Closing Pandora's Box

Last week I watched 3 excellent films; all of which I had seen multiple times before but thought I’d relive their awesomeness. On Tuesday I watched Mississippi Burning, on Wednesday it was American History X and on Thursday I watched Schindler's list with a friend.

(Click on the thumbnails to see the trailer for the movie)

On Tuesday last week I also turned on the radio after months. I was bored of waiting for the boiler man to come (they have such flexible appointment times). It wasn’t music I was after as I had already blasted my ears enough that day. I tuned into London’s Biggest Conversation (LBC) which is a discussion station regarding everything and nothing, ranging from why insects go round in circles around light bulbs to whether getting shat on by a bird is actually good luck. That particular day the topic of discussion was how to stop terrorism in the light of the admission by the Home Sectary, Theresa May, that the prevent program aimed at curbing radicalisation among young persons is not working as well as it could be. The presenter asked a member of the anti-terror think tank whether all types of extremism had a religious founding. The reply was:

No, I don’t think so. We all need justification for our actions and beliefs. Some people find it in religion, some people in anti-Islamism and some people find it in racism. Take for example the EDL, BNP, IRA, organisations that base their extremist ideas on politics.

Earlier this year, the following article appeared in the news:

On my first day of university (6^th October 2008 – yeah I remember it very well) I was feeling the standard emotions that one feels in such a big place surrounded by hundreds of new faces; the anxiety with a tinge of fear, but most of all the excitement. I remember sitting on the floor in the large lecture theatre listening to the various introductory welcome speeches because all the seats were full. I remember the first place we went after that was down into the depths of the medical school into the Dissection Room (DR). There was no rancid smell of decomposing dead bodies but instead the strong potent odour of formaldehyde (used to preserve the cadavers) penetrated one’s nostrils and caused itching of some people’s eyes. The room was brightly lit and one would not have assumed this was a room full of death. There were 18 metal tables arranged in 2 rows, each containing something covered by a green plastic. A skinless hand was hanging down out of the green plastic on one of the tables and I guessed then what we were just about to witness. As we entered the room, we were assigned a table by which to wait until everyone was assembled. After a short wait, a voice rang out from the speakers. “Hello and welcome to the Dissection Room. You should all have a demonstrator who will give you an introduction to the work done down here, safety precautions and the rules of the DR.” The green plastic was lifted up, the soaking towels were removed and there it was lying before us. A few people gasped, another person fainted and fell. A skinless dead face with an eye ball missing stared up at us.

At the end of the DR session I was washing my hands, trying to get rid of all the dead body juice when someone walked into me. After the apologies, and introductions, it transpired he was from Pakistan, having come to the UK only a few years ago. We got talking, went for lunch together (it was chicken at Amal’s) and that’s when we started talking about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This initiated a heated discussion on terrorism during which I made a side comment about the idiots who go round blowing themselves up and taking the lives of countless innocent civilians. It was then that I realised the guy I was talking to was ‘pro’ all the things I was anti; suicide bombing, indiscriminate killings and sacrificing one’s life and dragging down a dozen other people with you. Oh and he was a right pervert, with a mind that rotated around sex. Not just natural sex either (don’t even bother asking).

Having watched American History X, and looking back on the events of that day I’ve come to realise a few things. Extremist ‘recruiters’ play with your emotions. They make you feel angry, hurt, cheated on, uncared for and then exploit those feelings. In the film, Derek’s (played by Edward Norton) mentality transforms into that of a racist after his father tells him how ‘affirmative black action’ means that jobs are being given to black people not because they are the best at something, but to fill numbers. He quotes an example from his work where a black man was given a job for which a white man had better qualifications. He put forward his point in a subtle manner but it had a lasting effect on young Derek’s mind. When the father, a fireman, was killed, Derek blamed all the country’s problems on immigrants; ‘blacks, browns, yellow whatever.’ In response to the reporter asking what this has to do with anything, Derek replies, ‘Because my father was murdered doing his job!Putting out a fire in a fucking nigger neighbourhood he shouldn’t be giving a shit about. He got shot by a fucking drug dealer who probably collects a welfare check!’ In the same way, that guy I met on the first day of university tried to rouse my anger at America and Britain by twisting his words so that the killing of Muslims looked as if it was the killing of my own family. Organisations such as the BNP use issues like immigration and spread false information about certain peoples to rouse the emotions of the native population, who, as a result of which feel under threat. Once the seed of hate is sown, the tree flourishes and grows strong very quickly.

