You will never hear of an Israeli suicide bomber

I've been pondering this post for a couple days now. I get the feeling that some out there in bloggerland are curious about my take on the Israel/Lebanon crisis.

For this topic, I'm sorry to say, I cannot be objective.

For as much as I dislike organized religion of all kinds - I am, and will always be a Jew. I had relatives that were killed in the holocaust, and have personally experienced some anti-Semitism in my lifetime.

There are atrocities happening on both sides of this crisis. However, the one thing that you will never hear is that an Israeli strapped himself with explosives and walked into a market.

I agree with "Anonymous'" comment on my last posting:
If the terrorists in Iraq, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, etc, lay down their weapons, there will be peace. If they do the same in Israel, there will be another holocaust.

(Ok, maybe not another holocaust, but it would not be good.)

I know I may catch hell from some of you for this posting, but remember it's just one person's opinion -- and an unobjective one at that.

Earlier post removed

After rereading the post I published earlier today, I decided to take it down. It didn't feel right. I will share my feelings about the Israel/Lebanon conflict at a later date.

In the meantime, this cartoon is more like it:

"Sanctity of Life"...what a f*ckin' joke

For George W. Bush, this "life":




...is more important than these lives:

2,781 Coalition Iraq War deaths (2,556 American)
40,000 (est) Iraqi civilian deaths
1,836 Hurricane Katrina deaths
120 Hurricane Rita deaths

and whether you agree with capital punishment or not -
150 executions as Governor of Texas

Reconciled

Last week was one of the roughest in my lifetime. The cancer scare put everything in perspective.

As you know, during those dark days, I broke up with Tom.

After a lot of personal soul-searching, followed by intense negotiations between the two of us, we have reconciled. It all comes down to love, and I wanted my little family back.


...and if he tries to pull anything ever again, I'm going to start breakin' shit (guitars first.) You just don't mess with a Jewish girl.

2

The OCD Gen X Liberal turns 2 years old today.

It's been an interesting couple of years. I started this blog to get some anger toward Bush & Co off my chest and at times (especially lately) I've also used it to talk about my personal life.

I hope everyone has enjoyed my musings thus far.

If you have any suggestions (be nice) for year 3, please feel free to let me know.

It's been a pleasure.

To Kill an American

Two items submitted by my favorite Uncle.

The first one is an excellent editorial written by an Australian dentist. (Damien, you should be proud.) The second one is good for a chuckle (a sad, but true, chuckle.)

________________________________________________

"To Kill an American"

You probably missed it in the rush of news last week, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American.

So an Australian dentist wrote an editorial the following day to let everyone know what an American is, so they would know when they found one. (Good one, mate!!!!)

An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan.

An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.

An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses.

An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.

An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.

An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return.

When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country!

As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan. Americans welcome the best of everything...the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best services. But they also welcome the least.

The national symbol of America, The Statue of Liberty, welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who built America.

Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11, 2001 earning a better life for their families. It's been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 different countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists.

So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself. Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.

Please keep this going!
Pass this around the World, then pass it around again.
It says it all, for all of us

___________________________________________

http://www.newsday.com/media/flash/2006-06/23671673.swf

Dodged another bullet...Temporarily

I took Norman in for his knee surgery this morning. They called me a couple hours later to let me know that while his knee has some issues, it's his hip that is really the problem.

They recommended hip surgery, however (thankfully,) he doesn't need it immediately.

While hearing that kind of news sucks big time, I am relieved that we can wait until the fall to have it done. Minnesota summers are short - we need to take advantage of the time we do have the good weather.

Now Norman can bounce the ball off his head to his heart's content for at least another 2-3 months. Yea!


The balls always come to an untimely death.

COMPLETELY BENIGN

Strange sense of calm

I'll find out Monday afternoon if I have breast cancer. I broke up with my fiance of 5 years. My basement is still a disaster area. My dog is having knee surgery this Wednesday.

I should be having a nervous breakdown, but I feel strangely calm. I don't know where it's coming from, but I have a sense that everything is going to be ok.

I think my late mother is watching out for me.

And, to top it all off...

I broke up with my fiance, Tom, today.

While I don't want to get into specifics, I will say that being with him was no longer good for my emotional well-being. I stayed with the relationship as long as I could (5 years) but, in the end, the bad outweighed the good.

Sometimes love isn't enough.

Happy Independence Day

Happy 4th to everyone in bloggerland.

Very scary stuff

Today was the day I had to go back for a second mammogram. They took more pictures and did an ultrasound. The results were unclear.

They are concerned about a thickening under the right breast. I did have reduction surgery in 2004, so it may just be scar tissue. However, to be on the safe side, they recommended a biopsy.

It is scheduled for Thursday morning, and I won't have the results until Monday.

This is going to be a great week...can I have a cigarette now?