The Sign of the Time

A sign hung on a tree on Asad Avenue, Dhaka, announcing a guaranteed visa package with work permit for the U.K. (Britain)-- all costs for the service are to be paid to the advertiser on receipt of the visa

Photo (Dhaka: January 18, 2012) © Jerome D'Costa

The Quotation of the Week (May 13-19, 2012)

Two sources of light

A quotation on 'power' by Lord Acton, compiled by Jerome D'Costa

Photo (Toronto: April 5, 2012) © Jerome D'Costa

U.S. President Barack Obama Supports Same-Sex Marriage

Cartoon courtesy: The Toronto Sun (May 11, 2012)

Cartoon courtesy: The Globe and Mail (Toronto: May 10, 2012)

U.S. President Barack Obama on May 9, in an interview with the ABC News, said he now supports the same-sex (homosexual) marriage in the U.S.A. He said his support for gay marriage evolved through several  years although initially he had supported marriage between a man and woman only. Later he supported gay civil unions instead of marriage.

Barack Obama is the first U.S. president to openly voice his endorsement for the same-sex marriage which is a contentious issue in the polarized U.S.A. There are Americans who demand gay marriage, whereas there are others who vehemently oppose this type of marriage because, to them, a valid marriage is only between a male and a female.

“I’ve just concluded that, for me personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married,” Mr. Obama said.

It is interesting to note, as if a part of a choreographed play, U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden, in order to test the waters ahead of the President, in an interview with the NBC on May 6, said he was “completely comfortable” with the same-sex marriage. He also mentioned that they should get “the same exact rights” heterosexual married couples receive. Vice-President Joe Biden is a Roman Catholic politician and he went against his Church’s teaching on marriage between a man and woman only and gave his support to the homosexual marriage.

Next day, on May 7, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan expressed his support for the gay marriage, too.

These endorsements from the President, Vice-President and Education Secretary are their personal opinions only, gay marriage does not become official in the U.S.A. The laws on marriage are determined by individual states. So far about a half dozen states made laws allowing gay marriage, whereas 31 states already passed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. The above notable endorsements will no doubt energize the gay marriage movement in the U.S.A. and abroad.

Reactions to the President’s announcement were immediate. Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican Party nominee for president, expressed his opposition to the same-sex marriage or same-sex unions.

Roman Catholic bishops rejected Mr. Obama’s declaration. Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, president of the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Conference, said on May 9: “President Obama’s words today are not surprising since they follow upon various actions already taken by his administration that erode or ignore the unique meaning of marriage. We cannot be silent in the face of words and actions that would undermine the institution of marriage, the very cornerstone of our society. The people of this country, especially our children, deserve better.”

Gay marriage is officially legal country-wide in the following countries: Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa and Sweden. Of these, Roman-Catholic majority countries are Argentina, Belgium, Portugal and Spain.

Gay marriage or gay civil unions are partially legal in some states (provinces) of Brazil, Mexico and U.S.A.

The gay rights movement is gaining ground in many countries of the world. Canada is as example for having full same-sex marriage rights. Every summer, it has the largest gay parade in the world. With the full recognition of the gays in Canada, the definition of a family has completely changed.

The Photo of the Week

A home shrine in Toronto

Photo (Toronto: April 2, 2012) © Jerome D'Costa

The Quotation of the Week (May 6-12, 2012)

A quotation on 'Encouragement' by William Boetcker, compiled by Jerome D'Costa

 Photo: Dance of light (Dhaka: January 9, 2012) © Jerome D'Costa

Brother Shyamol James Gomes, CSC: A Budding Artist With a Promise

Brother Shyamol James Gomes, CSC

Brother Shyamol James Gomes, CSC, (27),  is a student of Fine Arts at the University of Development Alternative (UODA), Dhaka, with a major in drawing and painting. In course of his study he has been practising his craft regularly.

I came across his range of art work when I was at St. Joseph’s Higher Secondary School compound at Mohammadpur, Dhaka, in January last. I was impressed with his work that shows a bright promise in   future.

This budding artist, if he continues his art work relentlessly in spite of his service as a Religious Brother, will be an asset for the Catholic Church in Bangladesh. He will be able to inspire Christian youths to go for studies in art, painting and sculpture, where only few have ventured so far. Besides, he will also be able to paint on religious themes for the local Church needs.

Brother Gomes is short in stature with a head full of black hair and equally black beard on his face. Sometimes he looks submerged in thoughtful mood. This may be due to his mind busy with new ideas for more artwork.

Born at the village of Bangalhawala under Tumilia Catholic parish of Gazipur District, Bangladesh, Brother Gomes received inspiration for drawing and painting from his father. “My father is a natural artist who inspired me. I got it genetically from him. I showed an interest in studying fine arts and the Holy Cross Brothers authority permitted me to do so,” he says with a smile.

A few samples of drawing and painting of Brother Shyamol James Gomes, CSC, are presented below for your perusal:

Brother Shyamol Gomes with his painting of Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Brother in front of another of his painting

A Honda motorcycle

Bengali poet Nirmalendu Goon, Dhaka

 Jesus Christ on the cross

Madonna: Baby Jesus Christ with his mother Mary

A fisherman

Fruits and vegetables

A road in Dhaka

A portrait of St. Brother Andre, CSC

A village lady

Aroz Ali Matubbor: a rustic rationalistic thinker and writer of Bangladesh

Dr. Humayun Azad: Bengali professor at the University of Dhaka 

A boy in glasses

A smiling Jesus Christ

A lonely tree

Zainul Abedin: Bangladeshi artist and painter

A boy in close-up

Another portrait

A section of Dhaka City

A pose

In defiance: Statues in Dhaka

A poster for the Independence Day of Bangladesh (March 26)

Photos (Dhaka: The first three photos from the top 

taken by Ujjal Peter D'Costa on January 4, 2012 

and the remaining 21 photos taken 

by Jerome D'Costa on January 8, 2012)

The Poem of the Month (May, 2012)

Doodle (Dhaka: February 4, 1994) © Jerome D'Costa

Gossip

“Oh, do you know?”

“Oh, did you hear?”

“Do you know what happened?”

“I’ve something interesting to tell you!”

These are all introductory talk to get the attention of the listener.

The content of the talk veers on hearsay, made-up stories,

Incomplete information, a mixture of truths and half-truths,

Innuendos and insinuations galore,

Embellished and unflattering news about one’s neighbour.

Although this is the product of an active mind of the gossiper,

It’s cooking up of stories about the gossipee.

This way, the gossiper gives away his or her inner self,

Which is disrespectful, vindictive and short.

The gossiper has “I’m-better-than-thou” attitude,

Who wants peace of mind, an emptying of the jar

By vomiting all the lengthy tales accumulated inside.

The peace of mind comes for a while only,

But again, as if by default, he or she engages in the same practice.

Gossiping is such a waste of time, energy and creativity.

It is so much of demeaning of oneself and stooping down below the gossipee,

In spite of having better things to say and better things to do --

That would really uplift oneself to a more humane level.