Words Like Locusts Flew From Her Fingers

Vengeance is Mine

So, in a way, the Old Testament God is exactly the kind of vengeful berserker that modern justice systems promise to protect us from.

You raise a good point. In an honor society, when you have a young man, a hot-tempered person who’s been wronged, he wants to go machine-gun everybody on the other side. But he’s not alone. He’s got a kin group and elders who restrain him. They say, “No, no, no, don’t do that because we’re going to get hit back if you go over the line. You make a measured response. You can’t do nothing, but you have to hit in proportion to the harm done to you, otherwise we’re going to be whacked back really badly.” This guy has equals or superiors to keep him in line. But who does God consult with? He loses his temper and he’s got nobody around to restrain him.

Salon.com has a really great interview with William Ian Miller, author of Eye for an Eye on their front page today. If you’re not a premium salon member, it’s definitely worth sitting through an ad to read it. What an interesting guy! And what an interesting topic!

I’m a big fan of vengeance. I’m one of those somewhat rare people who aren’t embarrassed to say they’re completely okay with the death penalty — because it’s all about pay-back, folks. Revenge is okie-dokie by me! But it has to be vegeance that’s proportional to the harm done.

An eye for an eye.

Miller is a law professor whose other books include “Faking It”, “The Anatomy of Disgust”, and “Humiliation: and Other Essays on Honor, Social Discomfort, and Violence” — the latter of which sounds so interesting that I’m going to try to pick it up at the library.

Cheap Weenies

I’m not going to name names, but I’ve been surprised by some of the absurd cheapness I’ve heard of among Fair attendees.

For example, some people who were only interested in visiting the Exhibition Hall didn’t think they should have to pay the Fair admission fee. Hello?? Whether people buy anything from the vendors or not, the Flute Society of Washington still has to pay for the Exhibition Hall space, the printed programs, and all the other miscellania that goes with putting on an event of this size. Jeez… the admission fee is only something like 40 bucks. And if the primary attendee is a kid, the parents only have to pay 5 bucks each. If these people can afford to pay thousands of dollars for a new flute, they can certainly afford to chip in a measly 45 bucks for the people who’ve made it possible for all these flute vendors to come together in one convenient location to begin with.

The other amazing display of cheapness I heard about is an adult competition finalist who didn’t think s/he should have to pay the registration fee. Understand, this is a person who was already guaranteed a contest prize of at least $300. But s/he thought s/he shouldn’t have to cough up the registration fee.

I think they finally decided they’d just deduct it from that person’s winnings.

Heh, heh… good thinking, that.

Flute Fair – Day One

I started the day with a room-service breakfast of scrambled eggs, hash browns, toast, orange juice, and coffee. It was adequate, though the kitchen didn’t put cheddar cheese on my eggs as I’d requested. Oh well.

I headed down to the Fair registration desk to pick up my badge and realized I’d left my pre-paid ticket tacked to the bulletin board in my office at home. Doh! Luckily, the registration ladies (Michelle and Linn) are friends from the Woodbridge Flute Choir so they knew me.

First up: the Honor’s Competition Finals for young performers. There were three categories. In the Grade 6 and under category, the winners were chose from their taped entries, though the 2nd and 1st place kids still played their pieces. Young Niles Watson, the first prize winner, did a fantastic job performing Robert Muczynski’s Prelude #1, op. 18. Before and after his performance, Niles was sitting right in front of me with his mom. He’d probably be horrified to read this, but…. he was so darned cute! What a sweetie. And his mom looked so happy and proud — as she certainly has every right to be. I foresee a bright musical future for Niles.

The Junior High Level performers (three of them) all played movements I and II of Ferroud’s Three Pieces for Solo Flute. I don’t recall who won but all three did a fine job on some challenging music.

In the Senior High Level, the three finalists played movement III from the same piece by Ferroud. Wow! This is a very difficult piece and they all did very well with it. What talented kids! Laura Resnick (who played from memory) and Nicholas Snogren tied for first place.

At 10 am: the Small Ensemble Recital
Here’s what I heard

• Jour d’ete a la montagne by Eugene Bozza (movements I and IV) for flute quartet.
• Nymphs by Gary Schocker (movements I and II) for flute quartet.
• Deux Pieces Breve pour Trois Flutes by Georges Barrere for flute trio.
• Three Dances for Two Flutes and Piano (movements II “Moody” and III “Coffee Nerves”). This was my favorite. The composition was fun and the duo (from James Madison University) played particularly well together.

After that I took a quick swing through the Exhibition Hall. There was lots and lots of flutes and flute-y things, but the crowd was too big — I don’t like crowds. I’ll check it out again on Sunday when it’s a little mellower.

Next stop, Patti Adams concert. Patti plays with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. (Or did until Hurricane Katrina cast the musicians asunder.)

I only stayed for half the concert. I had to leave early to prepare for Flutonic’s performance in the Flute Choir Showcase.

