Christmas 2008---From Bethlehem to Gaza

For me, Christmas of 2008 is different than earlier Christmases because of where I was last February. Yup, Bethlehem. It's not like I was on some spiritual quest. Far from it. But there we were in the heart of the Holy Land. At the front lines, or damn close to them, of the conflict between the Palestinians and the Jews.
Most Americans traveling to Israel have a religious experience in mind, but we were just intent on seeing another interesting part of the world. Our detour from Jerusalem to Bethlehem was really just one of those fortuitous traveling accidents, a convergence of opportunity and convenience.
The fact is, Bethlehem is just over the hill from Jerusalem but it's one of the places Israel has ceded to the Palestinians. Getting there was easy but weird as we had to switch cars and drivers at a scary sort of border crossing.
Once we arrived in downtown Bethlehem, we were greeted by an unusually well-spoken Palestinian in western dress. It turns out he was a powerful guy and we're still not sure how we wound up in his hands. Within minutes, we were whisked like heads-of-state to the manger, the official birthplace of Jesus, ahead of a 1+ hour line of anxious Christians. Feeling guilty over cutting the line, and hoping to keep our Kharma intact, we didn't linger.
Our trip to the Middle East included more points of interest and memorable events than I can recount, so our Bethlehem moment, though anything but disappointing, fell something short of the "event of a lifetime" standard. But now it's Christmas of 2008, and there is the Church of the Nativity and the Midnight Mass in full display on international tv. Newspaper accounts say it was the best Christmas in Bethlehem in 8 years (not sure why) with a large, festive crowd, full of love, immersed in their collective Christmas moment.
Meanwhile, 45 miles away, the more violently inclined Palestinians in the Gaza Strip were launching bombs into Jewish territory just east of the Gaza border. Apparently the Christmas spirit failed to fill their hearts with the loving, peaceful emotions those in Bethlehem experienced.
The Israeli military responded with an airstrike leaving several dead. There is now serious talk that they have had enough and that it may be time for a military incursion into Gaza to take out the radical Palestinian terrorists, once and for all. Until they strike again. Which everyone knows they will.
But here in Eugene, Oregon we enjoyed a truly peaceful Christmas. One of the ultra-rare white ones, as it actually snowed a bit here for the first time in nobody-remembers-for-sure how many years. So, here's wishing you Peace on earth. Especially in Israel. And don't forget good will toward men.

My Newest Song: "Bailout"

Sometime jammin' produces results. A few nights ago, my friend Big Mike the bassplayer and I were playing. At a certain point, we strayed from the realm of familiar tunes we perform publicly and started jammin'. Before long, I was improvising lyrics over an upbeat slightly reggae groove, and out came a very pleasing chorus based on the word "bailout".

Have you heard that the term "bailout" was selected as the New Word of the Year for 2008? It's true. One of the major dictionary companies started the annual New Word Award to raise awareness of linguistic evolution and as a sort of literary counterpart to Time's Person of the Year Award.

Thanks to the tanking economy and our government's commitment to stemming the tide, bailout legislation is front page news. Now it seems like any industry in distress is asking for a bailout. The Big Three automakers' request for free money has, thankfully, not been that well received in the Beltway. But boy have the biggest financial institutions hit Congressional paydirt.

Unfortunately, for those millions of poor folks experiencing the worst kind of financial suffering, relief has been hard to come by. Apart from the measly $600 stimulus checks some have received, almost none of the middle and lower class has received meaningful help. Perhaps the new administration will find a more equitable means of addressing this issue.

In the meantime, I have taken poetic license to work the ironies of this national tragedy into a pretty darn catchy tune. It even has one of those choruses that folks can't help but sing along with, which is nice. Here are the lyrics to the chorus:

Bailout, bailout
Hey buddy can you spare a dime?
Bailout bailout
If your mortgage was subprime.
Bailout, bailout
Let's help the rich ones first.
Bailout bailout
So the economy won't get worse (that's what they tell us)

The song is equal parts Michael Franti and Graham Parker, two of my favorites, so thanks to them for the inspiration. Once I get "Bailout" down, maybe I'll post a video on this blog---I'd like you to hear it. Here's hoping that very few of you, my faithful readers, need a bailout and that you are in a position to offer needed help to those in distress. Happy holidays.