Today's MOZEN; A Plea For Peace 7/31/2014

Words and photo by F LoBuono

The situation in Gaza is critical. There are many complex reasons why. But nothing happens in a vacuum. Nothing. And there is plenty of cruelty to go around. In a war as vicious as this one (are there any that aren't?), it is difficult for anyone to really claim the so-called Moral High Ground.

I suppose that this is the simplest way that I can explain it:

Hamas desires to reduce its population to martyrdom. And Israel is all too willing to accommodate them.

I am not skilled in international politics and I am certainly no prophet. But I do know that if we don't, somehow, break the cycle of violence we are doomed to repeat it forever. Only love can conquer hate . . .

Today's MOZEN: War Is Hell 7/27/2014

Words by F loBuono. Photo by Cynthia Imperatore

Recently, on Facebook, shocked by the terrible carnage currently being perpetrated in Gaza, I posted a series of comments and writings by the American Civil War General, William Tecumseh Sherman. He is credited with being one of the first commanders in the modern era of warfare to employ the concept of Total War. He imposed this most brutal way of fighting during his legendary March to the Sea when he destroyed most of the State of Georgia. His plan was to eliminate not only enemy combatants, but anyone, or anything, that might aid them or the South's war efforts. If it meant starving out the local population, then so be it. It was savage. And it was effective. There is no doubt that it helped hasten the end of the Civil War.

Now, based on that alone, it might be reasonable for one to assume that he was a war-loving monster. But, in fact, he was not. If you read key elements of those comments and writings, he may have been quite the opposite. Unlike the WWII American General George S. Patton, who is regularly portrayed as having "loved" war, Sherman, apparently hated it. He is often given credit for coining the phrase War Is Hell. However, that is not exactly what he said or how he ultimately (I believe) wished it to be interpreted today. Some of the most important elements of what he actually did say and write are as follows:

"You cannot qualify war in harsher terms than I will. War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it."

"It is only those who have never heard a shot, never heard the shriek and groans of the wounded and lacerated .  .  . that cry aloud for more blood, more vengeance, more desolation.

War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it.

Here was a man who had first-hand experience with the violent death of tens of thousands. He was not immune. No person could be. But he did the job he swore to do. Once the threshold of war was crossed he did not hesitate. He could not hesitate. He knew full well that in war, ultimately, there is only the living and the dead. Limited war, so-called "police engagements" and their ilk are like masturbation; it may provide some level of pleasure but does not completely satisfy our needs. If you commit to war, there can be no turning back. There are no half measures. That is why it must be AVOIDED at all costs.

There is a scene in the Academy Award winning movie "The Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957) that frames this argument beautifully. During WWII, captured British prisoners are forced by their Japanese tormentors into building an important bridge over a river in Burma. The conditions are particularly brutal and are exacerbated by the excessively harsh treatment by their Japanese guards. In an attempt to alleviate some of the suffering of his men, the commander of the British prisoners approaches the Japanese prison camp commander with a copy of the Geneva Convention (rules "governing" war and the handling of prisoners) to complain about their treatment. The British commander presents the book to the Japanese commander and explains that the Geneva Conventions prohibits the Japanese from using his men as slaves. Flashing a copy of the book, he proclaims: "What you are asking my men to do is expressly forbidden by the rules of war." The Japanese commander looks at him with bewilderment, grabs the book from his hand, slaps him across the face with it and screams, "Don't speak to me of rules. THIS IS WAR!"

Ultimately, I wish to make one point and one point only; my posting of General Sherman's statements were not a testament to the need or justification FOR war but, rather, as a declaration against it. When we remove the glory form war (there is none) and see it for the abomination that it really is, we will stop making it. Because, in the end, there are no innocents. There are only the living and the dead.

Today's MOZEN: The Power of Love 7/20/2014

Words and photo by F LoBuono

I am not a religious scholar. Nor do I play one on television. And I am not a Christian, Jew. Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Atheist, Agnostic or any other label that people hang on you to qualify your beliefs. I am a spiritual human being. By this I mean that I have studied at least portions of all of the those religions/philosophies to reinforce and aid my efforts in being the best human being that I possibly can. And I always look inward to find the answers.

