Bella Voce

to share, to hear, to listen, to discover, to learn . . . continuously

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Location: California, United States

Yes, "bellevoce" does not match the title of my blog. This near-Italian username stems from a play on words of my childhood nickname of Elle in combination with the Italian translation of "beautiful voice (bella voce)." My mother coined this name for my first email address and I have come to love it for its root in my Italian heritage and remembrance of my childhood.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Wintersong



Christmas gets you thinking, even me who tries to break the stereotypes surrounding me. This Christmas will be a little different for me as compared to every Christmas past. Even so, as I helped my mum decorate the house and our tree, memories hit me left and right. I’ve tried to dodge them, but unfortunately a song came on that I had to put on repeat which paralyzed my sidestepping.

I decided to decorate my personal tree tonight as well and the barrage took full force. One of the first things on my tree was a Christmas card from a friend from high school of her two daughters, her husband, and herself – her own family. I can’t even contemplate that for myself yet.

I took a few ornaments that I received from family and put them up, one of which is an American flag star which I hid in the back so that I didn’t have to look at it [insert mischievous smile here].

One of my oldest ornaments is from my dear friend since fifth grade. It’s a dove carved from olive wood from Israel. I get to see this dear friend of mine again when she visits from New Orleans soon. I love that we have kept our friendship through the distance of different teachers, to different schools, to different states, and next to different countries. What’s next? The moon? Bring it on!

No tree is complete without at least one candy cane. A current friend and co-worker of mine was so gracious as to include one on my gift. Our friendship is budding and I hope that it continues. When I went back to the cardboard box to fish out another ornament and came across a card from last year from my best friend. I will always love that girl to death – she’s seen me in my worst times and stayed next to me all the way.

That next ornament that I pulled out was a picture frame with a picture of my boyfriend from high school and me. I still put it up on my tree every year and remember him. I remember when we broke up; the Christmas decorations in Starbucks were still up at the beginning of January. I said that I wanted to remain friends (not “let’s just be friends”). We have – even past high school and through our changing lives.

“But sleep won’t set me free. I lie awake and try to recall how your body felt beside me.” The words of the song sent my mind to the more recent ex-boyfriend and that precise memory. I am thankful for my time spent with him though it is past now and we’ve both moved on. He is a man that I still respect above many others and we are in the process of staying friends.

And so it hurts to remember the friend I lost. She wrote me a Christmas card last year as well. When I read it, I’m angry and tearful at the same time for the words she apparently said in vain. For all of the work that I put into saving the friendships of so many others, how can someone “give up trying to be your friend” and directly hurt you?

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p.s. and if you have not read my piece beneath, could you please?

Thursday, December 06, 2007

WTF Mate?!?



That’s exactly the question that I am asking after I heard the news that “A US intelligence assessment released on Monday said that Iran had halted a nuclear weapons programme in 2003” according to BBC News.

WTF? So the U.S. has been bullying a sovereign nation, imposing economic sanctions upon it, and threatening Iran with war for four years for something it has not been doing? No wonder they have been mad at US.

I am quite surprised that this flash film does not have Iran involved in it. Then again, Iran stopped its nuclear weapons program four years ago, thus, arguably, cannot take place in the hysteria of stupidity put forward in the film. (And by “stupidity,” I mean the politics, not the satire.)

All of this talk reminds me of an angry email that I sent to (oops) one of the head leaders at my parents’ church after I received a forward from this particular leader. Below is the forward I was sent and my response back. Feel free to click on the links.

The Forward:
Support Sanctions Against Iran


I just took action on this issue and thought you might find it interesting too. Below you will find links directing you to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee website that will help you locate and email your House and Senate representatives. Whether your Jewish or Christian, please take a minute and help secure the lives of our brothers and sisters in Israel. G-d bless you.

SENATE: http://capwiz.com/aipac/issues/alert/?alertid=9563686&type=CO

HOUSE: http://capwiz.com/aipac/issues/alert/?alertid=9485951&type=CO

Christians/Jews United for Israel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exdsB5D1r7Y&mode=related&search=

Click on this URL to take action now http://capwiz.com/aipac/utr/2/?a=9485951&i=84713164&c=
If your email program does not recognize the URL as a link, copy the entire URL and paste it into your Web browser.

My Response:


I'm sorry. I cannot support U.S. sanctions against any country, let alone Iran. I do not support actions that only harm the innocents of that country and not the government itself. This stance against sanctions does not even include the opinion that I feel the U.S. needs to step out of this conflict all together.

If you recall, the U.S. has not only provided each side of this conflict with weapons (to Saudi Arabia, Israel, and IRAQ) and dictators (Sadaam Hussein), but has also instigated many of the conflicts itself (Iran-Iraq War). If Christians feel the need to support Israel (the largest military in the region which commits countless atrocities against the Palestinians and denies them true freedom), Christians should move to Israel and enlist in their army.

I also do not condone the use of religious propaganda to incite political actions. The petition you requested people to submit says nothing of the threat of Iran's theocracy as John Hagee warns from his pulpit in the link, but rather only mentions the reason as due to Iran's Nuclear Program. Please keep in mind that our most recent inspiration for war (9/11) was not brought to fruition by Iranian hijackers, but by 15 Saudi Arabians (U.S. Allies) and 4 others. If our nation feels that Nuclear technology should not be pursued, our nation should lead the way in complete disarmament.

So, WTF mate?



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