Sugar Creek Publishing

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 212

“Staying connected…”

April 16, 2015

The other evening I happened to overhear a young person (twenties perhaps…) discussing the upcoming presidential election process. The lack of knowledge not only shocked me, but it also frightened me.

I remember how excited I was to reach the age of twenty-one so that I could vote. Today, that age has dropped to eighteen — more in line with the age at which our young people can serve their country.

Civics was taught when I was in high school over fifty years ago, but the emphasis was on the process and the importance of being informed. None of our teachers expressed any particular opinion on party or candidate. Instead, they stressed the value of the vote and how important just one vote could be. That still holds true. For, in many cases, one vote per precinct can put a candidate over the top and insure victory.

Today, the information gained with one click outstrips the amount that it took students of my generation days of intense research in libraries and newspaper archives.

One would think that, with that depth of data at your fingertips, this generation would be the best informed of any time in our history. Well, while that sounds good, it does not hold true for the majority of those in their late teens and twenties. They are more interested in movies and music than politics. Currently, staying connected needs to be on a personal level.

To be fair, politics fails to exude the high interest of the entertainment world; but that does little to address the shortfall in information so endemic in interview after interview by “on the street” reporters. Do what you can to spread the word that a vote is the most precious privilege you have. Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE

By Hetty Gray

# 211

April 8, 2015

“Sticks and Stones”

Some days, common sense is absent from the public forum. So it has been for the past several weeks here in Indiana. A law that simply prohibited any level of government from making a law infringing on religious liberty was skewed to imply that it promoted discrimination of a very small portion of our population. Ah, yes, those persons within what is deemed the gay community took on a law that parallels the one signed by President Clinton

–– a law co-sponsored by Nancy Pelosi and Newt Gingrich. Bi-partisan? Yes.

This unexpected onslaught of misinformation placed a pall over the state to the degree that national media focused on it day after day, impugning the state’s credibility and making our governor out to be far less a man that he is. Not that that was a big surprise. Mainstream media, combined with a liberal bent in education, never ceases to push their favorite causes. It is their influence, in combination, that endangers American life as we know it.

A champion for freedom long before he went to Washington, D.C. to serve in Congress, Mike Pence hosted a radio show for years. His down to earth comments were not lost on Hoosiers. In only a few years, his fine reputation went beyond the airwaves to the political scene.

A conservative pledged to the liberty of all Americans, Governor Pence has suffered the unwarranted slings and arrows of a determined minority bent on making everyone else in society fall into line with their beliefs. Hoosiers are divided on whether he should have asked to have the law amended. Clearly, it could have stood on its own.

Maybe the gay community should take note of those who initially came out in support of it, only to end up in the stands to watch the Final Four. Did they stay home from the best possible site to see collegiate basketball? Nope. Take Apple CEO, for example. He stormed forward with comments that soiled Indiana’s reputation and then blissfully flew into Indianapolis for the NCAA National Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium. Maybe someone should ask him to defend his sales practices. His company sells products in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and other Middle Eastern countries where homosexuals are put to death if identified. Maybe he should remove Apple iPhones and iPads from outlets in those locations. If he is such a strong spokesman for the gay community, perhaps he — using an old phrase — put his money where his mouth is! Don’t hold your breath for that one.

Freedom of choice is sacrosanct in America, but some aspects of life should be kept private. No doubt, sexual preference apart from the majority heterosexual persuasion has been around for a long time. However, the current, incessant push to scream “civil rights” is not only disappointing, but also threatening. Why threatening? If taken to every level of daily life, it endangers the spirit of the entire population. And a dispirited people does not band together easily.

It’s time that the gay community tried to rehabilitate itself into a group that, while defending its beliefs, ceases to constantly impinge on those of the rest of us in order to make a point. That kind of rhetoric wears on many of us.

As a grandmother, I do not want the gay lifestyle marketed to my grandchildren under the label of tolerance. Tolerance is a two-way street. Maybe it’s time that the gay community toned down its language and metered its actions. Not that I expect that to happen.

For decades, the schools have been more intent on gender sensitivity than to teaching basic skills. Try to explain to a teenager at a cash register that you received too much change. Try to fathom why that same teen has no idea that 88 cents is just 12 cents from a dollar. Yet, that same teen would be very apt to come to the defense of the gays as a legitimate group. Go figure… Sorry about that, figuring was a poor choice, wasn’t it?

Too many of our young people rely so much on electronic devices and popular culture that they no longer think on their own. Sad. Combine the specter of a stilted view of sexuality with a reliance on devices over brain matter and you have the ingredients for disaster. Heaven forbid if we find ourselves fraught with the failure of those wonderful little devices.

A whole lot of good that sensitivity will do for the younger set then. Do have empathy for those who live a lifestyle that we cannot defend or understand, but also do remember that a house divided against itself falls. (Thanks, Abraham Lincoln.) We are more a divided people today than any time in our history, and widespread support for traditional marriage and religious liberty among our young people is fading fast.

