Borders & Ordinary People: Can Democracy Survive?

(M.A. Reilly)

"Almost all borders have been imposed and maintained by violence, and are quite arbitrary," writes Noam Chomsky in the article, Who Owns the Earth?

I.

(M.A. Reilly, 2014)

It's hard not to think about borders these days as we wind our way to the end of summer 2014--a summer that is steeped in blood, difference, and distance.  I spent the summer making collages (here and here) each day based on the reported news, most often as found in the New York Times. 

I can barely bring myself to read that paper these days. Most days now, I do not.

Tonight I'm thinking about the women of Gaza and Israel and wondering whether love can ever be strong enough to heal such pain, such wrongness.  The mother of one of the Israeli teens who was killed last June, Rachel Fraenkel, spoke out  against some of the violence that has been committed in the name of vengeance for her son:

Even in the abyss of mourning for Gil-Ad, Eyal and Naftali, it is difficult for me to describe how distressed we are by the outrage committed in Jerusalem – the shedding of innocent blood in defiance of all morality, of the Torah, of the foundation of the lives of our boys and of all of us in this country. 

Only the murderers of our sons, along with those who sent them and those who helped them and incited them to murder – and not innocent people – will be brought to justice: by the army, the police, and the judiciary; not by vigilantes. 

No mother or father should ever have to go through what we are going through, and we share the pain of Mohammed’s parents. The legacy of Naftali, Gil-Ad and Eyal is one of love, of humanity, of national unity, and of integrity. (From here)

I wonder what she thinks now, months later given the death toll in Gaza and the arrest of the six boys from the racist soccer team, La Familia, who are suspects in the 'revenge' murder of 16-year-old Muhammed Abu Khudair, a Palestinian child who was beaten and set on fire by the Israeli youths.  

These are borders we make that break us.


II.

(M.A. Reilly, 2014)

Tonight I am thinking about US women and the social and personal borders the Supreme Court has erected in their ongoing decisions to limit women's rights as well as a story that ran in the Times at mid-summer about the hundred of thousands of rape kits that are collected and left unprocessed--stored in warehouses unbeknown to the victims as their rapists go free to commit more and more rapes. More crimes against women. What borders are being erected between women and the police and prosecutors who are protecting rapists by not processing rape kits? What borders are made between women and their independence by the Supreme Court's latest decisions? The costs associated with processing rape kits apparently is too great.

What price is this border crossing and can you afford not to pay it?  

III.

From Ladue, MO to Freguson, MO. 12.8 miles.

(M.A. Reilly, 2014)

Tonight, I'm remembering Ferguson, MO where people are still protesting, still being arrested as I write this. Ferguson is a little less than 13 miles from Ladue, MO--but the true distance between is best not represented as miles. The residents of Ladue enjoy one of the highest median incomes for any city in the United States.  They are #32.

The good people of Ferguson do not enjoy such riches.

(M.A. Reilly, 2014)

I think of this as I recall reading in a local newspaper this week that here in NJ, the percentage of people living in poverty rose again (figures for 2012).  Nearly one-third of NJ residents live in poverty. 

That's 2.7 million people. 

(M.A. Reilly, 2014)

Imagine those 2.7 million reside not too far from the land of hedge-funders and 1 percenters who live in Saddle River, Milburn, Alpine, Rumson, Harding Township, Essex Fells, Bernardsville and so on.  These people live with comforts beyond our very ordinary dreams.

These are the borders that our politicians protect in ways they fail to protect us.

IV. 

(M.A. Reilly, 2014)

Tonight, I reread Umair Haque's words, Can Democracy Survive? and think that each trip from what we know as home allows us to understand, often in new ways, how the geo-political (in)forms our personal worlds.  Haque writes:

from Can Democracy Survive? - Umair Haque

Beneath each clash are gross economic and power differences: Palestine and Israel, women and all the powers that suppress them, African Americans and police, 1 percenters and the poor.  

These are borders that need to fall.

