Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness around the world.

April 17, 2007

Today’s Announcements

I am happy to announce that aol members are starting to get the newsletter again.  When you do not get the newsletter it is usually your mail servers fault or you need to check your filters to see if you accidentally put Zinester on block.  In the case of aol users, it is always aol who blocks the servers as spam.  Unfortunately when my concerned members call aol they deny blocking the newsletter, so the situation goes around in circles.  

Donations are needed to help with the operating expenses of running the newsletter and to keep Storytime Tapestry the quality newsletter you are so accustomed to.   

Please note that Storytime Tapestry is a free newsletter to members and there will never be a cost for the newsletter. Donations are purely voluntary and no member should ever feel guilty for not making a donation at this time.

Today’s Stories

~**~**~

ValueSpeak

A Weekly Column

By Joseph Walker

valuespeak@msn.com

WHAT’S WRONG WITH WRONG?

            Some years ago I passed an heirloom on to my then-12-year-old son: a 1910 vintage, .22-calibre rifle. It was my grandfather’s, then my father’s, then mine.  And now it is Joe’s.

            To be honest, I had only fired the gun a few times. I wasn’t even sure if it still worked when I passed it on to Joe. It mostly had meaning as a keepsake, a rustic symbol binding four generations of Walkers with more sentiment than a hunk of metal and wood ought to inspire.

            In passing the gun on to Joe, I talked to him about family heritage and tradition. I also briefed him on gun safety and tried to impress upon him the importance of care with an instrument that could potentially destroy, maim and even kill.

            As I did so, however, I’m afraid I violated all of the rules of politically correct parenting. I spoke in absolutes (“Never point a gun at someone”). I spouted homilies (“Treat every gun as if it was loaded”). I attempted to instill within Joe my personal sense of values and priorities (“As long as we can afford to buy meat there’s no need to shoot at another living creature”).

            I now realize how “incorrect” I was. According to conventional wisdom, I should have been talking about safe shooting (“If you insist on shooting at someone, at least make sure you’re shooting blanks”), responsible shooting (“It’s OK to take an occasional pot shot – as long as you do it in moderation”) and the possible long-term consequences of shooting (“Just don’t come running to me if you blow your head off!”).

            At least, that’s the impression I get from hearing people – politically correct people – talk about other issues that are threatening the health and safety of young people today. Teenagers are going to have sex, they say, so we need to teach “safe sex” to avoid disease and pregnancy. And they’re going to quaff on occasional beer, so let’s talk about “responsible” drinking. And if they’re going to experiment with drugs … well, there’s nothing we can do about that. But we can make sure they do it with full knowledge of what they’re getting themselves into.

            Few people are willing to tell teenagers “no” these days – unless it’s the politically correct thing to do. For example, it’s OK to teach them to say “no” to aerosol hairsprays because of the possible impact on global warming. But for some reason it’s unrealistic to expect teenagers to say “no” to sex, no matter what it does to them physically, emotionally or spiritually. Or you can talk about saying “no” to meth, but if a young man gets plastered on beer, the granddaddy of all gateway drugs . . . well, boys will be boys. And for some reason that is completely beyond me, it’s OK to say “no” to obscure chemical additives that cause hangnails in one of 53 million laboratory rats, but not to cigarettes, a proven killer of millions of humans.

            What’s wrong with “wrong”? We seem to be able to agree that it’s wrong to kill or steal or litter the highways. But beyond that, “wrong” is debatable. And I don’t understand why. While it’s true that our values and priorities may differ, can’t we all agree that it would be better if teens don’t enter adulthood enslaved by addiction to drugs, alcohol, sex or the headlong pursuit of pleasure? And can’t we all see the advantage of a generation raised to value self-control over self-indulgence, where “do your own thing” is replaced by “do the right thing”?

            Yeah, I know – “right” has become relative, too. But sooner or later we’re going to have to take stand, and as a  father I prefer to take my stand now, while I’m still teaching my children, rather than to have to make a stand against the consequences of their experimental choices.  Such values-oriented teaching may not prevent our young people from making bad decisions. But it will provide more security and balance in a world that is frighteningly short of both qualities.

            Even if it is long on political correctness.

Poetry Corner

~**~**~

 Old Home

Abram Friedland

I walk these dark streets

While my heavy heart still beats

With my records of what inspired me

And my list of crimes so real to me

Can you tell me what road to take?

And tell the truth, nothing fake

I need your records and your notes

Because with no friends, my head just floats

Oh sure, I can tell you my story

But the faces and people I made angry

Are now just floating down the sidewalk

Like paper angels who won’t even talk

And I cannot go back to my old home

Someone else is there now and his name’s on the stone

So tell me where to find the lights

On the road to future days and nights.

I got the inspiration for this listening to the song, “Shenandoah”.

Abram Friedland

abramfriedland@videotron.ca

~**~**~

Hollywood on Paper

Abram Friedland

The latest issue is out

The old time actor is dead

For now

His writers need a story to sell

His sponsors need buyers to come

And a new plot twist arrives

Just in time

Because Hollywood is on every newsstand

And in every shop where kids come to read

With each new story

With each coming sequel

More money is made

Smiling Stan Lee is smiling so happy

His empire is rock solid and limitless

And each actor in tights and boots

Has a new job to do this month

So his writers and directors

Can collect other people’s money

Abram Friedland

abramfriedland@videotron.ca

I used to collect comic books as a kid.

 ~**~**~

 History Decides

Abram Friedland

When all wars are done

And all generals are dead and gone

History will have trouble finding work to do

Everyone will be so bored

Bismarck even said so once

When old enemies get old and mellow

And military towns see welfare cheques

New enemies will be needed

To keep History’s march going

I cannot understand how History functions

Leaving a dictator’s memories in dark dungeons

Yet leaving another monster’s horrors forgotten and forgiven

Whole states and empires drown under History’s wishes

And pipsqueak dictators rise to respect and prominence

Someone told me to read the Book of Job

To understand why History is so fickle

But I cannot understand oceans of blood

Or heaps of forgotten soldiers and victims

Left between the lines of History’s records

Will I be the next neglected ghost?

Will my city be the next collateral target?

All on someone’s list?

Someone tell me if I will be selected by History

To be its next victim.

I studied History in college, and sometimes it seems if History and G-d really do have conflicting agendas. Does Job explain it at all?

Abram Friedland

abramfriedland@videotron.ca

Readers Feedback

 Carol: for something like that you get a multibillion mal practice lawsuit in America.... Bless his heart!!!! Tomorrow I am going to church. I will say a special prayer for Hart and ask for wisdom and clarity of mind for his doctor..... What an idiot!  thanks for the update...... TANNIA

I will keep Hart in my prayers. Poor man. Jene Lind

Storytime Tapestry Angels

Angels on earth, they exist they are out there.  Angels come in all ages, shapes and sizes, civil status, and religion.  Their nature is love and their purpose is giving to the less fortunate of this world.  Storytime Tapestry angels are no exception.  These angels are loyal members who have contributed to the upkeep of Storytime Tapestry newsletter so that Storytime Tapestry can continue come to your email box 350 days of the year.

Here is our Storytime Tapestry Angels: Also, I would like to thank those of you who chose to be a silent angel and gave an anonymous donation to keep Storytime Tapestry up and running.

Clara Westerfer, Mark Crider, Rosanne Catalano, Paula Booher, Kay Seefeldt, Mariane Holbrook, Mary Ellen Grisham, Louise Nomani, Sharon Bryant, Angela Walker, Hart and Helen Dowd, Keith Ready, Ginger Morgenstern, Ellie Braun-Haley, Surinder Jandu, Bob Shaw, Carol Meeks