I have titled this blog, "Thoughts of an emerging academic/activist/adult" for a number of reasons, some of which follow...
Academic: because beginning last fall I have embarked on a number of writing projects that seem endlessly linked themeatically and I am in need of a place to jot down intial thoughts and questions not only to help my writing, but also to track how my thoughts change about the world, politics, people, etc. I am currently working on a 5-paper project on foreign policy that will tie together some of my research last fall on the downfall of the Ottoman Empire with my research on democracy in the Middle East this past spring. I am also gathering thoughts for what I hope will be my honors thesis which will hopefully bring into focus questions I've struggled with since taking a class on Peace and Social Justice last fall.
Activist: I am and will always be concerned with the problems facing this world. For better or worse, I seem incapable of not committing my life to doing what I can to alleviate some of the hardships that this world bears. I'm still discerning how best I can do that. Hopefully this blog will let me track this journey a little better. If nothing else, I hope it will 1) remind me of the issues that have confronted, inspired, and confounded me, 2) keep me hopeful that change can occur, and 3) remind me that this issues will always be bigger than my own, and that God is even bigger than the problems this world faces.
Adult: this may be the most controversial part of this title...Certainly, age 20 is the in-between world between childhood and adulthood. In many ways, I've learned the ways of adulthood - I can act professionally, communicate better than some adults I know, be nice, polite and respectful. I am cautious, organized, and I follow through...sometimes to an extreme. And yet at the same time, I constantly find myself in an imbalance between finding ways to help, do my job (whatever that may be at the time), learn, grow, do what is right, and still get some sleep and free time at the end of the day. I know I am often too quick to judge, and I am quick to anger when something isn't been done as well as it could be. I'm still learning to remember that my ideas arn't always right and that not everything has to be perfect. I am also constantly learning that when I am "grown up," I do want to have a good job, be professional, have a family and friends, help others the best way that I can...but I want to do that without becoming cynical or jaded, or so tired that I cannot live the life that God gave me. It's certainly going to be a trick.
Now that you (whoever this audience is...and please I encourage you to show yourselves in the forms of comments when you would like) understand the point of this...let me tell you about a fascinating event I witnessed tonight!
Delegation of Israeli & Palestinian Mayors Panel
University of Indianapolis, July 18, 2006
At the beginnging of the evening, the new provost at the University gave a speech about UIndy's committment to international education...while that is still shaky ground in my view, it does point to one important note for fixing the world's problems. Education is one of the foundational elements to bring about positive change. There is no way to deny it. And it can't happen on a big level, it has to happen on a small level, a community level...like Mar Elias. Like the exchange program that, despite all its' flaws, exist here at the University of Indianapolis. It has to happen on a student-to student, teacher-to-student, community-to-student level. It takes so many people to bring about this fundamental change. No one ever said you could save the world alone.
The question is: is this where I should concentrate my efforts?
Also, a cool note...there are international organizations in Indianapolis??? Apparently, they all collaborated on this event...gasp!!!
International Center of Indianapolis
Peace Learning Center
Sagamore Institute for Policy Research
University of Indianapolis, July 18, 2006
A delegation of Israeli & Palestinian Mayors here with the US State Dept. on a trip to the United States to learn about American local government and US apporaches to municipal management, came to the University of Indianapolis to give a panel and talk in conjunction with the Mar Elias Student Exchange program that is going on this summer (which I am running). First, of all there was a really good crowd there and my students played music and spoke and were received fabulously, which is always exciting. But, it was also exciting because the mayors spoke frankly and hopefully about some of the issues facing them and their cities/towns at a time when the situation in Israel is very tense, and some would say deterioating all hope.
The mayors present were: Walid Ahmad Issa Abbadi - Ya'bad, West Bank; Hani N. A. Abdalmashi - Beit Sahour, West Bank; Yaron Ben-Nun - Gedera, Israel; Meir Dahan - Maskeret-Batia, Israel; Okab N. D. Daraghma - Tubas, West Bank; Ibrahim M. A. Jaffal - Abu Dees, West Bank
The mayors initially did introductions and talked a little bit about the towns/cities that they represent and what they are famous for. For example, Mayor Abdalmashi talked about how Beit Sahour is famous for the civil disobedience that its' citizens practiced in the first intifada. After that, they talked about how the trip has been so far, which was really interesting because talk about a tense set-up situation. 10 mayors in total from opposite sides of one of the most historically divisive conflicts ever traveling together for two weeks going in and out of meetings talking about the "right" way to govern their municipalities. But surprisingly, they were really frank about it. They said, indeed in the beginning it was very hard, especially when the hostilities on the Lebanese Border and in Gaza broke out on the 2nd day they were in the States. However, that they had built a mutual understanding as the trip went on becuase they all face some of the same problems! Some of them have plans to visit each others cities, one of the Arab mayors with one of the Jewish mayors wants to built a kindergarten together founded in the principles of peace.
