Mormons in Russia

Randy Black tells us about the Mormons in Russia: "The Mormons have been active in Russia since I was living there a decade ago. They attempt to spread their version of religion throughout Russia, as do the Baptists, Presbyterians, various evangelical groups and all the rest. Foreign religions are perceived by the Orthodox as interlopers who pose a danger to the Orthodox monopoly on the proletariat. Make no mistake about it when considering the Russian Orthodox Church�s objection to these religions. This is about money and monopoly, something that the Orthodox Church does not want to share with anyone, not even the Salvation Army, which has fought for the past decade to keep its presence known in Russia, after having been marched into the streets and shot by the Bolsheviks 85 years ago".

Waltzing Matilda

John Gehl's posting on Banjo Patterson was Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark, since he did not give the text of "Waltzing Matilda " by 'Banjo' (A.B.) Patterson, c. 1890, so here it is: Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong Under the shade of a coolibah tree And he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled You'll come a-waltzing matilda with me Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda You'll come a waltzing matilda with me And he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled You'll come a-waltzing matilda with me Down came a jumbuck to dri-ink at that billabong Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee And he sang as he stuffed that jumbuck in his tucker-bag You'll come a-waltzing matilda with me Up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred Up rode the troopers, one, two, three "Where's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker-bag?" You'll come a-waltzing matilda with me Up jumped the swagman and sprang into that billabong "You'll never take me alive!", said he And his ghost may be heard as you pa-ass by that billabong You'll come a-waltzing matilda with me The refrain is repeated after each verse. In each case, the third line of the refrain is the same as the third line of the preceding verse. And the last two lines of the last verse are performed in a hushed tone, before bursting back into the jollity of the refrain. RH: This informal Australian national anthem seems to idealize a poacher. That's as odd as the "English". is. Who is matilda, and why doesn't she rate a capital M? John spelt Paterson with one t. Here are subjects for a scholarly dissertation.

AUSTRALIA: Banjo Paterson:

To atone for our neglect of Australia, we are happy to post John Gehl's bio of the Australian icon Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson (1864-1941), who composed the internationally famous ballad, "Waltzing Matilda," which by popular acclaim became Australia's informal anthem. Paterson first achieved popular success as a writer in 1895 when he published The Man from Snowy River and Other Verses, which sold out its first edition within a week and went through four editions in six months, making Paterson second only to Rudyard Kipling in popularity among living poets writing in English. Paterson became the premier folk poet of Australia, having produced a body of work that included seven volumes of poetry and prose, a children's book about animals, in addition to his journalistic writings. His poetry continues to sell well today and the recent popular film, "The Man from Snowy River," has rekindled interest in his many engaging ballads about Australia and its people. Banjo Paterson was born in Narrambla, near Orange, New South Wales, Australia. He was called Barty by his family, but acquired the nickname Banjo (the name of his favorite horse) because he used that pseudonym to conceal his identity as a solicitor when he published his early verse in Sydney's newspapers. Paterson's parents were graziers in the Yass district of the Australian bush. He received his early education at home and at the Sydney Grammar School. When he turned 16, he was apprenticed as a clerk to a Sydney legal firm for training as a solicitor. Admitted to the bar in 1886, he formed the legal partnership, Street and Paterson. While working as a solicitor, Paterson also made time to write verse, and int1895 with the publication of The Man from Snowy River his unexpected literary celebrity caused him to lose interest in continuing his legal career. In 1899 Paterson accepted an assignment as a special war correspondent for the Sydney Morning Herald to cover the Boer War in South Africa, later traveling on assignment to China and the Philippines. Before returning to Sydney in 1902, Paterson also visited London at the invitation of Rudyard Kipling. Back in Australia, he finally abandoned the law and took an editorial job with the Sydney Evening News, remaining in newspaper work until 1908 when he left to take up ranching. In 1903 he traveled to Tenterfield, New South Wales, where he met and later married Alice Walker. They had two children, Grace born in 1904 and Hugh in 1906. When World War I broke out, Paterson returned to newspaper work, traveling to Europe for the Sydney Morning Herald. Frustrated at not being able to reach the front, he volunteered to drive an ambulance for the Australian Voluntary Hospital in France. Later, returning to Australia he was commissioned a major in the Australian army's remount division to procure horses. After the war he returned to journalism and the writing of verse and prose. He retired from newspaper work in 1930, but continued his other writing until he died just short of his 77th birthday. See <http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000062XG0/newsscancom/ref=nosim> for the DVD version of The Man From Snowy River.

