Tag Archives: Culture
November 24, 2012 Pictures of trip to Rome
Tags: Churches, Culture, Italian, Photographs, Photography, Pictures, Rome, Ruins, Travel, Traveling
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September 30, 2012 Sufism’s Neoplatonic roots in ancient Greece
Aristotle, not Plato, is the dominant figure in Muslim philosophy, and few Muslims are familiar with the name of Plotinus, who was more commonly called ‘the Greek Master’ (al-Sheykh al-Yaunani). But since the Arabs gained their first knowledge of Aristotle from his Neoplatonist commentators, the system with which they became imbued was that of Porphyry and Proclus. Thus the so-called Theology of Aristotle, of which an Arabic version appeared in the ninth century, is actually a manual of Neoplatonism.
Another work of this school deserves particular notice: I mean the writings falsely attributed to Dionysus the Areopagite, the convert of St. Paul. The pseudo-Dionysius – he may have been a Syrian monk – name as his teacher a certain Hierotheus, whom Frothingham has identified with Stephen Bar Sudaili, a prominent Syrian gnostic and a contemporary of Jacob of Saruj (451-521 A.D.). Dionysus quotes some fragments of erotic hymns by this Stephen, and a complete work, the Book of Hierotheus on the Hidden Mysteries of the Divinity, has come down to us in a unique manuscript which is now in the British Museum. The Dionysian writings, turned into Latin by John Scotus Erigena, founded medieval Christian mysticism in Western Europe. Their influence in the East was hardly less vital. They were translated from Greek into Syriac almost immediately on their appearance, and their doctrine was vigorously propogated by commentaries in the same tongue. ’About 850 A.D. Dionysus was known from the Tigris to the Atlantic’.
Besides literary tradition, there were other channels by which the doctrines of emanation, illumination, gnosis, and ecstasy were transmitted, but enough has been said to convince the reader that Greek mystical ideals were in the air and easily accessible to the Muslim inhabitants of Western Asia and Egypt, where the Sufi theosophy first took shape. One of those who bore the chief part in its development, Dhu ‘l-Nun the Egyptian, is described as a philosopher and alchemist – in other words, a student of Hellenstic science. When it is added that much of his speculation agrees with what we find, for example, in the writings of Dionysius, we are drawn irresistibly to the conclusion (which, as I have pointed out, is highly probable on general grounds) that Neoplatonism poured into Islam a large tincture of the same mystical element in which Christianity was already steeped.
Abridged passage from The Mystics of Islam (1989) by Reynold A. Nicholson
Tags: Aristotle, Christianity, Culture, Greek Philosophy, Islam, Neoplatonism, Origins, Philosophy, Religion, Sufism, Theology
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August 24, 2012 Politics: President of Ireland calls American Tea Partier ‘a wanker wipping up fear’ and more
The President of Ireland Michael D Higgins eviscerated ardent US Republican radio broadcaster Michael Graham over issues like healthcare and foreign policy. Read more here.
Tags: Culture, Ireland Michael D Higgins, Irish, Irish President, Michael D Higgins, Michael Graham, Opinion, Politics, Republican, Tea Party, Video
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August 15, 2012 Picture: Culture mix
The beautiful Melony Samantha in Dublin as she poses in triple exposure with a New Orleans band.
© Melony Bethala
Tags: Art, Culture, Dublin, Ireland, Jazz, New Orleans, Photography, Pictures, Triple Exposure
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August 3, 2012 Picture: The eyes of a pious girl before praying
Taken at a Muslim school/masjid in Chicago (fall 2008).
What words and emotions go through your mind when you look at her?
Copyright Craig Considine
Tags: Allah, Art, Chicago, Culture, Girl, Islam, Mosque, Muslim, Photograph, Photography, Picture, Pictures, Qur'an, Ramadan, Religion, Spirituality & Religion
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August 1, 2012 Déjà vu and the Tea Party
The Know Nothing Party
To be a member of the Know Nothing Party, one had to be ‘a native born citizen, a Protestant, born of Protestant parents, reared under Protestant influence, and not united in marriage with a Roman Catholic’. In addition, members of the Know Nothing Party had to take a pledge to prevent ‘the insidious policy of the Church of Rome, an all other foreign influences against the institutions of our country, by placing in all offices in the gift of the people, whether by election or appointment, none but native-born Protestant citizens’.
Similarly, Tea Party members have stressed the importance of ‘taking our country back’ from ‘them’; ‘them’ often being immigrants, undocumented people, Muslims, homosexuals, socialists and communists (to name a few). Tea Party members often stress the importance of America’s ‘Protestant origins’ and oftentimes suggest that the Founders never intended to separate church and state. Tea Party members often attack Islam as being ‘un-democratic’ and antithetical to ‘American values’. Tea Party members often accuse Barack Obama, who is not ‘American enough’, of being a ‘secret Muslim’ because his middle name is Hussein and he spent time growing up in countries with Muslims. Tea Party members also spread the conspiracy that the Muslim Brotherhood has infiltrated the American government and that Americans will soon be dominated by the tyranny of ‘Islamists’ like the Muslim Brotherhood.
The rhetoric between these two parties is eerily similar.
The Know Nothing Party eventually became irrelevant, perhaps because too many Americans looked beyond their unproductive rhetoric of racism and discrimination.
Time will only tell if the Tea Party experiences a similar fate.
Tags: American, Barack Obama, Christian, Comparison, Culture, History, Islamism, John McCain, Know Nothing, Know Nothing Party, Muslim, Muslim Brotherhood, National identity, Politics, Protestant, Religion, Republican, Tea, Tea Party, United States
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July 18, 2012 Sociology: The way to understand ‘race’ and ‘racism’
Stuart Hall is a theorist who has contributed a great deal to our understanding of identity and racism. He is one of the ‘founding fathers’ of cultural studies and here discusses race as a floating signifier. I was not able to find all the videos but you should be able to search for them on You Tube. Please feel free to leave your comments below in hope of opening up a discussion.