80 Days of News, 80 Collages & One Truth I've Learned about People & Cultures in Collision

Another Mother's Grief (8.11.14)

Reconciliation Can Happen Between Equals (8.12.14)

From May 25, 2014 to August 12, 2014 I read The New York Times each morning and then created a collage based on some aspect of the news.  (You can see all 80 here and in the slideshow below). It has been a difficult time in the world with wars and coups happening in Iraq, Gaza, Israel, Thailand, and the Ukraine. At home (USA) issues related to economy, immigration, governance, women's rights, rape, and racial and gender injustices have been raised, argued, ignored, pitied and repeated.

Across these somewhat disparate situations, matters of power can be discerned regardless of the topic. Economic injustice rests beneath all of these concerns. There can be no peace without economic justice. Until we not only see other as worthy, but also know other as economic equal--we will continue to be mired in local and global contention. We must become (other)wise.

It was Edward Said who in writing about Palestine and Israel told us:

"I sincerely believe in reconciliation between peoples and cultures in collision, and have made it my life’s work to try to further that end. But true reconciliation cannot be imposed; neither can it occur between cultures and societies that are enormously uneven in power. The kind of reconciliation that can bring real peace can only occur between equals, between partners whose independence, strength of purpose, and inner cohesion allows them fully to understand and share with the other."

To make peace in the world, economic justice is
critical.  We must ensure that all become equal partners, not people colonized who are juxtaposed to one another across vast distances where servitude is insisted upon.

We can do better.

We must.






Cited:

Said, Edward W. (2012-10-24). Peace And Its Discontents: Essays on Palestine in the Middle East Peace Process . New York: Vintage.

Children's Books about the Middle East

Biography & Informational PK-3
Abouraya, Karen Leggett. (2012). Hands Around the Library: Protecting Egypt's Treasured Books. Illustrated by  Susan L. Roth. New York: Dial.
Aliki. (1985). Mummies Made in Egypt. New York: HarperCollins.
Khan, Hena. (2012). Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors. Illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.
Demi. (2013). Tutankhamen. Tarrytown, NY: Two Lions.
Milton, Joyce. (2000). Hieroglyphs. Illustrated by Charles Micucci. New York: Grosset & Dunlap.
Navarro, Dominique & Richard Hoath. (2013). Egypt's Flora and Fauna: An AUC Press Nature Foldout. Cairo: American University in Cairo.
Navarro, Dominique & Matthew Lammana. (2013). Egypt's Prehistoric Fauna: An AUC Press Nature Foldout. Cairo: American University in Cairo.
Navarro, Dominique &John Wyatt. (2013). Birds of the Nile Valley: An AUC Press Nature Foldout. Cairo: American University in Cairo.
Navarro, Dominique & Salima Ikram. (2013). Ancient Egypt's Wildlife: An AUC Press Nature Foldout. Cairo: American University in Cairo.

Sabuda, Robert (1997). Tutankhamen's Gift.  New York: Aladdin.

Winter, Jeanette. (2005). The Librarian of Basra. Orlando, FL: Harcourt.

Biography & Informational Grade 4+
Ellis, Deborah. (2010). Children of War: Voices of Iraqi Refugees. Toronto, ON: Groundwood Books.
Ellis, Deborah. (2006). Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak. Toronto, ON: Groundwood Books.
Filipovic, Zlata. (2006). Stolen Voices: Young People's War Diaries, from World War I to Iraq. New York: Penguin Books.
Hart, Georgia. (2008).  DK: Eyewitness Books: Ancient Egypt. New York: DK Publishing.
Maydell, Natalie and Sep Riahi. (2007). Extraordinary Women from the Muslim World. Paintings by Heba Amin. Lancaster, PA: Global Content Ventures.
Macaulay, David. (1982). Pyramid. New York: HMH Books for Young Readers.
Stanley, Diane. (2002). Saladin: Noble Prince of Islam. New York: HarperCollins.
Stanley, Diane. (1997). Cleopatra. Illustrated by Peter Vennema. New York: HarperCollins.
Steele, Philip. (2007). DK: Eyewitness Books: Mesopotamia. New York: DK Publishing.
Wilkes, Sybella. (2010). Out of Iraq: Refugees' Stories in Words, Paintings and Music. Foreword by Angelina Jolie. London, UK: Evans Brothers.

