a cup of tea for peace

[rkholil]

A Note from the USA

Finally touch down OHD! We are so excited to embrace this new page of our lives. There are so many adventures awaiting out there, but we must know that we should not get distracted from our main objective to be sent here. We are put on course to be scientists, to be the Ahl Al-'Ilm. To read, write, ask, discuss, answer, speak, teach, and fight for the betterment of the future of Indonesian people. To put the problems of Indonesian people on our shoulders. So, that's what should be on our main plates. We recognize that it is a huge investment in itself to send us here so we do not want to let down any one! The promise of American Education is now right in front of our eyes. But still, we do miss our loved ones back at home. Especially for me they are my dearest wife, my most lovely mom and dad, my loved younger brother and sisters, and all other members of families and friends. This 24 hour long flight is indeed like a wrap. I still subconsciously think that this is just a very short trip and I will meet them again soon and then never part from each other anymore. Or that this is just a short nice dream from which I will soon wake up -- to see the samely nice reality of being closely surrounded by my loved ones. There are things I just think now I should have done. I should have hugged you so thigt, Dear. To tell that I don't actually want us to be parting even for a while. And I should have taken photos with each one of you, mom, dad, grandma, my brother, my sisters. Please look out for each other always, please keep yourselves always in good health, please don't even get sick because that will make me feel so limp. And probably I should have let my tears went down instead of holding them back when we were parting, just to be honest to myself about my feelings toward you all. I think the sweet memories and this painfully sweet longing for you all are things that will firm my stance on my feet in walking down this educational journey. That I have families and friends who always wish for my wellbeing, for my success, who are waiting for me back home, who miss me as much as I miss them. That I have a strong and honour purpose in taking this half an earth journey. This is for you all, dear loved ones. As much as this is for you, the striving, working people of Indonesia. To be in a foreign country for a relatively long time is gonna be a new experience to me. The only time I am abroad before was just being in a neighbouring country for no more than a week and that happened more than 5 years ago. Now I am in the United States. The superpower, they say. With which I always have a hate-love feeling. To put it in an example, how could you guys let some man like him thriving in your political landscape? But at the same time, it is so dearing to see new developments with young people realizing the reality of American politics and working so hard to put alternatives, policies and figures, on course. America seems just like a coming-to-age guy who is trying so hard to fight himself, his bad side of self. Who fights to better his wrongdoings, falls again, but always rises again with an even more powerful determination and resentfulnes toward his bad past. I hope, but I am also sure, that he, this young guy -- probably my age -- will eventually reach a point where he arrives at the top and will never fall again. Whether it will happen in the near or the long future is the one thing no one can be sure of. Just like any other thing in life, America is a contradiction. You found the housing bubble which ignite the 2008 crisis, but you also find the Occupy and 99% struggle aftermath. You have the Haymarket Massacre, but you also have the hard working and exemplary labor struggle which preceded the Massacre as well as turning it after to be as monumental as the day of May 1st as we know it. I myself am indeed also a contradiction. And just like any other contradiction in life, it is an internal struggle which will end eventually, leaving only two kinds of ending to choose: one with the good side winning, or one in which the bad side rules and never be defeated. Sure, I will not let the latter option come to reality for me. My battlefield is out there in Indonesia. I have to come home eventually and fight there, for my own home. Here, I am just training myself in a fully facilitated training centre. I want to learn as much as I can, and more. I know since the beginning that this will get bloody, but I can also smell that this is indeed fun! Who does not want to be surrounded by some of brightest brains of Indonesia's young generation, who will soon turn to be the future world class scholars, in the same office, the same classroom, and even in the same family? To survive this, I pray to God that He gives me strength to endure. That He be pleased to become my eyes, my ears, my hands and my feet. That He does not leave me to myself even for a blink of an eye. That He gives me this opportunity as an honour task He trusted me on, not as a lethal weapon for myself to wreck on my own life. After all, we are just His deputies on earth tasked to spread peace and tranquility all over its surface, as well as to correct the wrongdoings -- our own wrongdoings. O Lord, by Your graces. Make this journey enrouted toward none other than Your Straight Path. Aamiin. Chicago, July 3rd 2017. -- late post--

[nidakhfy-blog]

Hati

Ada hati yang sedang diuji Dalam sepenggal waktu yang tak lama lagi Ada jiwa yang sedang dilatih Untuk kuat-kuat bersabar dalam penantian Ada diri yang berharap cemas Agar dalam waktu yang tersisa, Allah tak lelah membimbing langkahnya Dan dalam penantian yang singkat itu, ia berjuang menjaga hati

[rkholil]

Alhamdulillah...

