Notes From the Road
7-17-07 Happy Fall
Greetings and Happy Fall of 2007 from Taos
The main musical thrust this fall are the fund raisers for my buddy Don Richmond. For those of you who dont know Don Richmond hes a musical linchpin for performance and recording activities in Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico. I recorded The Other Side and Drink Another Round (both from the Paradox of Grace CD) at Dons Studio. Beyond that Im still doing my duties as Vato on the Agape Construction crew here in Taos. The hours are VERY different from what I was used to but I love it.
Being in a political mood this month I thought this was too good not to share with everyone. My dear friend and acclaimed artist, Mukha Reyes (see the Mukha Gallery in the Photos Section of this site), sent this letteralong with her partner Torstens (also known as Kha) permission to post it here. In the science world Kha is a true rock star and he was one of the 2005 recipients of the National Medal of Science. Due to a two year delay the 2005 recipients actually received their awards this past July 2007. At that time Kha wrote this letter (below) and handed it personally to President Bush upon receiving the award at the White House.
28 July 2007
The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States
Dear Mr. President,
It is a great honor for me to accept the National Medal of Science, the highest award a scientist can receive from the President of the United States of America and I am deeply appreciative. However, as former Chair of the Committee of Human Rights at the National Academies of Sciences, Institute of Medicine and National Academy of Engineering (1994-2004), I must express my deep and sincere concern about your administrations policy of not giving full recognition of the Geneva Convention and not promptly resolving the situation at Guantanamo Bay. My hope is that you will use the power of your office to restore the image of the United States as the beacon of freedom and human rights in this troubled world.
As a senior member of the scientific community and inspired by the courageous act of some of the Presidential Scholars of 2007, who have expressed similar concerns, I cannot be silent on these critical issues.
Sincerely,
Torsten Wiesel, FRS
President Emeritus of the Rockefeller University
Nobel Laureate 1981
The following is an excerpt from Science Magazine, August 2007:
TESTING HIS MEDAL. Nobelist Torsten Wiesel
has spent a lifetime championing human rights around the world. Last month, the neuroscientist and former university administrator made his case directly to President George W. Bush during a White House ceremony to honor the winners of the 2005 and 2006 National Medals of Science and Technology. After receiving his medal, Wiesel handed Bush a letter expressing concern about the governments
treatment of prisoners at Guantnamo Bay and its policy of not giving full recognition to the Geneva Convention. Wiesel says Bush put the letter in the inside pocket of his jacket without comment. Wiesel, who along with David Hubel did pioneering research on how the visual system works, says he was inspired by a similar act by a group of high school students visiting Washington, D.C., this summer as Presidential Scholars. I am not a publicity seeker, but I thought to say nothing would be shameful, says the Swedish-born Wiesel, a former president
of Rockefeller University who served as chair of the National Academies Committee on Human Rights from 1994 to 2004. The United States has lost its standing as a beacon of freedom. It is much more difficult for us today to lecture other countries about human rights because they can turn around and ask, What are you doing in Guantnamo?
The main musical thrust this fall are the fund raisers for my buddy Don Richmond. For those of you who dont know Don Richmond hes a musical linchpin for performance and recording activities in Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico. I recorded The Other Side and Drink Another Round (both from the Paradox of Grace CD) at Dons Studio. Beyond that Im still doing my duties as Vato on the Agape Construction crew here in Taos. The hours are VERY different from what I was used to but I love it.
Being in a political mood this month I thought this was too good not to share with everyone. My dear friend and acclaimed artist, Mukha Reyes (see the Mukha Gallery in the Photos Section of this site), sent this letteralong with her partner Torstens (also known as Kha) permission to post it here. In the science world Kha is a true rock star and he was one of the 2005 recipients of the National Medal of Science. Due to a two year delay the 2005 recipients actually received their awards this past July 2007. At that time Kha wrote this letter (below) and handed it personally to President Bush upon receiving the award at the White House.
28 July 2007
The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States
Dear Mr. President,
It is a great honor for me to accept the National Medal of Science, the highest award a scientist can receive from the President of the United States of America and I am deeply appreciative. However, as former Chair of the Committee of Human Rights at the National Academies of Sciences, Institute of Medicine and National Academy of Engineering (1994-2004), I must express my deep and sincere concern about your administrations policy of not giving full recognition of the Geneva Convention and not promptly resolving the situation at Guantanamo Bay. My hope is that you will use the power of your office to restore the image of the United States as the beacon of freedom and human rights in this troubled world.
As a senior member of the scientific community and inspired by the courageous act of some of the Presidential Scholars of 2007, who have expressed similar concerns, I cannot be silent on these critical issues.
Sincerely,
Torsten Wiesel, FRS
President Emeritus of the Rockefeller University
Nobel Laureate 1981
The following is an excerpt from Science Magazine, August 2007:
TESTING HIS MEDAL. Nobelist Torsten Wiesel
has spent a lifetime championing human rights around the world. Last month, the neuroscientist and former university administrator made his case directly to President George W. Bush during a White House ceremony to honor the winners of the 2005 and 2006 National Medals of Science and Technology. After receiving his medal, Wiesel handed Bush a letter expressing concern about the governments
treatment of prisoners at Guantnamo Bay and its policy of not giving full recognition to the Geneva Convention. Wiesel says Bush put the letter in the inside pocket of his jacket without comment. Wiesel, who along with David Hubel did pioneering research on how the visual system works, says he was inspired by a similar act by a group of high school students visiting Washington, D.C., this summer as Presidential Scholars. I am not a publicity seeker, but I thought to say nothing would be shameful, says the Swedish-born Wiesel, a former president
of Rockefeller University who served as chair of the National Academies Committee on Human Rights from 1994 to 2004. The United States has lost its standing as a beacon of freedom. It is much more difficult for us today to lecture other countries about human rights because they can turn around and ask, What are you doing in Guantnamo?