tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post7741285982051373952..comments2024-01-24T11:41:28.022+00:00Comments on A Cuban In London: Sunday Mornings: Coffee, Reflections and MusicA Cuban In Londonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16423293358605007539noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-49602929451574063452020-07-14T11:53:15.507+01:002020-07-14T11:53:15.507+01:00My name is Mrs Aisha Usman, am a Citizen Of Singa...My name is Mrs Aisha Usman, am a Citizen Of Singapore. Have you been looking for a loan? Do you need an urgent personal loan or business loan?contact Dr. Mark Thomas FOIRM Ronnie Finance Ltd he help me with a loan of $85,000 some days ago after been scammed of $8,000 from a woman claiming to been a loan lender but i thank God today that i got my loan worth $85,000.Feel free to contact the company for a genuine financial service. Email: markthomasfinanceltd@gmail.com<br /><br />Whats-App no +919667837169<br />Dr. Mark Thomas<br /><br />LOAN APPLICATION DETAILS<br />Name:…………<br />Address…………<br />Loan Amount:……<br />Loan duration…<br />Monthly income…………<br />Nationality……<br />Country………<br />Occupation......<br />State…………<br />Zip/Code………<br />Gender…………<br />Age…………<br />Marital Status……………<br />Telephone………………<br /><br />FORM Ronnie Finance Ltd<br />Dr. Mark ThomasMr. Mark Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15193114867258359713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-69227651947589908082010-11-10T19:01:31.949+00:002010-11-10T19:01:31.949+00:00So well spoken. I so wish I could show more compas...So well spoken. I so wish I could show more compassion because I think it does make a difference but then I think what the heck is wrong with you? And compassion goes out the window. So sad for the mother to have lost her son. I weep for all the mothers in the world who have lost not only a son but a child. <br /><br />I have to tell how I immensely respect you for your comment on religion-again well said! I live in the bible belt and religion is always a tricky subject for me as a blogger but nonetheless, I do feel blessed.tinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17415302577518111227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-16479140697562538552010-11-09T06:35:44.805+00:002010-11-09T06:35:44.805+00:00I came to your blog throught Yoli. But her, no se ...I came to your blog throught Yoli. But her, no se como ha venido a mi blog.<br />Encantada.beatrice Dehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06956204764728985776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-16275663477482069272010-11-09T06:29:39.425+00:002010-11-09T06:29:39.425+00:00What a nice discovery.
I like your music in your p...What a nice discovery.<br />I like your music in your profile. <br /><br />I didn't know it was possible do do that, on that place.<br /><br />As the world is a village, it wourld be very funny if you would know one of my friends in london. He is as well in organisations on happenings, as far I have understood. A la retraite. American, He speaks french as well. His name : Richard Gibson. Do you know him ?<br /><br />A little hello from Lausanne, Switzerland.<br /><br />Please came on my blogs of reportages, France, Japan i tuti cuanti.beatrice Dehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06956204764728985776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-33162957550266069932010-11-08T23:00:03.759+00:002010-11-08T23:00:03.759+00:00Slightly OT - thank you for reminding me of that p...Slightly OT - thank you for reminding me of that poem by Cavafy. Thanks to the miracles of uTube, I found a version spoken in Greek. I've posted it on my blog in your honor.Nancy Ewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12116290968007398337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-1980888485704162302010-11-08T22:53:55.784+00:002010-11-08T22:53:55.784+00:00Thanks for your comments. Lyn, I hear you and I wo...Thanks for your comments. Lyn, I hear you and I would be feeling the same way.<br /><br />Sometimes I upload a video that has nothing to do with the post. But on this occasion I included Baglietto's song 'El Loco en la Calesita, performed by his mate Fito, on purpose. The song is about a man who, you could say, has no childhood and his troubles in life. He doesn't become a criminal, but does dabble in drugs and finally commits suicide. Some of the decisions we make in life come from those precious years when we're still kids. But that still doesn't excuse our deeds.<br /><br />Many thanks. You've been most kind.<br /><br />Greetings from London.A Cuban In Londonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16423293358605007539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-14033177267179647462010-11-08T20:43:11.978+00:002010-11-08T20:43:11.978+00:00Today, a verdict was handed down for the death pen...Today, a verdict was handed down for the death penalty for 2 men who were home invaders, and raped, tortured, terrorized, and murdered a mother and her 2 young daughters, then set the home on fire. <br /> <br /> I have always had deeply rooted compassion for our human condition..and looked for the roots of crime. <br /> <br /> And then an unutterable crime comes along. And I, a comfortable theorist, am without compassion for the criminals. Some crimes resonate as the ugliest. Sometimes I change my mind about capitol punishment. Today.Lynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11985979258848310351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-40248826768455588332010-11-08T14:27:17.346+00:002010-11-08T14:27:17.346+00:00As always, a passionate and thought provoking piec...As always, a passionate and thought provoking piece, Mr. Cuban. Compassion to you, my friend.Tess Kincaidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04889725786678984293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-44973602950848278612010-11-08T06:12:00.788+00:002010-11-08T06:12:00.788+00:00Trabajo en un hospital de bajos recursos, muchos p...Trabajo en un hospital de bajos recursos, muchos padres tratan a sus hijos peor que