Backward Hat

Viva La Ha!

2007-04-19T07:28:00.000-07:00

The Spartans descended once again upon La Hacienda on Friday, April 6th! Surrounded by delicious tacos al carbon and chile con queso, we shared fond memories and heard about each other's new pursuits. (Please notice how we were conveniently located near the restrooms... just in case of emergencies :o)

From left to right: John K., Ryan B., Todd S., "Don Vito Corleone," Shelley S., David D., and John S.!

Jorge and Shelley

John... and Ryan!

John and Sunnye

Shelley and David

Todd and Jorge... and we take this very seriously

Los tres amigos!

Thanks, everyone, for making our evening such a good time! We're hoping to find more Spartans to add to our invitation list in the weeks ahead. So, stay tuned! We will definitely reconvene at La Ha very soon!

All the best,
TWS

Poem: "Three Postcards"

2007-04-13T15:36:00.000-07:00

In this poem, I tried to evoke feelings, colors, and sensations and then give them away as a memento to anyone interested in reading them. The three stanzas are "postcards" from places I have actually been: Istanbul, the Rocky Mountains, and the Caribbean Sea.

Postcards are both inexpensive and exotic. They cost pennies, and yet they are extraordinary messages from places most of us will never have the opportunity to see in person. Who doesn't like to receive a postcard from some far away place, allow our eyes to wander across an unfamiliar postage stamp, and touch the curious red ink of an official postmark?

This poem-postcard, though, tries to show that within each of us there are thousands of "postcard" memories that we never send to the people we know and care for. For me, the memories in this poem are indeed from foreign locations... but they also seek to convey those wondrous moments that still reside deep within me. These are feelings that yearn for company. They say, "I wish you were here."

I've postmarked them, and sent them along to you.

Three Postcards

Silhouetted on a Turkish balcony,
My soul genuflects
Under the mysterious influence
Of the minarets' call to prayer.

Rising onto the summit
Of a brooding winter peak,
I balance, with arms extended,
Along its groaning crenellations.

As I split the surface
Of a glistening copper sea,
I see my skin painted gold
In the warm gaze of a languid sun.

--2005, by TWS

"ICE" Just Getting Warmed Up

2007-03-29T07:28:00.000-07:00

"ICE" is the shorthand name for the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Earlier this month, ICE conducted several raids in cities across the nation for the purpose of arresting and deporting illegal immigrants living in the United States.

As it turns out, this month's ICE raids are actually part of a recently uncovered comprehensive strategy known as "Endgame." The Endgame strategy, which was drafted in 2003, calls for the apprehension and removal of all immigrants living and working in the United States without proper documentation by the year 2012.

There are roughly 12 million undocumented immigrants living in America today. (Some sources put the number at 20 million or higher.) That means ICE agents must arrest 2.4 million persons a year (4 million if you use the higher estimate) between now and 2012 if they are to meet the aggressive goals of Endgame.

According to a Boston Globe article by Carol Rose and Christoper Ott, however, ICE operations in Massachusetts have neglected basic civil liberties and exacted an unavoidably high human cost in the process. "The pace of raids will need to accelerate," say Rose and Ott. "We'll hear more stories of the human suffering that results from [ICE's] tactics: of nursing babies who become dehydrated when separated from their mothers, of 7-year-olds frantically looking for their missing mothers, and of minors being flown to distant states without adequate protection."

During similar raids this month in California, ICE agents are reported to have conducted illegal interrogations, arrested people for whom they didn't have warrants, and coerced immigrants into signing stipulated removal orders without access to family or legal counsel. In some cases, says one California resident, ICE agents failed to report the arrest of parents to Child Protective Services.

Endgame is the product of the Office of Detention and Removal (DRO) at the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In the 2003 Endgame document, DRO Director Anthony S. Tangeman, said, "We must strive for 100% removal rate."

Rose and Ott, though, call the Massachusetts ICE invasions "inhumane" and "sinister." "If ICE couldn't handle 361 detainees without violating people's rights and tearing families apart," they ask, "how will they cope with millions?"