I guess the old saying goes, “As you sew, so shall you reap.” Well, we may be in for a bitter harvest. Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE

By Hetty Gray

# 210

March 25, 2015

“Had he lived…”

Forgive the recent hiatus, but my husband took me on a two-week camping sojourn and we enjoyed it thoroughly. Getting out into the woods and basking in nature surely tops the fast lane.

However, the only time we encountered the letters “w i f i” was in the word wildlife! Alas, Internet connections are absent in most state and national parks. That is fine with me, by the way.

Today, we seem to co-exist with acronyms. IRS comes to mind when the month of April rolls around. History buffs immediately recognize DAR, and the litany of acronyms of our military and its equipment ring a bell with anyone who has ever worn the uniform. And, of course, NRA for many of us.

Beyond all the short forms we use in everyday life, we need to remember how much we are connected minus technology. The very fact that we are all God’s children more than surpasses the well-touted “6 degrees of separation.” However, setting the tone for this column, we are all connected as Americans.

No matter what election level, from state to national, a cacophony of barbs launches. The ugly result has morphed into a completely inaccurate portrait of one political party: The GOP.

Yes, the Grand Old Party suffers the slings and arrows and, to my mind, does very little to defend itself. Perhaps it is because most of us who espouse to its beliefs hold to the tenet that mixing it up with the mud slingers and their unfounded charges only puts us at their embarrassing level.

Consider the large cities led for decades by Democrat mayors. Their residents are the poorest and most needy of all. When you assess the progress made by Republican mayors of major cities, you may find a flaw here and there — but overall, they are in much better financial shape.

Welfare and its attendant policies have crushed the black families of this nation. Go into a poor inner city and you will find children — students with ability and promise — relegated to the worst schools. Yet, most of their school budgets are higher than suburban schools. Go figure… And what of the kids? Minus role models seen before integration, i.e. black merchants, doctors, dentists and hard working blue-collar men and women, children have no stable adults to emulate. Minus neighborhood schools and involved parents, and any dreams of success fall far short of what they should be. And we, as the wider society, are poorer for it.

Have you ever wondered how very different our lives would be had he lived? The “he” to whom I refer is Abraham Lincoln, a lifelong favorite of mine. I do not have every book written about him, but a packed shelf in my office more than illustrates my high respect.

Consider the facts ignored by those who label their political opposition as biased, racist, and who knows what else. How convenient for them to forget the facts. Oh, yes, they appeal to emotions. Facts just get in the way of their twisted message. And what do they forget?

It was a Republican president who freed the slaves. When he died, his dreams of welcoming the south back into the fold died with him. He did not believe in punishing Rebel sympathizers beyond the day that both sides met at the Appomattox Courthouse to end the Civil War.

He wanted a firm union. I, for one, believe that Lincoln not only would have worked tirelessly toward a goal of north and south working together for a stronger nation, but also would have presided over a robust rebuilding of the south to heal the wounds between the two sides.

When Andrew Johnson assumed the presidency in the wake of Lincoln’s assassination, he had no such plans. That he allowed the recently cemented union to disintegrate into a prolonged situation of poverty and an atmosphere of anger and resentment against the north is not much of a legacy, is it?

Moving ahead to the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, the southern Democrats fought against promoting equal rights for Negroes and voted against the bill. It was Republican votes that carried the day and secured passage of the civil rights legislation that guaranteed and equal footing in society for our brothers and sisters of color.

Yet, at election times, Republicans find themselves demonized with Democrats claiming to be the true friends of the black community. Sadly, the family unit of the black community has suffered terribly. The so-called “War on Poverty” accomplished little more than rack up accumulate trillions of dollars in spending with little real progress to show for it.

For more than fifty years, Democrats have slandered and demagogued Republicans so much that generations of black Americans actually believe the accusations and view the Republican party as one of oppression. In truth, nothing could be less true. Oh, there may be a few who stray from the conservative mindset and set a poor example, but the GOP has never over-promised and under-delivered like the Democrats have.

Clearly, victimization is a thriving industry. Its leaders scream racism even before the facts of any case are known. They stir hatred for no reason and perpetuate the image of not the ugly American, but the ugly law enforcement officer and — once again — the ugly Republican.

And so we steel ourselves for another round of this garbage…. I fault the GOP for not seeding really good programs within our inner cities. Just showing up at election time does nothing to raise its image.

If you want to see a good program in action, investigate Robert Woodson and his Center for Neighborhood Enterprise. He doesn’t make excuses for his brethren, he lifts them up by giving them hope and opportunity. The very fact that many of you are unfamiliar with him is a testament to the lack of integrity in our press today.

The press should be showcasing programs like his — programs that work, run by black men and women working hard and making real changes in communities most at risk and most in need of help.

Are all Democrats of the ilk that we see in election years? Certainly not, but I don’t see very many standing up to complain about the festering hatred preached by their leadership.

