Conduct Among Kidnappers?

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But now, a different perspective, and indeed, the perspective I should have considered first and foremost: in all roles in a hostage crisis such as this, what constitutes a proper and godly Christian response? It’s given, of course, that we should all pray for Angelo De la Cruz’s survival and safe return, regardless of how governments and terrorists react. But what about the hostage himself, or an embattled president attempting to deal with conflicting national and international opinion? Is this a proper context for cheek-turning?

It’s said of Fabrizio Quattrocchi, the Italian hostage in Iraq, that just before the terrorists killed him, he struggled defiantly, yelling, “Now, I will show you how an Italian dies!” Brave, proud words, those, but would a bible-believing Christian do well to die in like manner? The prophecied example of Christ is like sheep to a slaughter. Yet at the same time, balance this against the selfless act of rallying countrymen to bravery and denying terrorists a demoralizing propaganda tool. Christians, how should we react in such a circumstance?

Related book to add to the reading list: “AmongIn the Presence of My Enemies,” by Gracia Burnham. (Don’t know how I could have made such an obvious typo. Thanks, Cat.)

Acting Deputy

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Who is Deputy Foreign Secretary Ralph Seguis, anyway? He’s all over Filipino and world news now for his obsequious statement to the terrorists, but as of now, a search for his name turns up only this: retraction of an erroneous Filipino fatality report in Kosovo, earlier this year, though as of March, he was “Acting” Foreign Sec, not “Deputy.” Looks like bungled media announcements are not new to this guy, though this older problem can be traced back to UN bungling as well. As can be expected.

(Ironically, I probably would have supported an early pullout were it not for the kidnapping. Iraq is handed over, rebuilding, and addressing its own security concerns; and the Philippines has need of its own humanitarian aid as well. Now, however, an early pullout means bowing to terrorist demands, giving them a platform and emboldening them to more kidnappings and bombings. I’ll let DJB tell the rest, though that entry dates back to just before the government caved.)

Malabo

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Confusion. Are we so kalat that we can’t even get obsequious terror appeasement right? On the other hand, this might be a delaying tactic. “As soon as possible” might just be code for “the original deadline and no sooner,” and as this Scotsman report puts it, “the confusion may have been deliberate.” Not a particularly honest ploy, but hey, if it saves De la Cruz while still honoring our Coalition schedule, it’s a good thing, if a bit unctuous.

(Build your Tagalog vocabulary! Malabo: adj. hazy, blurry, unclear, incoherent. Kalat: adj. messy, or n. mess.)

Update: More from Dean Jorge Bocobo on the influence of the Filipino anti-American far-left on media perception, the challenge before President Gloria, the emboldment of terrorist kidnappers, and the threat now facing Filipino workers in the region if we do cave in to terrorist demands.

Obsequious Appeasers

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Great, not only are we terror appeasers, we’re obsequious terror appeasers. From the Deputy Foreign Secretary: “In response to your request … the Philippines will withdraw its humanitarian forces as soon as possible …. I hope the statement that I read will touch the heart of this group …. We know that Islam is the religion of peace and mercy.”

“Touch the heart?”

“Peace and mercy?”

“Request?”

You know, though I consider it dishonorable, I might even understand sending home troops to save the life of a hostage, but what kind of wonderful noble motivation is this person trying to ascribe to these terrorists? It isn’t even acquiescence anymore; it’s grovelling. “Oh, don’t hurt us, we’ll do anything you want!”

There’s an up side to this, I suppose: (1) De la Cruz is (hopefully) free, maybe even alive! Now he can go back to his family. (2) The Philippines is back on the map, right up there beside her former colonizer.

More feedback via the Technorati cosmos for the wonderful news:

Filipino Hostage in Iraq

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Drakulita posts an email from Angelo de la Cruz’s niece in Hawaii. De la Cruz, the unfortunate Filipino hostage in Iraq, is alive as of yet, though still not freed, despite what the bungled reports may say. The hostage crisis has the Philippines conflicted and confused: was it wrong for Filipino workers and soldiers to join an American (circle preferred answer) [liberation/occupation]? If one believes the war in Iraq unjust, does rectifying the wrong with an early Filipino troop pullout justify acquiescing to terrorist kidnappers’ demands?

Inquirer’s appeasement editorials (obviously written by, or under the lead of, De Quiros, who practically apologizes for the kidnappers) would seem to bear out that justification, and I believe they advocate dishonor and cowardice. (Yes, I am cringing as I write that, as I sound like a polarizing far-right-winger.) Whether or not you believe in Iraqi WMDs, American imperialism, or George W. Bush, a commitment is a commitment. It is a commitment not just to America but to Iraq as well, and not just to American interests (“OOOIIILLL!!!” yells the headbanded activistippie) but to rebuilding Iraq as well. To renege on that commitment at this point is not only to dance when the terrorists say dance, but to abandon a country twice, thrice ravaged by oppression and war.

