new thread
Dear Fellow MLHH Members,
I don't really know what to say, or how to say it, other than I feel so heart-broken right now over what happened this past Friday in Paris. My condolences to the French people, and to anyone else who suffered injuries or lost a loved one to any of these recent horrific terror attacks.
The world seems to have become such a violent place -- or, probably more truthfully, it has been violent for many many years now (if we honestly look back to the countless wars throughout recorded human history on planet Earth).
People and countries alike, all overt the world, have done such an excellent job at being destructive, at being hateful & hurtful, at feeling justified in their anger & reasons to stay unforgiving, at condemning another's greed while remaining blind to the damage caused by their own self-interest. It's a miracle we have as many kind-hearted, fair-minded, tolerant, and peaceful people on this planet that we do have.
Rather than get into a no-win game of national and international finger-pointing (easy to do, since as an example, even though I myself am an American, I am far from "proud" of many of the things my own government has done to other peoples and to other countries on many different fronts), I'd like to recommend to all who are interested in joining me here, the following commitment to ourselves and our world: that long hair to us symbolizes and represents a desire for peace, tolerance, and a commitment to protect life -- rather than to destroy it.
Human life is so fragile. One moment we're enjoying a rock concert, a soccer game, or eating out at a favorite restaurant on an ordinary Friday night; but then the next moment, we might be suddenly witness to the senseless shooting death of a friend or family member.
Similarly, the joy of having long hair can be so very easily taken away from us -- something that takes YEARS to grow out and care for, within a minute or less can be butchered, burned, or buzzed away...
Just felt like sharing a few thoughts about these recent events with you guys, as I continue to try to figure out how the hell I'm supposed to pray for peace, and to hope for the eventual healing of such deep sadness and grief that the people of France must be experiencing right now. My deepest condolences.
- Ken in San Francisco
Kenny - very well said & i concur 777% - shocking beyond belief what unfolded in Paris & it wasn't to long ago: ( it seems there was the Boston Bombings, 9/11, Bali: 12-10-2002 & our own home grown muslim terror attacks now here in 'Oz' ... the list just keeps expanding ... I do hold your hope for peace to all men - but sadly I fear this act in Paris will become our new 'norm': ( as the years unfold ) ... I can only keep my own small world sane, it seems, but love & respect does start with small baby steps & the power of one can be powerful ... big hugs Kenny ... Cem.
You write so beautifully and from the heart. One of my own motivations for growing my hair was my being at one with the Romantics in their protest against perpetual war, oligarchy and the oppression of ordinary people like you and I. Shelley wrote at the height of NapoleonÂ’s power in 1811:
Destruction marks thee! oÂ’er the bloodstainÂ’d heath
Is faintly borne the stifled wail of death;
Millions to fight compellÂ’d, to fight or die
In mangled heaps on WarÂ’s red altar lie.
The sternly wise, the mildly good, have sped
To the unfruitful mansions of the dead.
Whilst fell Ambition, oÂ’er the wasted plain
Triumphant guides his car—the ensanguin’d rein
Glory directs; fierce brooding oÂ’er the scene,
With hatred glance, with dire unbending mien
Fell Despotism sits by the red glare
Of discordÂ’s torch, kindling the flames of war.
[...]
Ye cold advisers of yet colder kings,
To whose fell breast no passion virtue brings
Who scheme, regardless of the poor manÂ’s pang,
Who coolly sharpen miseryÂ’s sharpest fang,
Yourselves secure. YourÂ’s is the power to breathe
OÂ’er all the world the infectious blast of death,
To snatch at fame, to reap red murderÂ’s spoil,
Receive the injured with a courtierÂ’s smile
Make a tired nation bless the oppressorÂ’s name
And for injustice snatch the meed of fame.
We indeed have to remember that terrorism has its powers that finance it with the kind of money that come only come from Saudi Arabia and the US government neo-cons. My own English powers-that-be are just as bad, and I am just as shameful for being on the wrong side of this war – the side of the “cold advisers of yet colder kings”.
You are right that our long hair sets us apart as Romantics of one kind or another, people who long for peace, tolerance and love. Our hair is so fragile, and can be gone in an instant like our very lives. Shelley was lost at sea at the age of only 20. His widow wrote the story of Frankenstein in the same place that Lord Byron wrote Darkness.
Another thought came into my mind. On that fateful Friday night, I sat in bed watching the film about Pope John Paul II from his days during World War II as a student until he was elected Pope. The movie showed his sufferings under the Nazis, and then almost immediately in 1945 onwards under the Communists. I could see the pure evil that forced a young Jewish girl to play the violin as they loaded people into the train for Auschwitz. The violin sang like a lark. A moment later, she was cut down by machine gun fire and the violin was ground under an SS boot. After the end of the film, I looked at the news one last time – and I knew what had happened in Paris – more of the same.