Is there fault within of both parties? Absolutely. However, a glaring difference exists in the mindset between the two. What happens when the GOP identifies misbehavior? Once exposed, the offender soon disappears from public view. He or she steps down. Whether a personal or a financial lapse, history shows that the GOP is determined to rid itself of disreputable officials. Expulsion tops excuses. Our black brothers and sisters (Yes, we are all that in the eyes of God!) have been goaded to envy and hate others. What a waste of potential.

r.

Gerald Irons Sr.

Posted: Thursday, March 19, 2015 7:00 AM, The Huntsville Item

By Winston Spencer Jr. Read on and take heart. Role models are out there!

1. Scott Fitzgerald wrote the famous line that there are no second acts in America. It’s clear he never met Gerald D. Irons Sr.

Irons is perhaps best known as a former National Football League linebacker who played six seasons with the Oakland Raiders back in the 1970s, then four more years for the Cleveland Browns.

For most folks, the NFL may have been the crowning achievement in life. For Irons, that was only the beginning.

“I remember being in the seventh grade when a teacher asked the class what we wanted to be in life,” Irons said to more than 200 students, educators and others Wednesday at the Gaertner Performing Arts Center on the campus of Sam Houston State University. He came to Huntsville for the “President’s Speaker Series.”

“She called on one student and they said they wanted to be a doctor. Then another student said they wanted to be a lawyer. Well, no one had ever asked me what I wanted to be before. I thought hard about it. When my turn came, I said I wanted to be a professional football player.”

The teacher, feeling Irons had answered her question, moved on to the next student.

“I said, ‘Hold up, wait a minute. I’m not finished. I also want to be a husband, father, a businessman and a lawyer,’” Irons continued. “That teacher told me that it was humanly impossible to do all those things. Pick one and move on.”

The future vice president of business development with The Woodlands Development Company recalled how small he felt, as the class, along with the teacher, laughed at him.

“I went home that evening and my parents asked me what was wrong,” Irons said. “‘Nothing.’ But they wouldn’t let me get away with that. When I told them what happened they said that I could do anything if I was willing to work hard.”

God bless men like Mr. Irons. He exemplifies the value a strong family and respect for education? We are all equal in rights, but we are not equal in ability. Since ability determines success, America’s schools need to be able to train and guide students for a wide variety of jobs. The fact that nearly 50% of our population now depends on some sort of government assistance illustrates the fact that we are systematically depriving people of their inner initiative. Dependency is a flawed strategy and we are mired in it.

Sadly, I fear that America will continue to decline if our young people fail to achieve. Gerald Irons is right. Encouragement is priceless. Dreams are precious. Parenting is important.

What that message were the mantra for all families? I believe that given the chance to move upward over the past fifty years, the American black family would have blossomed exponentially.

Abraham Lincoln wanted all his people to succeed. I pose a question about the last 150 years. How would America be if Lincoln had not died? Sadly, that question is as unfinished as his life. Had he lived….

Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE

By Hetty Gray

February 20, 2015

# 209

“Step in time…”

No, not Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke in a rollicking melody from “Mary Poppins”…. Far from it, sadly.

People seldom consider that the passing days of their lives are also pages in the history of the world. For more than a thousand years, fury and war have raged among the peoples of the Middle East. The same differences that sparked the earliest conflicts continue to fuel those we see today.

Some paid attention to the gathering storm a few years ago; but, for the most part, world governments simply ignored the spreading furor — thinking that the volatile Middle East would define the physical limits of its battlefield.

Not so. The specter of a worldwide caliphate was not possible in the centuries preceding ours. Now, with technology connecting people easily, no area of our world is truly safe from the ongoing threat of ISIS and other like groups. Most of us might not think about existential threats, but those threats really do exist.

The late 1930s saw the pacifists who sought to appease Hitler drown out those recognizing the menacing threat of the Third Reich looming over Europe. Hitler’s appetite for conquest and control of his neighbors was not to be satiated. Neither concession nor promises of non-involvement swayed him from his heinous plot.

History is our greatest teacher, but the White House ignores the events and refuses to name the enemy for what it is. If, in fact, every administration is a virtual “step in time,” then we must have stepped into a warp curve of Rod Serling’s “Twilight Zone.”

For the first time in our history, a non-governmental entity seeks to inflict terrible carnage and barbarism upon innocent people, including not only Muslims who will not comply with their view of Islam, but Jews and Christians.

More over, their plans are not bound to Europe and the Middle East. They have us in their crosshairs.  One comment from Libya’s shores last week said it clearly, “Next stop, Rome!” The Pope sees the threat. He names it.

While Popes rarely come forth with profound political statements, his words on Islamic terrorists says it bluntly and without reservation. The Pope preaches love between and among people with the core of that love a family.

Contrast, if you will, the difference between an American mother who purposefully tries to steer her twelve-year-old son into an interest that could lead to a good job with the fanatical Muslim mother who urges her son to become a suicide bomber. Stark? Yes. Alien to Western culture? Definitely. Real? Yes, real and growing — a deadly threat to each and every one of us.

