.
Happy New Year Rosie !
by Darius Kadivar on Thu Jan 01, 2009 05:12 PM PSTWelcome Back and Wishing you the same and may the new year be one of joy and personal and professional gratification and success to you and your loved ones.
Peace and Love
DK
Rosie
by javaneh29 on Thu Jan 01, 2009 03:29 PM PSTGood to see you back again and I look forward to reading your future posts
Happy new year
Javaneh
Rosie...
by Anonymous Iranist (not verified) on Thu Jan 01, 2009 03:06 PM PSTYou never left because you were in minds of so many, including this being. Your care, your anger, your optimism, your humanity, your strength, your touchiness, they all were here day in day out. I wondered many times myself how you were and only wished that you'd be fine and forgiving of the pain that some caused you around here.
Happy New Year! Best wishes to you.
And then there was only one
by Another Year Another Man (not verified) on Thu Jan 01, 2009 10:51 AM PSTI know you're not supposed to be here because of your declaration to leave, but the fact is that nobody has successfully left iraniandotcom yet and you'll not be the first one to do so either. It is always hard to be the first at anything in life anyway, let alone leaving. But so what? Of the people who have supposedly left, I don't want to name names, but here and there I know they post comments anonymously under different names, and names evolve, as yours have.
iraniandotcom is like Hotel California where "you can checkout any time you like, but you can never leave!"
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea0CDieb4yM
Happy New Year my friend,
Rosie Jaan
by ebi amirhosseini on Thu Jan 01, 2009 10:49 AM PSTHappy new year & best wishes for you !.
Ebi aka Haaji
Happy New Year Robin
by Zion on Thu Jan 01, 2009 08:47 AM PST.
Happy New Year to you too
by Souri on Thu Jan 01, 2009 07:48 AM PSTMy very dear Rosie/Roxane. You are always my dear Rosie in my heart. Wish you the best in this year of 2009. May all your dreams come true
Sal-e no Mobarak bashe RJG
by L. London (not verified) on Thu Jan 01, 2009 03:25 AM PSTSal-e no Mobarak bashe RJG aziz!
and yes I'm still awake and have not selpt a wink since..... who knows!
Happy new year; peace and health for all the kind people
by Shazde Asdola Mirza on Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:05 AM PSTAll the best for the new year.
Dear Roxane
by Nazy Kaviani on Wed Dec 31, 2008 08:25 PM PSTHappy New Year to you! I hope the New Year brings peace on earth, which has been your and your parents' lifetime ambition.
I agree with you that things used to be bad on the site and they have certainly improved a lot since last year. However, watching the discourse taking place on the site lately, I'm not so sure we have arrived the utopia of civil discourse. I have been disappointed at the behavior of some regular site visitors and I can only hope that they will learn to do better, so that by this time next year we will have a healthier, if not happier environment.
I wish you a wonderful 2009, full of health, happiness, and love. Thank you.
P.S. I love the name Roshanak. I hope you are roshan all year round and forever.