[rkholil]

You die too young, Brother... إنّا للّٰه و إنّا إليه راجعون Sesungguhnya kita milik Allah dan sesungguhnya kepada-Nya kita kembali... Banyak hal yang belum sempat kita lakukan bersama, Abang Ammar. Banyak pula hal yang telah kubisikkan dan kujanjikan, di telingamu, saat kau tak sadarkan diri. Namun semua itu kini tidak bisa lagi terjadi... Sungguh kusaksikan betapa kau telah menjadi penyejuk mata bagi kedua orang tuamu. Juga kakak dan adikmu, dan keluarga serta handai taulan yang lain. Betapa soleh, cerdas, dan lincahnya engkau. Sungguh kau akan jadi sosok lelaki yang hebat, Abang Ammar. Sebagaimana luar biasanya pula Ayah Bachtiar dan Bunda Ika-mu... Tapi ternyata sehebat itu pulalah cobaan yang menimpamu. Dan, sehebat itu pulalah kau menghadapinya! Selama setahun-an bergulat dengan penyakit kanker otak, literally hingga titik darah penghabisan. Kau sudah pergi, Abang Ammar. Sangatlah dini. Tapi sungguh kisahmu telah menjadi pelajaran dan inspirasi bagi begitu banyak orang di luar sana... Tidak ada yang sia-sia. Akan sulit sekali bagiku untuk melupakan raut ceria wajahmu, lentik bulu matamu, senyummu, bawelnya kau mengajak bernain dan bertebak-tebakan, dan lincahnya kau berlarian ke sana ke mari. Sosokmu akan jadi kenangan indah bagiku, dan kupastikan juga bagi banyak orang lain. Selamat menikmati surga, Abang Ammar. Tempat yang pernah kau tanyakan seperti apa rupanya. Kau tanyakan saat itu, dengan gelisah, apakah bisa bertemu Ayah dan Bunda di sana? Kami tertawa saat itu, tak menyangka pertanyaan seperti itu muncul dari mulut anak kecil seumurmu. Tapi kini kau telah tahu jawabannya. Tentu Nak, hanya saja kau bisa menikmatinya lebih dulu. Selamat berpulang Abang Ammar, selamat beristirahat dengan tenang. Kau telah hadir di dunia ini membawa kebahagiaan bagi begitu banyak orang. Kau dirindukan banyak orang. Semoga kita semua dapat berkumpul lagi kelak di surga-Nya, di kehidupan yang selanjutnya... Aamiin. *** "Beyond the door there's peace I'm sure/ And I know there'll be no more tears in heaven" ~ Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton Dedicated to: keluarga BISAA yang tangguh dan penuh inspirasi.

[rkholil]

The Hatem Affair פרשת חאתם The story of a Palestinian workers union in Mishor Adumim settlement industrial zone, which came under attack by the employer who falsely charged the union leader, Hatem Abu-Ziadeh with being a saboteur, after trying to fire him, thus denying him his permit to enter the industrial zone and his job.

[rkholil]

It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small.

Neil Armstrong.

[rkholil]

We learned a lot about the Moon, but what we really learned was about the Earth. The fact that just from the distance of the Moon you can put your thumb up and you can hide the Earth behind your thumb. Everything that you've ever known, your loved ones, your business, the problems of the Earth itself—all behind your thumb. And how insignificant we really all are, but then how fortunate we are to have this body and to be able to enjoy loving here amongst the beauty of the Earth itself.

Jim Lovell, Apollo 8 & 13 astronaut, interview for the 2007 movie In the Shadow of the Moon.

[rkholil]

When you're finally up at the moon looking back on earth, all those differences and nationalistic traits are pretty well going to blend, and you're going to get a concept that maybe this really is one world and why the hell can't we learn to live together like decent people.