Tags: Cultural studies, Culture, Discrimination, Ethnic, Identity, Race, Racial, Racism, Religion, Sociology, Stuart Hall
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July 9, 2012 Religion: Atheistic humanism in The Cube and the Cathedral
Have you heard about the ‘European problem’? To your likely surprise, the problem has nothing to do with debt, sovereignty, Brussels, or the devaluing euro.
As George Weigel posits in The Cube and the Cathedral: Europe, America and Politics Without God, the ‘European problem’ is atheistic humanism or, as he often calls it in more academic terms, secularism. The solution to the ‘European problem’ for Weigel is to return to what made ‘European civilization’ so great in the first place. This is Christianity.
Weigel suggests that atheistic humanists are involved in a ‘deliberate act of historical amnesia, in which a millennium and a half of Christianity’s contributions to European understanding of human rights and democracy are deliberately ignored by contemporary Europeans’. Rather than adhering to another transcendent allegiance, contemporary Europeans, as Weigel argues, now belong ‘nowhere’. In citing Christopher Dawson, Weigel writes that this ‘spiritual no-man’s-land’ is ‘inherently unstable and ultimately self-destructive’. Secularism is nothing more than ‘a monstrosity – a cancerous growth which will ultimately destroy itself’ (Dawson). To further support his argument here, Weigel turns to Solzhenitsy:
The failings of human consciousness, deprived of its divine dimension, have been a determining factor in all the major crimes of this century. The first of these was World War I, and much of our present predicament can be traced back to it. That war… took place when Europe, bursting with health and abundance, fell into a rage of self-mutilation that could not but sap its strength for a century or more, and perhaps forever. The only possible explanation for this is a mental eclipse among the leaders of Europe due to their lost awareness of a Supreme Power above them…. Only the loss of that higher intuition which comes from God could have allowed the West to accept calmly, after World War I, the protracted agony of Russia as she was being torn apart by a band of cannibals… The West did not perceive that this was in fact the beginning of a lengthy process that spells disaster for the whole world.
Perhaps unknowingly, Weigel and Solzhenitsyn touch upon a Weberian analysis in the idea of ‘worldly disenfranchisement’, in which human beings become increasingly rationale, like mindless robots, and less inclined or curious with the supernatural and spiritual dimensions of the human experience.
Another valuable piece of Weigler’s book is his introducing of the international legal scholar J.H.H. Weiler’s notion of ‘Christophobia’; a very real concept and not just a theory. Weiler’s ‘Christophobia’ has eight key features, as outlined by Weigler, which include (in no particular order):
1. The notion that the Holocaust and other 20th-century European genocides are the logical outcome of Christianity’s inherent racism.
2. The ’1968 mind-set’ – the youthful rebellion against traditional authority and Europe’s traditional Christian identity and consciousness.
3. The psychological and ideological denial of the non-violent revolution of 1989, which, according to Weiler, was deeply and decisively influenced by Christians in central and eastern Europe, preeminently by Pope John Paul II.
4. The continuing resentment of the dominant role once played by Christian Democratic parties in post-World War II Europe.
5. The habit of associating Christianity with right-wing political parties, which are the parties of xenophobia, racism, intolerance, etc.
6. The resentment towards Pope John Paul II among secularists and anti-Catholics.
7. The distorted teaching about European history which stresses the Enlightenment roots of the democratic project to the virtual exclusion of democracy’s historical cultural roots in the Christian soil of pre-Enlightenment Europe.
8. The resentment of the ’1968 mind-set’ generation that their children have become Christian believers.
Weigel’s analysis of Pope John Paul II is also intellectually and spiritually invigorating. Using John Paul II’s exhortation Ecclesia in Europa (The Church in Europe), Weigel contends that Europe can witness a new burst of hope and confidence to end its current state of ambiguity, which has led to a ‘loss of faith in the future’. Europe’s most urgent need, for John Paul Il, is ‘not a common currency, a transnational parliament, a unified set of fiscal and budgetary norms, or a Continent-wide regulatory regime’, but rather ‘the growing need for hope, a hope which will enable us to give meaning to life and history and to continue in our way together’. John Paul II’s insinuation, however, in Ecclesia in Europa - that returning to Christianity can cure Europe of all her ills – is a bit of a stretch on the imagination. In my opinion, Europeans could, however, use a bit more from Christian teachings to overcome the following dilemmas:
1. ‘A kind of practical agnosticism and religious indifference whereby many Europeans give the impression of living without spiritual roots and somewhat like heirs who have squandered a patrimony entrusted to them by history’.
2. ‘Fear of the future’.
3. ‘Inner emptiness that grips many people’.
4. ‘Widespread existential fragmentation’ in which ‘a feeling of loneliness is prevalent’.
5. ‘Weakening of the very concept of the family’.
6. Selfishness that close individuals and groups in upon themselves’.
7. A growing lack of concern for ethics and an obsessive concern for personal interests and privileges’ leading to ‘the diminished number of births’.
While he offers useful insight into the life of John Paul II, and how we can benefit from his philosophy, some of Weigel’s points are misleading and, to be honest, downright inaccurate, especially those which pertain to Muslims and Islam in Europe. These problems include:
1. Not including Islam in the Abrahamic tradition; ‘God’, for Weigel, is the God of the Prophet’s Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus. The Prophet Muhammad is not mentioned in this context.
2. Warning Europeans that Europe will be increasingly influenced, and perhaps even dominated by, ‘militant Islamic populations’, even though the overwhelming majority of Muslims in Europe denounce violence and acts of terrorism as antithetical to Islam.
3. Contending that Europeans are becoming ‘Islamicized… in the sense of being drawn into the civilizational orbit of the Arab Islamic world’.
And yet in a bizarre twist from his comments towards Muslims and Islam, Weigel concludes his book by hoping Europeans reconvert and find in Christianity ‘the spiritual, intellectual, and moral resources to sustain and defend its commitments to toleration, civility, democracy, and human rights’.
