I had the good fortune of meeting an authentic Scotsman a few years back. He, and another friend from the hinterlands of north England, introduced me, some years ago, to the marvel that is Burns' Night.
For those unfamiliar, Robbie Burns was a late 18th Century Scottish poet whose most familiar work is probably "Auld Lang Syne." After he died in 1796, several of his friends gathered the next year to remember him. Over the Centuries, that gathering has been repeated and expanded into an annual "Burns' Night Supper" in which all those with Scottish heritage (and those who wish they had) gather to eat haggis, drink single malt Scotch Whisky, and reflect upon the man and the work that was Robbie Burns.
I've been in Japan for three consecutive Burns' Nights now (January 25, his birthday) and have been missing the tradition (not many Scots in Japan). But, when I discussed the tradition with my housemate last year, he recommended a pub in Machida that included haggis on its menu. So, this year, I organized a low-key Burns Night Supper at that pub. My point in writing today is to share my toast to "The Immortal Memory" of Robbie Burns. I hope you find something in it to improve your day.
"Robbie Burns was poetic, political, and perhaps most importantly, Pictish (that is, Scottish).
Now, if you ask anybody, the Scots are known for one thing only....
Braveheart. :-D
Well, perhaps they are known for two things:
Haggis and Scotch Whisky. :-)
But, seriously, I think it is true to say that the Scots are known for two things: Bravely venturing far from their homes; and yet never truly leaving it behind.
As a result, the Scots/Irish have left their indelible mark all over the world.
For example, even here in Japan, we have...
MacDonald's. :-D
But, truly, the Scots/Irish have been responsible for many advances in World Exploration and Science, and in Politics and the Arts.
Perhaps it is due to the Centuries of living the harsh life that results from existing in a rocky and mountainous and unforgiving land, that always seemed to be at the fringes of a greater empire like Rome or England. Ths is not unlike the history of the people among which I now live. As Japan too is a mountainous and unforgiving land, seemingly always at the fringes of the Mongol Golden Horde, or China.
For both the Japanese, and the Scots/Irish, living always at the fine edge of survival, perhaps the generations were able to build a shared cultural understanding of the necessity to be aware of, respect, and love the land and environment that both supported and also challenged their daily existence. And also to be aware of, respect, and love the friends and families that performed the same.
This is something that connects all of us with each other, and with Robbie Burns.
Many of us here tonight (and reading this blog) have left our native home lands to live, or to work, or to explore. And we share that same awareness, respect, and love of both nature and our fellow humans, whether in our work, or in our hobbies, or in both.
So, tonight, I ask us all to raise our glass in a toast to the author who, in a short lifetime, was able to put to words the feelings and yearnings of a nation, and also the feelings and yearnings of all of us here tonight.
Sláinte!"
Monday, January 29, 2018
Sunday, January 21, 2018
Life, Liberty, and Solidarity
This past weekend saw millions of people demonstrating in support of equitable treatment for all human beings. On Sunday, the second annual Women's March was held, both in Washington and in cities nationwide, calling attention to the inequities in how our current society teats with women, shining a light on the many ways that women are often demeaned in our shared culture. On Saturday, the 45th annual Right to Life March was held in Washington DC (in some cities nationwide, local marches were held the previous weekend, calling attention to inequities in how our current society teats with its most vulnerable members: the unborn, the disabled, and the unwell, shining a light on a throwaway culture that is increasingly viewing a human's life not as intrinsically valuable, but only valuable in terms of its utility to society.
That so many people are energized to stand up to speak out against these inequities should be a source of great pride in the human condition. However, it saddens me to reflect on the fact that a great number of the people marching at one of these two events this weekend would not want to be caught dead at the other. But, as I mentioned at my outset, both of these movements have at their hearts a common desire to see that all human beings are treated with equal dignity.
Movements like that embodied by the Women's March stem partly from a reaction to the lingering view in our society that there are clear and specific roles for both men and women to play. At a time when child mortality rates were so high that a family size approaching double digits was the only was to ensure a fully functional farm, or a reliable retirement residence, this view proved to be beneficial in the long term. But, in an era of negative population growth, this is less of a survival requirement and more of a personal choice. Let us all stand in solidarity with those women whom have for too long been treated as objects rather than as human beings.
Movements like that embodied by the Right to Life March stem partly from a reaction to the growing view in our society that a human is only worthwhile insofar as that human has value to society. Hence, minorities, the poor, and immigrants all are ignored at best; labeled as parasites of government largess at worst. Hence, unexpectedly or imperfectly conceived children (that is, afflicted with genetic or physical abnormality) are discarded. In an era when the harm done by treating our natural environment as a consumable quantity, it is hard to understand how we treat our fellow humans as equally disposable. Let us all stand in solidarity with those children whom have for too long been treated as possessions rather than as human beings.
