This weekend was at least one day that I had to remove myself from the political dissonance of the last two weeks. The Easter holiday, it seems, needed to be a time to focus on something more meaningful than the posturing emanating at both the state and national levels, some of it, ironically enough, in the name of religion and patriotism.
My wife and I drove to Potomac, Maryland, where we rendezvoused with our children and our grandkids to celebrate this joyous feast. There comes a time when an American has to call a timeout and pay attention to matters other than government and politics. For us, Easter is one of those times.
I hope that those of you who profess the Christian tradition as your claim to faith had a weekend of good will. It’s just as important to extend the spirit of Sunday’s celebration to all sincere people of faith in the Bridgewater area, however different that tradition may be. Even to those of good will with no particular faith conviction.
In the words of the Irish bard, “May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back.”
Monday, March 24, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
This Week’s Friday is not a “Rockin’” One
On Monday, March 17, the Courier News published a front-page story about Good Friday. I’m sure that the newspaper had good intentions. I also suspect that someone there must have been embarrassed. At least I hope someone was embarrassed. On the front page, picture and all, was a lead story describing how churches were planning to add an “entertainment value during Holy Week.”
The primary headline in bold letters, just above that lead-in, read, “Have a rockin’ Good Friday.” Now I don’t know your thoughts on this matter, but I think I can safely say that Jesus had anything but a “rockin’ Good Friday.” Even the non-religious would probably agree that hanging on a cross for endless hours is not conducive to the best of times. The Romans themselves thought this form of punishment to be so extreme and cruel that it was outlawed for all Roman citizens.
I’m not a prude, and I’m well aware of the statistics which show that most traditional, mainline Christian churches have lost millions of members in the last few decades. I support the notion that Christian denominations should do all they reasonably can to attract new membership. But reducing the description of one of the most sacred days in the Christian calendar to a “rockin’ Good Friday” is not the way to get there.
Despite that, I think that some prudent editor must have caught this awkwardness, because the online edition of the same story did not carry the print edition’s designation. Thank goodness for good sense.
Let’s reserve the rockin’ celebration for Easter.
The primary headline in bold letters, just above that lead-in, read, “Have a rockin’ Good Friday.” Now I don’t know your thoughts on this matter, but I think I can safely say that Jesus had anything but a “rockin’ Good Friday.” Even the non-religious would probably agree that hanging on a cross for endless hours is not conducive to the best of times. The Romans themselves thought this form of punishment to be so extreme and cruel that it was outlawed for all Roman citizens.
I’m not a prude, and I’m well aware of the statistics which show that most traditional, mainline Christian churches have lost millions of members in the last few decades. I support the notion that Christian denominations should do all they reasonably can to attract new membership. But reducing the description of one of the most sacred days in the Christian calendar to a “rockin’ Good Friday” is not the way to get there.
Despite that, I think that some prudent editor must have caught this awkwardness, because the online edition of the same story did not carry the print edition’s designation. Thank goodness for good sense.
Let’s reserve the rockin’ celebration for Easter.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Courier Columnists
The Courier News has several good paid columnists. One of those is the recent addition of Jay Jefferson Cooke, new to the newspaper’s staff.
I remember when, in the early 1990’s, Carol Hunter and her husband, Tom Perry, were a team on the C-N. Carol rose to the rank of editor (close enough, I can’t remember her exact title!), while Tom wrote columns. Those were hectic days, especially in Bridgewater and Raritan, where things got hot on the Board of Education. Today, when that happens, hardly anyone takes notice, because there is no continuous coverage of what goes on there – a place where most of the township’s and borough’s real estate tax dollars are spent.
Back then, both the Courier News and the Star Ledger (even the weekly Messenger-Gazette) had dedicated reporters attending just about every meeting. It’s a situation that kept the voting public and parents very informed. Now, the school board and administration hardly get any attention, because there is rarely anyone on the scene.
Tom Perry’s columns often referred to the goings-on in school affairs and in local politics. He was very good at it. He named names and got his facts right. He was a straight-shooting columnist who felt responsible for what he wrote and was generally respected by his readers.
Jay Jefferson Cooke’s columns are more personal, and very different in style from those of Tom Perry, but both guys (ditto for Michael Riley) share the same quality of good writing which comes from the heart, the gut and the intelligence. That doesn’t mean that a person always will agree with such a writer. But it usually assures that the reader will be drawn to what such people write and will give the topic some consideration.
I missed Tom’s columns after his departure. Although Cooke's subject matter is somewhat different, he helps to pick up the slack.
