News Update

This is your 'man in London' reporting! Getting off the bus this afternoon at Hyde Park Corner, about 200 demonstrators were chanting outside the Libyan Embassy. London police were guarding the doors and BBC cameras and news vans were present. One large sign in English said, "China and Russia! Tell Ghaddafi to quit!"

This morning I was alone at the Starbucks on Susanne's block, writing in my journal. I overheard Americans talking- -I haven't heard an American drawl in 10 days. So presently I went over to their table and said, "Hi, where are you from?" And they replied, "Tripoli". I was quite taken back. The wives had gotten out last week and the two men came here yesterday. They were field engineers for oil companies. I asked them if they left everything, and they said, yes. . . even their pets. They are staying at the Marriott Hilton near here and do not know what is next.

"We are worried about our Libyan friends," they said, "The Libyan people are some of the nicest people in the world and they do not deserve this. Their ruler is a nutcase."

They asked when I was going back to the States. "Tell people that the Muslim people are not terrorists. They hate terrorists as much as Americans do." The two couples consider Houston their home, but they were Midwesterners, from Indiana.

Light and Inspiration

At 4:30 a.m. when I awoke to the nightly sounds of police and ambulance sirens, heavy traffic, and conversations in other languages drifting into my bedroom from the street outside, I thought about the Justin Bieber comments. How desperately we need to be able to see light and inspiration as reflected by Jesus in all kinds of people in order to persevere in our crazy world.

Justin Bieber . . .British Humor

Justin Bieber, 16 year old pop singer, is in London for BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Theatre Awards). According to The Guardian 2/25/11, Alexis Petridis, "Bieber's mom is apparently convinced she and her son were personally selected by God 'to bring light and inspiration to the world'." With the heavy cynicism of British humor, the editorialist continues. . . "This may amount to a certain scaling-down of ambition on the part of God, who previously opted to bring light and inspiration to the world by sending His only son to minister among us, heal lepers, walk on water, raise the dead, etc."

I say: "Give Justin and his mom a break. He is just a kid. Let them aim for the high road in living as celebrities."

Hello from London's Arab district. . .

Susanne has lived in Europe for 18 years and their flat is in Central London near Edgeware Road, the Arab district. We arrived here one week ago. One block away are Egyptian bookstores, halal restaurants (like Kosher for the Jewish), Lebanese food, etc., etc. The Friday that Mubarak fell in Egypt, this extremely busy thoroughfare closed with people of many nations celebrating in the street for Democracy! My daughter's family experiences here in the heart of British Muslim culture and my experiences in reading the London Times and |Guardian demonstrate that the vast majority of Muslims here are peace loving and want to live in a freedom type of society. My son-in-law travels on business to Abu Dhabi and Qatar and he also finds the Muslim people overwhelmingly oppose terrorism.

Terrorists in the Muslim religion are the Timothy McVeighs of Christianity. McVeigh was a practicing Catholic as I understand. Which means absolutely nothing about Catholicism, does it?

PEACE . . . SHALOM. . .SALAAM