Just when you think that our state legislature has exhausted their capacity to craft unnecessary and sometimes mindless legislation, along comes proposed House Bill 1958 "TO ALLOW A CONCEALED HANDGUN LICENSEE TO CARRY A CONCEALED HANDGUN IN CHURCH OR OTHER PLACE OF WORSHIP". In truth, this bill just amends the current prohibition against carrying concealed weapons to church by allowing all churches and other places of worship to decide for themselves who may carry such weapons, but that does not make this legislation any less onerous Go to http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=HB1958 to learn more about this bill and its sponsors, as well as http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Bills/HB1958.pdf for a copy of the bill itself.
What is it about the New Testament that the 65 members of the House who voted yea don't understand? I was always taught that it is, essentially, a message of love, tolerance, forgiveness and acceptance as described in various verses including 1st Corinthians 13:1-13 (the Love Chapter), Galatians 5:22-23 (listing the Fruits of the Spirit) and Matthew 5, 6 & 7 (The Sermon on the Mount), to name a few. So, what's next, preachers suiting up with ammunition belts crisscrossed against their chests holding a rifle much in the image of Pancho Villa just to set the tone of the service? Or maybe churches could sell guns and ammunition in their vestibules as fund raising events. It brings an entirely new dimension to the expression "Clinging to God and guns" which got so much attention in the 2008 presidential campaign. If there is one place on earth where we should all feel free of any possible chance of armed violence, it is sitting in our place of worship regardless of faith. If Jesus chased the moneychangers from His "house of prayer" for their contemptible acts, I wonder what he would do today with people packing heat in his temple?
And, finally, isn't it the responsibility of the state legislature to protect its citizens with prudent and reasonable statutes, rather than create the possibility of a "Gunfight at the OK Corral" environment, particularly in a place of worship? This is one really bad piece of legislation among some 3,235 total bills filed just this session (go look for yourself at http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/SearchBillsByRange.aspx ) that should immediately be, pardon the pun, shot down in my view.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
When Will It All End?
When will it all end? After experiencing one of the most deadly years in history last year (re: ABC video at http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/2010-deadliest-year-12506831 ), we are now on track to possibly exceed that record this year with a wide array of natural disasters having already happened including droughts in China; floods in the Philippines, South Africa, Australia, Brazil and the northeastern United States; tornados (178 in the US alone this year); wildfires in Australia; snow storms in the United States; and devastating earthquakes in China, Myanmar, Chile, Argentina, Pakistan, New Zealand and now Japan for the second time. Not included are the continuing effects of the earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004 killing 230,000 people, as well as Haiti's earthquake just last year where another 230,000 may have died. And this list does not even consider the man-made disasters that have wreaked havoc on mankind, most notably the BP oil well debacle last year right off our own gulf coast.
But it is the horrific devastation of the recent 9.0 earthquake and tsunami and possible nuclear reactor meltdown ("The China Syndrome" playing out in real time) now threatening Japan on which world-wide attention is currently focused that has caused the most recent alarm. For those of us living in Arkansas this concern is more than just casual for two reasons. First, while there has been some concern about the possible connection between 950 earthquake events that have occurred in Faulkner County in the past few months and the drilling of injection wells nearby, attention also needs to be focused on the existence of Arkansas' one and only operating nuclear power plant located just a stone's throw to the southwest of this seismic activity and only 75 miles west of Little Rock where the shock of the 4.7 quake, the largest thus far, of February 7th was felt. Just imagine an isosceles triangle 75 miles per side and you've got the relevant distance between earthquake activity, nuclear reactor and the most populated metropolitan region in our state. While I am sure every precaution and safety measure have been taken to protect the public against such an event, I'm sure the same, if not even to a greater degree, were taken in Japan, and nature still got the upper hand.
