We're still in Adar, so despite all the terrible events in the world it is supposed to be a month of joy. Nissan is rapidly approaching, which also is considered not a time to reflect on sorrow but rather to look forward to that ancient festival of freedom, Passover. It is a time to look toward betterment, the great potential of our species. Now, I tend to be a cynical optimist. (I once was a cynical pessimist, so this is quite the improvement.) The definition of a cynical optimist, to me, is that while I believe humans have great potential to better themselves, I highly doubt that they will.
Now, where is this discussion going? My friend Yitz Jordan (Stage name Y-Love.) linked this highly political rap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b66u-mzfBPE
[This is the final cut version. The original quality he sent me had lower sound quality and actually included the painfully long mock Bono segment.]
I am highly supportive of people's movements to increase freedom under oppression, and so find this video both witty and interesting. Also, it's absolutely amazing how much social media is helping to topple regimes. One of the first things these dictatorial powers do in response to revolutions is to shut off internet access to stop the seemingly harmless flood Tweeting, blogging, and statuses. Only the leaders who plan ahead control the internet long before any possible thought of overthrowing them can even brew. The jab at America pretending to be a liberty and peace loving country amused me as well. As a friend of mine stated during the Egyptian revolution, "...amused at how the US government spent trillions of dollars trying to fit square democracy into circular societies. But now that people are clamoring for democracy all the US can do it cringe and try to make believe that they are not against it." Well put indeed.
However, I cannot find myself agreeing with everything in the video. The world does not get easily divided into good and evil, black and white, like some childish story. Though I feel for the average Palestinian's situation, I do not find myself at odds with the State of Israel as a concept nor can I condone attacks by terrorists against civilians. Is the country perfect? No, but I doubt you can name me any which is. It's stupid that most liberal thinkers see Israel as some sort of invading, colonial force while refusing to see that Israel is closer to an ideal government in the Middle East than any other. Freedom of religion, anyone? Democratic elections? Secular government? These are all goals the same people ask for in other countries, even in this rap itself! My other problem is with this oddly supportive imagine of Hugo Chavez, who I am afraid is anything but a nice man. He's much closer to a Mubarak or Gaddafi than some sort of popular revolutionary, contrary to popular belief.
So, like all things, I find myself weighing both the pros and cons of this video and the revolutions to which it refers. I find it better to be a moderate, middle-of-the-road kind of person when it comes to politics. After all, everyone can produce gems from time to time but all of us shit sooner or later. As Buddha said, "Follow the GD Middle Path!"--Or something like that... (I may have paraphrased.) Shabbat shalom, meatbags.
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