Global Crossings, Crisscross, Double Crosses...Terms of Engagement - Part 3 (of 4?)

Think Global, Act Local: Prior to returning to your/my personal inventory of traits associated with how we tend to approach and/or retract (or even avoid altogether) from various types of engagements in daily life, as we prepare to return to work and school following what we call Labor Day around here, prior to offering you more specific strategies for engaging life on your terms, I think it worthy of our time to at least briefly highlight here some notable (i.e., "news worthy") arrivals and departures, comings and goings, crossings and even double crossings that have global, regional, local, and perhaps even personal impact, such as:

Paralympians Prep to Depart: From Tokyo, that is. Well, some already have, as it's not unusual for athletes to come and go at different times, according to their schedule of respective events. But, after spending whatever part of the two weeks for these Tokyo Paralympics, during which time they were obliged to comply with strict protocols ("Tests on top of tests!" as one put it) in order to not become part of the perplexing pandemic problem the residents of this country continue to grapple with just outside the Paralympic Village. A time during which we saw and read about many valiant athletic achievements, defying their various 'disabilities', a time during which many Paralympic, even world records fell. How do these athletes leave, in what state of mind, without being able to bid a fond farewell to their hosts up close and personal, many of which were highly reticent to their arrival while nonetheless effectively making them feeling at least semi-welcome, some of which are likely to say "good riddance" to the IOC and the IPC, but not the individual athletes. I don't know about you, but I can relate to both sides...haven't you ever attended an event, whether invited or not, only to find out the hosts weren't all that into it? Haven't you ever been a reluctant host? Well, the host with the most, most to lose, decided he'd depart, at least resign before being shown the door, I guess -- when Japanese Premier Suga resigned his position to the shock of many political talking heads, opening the door to many aspirants, citing the failure to control the surge of CV-19 cases as a significant factor. And then there's the case of two particular parathletes, after escaping, being evacuated I mean, from their own country, came to Tokyo via Paris where they trained for a few weeks before being allowed, I mean welcomed into Japan, to the safety of the Paralympic Village, under the watchful eyes of the IPC: "Our number one priority has and always will be the health and well-being of both athletes" intoned the IPC rep...these two Afghans(one of which is a woman, Zakia Khudadadi, who became the second Afghan woman to compete in the Paralympics, in Taekwondo) who would likely endorse returning and staying in Paris until the 2024 Paralympics, given the Taliban's previous refusal to allow any formal athletic engagements during their previous reign 1996-2001, during which their record on women's rights rated abysmal. Or, perhaps they will depart and arrive in Australia, which is granted them both humanitarian visas. How would you feel? Hard for me to relate, even imagine, but worth our consideration...Meanwhile, we also hear of:

Roustings and Oustings, Tit for Tat: As in "Expelled BBC reporter says she was told to never return to Russia..." More specifically, Sarah Rainsford, having served as a correspondent in Moscow for the BBC, was told she was given until the end of the month to get her things together and leave the country...for good! This, amid London's refusal to allow Russian journalists to receive visas...Certainly not Ms. Rainsford's idea, a highly reluctant departee: "...it's  devastating personally and also shocking...it's (Russia) not just any old place...a country I've devoted a hue amount (about one third, she cites) of my life..." Ever been forced out of an engagement (come on, we all have), one with which we have been devoted, been prone to Sarah's refrain, "From Russia with Love"...? Or, in contrast, ever...

Refused to Budge: As in the embedded Afghan journalist (whose name and affiliation continues to be "anon" given the imminent dangers). She was offered an opportunity to Evac, a humanitarian visa, but disclosed in an unnamed location to another journalist from a distance: "I can't and won't leave my people under such conditions..." She went on to explain that it wasn't so much her own safety she was concerned about, as any affiliates, any relatives, living anywhere in the world, given the diasporic nature of the the various terrorist groups which might assume control: "Taliban hunts down..." a headline even before resuming control of Afghanistan...a history of  terrorist groups, their ongoing efforts to export terrorism, to arrive even on our shores (Canada's in the particular article I reviewed regarding the diaspora hunt abroad), if only to exact revenge on those who decided to depart, sending a strong message to any who might consider doing so in the future...

       This, after about twenty years ago, we (US and allies) announced via airstrikes, "Enduring Freedom", in part a response to 9/11 but also concurrent with other counterterrorist efforts elsewhere, after gathering credible Intel, bombed, destroyed several known Al-Qaeda and Taliban strongholds in Afghanistan. Political pundits and military strategists in the Pentagon and war colleges continue to debate the degree to which our presence for the two decades were a mitigating force for both the arrival and departure of terrorist groups intent on wreaking havoc there and abroad. There is little disagreement, save a few folks giving 'press conferences' (if you can call them that anymore) from the Oval Office and White House rose garden (which may explain the 'rose colored glasses' he/they seems to be viewing his scene through), that our departure from Afghanistan was anything resembling a graceful, well planned exit, but instead a colossal collapse in....with lasting effects on our future attempts to engage potential allies and friends, to be allowed or invited in with or without an invitation, "We're here to help..." Gives us all pause...while others are...

Left Behind, Retrained, Restrained, Detained: Including the thousands of Afghans now seeking safe haven, locally and abroad, we read and hear of thousands if not millions worldwide being held against their will, sometimes under the guise of 're-education camps', which hasn't stood up against the watchful eye of drones, if not the world press, in the case of Uighurs in China, for example. Closer to home, after being told "Come on over" (the southern border of the U.S.), legions of itinerants are being told "No, go back, I didn't mean..." or even are being detained, at least restrained in close quarters, in many cases more so than what they left behind in hopes of...Meanwhile, we have others applying for their boarding passes for...

A Slow Boat to China: All the foregoing in part prompts pause on the part of Senator Cotton and others to issue caveats and foreshadowing on our athletes now prepping for departure well ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics...getting their cold weather gear together while we continue to have quite frosty relations with this country, a mutual cold shoulder, perhaps only rivaled by Canada these days, a few citizens of which are not only being held, but threatened with the ultimate punishment, a punishment which is strongly decried and characterized as highly political in nature, characterized by other foreign governments as well as "hostage diplomacy", over an ongoing extradition hearing in Canada for a Huawei executive...giving the IOC, Senator Cotton, Canadian officials, and those from a legion of other nations in current disputes with China pause as to whether to allow their athletes to get on this boat at all...

Mother of All...storms, wild fires, floods, draughts throughout the world, which are being blamed first on Mother Nature, and in turn to acts of humanity, all the while forcing people to depart, flee with minimal belongings, and to arrive at...? Nothing new but being characterized by some as unprecedented...in the meantime, at this very minute, as I prepare to put this post to press...

In Your Neighborhood, Around Your House: In just about every community, following this annual one day pause for reflection and to honor various working people, especially those who continue to be instrumental to our well-being but who we might otherwise take for granted....we (most of us) prepare to either return to work (wherever that is, these days) and school, for those students of all ages who haven't otherwise started. The refrain I am hearing from all age groups regarding this transition of departing and arriving, is "Let's see how THIS goes..." Happy Labor Day 2021.