For the second thing, we need to also recognize that there may be an even greater threat to public safety than the situation described above, and that is the New Madrid Fault that traverses northeastern Arkansas approximately 100 miles to the east from the Faulkner County activity. In 1811 it caused an earthquake of such magnitude that among other things it is believed to have caused the Mississippi River to flow backward for several hours, and has been periodically active ever since to a much lesser degree. Just this year there have been almost two dozen relatively small seismic events along that fault, but we are 30 years overdue for 6.3 or stronger earthquake to happen with 20 times more devastation than in California due to the geological formations in this region of the United States (learn more at http://www.dnr.mo.gov/geology/geosrv/geores/techbulletin1.htm ). Consequently, prudence would dictate that some careful planning and forethought be given to these possibilities.
And if you don't have enough to worry about locally, just consider what may lie ahead for planet earth in the coming years at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGgEKgAGdxE. It's enough to make one believe that we're watching a Biblical prophecy unfold right before our very eyes.
ARTISTS
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
Julie McNair at http://juliemcnair.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
But it is the horrific devastation of the recent 9.0 earthquake and tsunami and possible nuclear reactor meltdown ("The China Syndrome" playing out in real time) now threatening Japan on which world-wide attention is currently focused that has caused the most recent alarm. For those of us living in Arkansas this concern is more than just casual for two reasons. First, while there has been some concern about the possible connection between 950 earthquake events that have occurred in Faulkner County in the past few months and the drilling of injection wells nearby, attention also needs to be focused on the existence of Arkansas' one and only operating nuclear power plant located just a stone's throw to the southwest of this seismic activity and only 75 miles west of Little Rock where the shock of the 4.7 quake, the largest thus far, of February 7th was felt. Just imagine an isosceles triangle 75 miles per side and you've got the relevant distance between earthquake activity, nuclear reactor and the most populated metropolitan region in our state. While I am sure every precaution and safety measure have been taken to protect the public against such an event, I'm sure the same, if not even to a greater degree, were taken in Japan, and nature still got the upper hand.
For the second thing, we need to also recognize that there may be an even greater threat to public safety than the situation described above, and that is the New Madrid Fault that traverses northeastern Arkansas approximately 100 miles to the east from the Faulkner County activity. In 1811 it caused an earthquake of such magnitude that among other things it is believed to have caused the Mississippi River to flow backward for several hours, and has been periodically active ever since to a much lesser degree. Just this year there have been almost two dozen relatively small seismic events along that fault, but we are 30 years overdue for 6.3 or stronger earthquake to happen with 20 times more devastation than in California due to the geological formations in this region of the United States (learn more at http://www.dnr.mo.gov/geology/geosrv/geores/techbulletin1.htm ). Consequently, prudence would dictate that some careful planning and forethought be given to these possibilities.
And if you don't have enough to worry about locally, just consider what may lie ahead for planet earth in the coming years at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGgEKgAGdxE. It's enough to make one believe that we're watching a Biblical prophecy unfold right before our very eyes.
ARTISTS
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
Julie McNair at http://juliemcnair.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
And the Winner Is
With the annual Academy Awards scheduled for this Sunday, it seems an appropriate time to weigh in with my picks for Oscar winners, but only in the major categories. In so doing I will first list who I think will win followed by whom I would like to win. However, as a prelude to those selections, I would like to comment on two movies, Barney's Version and Another Year, both of which seem to have been ignored by the Academy this year for reasons that totally escape me.
The first tells the story of a blunt, over-bearing, self-absorbed individual who seemingly has no knack for diplomacy when dealing with his spouses, employees, friends or casual acquaintances. But beneath that abrasive exterior is the heart of a man who ultimately shows deep and abiding love for the last of his three wives while slowly spiraling downward in the funnel of Alzheimer's. The cast and acting are superb and there are none of those slow monotonous segments found in many movies that make the viewer wish he were watching it on Tivo and had a fast forward button. So, I'm just dumbfounded as to why the only attribute the Academy found worthy of recognition was in their Best Achievement in Makeup category. Besides my own rating of excellent, many other qualified movie critics also gave very favorable reviews of this movie, some of which you can read for yourself from a list of 83 at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1423894/externalreviews. At least the star, Paul Giamatti, did receive the Golden Globe award for best actor, Rosamund Pike and Minnie Driver were recognized by the London Critics Film Awards for Actress of the Year and Supporting Actress of the Year respectively, and Rosamund Pike again for Best Actress in a Supporting Role by the Satellite Awards.