Then they each talked about some of the issues facing their cities: huge percentages of unemployment with no help in sight, the inability to pay regular municipal wages, belief by their constiuents that the mayors have "magic wands," roadblocks and constant conflict present problems for economic stability, lack or resouces (especially in the Arab towns) such as electricity and basic supplies, ways to improve education like scholarships, lack of a draw for investors, no politicaly stability, etc.
Wow. It's so easy to look at the political situation or the front page conflict and forget that each of those front page stories: Hizbollah bombs hit Haifa, Israel bombs Beirut airport, rockets hitting towns all over northern Israel, Israeli defense actions devastating a city that was just beginning to recover from a civil war...they are all terrible things in and of themselves. They breed fear and misunderstanding, cause hatred and continue the cycle of violence. Yet, they also prevent people from rebuilding their lives, developing their economies, educating their children, building a generation that could perhaps bring peace.
The mayors are right - they are the closest elected representatives to the people of Israel and Palestine, they are the ones that deal with the problems created by their governments' choices. They are the ones that have to slowly help their socieities rebuild. And 10 of them gave to the US to talk about the best ways to govern their cities and built a foundation of understanding with each other along the way. That's amazing. For one of the Arab mayors, this was the first time that he had met with Israelis...for one of the Israelis this was the first time he gave merit to political problem-solving beyond his military experience.
The moderator commented that this State Dept. program was American dollars well spent. Amen.
The mayors present were: Walid Ahmad Issa Abbadi - Ya'bad, West Bank; Hani N. A. Abdalmashi - Beit Sahour, West Bank; Yaron Ben-Nun - Gedera, Israel; Meir Dahan - Maskeret-Batia, Israel; Okab N. D. Daraghma - Tubas, West Bank; Ibrahim M. A. Jaffal - Abu Dees, West Bank
The mayors initially did introductions and talked a little bit about the towns/cities that they represent and what they are famous for. For example, Mayor Abdalmashi talked about how Beit Sahour is famous for the civil disobedience that its' citizens practiced in the first intifada. After that, they talked about how the trip has been so far, which was really interesting because talk about a tense set-up situation. 10 mayors in total from opposite sides of one of the most historically divisive conflicts ever traveling together for two weeks going in and out of meetings talking about the "right" way to govern their municipalities. But surprisingly, they were really frank about it. They said, indeed in the beginning it was very hard, especially when the hostilities on the Lebanese Border and in Gaza broke out on the 2nd day they were in the States. However, that they had built a mutual understanding as the trip went on becuase they all face some of the same problems! Some of them have plans to visit each others cities, one of the Arab mayors with one of the Jewish mayors wants to built a kindergarten together founded in the principles of peace.
Then they each talked about some of the issues facing their cities: huge percentages of unemployment with no help in sight, the inability to pay regular municipal wages, belief by their constiuents that the mayors have "magic wands," roadblocks and constant conflict present problems for economic stability, lack or resouces (especially in the Arab towns) such as electricity and basic supplies, ways to improve education like scholarships, lack of a draw for investors, no politicaly stability, etc.
Wow. It's so easy to look at the political situation or the front page conflict and forget that each of those front page stories: Hizbollah bombs hit Haifa, Israel bombs Beirut airport, rockets hitting towns all over northern Israel, Israeli defense actions devastating a city that was just beginning to recover from a civil war...they are all terrible things in and of themselves. They breed fear and misunderstanding, cause hatred and continue the cycle of violence. Yet, they also prevent people from rebuilding their lives, developing their economies, educating their children, building a generation that could perhaps bring peace.
The mayors are right - they are the closest elected representatives to the people of Israel and Palestine, they are the ones that deal with the problems created by their governments' choices. They are the ones that have to slowly help their socieities rebuild. And 10 of them gave to the US to talk about the best ways to govern their cities and built a foundation of understanding with each other along the way. That's amazing. For one of the Arab mayors, this was the first time that he had met with Israelis...for one of the Israelis this was the first time he gave merit to political problem-solving beyond his military experience.
The moderator commented that this State Dept. program was American dollars well spent. Amen.
At the beginnging of the evening, the new provost at the University gave a speech about UIndy's committment to international education...while that is still shaky ground in my view, it does point to one important note for fixing the world's problems. Education is one of the foundational elements to bring about positive change. There is no way to deny it. And it can't happen on a big level, it has to happen on a small level, a community level...like Mar Elias. Like the exchange program that, despite all its' flaws, exist here at the University of Indianapolis. It has to happen on a student-to student, teacher-to-student, community-to-student level. It takes so many people to bring about this fundamental change. No one ever said you could save the world alone.
The question is: is this where I should concentrate my efforts?
Also, a cool note...there are international organizations in Indianapolis??? Apparently, they all collaborated on this event...gasp!!!
International Center of Indianapolis
Peace Learning Center
Sagamore Institute for Policy Research
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