[Suki]

Interesting RPR that you stated that we came willingly. Most immigrants leave their native societies due to pressures of some sort. Whether economic, social or political or religious pressures from the greater society---how much choice and free will (without artificially created pressures to leave the native society) is very debatable.

Yesterday was my birthday RPR. I just turned 42 years old. Birthdays make you reflect on the past and the present too. My husband gave me a birthday present. A book that I have been dying to read for a while but was too worried about our family budget to spend money on. And it is a relatively inexpensive book. It is called "The Varieties of Scientific Experience A Personal View of the Search for God" by Carl Sagan. In it Sagan's Gifford Lectures at the University of Glasgow in Scotland are reproduced. It is interesting that the question of how politics and governments came up in his lectures. Sagan believed in carrying a "Baloney Detecting Kit" by each citizen. He also basically said that governments lie in general and it is the responsibility of the public to keep the pressure on them. He also believes that nuclear war is a real and heavy threat to the survival of the human species. And he offers a simple yet powerful solution. Practice the GOLDEN RULE. Treat other nations, peoples, and governments as you would like to be treated. And then the nuclear 'threat' of mutual destruction is going to be ameliorated or hopefully eliminated alltogether. Because if we don't, and we CHOOSE to be supremely selfish, and believe in destruction as a great way and basically the only way of keeping peace we are doomed. And he is absolutely correct. He also stated that contradiction between what it said and what is actually done is something that must be constantly brought into the open in order to deal with things in a logical and mature fashion. That is true as well. I always admired the man he always had a good sense of the big picture in many fields, not just his own incredibly interesting field of science.

He also states in his book through his lectures that extinction is the rule and not the exception. That is also correct. What distinguishes the HOMO SAPIEN species though is the ability to create our own destruction not brought about by nature or by a naturally occuring event such as the extinction of the dinosaurs---but through choosing the path of lack of respect for life in general. And of thinking that the 'other' group of human beings are not to be trusted, and are to be hated, and the only way to control them is through FEAR. That is terroristic. It is. And so it should not come as a surprise that 'terror' is going to be the theme of this twenty-first century. How to overcome, fear and terror and start investing in peace, and in life instead. Because if Nuclear War is allowed to occur in life all the struggles and the efforts and the advances and the supposed 'attachments' to the great supposed convenient and rich lifestyle we are so accustomed to will be vaporized in an instant. And that is the truth.

I hope you get to read the book. It is published in paperback form by Penguin Books. Did you know Puerto Rican scientists participated in the research needed to do Sagan's "Voyager" and many other of his exploration missions? Los puertorriquenos tenemos gente muy buena y muy inteligente---let us use that to our advantage. To reaffirm life. Not death. Sagan never dedicated his time and great talents to killing instruments. But to adventure, exploration and knowledge. A truly productive life indeed.

RPR liked the poem by Pietri. I knew he would. It is a great little piece of literature.

Miranda, yes, you are right. Many Puerto Ricans don't want to face up to the pain of who we are. A small nation with a limited menu of choices. But, I happen to think that small nations who are united in purpose and in intent accomplish great things....if the Puerto Ricans ever decide to unite and to be purposeful in their goals as a people. NOTHING WILL STOP US. Nothing. That too is a natural law.

Sonambulo, sometimes I provoke people (especially strong, healthy relatively young men on this forum), they can take it. They need a push and a challenge at times to get them to give a little bit of time and thought to expressing their opinions on Puerto Rican themes.

Gracias a todos.

Suki.