Re: [RC] Totally off-topic but on my mind - delete if you wish - Bonnie Davis
The media is "gripped by fear" because of its
desire to sell newspapers, get us to turn on THEIR TV station and listen to
THEIR radio station. One can pick up one newspaper and read "Bush is
willing to extend UN inspection time" while the one on the other rack reads
"Bush to bomb".
With other wars (declared and undeclared) there was
NOT a media network able to report the news in a micro-second. There was
time to digest and rationlize the event before it got to the public. No
more. We want instant news so we pay the price with 'stress' waiting to
know if we bomb or not.
Just a question, Maryanne. Do you edit the
"Endurance World" (I think that's the name) magazine over there in Egypt?
I've had a couple copies sent to me and I'm just nosey.
Subject: [RC] Totally off-topic but on my
mind - delete if you wish
After 9/11 I spent a lot of time online talking to friends
online about what it is like living in the Middle East, having children in
university in New York, and what matters to "The Arab World". This doesn't
have anything to do with riding....except that it is becoming harder day by
day to relax and listen to our horses here, to concentrate on something that
really is important in the face of the general insanity in the world at
large.
With the "yes, we are bombing Iraq", "no, we are not bombing
Iraq" seesaw going on in the US government, the Middle East, like much of the
US, Europe and other parts of the world is filled with people of all
nationalities who are increasingly feeling helpless. Egypt has nothing to do
with all of this, as is the case of many other countries here. Yet when Bush
decides to invade Iraq, it is going to blow our economy right out of the water
and this is going to affect us right down to the donkey carts and the horse
carriages. Right now, many people just wish that he'd get it over with so that
we could go on with our lives without the bloody uncertainty, even though we
know the horrific costs that will be exacted upon all participants.
I
went to my yoga class this morning, taught by an American born in Quebec (an
ex-corporate lawyer whose husband's job took her to Southeast Asia and out of
law practice) and attended by an Italian, a Jordanian, a couple of Americans,
a French woman, and two Koreans. Debra did a class in breath control because
she said that with the political situation whirling right out of any sense of
control and the feeling of being some kind of victim in an undecipherable play
increasing, she felt that the only thing that we could do for ourselves and
our families was to try to maintain our own balance and sense of reality in
the face of the incredible stress. There are so many millions of people
worldwide who want no part of violence and war, yet it appears that no one
wants to hear their voices, whether they are in the Middle East, China,
Kansas, or Paris. As Debra said, perhaps all we can do is to create some peace
within ourselves and try to share it with the others around us. Go ride, groom
your horses, watch them, do whatever, and please remain mindful of the love
that exists in every part of the world. The media today are gripped by fear,
for whatever reason or purpose. We know how to deal with fear in our riding
and horsemanship....we must do the same for our people.
Off my soapbox
and into the office, Maryanne Stroud Gabbani Cairo,
Egypt