As Karol Wojtyla never ceased to say, we cannot overcome by hatred, only by love. And for that, we have to have a new understanding of death, such that if our lives made no sense, perhaps our deaths will.
Anthony in Normandy (not far from Paris)
As much as we would like to have peace on this planet folks need
to come to the realization that it will probably never happen.
At any given time on this planet there are > 75 wars occuring accross this planet. Many are religous based, others are
territorial based, and some are purely ego based.
And then a number of these wars are occuring as a result of countries like the US of A sticking it's nose in the affairs of others countries. (i.e. the US shoved the Shah of Iran down the throats of the Iranian people. For many years after that the
Us of A felt the wrath of Iran.)
In the 1960s while we grew our hair long we idealistically wanted the end of war and to achieve peace on earth. Now that i'm 61 years old i've got to admit this planet will never have peace, and to insure that peace we need a strong military as
a deterent. (The question remains though how much military do
you need? For all the expensive toys our military has we are ill prepared to fight terrorists who can spend $25 on a weapon
to wreak much destruction.
Welcome to the 21st century.
Ken, this is a beautiful post. You are so eloquent. The passage below really rang true for me. We have to be strong to committed to a peaceful existence. We have to stay positive.
Pessimism will get us nowhere.
"Rather than get into a no-win game of national and international finger-pointing (easy to do, since as an example, even though I myself am an American, I am far from "proud" of many of the things my own government has done to other peoples and to other countries on many different fronts), I'd like to recommend to all who are interested in joining me here, the following commitment to ourselves and our world: that long hair to us symbolizes and represents a desire for peace, tolerance, and a commitment to protect life -- rather than to destroy it."
The way I look at it though........it's not Pessimism, it's living in the real world. There are too many on this planet
who will kill you if you have different beliefs than what they
think you should have.
This planet is a very complicated place, and there are alot of
issues leading up to those 70+ wars that rage at any given time.
To me, long hair represents long hair. It has nothing to do with peace (which will never truely exist, it in itself is a utopian myth, for every Woodstock there is an Altamont.) While we all wish for a more peaceful world, I don't necessarily see how hair has anything to do with achieving it. Many short haired people also desire peace, tolerance, and protection of life... And they do it through their daily thoughts and actions, and no physical symbolism.
You do have a point as someone on Facebook reminded me, showing a photo of an ISIS terrorist with his long straggly hair and beard. I had to admit that hair alone means nothing. There are also mugshots of some very nasty criminals also with long hair. The psychopathic "baddie" in Clint Eastwood's "Dirty Harry" was also long-haired.
Yes, conversely, many short-haired people have the virtues of peacefulness, tolerance and love of life. I had my hair short for many years, because I believed it was more practical and the "done thing" - and I like to believe I adhered to these virtues in spite of my short hair.
Long hair has its meaning to us on this forum. Perhaps, if we need an outward symbol, perhaps it needs to be long hair plus something else. Even then, there will always be exceptions that demolish the rule.
To me, long hair is more than fashion or appearance. It means things to me that make no sense to anyone else. I can't say to others than they have to be like me.
I'm open to ideas...
Anthony
I am on the forum too, much more as a lurker, and sometimes feel we place too strong of an emphasis of the meaning of long hair. I wear my hair long because I like it, I like the style, that I have great hair to flaunt, and that it looks good on my face and frame. To me it very much is about personal fashion. If I had different thickness or type of hair, I might not grow it as long in fear that it didn't look as good/cool. Long hair, if anything, is already a symbol that you are willing to "go against the grain/mainstream expectations" and this holds contextual meaning in the fashion world. If anything, that is the symbolism it projects. Does that mean if the world was predominately long hairs, and it was considered the norm, I'd want shorter hair? Possibly. That doesn't change that at this given moment and time I'm a long haired man who chooses to be one mostly because of fashion.
You have a good point here. Many of us grow our hair to go against the grain, or we go against the grain when we grow our hair. Some do so for good and others for evil. I would also hate to live in a world where long hair was a symbol of conformity. Oscar Wilde said some wonderful things about being individual, but hair alone is not enough.
The French say "L'habit ne fait pas le moine". The habit doesn't make the monk - but monks wear habits.
Anthony
Hi Ken
Of the most horrible of which you have spoken, it could not have been said more beautifully. So glad I swung by here late tonight for a few rare minutes just visiting back and catching your posting.
It has been coming on for many many decades and logic would only dictate that things will be worse than anyone reading this can imagine. If people think not, well, they simply are not thinking.
With this in mind, please in the time we have left, enjoy what is left of the beauty of nature, your friends and the fun little things in life that bring happiness.(A general statement to anyone that happens to read this.)
Thanks again Ken. You have always been such a kind person and an inspiration to so many. A gentleman to be admired and respected by all.
Justin~