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Newer Entries »Unveiling the Mind in Egypt
Friday, February 4th, 2011
At the entrance to Cairo University is an immense sculpture entitled
“The Awakening of Egypt (by Mahmoud Mokhtar),” on which is portrayed a sphinx and a woman lifting her veil. A photo of this statue appears on the cover of Women’s Ways of Leading. And inside, Mary Gardner and I honor Nawal El Saadawi, Egyptian feminist and author, with her story and the following quote:
The education system should be founded on “unveiling the
mind.” Unveiling means to remove the mask of ignorance and
unquestioning compliance to reveal the inner power and
knowledge…Women throughout the world wisely awakening
to this call for unveiling find strength in their values and in
themselves.
Today Nicholas Kristoff told us in his column in the New York Times of his encounter yesterday in Tahrir Square with his hero, Dr. El Saadawi, the leading Arab feminist who for decades has fought female genital mutilation. He notes that she “turns 80 this year, is white-haired and frail, but full of fiery passion.”
“I feel I am born again,” she told him and assured Nick that she would sleep again with the protestors on Tahrir Square.
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Cairo burning…
Thursday, February 3rd, 2011
I’m not going to predict the outcome of this unfortunate turn of events in Egypt right now. But it does worry me that if Mubarak steps down now that V-P Sulieman may assume power. A mistake. He is not in favor of either democracy or human rights. He was our point man for “rendition.”
A small story. Suzanne Mubarak, daughter of a pediatrician and British nurse, has a masters degree in sociology. Her thesis was entitled: “Social Action Research in Urban Egypt: A Case of Primary School Upgrading in Boulak.” She was instrumental in the rebuilding of the glorious Alexandria Library. Suzanne was impressed by the work of the National Curriculum Center where I worked and suggested to her husband that he visit.
He did. Before his arrival, the roofs of all the buildings around the Center were cleaned and potted plants placed about. When it was pointed out that such measures had been taken for his arrival, he replied: Well, then, the more I visit around Egypt, the more improved it will be! Ah so. True.
Again, we encountered immaculate groomed streets as the smiling President drove through Alexandria with a waving Muammar al-Gaddafi of Libya. Afterward told his audiences that he and the leaders of the surrounding Arab countries “agreed 100%.” Always “100%.”
This is not a defense of President Mubarak, but he did live a life apart, protected from unpleasantries by a bubble that is often created to protect autocrats.
Tomorrow—Friday—will be key in this movement.
A Guest Entry from Morgan Lambert:
When I moved to Cairo with Linda during her educational consultant work, I quickly found several part-time jobs to keep me busy. One of those was as a journalist (reporter and page editor for the English language Middle East Times). That background has made me especially sensitive to the security and safety concerns of reporters on the streets of Cairo during this dangerous and violent period.
The government censorship during the 1989-91 period was nothing like what is being attempted now, but I did get a little taste of it. It was during the first Gulf War. The Middle East Times was edited and published in Athens, Greece, and the owners were the so-called “Moonies.” I expected some censorship from the Moonies but got none; but the Egyptian censors took some offense at an article I wrote that was a little critical of Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. They didn’t shoot me or throw a Molotov cocktail at me…but I did have to substitute an article about a restaurant or something else a little less offensive.
During that first Gulf War, things remained generally peaceful and orderly in Cairo. The only time we felt we were in serious danger was when family members called and, reacting to the news headlines back home, asked us if we were still alive!? Yes, we were. I don’t think we could be as calm and confident in today’s circumstances. And tomorrow, Friday, the day of prayers for Muslims, when thousands turn out in Cairo’s mosques, will be a crucial turning point.
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The Lamberts Living Life Fully….
Monday, January 10th, 2011
The Year that Was….
The Lamberts Living Life Fully-2010
Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice.
Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.
—-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
To reduce the length of this year’s message and minimize redundancy, we suggest that you take last year’s letter out of your file and simply add one year to many of the stories contained therein. For example, each grandchild is now one year older. What…you can’t find our 2010 letter?…Shocking! OK, we’ll bring you up to date. Life at The Sea Ranch continues to be very satisfying—a gorgeous environment and an ever-widening circle of stimulating friends and activities. We continue work with the Democrats United for Progress and write editorials (the latest enclosed), participate in two book clubs, Readers Theater, a writing group, a “Blue Brothers” luncheon group, as well as several circles of friends meeting for conversation and films. Healthwise, Morgan has adapted fairly well to the limits on vigorous hiking imposed by his spinal stenosis and stays healthy generally. Just this week, we learned that Linda’s sarcoidosis condition is improving (smaller lymph nodes).
Every year is a grandchild year for us—14 of them so far. How fortunate we are! Entering the world: Abbey Morita (see Abbey’sFirstYear on the web), Feb. 11, 2010, daughter of grandson, Eric Morita and partner, Julie (who will begin nurse’s training this month). Abbey joined the “month of great grandchildren,” Emily on the 7th, Bradley on the 13th. Entering and learning in the world of higher education: Ashley Lambert, Santa Barbara, and Shannon Pintane, Ft. Collins, CO; Keely Lambert, a sophomore at Chico, Chloe Smock, a junior in the School of Education at the University of Oregon. In June, grandson Dylan Smock and granddaughter, Catherine Lambert will graduate from high school and launch their university lives. Our children have also had interesting years, including recognition of Citizens of the Year for son, Kent, and his wife, Darcy; and a 25-year anniversary for daughter, April, and son-in-law, David. A June family reunion was beautifully hosted by daughter Laura, son-in-law, Terry, and granddaughter, Shannon (where we also spent Thanksgiving). And daughter Ellen finally was able to sell her property in Somerset and begin a new chapter of her life.