Morteza Zahedi's illustration from Good Night, Commander

Myths, Traditional Tales, Poetry, and Stories: K-6

Akbarpor, Ahmad. (2005). Good Night, Commander. Illustrated by Morteza Zahedi. Toronto, ON: Groundwood. (Although a picture book, I would recommend it for older children & teens.)
Alrawi, Karim. (2000). The Girl Who Lost Her Smile. Illustrated by Stefan Czernecki. Vancouver, BC: Tradewinds.
Azzoubi, Rana. (2007).  Through a Mud Wall. Rana Azzoubi
Climo, Shirley. (1992). The Egyptian Cinderella. Illustrated by Ruth Heller. New York: HarperCollins.
Foster, Karen.  (1999). City of Rainbows: A Tale from Ancient Sumer. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Museum.
Heide, Florence Parry  and Judith Heide Gilliland. (1995). Day of Ahmed's Secret. Illustrated by Ted Lewin. New York: HarperCollins.
Heide, Florence Parry  and Judith Heide Gilliland. (1992). Sami and the Time of the Troubles. Illustrated by Ted Lewin. New York: Clarion.
Henderson, Kathy. (2006). Lugalbanda: The Boy Who Got Caught Up in a War: An Epic Tale From Ancient Iraq.  Illustrated byJane Ray. Somerville, MA: Candlewick. 
Hickox, Rebecca. (1998). The Golden Sandal: A Middle Eastern Cinderella Story. New York: Greenwillow.
Hughes, Vi. (2001). Aziz the Storyteller.  Illustrated by Stefan Czernecki. Vancouver, BC: Tradewinds.
Khan, Hena. (2008). Night of the Moon: A Muslim Holiday Story. Illustrated by Julie Paschkis. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.
Khan, Rukhsana. (2001). Muslim Child. Illustrated by Patty Gallagher. Toronto, ON: Napoleon Publishing.

from Shahnameh.

Laird, Elizabeth. (2014). Shahnameh. Illustrated by Shrin Adl.  London, UK: Frances Lincoln. (Stories and myths from Iran).
Laird, Elizabeth. (2008). A Fistful of Pearls and Other Tales from Iraq (Folktales from Around the World). Illustrated by Shelley Fowles. London, UK: Frances Lincoln.
Laird, Elizabeth. (2008). Kiss the Dust. New York: MacMillan.
Logan, Claudia. (2002). The 5,000-Year-Old Puzzle: Solving a Mystery of Ancient Egypt. Illustrated by Melissa Sweet. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Lumbard, Alexis York. (2012). The Conference of the Birds. Illustrated by Demi. Bloomington, IN: Wisdom Tales.

MacDonald, Read.(2012). Tunjur! Tunjur! Tunjur!: A Palestinian Tale. Illustrated by Alik Arzoumanian. Las Vegas, NV: Two Lions.

McCaughrean, Geraldine. (2003). Gilgamesh, The Hero. Illustrated by David Parkins. Grand Rapids, MN: Eerdmans.

McDermont, Mustafa Yusuf. (2009). Muslim Nursery Rhymes. Leicestershire, UK: The Islamic Foundation.

Nye, Naomi Shihab. (2002). The Flag of Childhood: Poems From the Middle East. New York: Aladdin.

Nye, Naomi Shihab. (1997). Sitti's Secrets. Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. New York: Aladdin.

Robert, Na'ima. (2009). Ramadan Moon. Illustrated by Shirin Adl. London: Frances Lincoln.