As if to illustrate the exact opposite of the high octane approach to relationships Barney took, the second movie centers around the long-term, stable, genteel and happily married couple, Gerri and Tom, and four seasonal episodes they experience with some fairly dysfunctional friends which bring them full circle with the beginning of "another year". However, it is Mary, played by Lesley Manville, who keeps reappearing and slowly deteriorates from a seemingly happy-go-lucky individual into a real mess who becomes the real focus of the movie. While painful to watch, it is a brilliant piece of acting along with the entire ensemble cast who play their parts flawlessly, just as you would expect a group of talented British actors to perform, much in the tradition of Masterpiece Theater. Even though the Academy, like with Barney's Version, did nominate Another Year for a single entry for "Best Writing for a Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen" (is that the same as Best Original Screenplay?), fortunately, other film groups recognized the broad excellence of this movie, to wit:
Nominated for BAFTA Film Award - Lesley Manville for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated for British Independent Film Award - Jim Broadbent for Best Actor, Ruth Sheen for Best Actress, Lesley Manville for Best Supporting Actress and Mike Leigh for Best Director
Nominated for Chicago Film Critics Award - Lesley Manville for Best Actress
Nominated for London Critics Circle Film Award - Jim Broadbent for Best British Actor, Lesley Manville for Best British Actress, Ruth Sheen for Best British Actress, Peter Wight for Best Supporting Actor, David Bradley for Supporting Actor and Best British Film
Won National Board of Review Award, USA - Lesley Manville for Best Actress
Won San Diego Film Critics Society Award - Lesley Manville for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated for SDFCS Award - Jim Broadbent, Lesley Manville and Ruth Sheen for Best Ensemble
Nominated for Washington DC Area Film Award - Mike Leigh for Best Original Screenplay
Once again, read from 159 other reviews at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1431181/externalreviews.
And then there are Blue Valentine and Rabbit Hole which my wife thinks did not get their full measure of recognition, even though each got a Best Actress nomination, but time and space prevent further comment. In any event here are my major picks for Sunday night:
Best Actor: Colin Firth/Colin Firth
Best Actress: Natalie Portman/Natalie Portman
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale/Geoffrey Rush
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo/Amy Adams
Best Movie: The King's Speech/The Social Network *
* If for no other reason than the powerful social significance of Facebook in today's world (think Middle East and North Africa), as all nominees are worthy of Best Picture in my view.
ARTISTS
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
Julie McNair at http://juliemcnair.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
The first tells the story of a blunt, over-bearing, self-absorbed individual who seemingly has no knack for diplomacy when dealing with his spouses, employees, friends or casual acquaintances. But beneath that abrasive exterior is the heart of a man who ultimately shows deep and abiding love for the last of his three wives while slowly spiraling downward in the funnel of Alzheimer's. The cast and acting are superb and there are none of those slow monotonous segments found in many movies that make the viewer wish he were watching it on Tivo and had a fast forward button. So, I'm just dumbfounded as to why the only attribute the Academy found worthy of recognition was in their Best Achievement in Makeup category. Besides my own rating of excellent, many other qualified movie critics also gave very favorable reviews of this movie, some of which you can read for yourself from a list of 83 at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1423894/externalreviews. At least the star, Paul Giamatti, did receive the Golden Globe award for best actor, Rosamund Pike and Minnie Driver were recognized by the London Critics Film Awards for Actress of the Year and Supporting Actress of the Year respectively, and Rosamund Pike again for Best Actress in a Supporting Role by the Satellite Awards.
