Matsumoto No Yume

 

Japan…is where Phil Morrison, while serving in the military, first started to develop as a jazz musician!  As the years passed on, Phil had the opportunity to perform professionally in Japan many times and the fondness for that country grew.  Although there  were performances in Tokyo and Osaka, the small city of Matsumoto and its people, exemplified the warm spirit and friendliness of that island nation.

That spirit inspired Phil to compose a piece to be recorded using traditional Japanese instruments, the Shakuhachi and Koto.  It was superbly arranged by world class arranger Keith Williams and  performed by Japanese musicians, some of whom were students at the Suzuki school, along with American jazz musicians.  The result "Matsumoto No Yume"(Matsumoto Dreams)  was extraordinary as you can hear by clicking below. https://www.broadjam.com/artists/songs.php?artistID=18679&mediaID=127335

"Matsumoto No Yume"(Matsumoto Dreams)

Striving to be of Service to Humanity by Promoting International Harmony through Music!

Reparations For Slavery in America...Yes or No?

A United States senator made a statement that said he does not think that reparations for something that happened 150 years ago is a good idea. I believe that is simplistic thinking but it is shared by many here in the USA who do not realize that the residual effects of slavery and Jim Crow have been and are still in effect today!

It is true what the senator said... that white folks who are currently living in the USA had nothing to do with the scourge of slavery back in the 18th and 19th centuries. However many of their white ancestors benefited from the free labor of black enslaved men, women, and children who were dehumanized as well as being prohibited from becoming educated. They also suffered all kinds of indignities which contributed to the current condition of black folks and the disparities between whites and blacks in present-day society.

The economic fruits of that slave culture translated into the wealth which was accumulated from the free labor of slavery and allowed for future generations of whites to benefit economically, educationally, and culturally. Given that history, it is not surprising that there is such a gap between blacks and whites in our present-day society in terms of both wealth and health.  Hopefully this gives greater understanding to the terms we refer to as "generational wealth" or the "wealth gap" as described below

  If you are poorer, you live in a poorer neighborhood! If you live in a poorer neighborhood, your children go to a poorer school which results in a poor education. With a poor education, you are ill-prepared for a well-paying job as an adult so you necessarily reside in a poor neighborhood to raise your family in the midst of adverse conditions such as crime, drugs, violence, toxic air, and water, etc. Even though that situation exists, many, if not most black folks, rise above those obstacles to raise their families to be upstanding citizens. However, given the shameful history mentioned above, there is still the general perception that if you are black you are somehow suspect and treated as such, particularly as it relates to police brutality, the criminal justice system, housing, employment, and education.

Yes, But to correct this country’s original sin of slavery, we had a Civil War, civil rights legislation and elected a black president says the Senator... implying that all things are now equal for all people in the USA...what’s the problem? To that, I am reminded of what the legendary coach of Georgetown basketball John Thompson said some years ago -“There is nothing more unequal than treating unequals as equal!”

I firmly believe that some thoughtful form of reparations could be a way to help rectify this problem of racial injustice and the inequities that pervade our society!

Although sending money to organizations or even individuals in the black community might be part of a reparations program, that is not what I am advocating!

My suggestion would be to upgrade the black communities in terms of high-quality schools, libraries, hospitals business opportunities, environment, art centers, infrastructure, recreation, health centers, and transportation...comparable to what you might find in any high-end suburban community!

Child care, adult education, job opportunities, etc. would also be included! Of course, it would cost a lot of money but it cost a lot of money to get us to the Moon, not to mention the Marshall plan and other projects undertaken by this country!

The meaning of “reparations” as defined in Webster’s dictionary includes “the act of making amends for a wrong.” The word itself allows for great latitude concerning its definition plus I allow in my piece for additional latitude when I say “some thoughtful forms of reparations” could be helpful.

Given the controversy swirling around this term, I feel a need to clarify what is meant when I use the word “reparations”, being aware that others may use that word with a different meaning in a different context! Thank you for your interest regarding this timely topic!

Phil Morrison

http://philtrio.blogspot.com

Striving to be of Service to Humanity
by Promoting International Harmony through Music

Religion: Some Thoughts

Religion: Some Thoughts
By Phil Morrison

The most common reason people belong to a certain religion is because of family tradition or cultural heritage. People tend to stay in that religion because they're generally more comfortable with familiar customs and practices or they are influenced by people who are proponents of that religion; further search is thus discouraged.

The teachings or scriptures of any religion validate that religion for its members. To use those same scriptures, as many of us do, to convince nonmembers of that validity may not have the same effect because

the credibility given to those scriptures is not the same as for a member. When adherents of a certain faith say that their spiritual book contains unrefutable truth, that may be so; however, semantics, context, relativity and interpretation of the giver, receiver and translator of the readings should be considered.

