“When you have completed 95 percent of your journey, you are only halfway there.” Japanese Proverb There comes a point in one's development where he simply must recognize that going in the same direction leads him nowhere and that he must seek a new path. The road walked last week was a long and tedious one. One I have seen more than enough of, and one that will, for the moment, remain closed. That road is endless and goes nowhere. There are certain issues that make little sense to me and this is one. How do we get to a happy middle ground? How do we achieve peace of mind? Must we fight endless battles that accomplish nothing? How many times must we re-hash the same ideas, the same thought patterns only to end up in a name-calling, degradation of humanity? We must always seek the strong, the positive, the path less walked. It is in the darkest of hours that we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and move on. So I am... moving on. I note this week that several pertinent subjects have appeared on the blogsphere. The cannabis question is an important one. There comes a larger question, one that exceeds our shores. When do we say when? If we allow cannabis, what happens when someone wants to legalize all kinds of hallucinogens? Are we not struggling with being under the influence a little too much? A society that accepts being dazed and confused as natural accepts that once that bridge has been crossed, there will be many others to deal with. In a non-smoking world, why would we want to say it's ok to smoke... anything? A question... on the bad level, which is worse, drugs or gambling? Just wondering. The few places in our world where drugs are legal, stand out, but not necessarily for all the right reasons. An open drug policy will allow more people to be arrested leaving Bermuda, as it seems highly unlikely that other countries are going to bend their laws any time soon. Be careful. If the end goal is to prevent people from going to jail, then we need to look at the problem from the wider perspective. If we are to frown upon drug use at this level, then we should probably frown on alcohol abuse as well. Last but not least is the apparent implosion of the United Bermuda Party. Who can honestly feel bad for them? Seriously, they have been pathetic, and now is the right time for them to bid the political world adieu. Don't wait for a new opposition to come up. Leave now, let the people have a better choice, even if there is none. Sometimes not choosing is a more definitive statement than making the wrong choice. Stay tuned.

If this is it then, let's have at it!

“If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the

results of a hundred battles.” - Sun Tzu

It would seem that there are those who frequent the

Bermuda is another world site that have inspired Uncle Elvis

into engaging me here, so I will accommodate him (them). My

challenge here is a simple one, exploration, education and some how along the way an attempt to continue the discussion on racism.

Let me say this. Regardless of my feelings, I never resorted to

name-calling, and never resorted to the sort of character assasination tactics that happen at BIAW. I will not hide, I will not run, and I will only continue the dialogue here. The battle is on, Uncle Elvis asked for it, so let him bring it. In as much, I ask only one thing, that we do it one thing at a time, and if he could check his profanity hat at the door it would be greatly appreciated.

One other thing. It was/is not my intention to speak for others. I speak of things as I see them, which may or may not agree with the status quo. In my "distorted" (like the title of my blog) view, it is only one view, mine, I never asked people to like it, I never asked for alarms to be sounded, but we are here now, so let the process be complete.

You got your wish UE, I will back up whatever you want...

Wisdom - Why we must endure...

“The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is a knowledge of our own ignorance.” - Benjamin Franklin

The fight is over. At least it is for me. I stepped out on a ledge and was rejected out of hand. Fool me once, shame on me. I hope to all I hold dear that I am not so foolish again. The smart person picks his fights carefully. I didn't. Ouch...

Ok enough dwelling on the past. Bermuda truly is another world and I am one of the lucky few who can truly call it home. I don't know if there are better places in the world, but it would be extremely difficult to find one. One thing I think we as Bermudians truly fail to grasp is that this paradise os ours, and we should do whatever we can to make it the best we possibly can.

My beliefs on religion, faith, racism, politics, sports and ice cream (for there can be no better flavor than rum raisin) have all been challenges for me personally, most recently. It may be that I'm reaching the age where things truly matter, but it may also be that I care just a bit more.

I have never seen the world through my father's eyes. In my own liberal sensibilities, I still see the glass as half full. Dad's is always half empty. I have never believed in party politics, and in recent times have even begun to question the existence of God. Book plug - if you get a chance please read "The Evolution of God" by Robert Wright, a great investigatory piece.