In following sociologist Andrew Greeley, Weigel is guilty of ‘using secularization as an all-purpose brush with which to paint a portrait of contemporary Europe’. Many Muslims in Europe, for instance, have an interpretation of Islam that calls for belief in God, tolerance, respect, humility and integrity, all principles which Weigel seems so desperate for Europeans to recapture. Sadly, however, Weigel appears to think that only a return to Christianity can recapture these principles.
Weigel’s The Cube and the Cathedral is basically an exercise with a massive contradiction. He argues for Europeans to return to Christianity to defend ‘European principles’ like toleration, civility, democracy, and human rights, and yet demonstrates intolerance and ethnocentrism when speaking about Muslims in Europe and Islam. More attention should have been paid to the many Muslims in Europe who have successfully balanced their religious and national/regional identities and a peaceful and progressive ‘European manner’. Weigel’s ’European civilization’ term, moreover, is problematic when it is used in the singular form. Is there really such a thing as a ‘European civilization’? Was Europe ever a homogenous entity? Could we not argue that there have been different ‘European civilizations‘ throughout history? These are theoretical propositions which are never adequately addressed by Weigel.
Weigel does offer some interesting insight into the philosophy of Pope John Paul II and the very real and increasingly important concept of ‘Christophobia’. This easily readable book is worth flipping through if you can stomach blatant Westerncentrism and Eurocentrism, an unapologetic ‘Christian supremacy’ perspective, as well as a tint of anti-Islam rhetoric.
Weigel, George. The Cube and the Cathedral: Europe, America, and Politics Without God. Basic Book: New York, 2005.
Tags: Atheism, Atheistic humanism, Catholic, Christian, Christianity, Christopher Dawson, Christophobia, Culture, Democracy, Enlightenment, Europe, European problem, Europeans, George Weigel, God, Identity, Intolerance, Islam, Morality, Muslims, Pope John Paul II, Racism, Religion, Secularism, Weigel, Xenophobia
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July 8, 2012 Thick and thin religion
Kavirah (2010) argues that the growing religiosity in many parts of the world is quite different from our traditional understanding of religion (in his writing, he refers to rising Hindu identity and nationalism). He argues that we need to distinguish between ‘thick and thin religion’. Thick religion encompasses traditional rituals, practices, and beliefs, whereas thin religion intersects religion, politics and nationalism and serves as a tool to bring people together for a cause, such as Hindu nationalism or Muslim victimhood (a ploy of terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda).
Source: Ghaffar-Kucher, A. (2011). The religification of Pakistani-American Youth. American Educational Research Journal. Pgs. 17-18.
Available at: http://aer.sagepub.com/content/early/2011/08/02/0002831211414858
Tags: Culture, Hindu identity, Identity, Islam, Kavirah, Muslim, Muslims, Nationalism, Religion, Religion and Spirituality, Religiosity, Religious Studies, Rituals, Sociology, Spirituality, Thick religion, Thin religion, Tradition, United States
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- Posted under Fieldwork, Religion
July 1, 2012 Religion: Meet Christophobia
In his book The Cube and the Cathedral, George Weigel turns to Joseph Weiler‘s ‘Christophobia’ theory to discuss the ‘European problem’ (or the struggle for cultural and moral supremacy between atheistic humanists (secularists) and Christians). ’Christophobia’, which resists any acknowledgement of the Christian sources of Europe’s democracy, has eight key features, as outlined by Weigel, which include, in no particular order:
- The notion that the Holocaust and other 20th-century European genocides are the logical outcome of Christianity’s inherent racism.
- The ’1968 mind-set’ – the youthful rebellion against traditional authority and Europe’s traditional Christian identity and consciousness.
- The psychological and ideological denial of the non-violent revolution of 1989, which, according to Weiler, was deeply and decisively influenced by Christians in central and eastern Europe, preeminently by Pope John Paul II.
- The continuing resentment of the dominant role once played by Christian Democratic parties in post-World War II Europe.
- The habit of associating Christianity with right wing political parties, which are the parties of xenophobia, racism, intolerance, etc.
- The resentment towards Pope John Paul II among secularists and anti-Catholics.
- The distorted teaching about European history which stresses the Enlightenment roots of the democratic project to the virtual exclusion of democracy’s historical cultural roots in the Christian soil of pre-Enlightenment Europe.
- The resentment of the ’1968 mind-set’ generation that their children have become Christian believers.
Source: Weigel, George. The Cube and the Cathedral. Basic Books: New York, 2005. Pgs. 73-77.
Tags: 1968, 1989 Revolution, Catholicism, Catholics, Christian Democratic Parties, Christianity, Christians, Christophobia, Culture, Democracy, Discrimination, Enlightenment, Europe, European problem, Europeans, George Weigel, History, Holocaust, Intolerance, Joseph Weiler, Pope John Paul II, Racism, Religion, Secularism, Spirituality
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June 26, 2012 Fieldwork: Essay which touches on the nature of my Ph.D.
Note: I came across this essay titled ‘Growing up Muslim in America’. It was written by a young Pakistani girl. In 1999, the essay won First Prize in the Minaret of Freedom High School Essay Contest. My research is exploring all the key factors and concepts touched upon in this essay, though my focus is on young Pakistani men (between the ages of 18-35) in both Dublin, Ireland and Boston, Massachusetts. You can find ‘Growing up Muslim in America’ here.
I will not exaggerate and say that growing up in America is a great experience and that it allows me to see Islam alone, as opposed to an Islam riddled with cultural influence. Nor will I exaggerate and say that growing up in America is a horrible experience, that I am surrounded by the influence of evil daily, and that I abhor living in “Dar ul Kufr.” Both statements are valid to a certain extent, and the point at which they compromise is the truth.