Frank Borman, Apollo 8, Newsweek magazine, 23 December 1968

[justitiave]

Sinetron picik masa lalu tak pernah luput dari adegan dua atau lebih orang yang saling bersaing untuk mendapatkan sesuatu. Persaingan itu terkadang tak lagi memberikan tempat bagi moral dan akal sehat, karena terror dan perilaku yang tidak sportif menjadi perkara ghalib ketika gairah berkompetisi...

[rkholil]

Ada sedih, ada takut, ada marah... Tapi juga ada semangat. Sudah lama sekali rakyat Indonesia tidak sepolitis ini. Tidak mudah untuk lepas dari politik floating mass selama 30-an tahun. Walaupun masih didominasi oleh SARA, ada usaha yang jelas dan capaian-capaian dalam mewujudkan politik yang etis. Kapan lagi isu HAM bisa dibicarakan seluas ini? Kapan lagi bisa sebanyak ini orang menunjukkan keengganannya untuk kembali ke Orba? Para pendukung Jokowi adalah massa yang potensial untuk diorganisir...

[rkholil]

Burung-Burung Pagi Progo

Dalam perjalanan pagi Yang mengutus damai adalah burung-burung

Yang berisik amat kepaknya, menyombong kepada kami yang terpenjara pandang dan nafasnya Di dalam kereta

Yang terburu-buru merobeki kabut dan mengukur persawahan Seolah-olah menghimpuni petak panen dan menetesi busa-busa pada sungai-sungai abu

Yang terus bersenandung saja Sendiri-sendiri Meningkahi derap kereta yang mengejar-ngejarnya

Yang seperti menyapai hutan-hutan yang gelap dan beku Satu persatu

Burung-burung yang bak menekur kagum Pada gerbong-gerbong yang mengantri rapi meniti jembatan putih

Burung-burung yang tidak kedinginan Yang ditunjuk-tunjuk anak kecil itu Sambil Ia berloncat-loncat di atas aspal hitam jalurnya berangkat ke sekolah Sambil Ia menolehi Simboknya yang ditarik-tariknya dasternya

Burung-burung yang bersabar melintasi sungai-sungai coklat yang kering Oleh debu dan tanah yang berantakan

Burung-burung ini tak kenal modernitas Baginya Buldozer-buldozer kuning yang berderak mengasap hanyalah aktor baru pengrusakan Yang menyebabkan monyet-monyet dan serangga-serangga berlarian keluar hutan Yang menyebabkan ikan-ikan megap-megap, menggembung perutnya lalu mengambang

Mereka sebagai burung-burung bebas terus saja terbang Hanya sedikit terlelahkan menangisi terusirnya teman-teman, dari hutan

Burung-burung pagi ini biasa berdamai dengan jangkrik dan kupu-kupu Terbang rendah menyambut padi dan perkebunan Menyalami mereka dan menyampaikan pesan Apa saja yang terjadi di langit barusan

Burung-burung yang kuat sekali, dan ringan Berapa kali mereka hinggap di atap kereta Bukannya melepas lelah berleha-leha Mereka hanya ingin lebih lagi memahami kereta Mengapa Ia selalu mengurung manusia-manusia Yang tak pernah tersenyum di jendela Mengapa Ia selalu mengejari burung-burung pagi Merayap mengikuti jalur pergi Dan selalu bisa mengantri rapi Maka perlu menatapi cakrawala dari perspektifnya

Berkeliling bermandi cahaya sang surya di atas atap kereta Adalah hiburan sekaligus pembelajaran bagi burung-burung pagi yang merdesa

Dengar cengkrama mereka, tiap di stasiun kereta tiba:

“Yang inikah tujuan kita? Seperti bukan, tapi tempat ini juga cukup menyenangkan. Manusia-manusianya bekerja dengan senyuman, rajin menolongi adik kecil dan nenek-nenek renta menaiki kereta yang pintunya tinggi-tinggi seolah dicipta bukan untuk mereka”

“Masih bukan, kawan. Ini hanya stasiun kecil. Kotanya hanya kota kecil, atau desa kecil. Manusianya hanyalah orang-orang kecil. Yang berbicara hanya di antara mereka, dalam lingkup yang kecil. Tahan hingga kita sampai pada mereka. Yang berebutan naik kereta. Yang menyikut dan meludahi siapa saja. Melempar damainya ke mana-mana. Seperti tak pernah melihat indahnya terbang kita saja. Jika langitnya telah gelap, dan sungai-sungainya semakin pekat. Jika stasiunnya besar dan ramai dan berasap. Maka kita sudah sampai, ke tempat di mana titipan damai dari langit perlulah kita curahi lagi..”