The quest for wisdom is ongoing for me. Education never stops, Seeking the truths, understanding the untruths, knowing that when I walk out onto the ledge, it matters not how strong I am, it matters how strong that ledge is, and that there will always be hills to climb, oceans to swim, and fights to fight.

Just make sure that the fight is one worth fighting.

Racism - the work still to be done.

"Before enlightenment chop wood and carry water, after enlightenment, chop wood and carry water." Zen Proverb

It's a tough thing. In expressing a point of view, one must be willing to accept that the point of view is one that might not be accepted on all levels. It's quite possible that the point of view is shared only by a certain few, and will be defended against by those unwilling to accept it.

When a white person talks about racism, more than likely you will get someone who will admit that it exists, someone who will admit that they aren't racist and don't support any system or agenda that does. A pretty comfortable perch from which to view the world. If we seek further enlightenment, things can get pretty uncomfortable quite quickly.

Such is life in Bermuda. A core society where whites are the minority and are supported by a British oligarchy, a social structure created and built by whites and that still exists, blacks are the majority and have the political power, and have finally emerged from years of being held down. The transition from then to now has been a difficult one. Whites are now seen as irrelevant, and are asked to accept that the only way forward is in acceptance of the past. That will not be easy.

Our way forward is clouded in denial from whites and an in your face attitude by those in power. If whites (most whites, not all) had it their way, the past would be written in the history books and left there. It is difficult to say what blacks want. There are some who are content with life and like whites want to leave the past in the past, while there are some who are not so sure. A vote for the UBP (the white party) is a vote for the past. Seeds of insecurity and mistrust still exist. Discomfort over the past and an unwillingness to simply leave it for the history books means that there is still work to be done, on both sides.

I spent a good part of my Saturday on another local blog Bermuda is another world attempting to share my point of view about racism, and how that some attitudes prevail from the past. It's undeniable. For the most part I was accused of being a condescending, contradictory irritant who's point of view was neither appreciated or wanted. The thing is, I knew the minute I posted on the blog that I didn't share the same vision as most of the posters there, and even though most of us are white, I knew that I was in a cage of like-minded people, and the chances of me actually walking away from that site with a "feel good" were virtually nill. A bee in a hornets nest... so to speak.

What is truly scary is that most of these people argued my main points, most went after certain phraseology that was only used for "window dressing". What makes this even more disturbing is that while I found myself being dragged down into this muck, I lost sight of what was truly important, a continuation of the conversation. I left there pissed off, not at the posters who had baited me, but at myself for allowing to be baited. The other important lesson I learned yesterday was that for the most part you can't add "phraseology" to anything and expect it to be bypassed. Note to self - People will always look to degrade your vision. Do not add feed to their fodder.

I guess one of the reasons I joined CURB was that there are like-minded people like me, my own bee-hive if you will. Black and white, working together to continue the fight against racism in Bermuda, to educate and enlighten, and yes to even argue the importance of it all. To those people at BIAW, you goaded me into an area I didn't need to go. For that I apologize. You showed the kind of mentality I knew walking in, and for that I will do my best not to bother you in the future.

Ze Selassie Guilty...

Interesting to see that they have found Ze Selassie guilty and have given him life in prison. The justice system has been under such scrutiny in recent years, and with the failure to get a conviction in the Kellon Hill case, there has been a serious outcry to have the system revamped completely.

I hate to say it, but Ze Selassie may have suffered the indignity of being found guilty even before his trial had begun. While we hope that justice has taken it's proper course in this trial, and for all intents and purposes it seems as though it has, I shudder to think what would have happened should there have been another botched trial and he walked free.

Ultimately we should still look at fixing whatever is broken in this system. That we have no answers in the Kellon Hill murder trial has left a sickening taste in our mouths. We need resolution.

Random Thoughts...

“When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than any talent for abstract, positive thinking.” - Albert Einstein

When do we begin to take stock of our lives? Our accomplishments, failures, celebrations, regrets. If you look back upon the days of our lives, there are significant moments, moments that have made a profound difference in our lives. The birth of a child, the death of a loved one, the day we get married, the day we get divorced. It's the impact moments of our lives that we recall most vividly, points we recall and use as life lessons, ones that will either inspire us, or be burdens we carry the rest of our days.