In my pursuit of this spiritual knowledge, I think that I may have discovered, at least for me, the key. And that is simplicity. Every religion seems to be steeped in ritual and dogma. There are rules and procedures that each one believes will bring you to enlightenment and then salvation. Without following these strict guidelines, you will not achieve the so-called Kingdom of Heaven. First, I must state here and now, that I don't believe in a traditional, Western style heaven with white, puffy clouds, angels playing harps, and lots of old men with white beards. However, I do believe that the essence of what we truly are is somehow continued after our mortal passing. There is just too much energy within us to just disappear. And this is not just in a spiritual sense, but a physical one, as well. In fact, one of the basic laws of physics states that, energy can neither created or destroyed. It only changes form. What shape or form that may take, I have no idea. And, quite frankly, I am in no hurry to find out.

So, how do we get there? The answer is simply. The path lies simply in following The Word. And what is THE WORD? Well, it is LOVE. And it is not new to us. In fact, it is a recurring theme in virtually all of the world's religions from the very origins of those religions. Perhaps, because I was raised as a Catholic, I am most familiar with how it is expressed through Christianity. First, to attain a fuller understanding, in my mind the one who delivers The Word is not what is most important. It is the concept behind The Word that is. Even Jesus, the Christ, said it himself: I am THE WORD made flesh. By this, I believe, he means that the vehicle is not as important as the destination. The trappings of divinity were cast upon him by others. If this was necessary for human beings to accept The Word, then so be it. If you choose to accept Jesus as divine, that's OK too, just as long as you don't lose the message within the ritual and dogma. It's kind of a "you can't see the forest through the trees" type of mentality. We can get so caught up in the "appearance" of spirituality that we forget the true meaning of it.

Second, despite all of the sermons and parables, Jesus (and others) broke it down to the most simple of messages when he said, "and the greatest of these is love". Yes, it is that simple. For all the miracles, all the hype, all the interpretation, all the ritual, all the dogma, it comes down to this: and the greatest of these is love. I will never understand why we feel the need to complicate things beyond this most simple and sublime message. Love. Love. Love. Love others. Love yourself. Fill your hearts with it. Fill your heads with it. Fill your souls with it. And forget the rest. Don't be afraid to love. It's the greatest power on earth (and in heaven). And it's all the religion you need to know. The sooner we accept that, without reservation, the better the world we be.

Today's MOZEN: Priorities 7/15/2014

words and photo by F LoBuono

LeBron James. Carmelo Anthony. Are they so-called household names? If they weren't before, they sure as hell may be now. They are superstar basketball players who, after months of speculation, signed mega deals with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks, respectively. The suspense, aided by almost nightly reports on their potential signings, made the anticipation palpable - whether you liked it not!! The signings of Anthony and, particularly, James were so important that it was reported not only within the nightly sportscast but was actually deemed significant enough to interrupt the regular nightly newscasts! Really? Yes, really. Oh, the DRAMA!

James, widely considered the best player in the game, returned to his roots, Cleveland, Ohio. Perhaps, you may recall that a similar situation occurred four years ago when he left Cleveland to play for the Miami Heat. The media, lead by ESPN, built the suspense of his signing to epic proportions. It included a disastrous press conference when James uttered the now infamous line, "I'm taking my talents to South Beach". Apparently, for the right money, his talent will play out just fine in Ohio, beach or no beach. Anthony, one of the league's top scorers is a native New Yorker who has professed a desire to be part of bringing an NBA championship to New York. I'm sure that both men have the best intentions and money played no part in their final decision. And if you believe that, I have a few NYC bridges to sell you.

However, it is not the money that galls me, it's the hype. In today's sports world, athletes are paid what the market can bear. In the case of these two players, their skills, at least in the minds of their respective teams, are worth the money. Otherwise, they would not have gone to such great lengths to sign them. However, the HYPE is another matter. Being in the business, I know how difficult it can be to fill a 24- hour cycle. It's hard so it tends to get filled up with crap. And this is just another example. They even have a name for it: HYPERBOLE. If you were to believe the news/sportscasters the moves made by James and Anthony were the most important decisions of the year, perhaps even on the level of releasing terrorists from Guantanamo Bay. No, really.

Look, I get it. Sport is big business. Owners make big money. Coaches make big money. Players make big money. And big money is big news. But let's put it in perspective. One anchor from a major news network called the James decision to return to Cleveland "the answer the whole world was waiting for". Really? The whole world? With everything going on at our borders and in the Middle East, the whole world is waiting? Get real!