-TWS

What's my Fortune Cookie telling me now?

2007-03-28T16:41:00.000-07:00

"A cheerful message is on its way to you."

Hmmm.... The day after I opened my Fortune Cookie, the following items arrived in my mailbox:

"You might already be a sweepstakes winner!" "You're already pre-approved!" "Open immediately: An important message from your Student Loan Provider is enclosed!" "Avoid foreclosure now!"

I wonder which one my cookie was thinking of?

:o)

The Kite Runner

2007-03-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading the first novel by Afghan-American author, Khaled Hosseini. A long list of praise for The Kite Runner is printed on the back cover, and in the first several pages of the paperback edition.

Pick up the book, and you'll be greeted by accolades such as "powerful... haunting," "moving and unexpected," "extraordinary," "evocative... and genuine," and "riveting."

Regrettably, it seems like some book reviewer out there is always calling a book "riveting" these days. It's enough to make me believe that America is populated by a swarm of laid-off steel workers who have taken up the pen as an avocation while looking for another line of work.

That said, The Kite Runner is not so much riveting as it is deeply human. Amir, a privileged boy from Kabul, tells the story of his troubled childhood in Afghanistan and about his flight to America amid war and personal tribulation. The framework of the story rests on Amir's closest family and friends, his father Baba and his family's servants Ali and Hassan. Yet, that framework of relationships becomes the structure upon which much larger and complex ideas find expression.

A boy whose only desire is to receive the love and approval of his father suddenly finds himself in a tale of friendship and betrayal, personal loss, the tensions of economic class and status, modern warfare, the brokenness of generations, the search for meaning and redemption, and the present obligations of a tortured past.

For a first-time novelist, Khaled Hosseini handles every aspect of his story with the skilled pen of a life-long writer. By the end of the novel, his words held my attention and earned my respect. And I found the book to be much, much more than riveting. This is a tremendous book.

- TWS

Here I am with Gene Wilder!

2007-03-12T07:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my good friend, Lee Coke, I found out that Gene Wilder would be signing copies of his latest book at a Borders bookstore here in Houston on March 9!

I got to the store about an hour ahead of time, and there were already about thirty people waiting in line. By the time Mr. Wilder entered the building, the line had grown to a few hundred people. When he approached the table where he would be signing books, the whole line started cheering. Mr. Wilder smiled warmly and waved to everyone in line.

I was nervous to meet the actor who has starred in some of my favorite movies, including The Producers, Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, and Young Frankenstein. Still, when I presented a copy of his autobiography for him to sign, Mr. Wilder said, "Oh!" as if he was surprised that I would have brought anything for him to sign at all.

I told Mr. Wilder that the very first movie I could remember seeing in a movie theater was Silver Streak, the 1976 comedy he filmed with Richard Pryor. (I was five years old when it came out, but I guess mom and dad figured I was ready for a comedy/thriller in which one of the bad guys gets bumped-off with a spear gun. But, hey, I turned out fine. Right?)

Mr. Wilder was very gracious, and he listened very attentively while I told him how much I had appreciated his films... and how much I truly valued the autobiography he had written. He just seemed like a very kind person. And he thanked me for the things I was telling him. "Thank you. Thank you very much," he said. And then I wished him a good evening, and walked away with a really fine autograph.

Not a bad way to spend a Friday night!

-TWS

P.S. Thanks again to Lee Coke! Visit his website, and find out when you can meet Mr. Wilder in your own hometown!

Poem: "Elm Pond"

2007-03-06T12:21:00.000-08:00

Here's another poem I wrote a couple of years ago, when I was living in the northeast. At the time, I was reading about poets who had lived and worked in Massachusetts and I learned about a place called Elm Pond that had inspired some of those poets. In the winter, people still ice skate on the frozen pond.

So, without ever having been to Elm Pond myself, I tried to "travel" there in my imagination and perceive what I could learn from the voices of the poets who were somehow still speaking to us from that place.

