Leonard Cohen – Democracy Is Coming to The USA

I dedicated this initially to the Independence Day of the USA. You may also read HERE a text written by Parker J Palmer for the same celebration day.

However, after the US strangely elected Trump as president, I find the lyrics of this song most fitting for the present situation.

So, is democracy really coming to the USA? We shall see.

Here are the lyrics.

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World Ideologies Explained with Cows

Here is the original joke, about ideologies explained with cows.

Prelegerile Robert Schuman la Iasi, lansate vineri 21 februarie – UPDATE

UPDATE: Intilnirea de astazi, care a lansat la Iasi sria de prelegeri ale Centrolui Robert Schuman, a avut loc in fata unei prezente generoase. Domnisoara Lavinia Besliu a deschis eevenimentul cu o superba succinta prezentare a lui Robert Schuman, pe care am primit promisiunea ca o voi putea publica in curind pe acest blog. Prelegerea domnului profesor Eugen Munteanu a avut, ca de obicei, farmec si naturalete. O veritabila desfatare intelectuala. Asteptam cu interes si urmatoarele evenimente.

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Dragi prieteni,

Schuman Centre for European Studies isi deschide activitatea la Iasi cu seria de conferinte Prelegerile Robert Schuman. Acestea isi propun sa aduca in dezbaterea publica relatia dintre crestinism si cultura europeana. Tematica prelegerilor se subscrie conceptelor de biblic, public si european, in buna traditie a lui Robert Schuman, parintele Uniunii Europene, pe care il evocam astfel. Prezentarile vor fi sustinute de personalitati ale vietii culturale si stiintifice romanesti care isi asuma public aderarea la valorile si credinta crestina, indiferent de confesiune.

Hannah Arendt Movie Trailer (2013)

(Thanks to Filip Ciortuz for this link.)

Hannah Arendt Movie Trailer. A film by Margarethe von Trotta. The sublime Barbara Sukowa reteams with director Margarethe von Trotta (Vision, Rosa Luxemburg) for her brilliant new biopic of influential German-Jewish philosopher and political theorist Hannah Arendt. Arendt’s reporting on the 1961trial of ex-Nazi Adolf Eichmann in The New Yorker— controversial both for her portrayal of Eichmann andt he Jewish councils — introduced her now-famous concept of the “Banality of Evil.” Using footage from the actual Eichmann trial and weaving a narrative that spans three countries, von Trotta beautifully turns the often invisible passion for thought into immersive, dramatic cinema. An Official Selection at the Toronto International and New York Jewish Film Festivals, Hannah Arendt also co-stars Klaus Pohl as philosopher Martin Heidegger, Nicolas Woodeson as New Yorker editor William Shawn, and two-time OscarNominee Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs) as novelist Mary McCarthy.

Hannah Arendt Movie Trailer. OPENS AT FILM FORUM IN NEW YORK ON MAY 29, 2013 AND AT LAEMMLE THEATRES IN LOS ANGELES JUNE 7TH. NATIONAL RELEASE TO FOLLOW

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Religion’s Place in Liberal Democracy

Tony Blair and Senator John Kerry will join Professor Miroslav Volf and the students of Yale University’s Faith & Globalisation class to discuss the role of religion in liberal democracy.

Recent events around the world, from the USA to Egypt show the impact that faith can have on politics and political movements.

Tony Blair will be arguing that, “we need religion-friendly democracy and democracy-friendly religion. The time has come to put away the delusions: that faith is diminishing; that religion is not really what it’s about; that a debate about politics can be seriously conducted in the 21st Century without debating religion.”

Democratic Egypt Tests a Divided Israel

Shaul Magid is the Jay and Jeannie Schottenstein Professor of Jewish Studies and Professor of Religious Studies at Indiana University. His next book, Jews and Judaism in Post-Ethnic America: Becoming an American Religion, will be published by the Indiana U. Press.

He has just published on the Religion Dispatches website a very interesting article on the implications for Israel of the thrive for democracy in Egypt.

Here are just a few significant excerpts:

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40 Years in the Desert – 1. The Legacy of Communism 3

1.3 Suspicion Towards Democracy

Communist propaganda has always demonised western democracy, and this penetrated deep into the social psyche. It is true that some of the communist critique of capitalism was justified, but this partial truth was always blended with so many lies and distortions that it became impossible to distinguish the truth from the falsehood. Things went so far that in many of the former communist countries people can hardly bring themselves to utter the word ‘capitalism’, while many openly admit that they hold socialist views (or social-democratic ones, which are basically quite similar; or much of a muchness, as the saying goes).

From Bondage to the Desert – How to Prepare for Freedom – 2

2. Between Dictatorship and Democracy

When the only leadership style that we have known and observed in our lifetime is dictatorship and control, it is very easy to internalise this approach and not be aware of the fact that we are tending to lead the church in the same way that we have seen communist leaders controlling our society.

World Ideologies Explained with Cows

FEUDALISM
You have two cows. Your lord takes some of the milk.

PURE SOCIALISM
You have two cows. The government takes them and puts them in a
barn with everyone else’s cows. You have to take care of all the
cows. The government gives you a glass of milk.