If the common foundation of most religions is what we call God, then we would expect the purpose of those religions to be Godly, which they seem to be in that they teach love, peace, high moral standards, prayer, the sanctity of family, etc. The differences among the various religions seem to be in their daily practices or social customs such as the Sabbath, clergy, marriage, role of women, diet, burial, divorce, etc. These social teachings are, for the most part, based on the message given by the founder of each religion or author of its holy book or books. The station of the founder is usually considered by that religion's membership to be higher than the major figures of other religions. Here, again, is where its own holy book is used to justify or verify that contention. If we are already believers in that claim, and that religion, it is easy to find passages in its holy book to support our belief but even statements that appear to be unambiguous deserve serious scrutiny when seeking knowledge, paying particular attention to context. An example of the type of context I'm referring to may be when a mother tells her small child to stay away from the hot stove because the child could get burned if it is too close. The same mother may tell an older child about the benefits of the stove as in cooking or providing warmth. In one context, the stove represents something bad and in the other something good, so, depending on what I want to emphasize, I can extract from "the mother's writings" that the stove is either good or bad.

The development and understanding of a human being from childhood to adulthood may be compared to the development of humanity. A young child does not understand advanced English, so the adult speaks to that child in terms she or he understands. By the same token, humankind in the past was underdeveloped as well (we had no knowledge that the earth was round nor did we have the ability to travel as we do today, etc.). That being the case, it would stand to reason that an all-knowing God would impart information relative to the comprehension of the people of that time period.

Consider this as a possible approach that God might use to spread His message (which we call religion). Let's compare it to our educational system whereby information given to the first grade students is more simple and in a language less difficult than the second or higher grades. In a religious context, the teachers (i.e. Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, Krishna, etc. ) may have had equal knowledge but they only imparted what was appropriate or digestible for the times, condition, and area in which they had appeared. If we accept this as God's plan, then it would mean that all people of all religions can look at all the divine teachers as equal and receiving their teachings from the same source with no religion being exalted over the other. That could have a unifying effect as far as religion is concerned (although one may ask why in Christianity, for example, are there so many denominations when there is only one Christ?). The above scenario might bring about a challenge to the person who claims to be the most recent of God's messengers because his or her message could make the more established religions, particularly clergy, feel threatened or at least uncomfortable. The reason being that the latest of God's teachings purportedly would have been more relevant to contemporary society. Historically, of course, there have been spiritual teachers whose teachings have met with opposition, but they endured and formed the foundations for several great civilizations. The decline of a civilization could be the time when a new divine teacher appears with regenerative, practical guidelines for a new era. Thus God's cyclical plan would be perpetuated.

What I have just put forth may or may not have a ring of logic to it; however, realistically most people do not approach religion logically or by using their heads but via the heart or emotions. As alluded to previously, if you've belonged to a certain religion since birth, you are generally emotionally attached to that religion regardless of what anyone says. The aspects of our religious background that we are most attached to are love for the divine head of our faith and the traditional customs (prayer, songs, ceremonies) that we practice.

These elements are, for the most part, unique to our particular religion and would be difficult to give up. If, on the other hand, we were asked to adopt new or updated religious teachings that would benefit humankind as a whole without giving up all our religious traditions or love for the spiritual leader we grew up with, we might be more open to that prospect.

When discussing religion, it is not only the so-called religious people who are concerned about the subject, but there are those who claim to be nonreligious who are also interested. There are many who call themselves atheists or agnostics or those who prefer not to identify with any formally organized group or label. Because there have been many conflicts throughout history that rightly or wrongly have been associated with religion, many have rejected the notion that religion is a positive force for society. I am reminded of a quote that has left an impression on me and I paraphrase here

"...if religion be the cause of divisiveness, enmity, strife or hypocrisy, then it would be best to be without religion and to withdraw from such a religion would be a truly religious act! " Even the definition of the word God can be so nebulous that the God an atheist does not believe in may be the same

God that a theist does not believe in.

I believe many people who call themselves nonreligious are actually religious in the true sense of the word. This is often demonstrated by their deeds that are of benefit not only to the people with whom they come in contact, but frequently to all of humanity. To convince them that religion is an entity that promotes growth and harmony for society as well as the individual would require for the most part, an intellectual approach because they do not have an emotional attachment to religion. However, at some point the heart may be the determining factor of their views of their religion.