Growing up as a child of Pakistani immigrants, I was confused about my identity for quite some time. Was I Pakistani, Pakistani American, Muslim, a Muslim Pakistani, a Pakistani Muslim, Muslim American, American Muslim, or a Muslim in America? Never have I seen the arrangement of two or three words both so confusing and controversial. I considered myself Pakistani even though my attachment with the country and culture was not equal to that of a native Pakistani. I wore American clothes, spoke English most of the time, even in the home, and I had only visited Pakistan twice. My daily connection with Pakistan was through the food I ate and the Pakistani clothing I wore every so often. It was tough not having the same type of name as most of my peers. Even other children of immigrants, especially from Asian countries, had “American names” in addition to their “Chinese” or “Korean” names. I did not eat the same food as these children nor did I celebrate the same holidays. When asked the question what I received for Christmas, my face would usually turn a little red and I would try to change the subject. I realized I was not just the average American.
Yet in the same sense I was not the average Pakistani. As stated before, I did not speak much Urdu and my contact wit my culture was not great. When I visited Pakistan at the age of six, my relatives called me “Amrikan” or American. In their eyes, I was not Pakistani. I had the same type of name, ate siilar food, and looked just like them, but I was not Pakistani. Back home in America, I had a different name, complexion, and color, but I was not American. So for much of my life, I lived with the absence of a true identity. I could not define myself and that left me confused.
Things began to change once I entered adolescence. I began to lose many of my friends because I did not see the opposite sex in the same light as they did. My friends began dating and the usual talking about girls, but even though I was attracted to the opposite sex, I did not make it a public spectacle like they did. As a Muslim, my interactions with the opposite sex was to be dignified and in accordance to Islam. So I lost a lot of friends because I was not “cool” anymore, and thus I was isolated based on my character, my beliefs, because I was a Muslim.
This isolation brought me to a realization. Slowly I began to see that Islam was a priority for me. My identity as a Pakistani American or American Pakistani, whatever it was, was meaningless. Sure I ate Pakistani food, wore Pakistani clothes on holidays and sometimes listened to Pakistani music, but did it actually matter? Was it the fact that I was of Pakistani descent or that I was different? No, it was because the real component of who I was, was my Islamic identity. I still maintain my ties to Pakistan and it does compose part of my identity, but Islam is my priority.
I began to make Muslim friends in junior high school. They were not just Pakistani, they were also from countries like Afghanistan and India. Although these youth represented only a small geographical area of the Muslim ummah, I was introduced to the concept of global Islam. I in turn was on the path to separating Islam from my culture and seeing that I can be a Muslim and live in this country just like any other American.
I was only fourteen at the time, so I did not come to a complete realization of my identity. I finally moved to a very different area. My new home was in an upper class, white Jewish area, as opposed to my former middle class diverse community. Moving to this new town, Roslyn, allowed me to experience a lot of different things from before. This move coincided with my entering high school. So the experience was not only different because I moved to a totally different area, but also because I was entering high school.
Things were very different now in school. High school to most students dealt a lot with fitting in and being accepted by their peers. This meant going to clubs and parties every Friday and Saturday night where they would get drunk, smoke marijuana, and most often, engage in sexual intercourse. This type of lifestyle was accepted in my area, especially when my school began to distribute condoms to the students.
Not only was I set apart from the others in terms of my morals, but also in terms of my identity. In the first month at my new school, a student spread a rumor that I was in the Nation of Islam and that I had said an anti-Semitic statement. Both of these allegations were absolutely untrue, but for some reason most of the students believed it. Their religious-school teachers, parents, and the media fed them with stereotypes of Muslims, so it was not hard to believe that this Muslim was an anti-Semite.
This began one of the toughest times in my life. I was a new student and I did not have many friends. because I was Muslim. I had a few Asian friends, but that was it. Alhamdulillah, all that changed one weekend.
I received an e-mail from a friend about a “Muslim Youth of North America” conference in Maryland during the Thanksgiving weekend. This was the first time I had heard of such an event, and I was amazed. At that conference, I came to a full realization of who I was, a Muslim. I am not dramatizing in saying that this conference was a turning point in my life. I met Muslim youth, just like myself, from all over the East Coast of the United States, and they had the same experiences as me. Many were children of immigrants, just like myself, and were juggling their dual identities as I had. Many of the youth were also children of indigenous Americans who had reverted to Islam. I saw Islam in a scope as wide as I had ever seen it before. Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, the United States, China, Albania, Malaysia, Iran, Egypt, Syria, and Saudi Arabia among other countries were all represented at this conference. But it didn’t matter. We were all Muslim. I made many friends and to this day, I keep in contact with them. I was so motivated at the conference that I ran for a position as Director of Publicity for New York, I lost the election, but was nominated for New York Representative later on, and to this day I hold that position.
I came back to my school motivated and proud. I finally had a secure identity I could grasp and never let go of. I was sure I was not some weirdo who did not date or like girls, that I was not anti-social, and that there was nothing wrong with me. If some kids decided to believe a lie about me or prejudge me because I’m Muslim, then that was their loss.
Over the months following that conference, I changed a great deal. I was no longer a shy, reclusive person. I was vocal, confident, opinionated, and unafraid of who I was. My good friends were not only the few I had at school, but also the ones I had at the masjid and from the conference I attended. The following year things grew better for me at school as well. I accumulated many more friends who accepted me for who I was. I did not drink, I did not date, and I respected women. These new friends were interested in my religion, and did not perceive it as something strange. Alhamdulillah, I now have a good balance of Muslim and non-Muslim friends. I realized that there are some people in this country and in this world who will choose to remain ignorant. Racism and stereotyping are far too common in this nation, but that we Muslims can change this society and we Muslims can change this society and this world. In fact, it is our obligation.