Rumford, James. (2004). Traveling Man: The Journey of Ibn Battuta 1325-1354. New York: HMH Books.
Rumford, James. (2003). Seeker of Knowledge: The Man Who Deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphics. New York: HMH Books. 
Sands, Emily & Duglad Steer. (2004). Egyptology: Search for the Tomb of Osiris. Illustrated by Nijk Harris and Helen Ward. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.
Tarnowska, Wafa’. (2000). The Seven Wise Princesses: A Medieval Persian Epic. Illustrated by Nilesh Mistry. Barefoot.
Wharnsby, Dawud. (2014). A Whisper of Peace. Illustrated by Shireen Adams. Leicestershire, UK: The Islamic Foundation.
Wharnsby, Dawud. (2013). Colours of Islam. Illustrated by Shireen Adams. Leicestershire, UK: The Islamic Foundation.
Wharnsby, Dawud. (2011). A Picnic of Poems: In Allah's Green Garden. Illustrated by Shireen Adams.  Leicestershire, UK: The Islamic Foundation.Williams, Marcia. (2013). Ancient Egypt: Tales of Gods and Pharaohs. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

Zeman, Ludmila. (1998). Gilgamesh the King (The Gilgamesh Trilogy).  Toronto, ON: Tundra Books.

Zeman, Ludmila. (1998). The Revenge of Ishtar (The Gilgamesh Trilogy). Toronto, ON: Tundra Books.
Zeman, Ludmila. (1998). The Last Quest of Gilgamesh (The Gilgamesh Trilogy). Toronto, ON: Tundra Books.

Poetry/Memoir/Novels (Grades 7-12)

Abdel-fattah, Randa. (2010). Where The Streets Had A Name. New York: Scholastic.
Alareer, Refaat (ed). (2014). Gaza Writes Back: Short Stories from Young Writers in Gaza, Palestine. Charlottesville, VA: Just World Books. (Teens/Adults)

Barakat, Ibtisam. (2007). Tasting the Sky: A Palestinian Childhood. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Carmi, Daniella. (2000). Samir and Yonatan. Translated by Yael Lotan. New York: Arthur A. Levine.
Clinton, Cathryn. (2010). A Stone in My Hand. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.
Hicyilmaz, Gaye. (1992). Against the Storm. New York: Little, Brown.
Laird, Elizabeth. (2008). Oranges in No Man's Land. London, UK: Haymarket Books.
Laird, Elizabeth. (2006). A Little Piece of Ground. London, UK: Haymarket Books.
Levine, Ana. (2009). Freefall. New York: Greenwillow.
Marsden, Carolyn. (2012). The White Zone. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books
Nye, Naomi Shihab. (2008). Habibi. New York: Simon Pulse.
Nye, Naomi Shihab. (2002). 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East. New York: Greenwillow.
Nye, Naomi Shihab. (1998). The Space Between Our Footsteps: Poems and Paintings from the Middle East.  New York: Simon & Schuster.
Powers, Kevin. (2012). The Yellow Birds: A Novel. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
Satrapi, Marjane. (2007). The Complete Persepolis. New York: Parthenon.
Stamaty, Mark Alan. (2012). Alia's Mission. New York: Dragonfly Books.
Zenatti, Valerie. (2008). A Bottle in the Gaza Sea. New York: Bloomsbury.
Zenatti, Valerie. (2007). When I was a Soldier. New York: Bloomsbury.

Graphic Novels/Texts (Late High School/Adult)

Delise, Guy. (2012). Jerusalem: Chronicles from the Holy City. Translated by Helge Dascher. Montreal, QC: Drawn and Quarterly.
Guibert, Emmanuel. The Photographer: Into War-torn Afghanistan with Doctors Without Borders. New York: First Second.
Pekar,Harvey. (2012). Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me. Illustrated by J.T. Waldman. Epilogue by Joyce Brabner. New York: Hill and Wang.
Sacco, Joe. (2010). Footnotes in Gaza: A Graphic Novel. New York: Metropolitan.

Sacco, Joe. (2001). Palestine. Introduction by Edward Said. Seattle, WA: Fantagraphics.