Wednesday, 3rd January, 2007
Three days into the new year and we are still diligently working our way through the second leg of ham although we're beginning to fancy something more exotic for a change - two minute noodles would probably do the trick.
I'm feeling somewhat despondent over the hanging of Saddam Hussein. I didn't notice any outcry from world leaders at this depraved act but then I keep forgetting we are governed by barbarians. His murder was apparently something to do with justice but I haven't been able to get to grips with the concept. I feel like the bewildered Edina in Ab Fab: "I know it should be fun, darling, but it's your sort of fun - it's like a secret no one has let me in on". Justice has always appeared to me as a mixture of punishment and revenge, a way of trying to get one's own back, a kind of school-yard bullying that shows a lack of wisdom and maturity. Even the inspirational Arundhati Roy says, "There can be no peace without justice", yet my experiments with life have shown me that there can be no peace without forgiveness. Justice is so demanding whereas forgiveness asks for nothing and offers everything. And who am I to bring to account except myself?
Saddam Hussein ruled by instilling fear into his people. All our leaders do that, but mostly in subtler ways, fooling us into believing they are benign, that they act with good intentions, so that their actions cannot be called into question and they can continue to do shameful things in our name. At heart, we are not fooled, but we go along with the pretence - after all, the food is all under lock and key and we must comply, keep our heads down, obey the rules, spend our lives working, if we want to get fed. What can we do? Only forgive ourselves for our lack of courage until we manage to overcome fear. We have been brow-beaten for a long time, after all.
Three days into the new year and we are still diligently working our way through the second leg of ham although we're beginning to fancy something more exotic for a change - two minute noodles would probably do the trick.
I'm feeling somewhat despondent over the hanging of Saddam Hussein. I didn't notice any outcry from world leaders at this depraved act but then I keep forgetting we are governed by barbarians. His murder was apparently something to do with justice but I haven't been able to get to grips with the concept. I feel like the bewildered Edina in Ab Fab: "I know it should be fun, darling, but it's your sort of fun - it's like a secret no one has let me in on". Justice has always appeared to me as a mixture of punishment and revenge, a way of trying to get one's own back, a kind of school-yard bullying that shows a lack of wisdom and maturity. Even the inspirational Arundhati Roy says, "There can be no peace without justice", yet my experiments with life have shown me that there can be no peace without forgiveness. Justice is so demanding whereas forgiveness asks for nothing and offers everything. And who am I to bring to account except myself?
Saddam Hussein ruled by instilling fear into his people. All our leaders do that, but mostly in subtler ways, fooling us into believing they are benign, that they act with good intentions, so that their actions cannot be called into question and they can continue to do shameful things in our name. At heart, we are not fooled, but we go along with the pretence - after all, the food is all under lock and key and we must comply, keep our heads down, obey the rules, spend our lives working, if we want to get fed. What can we do? Only forgive ourselves for our lack of courage until we manage to overcome fear. We have been brow-beaten for a long time, after all.
posted by Rosie at 2:45 PM
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