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July 7, 2007 at 07:19:58

America Still Lacks Thing I Long For, He Said....

by John Carey     Page 1 of 2 page(s)

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By John E. Carey
July 6, 2007

I have known Habib for some time. He works hard, keeps to himself, obeys the speed limit and loves his family.



You have already probably made a judgment or two about Habib, maybe. You think you might know what region of the world he comes from and what religion he follows.

Yet Habib, though an immigrant, is an American citizen who loves his new home. He votes and pays his taxes. His children go to the American public school and not “The Arab School” as some around here call it.

An educated man, he is familiar with the teachings of both Islam and Buddhism. I spent some time taking Habib to lunch, and slowly, as if prying open a can of tuna with a mall screwdriver, I started to learn more about the man, and, I dare say, the world.

Once Habib began to speak, his enlightened thought process amazed me. He said, “Americans are moving further and further away from Human Spirit.”

“What the heck does that mean?” I asked.

“In the Qur'an,” he began, “Allah said that He is a hidden treasure longing to be known. Allah made man so that He himself, Allah, would be known and appreciated.”

In my naivety I asked, “And Allah is God?”

“Allah is God,” he said. “Allah teaches that death is only another chapter. Not a beginning or an end but a passage.”

“And between the beginning and the end we must seek peace and tranquility and happiness.”

Between the beginning and the end, I thought, we make money. He with the most toys at the end wins. But I quickly buried this thought.

After an awkwardly long silence, I again chimed in perhaps from ignorance or naivety, “How about the suicide bombers?”

“They have bastardized a great religion, a great way of life and happiness,” said Habib.

Maybe this guy Allah isn’t so bad, I thought.

Habib then said, “Listen to the reed flute. It is made from the reed growing in the river. But after it is cut down and removed from its rightful place, its home, you can hear it crying tender agony.”

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http://peace-and-freedom.blogspot.com/

John E. Carey is the former president of International Defense Consultants, Inc.

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6 comments

A writer is a rogue goose. All other gees fly in a flock formation; every goose knows his place and time for honking. The rogue goose is undisciplined. He leaves the formation indiscriminately to have a look at it from aside. He roams back and forth, takes a peep at the leader, honks a little bit from behind, distracts everyone and writes on what he sees. Time passes and as he wants to return back to his place he discovers someone else there. Thus he either has to wait until they land for rest...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Mark SashineA writer is a rogue goose. All other gees fly in a flock formation; every goose knows his place and time for honking. The rogue goose is undisciplined. He leaves the formation indiscriminately to have a look at it from aside. He roams back and forth, takes a peep at the leader, honks a little bit from behind, distracts everyone and writes on what he sees. Time passes and as he wants to return back to his place he discovers someone else there. Thus he either has to wait until they land for rest...

to see more of bio, click on member name

And if he hadn't been doing all that

'Yet Habib, though an immigrant, is an American citizen who loves his new home. He votes and pays his taxes. His children go to the American public school and not “The Arab School” as some around here call it.'

 

if Habib was not that way he would not be worth anything, would he?  That seems to be the message here.Then how about ' My big Fat Greek  Wedding'? There they all go to Greek school.  Nobody says it is bad..

 

by Mark Sashine (46 articles, 19 quicklinks, 235 diaries, 3359 comments) on Saturday, July 7, 2007 at 8:26:03 AM
 


Don'pigeon hole me or sterotype me
pratliff94Don'pigeon hole me or sterotype me

Mr. Carey.

John,

I agree with you.

I do not know what Panurg is saying. Here is a man who offers the very best perspective of Islam and Buddhism with a severe critique of American materialism; what does that have to do with Greek immigrants? America is a hoge-poge of all nationalities, religions, and ethic groups. Is Panurg saying we should not sit down and listen to a Musllim as Habib or we have nothing to learn from such a person?

Panurg, is it that you dislike Mr. Carey and allow that to color all your thinking about what he wrote in this article? If it had been another person's name on it, would you have made the same comments? I just do not understand why you commented this way. It seems so out of character for you.

Phil. 

by pratliff94 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 948 comments) on Saturday, July 7, 2007 at 9:03:57 AM
 


A writer is a rogue goose. All other gees fly in a flock formation; every goose knows his place and time for honking. The rogue goose is undisciplined. He leaves the formation indiscriminately to have a look at it from aside. He roams back and forth, takes a peep at the leader, honks a little bit from behind, distracts everyone and writes on what he sees. Time passes and as he wants to return back to his place he discovers someone else there. Thus he either has to wait until they land for rest...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Mark SashineA writer is a rogue goose. All other gees fly in a flock formation; every goose knows his place and time for honking. The rogue goose is undisciplined. He leaves the formation indiscriminately to have a look at it from aside. He roams back and forth, takes a peep at the leader, honks a little bit from behind, distracts everyone and writes on what he sees. Time passes and as he wants to return back to his place he discovers someone else there. Thus he either has to wait until they land for rest...

to see more of bio, click on member name

To Pratliff

Dislike is not a problem.  I guess   I  sometimes exaggarate but I have seen a lot ' Careys'  on  my way and they all come up with this sugary stuff,'Oh, despite your immigration you seem to be human all right.' This is  before they hear from me some quirky remarks that Lincoln is ugly or Nixon is mad. From my point of view I can be as nasty as an average NASCAR  viewer. From theirs I can exist only as a model citizen.  I guess in engineering we take the Pump characteristic ( that's me) and the  system pressure drop ( that's  them) and there is a point of coincidence.  Is it here?

