I think everyone should read Donatella's message carefully. She expresses a view we all can share, and takes no sides in the current conflicts or politics. She makes a good point when she sets the personal situation of gun versus gun, is your anti-violence so sincere that you would not shoot if about to be shot at.
But I think we all agree that the lute list isn't the place for politics, although a gentle expression of a viewpoint among friends shouldn't be wrong. I wish I could say it as well as Donatella has (and I note her little implication about Friday and Saturday nights - sorry Donatella, I drink the same amount every night, but then I'm retired and every night is similar <g>). Argument is constructive, polemic is not. And that can apply even to discussions of music. There is a tradition in the US of religious pacifists, the Quakers being one. Many of them served in WWII, helping to free Europe, without carrying a gun. They were front line Medics, and they were killed. There Donatella's example, and there is the true believer in peace. I think the rest of us are a bit less idealistic, although I can't say that for sure. I admire those who can be that altruistic, but I can't find that in my soul or practice. But for my last statement on the topic I'll say this, no one knows what is truely right. Good men can make mistakes, it is not proper to attribute bad motives to a people, or a President. But what may appear to be mistakes may also save a number of people in the long term. I have no way of knowing whether the Iraq invasion will save lives or cost them in the long term, I hope it is the former, but I can't guarantee that. It is my opinion that it will. Best, Jon ----- Original Message ----- From: "Donatella Galletti" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, November 06, 2004 3:56 PM Subject: American lutenists ( was: I am sorry...) > First of all , a big thanks to all American lutenists , musicians and > audience I met in the US last summer. > > I think that war and killing are something nobody would wish to have, and > saying "me "(civilized) against " you" ( not civilized) does not make any > sense, but is just the beginning of another war. Maybe someone who is > completely sure he would rather be killed than kill, even holding a gun > against someone going to pull the trigger and at that very moment think: > "better I die but not kill", would eventually have the right to condemn > violence ( every kind of violence, not just by a particular country or > person, as violence is violence, there is not a "good" one against a "bad " > one) , and even then would have to think about triggering a quarrel. In this > case he would obviously rather keep silent, because he is not violent at all > and is really striving for peace under every possible aspect... I also do > not think of Arto as a violent person, and I think everybody should consider > differently mails sent on Friday or Saturday nights... > > I learnt a lot about America in a bit more that one month living there, and > much more is still to be learnt, the overall impression I had is of a > country where everybody is allowed to be himself and be valued for this, > much more than in Europe. I also think it's very difficult to judge > political choices of a country in which one is not living , because the > point of view and attitude towards life are very different, and the cultural > aspect is something one cannot even absorb in years living in a foreign > country. Moreover, in Europe ( as in many other countries, I think), people > think and take decisions according to what the press says, and I think a > re-reading of 1984 by Orwell might be very useful at times... > > Back to lutenists: I think most of them are very kind and helpful persons, > an escape into music is a kind of luxury not everybody can have, and there > is no space for violence when playing.. > > peace > > Donatella > > > http://web.tiscali.it/awebd > > > > > > > > I send my sincere good will, best wishes and > > > consolations > > > > to all of my good, educated and civiliced American > > > friends! > > > > > > > > Arto > > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > >
