The Muslim holy month of Ramadan kicks off at sunset today, marking the beginning of a month of fasting, reflection, and general avoidance of bad habits and behaviors we might have normalized. For me it might include doing my damndest to avoid using foul language when referring to police and people in power (a truly Herculean task).
Different people will tell you that Ramadan is about focusing on being grateful, or testing our self-discipline or simply challenging ourselves to be better individuals. In my experience it can be all of these things and more. The first day or two may be tough as our stomachs adjust to the new eating habits, but the hunger is quickly replaced by a renewed intention to make things right with people we may have wronged and focus on forgiving those who have wronged us. This life is too short to hold onto grudges, or to let our egos or our envy get in the way of treating each other with dignity, love, and respect.
I challenge you reader, Muslim or not, to try a day of fasting this month, abstaining from food (and water if we’re truly dedicated) to see what billions of people around the world will be experiencing for the coming month. I promise I’m not trying to convert you, but it’s possible you’ll find value in the practice. If nothing else it’s helpful for dieting AND will save you a pretty penny on grocery shopping.
Side Items
Bulletproof Don Strikes Again: That’s right folks, the orange Donny spent another day as a free man, as all the hype and chatter about his arrest was for nothing. What could’ve been a great day for memes instead just resulted in some grainy AI-generated images of what a Trump arrest would look like. Granted they’re hilarious, but they’re no substitute for the real thing
LA School Teacher Strike: Thousands of teachers joined by service workers began a three-day strike against the Los Angeles Unified School District this week, shutting down education for a half-million students in the country’s second-largest school system. Local 99 of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which represents about 30,000 teachers’ aides, special education assistants, bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers and other support staff, walked out amid stalled contract talks. Workers have demanded better wages and increased staffing for the half a million students they take care of on a daily basis
New York to Israel Pipeline: Tale as old as time: old white guy from New York moves to apartheid Israel, immediately starts contributing to the culture of corruption, oppression, and toxicity. The most recent controversial move to overrule the judicial branch in the settler-colonial nation was a brainchild of one New Yorker and bankrolled by another. So much for being the indigenous people of Judea