Every freedom we have in this country puts us at risk in some way or another. However, our porous borders and our refusal to monitor illegal immigrants is further complicated by the lax, dismissive attitude at the White House that puts Americans at the highest risk since our founding. Add to that the military communications office that divulges ISIS battle plans to its enemy months ahead of time and the result is a situation that not only defies logic, but also begs redress.

Pray that someone turns the tide. Pray that someone takes that one first step to face the exploding, relentless spread of militant Islamic terrorists. To date, several presidents have died in office and one has resigned. The U.S. Constitution includes the mechanism to remove a president, but “High crimes and misdemeanors” is an objective and ambiguous. We have become so acceptance of deceit and ineptitude, I do not look for a groundswell of protest from the population at large to challenge decisions being made with reference to our military strategy and delivery.

So, in the end, we are left with a painful dilemma. For me, as an American, it spawns a question I never expected.   How can America defend herself if those entrusted to do so will not? Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE

By Hetty Gray

# 208

“Accurate Description”

February 3, 2015

We throw the term “World War” out there with ease. Going back to 1914 and springing forward to 1941, these terms resonate with generations of Americans. In fact, these wars did not involve the whole world, but were relegated to Europe, North Africa and the Pacific Rim. True, they did involve nations far-flung from the actual battlefields. More specifically, Australia sent her armed forces fought the Imperial Japanese to secure peace in her region.

Today, the terrorist fight occupies nearly every continent. Beginning with North America and 9/11, we move to North Africa that includes not only the USS Kohl but also Benghazi. Add to that the kidnappings of women and young girls and the wholesale slaughter of innocents at the hands of Boko Haram. Moving again to the United Kingdom, consider the bus bombings that killed indiscriminately in July of 2005. Threatened beheadings in Australia raised the hackles of its government and moved it to protect its citizenry.

Charlie Hebdo is a stark reminder that nobody is safe — even at the workplace. The terrorists have no respect for human life. They view death as a martyrdom and fear nothing as they take innocent lives with abandon. Now we witness the barbaric burning alive of a Jordanian pilot.   Why Jordan, you ask? Well, ISIS leaders aren’t about to launch against Saudi Arabia or UAE. Jordan is stable and more than anything else politically, they seek instability in the region.

This is the first time in my lifetime (70 years and adding another) that the term “world war” actually applies. The question now is will the world, as a whole, respond?

Historically, the United States has stepped forward to defend their world neighbors. Sarajevo’s aftermath of World War I showcased the loyalties of untold numbers of Americans still holding strong emotional ties to Europe. Understandable, since the majority of Americans at that time had emigrated from Europe. World War II came home with Pearl Harbor. Sadly, few of our children learn about December 7, 1941. That Sunday morning forged a go get ‘em mentality that carried through to defeating the Axis and Japan. We are not so unified in spirit today.

Now we are so diverse in population that there exists no firm loyalty or visceral link to any one area of the world. All that taken in context, remember that there are American military bases scattered throughout the world proving our commitment to freedom and our continued concern for its spread around the globe.

The core of the situation sparks the critical question. Just how much are the Arab countries directly adjacent to Iraq and Syria willing to do to stop the terrorists? After all, their countries surround the main contingent of the ISIS fighters. How much would it take for strong Arab leadership to arise and go against it? We may see, since the Jordanian pilot was burned alive.

Nothing we have seen comes close to this horrific execution.

Add to this the fact that we cannot discount the probability that these terrorists will attack on American soil and we find ourselves seriously threatened. This movement will not be assuaged until totally defeated and exposed as what it is: unrelenting murderers without conscience.

Yes, worldwide media are covering the pilot’s death. And, yes, the film will not only inspire vengeance but also terrorist recruitment. It presents itself, in essence, as a “catch 22.”

I conclude with some of the final dialogue from William Wyler’s 1942 film “Mrs. Miniver.” The congregation of a small British church listens as the minister speaks against the backdrop of a shattered stained glass window. “This is the people’s war…” He went on to proclaim that they would fight it in every village across the land. His fervor is palpable and his emotion powerful. His words echo what everyone in that congregation was feeling. Righteous anger. Determination. Resolve.

A portion of the review of this magnificent movie on “The Forgotten Classics of Yesteryear” website says it all.

“ ‘Mrs. Miniver’ is just one of the numerous Best Picture* winners to be largely forgotten. But it remains a triumphant work of art for those who are willing to look for it. For although it was made explicitly for World War Two audiences, its heart, its soul, its message is one that will resound for ages.

If the world does not judge this a “world war” soon, it will more than have earned the term without anyone having applied it. World war? Yes. World response? Existentially needed, but will it arise? Back to Greer Garson and Water Pidgeon in “Mrs. Miniver.” We need to ignite that British grit across the globe. Pray for that.

* Oscars won: Best Picture — Best Writing, Screenplay — Best Director (William Wyler) — Best Cinematography, Black-and-White — Best Actress in a Leading Role (Greer Garson) — Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Teresa Wright).