Elm Pond

We go to meet the poets
In that small space
Between the blades and hard frost
Still scraping across Elm Pond
Watching for their carved verse
In the faithful ice
Like skating planchettes
On a careworn Ouija board
Spelling out the memories
Of closed factories and car crashes
Shoe leather and cobbled streets
A scrawled warning
That all poets die
Of internal injuries
Whispering their secrets
Behind a cupped hand:
Write your love letters
With borrowed words
Make your arguments
With the tenderness of pear trees
Greet the cancer of darkness
With purpose and charity
Find a torn heart
And listen for the logic of God

--2005, by TWS

Real Spartans eat Mexican food

2007-03-03T18:05:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, some of the mighty Spartans gathered at La Hacienda to share memories, laughs, chile con queso, and maybe a margarita or two!

From left to right: Jorge, TWS, Ryan, John D. and John K. (We never got her name, but the little girl in the center of the photograph drank us all under the table!)

Here's JK... and the Karaoke Mariachi in the background!

John D! (Sorry about the low light in the photo, John.)

"El Presidente!"

Jorge and me!

The plan is to get together again at "LaHa" sometime soon. Stay tuned for details!

All the best,
TWS

An Evening with Walter Brueggemann

2007-03-01T11:42:00.000-08:00

On Monday night, Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann delivered a lecture at MDUMC here in Houston. Brueggemann makes a convincing argument that, these days, each of us lives in a system founded on endless requirements.

Here's something Brueggemann said that I've been turning over in my mind since I heard his lecture: "People who live in a system of fear, anger, and anxiety have no energy left to take care of the neighborhood."

According to Brueggemann, the way we step outside a system of anxiety like ours is to live in a narrative of hope and abundance. Abundance itself destroys anxiety.

One of the things that made the lecture so convincing, I think, is that Brueggemann has a voice that reminds me of the actor George C. Scott, whose roles included Patton back in 1970. It's hard not to listen when Patton is telling you that we need to stop living in fear and allowing our fears to justify militarism, consumerism, and homophobia on an unprecedented scale in our society.

He's got a point.

-TWS

P.S. You can read more about Brueggemann at this unofficial website, where you can find several articles and lectures.

"Wii would like to play"

2007-02-24T09:52:00.000-08:00

So, my brother just got the new Wii game console from the good folks at Nintendo. At first I was a bit skeptical about the new game system, but we ended up playing the dang thing until 2:00am last night. Yikes!

One of the cool features of the system is that you can create a character to represent yourself in each of the games.

Here I am as a Wii "Golf Pro"!

Golf was my favorite of the games we played, but the system also comes with Bowling, Boxing, Baseball, and Tennis. My arms are actually sore today from the vigorous play last night. Watch out when playing... you just might end up with "Wii Elbow"!

-TWS

P.S. Thanks to John and Sunnye for staying up late and for hosting such a great evening!

Got Habeas Corpus?

2007-02-19T23:46:00.000-08:00

Habeas corpus is Latin for "we have the body," and it happens to protect one of the most important basic freedoms we enjoy as American citizens.

In 2001, following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the President of the United States claimed the power to detain citizens and non-citizens suspected of connection to terrorists and terrorism as "enemy combatants." These detainees could be held indefinitely without knowing the charges against them, and without access to legal assistance. Legal and constitutional scholars contended that these provisions were in direct opposition to habeas corpus and the United States Bill of Rights.

In 2006, President George W. Bush signed into law the Military Commissions Act. The Act has been denounced by critics who claim that its language makes possible the permanent detention and possible torture of any person (including American citizens) based solely on the authority and will of the President. In essence the Act threatens habeas corpus, the constitutional guarantee that any prisoner may challenge in a court of law any charges brought against him.

Now, the basic right to challenge unlawful imprisonment may be denied... even to American citizens.

Various legal groups, members of congress, community organizations, and individual citizens are beginning to speak out and take action against this miscarriage of democracy. Here are a few links where you can learn how to lend your voice and advocacy to protect one of the essential democratic freedoms of our nation:

Restore-Habeas.org -- Become a citizen co-sponsor of the Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007.