It is doubtful to me that anyone can actually prove

their religion comes directly from God, although

a convincing argument may be given to support such a claim. I do believe that there are religions which,

regardless of whether or not we believe they come

from God, are sufficiently godly in their purpose and practice that we should not be overly concerned with

their origins. Unfortunately, people have a tendency

to be more concerned with titles, trappings, and

traditions rather than with substance or results. If we truly believe in God, then we should accept that all things, or at least those things of a positive nature, are from our Creator.

Whether we are members of a religious group or not, religion impacts upon the lives of everyone around the world so we should know as much as possible about all religions. Knowledge of any subject, particularly those that directly relate to society, can be very useful in developing understanding and tolerance as well as appreciation for cultures that are different than our own. Religion, I would say, is one of those subjects.

Phil Morrison.

Historic Context Regarding Conditions & Confrontations in America Relating to Race

HISTORIC CONTEXT RELATING to RACE in AMERICA...
Conditions & Confrontations!

Below is a piece relating to the racial climate that exists in the USA.
I am humbled by the fact that it has been recommended for students as well as adults by quite a few folks who have read it so please share as you see fit...particularly to young people, as many have been deprived of the historic knowledge required to have a good understanding of why conditions exist as they do concerning race relations in this country.

During the many years of enslavement in this country, black folks were dehumanized, separated from their families, forced to give free labor to white folks, forbidden to become educated, and as Frederick Douglass said “we are rewarded for subservience and punished for assertiveness”.  The subsequent Jim Crow period relegated black people to live in areas that were environmentally unsafe and crime-infested with substandard schools, both physically and educationally. Even for those who might’ve had the financial means to move to better neighborhoods, a policy called “redlining” existed which covertly kept black folks from moving into neighborhoods with better conditions. 

OK..so now we have a situation where a group of impoverished people who are primarily black, are forced to live together in mostly crowded areas...and, as a legacy of the slavery and Jim Crow periods, are under-educated and unprepared for well-paying jobs... (which would be closed to them anyway for the most part, because of their race). 

The powers that be, consisting of mostly white men, were not inclined to change the status quo which benefited them so, we had what was called the “Civil Rights Movement”, initiated by protests and sit-Ins, etc. led by Dr Martin Luther King Jr and many others(including white folks) who sacrificed their lives to bring about racial & equal justice.
Even back then, racist white southerners like Alabama governor George Wallace claimed the movement was led by socialists and communist agitators and what was needed was more Law and Order(sound familiar?).

I think it’s important to state that while all of this is going on, Americans were(and continue to be)raised in a society where the people in power are predominately white(usually men).  They are the leaders of business, politics, the military, education, sports, entertainment, science, and technology. So, if you are born and raised in a society where the color of the rich and powerful is, for the most part, white and those on the bottom of the economic and educational ladder are black and you see this around you every day, it should not be surprising that racist attitudes exist within Americans, including police officers, and a condition of unconscious bias is omnipresent whether we admit it or not. This reality of inequality is perpetuated via the movies, TV, and publications that depict members of the black race as criminals and people to be feared.  This representation of American culture is distributed and promoted worldwide so the infection of racism against black people is found in Europe, Asia, and worldwide. 

Black children, born and raised under those conditions mentioned above, face challenges that go far beyond the daily rituals of youngsters who live in areas that are free from these dire circumstances.  The resulting so-called black on black crime is not caused by inherent criminality or skin color.  It is a result of the historic policies, traditions, and legacy of a government, rife with systemic racism, that places people in a position where survival and defensive behavior are necessities.  When police go into these neighborhoods, they are oblivious to the underlying causes of any criminality they might be confronted with and the unconscious bias or racism that they carry with them. All they see is someone with a black face who they have been subconsciously conditioned to suspect and fear, so they frequently act impulsively with excessive brute force which would not be used on someone who is white.  At this point, it is more than likely that a young black person is charged (oftentimes falsely) with some petty crime and ends up in jail.  The criminal injustice system being what it is, as it relates to the bail and bond system, cost of competent lawyers, and the incestuous relationship between the police, prosecutors, and judges,  the youngster ends up spending years in prison where he or she is frequently criminalized and the cycle is continued when he gets back into the community.

Because of the systemic racism that is pervasive in our society, there are people like Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative who have risen up to combat and alert folks of these tragic conditions we are facing.  The American society must be educated regarding racism in this country and a complete overhaul similar to the Marshall plan after World War II should be implemented to upgrade underserved black communities.  Access to good schools, libraries, medical and social service facilities should be readily available in an environment free from toxicity and pollution.  Sports, arts and healthy food venues in a community with modern infrastructure would contribute to a good quality of life.  Whatever its called, it could be in the spirit of “reparations”....a term that has become controversial(please click on the link below to see my thoughts on that subject).  The children raised in such an environment would obviously be better served and prepared to function productively, which would not only benefit the youth but the community at large.  I hope what I have suggested will be at least thought-provoking.  