And if you look at what I wrote to Mr. Carey before you would see that sometimes I was very considerate.  No  malice. Just a Fiery Dog:) 

by Mark Sashine (46 articles, 19 quicklinks, 235 diaries, 3359 comments) on Saturday, July 7, 2007 at 9:24:56 AM
 


Steven Leser specializes in Politics, Science & Health, and Entertainment topics. He has held positions within the Democratic Party including District Chair and Public Relations Chair within county organizations.

Steven Leser writes for www.opednews.com, an internet only media site that has grown to become one of the highest traffic news sites in America, reaching more traffic, according to alexa.com, than all but the thirty largest daily newspapers in the US. Mr. Leser is one of t...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Steven LeserSteven Leser specializes in Politics, Science & Health, and Entertainment topics. He has held positions within the Democratic Party including District Chair and Public Relations Chair within county organizations.

Steven Leser writes for www.opednews.com, an internet only media site that has grown to become one of the highest traffic news sites in America, reaching more traffic, according to alexa.com, than all but the thirty largest daily newspapers in the US. Mr. Leser is one of t...

to see more of bio, click on member name

I think I had the same impression as Panurg

It is like John was saying, wow, someone could be Arab and still OK, or someone could be muslim and an immigrant and OK, imagine that!

In Republican circles like the ones John travels in, that is amazing stuff. In either Independent or Democratic and/or Progressive circles, it is somewhat insulting to our intelligence. Why not say, wow, Steve Leser is Jewish but isnt a penny pinching miser, or wow, so and so is black and not a criminal, or wow, so and so is a woman but does seem to be able to perform a high-powered job.

Republicans seem to forget that America is about assuming the other human being is a good person until they prove otherwise, not the other way around.

by Steven Leser (193 articles, 37 quicklinks, 32 diaries, 1298 comments) on Saturday, July 7, 2007 at 10:12:47 AM
 


A writer is a rogue goose. All other gees fly in a flock formation; every goose knows his place and time for honking. The rogue goose is undisciplined. He leaves the formation indiscriminately to have a look at it from aside. He roams back and forth, takes a peep at the leader, honks a little bit from behind, distracts everyone and writes on what he sees. Time passes and as he wants to return back to his place he discovers someone else there. Thus he either has to wait until they land for rest...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Mark SashineA writer is a rogue goose. All other gees fly in a flock formation; every goose knows his place and time for honking. The rogue goose is undisciplined. He leaves the formation indiscriminately to have a look at it from aside. He roams back and forth, takes a peep at the leader, honks a little bit from behind, distracts everyone and writes on what he sees. Time passes and as he wants to return back to his place he discovers someone else there. Thus he either has to wait until they land for rest...

to see more of bio, click on member name

' I am an Epstein here!'

Wilehelm Steinitz,  a genius and  the  first official Chess Champion of the World was  the 13th son of a poor Jewish shoemaker and when young had to play chess for money. The idea wass that he would sit in a cafe and play with whoever pays to play with him.  One of the regualrs was  a banker named Epstein.  He was a very impatient man and never liked to wait  for the next move of the partner after that one thinks. Steinitz, though  was always a very deep thinker. So once they played and Steinitz  engaged in thinking for quite a while.

- So, hurry up,- said Epstein.

Steinits  made a move and Epstein  started to think.

- So, hurrry up,-said Steinitz.

-Young man,-said Epstein sternly, 'Do you know who I am?'

- Yes,- answered Steinitz, ' You are Epstein. I mean on the Stock Exchange. Here I am Epstein.'

For Mr. Carey and  others like him- here I am  Epstein.  This is our territory .Here I and people like myself will disturb the spiritual comfort of any sugary- white, conceited Republicaan we encounter and put Tabasco sauce on every  pile of feces he/she produces. Oh, yes.  This is America.  Mr.Carey will have his Twilight Zone shattered every time he  wanders  into our turf. No malice but no mercy.  In memory of those poor souls who were 'processed' by Careys I  encountered when I was a homeless refugee, in memory of those who committed suicide ( on my watch) because some stupid buerocrat  decided that they  were not worth to live, in memory of the people who were worth more than a thousands Bushes, I will never ever let  go and I will never compromise in this.  And thanks to Mr. Leser, he understands.

by Mark Sashine (46 articles, 19 quicklinks, 235 diaries, 3359 comments) on Sunday, July 8, 2007 at 6:47:25 AM
 

 

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