A brief summary of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 -- From the Center for Constitutional Rights.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez says habeas corpus is not protected by the U.S. Constitution -- This article from the San Francisco Chronicle says much about the threat to habeas corpus.

Video of Attorney General Gonzalez being questioned by Sen. Arlen Specter (R) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D) -- Archived at YouTube.

-TWS

P.S. For this post I adapted two articles found at Wikipedia: "Habeas Corpus" and "The Military Commissions Act of 2006". I'd also like to thank my friend, Andy, for much of the information (and links) in this post!

What's my Fortune Cookie telling me now?

2007-02-17T16:40:00.000-08:00

"Your present plans are going to succeed."

Hey, wait a minute! How did my fortune cookie discover the plans for my super-wicked, diabolical, top-secret, heinously-evil Doomsday Device?

:o)

Dubious Achievements... Indubitably

2007-02-14T13:38:00.000-08:00

The February 2007 issue of Esquire Magazine includes the annual "Dubious Achievements" article. The article recognizes the achievements of the corrupt, the self-righteous, and the downright silly.

Here are some of my favorite dubious achievements of 2006!

EXCEPT FOR W. THAT WAS ME - During her unsuccessful campaign for a Senate seat in Florida, congresswoman Katherine Harris told the journal Florida Baptist Witness that the separation of church and state was "wrong because God is the one who chooses our rulers."

"SO I CUT ITS LIMBS OFF" - President Bush offered consolation to wounded veterans at the Amputee Care Center of Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio by saying, "I have an injury myself--not here at the hospital, but in combat with a cedar. I eventually won. The cedar gave me a little scratch."

BUT WHO ALWAYS TAKES THE GOLD IN THE OLYMPIC HALF PIPE? - The U.S. fell to number 53 this year in the World-Wide Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders, tying with Botswana, Croatia, and Tonga.

YOU KNOW, LIKE SOUTH BEACH - Vernon Robinson, the Republican challenger to North Carolina representative Brad Miller, aired radio ads with mariachi music in the background and an announcer saying, "Brad Miller supports gay marriage and sponsored a bill to let American homosexuals bring their foreign homosexual lovers to this country on a marriage visa. If Miller had his way, America would be nothing but one big fiesta for illegal aliens and homosexuals."

"CONGRATULATIONS, MR. PRIME MINISTER. GOTTA RUN." - Republicans in Congress reauthorized a portion of a defense-spending bill that sets aside $20 million for postwar victory parties in Iraq and Afghanistan.

IT WAS THE FIREWATER TALKING - Wisconsin Democratic congressman Steve Kagen arrived late to a campaign event after visiting an Indian reservation and excused himself by saying, "We're on Injun time--they don't tell time by the clock."

YOU KNOW, THE WAY PARIS MET BRITNEY - To assist employees who are dealing with layoffs, a bankrupt Northwest Airlines distributed a booklet including a list of "101 ways to save money," such as not being "shy about pulling something you like out of the trash."

NINE? AND YOU CAN'T HIT ONE LOCAL TEENAGER? - A B-52 on a practice run over Ellsworth County, Kansas, dropped nine 500-pound practice bombs into a lake where local teenagers were swimming. None were injured.

Check out all of 2006's dubious achievements at Esquire's website!

On the Air in Houston

2007-02-13T10:03:00.000-08:00

I'm very excited about a new radio engineer internship that I just started at KPFT 90.1 in Houston!

Tune in Sundays at 6:00pm CST, and listen to "The Monitor." This weekly program delves into many national and international topics of interest, including war and peace, corporate corruption, politics, media, global debt and wealth disparity, the Middle East, the US intelligence apparatus, gender issues, and voting verifiability.

Chances are you won't actually hear me on the program, but I'll be working "behind the scenes" (a funny phrase to describe radio!) to assist co-hosts Mark Bebawi and Pokey Anderson.