Kereta Progo, pertengahan Juli.

[bayubeef-deactivated20220117]

Satu kesadaran diri di kala menatap langit

Sejak dahulu kita selalu diajarkan bahwa manusia itu terbuat dari tanah. kepercayaan ini diperoleh berdasarkan cerita tentang asal usul pembentukan manusia pertama, yakni Adam, yang diciptakan oleh Tuhan dari segumpal tanah. oleh karena itu masih banyak...

[rkholil]

We do not set out from what men say, imagine, conceive nor from men as narrated, thought of, imagined, conceived, in order to arrive at men in the flesh. We set out from real, active men, and on the basis of their real life process we demonstrate the development of the ideological reflexes and echoes of this life process. Morality, religion, metaphysics, all the rest of ideology and their corresponding forms of consciousness, thus no longer retain the semblance of independence. They have no history, no development: but men, developing their material production and their material intercourse alter, along with their real existence, their thinking and the products of their thinking. Life is not determined by consciousness, but consciousness by life.

Marx

[rkholil]

Dulu suatu bangsa bisa hidup aman di tengah-tengah padang pasir atau hutan. Sekarang tidak. Ilmu pengetahuan modern mengusik siapa saja dari keamanan dan kediamannya. Juga manusia sebagai makhluk sosial dan sebagai individu tidak lagi bisa merasa aman. Dia dikejar-kejar selalu, karena ilmu-pengetahuan modern memberikan inspirasi dan nafsu untuk menguasai: alam dan manusia sekaligus. Tak ada kekuatan lain yang bisa menghentikan nafsu berkuasa ini kecuali ilmu-pengetahuan itu sendiri yang lebih unggul, di tangan manusia yang lebih berbudi...

Tjiok Kiem Eng

[rkholil]

Ada yang aku masih sayangkan. Mungkin juga disayangkan oleh ribuan orang: mengapa kau hanya menulis dalam Belanda? Mengapa kau hanya bicara pada orang Belanda dan mereka yang mengertinya? Kau tak berhutang budi sedikit pun pada mereka seperti pernah dikatakan oleh ibumu. Apa yang kau harapkan dari mereka maka kau selalu bicara pada mereka? ... Kau pribumi terpelajar! Kalau mereka itu, Pribumi itu, tidak terpelajar, kau harus bikin mereka jadi terpelajar. Kau harus, harus, harus, harus bicara pada mereka, dengan bahasa yang mereka tahu."

Jean Marais

[muhammadakhyar]

Ulasan tentang partai ini diterbitkan Kompas, 17 Januari 2014. Selamat berpikir.

Keputusan Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan untuk memilih menjadi partai oposisi dalam kongres II pada tahun 2005 dan kongres III pada tahun 2010 di Bali sekarang mulai terasa buahnya. Soliditas internal...

[rkholil]

I hold that it is bad as far as we are concerned if a person, a political party, an army or a school is not attacked by the enemy, for in that case it would definitely mean that we have sunk to the level of the enemy. It is good if we are attacked by the enemy, since it proves that we have drawn a clear line of demarcation between the enemy and ourselves. It is still better if the enemy attacks us wildly and paints us as utterly black and without a single virtue; it demonstrates that we have not only drawn a clear line of demarcation between the enemy and ourselves but achieved a great deal in our work.

Mao

[rkholil]

Compared with the wholesale violence of capital and government, political acts of violence are but a drop in the ocean. That so few resist is the strongest proof how terrible must be the conflict between their souls and unbearable social iniquities. High strung, like a violin string, they weep and moan for life, so relentless, so cruel, so terribly inhuman. In a desperate moment the string breaks. Untuned ears hear nothing but discord. But those who feel the agonized cry understand its harmony; they hear in it the fulfillment of the most compelling moment of human nature. Such is the psychology of political violence.

Emma Goldman

[sosuperawesome]

Lily Padula, on Tumblr

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