Today’s the day!

Ok, here’s what I’ve been, and will be, meditating on as I knit today. I’ve been knitting in every possible spare moment.

As we lawyers are fond of saying, including but not limited to:

1. A lasting solution in Israel, whereby everyone can live in peace and dignity;

2. Religious freedom for Tibetans;

3. An end to the war in Iraq and an honest restructuring of the Iraqi infrastructure;

4. An end to the misery in Darfur;

5. Understanding within my family for different views and different ways of doing things.

What are you thinking about today?

The real price of real estate

China, which plans to take the Olympic torch over Mt. Everest in Tibet, is banning climbers from scaling Everest this spring for fear that Tibetan rights activists will disrupt the plans for the torch. Critics of this route say that it is a way for China to bolster its claim to Tibet.

The colonization/displacement/religious suppression of indigenous peoples and religious minorities lies at the root of much suffering and war in this world. From Native Americans to Tibetans, from the Palestinians to the Sami, the same history of oppression for the sake of real estate has been masked in the cloak of religion or political creed or modernisation (or all of the above). We can get past this–witness the progress in Northern Ireland, but it takes courage of people on all levels of society, the courage of the oppressed to say “no, we won’t accept this” and the courage of those in whose name the oppression is being practiced to say “no, you may not do this in my name”.

I lift my knitting needles today to the courageous monks of Tibet.

Today’s knitting–another sweater I made for B, in that wonderful Morjärv yarn. I can’t get enough of this soft, colorful, durable yarn. My tip on knitting for fussy men without boring yourself to death–cast on with color A, knit a row, rib in main color, do a border pattern in color A and then the rest of the sweater in main color. Cast on the sleeves in color A, knit one row and then continue in the main color.

A sad anniversary

Tibetans throughout the world marched today to mark the 49th anniversary of the Tibetan revolt that resulted in the exile of the Dalai Lama. Tibetans can’t hang a picture of the Dalai Lama in their homes; if you’re found with his picture, you’re forced to step on it. Monks in Tibet can’t mention the Dalai Lama’s name.

I can’t help but think of Marranos, who in 15th century Spain and Portugal were forced to convert to Catholicism and hide their Judaism underground. Or persecution by Protestants of Catholics during the English Reformation or vice versa during the Counter Reformation. Or the persecution of pagans in a multitude of cultures. And that’s just what I can think of off the top of my head.

Close your eyes. Imagine universal religious freedom.

Knitting today–got my Options! Get Knitted in the UK always sends along a lollypop and a pen when you order. Both are now sitting in my desk drawer, waiting for tomorrow. The needles, however, need only wait until I’m done with this blog entry. Here I come……