Am I being heartless for insisting on firmness to a dubious contract in the face of the beheading of an innocent worker by terrorists?

Update: Oh no. I saw the news just as I posted this: The Philippines blinked. Our moral to the rest of the world: “When it comes to the Philippines, terrorist kidnappings work!” How long before the next extremist group decides to see how high they can make the Philippines jump?

unFriend

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I deleted my accounts on Friendster, Orkut, and Flickr yesterday. (Though I saved the testimonials since they were so nice.) Social networking was just not really doing anything for me but adding clutter to my communications systems. I’ve got email, IM, a cellphone, and a weblog; what else could I possibly need? (I might reopen on Flickr, however, depending on how much I need its mobile and photo capabilities.)

Friday Night in DC

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I went running again last night: standard 5 mile circuit on the National Mall, from Capitol to Lincoln Memorial and back. Thanks to use of the wrong shoes for about a month, my right knee has been hurting after a mile or two of hard running, so I wear a neoprene brace for pressure and support, and slow to a brisk walk when the ache starts, being careful with impact and distribution of weight. I wear proper running shoes with lots of cushioning now, and the knee hurts less. Hope it heals soon.

As I passed by the White House, Marine One flew right over my head and landed on the White House Lawn, carrying Bush or Cheney or some foreign VIP. Circling through Constitution Gardens, I cautiously jogged through a flock of geese on the path by the pond; they eyed me annoyedly, but did not attack. On the way back, I passed by the DC World War I Memorial, a remote, neglected marble dome hidden in the trees behind the much more famous World War II Memorial.

Approaching the Capitol, I was surprised to hear strains of the “1812 Overture” coming from a band playing by the Capitol steps, with a small crowd gathered to watch. Inexplicably, the Overture switched over to Yankee Doodle, accompanied by an organ alternating between “Charge” (popularized by American baseball) and Bach’s Dm Toccata and Fugue. They wrapped up the mutant Overture as I arrived on the Capitol Lawn, where I was told that it was the U.S. Army Band, rehearsing PDQ Bach. Quite amusing. The band struck up Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever,” and I lingered for a bit before heading home.

On the way home, I spoke a bit with an elderly couple walking back to the Hyatt about eating places in the immediate area; not much around the Capitol, nor in the Union Station foodcourt after 9pm, but there were other eating places there, plus the slightly overpriced Senators Restaurant at Holiday Inn on the Hill. Hyatt’s own Capitol View Restaurant, with its $50 entrees, is never an option for dining in DC.

It was a pleasure to get home and step into a cool shower, followed by a hearty dinner of spam and rice and a quick phone call with the girl I love.

No time, no time

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Once upon a long-ago, I had much more time for designs, redesigns, and weblogs. Four years ago, I was a fairly “tertiary” creative worker: employed by a post-production house, serving the advertising industry, in a struggling Southeast Asian economy. Clients were few and far between, and the work came in spurts: little bursts of frenzied, all-day-and-night action, separated by days, even weeks, of office inactivity where I sat around, watching TV, having long lunches, and messing around with new websites. There was time enough “between projects” to do all that.

These days, however, I often find myself muttering, “No time, no time.” There’s a busy busy day job now to deal with, packed with things to do, an overflow of activity compared to my days of interproject idling. Practically gone are the huge swaths of time for free creative tinkering and writing and linking and making five new random CSS designs per day. Nowadays, my still incomplete personal pet projects can take weeks or months to get off the ground.

I mention this because I was previously thinking of relaunching Simplesight.net as a full blown web services site, with design, graphics, hosting, articles, code samples, and other goodies. But lately I’ve realized that running an operation like that would probably take up the rest of my waking hours outside of the office. And then some. Just maintaining two existing clients (old design clients from Manila) takes enough effort. I’ve considered going entrepreneurial, taking it down the self-employed road, but that’s not something I’m ready for.

Right now I need to scale back on things, reprioritize that to-do list, and remember that sometimes, evenings and weekends cannot be devoted wholly to a sideline. Simplesight.net is still my “business” front, but I’m keeping it small and flat for now; so I’ll still take projects, but not in such volume that I can’t also take walks. There’s a cat to feed, a Bible to read, and people to talk to, and before the day I push up the daisies let it not be said I didn’t stop to smell the roses.

(Okay, okay, I’ll stop with the clichés.)

Kind of Funny

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I was just downstairs in Starbucks, and they were playing a lovely remake of Tears for Fears’ Mad World. Apparently what I heard was a 2003 acoustic version by Michael Andrews, performed by Gary Jules. Very nice; I don’t remember having heard such a hauntingly proficient remake since Tori Amos did Smells Like Teen Spirit and Angie. Ah, those angsty freshman days.

(Yes, I know this entry is a bizarrely out-of-character post for me, the person who only listens to music from before the 19th Century and has a special abhorrence for the 80s, but this struck a chord somehow. Okay, okay, I stop now. Me freaking self out.)