As if to illustrate the exact opposite of the high octane approach to relationships Barney took, the second movie centers around the long-term, stable, genteel and happily married couple, Gerri and Tom, and four seasonal episodes they experience with some fairly dysfunctional friends which bring them full circle with the beginning of "another year". However, it is Mary, played by Lesley Manville, who keeps reappearing and slowly deteriorates from a seemingly happy-go-lucky individual into a real mess who becomes the real focus of the movie. While painful to watch, it is a brilliant piece of acting along with the entire ensemble cast who play their parts flawlessly, just as you would expect a group of talented British actors to perform, much in the tradition of Masterpiece Theater. Even though the Academy, like with Barney's Version, did nominate Another Year for a single entry for "Best Writing for a Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen" (is that the same as Best Original Screenplay?), fortunately, other film groups recognized the broad excellence of this movie, to wit:
Nominated for BAFTA Film Award - Lesley Manville for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated for British Independent Film Award - Jim Broadbent for Best Actor, Ruth Sheen for Best Actress, Lesley Manville for Best Supporting Actress and Mike Leigh for Best Director
Nominated for Chicago Film Critics Award - Lesley Manville for Best Actress
Nominated for London Critics Circle Film Award - Jim Broadbent for Best British Actor, Lesley Manville for Best British Actress, Ruth Sheen for Best British Actress, Peter Wight for Best Supporting Actor, David Bradley for Supporting Actor and Best British Film
Won National Board of Review Award, USA - Lesley Manville for Best Actress
Won San Diego Film Critics Society Award - Lesley Manville for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated for SDFCS Award - Jim Broadbent, Lesley Manville and Ruth Sheen for Best Ensemble
Nominated for Washington DC Area Film Award - Mike Leigh for Best Original Screenplay
Once again, read from 159 other reviews at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1431181/externalreviews.
And then there are Blue Valentine and Rabbit Hole which my wife thinks did not get their full measure of recognition, even though each got a Best Actress nomination, but time and space prevent further comment. In any event here are my major picks for Sunday night:
Best Actor: Colin Firth/Colin Firth
Best Actress: Natalie Portman/Natalie Portman
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale/Geoffrey Rush
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo/Amy Adams
Best Movie: The King's Speech/The Social Network *
* If for no other reason than the powerful social significance of Facebook in today's world (think Middle East and North Africa), as all nominees are worthy of Best Picture in my view.
ARTISTS
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
Julie McNair at http://juliemcnair.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Tears of Joy
What an amazing 18-day transformation the world was privileged to watch unfold in Egypt and end this past Friday with unbridled jubilation in Cairo's Tahrir Square. Tectonic, seismic, transformational and unbelievable are just of a few of the adjectives used to describe a process whereby the strong will of the people freed themselves from a dictatorship in a peaceful and orderly manner. Not only was their success aided and abetted by technology ( the subject of a prior blog The Era of Faceless Revolutions on January 30th), it was fueled by a brand new demographic of young Egyptians that the old guard regime never seemed to fully understand or appreciate. In addition the "people" had the full and unwavering support of the military who fully controlled the situation without firing a shot, almost unheard of in any part of the world, much less the volatile Middle East. Also absent from this entire process were shouts of "death to America" or "kill the infidels", which signal that this may truly be a sectarian movement driven by an educated segment of a society deeply committed to seeking true freedom devoid of theocratic overtones and dogma. In the words of President Obama "It was the moral force of nonviolence - not terrorism and mindless killing - that bent the arc of history toward justice once more".
What impressed me the most was watching the pure joy expressed on the faces of the multitude of men, women and children who poured into their ground zero to be a part of one of the most important historical events to take place in Egypt's long and rich history. Tears were flowing and proclamations of "God is great", "Lift your head high in pride, you're Egyptian", "Democracy is coming", "Egypt is free", "Egypt is born again" and "I am somebody" reverberated throughout Tahrir ("Liberation") Square. More miraculous was that people of all stripes, classes, ideologies and religions, including even Muslims and Coptic Christians, stood side by side sharing and enjoying this new-found freedom. What's even more exciting is the possible wide-ranging effect this bottom up, as opposed to top down (e.g. Iraq war), drive toward democracy may have on the entire Middle East. In the words of Thomas Friedman, "The sense of self-empowerment and authenticity - we did it ourselves, by ourselves - is what makes Egypt's democracy movement such a potential game changer for the whole region". The date 02/11 may be Egypt's 09/11 but, obviously, for much different reasons.
