He sings the body incredulous.
Existing between never was, and never will be.
Existing without substance, yet heralding shifting bedrock.
Occupying no fixed space, filling no specific need.
Both the unexpected journey and the probable consequence.
For all his banal and baleful presence, he is neither cause nor solution.
Category: Present Perfect
An open and honest discussion
I shared a meme. It’s something many of us do, have done, and perhaps we’ll do it again. This meme was a reworking of a famous poem by German Pastor Martin Niemöller.
A message was then posted which questioned the post. I almost replied that the post was only shared, and not mine. That reply would have been disingenuous at best. I shared it because I agreed with the idea that we need to be both aware and caring. I have not identified the writer although I have put a part of his reply in quotes. I have left him anonymous, one because he’s a friend and this is not a personal issue. It’s a discussion. My second reason is that I hope that we can always approach things in a civil manner. If we lose the ability to communicate, we will eventually lose ourselves.
His reply was, “But what specific policy since Obama left has been anti-Jewish? What anti-Black? What anti-Muslim, all Muslims? What anti-all Mexicans? What anti-gay? Hoist on your own petard.”
I have not presented a petard to be hoisted upon. Trump’s campaign and his ongoing assault on propriety, common sense and your constitution are the problems before the world. What Trump will do to the world is the issue we will all face. Trump is like an elephant in musth. He seems to have little focus, no clear direction or objective. The ongoing blind destruction of policies and relationships, the trampling of enshrined rights, nor much else done by the newly minted president, don’t seem to be an issue for some Americans.
The first steps to repeal the Affordable care Act, to roll back hard-won advances for LGBT rights, to imperil women’s rights and health, to continue racial profiling, to deny climate change, to either defund or muzzle critical government services, to deny sanctuary to those in need, to violate treaty in order to violate both the environment and human dignity, and to smugly demand that UN member nations lock step with ill-considered and provocative statements. None of these things that have been put on paper, tweeted, broadcast, or signed as executive orders, should surprise anyone who has followed the campaign and has an inkling of the current administration. Governments disappoint us, but they usually parcel the pain out over an entire term.
Pastor Martin Niemöller’s original poem has been referenced, and to be fair trotted out, numerous times in response to a variety of issues both political and social. Is it apt here? It is pertinent only in as much as one chooses to look at the situation, and consider, “what next?”
As long as we keep the lines of communication open, we have a chance. My greatest fear is of extremists on both sides who use any excuse to further an agenda. They spend more time shutting down discussion than considering their, and other, opinions. Here in Indonesia, we have some fairly radical organizations that shut down discussion through intimidation and by using the political and legal clout of highly placed friends. A local governor has been charged with blasphemy and there have been a number of large protests against him. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/27/indonesia-court-blasphemy-trial-ahok-jakarta-governor
That the governor is Chinese and Christian does not sit well with the leaders of these groups. Their organizations are in turn being used to further the political ambitions of a few highly placed, and somewhat convenient, friends of more recent vintage.
If America does not reinvigorate and safeguard its freedoms, its media, and its education system, with open and honest discourse then the world stands to lose a powerful instrument for positive personal, national, and global rebirth and innovation. America has been called the most powerful nation on Earth. The American President is regarded as the leader of the free world. He must be tasked to do better, for America and for the world.
Leadership is a responsibility, not a perk. We must all demand more of our leaders. We must hold our leaders to a higher standard. Whether we are American, Canadian, Japanese, German, European, British or Indonesian we must live deliberately in this moment. When we allow ourselves to be divided along religious, racial, national, economic and ideological lines we hasten the moment when we can be drawn and quartered along more personal lines.
https://qz.com/702497/the-famous-poem-by-an-anti-nazi-pastor-rewritten-for-donald-trumps-america/
Hopes For The Year Ahead
Happy New Year.
May the year ahead offer health, happiness, prosperity, purpose and fulfillment.
All the best, Wayne, Emily, Adryan and Wyatt
At the Mechanic
At the mechanic
Customer: Will this take long?
Mechanic: It’s going to take as long as it takes.
Customer: May I ask you a question?
Mechanic: Sure.
Customer: Is this going to cost a lot?
Mechanic: How much do you have?
Customer: What?
Mechanic: Have you brought a lot of money?
Customer: Have you lost your mind?
Mechanic: It’s a joke. Can I ask you something?
Customer: Okay.
Mechanic: Do you like slamming on the brakes?
Customer: Why do you ask?
Mechanic: The brake pads are in horrible shape. I’ll have to replace them.
Customer: I don’t want you to replace anything.
Mechanic: Maybe you’d enjoy crashing.
Customer: I’m not going to crash.
Mechanic: Have you ever been in an accident?
Customer: No.
Mechanic: You’re going to be in an accident if these brakes fail.
Customer: Okay. What else is wrong?
Mechanic: Have you hit something?
Customer: Maybe.
Mechanic: Your radiator is leaking.
Customer: You’re going to replace it?
Mechanic: No. It’s a small hole. I’m going to fix it.
Customer: Good. I don’t like paying for extra work.
Mechanic: It’s okay for me too. I don’t enjoy doing extra work.
Customer: It’s hot in here. May I turn on a fan?
Mechanic: Have I ever visited your office?
Customer: No.
Mechanic: Have I ever eaten your cooking?
Customer: I don’t think so.
Mechanic: Have I ever slept in your bed?
Customer: I hope not.
Mechanic: Good. Don’t touch my fan.
Customer: It’s so hot in here. Have you ever noticed that?
Mechanic: Why don’t you take a walk?
Note: This is an exercise to illustrate the use of the present perfect simple in statements and questions. It could also be used for pair or group practice of emphatic statements and responses.
duplezwrites 