7/5/2023

Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

A quote to ponder, “Our harsh judgments of others say less about them than they say about us … (&) speaks mostly of how bruised & wounded, ashamed & depressed we are & how little we ourselves have ever heard anyone say to us: “In you I take delight!” Ron Rolheiser, 3/6/2011

I happened upon it as I wondered what it might mean to the Brahmin Buddhists to have engaged in a “cursing strike” for Min Aung Hlaing (MAH) on his bday on Mon. Folks in the cities “trampled his picture on the ground” while villagers held mock funerals.

Politico claims “Authoritarian leaders share a certain degree of vanity & an unwillingness to tolerate ridicule.” These displays of disdain for MAH take courage & I continue to be in awe that people in Burma risk incarceration to protest their oppression.

Politico was referring to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who took offense to his effigy being hung at Stockholm’s City Hall & the burning of the Quran in front of Turkey’s embassy. So now,  “Sweden’s virtually perfect application (to NATO)” has been  “sabotaged…by a minuscule number of activists with wildly divergent agendas.” Russians may have been involved.

I’m not disturbed that Sweden may not get into NATO. As you know, I am averse to the idea that every nation is supposed to invest 2% of their GDP in defense spending. Isn’t that just a ploy to keep arms industry profitable?

When you talk with PM Ulf Kristersson please thank him for his nation’s generous policies toward immigrants, ask him how the Swedish unions & management work together & find out how they manage to get away with such high taxes there. I’m sure he will remind you that the Swedes don’t mind paying taxes because they enjoy excellent social services because they don’t waste $$ buying weapons! It’s simple.

I will get off my high horse now & head off for my eye exam.

BYBS,