Israel in Guatemala

I spent most of February at a Spanish-language school in Guatemala for work. For our "graduation" the other students and I read pieces we had composed in Spanish--poems, songs, or essays. Below is what I wrote, in the original, with my artistic translation below.

ESPANOL
Esta escuela esta llena de afiches. Dos me molestan. Dicen, "boicot Israel." Y estoy pensando, "porque Israel?"

En este escuela, por ejemplo, he aprendido sobre la guerra sucia de Argentina, cuando mas de 20 mil personas fueron asesinadas o desaparecidas, y nadie dije, "boicot contra Argentina." He aprendido sobre los escuadrones de la muerte de Honduras, que hoy en dia estan masacrando victimas innocentes, y nadie dice, "boicot contra Honduras." He aprendido sobre las ochentas en Guatemala cuando el gobierno derechista estaba matando la gente indigina como un genocido, y no hay ninguna afiche de esta epocha en esta escuela que dice, "boicot contra Guatemala." Y porque?

Addemas, Israel es el unico pais en el mundo afuera de las Americas que tiene un afiche en esta escuela. Y porque? Por ejemplo, en Iran nadie tiene la libertad para amar alguien del mismo genero. En China, los padres no tiene la libertad para construir una familia con mas de una hijo, Y nadie dice boicot contra Iran o China. Y porque?

En este escuela hay un afiche que dice, "Coca-Cola es culpable." Esta bien, Coca-Cola es una compania. Hay otro afiche que dice que George Bush es un terrorista en el nivel internacional. Esta bien, el es un hobre. Pero solo Israel esta condenado como un pais, un pais entero. Y porque? Mis creancias ensenan que no hay un pais completamente mal. En cada pais hay personas buenas y personas malas; personas valientes y personas corruptas. No hay un pais sin problemas, y algunos de estos son graves, serios, y aveces, tragicos. Pero cada pais tiene gente amable, con amor en sus almas y con suenos para una vida mejor. Si un Guatemalteco va a una escuela internacional y mira un afiche que dice, "boicot Guatemala," como se sentiria?

Y porque?

ENGLISH
This school is filled with posters. Two bother me. They say, "boycott Israel." And I'm thinking, "why Israel?"

In this school, for example, I've learned about the Dirty War in Argentina, when more than 20,000 people were murdered or disappeared, and no one said, "Boycot Against Argentina." I've learned about the Death Squads in Honduras, that to this day are killing innocent victims, and no one says, "Boycott Against Honduras." I've learned about the '80's in Guatemala when the right-wing government was killing indigenous people like a genocide, and there are no signs in this school from that time that say, "Boycott Against Guatemala." And why?

In addition, Israel is the only country in the world outside of the Americas that has a poster up in this school. And why? For example, in Iran no one has the freedom to love someone of the same gender. In China, parents don't have the right to build a family with more than one child. And no one says boycott against Iran or China. And why?

In this school there is a poster that says, "Coca-Cola is guilty [of war crimes in Colombia]." That's fine, Coca-Cola is a company. There is another power that says that George Bush is an international terrorist. That's fine, he is one man. But only Israel is condemned as a country, as an entire country. And why? My beliefs teach that there is no country completely bad. In every country there are good people and bad people, brave people and corrupt people. There is no country without problems, and some of these are grave, serious, and, at times, tragic. But every country has kind people, with love in their souls and dreams for a better life. If a Guatemalan traveled to an international school and saw a poster that said, "Boycott Against Guatemala," how would they feel?

And why?

Mariah Carey As A Daoist

Mariah Carey's "Hero" is, to me, especially unique and deeply profound. It is a pop song without a love interest, a ballad without a heartbreak. It has essentially one subject: the self. It is about your power to find meaning and serenity within yourself. It is a call for introspection ("look inside your heart"), not usually the kind of exhortation found in a Billboard #1 (which it was). To emphasize the special beauty and fundamental wisdom of this message, I've juxtaposed the lyrics with quotes from Lao Tzu, the author of the Tao Te Ching. Bc combining 2 of my fav things is 1 of my fav things. Also, the "Lord knows" part @ 2:37 is one of my favorite invocations of the gospel tradition in modern pop music IMHO. Anyway here's the splice:

Mariah Carey "Hero":
You can find love If you search within yourself And the emptiness you felt Will disappear

Lao Tzu: Knowing others is intelligence;
knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.

Mariah Carey "Hero":
Dreams are hard to follow But don't let anyone Tear them away

Lao Tzu: 
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.

Mariah Carey "Hero":
Hold On There will be tomorrow In time you'll find the way

Lao Tzu:
A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.

Mariah Carey "Hero":
You don't have to be afraid Of what you are

Lao Tzu:
At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.

Mariah Carey "Hero": 
Look inside you and be strong

Lao Tzu: 
Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.