My work with the Muslim Youth of North America is inspired by this obligation. I organize events for the youth in New York such as conferences, camps, and sports tournaments. My goal is to help other youth realize who they are and to be proud of it. Muslims have much to offer to this nation and America truly needs Islam. The people in this nation are looking to real answers to life’s questions and can only find those in Islam. Sadly on the same note, as stated before, many people choose to remain ignorant. For example, there was a segment on the television program, Saturday Night Live, which mocked the Muslims who died during the Hajj stampede last year. I wrote a petition for the SNL to apologize, but there was no response. That did not discourage me though. I am currently organizing a petitioning of Senator John McCain of Arizona, who stated during the bombings of Iraq on Fox News that American national security (bombing Iraq for no justifiable reason) is a priority over religious sensitivities (not bombing during Ramadan). It is obvious that other religious groups would not be treated like that. The lesson is that Muslims in this country do have the ability to attain simply an Islamic identity, and there is so much we can offer this nation and this world. But there is also a great deal of discrimination against Muslims, in addition to the abundance of immorality, and we must work towards their elimination. There are many advantages to living in this country as there are disadvantages. The difference is, our advantages enable us to overcome and eliminate our disadvantages.
Growing up a Muslim youth in America in indeed an exigent experience. But once that youth transcends and overcomes the obstacles along the way, there lies the path towards the true success and true realization, insha’Allah.
Tags: American culture, American Pakistani, Culture, East Coast of the United States, Experience, Identity, Immigrants, Immigration, Islam, Muslim, Muslim Pakistani, Pakistan, Pakistan Irish, Pakistani, Pakistani-American, Pakistanis, Research, Sociology, United States, Young Pakistanis
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- Posted under Fieldwork
May 15, 2012 Photo-journal documenting trip to Athens and Santorini
I’ve done my fair share of traveling since graduating from college in 2007, from researching around the U.S. for one year with Ambassador Ahmed, to my own personal adventures throughout Europe and eastern Asia. I’ve been to some amazing places, from the Château de Padiès in Southern France, to the hills of Honolulu, to the famous bazzar in Kadıköy, Turkey, to the homes of ancestors of Muslim American slaves on Sapelo Island, Georgia. Several times after practically all of these journeys, I’ve said to myself “That is the best trip I’ve ever had”. This particular piece is a collection of stories, thoughts and pictures from my week long trip throughout Greece. My next project will be my short documentary concerning it, though it probably won’t be finished for a few weeks.
All pictures below © Craig Considine
* * *
I arrived to Athens on a Saturday evening and headed straight for Syntagma Square, right in the heart of the city and the place of many recent protests over bailouts and austerity measures. People from all around Europe were there having meetings and gatherings to discuss their potential activities in the run-up to the elections the next day. There was a significant Anarchy presence amongst the people, most of whom were young, though I also read pamphlets about Communist and other Socialist movements.
Protest sign in Syntagma Square
Tired protestor in Syntagma Square
I roamed around Syntagma Square for about twenty minutes before heading up the stairs and towards the Greek parliament building. There I watched several Greek soldiers perform what appeared to be the equivalent of the ‘changing of the guard’. These soldiers would march around in a very slow and methodical fashion, almost like a rusty robot, whilst raising their legs extremely straight and high, and sometimes swiping the soul of their shoes off the ground. Occasionally they would do a little trick with their long guns. I found their uniform particularly interesting. These soldiers also wouldn’t move an inch even if you tickled them with a feather.
Changing of the Guard, Syntagma Square
Changing of the Guard, Syntagma Square
Changing of the Guard, Syntagma Square
From Syntagma Square I made the journey to my hotel, which wasn’t exactly close to the city centre. The cab ride there was wild. The cab driver was just a grumpy person, though he did have a good sense of humour. We ended up getting stuck behind a dump truck on these narrow little side streets and we couldn’t get around the thing for the life of us. The cab driver was swearing in Greek non-step and yelling obscenities at other cab drivers. When we had daylight, he would step on the gas and we would fly down the avenues of Athens. I wasn’t scared because I could tell he had a good handle on his whip. I dropped my stuff off at Pergamos Hotel. It was a decent spot though in not in the greatest of areas.
My first evening in Athens was spent at the Vintage Shopping Bar. It was a chill little spot and I spent most of my time speaking to a 50-year-old female filmmaker who had live most of her life in Brussels, but was originally from the Rhodes (she pronounced it Road-as). We had a good few laughs over some drinks. She was drinking straight whiskey and would cut the filter off her cigarettes. I asked her for some advice for my travels and she told me not to go to Santorini because it was too touristy. At first I believed her, but I still didn’t really care to listen, as the pictures I Googled were still so beautiful and vivid in my mind.
Floor of Vintage Shopping Bar
Clothes in Athens shop
The first thing I did when I woke up on my first morning in Athens was head to the Acropolis. On my way there, I spotted this beautiful and old-looking Greek Orthodox Church, so I decided to take a stroll over to it. When I approached it, I noticed that a service had just ended. Women were totally covered and the men dressed conservatively. I walked through the doors to find a very small church with only one room. What stuck out to me were the relics and images of prophets everywhere. It was my first time in a Greek Orthodox Church. Whilst I was standing in amazement at its beauty, a church chaperon approached me and told me that there were no sandals allowed in the Church. I was also wearing shorts and he told me those weren’t allowed either. I felt pretty bad for not even thinking about these rules. I should know better considering my research and profession.
Greek Orthodox Church
Unfortunately, the Acropolis happened to be closed because of ‘election Sunday’, so I wasn’t able to actually get to the top. That didn’t stop me, however, from getting some great sights and walking the ancients streets of Plaka (Πλάκα). I was able to view an ancient amphitheater of Dionysius at the bottom of the massive Acropolis rock and climb around some ruins on the edge of some hills. As you could imagine, the terrain was very rock and dry, though there were definitely trees here and there. Obviously, it was amazing to view the ruins, which couldn’t escape the eye even if you wanted them to. They are literally everywhere.
Statue at the Theatre of Dionysus
View of the Acropolis
Plaka happened to be one of my favourite areas in Athens. Though it’s a bit touristy, it has a strong buzz and atmosphere to it, which makes it a must see even if you’re trying to escape the tourist madness. The streets are narrow and filled with shops and places to eat. The streets themselves are lined with cobblestones and ruins every few blocks. I had a great few lunches there and even managed to buy some pretty sweet articles of Greek linen clothing (more on this later).
