Mash Up

This is a work in progress based on my reactions to a performance of Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man, A Mass for Peace sung by the choruses of the Worcester Consortium., the news that Osama bin Laden was killed, the Strathmore Visual Artist Journal work shop 3, as well as turmoil in my personal life.  Whew, that's a run on sentence.

First, the performance by the consortium schools (Anna Maria College, Assumption College, Clark University, Holy Cross College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (The Young One is a member of the WPI Festival Chorus), and Worcester State University) was to say the least incredible.  The music, the voices were amazing. Through the music, the audience is transported through the stirring glory of war trumpeted as the armies prepare to battle and  through the horror of battle for combatants as well as innocents. Finally, out of all this doom, a song of hope arises out of the smoke and ash.

The following morning I awoke to the stunning news that Osama bin Laden was dead. I experienced mixed emotions. There was a certain measure of relief that a terrorist, serial killer, mass murderer, whatever label you want to apply, was removed from the face of the earth. Justice served? Perhaps. I'm not sure all who lost loved ones in the 9/11 attack would agree. bin Laden's death, doesn't bring their loved ones back. Does it give them a sense of closure? I don't know as I didn't lose anyone close to me. I was also bothered by the jubilation and dancing in the streets. Shouts of USA! USA and We're number One! As if this was a football game. I thought as a nation we were better than rubbing dirt in the enemy's face.  The fact that this one man is gone doesn't make the threat of terrorism go away. bin Laden has inspired hundreds, maybe thousands, with his violent ideology. I wonder if we just cut off the head of the hydra, and it will only be a short time before another follower takes the helm. I also thought of comedian, Jeff Dunham's routine and Dunham points out to his ventriloquist dummy that 72 virgins could also be male. That would be ironic justice.

The 3rd Strathmore workshop, Building Your Journal from the Page Up, also began.Lesson one was to prepare some background pages to be used during the workshop. I started the lesson and this is the page and colors that started to evolve with all those thoughts swirling in my head.

What are your thoughts about the events that transpired at the beginning of the week?