Good News Friday

04 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , ,

Mark Cahill - Hand TransplantAmid all the usual doom and gloom of the news stories, there were two shining rays of hope to brighten the day. The first was regarding the UK’s first hand transplant patient, Mark Cahill, who is making excellent progress after receiving a donor hand on Boxing Day.

Malala Going HomeThe second, and for me even more exciting news, is that 15 year old Malala Yousafzai, the young lady who was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman, for campaigning for education for girls, left hospital today to join her family in their temporary home in Birmingham.

The attack on Malala, back in October, sparked outrage around the world. The resulting press coverage and negative reaction towards the Taliban, promoting the cause of girls education in Pakistan still further. Another case of this misguided radical Muslim group metaphorically shooting themselves in the foot.

Whilst we can only wish Mark good fortune and a speedy recovery from his surgery, we should spare a thought for the family of the donor, who having lost their loved one at Christmas, bravely allowed the hand to be used for the benefit of another. Can there be a more compassionate act?

Greater Sexual Equality – Sadly?

24 Dec 2012 3 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

Afghan PolicewomanI was dismayed to hear the news this morning, that an Afghan policewoman killed a US NATO advisor in Kabul. It is believed to be the first ‘insider’, or Green on Blue attack to be carried out by a woman.

As with all crimes of violence, there seems to be, for me at least, and additional shock factor when the perpetrator is female. I am unsure quite why that should be, maybe it’s because I am old fashioned and still consider them the to be fairer sex.

Whatever the reason, it is very sad to hear about the incident in Kabul. One can only hope that it will prove to be an isolated incident and that it is an indication that the Taliban are finding it more difficult to carry out such attacks using men.

Following on from the news that The British troops stationed out in Afghanistan are to be withdrawn sooner than scheduled, due to the reported increased progress being made in the training of the Afghan troops and police forces, it makes one question, once again, what kind of mess we will be leaving behind.

Teenage Courage

09 Oct 2012 2 Comments

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , ,

Malala YousafzaiThe shooting today of Malala Yousafzai, the 14 year old schoolgirl who was campaigning against the Taliban imposed ban on the schooling of girls in north-west Pakistan, has caused worldwide outrage. The bravery of Malala, who started her campaign blog when she was only 11, can only be admired.

It can only be hoped that the senseless, cowardly attack on this child will further undermine the political position of the Taliban. The Islamist fundamentalists dominate the areas they control by a combination of fear and violence.

These cowards have promised to silence Malala if she continues her campaign, assuming she recovers from the head injuries sustained today. Surely it is high time that moderate Islamic people made it clear that such actions, which are bound to taint attitudes towards their religion, are totally unacceptable.

In the meantime, I ask that you join me in chanting and praying for a speedy and full recovery for Malala, such a brave and inspirational young lady.

Another Perspective

09 Sep 2011 1 Comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , ,

9/11 - The Twin TowersThe 10th anniversary of 9/11 is filling the media with stories of the day, accounts from relatives of the victims and the like. As you might suspect, most of the stories see the tragedy from the western viewpoint, and maybe rightly so, but, as always, I like to see things from every perspective.

I was therefore very interested to hear a report on BBC Radio 4 in which Hugh Sykes went to Islamabad on September 10th and again just recently, to record the mood in Pakistan, and it gave a completely different perspective on the events that were to change the world forever.

Messages such as ‘Americans, think why you are so hated’ and cries of ‘Taliban, Taliban’ show just how polarized the views of East and West were, and sadly, still are. I suggest that you take a moment to listen to the report yourself. You can fast forward to about 38 minutes into the program to catch the report.

In terms of karma, cause and effect, the actions of al-Qaeda have left them with a huge amount of bad karma. But one has to ask what America as a whole did, and continues to do, to illicit such a venomous hated from such a large section of the world’s population.

All these events, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the UN military support of the Libyan rebels and the recent reports of atrocities of the British Army, just bring home the urgent need for us all to strive unstintingly towards Kosen Rufu, or world peace. How can we ever hope for any form of lasting peace without understanding the viewpoint of those with whom we are trying to make peace?