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Thursday, February 20, 2003 ( 6:02 AM ) Matt 
Monday, February 17, 2003 ( 2:58 PM ) Matt Three battles with Muslims, one to go.There have been three times that America has entered into deadly combat with persons of the Muslim faith. Two are quite familiar to us: the Afghanistan war to unseat the Taliban and neutralize the Al-Qaida forces, and the 1991 Desert Storm War to liberate Kuwait. Both were over in a matter of weeks due to our ability to pit an amazing arsenal of sophisticated weapons and logistics, not to mention the forces of a few other nations, against a hopelessly outgunned enemy. Their soldiers had to know the outcome before the first shot. Although our cause appeared just, casualties of the enemy are virtually unknown to this day. The third and previous conflict was in the Philippines early in the last century, spanning several years following its liberation from Spain and our purchase of it in the Treaty of Paris. Many Christian Filipinos fought against America, seeking independence, to no avail. The battles lasted from 1899 for eight or more years in various places. Many Muslims were living in the southern most islands. They had resisted the Spanish for 350 years, and also bravely fought the Americans as best they could. Mark Twain read news reports of the battles, and turned his indignation and wit to the task of helping Americans understand what was being done in their name. In his short article, “Comments on the Killing of 600 Moros” in 1906, he first related the facts from the published news dispatches. The enemy had “fortified” themselves in the bowl of an extinct crater named Mount Dajo in the western corner of Jolo. Six hundred of them, including women and children, crouched in the shallow crater, armed with knives, clubs, trade-muskets and brickbats he supposed, in a position that was a “menace” to our men, numbering 540, and some native mercenaries. Our soldiers had to haul themselves and cannon up impressive heights, and surrounded the Moors around the edge of the crater. General Leonard Woods orders were, “Kill or capture the six hundred”. Apparently the troops interpreted the order as their option to kill or capture at their pleasure. The battle lasted a day and a half, and ‘lo, not a single one of the savages survived. Our casualties were 15 killed and 32 wounded. News dispatches even listed each wound, including a scraped nose, by cable at a dollar and fifty cents a word! Subsequent articles attempted to expand on the victory, to make it plausible: The enemy death list rose to 900; it was impossible to tell the sexes apart in the fierce hand-to-hand battle; the fighting lasted four days; the Moros used their women and children as shields; and then they feigned death in order to attack American hospital men who were relieving the wounded. No wonder they all died. Noting that any real battles in major wars up to that time produced casualties on the order of two to ten percent of the combatants, he concluded, “This is incomparably the greatest victory that was ever achieved by the Christian soldiers of the United States.” Curiously, this battle produced 40 to 60 enemy dead for every one of ours. In the Vietnam War, this factor was also 40 to 60. I suspect the ratio in the second and third battles with Muslims was considerably higher. And the upcoming war? Well, maybe war is not the right word. Do you suppose that Muslims read and study history and commentaries such as Mark Twain’s? What conclusions should they draw? Are we prepared for what is to come, and do we bless it? Will we bother to count the enemy dead, and how do we tally the civilians? How will the fourth great battle with Muslims go into the history books? Gary King Fridley # Saturday, February 15, 2003 ( 11:32 AM ) Janelle This documentary "Chain of Love" sounds good! It's about Filipina domestic workers! Janelle # ( 10:34 AM ) Matt Chain of Love ScreeningHello all, I announced this movie "Chain of Love" at our last psgm meeting. Movie is shown this coming Monday February 17, 6:30-8:00 pm at St. Martins Table corner of Riverside and 20th Avenue,in Minneapolis. Cost is free. There will be cookies and coffee/tea; donations for treats appreciated. Below is the movie description: I am going; and so does Paul. Hope some of you would be able to come. --meg CHAIN OF LOVE A film about one of the Philippines' most importantexport products, maternal love. In the U.S. and Europe the demand for domestic help is increasing. In many families both partners need to earn money for economic survival. The resulting need for additional nursing and childcare has led to a worldwide shift in the areas of care and love. One of the consequences is migration; escalating numbers of women in the Third World are leaving their own children to take care of children in the West. The 51-minute film, produced by First Run/Icarus Films shows how maternal love is becoming an important commodity in the world economy. Women from the Philippines are well regarded in this respect. They speak English, are Catholic, and according to many, are caring, intelligent and compliant. They are also often less expensive than a nursery school and supply more maternal love. The money earned in the West is sent home to the Philippines. With it, local help can be hired to look after the expense of the expatriates. The money is the largest source of income in foreign currency in the Philippines, and maternal love has become the second largest export product of the country. In the Philippines, however, the consequences of the export of these women, many well educated, are slowly becoming evident . # Monday, February 10, 2003 ( 6:59 PM ) Matt Here are some notes from the last PSGM meeting. Does anyone care to respond on this weblog? Discussion on PSGM organizational position on “War with Iraq” - A lively and passionate discussion on the topic; as PSGM, what should be our position? How do we articulate this position? Some key highlights: · Minimal cooperation with like-minded group · No first strike · Pre-emptive war against Iraq is not solution to global terrorism · US is also guilty of what Saddam is accused of · UN is the current system in place that should determine war & peace · Bush master of double speak · US is putting pressure on the UN Action Recommendation: · Gary will write a letter to the Star Tribune · Everyone is encouraged to also write letters to the papers · Visit, call and write your US congressional representatives · Addi to draft a position paper. Send your ideas to him and a composite paper will be compiled – soon! # Sunday, February 09, 2003 ( 12:47 PM ) Matt New 'Thomasites' to teach in ARMMI found this article on the Web and thought it might be of interest...
Saturday, February 08, 2003 ( 6:51 PM ) Matt Welcome to the PSGM Journal # |
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