Thanks for checking it out!

Phil

“Reparations for Slavery in America.....Yes or No”
https://philtrio.blogspot.com/2010/11/reparations-for-slavery-in-americayes.html

“Justice Now... Black Lives Matter“
(An original tribute song)
https://youtu.be/kebwyEdVWvw

(more material by Phil Morrison)
http://philtrio.blogspot.com
www.philmorrisonmusic.com

Striving to be of Service to Humanity
by Promoting International Harmony through Music

Racism and Other Social Issues: An Approach To Dialogue!

When discussing racism and other social issues, we must reflect upon the perspectives of the people who are doing the talking, including our own. To determine one’s perspective, we should consider the influence of age, race, family background, religion, nationality, culture, economic situation, occupation, physicality, sophistication, education, political leanings, and a number of other factors. The charisma of the person doing the speaking may also affect how you receive the information given. Depending on which side of the issue the participants are on, there will be those emphasizing the positive and minimizing the positive of others. An example may be found in the description of our country’s early beginnings.....

One person might say:

“This country was built by hard-working pioneers many of whom fled from tyranny and persecution in Europe to form a free democracy and civilized land based on the Judeo-Christian ethic. It is now the most powerful country on earth.”

Yet another person might say: “After stealing this country from its indigenous people and all but annihilating them, it was built on the backs of enslaved men, women and children from Africa who were kidnapped and dehumanized. America is considered by many to be one of the most racist countries on earth.”

It would be difficult to argue with either statement but in most cases, people would use one statement or the other as opposed to addressing both viewpoints which could foster a better understanding, particularly as it relates to race. It is not uncommon for those of us who want to promote a certain position to generalize, euphemize, oversimplify or selectively omit pertinent facts.

This is particularly true when socio-political issues are involved and people who identify themselves as conservative or liberal are making the comments. Most conservatives and liberals have this country’s best interest at heart but in order to balance the negative rhetoric from each group, misleading and antagonistic statements are made by each side against the other which creates a divisive atmosphere.

If there is an honest desire to resolve conflict and reach a mutual understanding harmoniously, a good start would be to emphasize and appreciate things we as humans have in common such as..family, children, desire for a good quality of life, peace, education, etc. We can disagree but we can also respect the sincerity of those with whom we disagree no matter how wrong or impassioned they appear to be. Acting violently or abusively towards anyone because of racial, political, religious, or social differences is counterproductive because that action could then become acceptable behavior by all sides and creates an atmosphere of chaos, unrest, and suffering. Just imagine how you would be and how you would think if you had the same background, culture, training, religion, etc. as your adversary.

You’ll probably come to the realization that, given the same circumstances, you’d think and act the same way as your counterpart. Conversely, she or he would act and think as you do. Hopefully, with that kind of understanding, there can be more tolerance, appreciation, and ultimately, amity and unity in the world.

No matter how convinced we are that we have the truth, we must remember that it is based on our limited frame of reference and often times on what we would like to believe. All of our perspectives are relatively small in scope, given the vast amount of knowledge we have not learned, experiences we have not had, places we have not been, people we have not met, and cultures we have not been exposed to.

People also unjustly ascribe motives to others: the “mind reader syndrome” I call it. “He only said that because I’m black (or white)” or “she’s just grandstanding..she’s not really sincere” etc.

Even though we might feel a certain way as to why someone did or said something, only a mind reader (if there is such a person)would really know the actual motive. This can create a divisive atmosphere based on speculation or assumptions which are attitudes we should avoid when dealing with people. We should also be aware that there are many dynamic individuals who let their rhetoric surpass their honesty. For example, it is easy to say things that are popular within one’s group although those same words may be antagonistic to others. What requires far more courage is to say things that are conciliatory to others but contrary to what the majority of our own group wants to hear.

This is particularly true in an emotionally charged atmosphere.

We should strongly speak out in defense of those things in which we believe but in doing so we should be receptive to other viewpoints if we want those whom we are addressing to be open enough to hear our message.

In the final analysis, most people would rather live in a world free from conflict and violence if only for concern for their loved ones. The more narrow our thinking or closed our minds, the greater the chances for continued conflict. If we are sincerely interested in achieving unity, peace, harmony, and justice, we must be open and flexible in our thinking. When that happens all sides will benefit.

Phil Morrison, Striving to be of Service to Humanity by Promoting International Harmony through Music