It was a sunny Wednesday in Oakland. I was killing time between going hither and thither, and found myself reading the New York Times and drinking tea in a downtown Starbucks- not a usual activity of mine, but a pleasant change. I really should start reading the actual newspaper more. Anyway, I was reading about the attempted car bombing in NYC and the background story on Faisal Shahzad. I realize now that, as I was reading, I was sadly detached from it all, even apathetic. This sort of thing is rare, but to be expected. Depressing, but why dwell on it? I admit- after the post-election disappointment, the two failed/failing wars in the Mid-East, and the economic situation at home, I have pretty much withdrawn interest from politics and national news. I am not proud of it, but I have been trying to make a difference in my own small way, in my own small life without paying much attention to the increasingly grim big picture. Hence I read about Shahzad's life, his education, jobs, his citizenship ceremony, without much vigor or curiosity. Leaving my newspaper for the next customer, I stepped outside, ready to replace the whole thing with a more self-absorbed line of thought.
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