Linda continues the joys of her writing life—and travels of research. In March, Cairo Diary: an Egyptian fable was released. Etruscan Evenings, the sequel in this trilogy, will be released this summer. The research on Taos Sunrise (working title) led us into Queen Isabella’s Spain in April and the Taos (New Mexico) of D.H. Lawrence in the fall (for 3 months!). While fiction is her primary passion, she continues to work with school districts and universities (mostly on Skype), review publications, and do some educational writing herself. On February 4, Dear Maxine, the Conversation Continues will be released at an event in Lincoln Center, New York, a publication to which she contributed a letter recounting her nearly 30 year relationship with the philosopher, Maxine Greene. On March 28, Morgan and Linda will conduct a workshop on transforming schools at the National ASCD conference in San Francisco. And, in May, we will both travel to Beirut, Lebanon, for a Middle Eastern conference of schools from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. For more information on Linda’s work, see her blog at www.Lambertleadership.org.
Morgan’s current writing project is an article on school transformation; applying “lessons learned” in his career to the huge problems schools face today. Ambitious readers can merely request a copy by February 1. He would really appreciate candid critical feedback. One of his New Year resolutions is to expand on this theme in an “education memoir” over the next few months (hoping to complete it before Linda finishes her third novel!)??
Among the celebratory events this year will be our 30th anniversary. My, time goes fast when you’re having fun! We still have great faith and affection for our President, whom we consider to be extraordinary. And we hope that today’s “Breaking News” about the tragic event in Tucson will lead to a reduction in vitriolic political rhetoric and to candid and respectful dialogue.
With much love, Linda and Morgan
Linda and Morgan Lambert
PO Box 135, The Sea Ranch, CA, 95497
707-785-1733; 707-328-4645 (cell)
Morganlamb@aol.com; LinLambert@aol.com
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Cairo Diary-the perfect gift…and, an irresistable offer
Sunday, December 19th, 2010
Cairo Diary, an Egyptian fable is not only a perfect Christmas gift, but if any of my readers recommend it to their book clubs, I will send you a free copy of the sequel, Etruscan Evenings, as soon as it is hot off the press in the spring. Just let me know by commenting on this post, or e-mail me at Linlambert@aol.com.
Etruscan Evenings continues the adventures of anthropologist Dr. Justine Jenner into three provocative storylines: the shocking resolution of the diary of the Virgin Mary, an Etruscan tomb that verifies the origins of these remarkable people, and the found letters of D.H. Lawrence to Justine’s great grandmother, Isabella.
It is these letters from Lawrence that led my husband and I to Taos, New Mexico, this fall to follow in his footsteps and visit the final resting place and ranch of this famed author. By the way, we are home now in The Sea Ranch and looking forward to the holidays with family.
Happy holidays and Solstice to all of you, Linda
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Leaving Taos…for the moment
Monday, November 22nd, 2010
In the morning we leave Taos for now…to our daughter, Laura, and her family’s home in Salida, Colorado, for Thanksgiving—then home to California. It has snowed most of the day—white cotton fragments tumbling from the sky, sometimes piercing blue, other times deep gray. It is cold, very cold to Californians. Yet we leave reluctantly, although we miss our California family and friends.
At lunch today, our Taos friends Gal and Janice asked if we had completed our research here. While the research into Taos cultures, DH Lawrence, and anthropology has been an explosion of riches…one thing leading to ever-deepening understandings…we will return in the spring and fall to pursue more questions. We leave with new relationships that are adding to our cultural, intellectual and spiritual experiences.
One friend has a web page on Mabel Dodge Luhan and the Remarkable Women of Taos. Check it out at www.mabeldodgeluhan@blogspot.com.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Linda
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Grandchildren, Teaching and Reform
Monday, March 15th, 2010
Our grandson, Dylan Smock, a 17 year-old student at the Athenian School, Danville, California, is in Death Valley for three weeks, subjected to relentless desert storms, challenging team endeavors and three days alone. A time for clarity and courage, relationships and self-examination, leading with a moral, as well as a mechanical, compass. We’ll join our daughter April and family for the infamous “run-in” from the Athenian Wilderness Experience on March 29. Read more about this astonishing program on page 63 of Leadership Capacity for Lasting School Improvement.
This past week, we visited our granddaughter Keely Lambert at Chico State. She is majoring in design, loves philosophy, and is growing in confidence. Then we were on to the University of Oregon where our granddaughter, Chloe Smock (yes, Dylan’s sister), is majoring in education and dance. She hopes to teach young children, an undertaking that is close to our hearts. We were thrilled when she called as we were returning home on Friday to say that she had been accepted into the highly-competitive (isn’t that great to hear–high standards and expectations for teachers?) education program.
I could not help wondering about Chloe’s future as I continue to read about the new education reform initiatives. While I admire much of the President and Secretary Duncan’s desires to revise and improve (and throw out) much of No Child Left Behind–sighting the drawbacks that we all observed–the Draconian measures for low-performing schools are troublesome. Randi Weingarten’s words today (NY Times and SF Chronicle) that teachers must bear 100% of the responsibility with 0% of the authority may be too close to the truth. Tomorrow we’ll hear the details.
Will Chloe, along with thousands of other teachers, find themselves colonized, infantilized, by the lack of opportunities to exercise discretion, creativity and authority over their own work? A lack of freedom to reach out to each other and solve problems? A principal who thinks that power is a zero-sum game? This is too painful to ponder. My next blog will discuss transformation through teacher liberation.
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