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE

By Hetty Gray

# 206

January 16, 2015

“The Warp and the Wept”

In the wake of the Paris Charlie Hebdo slaughter and the subsequent siege at the kosher grocery in Paris, we hear a smattering of rebuttal from Islamic clerics. I so wish I could believe what I hear. One man clearly put the onus on Saudi Arabia and its push for a strident ideology that adheres to the strict form of Islam. To give you an idea of its practice, consider a man who will be publicly flogged every week for a long time because he chose to criticize Islam.

The following details come from a worldwide site reflecting the views of moderate Muslims who see a crass hypocrisy in the way they describe the Paris attacks and the flogging of an Internet blogger. Saudi Arabia on Friday publicly flogged a blogger sentenced to 1,000 lashes for insulting Islam, with Amnesty International condemning his punishment as a “vicious act of cruelty”.

A Saudi court in September upheld a sentence of 10 years in prison as well as the flogging for Raef Badawi, who has been behind bars since June 2012. Badawi was also ordered to pay a fine of one million riyals ($267,000, 192,00 euros).

The 30-year-old received a first installment of 50 lashes on Friday and is expected to have 20 weekly whipping sessions until his punishment is complete. Witnesses said that Badawi was flogged after the weekly Friday prayers near Al-Jafali mosque in the Red Sea city of Jeddah as a crowd of worshipers looked on. Have you seen this news on television, heard it on radio, or read it on line? Likely not. Paris overshadowed it.

What is really appalling is that it is not an isolated case. It is very common in Saudi Arabia, a country proudly touted as one of America’s allies. Isn’t it thought provoking to see the difference dissent makes here at home.

While Badawi waits his flogging, Boston’s I-95 corridor (both northbound and southbound) is shut down by two lines protesters chained together among highway barrels holding signs that read “black lives matter.” Of course, black lives do. All lives matter. In the end, it’s how those lives are lived — but that is another discussion altogether.

The seminal question is this. Where would these people in Boston, black or white, choose to live — America where their voices are heard and punishment is probably being hauled off to jail and fined, where opportunities exist for those who work hard, or in the Middle East where dissent is forbidden and where women exist as less than second class citizens? I wonder how far Beyoncé, with her phenomenal voice and beautiful body, would have gone had she been born in the a country where women’s rights are nonexistent?

Of course, there will always be diametrically opposed views on women’s roles; but — at the very least — women should be able to receive a decent education. That is impossible in many areas of the world today. It seems as if such attitudes come from history books and harken back centuries. Sadly, they do not. These values and norms are alive and thrive among many Muslim societies.

As others will agree, this dichotomy has no easy solution. Men are perceived superior, women inferior. It is hard to reconcile seventh- century practices in a twenty-first century world, but we face that situation today.

There are, undoubtedly, many pillars of Islam that deserve perpetuity. Care for the poor, sincere prayer, and peace come to mind. The reality is that we see very little of these. What we do see is that Muslims kill more Muslims than any other group. How tragic.

In the international community, all our world leaders need to come together to see the threat for what it is. If, as many contemporary moderate Muslim clerics claim, this push for death and destruction is truly a skewing of the Islamic faith, then it is up to the faithful to stand up for their faith and counter this warp.

Fabric weaves threads together to make a strong whole. So do societies. We describe the fabric elements as warp and weft. The unwieldy challenge we face today is the product of the warp of a major faith. In its wake, untold numbers of people wept.

Think about it. Better yet, pray about it.

Scheherazade (Scheherazade; Russian: ?????a????, Shekherazada in transliterteration), Op. 35, is a symphonic poem composed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in 1888.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 205

January 5, 2015

“Foundations and Opposition — Art, Music and Literature in Faith versus Militarism”

Internationally, countries on earth vary in climate, culture and temperament. However, there lurks a glaring disparity among nations that defines them even more than any of those elements.

Consider the arts. Begin with music. Some of the greatest early composers are European. Their operas and majestic melodies transcend any language barrier and bring joy to audiences around the world.

Of those from days past, Johann Sebastian Bach and Beethoven hail from Germany, as do Brahms, Schumann, Handel, Bartholdy, Pachelbel, and Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach.  More recently, both Richard Strauss and Carl Orff add their names to this impressive list.

Vivaldi, Puccini, Rossini, de Palestina, Monteverdi, Bellini, Corelli, Donizetti, Scarlatti, Paganini (both Alessandro and Domenico), Gabrieli, Ponchielli, Lully, Boccherini, Morricone, Leoncavallo, and Pergolesi are among Italy’s famous men of music. Today, we thrill to Andrea Bocelli’s magnificent voice.

When you consider opera, I suggest you listen to the works of one of Italy’s finest whose accomplishments are exceptional. A integrated website on the arts gives us this information:

Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer primarily known for his operas. He is considered, together with Richard Wagner, the preeminent opera composer of the nineteenth century.