Man at his restaurant in Plaka
Political message in Plaka
On the way back to Syntagma Square from Plaka, I managed, unsurprisingly, to find a few more set of ruins. One happened to be out in the open, in what appears to be the main Athens valley, whilst the other was an underground excavation of an ancient worshipping spot.
Ruins in Athens
Ruins at ancient worshipping area
At nightime on my first full day in Athens, I decided to journey back to Plaka, where I had an amazing 4 cheese pasta dinner at an outdoor restaurant called Kapyatis (English spelling). From there, because it was ‘election Sunday’, I was having trouble finding a spot to catch a drink, and I ended up walking a good distance to visit the James Joyce Pub. I had a few beers there and chatted to a few American girls now living in Athens. On my walk home, I took the picture you see below.
Athens at night
Dinner at Kyptatis
One thing that you can’t help but notice when visiting Athens is the graffiti. It’s literally everywhere. It has even made its way to monuments. There is clearly a young rebellious streak in Athens. The youth and perhaps even the older generations are unhappy with the current political, economic, and social climate. Some young Athenians have even lost their lives in protest to the general state of things.
Memorial to fallen protestor in Athens
Graffiti on monument in Athens
Graffiti in Athens
My third day in Athens was an early one. I had a 7:30 am ferry ride through the Aegean Sea to Santorini, which was about eight hours away. I was thoroughly impressed with the ferry, which behaved more like a ship, as I was expecting the ride to be on a little and not-so-serious boat.
Man on the Blue Star Ferry
Blue Star Ferry
Looking back at Athens
There were so many beautiful islands everywhere as we cruised through the Aegean Sea. You couldn’t go one minute without seeing one in the distance. I sat in the sun the entire time, just listening to music and gathering my thoughts as I looked out at the amazing scenery. Though it was an eight-hour ride, I didn’t mind it one bit. I’ve never seen anything so gorgeous in my entire life. Seriously.
Uninhabited island in the Aegean Sea
Island of Paros
Island of Paros
Ios
Church on Ios
Ios
Greek island
Arriving in the Port of Santorini was really something else. As the door from the ferry lowers, all you can see are these massive rocky orange looking cliffs. There were loads of men trying to convince people to get in their cabs to go to one of the villages on the island. I was prey and just hooked on with a guy, who I told to bring me to the centre, Fira. The ride was incredible. The roads hug the side of the cliff and zig-zag nearly the entire way to Fira.
Driving to Fira
I told the cab driver to bring me to a hostel. I was so lucky to end up where I did – at Kykladonisia Hostel. It had an awesome ‘roof deck’ of sorts that overlooked the ocean and some of the island.
At Kykladonisias
View of Kykladonisias
View from balcony at Kykladonisias
View of Church at Kykladonisias
Girl walking near Kykladonisias
Once I got my bags down, I decided to take a stroll through old Fira. The small and narrow streets bring you back in time to an era that must have been too cool. I had a few quiet beers here and there and took some pretty amazing shots on one of the highest points on the island. It was an unforgettable experience.
Alley in Fira
Gate in Fira
Looking at the Volcano
Quiet beer
Fira in background
Have you heard about the sunset on the tip of Santorini in the village of Oia? (pronounced E-ya). Once you get to the village square, which is about the size of a driveway, you see signs that bring you through the old village and towards some spots where you can watch the sunset. Like Fira, the streets are old and narrow and lined with beautiful homes everywhere. I’ll never forget watching the sunset and hearing people applaud as it vanished. That’s when you know a sunset is legit.
Heading towards the sunset in Oia
Home in Oia
Church in Oia
Oia
Sunset in Oia
Sunset on the water in Oia
Long shot of sunset in Oia
Sunset sky in Oia
My first morning in Santorini started with chilling with Paul, who ran the place. Paul and I became friends and had a few laughs together. He encouraged me to either rent a four-wheel dirt bike or a car. Because I nearly died on one of those bikes in Honolulu, I decided to be safe and stick with the car, though that nearly killed me too!
I rented a car that was nearly half the size of the Volvo I drive back home. It was so little I felt like I could pick it up with my hands. It was a ‘smart car’ and was, of course, really easy to use. I scooped it for ten euros and then pumped another fifteen euros in worth of gas. When I got in the car, I had no plan or destination in mind. I just wanted to ride freely throughout the island. I was looking forward to investigating.
My first stop was the famous Red Beach. When there, I did a bit of climbing and made it to a very high peak on what was basically a mountain. I opened my backpack and took out Plato’s ‘Four Dialogues’ because, after all, I was in Greece and Socrates is one of my first favourite thinkers. I chilled for a solid hour there, just contemplating life.
From that spot I walked down what looked like the Grand Canyon. It wasn’t an easy walk and you had to do a bit of climbing/crawling. Red beach isn’t very big and it’s pretty rocky, but the water is perfect and crystal clear. The ocean floor didn’t have sand. Instead, it had rocks of various colours. The water was also warm and had no seaweed. I had a great swim.
Cliffs at Red Beach
Red Beach
After Red Beach, I of course decided to explore some more. I stumbled across a sign for Kambia Beach, one of the three beaches on the island. The sign was pretty budget and the road even more so. When I looked down it, I absolutely hesitated because the place I rented my car from told me ‘no off-roading’. Problem was, I couldn’t tell if this is what they would considering ‘off-roading’. I figured, what the hell, I’m on vacation and only on Santorini once (though I plan on going back!). So, I was off, down what seemed like a treacherous road on the side of a massive cliff. I also came across what seemed like ancient caves.