So, a country which has survived since 3,000 BC with a series of pharaohs, kings and generals notably including King Tutankhamen, all the many Ramesses, Cleopatra, King Farouk, Gamal Nasser, Anwar al-Sadat and now Hosni Mubarak now has its first real chance to experience democracy. Yes, there are many unknowns and treacherous paths that this new journey may take, which is why it is so critically important that it have the full and active support by all Americans minus the cynicism and second-guessing that, sadly, is already starting to take root. Should progress start to falter, those tears of joy could quickly change into tears of rage, in which case "the people" know the way back to Tahrir, but I fear it won't be such a peaceful second trip.
ARTISTS
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
Julie McNair at http://juliemcnair.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
What impressed me the most was watching the pure joy expressed on the faces of the multitude of men, women and children who poured into their ground zero to be a part of one of the most important historical events to take place in Egypt's long and rich history. Tears were flowing and proclamations of "God is great", "Lift your head high in pride, you're Egyptian", "Democracy is coming", "Egypt is free", "Egypt is born again" and "I am somebody" reverberated throughout Tahrir ("Liberation") Square. More miraculous was that people of all stripes, classes, ideologies and religions, including even Muslims and Coptic Christians, stood side by side sharing and enjoying this new-found freedom. What's even more exciting is the possible wide-ranging effect this bottom up, as opposed to top down (e.g. Iraq war), drive toward democracy may have on the entire Middle East. In the words of Thomas Friedman, "The sense of self-empowerment and authenticity - we did it ourselves, by ourselves - is what makes Egypt's democracy movement such a potential game changer for the whole region". The date 02/11 may be Egypt's 09/11 but, obviously, for much different reasons.
So, a country which has survived since 3,000 BC with a series of pharaohs, kings and generals notably including King Tutankhamen, all the many Ramesses, Cleopatra, King Farouk, Gamal Nasser, Anwar al-Sadat and now Hosni Mubarak now has its first real chance to experience democracy. Yes, there are many unknowns and treacherous paths that this new journey may take, which is why it is so critically important that it have the full and active support by all Americans minus the cynicism and second-guessing that, sadly, is already starting to take root. Should progress start to falter, those tears of joy could quickly change into tears of rage, in which case "the people" know the way back to Tahrir, but I fear it won't be such a peaceful second trip.
ARTISTS
Laura Raborn at http://paintingsofhome.com and http://claygifts.com
Jim Johnson at http://yessy.com/jimjohnson/gallery.html
Russ Powell at http://powellphotos.com
Linda Flake at http://lindaflake.com
Tom Herrin at http://tommysart.blogspot.com
Matt McLeod at http://matt@mattmcleod.com
Artists Registry at http://www.arkansasarts.org/programs/registry/default.aspx
Sandy Hubler Fine Art at http://sandyhublerfineart.com
George Wittenberg at http://postcard-art-gallery.com
Will Barnet at http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,17315,23628,23670,24472,25834,26095,26328,26562,26637,26761,26790,26849,26992,27095,27126,27139,27147,27178&sugexp=ldymls&xhr=t&q=will+barnet&cp=9&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=xpfETMT1O4L6lwf66ugE&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQsAQwAQ&biw=1350&bih=501
Barry Thomas at http://barrythomasart.com
Sherry Williamson at http://meowbarkart.com
Julie McNair at http://juliemcnair.com
GALLERIES
Local Colour Gallery at http://localcolourgallery.com
Chroma Gallery at http://chromagallery.com
Cantrell Gallery at http://cantrellgallery.com
Greg Thompson Fine Art at http://gregthompsonfineart.com
Red Door Gallery at http://reddoorgalleryonline.com
M2 Gallery at http://m2lr.com
UALR Gallery Program at http://ualr.edu/art
Gallery 26 at http://gallery26.com
Boswell Mourot Fine Art at http://boswellmourot.com
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