Both men said that it's not about the money. It's about "winning" or "community". Well, that may be the case but neither man is signing for nothing! Both signed for MILLIONS - more than you or I could ever imagine earning. In fact, pundits are saying that the contract signed by James is one of the best in all sport today. So, THERE'S your community; a community made of millions - of dollars, that is!

The long suffering city of Cleveland, the so-called "mistake by the lake", rejoiced as if the second coming had happened. For many, it did. But is this city really that lacking in cultural, community, and civic pride to hail the signing of a basketball player as THEY answer? Really? There were ecstatic street celebrations. Fans cheered James' new found maturity. They were all willing to forget the transgressions of the previous episode.There were "live" reports on virtually every major network in front of the arena where the Cavaliers play. Today, days after the signing, the story is still making headlines. Really? Cleveland? Is THAT little happening there that you need LeBron to save you? He will raise the team AND the city from the level of mediocrity they seem to be suffering from?

In contrast, New York, the greatest city in the world, reacted positively (mostly) with strong coverage. However, it did not see "Melo" beyond his role as a basketball player. In fact, some expressed displeasure with the signing. The coverage certainly did not raise Anthony to the level of savior as Cleveland did with James. But I suppose that goes with the territory; New York is, well, The Big Apple, with all the cultural and civic activities any one place can offer. Cleveland is still looking for an identity beyond "The Mistake on the Lake".

I mean this as no insult to the people of Cleveland. I hear it's actually a sweet, little city. However, to elevate any individual, especially someone from the world of sports, to the level of a messiah is just plain lame. I also get the premise that a team can raise a city. It has happened before and it can happen again. However, in the end, it's still a matter of perspective.

Today's Photo Gallery: Fourth of July 2014. Nyack.

Today's Photo Gallery: HAPPY BIRTHDAY Part 2

Photo Gallery: HAPPY BIRTHDAY Part 1

Today's MOZEN The Fourth of July 2014

Words and photo by F LoBuono

Today we celebrate the birth of our nation. Over the course of our 238 years, in addition to recognizing our greatness as a county, we have developed a number of traditions that we associate with the Fourth of July. They are food (i.e. barbecue), fireworks, and, for most, a day off. In recent years this has also become associated with the Fourth of July - The Annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island.

I'll spare you a detailed history of the event. You can look it up. It's not important. Really. And, that's my point. It started as a MARKETING TOOL to attract more people to Coney Island and to eat more hotdogs at Nathan's (the place that takes credit for inventing them). It involves contestants jamming as many boiled Nathan's hotdogs down their gullets in a predetermined period of time. Again, I'll spare you the "finer" points of the rules. They are, also, not important.

What is important is that this event that started out as a curious "gimic"/marketing ploy has become an international event with a "live" crowd of over 30,000 expected in attendance, a wall to wall "live" broadcast produced by ESPN, and coverage by every local news station in New York. It will be breathlessly teased as a "wacky, fun' event that we "all associate with the 4th of July by every news anchor in NY"! Really? What a load of shit. I so hate when the news falls for schemes like this one and then promotes the hell of it!

Ramming food down your throat is not fun. It is not wacky. It is the height of gluttony. In an attempt to eat as many hotdogs as possible, participants moisten the hotdog and bun in water as to make mashing it into their mouths that much easier. The result is gelatinous mess of bread and meat. Viewers must do their best not to puke before the contestants do! That's right; on the most American of Holidays, hundreds of thousands of people are thrilled by the site of disgusting gluttony!! THIS is the image we choose to present as our own - to the people of the world? We have poverty. We have hunger. And we celebrate gluttony, on our birthday? There is something very wrong here.

The winners are well paid and lavished with praise and fame. They are presented as "champions". Really? I wonder if they donate the prize money to a charity that feeds hungry people. Does Nathan's make a donation to a food bank? Does ESPN? Perhaps, they do. I have not researched it one way or the other. However, I have not heard that they do and, considering the PR they would get from it, I think that I would have heard something. Besides, that's not the point. The message conveyed by the event itself is bogus. It is NOT one that WE Americans should care to associated with!

Now, go out there and have a great Fourth of July. Happy Birthday to US!!