On Patti’s program:

• Barcarola and Scherzo by Alfredo Casella
• First Sonata by Bohuslav Martinu
• Passacaglia for solo flute, op 48, no. 2 by Ernst von Dohnanyi
• Black Anemones by Joseph Schwantner
• Three American Dances by Lukas Foss

I performed with Flutonic at 1:15 pm. This year’s Flute Choir Showcase was set up at the end of a wide hallway right outside the Exhibition Hall and right in front of a door to the outside (that was in use during the performances!) It was colder than a witch’s tit and noisy. It was NOT optimal. Sigh… oh well. Cold-related tuning problems aside, we played fairly well. I listed our program in the previous post.

At 2:30 pm, I attended a recital showcasing Sonatinas from the 20th Century. Suffice it to say, they’re all called “Sonatine” or “Sonatina” so I’ll just give the composer’s name. If you’re interested in getting any of them, I have the publisher information. Just send me an email. The two I’ve listed in italics below were my favorites.

• Darius Milhaud
• Jaap Geraedts
• William Mathias
• Bernhard Heiden
• Michael Hurd
• Stephen Weber

At 6 pm I listened to half of the Mid-Atlantic High School Flute Choir concert. Composer Kelly Via — well known to flute choir musicians — was the conductor. The kids played well. Their program:

• Jubilant Synergy by Melvin Lauf, Jr. Mel’s a very talented local guy who’s published a BUNCH of great compositions.
• Renaissance for a New Millennium by Ricky Lombardo
• Suite Opus 69 by Christopher Steel
• Old and New China by Alan Leech
• Appalachian Suite by Kelly Via. Flutonic has played through this one a few times and it’s really very nice.

I ended the day by going out for dinner and drinks with five other Fair attendees who shall remain nameless.

The 2006 Mid-Atlanic Flute Fair

Other people blog from the floor of a political convention, I’ll blog from the 2006 Mid-Atlantic Flute Fair. Hey, why not?

The Flute Fair is organized by the Flute Society of Washington. This year, like last, it’s taking place at the Marriott Hotel right next to the Dulles International Airport. Happily, that’s not terribly far from where I live so… it’s easy to get to. Even though I only live about 20 minutes away from the hotel, I’ve booked a room for the duration of the Fair. This is what I’ve done the past couple of years. It turns the whole thing into a mini-vacation. Much fun!

I haven’t yet decided which of the Fair activities I’ll be attending. My friend Linn is premiering a new flute quartet with her group Wynd Song, so I’ll be sure to catch that. Also, Howard from the Woodbridge Flute Choir will be performing a newer piece called “Obstinato and Scareso” with Chris Potter. THAT sounds like something I won’t want to miss!

I’ll be playing with Flutonic at 1:15 as part of the “Flute Choir Showcase”. I think we’re supposed to be out in the lobby area somewhere so… if you’re there, stop by and introduce yourself! We’ll be playing for around half an hour. On the program:

• Bach Prelude
• Four Southern Folk Hymns (this is especially lovely)
• Londonderry Air
• Sweet Spiritual Suite
• Russian Medley

So….. That’s what’s happening on Planet Rebecca this weekend.

All flute. All the time.

No Third Way in the Middle East

In the Mideast, the Third Way Is a Myth
This leaves U.S. foreign policy with limited choices. Full electoral democracy in the Middle East will inevitably lead to domination by Islamist groups, leaving the United States to either continue a confrontational approach, with high and dangerous costs for both sides, or to find a way to engage them — something that has yet to be fully considered. Given this, skepticism about the real aims of these groups should be balanced by openness to the possibility that their aims once they are in power could differ from their aims as opposition groups. This requires partial engagement, patience, and a willingness to allow such new governments space and time to put their goals to the test of reality. Hamas, in fact, could provide a place for testing whether careful engagement leads to moderation.

If we are not willing to engage, there is only one alternative: to rethink the policy of accelerated electoral democracy and focus on a more incremental approach of institutional and economic reform of existing governments. There is no realistic third party that’s likely to emerge anytime soon.

Isn’t this pretty much exactly what I’ve been saying for months?? We need to quit pushing democracy on other countries and start insisting that the existing governments treat their people well.

I’m no professor of government and politics, like Shibley Telhami, the author of this Washington Post editorial, but even I can see that refusing aid to Hamas is a big BIG mistake.

Condi Rice Enthusiastically Kisses Israel’s Butt

Rice Says No U.S. Aid for Hamas-Led Gov’t
The administration’s review, which coincides with one by the European Union, is mindful of the plight of the Palestinian people, many of whom are impoverished, he said.

Due, in no small part, to the decades-worth of aid the United States has given to Israel as that country has pursued its expansionist program of removing Palestinians from their ancestral homes.

Fucking-A… these Bush administration assholes piss me off. They bitch and moan about Palestine having open elections and then, when the Palestinians vote in Hamas, suddenly democracy isn’t such a good thing any more… at least in Palestine. So, shit-heads that they are, Rice and the other Bush-brains decide they’ll further alienate the Palestinians and others in the Arab world by denying them the same kind of aid we happily shell over to Israel.

