Purpose in a Unipolar World?

The Cold War was a time of uncertainty and doubt for individuals and governments on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. And while this 40-year period was characterized by a constant and seemingly imminent threat, both the West and East were able to focus their energies on balancing each other’s influence, and assessing each other’s actions and power in the easily defined bipolar world. Thus, with the end of the Cold War, and the subsequent fall of the USSR and communism, came a new sense of uncertainty: who would replace the Soviet Union as the West’s counterpoint? And as the only remaining superpower, how would the United States deal with new, innovative security threats emanating from numerous locations across the globe?

SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION

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Please tell me

how responding to children throwing rocks at armored cars by shooting live rounds/missiles at said children makes any sense whatsoever?

currently reading: Israel-Palestine on Record – How the New York Times Misreports Conflict in the Middle East

Terrorism

I was reading an International Herald Tribune article today when a particular passage caught my attention. It described U.S.-led peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, and according to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, “neither Israelis nor Palestinians had fully lived up to their obligations. Israel is supposed to end all settlement building and remove illegal settlement outposts, while the Palestinians are supposed to dismantle terrorist infrastructures.”

…Terrorist infrastructures? By this, did she mean Hamas? And if so, how does one truly define a terrorist organization? A group that defends its people? A group that stands up against its oppressors and says enough? Or does it come down to the number of innocent casualties incurred by the group’s actions? Or most importantly, how those innocent casualties come about, because we all know that a suicide bombing that kills ten is deemed more atrocious than a precise missile that kills 100?**

Dictionary.com defines terrorism as “the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes.” But according to this definition, wouldn’t Rice herself be a member of a terrorist organization, the U.S. government? Couldn’t Israeli refusal to halt all settlement activity be perceived as a terrorist act, seeing as how such settlements not only undermine international law, but intimidate Palestinian civilians in the West Bank?

It’s funny (well, not actually ha-ha funny, more disturbing than anything else) how we deem groups terrorist organizations without so much as understanding their motives or reasoning. That is not to say that attacks on civilians are ever warranted or shouldn’t be taken seriously, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see more civilians casualties at the hands of American or Israeli armies than by Palestinian suicide-bombers or Hamas’ acts of “terrorism.”

It’s also interesting to note that Nelson Mandela, now viewed as a symbol of peace, courage and determination worldwide, was considered a terrorist (as a member of the African National Congress that fought against South African apartheid). In fact, as of July 2008, Mandela was still on the U.S.’s terrorism watch list.

**I don’t believe that we can, or should, put a price on human suffering in any instance. In this way, the last question was merely to prove the point that actions by non-governmental groups are often deemed evil, whereas the same actions propagated by governments are instead viewed as necessary.

“The Occupied Territories”

It’s always dangerous to paint something one sole color. People, places, ideas… much, if not all, in life is multifaceted, not one dimensional. With this in mind, I was happy to come across The Other Israel, an anthology of essays written by Israeli journalists, politicians, scholars and others, in a local used bookstore.

The book’s subtitle, Voices of Refusal and Dissent, alludes to what its pages contain: critiques, criticism and arguments condemning the treatment of Palestinians under Israeli occupation. And what makes these texts so different from the ones I’ve read (that in essence express the same ideas) is that this time the authors are Israelis themselves. Israelis who are just as patriotic as most, love their country just as much – if not more – than most, and who believe in democracy and human rights above all else.

“Whoever claims that the settlements are Israel’s catastrophe from a security and economic point of view is not an anti-Semite but a patriot. Whoever says that this (Ariel Sharon) government is committing crimes against humanity is not an anti-Semite but an honest and humane person. Whoever condemns the demolition of houses in Rafah and Jerusalem, opposes the provocative liquidations and fostering of ferment in the area so that we can avoid going to the negotiating table, does so out of love for their homeland,” wrote Shulamit Aloni, an Israeli politician and prominent member of the Israeli peace camp.

The Best of Two Worlds

Alicia Hubbard steps to the center of the burgundy mat in early August. Tying her long black hair into a loose bun on top of her head, she sizes up the competition: a teenage boy who is about three inches taller.

The whistle blows, and her male opponent, Nico Gasparrini, quickly puts the 5-foot-3 Hubbard in a headlock and pins her to the mat. Moments later, Hubbard is down once again, but this time, she has her arms and legs squeezed tightly around her challenger’s ankles and neck.

The whistle sounds for the final time, and Hubbard, having released her grip, now skips around the Springfield gymnasium, smiling from ear to ear.

“I feel pretty proud,” says the 21-year-old wrestler from Northampton. “We train with guys, and that’s hard. I think if I can beat a guy at my weight, I can beat any woman at my weight.”

Secular State of Conflict – The Nationalist Legacy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

It is witnessed in virtually every nation worldwide, albeit in various forms and degrees. From the stars and stripes on every street corner July Fourth in the United States, to rallies in downtown Brussels to promote Belgian unity, nationalism is a widespread force with an admirable purpose: to create a sense of pride for one’s country or community, and learn to value that community’s cultural, social and political make-up. Still, despite its honorable raison d’être, not all strains of nationalism are positive, and in some instances, they incite violence, persecution and the loss of both personal and civil liberties.

Today, while nationalism is often used as the pretext for human rights violations and unlawful acts, it is most dangerous when incorporated within a political sphere of influence. In fact, the use of nationalism as a harmful political tool can clearly be seen in the case of Turkey, a country struggling between East and West, democracy and authoritarianism, and modern and traditional values. And almost ironically, it is the institutions of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the beloved founder and first President of the Turkish Republic who so badly wanted his country to become like its Western, democratic neighbors, which have preserved this misguided sense of nationalism close to 80 years after they were first instated.

What’s Old is New Again for Whately Pioneers

Buck opens the trunk of his light blue minivan. Rummaging through old baseball equipment, he finally finds what he’s been searching for: ibuprofen.

“I’m 60 years old,” he says, laughing, before popping two little red pills into his mouth.

Buck – known off the field as Pres Pieraccini – is about to stand over home plate, a wooden bat in hand, and lead a practice for the Whately Pioneers vintage baseball team.

The ibuprofen is just a precaution.

Q&A: Premysl Sobotka, President of the Senate of the Czech Republic Parliament

It took about two months for me to finally get answers from the Czech Senator about the proposed U.S. radar base. It would have been great to include his comments in my final paper at the Danish School of Journalism, but unfortunately that couldn’t happen. Here is the transcript of our e-mail correspondence anyway.

Sportsnet – Day 5

The last day at Sportsnet… was sad. The week passed by EXTREMELY quickly and I wish I was staying for a bit longer. I spent the day in the web department and watched people putting articles together. It was cool to see the whole process, as web writing is so timely. They got a call about Todd Bertuzzi being placed on waivers, and within the next five minutes, the article was published.

In the afternoon, I sat with someone who puts video content onto the website. It wasn’t very busy today, so we basically sat around talking about an ever-important sports issue: Montreal versus Toronto. It was cool though, even though talking about the Expos made me emotional. hah

Overall, I really liked it at Sportsnet. Even though it wasn’t very busy, I learned a lot and definitely benefited from my time in Toronto. The people were so friendly and helpful, and willing to answer all my questions. I seriously hope I can go back sometime soon.

And, believe it or not, Toronto even gained a few brownie points this time around.