Their guests have included: Joseph Wilson, John Dean, Daniel Ellsberg, Molly Ivins, Seymour Hersh, Arianna Huffington, David Cobb, Helen Thomas, Gore Vidal, Robert Fisk, James Bamford, Scott Ritter, Medea Benjamin, Jim Hightower, Kate Kendall, Chalmers Johnson, Amy Goodman, John Sayles, Ray McGovern, Pratap Chatterjee, Ellie Smeal, Lou Dubose and Howard Zinn.

I've been helping for a couple of weeks so far, so be sure to tune in sometime and have a listen!

-TWS

Adventures in Journalism

2007-02-10T11:17:00.000-08:00

Last year I published two articles for The Bridge, the official newspaper of the Green-Rainbow Party in Cambridge, MA.

Just for fun, I thought I'd post the links here for those who would like to check them out.

The first article is called "A Day Without Immigrants," and it recollects my observations at a "May Day" rally for immigration rights held in Boston Common last year.

The second article is called "Charges dismissed for Army Day protesters." The article tells the story of seven protesters who were arrested in Cambridge Common for their opposition to Army recruiting at a public event which was originally promoted as "a birthday party for the United States Army." The protesters claimed that their right to free speech had been violated. At the time their charges were dismissed, The Bridge was the only newspaper to cover the story.

Let me know what you think!

-TWS

Here I am in Harvard Yard!

2007-02-08T23:21:00.000-08:00

When I lived in Cambridge ("Our fair city"), MA, the apartment was only a few blocks away from Harvard University.

Here's a picture of me standing next to the bronze statue of the university's founder, John Harvard. A long-standing tradition says that to rub the left foot of the statue will bring good luck!

And here's a fun fact I found on Wikipedia: "The John Harvard statue is a frequent target of pranks, hacks, and humorous decorations.... Moreover, Harvard students are rumored to urinate on the very foot that tourists rub for good luck."

Wait, wait. They... WHAT?!

Quick, somebody pass me the Purell.

:o)

Poem: "The Promise of Leaves"

2007-02-07T00:09:00.000-08:00

I took out some old poems today, found this one, and blew the dust off the page. And now that I'm posting it here, I realize how daunting it is to put a creative work out in the open for anyone to see.

Still, I like this poem for its colors. And I like the strength of it... or, at least, the idea of strength I was hoping to capture in it.

Anyway, with my apologies, here it is.

The Promise of Leaves

The Japanese Maple leaves
Aflame in the gathering dark
Vermilion defiance against a chalk-pink sky
Burn a low, lasting intensity
Like the unwavering constancy of a life-long love
Pressing my hand
Like two pages folded and sewn together
Into some ancient book
They are my prayer against shadow
Spreading now over my poverty
My unheard voice
My weakening bones
My broken mind
My forgetful heart
They are my prayer in blossoming flame
Whispering in their guardian voices
Revealing their mellifluous secrets
Unfurling their confident blessings
They reach out with feathered hands
To brush my troubled cheek
To place their small lights, like votives
Now against a fading, iron sky
These steady promises
As they wheel, dance, and sway

--2005, by TWS

One Month of Violence in Iraq

2007-02-05T13:38:00.000-08:00

I was absolutely stunned when I saw this.

According to The New York Times, more than 1,900 people were killed in Iraq in January 2007. This chart attempts to show the dates, locations, and circumstances of the deaths.

Click the image to see the entire article at the NYT.

The Inaugural "Backward Hat" Blog Post!

2007-02-04T00:30:00.000-08:00

Hello, friends, and welcome to "Backward Hat!"

Please come in, make yourselves at home, and stay a while. Of course I'm rather new at blogging, so for my inaugural post I wanted to give myself something to aim for. A goal. A standard. A requirement of sorts....

I promise that I'll try my very best not to offer my readers (that's you!) merely "pointless, incessant barking" in the days ahead :o)

I'm counting on you to keep me honest, though. And I hope you'll join me here at Backward Hat often.

All the Best,
TWS

P.S. If you like the "dog blogger" cartoon above, please visit the good people at The New Yorker and support their excellent cartoonists!