Brilliant.

How soon until the next election???

The Last Temptation of Christ

America’s Irreverent Sense Of Humor
Blasphemy against Christian beliefs has been a trend in Western culture. Above, Willem Dafoe as Jesus in “The Last Temptation of Christ”…

I’ve always thought a lot of people really misunderstood what “The Last Temptation of Christ” was about. Yes, there were scenes where Jesus was making love with Mary Magdalene, scenes with Jesus married and a father. But these scenes were never meant to represent the way Jesus actually lived. Lucifer (brilliantly cast as a beautiful child) showed Jesus all this as he hung on the cross — how it would have been to live as a normal man with a wife and children. How it would have been to live and work and, finally, die of old age.

That was “the last temptation of Christ” — simply to live a normal human life. Something that we so take for granted.

The movie ends with Jesus turning away from this greatest temptation and accepting his fate.

The movie was not at all blasphemous. It was uplifting — and, truly, one of the best movies I’ve ever seen.

Opus Dei and “The Da Vinci Code”

Opus Dei Holds Out for ‘Da Vinci’ Changes
In a statement released in Rome, Opus Dei said Sony Pictures still had time to make changes that would be appreciated by Catholics… The film, starring Tom Hanks and scheduled for a May 19 release, is based on the best-selling Dan Brown novel, which portrayed Opus Dei as a murderous, power-hungry sect.

I have mixed feelings about Opus Dei.

On one hand, I’m a Roman Catholic myself (a convert to Catholicism, in fact) and I’m particularly fond of the kind of very conservative religious practices promoted by Opus Dei. Only unmarried celibate men as priests? No problem! Women with heads covered in church? Okie dokie! Latin Mass??? Bring it on!! I’m in favor of the Latin Mass. I like the idea of religious rites being very different from what we experience in every day life. A “special language” for religion contributes to that feeling. There should be no doubt during a religious rite that what you’re experiencing is something outside the ordinary. Frankly, I absolutely LOATHE church services where everybody’s clapping their hands with the music. I want solemnity and decorum. Don’t even get me started on “praise music’. Blech.

Okay, so there’s that.

On the other hand, though, I wouldn’t want Opus Dei running my out-of-church life.

Here’s the thing — and I hope this makes sense. Most “fundamentalist” type groups (and I include Opus Dei in that) make the terrible mistake of thinking the rites are The Mystery. (By “The Mystery”, of course, I’m referring to God — “The Absolute” — whatever you want to call it/him/her/them.) Because they think the rites ARE The Absolute, they get all freaky about wanting everyone else to do exactly what they say at all times — because they think that’s what God wants. This is wrong, wrong, wrong. (How do I know? I’m incredibly smart.) The rites only point towards The Mystery. The Mystery is — and will always be — inscrutable.

So… none of this really has anything to do with “The Da Vinci Code”. I’m a little disappointed though that Tom Hanks is starring in what, I understand, is a pretty stupid story. I guess he knows where his paycheck comes from: middle-aged Tom-Hanks-loving, Da-Vinci-Code-reading women. No doubt they’ll be positively flocking to seem him in this movie.

What’s Wrong With Dick Cheney?

Col. Jessep Goes A-Hunting
A pop psychologist might speculate that Cheney was shaken by two stunning blows. One of them — the Sept. 11 attacks — was suffered by all Americans, but it’s hard to overstate the extent to which George Bush the Younger and his inner circle took Sept. 11 personally. The other blow is Cheney’s personal health crisis, which has entailed a series of heart attacks and operations. It’s easy to imagine that the fear of a new, even more catastrophic terrorist attack, combined with the intimation of his own mortality, could produce the kind of out-of-my-damn-way inflexibility we see in Cheney today.

OR… don’t forget his lesbian daughter!!

Here’s my theory: Cheney’s so completely freaked out at having a gay daughter that he feels he needs to assert his manly manfulness in any way possible — and if that means drilling in the Arctic, blowing away a few thousand Iraqis, or shooting his hunting buddy in the face — well, then so be it. A man’s got to do what a man’s got to do.

Do take the time to read the always wonderful Eugene Robinson’s column in today’s Washington Post.

Antonin Scalia: Threat to Liberty

Scalia Dismisses ‘Living Constitution’
People who believe the Constitution would break if it didn’t change with society are “idiots,” U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia says.

Scalia’s such a classy guy. Really.

“Scalia does have a philosophy, it’s called originalism,” he said.

Many of us also know it as “head-up-the-ass-ism”.

According to his judicial philosophy, he said, there can be no room for personal, political or religious beliefs.

Unless they’re the personal, political or religious beliefs of Antonin Scalia himself, that is. Remember, Scalia is the same guy who’s declared that the right to rule (yes, in the United States!) comes from God.

Man, oh man… Scalia just really gives me the creeps. I think he’s one of the most dangerous men alive.

And I really DO mean that.