Had To Laugh

Posted by parhad on June 27, 2001 at 19:50:06:

I asked George at bethsuryoyo to make a link to the sculpture site. He agreed right away. I was afraid there might be some residual bad blood because of Hanna

and all, and there well might be, but there isn't a gentleman on the net like George.

I posted a note to Peter on aina asking the same thing. The post was removed, and Ghassan, well...he can't spell.

I am not trying to make sales. These pieces sell for more than I can afford. But I thought it would be a service to the community. I'll be showing the process of

casting bronze sculpture, ceramic and glaze work and it would be a chance to learn about a very old and interesting process. Lord knows a bit more sophistication

wouldn't hurt us.

I am officially an "enemy" now. It doesn't matter what I do for young people or the community...I challenged the stupid narrowness of some entrenched

attitudes...that was enough. If I were a doctor with a cure, these guys would turn me away because to have me heal their children would be proof that they as parent

and guardians were failing so screw the kids.

You can't overemphasize this tendency we have to cut our own big noses off to spite our fat faces. The point is not that we thrive as an ethnic identity...the point is to

sacrifice the dearest things we posssess, our heritage and children, to this religion of ours which has promised to make good all our loses and humiliations on earth

and give us paradise if we eat enough humble pie.

If I thought like that I wouldn't have worked so many years to get it right, would never have believed that I had as much chance as the next hard working minimally

talented shmuck...I would have been satisfied with mediocrity because that's all we expect of ourselves as a heritage. If I were a sad sack I would have the "praise"

and "respect" of my community...NOT because I was any good, but because I wasn't very good and therefore didn't rock the boat,. the dingy dinghy these guys

have made of our heritage.

Just in the act of trying to be professional and capable, able to hold my own anywhere, I have become "suspect"...they know I can't be a REAL Asyrian...not like

they are...and since they've chased everyone else out screaming in the night,,,,THEY are all that's left. To them, by their definition...I AM NOT Assyrian...and they're

right.

And by mine, they aren't much as Christians, let alone Assyrian.