The Right to Life March and the Women's March both stand forth proudly, championing the rights upon which this nation was founded nearly 250 years ago. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all [humans] are created equal, that they are endowed ... with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." That is, that all human beings, regardless of their perceived worth to society (which is always in a state of flux), have a right to live their lives, and to determine for themselves what their role in the Universe will be. These two movements share so much in common at their fundamental level, representing as they do the right to life and the right to liberty. It seems poetic justice that they now seemed destined to be held every year in the same weekend.
Yet, today, the proponents of the Right to Life March largely identify themselves as Republican, while the proponents of the Women's March largely identify themselves as Democrat. Both parties claim to be the champion for human dignity, following the separate arguments above; but truthfully, neither Party can own that mantle. For all the good policy that the Democratic Party follows in supporting many disadvantaged populations, a person who truly believes that every human being possesses an intrinsic, unalienable dignity cannot simply close one's eyes and ears to the disproportional rates at which minorities, the poor, and the disabled are aborted. For all the Pro-Life policy in the Republican Party platform, a person who truly believes that every human being possesses an intrinsic, unalienable dignity cannot simply close one's eyes and ears to the refugees, the immigrants (legal or not), and the poor who are left with little or no help to survive and advance in this "great" country.
The truth is, neither the Democratic Party nor the Republican Party care a whit about human dignity, life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness. The newest government shutdown demonstrates this point yet again. Both sides have been more interested in playing their political pawns for votes in the next election, than they have been interested in sitting down and arriving at a solution, however flawed, however compromised.
But, there is a growing political Party out there that does recognize the intrinsic, unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, that all humans possess. It is called the American Solidarity Party, and I encourage you to check them out (https://solidarity-party.org/)
That so many people are energized to stand up to speak out against these inequities should be a source of great pride in the human condition. However, it saddens me to reflect on the fact that a great number of the people marching at one of these two events this weekend would not want to be caught dead at the other. But, as I mentioned at my outset, both of these movements have at their hearts a common desire to see that all human beings are treated with equal dignity.
Movements like that embodied by the Women's March stem partly from a reaction to the lingering view in our society that there are clear and specific roles for both men and women to play. At a time when child mortality rates were so high that a family size approaching double digits was the only was to ensure a fully functional farm, or a reliable retirement residence, this view proved to be beneficial in the long term. But, in an era of negative population growth, this is less of a survival requirement and more of a personal choice. Let us all stand in solidarity with those women whom have for too long been treated as objects rather than as human beings.
Movements like that embodied by the Right to Life March stem partly from a reaction to the growing view in our society that a human is only worthwhile insofar as that human has value to society. Hence, minorities, the poor, and immigrants all are ignored at best; labeled as parasites of government largess at worst. Hence, unexpectedly or imperfectly conceived children (that is, afflicted with genetic or physical abnormality) are discarded. In an era when the harm done by treating our natural environment as a consumable quantity, it is hard to understand how we treat our fellow humans as equally disposable. Let us all stand in solidarity with those children whom have for too long been treated as possessions rather than as human beings.
The Right to Life March and the Women's March both stand forth proudly, championing the rights upon which this nation was founded nearly 250 years ago. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all [humans] are created equal, that they are endowed ... with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." That is, that all human beings, regardless of their perceived worth to society (which is always in a state of flux), have a right to live their lives, and to determine for themselves what their role in the Universe will be. These two movements share so much in common at their fundamental level, representing as they do the right to life and the right to liberty. It seems poetic justice that they now seemed destined to be held every year in the same weekend.
Yet, today, the proponents of the Right to Life March largely identify themselves as Republican, while the proponents of the Women's March largely identify themselves as Democrat. Both parties claim to be the champion for human dignity, following the separate arguments above; but truthfully, neither Party can own that mantle. For all the good policy that the Democratic Party follows in supporting many disadvantaged populations, a person who truly believes that every human being possesses an intrinsic, unalienable dignity cannot simply close one's eyes and ears to the disproportional rates at which minorities, the poor, and the disabled are aborted. For all the Pro-Life policy in the Republican Party platform, a person who truly believes that every human being possesses an intrinsic, unalienable dignity cannot simply close one's eyes and ears to the refugees, the immigrants (legal or not), and the poor who are left with little or no help to survive and advance in this "great" country.
The truth is, neither the Democratic Party nor the Republican Party care a whit about human dignity, life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness. The newest government shutdown demonstrates this point yet again. Both sides have been more interested in playing their political pawns for votes in the next election, than they have been interested in sitting down and arriving at a solution, however flawed, however compromised.
But, there is a growing political Party out there that does recognize the intrinsic, unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, that all humans possess. It is called the American Solidarity Party, and I encourage you to check them out (https://solidarity-party.org/)
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