As a parent, we should make decisions for our kids that will give them the best chances for success. Rest assured that our hope for the future rests in their hands. How we help them along the way ensures that they grow up with the same ideas, same thought processes as we do, and hopefully they will make strong solid decisions with their lives.

Somehow along the way some of our youth are not getting the message. Somehow there are a bunch of great kids falling through the cracks. Kids making bad decisions. The recent murder trials that have dominated our front pages the past few months have put a major question mark on our young people. At what point are we going to step up as a community and recognize that we are at serious risk of damaging our future.

A few years ago I took the Youth Leadership Development course at the Bermuda College. Part of the program was centered around what makes a good leader and how we have to get our kids to recognize that they can be positive leaders in our society, and that the decisions they make can affect their lives in positive or negative ways depending on which path they choose. It's tough. people migrate to leadership naturally whether it's good or bad. It has become imperative that we seek to implement programs that will produce great, positive, productive leaders. The time is now.

I joined CURB a few months ago and recently went to my first meeting where we discussed advocacy. As a grassroots organization with a solid representation from people around Bermuda, it looks like the kind of organization that can help address the ills of racism in Bermuda. It should be an interesting journey. I look forward to working with them and doing our part to make our island a better place.

Last but not least, this week Bermuda is gripped in the paranoia that is Hurricane Bill. Now I hate to appear sexist here, but there are things that shouldn't have been messed with. I'm all for equal rights between men and women, between the races, between people of different sexual orientations, but did we have to change the rules about naming hurricanes? I was quite happy with the Emily's Anna's and Beth's of the world. Bill, who looks quite an imposing fellow, looks to give us the brush by in the next day or two. I hope we all get through it safely.

Namaste...

Commitment to Excellence

“Excellence can be obtained if you:
...care more than others think is wise;
...risk more than others think is safe;
...dream more than others think is practical;
...expect more than others think is possible.” - Unknown

It is possible that the basis of human nature is to find a level of happiness or satisfaction in life, and settle for that level, without ever seeking more, without realizing that life can offer us so much more if only we choose to look for it. Life chooses challenges for each of us, and it is up to us to accept these challenges or not to. Inspiration finds itself in the form of our dreams. We dream the dream impossible, of bright lights, fancy cars and big homes. Each one of us dreaming of a life beyond what we have accepted as the norm.

Thus it is equally inspiring to find those who dare to live the dream, those who challenge themselves, those who are continually raising the bar to higher levels, and wanting to live the impossible dream. It is in those dreams, in the efforts of those who live their dreams every day that can light a fire in even the most desperate of souls.

For the past five years my daughter has found herself associated with a commitment to excellence that is unsurpassed in dance anywhere in Bermuda. The National Dance Foundation has hosted in conjunction with American Ballet Theater a 3 week summer intensive, known as DanceBermuda. Local dancers being trained by world class professionals, dancing alongside world class dancers and living the dream. The experience has been so enriching that my wife and I have volunteered for the past 3 years as host chaperones for the foreign dancers who come to Bermuda to participate in this amazing experience.

Enough of the feel good story. Let's talk about the Bermudian dancers who are not getting this experience. Let's talk about the greedy local dance school owners who chose to not help their dancers live their dream. No other organization or school offers what DanceBermuda does and yet hundreds of our young dancers are not getting the experience because these schools are more interested in $$$$ than they are in getting their dancers world class training. I've walked this road before. Letters to the editor, public please for cooperation have not moved these people. Each year has seen the few local dancers who do participate form friendships, and more importantly develop their skills. Ask anyone who participates, it's the real deal.

So the Bermudian stubbornness prevails. Should we be surprised? Bermudians have a reluctance to accept new ideas, and even in youth development we seem so far behind. With escalated violence on our streets and more and more kids falling seemingly by the wayside, we need more programs such as DanceBermuda, to help our kids live their dreams.