Born: Oct 10, 1813 · Le Roncole, Italy

Died: Jan 27, 1901 · Milan, Italy

Spouse: Giuseppina Strepponi (1859 – 1897) · Margherita Barezzi (1836 – 1840)

Compositions: La traviata · Rigoletto · Aida · Nabucco · Messa da Requiem · Il trovatore · La donna è mobile · Otello · Falstaff · Macbeth

Buried: Casa di Riposo per Musicisti · Cimitero Monumentale di Milano (Milan)

Parents: Luigia Uttini · Carlo Giuseppe Verdi

Undoubtedly, some of the opera’s names resonate with you and the works continue to be spellbinding today.

When it comes to literature, the British have much of which to be proud. Of course, the first familiar name would have to be William Shakespeare, the “Bard of Avon.” Jane Austen, Emily Bronte and Charles Dickens round out early authors with J. K Rowling bringing us to the present with her Harry Potter series. However, this list is incomplete and fails to cite many other talented British writers.

Asia brought us a unique person in Confucius, and Brainy Quotes website provides the following image and personal information.

Confucius was a Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history. The philosophy of Confucius emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social …

Born: 551 BC · Lu

Died: 479 BC · Lu

Spouse: Qiguan

Founded: Confucianism

Buried: Cemetery of Confucius

Parents: Kong He · Yan Zhengzai

Although many of us quip about with his sage wisdom regularly, few of us realize that what we mouth we attribute to him. For example, here are a few of his famous quotes:

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.

“When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.

“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

The Middle East gave us Kahhil Gibran. I keep a copy of The Prophet in my home and I have read it many times. A series of 26 prose poetry essays, this work has delighted readers since its publication in 1923. Although many people think he was from mystic Arabia, he was — in fact — Lebanese.

Never far from music and art is religion. Christianity and Judaism provide us with the most widely published and read work of all time, The Bible. Little variation separates the two religions in the Old Testament. It is in the specter of the Messiah that the two beliefs split. Although Jesus Christ was a Jew, he was never accepted as the Messiah in the eyes or hearts of his own people. They await the Messiah even today.

Next, we consider Hinduism. This religion lacks a sacred text, yet it boasts millions of followers and roots more in nationalism than in deism. Although highly complicated, it can be digested to a few points. About Religion.com explains that Hinduism lacks any unified system of beliefs and ideas. Instead, it is a phenomenon and represents a broad spectrum of beliefs and practices which on one hand are akin to paganism, pantheism and the like, and on the other very profound, abstract, metaphysical ideas. Human life is divided into four stages, and there are defined rites and rituals for each stage from birth till death.

Since religion and culture are nearly interchangeable terms in Hinduism, emotive expressions like ‘bhakti’ (devotion) or ‘dharma’ (what is right) and ‘yoga’ (discipline) are used to depict essential aspects of the religion.

Hinduism believes in idol worship, reincarnation, karma, dharma and moksha. Some moral ideals in Hinduism include non-violence, truthfulness, friendship, compassion, fortitude, self-control, purity and generosity.

By definition, karma in Indian religion and philosophy, is the universal causal law by which good or bad actions determine the future modes of an individual’s existence, dharma is righteousness, and moksha is salvation (a concept common to many religions),

Encyclopedia Brittanica gives us a more in-depth view of Hinduism. Incorporated in this rich literature is a complex cosmology. Hindus believe that the universe is a great, enclosed sphere, a cosmic egg, within which are numerous concentric heavens, hells, oceans, and continents, with India at the center. They believe that time is both degenerative—going from the golden age, or Krita Yuga, through two intermediate periods of decreasing goodness, to the present age, or Kali Yuga—and cyclic: At the end of each Kali Yuga, the universe is destroyed by fire and flood, and a new golden age begins. Human life, too, is cyclic: After death, the soul leaves the body and is reborn in the body of another person, animal, vegetable, or mineral. Hindus may thus be divided into two groups: those who seek the sacred and profane rewards of this world (health, wealth, children, and a good rebirth), and those who seek release from the world.

Some claim that Hinduism predates Judaism and Christianity, but since no text survives, a date cannot be set for its beginnings. It is the world’s third largest religion with about 13% of the world’s population and the dominant religion of India and Nepal. Over a million Hindus live in America.

Buddhism is yet another widespread religion and, like other belief systems, exists internationally. The website Religion Facts gives us plethora of information on this fourth of our discussed faiths. Buddhism split into numerous sects since its inception 2,500 years ago under the Bodhi Tree. There are a wide variety of beliefs, practices, rituals and customs, but at its core are the teachings of the Buddha. Monks from two main traditions met in 1966 to identity their agreements and came to five. “First, Buddha is the our Master. Second, we take refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. Third, We do not belief that this world is created and ruled by a God. Fourth, following the example of the Buddha, who is the embodiment of the Great Compassion (mahaa-karunaa) and Great Wisdom (Mahaa-prajnaa), we consider that the purpose of life is to develop compassion for all living beings without discrimination and to work for their good, happiness, and peace; and to develop wisdom leading to the realization of Ultimate Truth. Fifth, we accept the Four Noble Truths, namely Dukkha, the Arising of Dukkha, the Cessation of Dukkha, and the Path leading to the Cessation of Dukkha; and the universal law of cause and effect as taught in the Conditioned Genesis or Dependent Origination (pratitya-samufpaada).