*****

But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And if you hatin’ you’re bound to get irate
Yeah madness is what you demonstrate
And that’s exactly how anger works and operates
You gotta have love to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love y’all.
(Where is the love – Black Eyed Peas)

- END OF PART 1 -

To be continued (Click here to read part 2)…

I was YouTubing and came across this video. Do you ever feel like your mother treats you like this? It’s sicccccck bladddd! Man tells of his relationship wid his mum.

Something to make you laugh if you’re having a boring day. :)

If you enjoyed that, watch the next one!

Wagwan taliban!…dere’s still that connection init, I feel the tingling in ma bum init.

Life’s a gift, so appreciate it and thank Allah.

Have a lovely day, for you wont get another chance. Smile, and make others smile.

Before the rising of the golden sun,

Let me decorate each of its rays with happiness, prosperity, laughter and fun.

This is more than just an Eid wish; more than a message too,

For it comes with warm and loving thoughts meant for your loved ones and you.

Eid Mubarak to all the readers.

=] x

In year 9 we went on a history trip to Belgium where we visited museums, war memorials and cemeteries of many different countries. Just before getting on the coach to come back to London we stopped at the Menin Gate, a memorial dedicated to the British and Commonwealth soldiers that were killed in the Ypres Salient of World War I. The citizens of the town wanted to express their gratitude for those that had given their lives for the sake of Belgium’s Freedom and so each night, starting in 1927 when it was opened, buglers from the local fire brigade close the road that passes under the Gate and sound ‘The Last Post’. Even today this solemn ceremony takes place.

On Thursday I re-watched the film Schindler’s List which reminded me of the horrors of the Second World War and the grave injustices committed against humanity. Today’s world would have been so much different if it were not for those countless men and women who sacrificed their lives for the sake of world peace. Can you even begin to imagine the suffering? It is for that reason we remember, lest we should forget. How do you show your gratitude?

(There was a second half to this, but I’ve decided to post that later otherwise this would have become too long).

Don’t leave it till tomorrow for tomorrow doesn’t exist. Those people who say they will do it tomorrow never usually get round to doing it. You don’t know what could happen tomorrow so do it (or say it) when you have the chance – My mother.

You have probably heard something along the same lines as the quote above. In your case it may also have been a parent, a carer, a friend or Mr I talk inspiration on the TV. Therefore I’m not going to say much about it but will leave you a beautiful poem I came across today:

If I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly, and pray the Lord your soul to keep.
If I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss, and call you back for just one more.

If I knew it would be the last time I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would tape each word and action, and play them back throughout my days
If I knew it would be the last time, I would spare an extra minute or two,
To stop and say "I love you," instead of assuming you know I do.

So just in case tomorrow never comes, and today is all I get,
I'd like to say how much I love you, and I hope we never will forget.
Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow, why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes, you'll surely regret the day
That you didn't take that extra time for a smile, a hug, or a kiss,
And you were too busy to grant someone, what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today, and whisper in their ear,
That you love them very much, and you'll always hold them dear.
Take time to say "I'm sorry," "Please forgive me," "thank you" or "it's okay".
And if tomorrow never comes, you'll have no regrets about today.

If tomorrow never comes – Norma Marek

*****

Recently, someone asked me to write a post dedicated to my friends. This is for you; you who I see at uni every week, you who used to remind me to eat badaam (almonds) in the mornings, you who I met on valentine's day so many years ago, you whose BMW is the envy of many men, you who I shall talk to on that park bench one day, you who are new and you and you and you.

I’ve always loved sitting outside talking to the stars. Charley and I did it quite often. We would share our secrets, our hopes and our dreams sitting there covered in the silvery blanket of the stars and the moon.

