It might seem odd that I entitled this blog "Mountaineering" or go by the twitter handle mountaineer10 . I don't particularly like climbing mountains. Rather, the name came from a show I liked called Alias where the heroine, Syndey Bristow, a double agent, went by the code name mountaineer. Initially I used the alias to set up a twitter account to play around with that doesn't have any obvious connections to me. But fast forward to present day, I actually like and use twitter now, so I've made my twitter identity known to the general public. Thus, the name has stuck. But maybe it's not a bad name. After all, life can be thought of as a constant journey uphill, like climbing a mountain, where we all are mountaineers. I'm just another one of them.
About a week ago, I read on the news that the French senate has passed a bill making it illegal to deny the Armenian genocide that took place under Ottoman rule. Denial is now a crime punishable by a year in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros. It is objectionable that in a democratic society in which one of the most fundamental pillars is free speech that such a law could even be passed. Never mind that this legislation seemed to come out of nowhere. What had prompted France to get in between this century-old conflict between the Turks and the Armenians at this time? History of all things is never black or white. "History is fables agreed upon" according Voltaire. France may have gained favour with its 500,000 or so resident Armenians, but this is a step back for free speech. The government should not be in the business of legislating people what to believe. Jan. 31, 2012 Latest update to this story: France's Armenia genocide law put on hold
Alex Haley has been challenged about the authenticity of his genealogy that he determined through investigative research. In one's quest for answers, often one may be so desperate to find answers that it's possible that he might overlook hints of inaccuracy in what he discovers. Jesus said "seek and ye shall find". Those who don't seek rarely find. Serendipity happens but once in a while, but those who seek will usually find. The latter ends up in a better place, if not finding the truth, at least one step closer to it.
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