Most of us identify Buddhists with the Dalai Lama. The name Dalai Lama is a combination of the Mongolian dalai meaning “ocean” and the Tibetan word meaning guru, teacher, or mentor. Widely considered a calm, gentle man, the Dalai Lama brings the world an undeniable image — that of a peace maker.

Majestic music reflects Christianity. Lyrical, energetic music mirrors Judaism. Chanting roots in ancient Hindu texts. A Buddhist chant is a form of musical verse or incantation and not that different from those of Christians, Jews, or Hindus. While similar, the Buddhist temples accent the chants with gongs and drums. The Buddhist practice of using incense is also seen in Catholic services and figures at the altar are also a common ground between the two faiths.

We see how music, art and literature link to religion. It is a travesty that some among earth’s inhabitants use religion as a vehicle to wreak carnage on their fellows, murder with abandon and gleefully ban women from the basic rights of man. The next time you hear a soaring hymn played on a thunderous cathedral organ, glimpse the impressive brush strokes of an Old Master endeavoring to capture faith in the visage of a person of importance — no matter the faith — or turn the pages of a story recounting our forebears and their faith in God, remember that faith and love are eternally entwined.

Sadly, the elements of life that most inspire people position themselves diametrically in opposition — the arts and militarism.

When anger and vengeance enter the picture, faith fails. “Vengeance is mine,” saith the Lord. Man cannot usurp God’s power. Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE

By Hetty Gray

#203

“Good tidings… high hopes….”

Nothing spurs the imagination more than the launch of a new calendar year. Oh, yes! The old passes away and a threshold appears that bodes all manner of opportunities — or perils, as it were.

Many of you actually sit down and make a list of resolutions. Others do not. Most of us mentally assess the passing of the previous year and vow to do some things a little better and abandon others. Diets tend to tip the list of health concerns after a holiday loaded with hospitality and calories.

However, more to the point, maybe it’s about time we made a list of resolutions for those whom we elect to represent us. They talk a good game during the election season, but more and more we see a kind of apathy sit in once they actually go to Washington, D.C. and settle in to the “sausage factory.”

Forget Willy Wonka. His challenge was minor compared to a burgeoning national debt that will drown our children and grandchildren. As I have ‘oft quipped before. Nothing is more egregious — or habit forming — than the adoption of falling under the spell of OPM. Other people’s money.

It’s available via taxes and oh so exceedingly easy to spend. Working households operate on a budget, even those with high incomes. It would be nice if Congress fielded a sensible budget that attacks the deficit like a homeowner attacks termites. It’s not an odd comparison either. Unless they are monitored carefully termites can eat away at a home and go unnoticed until the floor joists collapse and the structure falls onto the crawl space or into the basement.

As you go about your budgeting this year, make it a point to press your legislators (both U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators) to put an end to the spending spree. This deficit lies at the feet of both major parties. It is not specific to either the Democrat or the Republicans. Without a concerted effort to stop the spending, I see little hope for the resilience that America is known for worldwide.

Were we attacked in an equal or more serious fashion than on 9/11, the outcry would be deafening. The national debt is no less destructive, yet it goes ignored. As I listened today, a local channel broadcast a radio series from “Radio Spirits.” Irene Dunne introduced a wonderful family broadcast with a plea for Americans. The year was 1952. The nation had endured World War II and families across the nation looked forward to a world that embraced peace.

She asked for Americans to pray. “Pray as a family,” she pleaded. Well, today it is more and more rare to find an American family sitting down to eat together, let alone give thanks to God and ask for his guidance and blessing. This is not to say that many of us do not do that. We do it as a couple and also begin a meal with a prayer when we entertain guests at our table.

Let us begin anew for 2015. Amid the festive parties and the toasts, set apart your life on New Year’s Day to ask God to bless America and to gird her people with enough strength to pull herself up by her financial bootstraps and begin a plan of renewal. Without that renewal, we face the fate of Ancient Rome and other major civilizations that spent untold amounts on social programs and lauded sports above common sense.

Pray for America. She needs every word. May we all experience a Happy New Year. A really secure 2015 demands our attention to detail. Red may be the cardinal color for Christmas, but black should reign in finances for everyone, from the one-person household to the federal government. Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE

By Hetty Gray

# 203

“No better time…”

This day has special meaning to so many people that adding something novel is futile. However, when we take into account the happenings around us — both internationally and within our own country, there is no better time than now to reflect on what Christmas really means.

Beyond the trees, the gaily-decorated homes, and the retailers who count on shoppers to put their businesses “in the black,” we need to really sit back and think about bigger gifts. These gifts do not come in bright paper. These gifts require no ribbons or tags. These gifts I cite are given freely. We have only to embrace them to receive them. They are without equal and soar above any earthly possessions. They are love and the promise of life eternal.

Tightly knit into love is forgiveness. You see, for most of us, above all other challenges we face truly forgiving others tops the list. Wrongs, however small, gnaw at us and we find it increasingly difficult to come to grips with the fact that others never really live up to our expectations.