Caves near Kambia Beach
The road down was treacherous. There were a few instances where the car bottomed out and I feared for a flat tire or, worse, damage to the little car. I was weaving in-and-out of massive holes and rocks. It wasn’t easy. I took it slow and managed to make it down safely, though I already started to worry about making it back up. At the bottom of the hill, nonetheless, was Kambia Beach. What a sight that was! It was so quiet and peaceful down there. There was also a family run restaurant, though, of course, there was nobody there but the family. They welcomed me warmly and I sat down for some food. They only had one dish available, so I didn’t even look at the menu. The food happened to be amazing though.
Restaurant on Kambia Beach
Kambia Beach
My traditional meal on Kambia Beach
When I got back in the car, I geared myself up for the journey back up. At a few points, I had to put my foot on the pedal to make sure I didn’t get stuck. I had to sustain the momentum of the vehicle. It was hugely problematic considering if I lost control I could be veering of a massive cliff. No joke. I managed, however, and when I reached the top, I was greeted by an amazing view of the sea and the countryside.
Countryside in Santorini
The Aegean Sea from Santorini
After my adventure to Kambia Beach, I headed back to Kykladonisias to regroup, but soon I was off to Fira for a late lunch. After another amazing four cheese dinner dish, I took a few incredible pictures of Fira and visited the Catholic Church. As I walked in, I could hear on the speakers either some religious man chanting or a recording of it. Either way, it was tranquil and peaceful. I sat there for a good thirty minutes with my thoughts. I prayed for my family and good health for a while too. It’s probably the coolest Church I’ve ever prayed in.
Fira
Fira
Fira
Alter at Catholic Church in Fira
Dome of Catholic Church in Fira
All of the walking around must have made me hungry, because only a few hours later, I was off for another meal. The sun was doing damage to me so I wanted to catch food at a quiet and cool place. I picked the Taverna Elia, where I had a delicious spaghetti bolognese with ham. I’m pretty sure I was the only customer for nearly two hours. It too was peaceful. There I had a Fix beer, which is one of the three main Greek beers along with Mythos and Alfa. I probably drank the latter most often.
Fix – one of several Greek beers
Taverna Elia
Spaghetti bolognese with ham and garlic bread
This trip wouldn’t have been as amazing as it was if it wasn’t for the two ‘squirrels’, Bri and Britt, from Houston and Boca Raton respectively. The three of us met at the legendary Highlander Bar, where I had many chill nights with bartenders Teo and Angel. The two girls and I spent the next few days having some serious laughs. I’m not only thankful for the company and now their friendship, but also for saving me when I had a wicked heat exhaustion attack at the volcano. It hit me like a tone of bricks. I was super dehydrated and felt like I seriously was going to pass out. Bri and Britt, who go by ‘PPB’, also happened to be nurses, so I couldn’t have been in better hands. When I knew things were getting bad, I thought I had to go back to the main island, and they had absolutely no problem with that. They literally had to guide me down the volcano and feed me water. I’m so fortunate they were there with me. When we got back up to the main island, I puked a few times and, sadly, missed the toilet. Feel bad for the cleaning ladies 
Our ship to send us to the volcano
Chilling on the ship
Britt and I
Bri and I
Bri and Britt up the volcano
On the volcano before the near disaster
Bri on volcano with island in background
The volcano!
That event aside, Bri, Britt and I accumulated more inside jokes in three days than any three people have ever done in the history of inside jokes. We spent a few great nights at the Highlander and made some great memories. We shared our music tastes with each other and had a few good meals.
The squirrels, Bri and Britt 
I took the ferry back to Athens at 3:30 in the afternoon on Friday and arrived in Athens at 12 pm. The next morning, I was exhausted, but I figured I’d go back to Plaka, my favourite part of Athens, where just a few days earlier I had an awesome lunch with some great local Greek people. One of my favourite parts of the trip was just sitting around in the sun with great food, drink, and company.
This one street in Plaka was jammed packed with people and there was a constant buzz around. I spent many many hours talking with the lovely ‘Helen of Troy’. Elizabeth, who owned the story that Helen worked in, could have been one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. She gave me a huge discount on some local Greek linen clothing, which I’m wearing below, and gave me a free t-shirt and some jewelry to bring back to my mother in Needham. I didn’t wanted to say goodbye to them.
The three of us in Plaka
Exhausted on my last day
Obviously, there are a few clear reasons why this trip was monumental, such as the weather and the beauty of the Greek islands. There were some more subliminal reasons, such as the food and the nightlife (and the Greek beer). I can’t forget the history of Greece itself, the ruins, and just the aura of walking along the streets of Plaka. I also can’t forget to mention that adventures – down with the car to Kambia Beach and of course the scary experience on the volcano. But hands down, the number one reason this was the best trip ever – THE PEOPLE. I can’t tell you how many great conversations I had with both people from Greece and around the world. Everyone seemed so incredibly family and it made me so happy. From Paul to Teo, to Angel to Jargon, to Elizabeth to Helen, and of course, to Bri and Britt, I couldn’t have asked for better company. That’s ultimately why I titled this piece “This time I mean it”. This really was the best trip ever.
Tags: Adventure, Athens, Beauty, Culture, Fira, Fun, Greece, Journey, Lifestyle, Photo essay, Photography, Pictures, Santorini, Travel, Travel log, Volcano
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April 22, 2012 Shoe throwing art
Hanna’ Malallah – U.S.A. Heritage Flag
Remember the Bush shoe throwing incident? (video below).
Well, if you don’t, this piece of artwork by Hanaa’ Malallah can serve as a clever reminder.
What’s the significance of the shoes anyways? Gammell notes in the Telegraph:
[s]howing the sole of your shoe has long been an insult in Arab culture. To hit someone with that shoe – as Muntadar al-Zeidi tried with President George W Bush – is seen as even worse… [t]he shoe is considered dirty because it is on the ground and associated with the foot, the lowest part of the body. Hitting someone with a shoe shows that the victim is regarded as even lower.
You can see more of Malallah’s work in this CNN article.
Also, watch al-Zeidi nearly wreck Bush in the head with his shoes.
