More hype than substance

I wonder why so many people who live in fear of the pest would be delighted of the cholera.

Didn't they listen to Mr. Obama's speech(es)? Don't they care who are the self-styled (?) saviour's advisors?

Once, now and tomorrow

War is the statesman’s game, the priest’s delight,
The lawyer’s jest, the hired assassin’s trade,
And to those royal murderers whose mean thrones
Are bought by crimes of treachery and gore,
The bread they eat, the staff on which they lean.

Krieg ist des Staatsmanns Spiel, des Priesters Lust,
Des Richters Scherz, das Handwerk des feilen Meuchlers,
Und für die gekrönten Mordbuben, deren Throne
Durch Verrat und Blut und Frevel jeder Art erkauft,
Ihr täglich Brot, die Stütze ihrer Macht.

Percy Bysshe Shelley, Queen Mab, Canto IV

Praise of taciturnity

Binn béal 'na chomhnuidhe.

The mouth that speaks not is sweet to hear.

:)

The peace of the night.

Habermas on a "post-secular' society

“Tolerance” is of course not only a question of enacting and applying laws; it must be practiced in everyday life. Tolerance means that believers of one faith and another and non-believers must mutually concede one another the right to those convictions, practices and ways of living that they themselves reject. This concession must be supported by a shared basis of mutual recognition from which repugnant dissonances can be overcome. The required kind of recognition must not be confused with an appreciation of an alien culture and way of living, or of rejected convictions and practices (n18). We need tolerance only vis-à-vis worldviews that we consider wrong and vis-à-vis habits that we do not like. Therefore, the basis of recognition is not the esteem for this or that property or achievement, but the awareness of the fact that the other one is a member of an inclusive community of citizens with equal rights, in which each is accountable to everybody else for her political contributions (n19).

Extract from an essay* presented by Jürgen Habermas at the Istanbul Seminars organized by Reset Dialogues on Civilizations in Istanbul from June 2nd to the 6th 2008.

* A "post-secular" society - what does that mean?



On a personal note:
I intended to offer my Turkish readers a link, so that they could read this essay in their language. To my surprise and regret I could not find one.

It would make sense if the organisators of a 'Dialogue on Civilisations' taking place in Istanbul made the effort to let translate such contributions into Turkish, wouldn't it?

Obama in Wales: Ich bin ein ...

As everybody knows this year the people of Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Germany, France and the United Kingdom are to decide who will become the next President of the U.S.A..

This is why Mr Obama is travelling a lot these days, meeting Mr. Karzai, the US-proconsul* in Kabul, Mr. ... oh well, you will know his program.

What you perhaps wouldn't know: It is rumoured that Mr. Obama, by following an advice of the great strategist Zbigniew Brzezinski will not speak in front of the rotten Victory Column in Berlin, but give his eely eloquence a platform in Anglesey.

The name of the historic place is still subject to utmost confidentiality. Only Mr. Obama's most moving last words one of his many right hands was willing to divulge ex ante:

"Ich bin ein Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogocher."





* an administrator in a modern colony, dependency, or occupied area usually** with wide powers

** usually, dear readers, usually.

Maniacs won't die off

Prologue:
The title does not refer to Messrs. Ahamadinejahd, Berlusconi, Brzezinski, Bush, Cheney, Gadaffi, Hu, McCain, Mugabe, Obama, Pofalla, Putin, any scalpers, masters of Monsanto & Co., members of any sect, secret and/or surveillance service etc. etc..

However, in case any person mentioned above feels fancy to feel addressed by the title: Very welcome.

And in case anybody misses her/his name and/or the name of her/his organisation: Just let me know, and your name will immediately be added.

End of the beforegoing.

Actually, the title does nothing but mirror the dominating thought while I was reading this article.