So, too, we fail to live up to God’s expectations. Yet, He remains steadfast and “in our corner” no matter what we do, so long as we come to Him and sincerely ask for His forgiveness.

The spirit of Christmas outstrips any other celebration because it has within its fabric the essence of humanity itself and because it inspires us to live better lives. As you gather with your families or friends this Christmas, pause as you say or listen to the prayer given and concentrate on the words.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son…” There is no higher gift. At a time when so many souls yearn for peace… when Satan is busily working among people to convince them that their lives have no meaning, when countless others push forward with hatred to destroy any possible chance of peace… when peace becomes a word only… it is us to each of us to live that peace within our homes, in the workplace, yes and within our churches.

No doubt many homes will see remnants of paper and ribbon and walking will be an obstacle course as adults skirt around toys, but many homes will be void of gifts and countless others will lack the Christmas message.

The very core of the season for us is spreading God’s love to others; and, in many cases, the task proves daunting. We can see how easily hate spreads. Love poses a higher challenge. Embrace it.

As you recount the Christmas story with the simplicity of the stable, the humility of the shepherds, the splendor of the Magi, and the wonder of the star above Bethlehem, do not forget who placed that star in the heavens. Look beyond our world to God. His is the greatest gift and there is no better time than to accept it and use it in our lives.

Merry Christmas!

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE

By Hetty Gray

# 202

December 2, 2014

“What happened to the music?”

When you forget to pack the DISH receiver and you go to the Northwoods where remote is a mild term for the location, you resort to DVDs and the radio for entertainment.

Alas, we ended up in that position the week of Thanksgiving, but it wasn’t all that bad at all. After a rush of old movies and a few TV series DVDs, we opted for a Doo Wop disc.

Both my husband and I were teenagers at the height of the rock and roll era, and we still remember the lyrics of an unbelievable number of songs. Watching the old groups that still sing together is a remarkable experience. Interspersed with the current performances, the producers include clips of the original singers at the apex of their careers.

The first thing you notice is that they all looked fabulous. The girls wore dresses that accented figures but left more than a little to the imagination. Shirts and ties were very common for the men’s groups and they took pride in their appearance.

We cannot forget that many of the groups featured wonderful Negro singers who encountered trouble with lodging and meals while on tour. The 1950s and early 1960s still saw a fair amount of blatant segregation — and all the while the audiences went crazy over their music. Go figure that….

The extent of such discrimination was very alien to those of us who grew up in sleepy Indiana. It still angers me that anyone was treated so badly. Their music lives on for countless Americans. The lyrics featured love songs and the occasional car wreck (“Brown Eyes”), but no song urged young people to kill policemen or praised the drug scene. I vaguely remember the term “reefer” for marijuana, but drugs were of no interest either to me or to my friends.

How is it that our entertainment industry has sunk to the point where illegal activity is praised and singers mouth filthy language so often that nobody pays much heed to it? It’s a mystery to me.

Our teen years were sandwiched in between Korea and Vietnam. None of us met war head-on until we graduated, and I did lose a classmate to the Viet Cong. Mike Debusk remains in my thoughts whenever I write of veterans. I don’t know if Mike’s parents are still alive, but surely one of you knows someone who is related to him.

We danced at the “sock hops” and “strolled” down the gym floor with the best of ‘em. Slow dancing was more for the girls with steady boyfriends, but for those of us who went to the dances alone, the rare invitation to dance with a guy was the highlight of the night.

Prom parties were supervised and often held at really nice venues. We had “The Ink Spots” at the old downtown Elks Club and it was a spectacular evening. Oh, there were those among us who left early and went out to drink beer. Still others made the trek to Ohio to buy 3/2 beer. I would hate to think what would have happened to me if I had been caught with a beer. Needless to say, it wouldn’t have been pretty.

Parents were involved and saw no harm when England sent us “The Beatles.” My father thought they were a lot of fun to watch, but he did comment on their Prince Valiant bowl haircuts.

When we basked in the Doo Wop music, we were reminded how many wonderful role models that the Mo-Town groups under Barry Gordy provided. Buddy Holly and the Crickets, the Big Bopper, and others gave inner city kids the hope that they, too, could become a big star.

Few of the main groups came on the scene from promoters. Many of the Negro groups had begun singing together in the churches. Ah, yes, the churches…. Church was a mainstay of the Negro family and nearly all the families had a mom and dad at home with the kids.

We need to return to the days where entertainers kept their clothes on, presented themselves in a tasteful way and brought lyrics to our children that instilled love and respect. The hate and antagonism of the current music is not only insulting, but it also has a really damaging effect of the listening public — especially the teenagers and younger children.

If you can get your hands on a DVD with the rock and roll groups, share that music with the younger generation. We need it back. We need the fun, the melodies and the harmonies of the past to inspire a better musical future.

Instead of “Back to the Future,” let’s take a hike to the past. Do it. You’ll enjoy it and the memories are golden.