Tags: Arab culture, Art, Culture, George W. Bush, Hanna' Malallah, Humor, Iraq, Muntadhar al-Zaidi, Shoe, Shoes
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April 12, 2012 New survey confirms quote on sexuality in University Times
In February, a journalist from TCD’s University Times asked me a few questions on Irish youth and their position towards sexuality. Rachel Levin paraphrased our conversation:
Sociology Lecturer Craig Considine explains this silence. ‘Now that people are turning away from the Catholic Church, who is the authority on sex? Who has the credibility to advise? There’s a generational gap in sexuality. If the child goes to the parent for advice, all the parent knows is what they learned through the church, and seeing as now the Catholic church are no longer the voice of sexual morality in contemporary Irish culture, parents may not know what to tell their children. They’re avoiding it as they don’t know how to deal with it’.
With that in mind a new Amárach survey (results in Irish Times), commissioned by the Association of Catholics Priests, has found the Church’s teachings on sexuality have ‘no relevance’ to 75% of Irish Catholics or their families.
It appears that my comments were fairly accurate.
Perhaps, however, I could have been a bit clearer with my points on Irish adults and their views on sexuality.
The Amárach survey suggests that there isn’t necessarily a ‘generational gap’ as I emphasized. Indeed it seems that the Irish as a whole share generally the same opinion on the Church’s stance on sexuality.
What I was alluding to, perhaps not so clearly, in the interview was that the older generation (parents of youth) was more ‘indoctrinated’ (for lack of a better word) by the Church as it concerned proper sexual conduct. It appears, however, that the indoctrination tactics didn’t stick.
In this sense, the older generation had to de-indoctrinate while the younger generation wasn’t necessarily indoctrinated (as strongly) to begin with.
Then again I wasn’t even raised in this country. So what do I know!?
On another note, I’m interested to find out about the sample of the survey. What was the minimum age in which someone could take part? Was the 14-18 age range consulted? After all, this is the group which seems to be most susceptible to the hyper-sexualized culture permeating Western societies.
Nonetheless, I think I was on the right page in the interview with Levin. It was an important opportunity for me to practice my ‘on-the-spot- response to journalists and the like.
Tags: Catholic, Catholic Church, Christianity, Craig Considine, Culture, Human sexuality, Ireland, Irish Catholic, News, Parenting, Religion, Sexual ethics, Sexuality, Trinity College Dublin, University Times
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April 4, 2012 Religious: ‘Mysterious powder’ sent to the kindest Muslim man (Rep. Samad)
The opening scene of the documentary feature film I directed, titled Journey into America (produced by Ambassador Akbar Ahmed), included an interview with a State Representative from Iowa. This man, who happened to be Muslim and of African-American descent, walked with us during the annual Muslim Day Parade in Manhattan, New York City (he was serving as its Grand Marshall) and happily mentioned to the camera that ‘Islam is about peace… it’s about us coming together as a nation… not fighting’. He enters 50 seconds into the video below (continue reading after)
Yesterday, Representative Ako-Abdul Samad (Democrat – Des Moines), received a letter at his office in the Iowa State Capitol building which contained ‘hazardous materials’ and an extremely threatening letter. Representative Samad declined to discuss the message of the letter, though it’s quite possible the words were not tolerant or welcoming. You can watch an interview with him here.
Though the ‘hazardous material’ proved to not be hazardous, the letter is still an attack because of the psychological repercussions it could potentially have not only on Representative Samad but also for Muslims in Iowa. Indeed, CAIR Tweeted about it, which is how I heard about it, and insinuated that it could have been an ‘Islamophobic attack’.
If indeed the letter attacked Representative Samad because he’s a Muslim, such serves as just the latest string of attacks against Muslims in the United States. If this is indeed a hate crime, it really is shameful considering Representative Samad is proud to be an American and has worked hard to improve the image of Muslim Americans.
As a sociologist, I see Representative Samad as someone who has managed to successfully negotiate all his different identities. He’s proud to be Muslim, American, and of African descent (and he no doubt probably has many more identities which he balances with grace).
Representative Samad treated me with the utmost sincerity, respect, and kindness. I hope he transcends this incident.
Actually, I know he will.
Tags: Ako-Abdul Samad, Crime, Culture, Iowa State Capitol, Islam, Islamophobia, Muslim, News, Opinion, Politics, Religion
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July 11, 2012 The painful experience of becoming American
This morning I read an interesting article about Italian immigrants and how they were treated like dirt in the decades following their journey from Italy to the US. The author of the article, Ed Falco, compares the Italian experience to what many Muslim Americans are going through today and essentially points out that practically every major ‘other’ group in American history has been persecuted to some extent or another for their religious beliefs. Falco highlights many historical events where Italian Americans were subjected to inhumane treatment, such as a controversy with the construction of a Catholic Church in New York City during the Revolutionary period and a lynch mobbing episode in New Orleans in the early 20th century. The controversy over the construction of the Catholic Church in New York City mirrors greatly the Park 51 moment. New Yorkers asked ‘those’ Catholics to build their Church outside of the city’s boundaries because they feared the ‘foreign’ and ‘non-American’ influences’ of Popery and the Vatican. After the lynch mobbing incident in New Orleans, Teddy Roosevelt, who would later move on to become president of the US, said that the killing and dragging of the Italian immigrants through the streets was largely a good thing. Italians, however, gradually integrated into ‘mainstream America’. They ‘became’ American after years and years of trials and tribulations and proving their loyalty through the ultimate sacrifice in war. It’s unfortunate that ‘other’ groups of Americans have to wither through the storm of discrimination and ethnocentrism as part of their Americanisation process. Muslims are the latest group to undergo this process of ‘othering’, but soon their neighbours will see their ‘Americanness’. It’s unfortunate that they have to wait for acceptance, but this seems like the ‘American way’.
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Tags: Americanization, Americanness, Assimilation, Catholic, Catholic Church, Culture, Identity, Integration, Italian American, Italian Americans, Italy, Muslim Americans, New Orleans, New York City, Opinion, Other, Othering, Politics, Religion, United States, Vatican