animales. Los abusos, los huesos rotos. Si no hay nadie que les pase la mano a esos niños que crees que resulte de tanto abuso? Monstruos. <br /><br />Ahora, no se si pudiera tener compasion si algo semejante a lo que le paso a esa madre, me pase a mi. Disculpa mi ortografia.Yolihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06068063513978782703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-35227586533780718382010-11-08T05:28:25.956+00:002010-11-08T05:28:25.956+00:00It's a very tough balance to find and I have a...It's a very tough balance to find and I have as difficult a time as you do. Sometimes I try to imagine an aggressor as one of my own children (gone wrong, dear lord I hope not ever...) in order to have a persepctive that isn't entirely black and white. <br />I don't doubt for a moment that an upbringing lacking in education (both personal and academic)and decent parenting is a huge factor for many people who end up in criminal activity. I do believe that many are victims of an impoverished (literal and figurative) background, but the issue I struggle most with whether it is really possible to overcome that 'deficit'. In some cases yes, but if children do not learn to respect and understand others in their formative years, is it really possible to do so later? <br />A thought-provoking post, Cuban. Your honesty and transparency about this issue made for a compelling read.Deborahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10892637441668897411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-68649388422472053602010-11-07T22:21:33.714+00:002010-11-07T22:21:33.714+00:00It's difficult. I work in a related field and ...It's difficult. I work in a related field and can't quite balance my concern for victims with any sense of compassion for the perpetrators, most of whom share the same background as their victims. This is a very thoughtful post, but one to which there are no easy answers.Madame DeFargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08172239340844485940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-88163413507845634042010-11-07T21:13:50.441+00:002010-11-07T21:13:50.441+00:00Cuban, I was as you know a police officer for over...Cuban, I was as you know a police officer for over a decade. In all that time I don't think I ever met a violent criminal (as opposed to the thieves and fraudsters etc) who was not a damaged individual - sometimes terribly damaged.<br /><br />That said, I also met a lot of victims of crime whose early lives/lives before a crime happened to them were equally terrible. And yet they had chosen to try and live a better life than they had been shown by parents or carers. So people do have choices, though perhaps not always the intellect to choose.<br /><br />However, this is a country with a rule of law, and if justice experts choose to release a convicted killer (particularly young offenders now grown-up) they have intelligent reasons for doing so. Those boys will always be on life licence, so any further crime will head them straight back to jail. Getting released is not the end of the matter, nor does it mean that their horrendous offence can or will ever be forgotten.<br /><br />But the bigger point, which you explored so beautifully linguistically? Yes, we should have compassion for the very worst of humanity, because if we do not, what are we? Don't choose just the worthy to have compassion for. <br /><br />And I have met some real bad bastards.<br /><br />Thoughtful, intelligent post - thank you.Titushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16380213493011623153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-51317919786531941742010-11-07T18:20:30.159+00:002010-11-07T18:20:30.159+00:00I do feel like you do, Cuban, that this woman dese...I do feel like you do, Cuban, that this woman deserves justice and her son deserves justice. At the same time, I do feel like you do, that without compassion we descend into something that I'm not proud of.<br /><br />It's easy to have a visceral reaction to something but it's much harder and more worthwhile to look beyond our initial anger to finding out why this happened. What drove these boys to behave the way they did? What went so wrong inside them that they lost their humanity for those moments when they committed that crime. Only by understanding this and doing something about it can we prevent this crime from happening again and again.<br /><br />JaiJai Joshihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04858987106548357551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-18384174093877857982010-11-07T18:05:27.634+00:002010-11-07T18:05:27.634+00:00Oh boy, you do like to throw the big questions at ...Oh boy, you do like to throw the big questions at us, don't you? I guess that my deeper compassion would be toward the mother of the murdered boy while trying (probably unsuccessfully) to reserve judgment toward the murders. But just because one has been abused or comes from a broken home does not justify becoming a monster. Also, I always wonder - if we show "undue" compassion, do those who murder, rape, beat, batter and destroy learn to be better citizens? Or do they think that we have no power to punish, much less stop them, and escalate their behavior? When I went to Julie's show on Friday, I thought a lot about the stories at the exhibit. A lot of those people came from very dark and bad places yet they decided to become better people. Others - well, we know the story all too well. I think about the human heart a lot when I look at art; even there, sometimes you can see heart - and sometimes you can just see opportunism and careerism. <br />Of course, that's a far less all difficult question than the one in your essay but doesn't it always come to some sort of choice? Even prisoners in the concentration camps could chose to either help their fellow victims (when they could) or side with the Nazis and become destroyers themselves. That must have been one of the most difficult choices that a human being could make and yet, so many did chose to be better - to extend the hand of compassion under the most lethal and vicious suffering that a people could endure. I don't know if I could have the strength in similar circumstances.Nancy Ewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12116290968007398337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-9743468178123710592010-11-07T17:59:46.912+00:002010-11-07T17:59:46.912+00:00I often experience the same mixture of feelings. I...I often experience the same mixture of feelings. I think it's only human to want to see revenge exacted sometimes, and yet, another part of us can see that it isn't necessarily right to seek vengeance.