“Every night I go to bed, I look at the stars and wish that one day I could just reach out and touch one of them,” she said with a glint in her eye. A glint of hope, of want and of a dream.

*****

When we were young we had many dreams. Some of us dreamed to be cowboys chasing bad guys on horseback, some of dreamed to be power rangers using kick-ass moves to save the planet from evil aliens, some of us dreamed to be train drivers flying on land, some of dreamed to be pilots gracefully roaming the air like birds, whereas others dreamed to be trees (yeah that was me, don’t ask). As we grew older and saw more of what the world had to offer our dreams changed.

Are dreams just for little children? It’s easy for us to believe, and many of us do, that the person sitting next to us in biology class would be an excellent surgeon, the cousin who breaks all his toys will one day be a skilful engineer and the neighbour’s little girl who can so convincingly change her mood will one day be a famous actor. But why do we never think ‘that could be me’? Our mind never happens to cross the path of aspiring. Believing in a dream is hard work. You don’t have to tell me about it. It is just so much easier do to nothing. But what if there comes a time when you can no longer do nothing?

People who really dream never give up, no matter how many legs are stuck out in front of them. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start again. It’s like an obsession which clouds their vision and whatever they do, is a small step to fulfilling that dream. Whether it be passing exams with good grades, buying a cosy little house in a peaceful area, earning a promotion or just resolving a few family issues, no dream is too small to pursue.

Dreams are so fragile, like the dew drops on a rose. There are some dreams which we chase on our own, from which we get fame, glory or money. There are those dreams that can only be achieved with the combined effort and power of a number of dreamers, for example those dreams that are remembered in the annals of history. Most dreams require a finger to hold onto, guidance of where to go, they need to be nurtured. It is these dreams that require a dreamer like you and others to lead, encourage and give them hope. Those dreamers who make it a life ambition to pursue their dreams, become a Nelson Mandela, a Mother Teresa, a Martin Luther King, a Princess Diana etc. People like the ones I have mentioned have a great power, and that is their belief.

The scene below is from one of my favourite films, ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ in which the father tells his son the importance of believing in and pursuing one’s dreams despite what others may say.

Though Charley passed away at the beginning of this year, I still go our special place and share my secrets with the beautiful stars and like before, the stars quietly listen. The stars are like a repository for dreams. With each dream that is shared with them, they become brighter and even more beautiful. The heavens are full of the dreams shared by countless people over the millennia.  Your dream could be residing in the same star as the dream of Mahatma Ghandi after he was thrown off a train in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. The real question is, he had a dream and he pursued it but will you pursue yours or will you leave your dream to wither away like a dead flower?

If you ever feel your hopes and dreams slipping away and you need some reason or some hope then this following PowerPoint may give you inspiration. It was emailed to me by my dad.

Click here to download

Because all our lives are variations on just a few themes, and all our questions, our hopes and fears and joys and sorrows, so similar, I can enter imaginatively into your world and your vulnerability as you can enter into mine. And we can exercise, compassion, a compassion born of empathy. Both words are synonyms for love, by which I don’t mean a romantic feeling but the readiness to give proper attention to whoever or whatever is before our eyes. – Michael Mayne.

A month or so ago, I posted an article from BBC news about the cost of love. It was looking at the ‘not so great’ aspects of love, such as blindness leading to being used, drifting apart and forgetting. You can read that article here. While reading the news this morning I came across the article above (click here) which cites research that has shown love can act like a painkiller and reduce the effects of pain. Seeing a picture of a loved one or thinking about them has a somewhat euphoric effect. Professor Paul Gilbert says, “It’s important to recognise that people who feel alone and depressed may have very low pain thresholds, whereas the reverse can be true for people who feel secure and cared for.” Nicely said prof.

Life’s fun with one, way better with two .

*****

Here’s another article I came across written by a clinical psychologist who actively believes in talking to her patients over the phone as a way of helping them deal with their problems. Though this article is written from a healthcare stance, I think it applies to everyone and talking to someone whether they be a doctor, psychologist, friend or family is something we could all benefit from.