Impressions on some pieces of current scene

I've been tied up with various things -- but have pretty reasonably followed current events. Just a few impressions:


But first, Eldri -- a little more than a week out of the hospital and its Critical Care dimension -- is doing well at home. Her heart situation is under control -- as verified by an exam of basics on Wednesday. As it turns out, Maria is basically OK. We were delighted that John (Beba) came from the Fargo area for a fine visit of several days. And my Lupus has not returned from its almost four years of absence. Again, many thanks to all for your extremely welcome support messages and/or good thoughts.


It strikes me that Obama and Kerry and Biden (and some of their counterparts in the West) like to personalize -- often venomously -- their adversaries in foreign affairs . They seem at their "best" when they're orating in that vein -- especially abroad. On the other hand, Putin, whatever his limitations, virtually never does this and also seems to epitomize the "Speak softly but carry a big stick" dictum of the T.R. of more than a century ago. Too damn bad that the Ukrainian revolution has morphed into an entity featuring some outrightly fascist elements -- but that's been its basic direction almost from its outset.


It strikes me that ISIS, born of factionalism, obviously fanatically tied to a rigidly bloody ideological perversion of theology, will ultimately splinter much in its own right over personalities and power, theological interpretations, strategies. That may not make things much less dangerous in the shorter run but could well effect that over the longer range.


We don't hear much from U.S. media anymore on the recent loss of several thousand civilian lives in Gaza and the incredible destruction of physical dimensions therein. But, without depicting myself as an authority on Middle Eastern affairs, I have a strong hunch that Israel has now lost, and enduringly so, a great deal of its perceived moral ground and credibility -- as seen by much of the world.


H.








HUNTER GRAY [HUNTER BEAR/JOHN R SALTER JR] Mi'kmaq / 
St. Francis Abenaki / St. Regis Mohawk 
Protected by Na´shdo´i´ba´i´ 
and Ohkwari' 


Check out our massive social justice website:
www.hunterbear.org
Member, National Writers Union AFL-CIO


The Stormy Adoption of an Indian Child [My Father]:
http://hunterbear.org/James%20and%20Salter%20and%20Dad.htm
(Photos)


My expanded/updated "Organizer's Book,"
JACKSON MISSISSIPPI -- with a new 10,000
word introduction by me. Covers much of my 
confrontational social justice organizing life to
date. Contains much how-to grassroots organizing
methodology: http://hunterbear.org/jackson.htm


Forest Fires in the West (including the life of an old-time
fire lookout: http://hunterbear.org/forest_fires_in_the_west.htm