On the Importance of Names

My students often think it a bit odd when I take the time to make sure I'm pronouncing names correctly. I explain that names are important, they are part of who they are, whether they chose the names or not, and that it is important for me to recognize and acknowledge them on the terms they'd liked to be called by.

Pronunciation is important. A lesson our President might be wise to learn, especially since he butchered two very important ones--Olmert and Abbas.

On Digital and Global Ethos

I've been following coverage of the Annapolis meeting closely. I was encouraged by Gershon Baskin's cautiously optimistic editorial in JPost last week, and loosely following coverage here and there since.

Cruising through the NYTimes today, I came across this piece discussing the U.S. need for better global P.R. It got me thinking. What if we spent a chunk of money that we've thrown at the war in Iraq and used it to send those college aged soldiers to language immersion instead? What if, after they were able to fluently speak Arabic (in native dialects), we then sent them over in community service efforts inspired by Habitat for Humanity, Bustan L'shalom, PeaceCorps to make connections with the locals and build community-needed infrastructure--hosptials, schools, etc. that are environmentally friendly, sustainable, locally supported? I bet there would be a different kind of change brewing.