Nidal Malik Hasan, the Army major who shot up Fort Hood ten days ago evidently was paralyzed when he was wounded during his apprehension. Sorry, I just can't get worked up over this.
This is it, I'm not glad he was paralyzed and I'm not sorry he isn't as dead as the thirteen victims he left in his wake. I just don't care that he was wounded. I just don't care. It's not as if these are his "just deserts" and it's not as if I'm not worried because "he'll get his."
But if this is being reported to get my sympathy, sorry, I don't care.
The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. I know Major Hasan will meet his maker, and on that day he will walk to the throne of grace and with the love of God, he will be disciplined. Like a parent disciplines children, Major Hasan will be disciplined. As will we all.
Lord, I confess my indifference. Please forgive me.
I may have told this story before in this blog. I have had it on MySpace, and I know you can find it on Time Loves a Hero, but I want to share it again.
Long ago, I worked in a program to first generation help and poverty-stricken college students get a college education. It was a federally funded TRIO program, part of President Johnson's War on Poverty.
This story was told to a workshop at an ASPIRE meeting by Dr. Paul Thayer, then Director of TRIO Programs (The Center for Educational Access and Outreach) and Talent Search at Colorado State University. Dr. Thayer is now the Executive Director of Center for Advising and Student Achievement.
Every year, programs take TRIO students to DC to meet local congressmen. It helps give students a look at government and the government a look at the poor.
In the 80's, when the Democrats held the Congress and the Republicans held the White House, TRIO people heard the same rhetoric every trip up Capital Hill.
The Democrats would tell the visiting students how important their work was and how important it was that TRIO Programs be fully funded. “There should be more programs and the current programs should have more funding.”
The Republicans would always say that they had their own funding priorities, and while TRIO Programs were important, they weren't on top of the list.
This ended in 1992 when Governor Bill Clinton was elected President.
The TRIO people returned to Capitol Hill with all of the markers they had received over the years and this is what they heard:
The Democrats told them that they had their own funding priorities, and while TRIO Programs were important, they weren't on top of the list.
The Republicans told them how important their work was and how important it was that TRIO Programs be fully funded. “There should be more programs and the current programs should have better funding.”
The day I heard this story was the day I decided that there weren't too many Republicans in DC and there weren't too many Democrats.
This was the day I decided there are too many politicians.
I found this item on an AOL message board on how to improve the Jay Leno Show. One of the suggestions is to have Music Director Kevin Eubanks be quiet...
I like Kevin. I do not like that Paul guy at all on Letterman. I watch Leno--always wanted a late night show early--wish all programming was early like it is in the Central Time zone! Show could use some fine tuning but is better than all that (World?) Series crapolla.
"That Paul guy?" "That Paul guy?" Oh, man, I'm not even 50 yet but I'm just getting older and that's all there is to it.
Ten months ago, I shared a story of a woman named Megan and her mother Nancy. You can follow this link to get to that story.
About a week ago, Nancy died peacefully in a nursing home in Overland Park, Kansas. She is survived by one son, James III (Casey), and three daughters Michaela, Jenny, and Kelly and a slew of grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband James, Jr. (Jim), and daughter Megan.
Nancy came to Marie and my wedding in Colorado. I wrote this in the last entry:
Megan’s mom came to Colorado for our wedding. During the dance at the reception, I thanked her for coming. And I told her that I am a better man, and will be a better husband, for having known her daughter.
Days like this, I feel sad, and a little depressed. It's gray, it's cold, it's sharp outside. Inside Marie is recovering from surgery and pneumonia and I'm recovering from bronchitis. It's been a tough year, tougher than the year before. And it's probably going to be tough next year too. So I feel overwhelmed.
Still, I think that I am more overwhelmed by an equal measure of promise and un-experienced promise. I am blessed, and I am tired. I have given, but being blessed still more is expected. I rejoice in what I have received, and regret what I have not yet accomplished.
Maybe that's not so bad, without the overwhelming stuff going on. Because when "overwhelm" takes over, then the blessings tarnish and the un-experienced promise is a burden not its own blessing.
Megan's sister Jenny came to our wedding too. She caught the bouquet. She's the one who talked me into seeing "Harold and Maude." If you've never seen it, go, it's a fine movie and her favorite. To say the least, I had no idea what to expect when I went. Still, there is a theme of a cusp of old life and new discovery that is glorious. But this discovery is not without its own pain and misery.
Nancy, go with God. God be with your children and grandchildren. Thank you for the gift of your love and your daughter.
So now I leave you with Cat Stevens' "Trouble" from "Harold and Maude."
As sad as this scene is, I don't wonder if it doesn't also show what it looks like to make a difficult transition, even if it's on the banjo.
My next-to-last brother-in-law's girlfriend posted this comment on her Facebook account and I like it enough to share with you all:
Barack Obama's comments in part - I know that throughout history, the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes. And that is why I will accept ...this award as a call to action -- a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century. http://www.democrats.org/blog.htm
Perhaps President Obama and his handlers know that he received this prize sort of like Miss Congeniality also winning Miss America. He knows that he got a huge "atta boy" and he knows that there are miles to go before he sleeps.
Please God, let this be a momentum builder, may your peace come to reign.
The Nobel website says, "The Nobel Peace Prize goes to President Barack Obama 'for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.'"
As a registered democrat and a supporter of the President, I think he got the award just for not being George W. Bush.
Sorry, just not enough of a reason to win the prize. Maybe in five years...but not today
This link will be disabled soon enough, but in the meantime, "Enjoy."
Alex, I'll take "The Overly Self-Involved" for $200 please.
Hooray for Beyonce's reaction both when it happened and later in the evening. It's a pity that I can't find video of Beyonce classy response to Kanye's interruption when she brought Taylor Swift back on stage later.