I remember when, in the early 1990’s, Carol Hunter and her husband, Tom Perry, were a team on the C-N. Carol rose to the rank of editor (close enough, I can’t remember her exact title!), while Tom wrote columns. Those were hectic days, especially in Bridgewater and Raritan, where things got hot on the Board of Education. Today, when that happens, hardly anyone takes notice, because there is no continuous coverage of what goes on there – a place where most of the township’s and borough’s real estate tax dollars are spent.
Back then, both the Courier News and the Star Ledger (even the weekly Messenger-Gazette) had dedicated reporters attending just about every meeting. It’s a situation that kept the voting public and parents very informed. Now, the school board and administration hardly get any attention, because there is rarely anyone on the scene.
Tom Perry’s columns often referred to the goings-on in school affairs and in local politics. He was very good at it. He named names and got his facts right. He was a straight-shooting columnist who felt responsible for what he wrote and was generally respected by his readers.
Jay Jefferson Cooke’s columns are more personal, and very different in style from those of Tom Perry, but both guys (ditto for Michael Riley) share the same quality of good writing which comes from the heart, the gut and the intelligence. That doesn’t mean that a person always will agree with such a writer. But it usually assures that the reader will be drawn to what such people write and will give the topic some consideration.
I missed Tom’s columns after his departure. Although Cooke's subject matter is somewhat different, he helps to pick up the slack.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Iraq the Ungrateful
This is a story that you can expect not to read much about, or to see analyzed in depth on cable news networks and prime time television: In a disgusting display of cowardice and extreme prejudice, terrorists in Iraq are responsible for the death of Chaldean Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho who was kidnapped in Mosul, Iraq on February 29.
According to an Associated Press report, Rahho was “the second most senior Catholic cleric in Iraq. " In the same dispatch, “President Bush, the Pope and Iraq's prime minister condemned Rahho's kidnapping,” and “U.S. officials in Baghdad called it 'one more savage attempt by a barbaric enemy to sow strife and discord.'”
The Chaldean Church has had a presence in the land that is now Iraq since the 2nd Century, well before the time of the Prophet Muhammad, who was born around 570 A.D.
Before the steady sectarian crackdown on Christians in Iraq after the second U.S.-led invasion, Chaldeans comprised about 550,000 of Iraq’s estimated 700,000 Christians. Since then, there has been a vast exodus of Christians from Iraq, estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands. Some observers believe that the remainder may be forced to go underground to assure its minority survival.
Is this the kind of democracy we can continue to expect from our Iraqi “allies?”
According to an Associated Press report, Rahho was “the second most senior Catholic cleric in Iraq. " In the same dispatch, “President Bush, the Pope and Iraq's prime minister condemned Rahho's kidnapping,” and “U.S. officials in Baghdad called it 'one more savage attempt by a barbaric enemy to sow strife and discord.'”
The Chaldean Church has had a presence in the land that is now Iraq since the 2nd Century, well before the time of the Prophet Muhammad, who was born around 570 A.D.
Before the steady sectarian crackdown on Christians in Iraq after the second U.S.-led invasion, Chaldeans comprised about 550,000 of Iraq’s estimated 700,000 Christians. Since then, there has been a vast exodus of Christians from Iraq, estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands. Some observers believe that the remainder may be forced to go underground to assure its minority survival.
Is this the kind of democracy we can continue to expect from our Iraqi “allies?”
Friday, March 14, 2008
Ace is the Place
Thursday afternoon, on my way home from a couple of appointments, I stopped by Post Hardware on Route 22 East in Bridgewater, just across from the Bridgewater Commons Mall. I needed to get a few bags of salt for the water softener.While approaching the entrance, I noticed the ubiquitous window ads that highlight a revolving selection of sale items which Post Hardware always features. One in particular caught my eyes -- that of an entrance mat.
If you’re in need of a new medium-sized outdoor mat, are environmentally conscious, and always keep an eye out for a good buy, this one may fit your needs. It’s an 18''x30'' decorative mat made in California from materials 100% recycled in the U.S. The non-skid base is made of crumb rubber from old tires.
Ever wonder what happens to the leftover shells when you buy bags of shelled walnuts at the local grocer or at a Costco? In this case, they are ground up and blended into the recycled rubber base to form a non-skid gritty surface. Pretty ingenious. Oh, and the price? The sticker reads $21.99, but it’s being sold for $9.99
Note: For a pictorial view of Post Hardware’s location, see http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&q=post+hardware,&near=Bridgewater,+NJ&fb=1&view=map&cd=1&hl=en
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