Glenn Beck, popular host on the Fox News Channel, recently announced that he has been diagnosed with Macular Dystrophy. Macular Dystrophy is a rare, genetic eye disorder that causes vision loss. Details on the severity of the condition are not widely known, and the prognosis is sketchy at best. But this post is not about Glenn Beck or his affliction. It is about how we react to such news.
Remember the song Shambala? Its most popular rendition was by Three Dog Night back in 1973. Here are a couple of verses to jog your memory.
“Everyone is helpful, everyone is kind
on the road to Shambala.
Everyone is lucky, everyone is so kind
on the road to Shambala.”
I’ve always liked the song. Recently, I discovered that, in Hinduism, Shambala is a place of peace and security. Another meaning is, ‘that which attracts others.’ Stretch that a bit and you’ve got a metaphor for America as seen through the eyes of foreigners with migratory intent. That, if you’ll forgive this admittedly tenuous segue, brings me to the topic of this post: Arizona’s recent passage of Senate Bill 1070, otherwise popularly (or unpopularly) known as the Arizona Anti-Immigration Bill.