The World Trade Center

I have been thinking about 9/11, needing to revise and expand the essay I have had up on arisbe.net for the past couple of years. It is, I admit, painful work, though my personal experience wasn't all that harrowing. But it was real enough to rebut the accusation that I am opposed to this war because I wasn't there or didn't care.

The second essay in the book (yes, come out of the closet, call it a book) will have to deal with an even more personally harrowing experience with the New York City Board of education. But that is another story.

This morning MeFi pointed to some personal narratives I hadn't seen, at Firehouse.com. Strong stuff, and you might not want to read it. For me it is important to know what was going on two and three blocks away as I hung around my office area waiting for directions -- indeed, waiting for permission -- to leave.

For what it is worth, I think it is important for us to remember the reality that bringing "democracy" to Iraq will not change.

The Passion of the Christ

The American Enterprise online has published an interesting review by Tara Ross.

This is what everyone is curious about:

"One of the most notable features of the movie is that any differentiation between Jews and Gentiles is only secondary, despite heavily-publicized claims to the contrary. Instead, this movie distinguishes between supporters of Christ and opponents of Christ. Those opposed to Jesus included Gentile (Roman) soliders, Jewish Pharisees, and a leering crowd. Jesus' support was also diverse. A Jewish man helped Jesus as he lugged his cross out of the city. Pontius Pilate's Gentile wife comforted Jesus' Jewish mother. The Jewish family and friends of Jesus wept as they watched the Gentiles whip him with steel spikes. I suspect that those who did not grow up hearing the biblical story would not even know, in many scenes, which characters are Jewish and which are Gentile. They would know only that some people were for Jesus and some were against him."

And this is what I might find myself objecting to:

"The torture scenes seem to continue forever, as does his walk through Jerusalem, lugging the cross on his back. Before these scenes were even halfway over, I was squirming in my seat. Internally, I was thinking, "Please. Just stop torturing him already. Isn't this enough?" My internal emotions were reflected in the eyes of Jesus' on-screen mother. She agonizes as her son is whipped with steel spikes again and again and again...and again."

But click here to get the whole thing.