Letters on Tariq Ramadan

Christopher Jones forwards two letters on Tariq Ramadan. "Ramadan's vital work" The Guardian (9/1/04) The department of homeland security's de facto veto of the University of Notre Dame's appointment of the Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan to a chair in the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies is offensive, not least as a denial of academic freedom (An oft-repeated 'truth', August 31). This revocation of Ramadan's work visa bears the imprint of those influential supporters of Israel's rightwing government in the Pentagon. These pro-Sharon neocons have been at the centre of the Bush administration's foreign policy. A close scrutiny of Ramadan's work reveals an erudite, provocative scholar; one committed to the further evolution of Islam's understanding of its revelation and religious practice. Moreover, he is concerned to facilitate the discussions that must ensue if Judaism, Christianity and Islam are to build mutual respect en route to developing some common ground. We must examine the tactics of Ramadan's accusers. While they offer no evidence that he is a threat to US security, he is readily charged with being anti-semitic - a tactic widely used by pro-Sharon elements in the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and those in the Pentagon who would intimidate and silence critics of the current government of Israel. This tactic is being widely used by neoconservatives, for example Daniel Pipes, whose campuswatch website encourages students to report professors who contest Israel's policies. In short, criticism of Israel is now glibly equated with anti-semitism. (Ramadan's offence, inter alia, was to have rebuked French Jewish intellectuals for their silence on Israel's murderous tactics in the occupied territories.) What is more, it is not only Muslim leaders and other non-Jewish opponents of Israel's continued control and settlement of the territories who are targeted in this manner. Jews in the peace movements who protest Sharon's policies also find themselves smeared as anti-semitic, "self-hating Jews". Prof Peter Walshe Fellow of the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, USA Ramadan has pointed out that an oft-repeated assumption becomes the "truth". For that reason, not only is he now a terrorist sympathiser, but also his accusers, by withdrawing his visa, are maintaining the illusion that they are conducting a war on terror. They are thus neatly reversing the actual truth, while ensuring that the culture under attack, Islam, is never understood by the people whose leadership is intent on global hegemony. David Clarke London

Tariq Ramadan and his name

I asked if Ed Jajko has any comment on the Tariq Ramadan case. "Ramadan" means the hot month, surely an odd family name. Ed replies: "No comment on the case. Ramadan was originally the hot or parched month, but since the Muslim calendar was made lunar and rotates around the solar year, Ramadan can be in the heat of summer or the chill of winter. This year's Ramadan begins on or about 16 October. It's no more unusual a family name than March, May, or August in English or German*. But Mr. Ramadan is of Egyptian origin, and so Ramadan may be his family name only because of European, not Egyptian, practice. There are Egyptians who bear family names -- Boutros Boutros-Ghali and his brothers and other relatives, for example -- but most Egyptians have three names: given name, father's name, grandfather's name. With each new generation, a new name is tacked on in front and the father's name takes the place of the grandfather's. Ramadan is an acceptable given name for a Muslim boy. Not a common one, but quite acceptable. Once Ramadan has a son, whom he names Tariq, the son becomes Tariq Ramadan. In Egypt and the Arab world he is known as Tariq or Mr. Tariq. Europe and the Western world require him to become Mr. Ramadan. (The name of the grandfather, Hasan al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, has been omitted.) I find it interesting that he bears the name of Tariq ibn Ziyad, the Berber who defeated Visigoth Spain in 711, who gave his name also to Jabal Tariq, the Mountain of Tariq, i.e. Gibraltar. Ramadan seeks to create a new European Muslim identity. Tariq ibn Ziyad had much the same mission". RH:* The only names of months commonly used as family names in English are March and May. Similarly only a few colors are used as last names: White, Black, Grey, Green, but not pink, purple, etc. These selectivities should be studied. When I said how pleased I was that Randy Black had met Jaqui White, Philip Huyck remarked "Black and White". Red (read) all over? There is no WAISer named "Red". That Tariq ibn Zayad was a Berber lures us into the complex racial and religious history of Muslim Spain. We should also examine the history of Ramadan. It made sense during the hot month to extend the siesta to embrace the day and to live it up at night, but to move Ramadan to suit the lunar calendar makes no sense.