<br /><br />Incidentally, (spoken) English does n->m as well, we're just not self-aware enough to write it down ;)Rachel Cotterillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08969719330048416996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-56990675574042534472010-11-07T17:27:09.224+00:002010-11-07T17:27:09.224+00:00Agreed, Cuban. We need more compassion, not less. ...Agreed, Cuban. We need more compassion, not less. <br /><br />That being said, as a mother and a grandmother I can sympathize with the mother. Like you, I've uttered the words "hanging would be too good for them," as I've asked myself "what if it was YOUR son, one of YOUR grandchildren." But it's always someone's baby who gets hurt, isn't it?<br /><br />When I hear the sound of my own voice wishing perpetrators a painful death or dismemberment, I caution myself that it's not my place to judge. But still I do.Feisty Cronehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02821808042889216134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-61148734728230684342010-11-07T14:10:27.813+00:002010-11-07T14:10:27.813+00:00such a difficult and thorny issue to get to grips ...such a difficult and thorny issue to get to grips with - interesting comments - do you remember the Stephen lawrence case and how that tore the parents apart - that was in my part of London horrifically. Greetings from Mexico...Catherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06255193476024745869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-60751296719672516912010-11-07T13:33:43.281+00:002010-11-07T13:33:43.281+00:00Complex, indeed. Many thanks for your feedback.
C...Complex, indeed. Many thanks for your feedback.<br /><br />Compassion, feeling and acting on it, is probably one of the hardest tasks human beings face, in my humble opinion. It's less difficult when the offense occurs outside one's boundaries, but hwen it's close to home... well, how do we rein our animal instinct in?<br /><br />Once again, I have to praise my wife, who's influenced me a great deal in the act of sympathising - even empathising! Now, there's a tough one! - with other people. When someone's child/ren has/have been unkind to mine, or when I feel that I've been wronged. To see the other person's point of view has been one of the unintentional lessons I've learnt from my spouse.<br /><br />Also, compassion lies at the heart of most religions, a point I forgot make in my post. It's usually bragged about a lot in the Abrahamic faiths as if it was sucn an intrinsic part of them that it's almost as if compassion had been created by Jews, Christians and Muslims, yet as many world events have shown over the centuries, not always the House of the Abrahamic God has had space and time for compassion.<br /><br />Have a nice Sunday.<br /><br />Greetings from London.A Cuban In Londonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16423293358605007539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-27525368731844032902010-11-07T13:06:55.539+00:002010-11-07T13:06:55.539+00:00Beautifully articulated Cuban. Humans have to be ...Beautifully articulated Cuban. Humans have to be held responsible for their actions - but perpetrators also have hearts and need to feel compassion (well, most anyway). That compassion does not mean we do not hold them responsible for what they have done, however. <br /><br />Hate the action, mete out the appropriate punishment, yet have respect and compassion for the broken heart caught up in the evil action - they have usually been soul raped themselves.<br /><br />Sounds great in theory .... I know I would have quite a different view if I were that mother.<br /><br />Complex isn't it?Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00282469017360136275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-54564505668966551472010-11-07T11:47:27.378+00:002010-11-07T11:47:27.378+00:00Oh, big subject for a Sunday morning (for those of...Oh, big subject for a Sunday morning (for those of us for whom Sunday is a real day of rest and nothing to do with listening to vicars!).<br /><br />Brought up a quaker I do major in compassion for all and sundry but I still struggle with the idea of compassion for rapists and abusers. Somehow I find the idea of torture (because that is what it amounts to) and ruining a life more cruel than that of ending one. I don't say this is a logical response... just how I feel.Rachel Foxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11803852725693518924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1165773290907101242.post-10206110651493187542010-11-07T10:42:58.897+00:002010-11-07T10:42:58.897+00:00A post after my own heart, Cuban.
It is so so dif...A post after my own heart, Cuban.<br /><br />It is so so difficult this ping pong life, hate and compassion bounce one against one another.<br /><br />The thugs, the 'low lifes' who killed this woman's son, are also human beings who no doubt have been severely abused in their time.<br /><br />That's generally how it happens. Abuse in childhood, in infancy even, interferes with our capacity to show compassion towards others. It can sometimes lead to a tendency to want to abuse others.<br /><br />So I'm inclined to agree with you, Cuban. We need more compassion, not less. We need to try to find ways at a societal level to look after all our people from earliest days so they do not grow up wanting abuse others out of their own pain. <br /><br />Thanks for a beautifully written and powerful post.Elisabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04015624747225433940noreply@blogger.com