Thursday, August 13, 2009

Last night

I wasn't home to play with the cat boys.  I was attending an event at the Western Justice Center Foundation.  This building and the adjacent US Court of Appeals building are so stunningly beautiful that I had to take a few impromptu snapshots with my iphone.  Picture quality is not great but I hope you can imagine the beauty.
The building of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals 29th District
is adjacent to the Western Justice Center and is perhaps even more elegant.  If you live in and about Pasadena, visiting this building will be a grand treat your eyes.

The exterior gardens are stunning and since my iphone was not going to capture the beauty I witnessed, I settled for a picture of a grand palm tree standing tall.

Back to the Western Justice Center, I don't know who were the interior designers but they have done a splendid job.  Everything is beautiful there.  The photo below is that of the entrance hall.  I love the salmon/rose wall color, the pictures and ohh, that staircase.


Here's a snapshot of the ceiling tiles, and I totally forgot to take pictures of the beautiful rugs and so many other things.  I think you get the picture.
The meeting last night, justice related naturally, was to support the plight of 7 Iranian Baha'is who have been wrongly incarcerated since over a year ago.  Congressman Adam Schiff, Mayor Bogart, and Pasadena Police Chief, Bernard Melekian,  were there to speak in support of these people and to encourage all citizens to act when they see injustice.  Police Chief Melekian who is of Armenian descent spoke of Hitler and the Jewish problem. He reminded us that before the planning of the final solution Hitler asked "Who remembers the Armenians?" He was right. No one remembered them, as no one remembered the Jews. Rejected by everyone, they felt expelled from history. This, he said, is what moves him to stand in support of the Baha'is. The Honorable Judge Dorothy Nelson of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals was the master of ceremony and she herself is truly inspiring.  I have to admit that I was pleased to get a first hand impression of our city and government officials and to realize that a lot of good is done everywhere. This morning I saw the report of last night's event in our own local Pasadena paper.

Anyhow, as you might have guessed Ollie wanted to attend, he feels the need to show his presence everywhere, he stands for justice, he fights evil, etc.  And as on another occasion, this happened. 
He attempted to get his way by playing cute,.... and it did not work.

So he sat outside and pointed his ears towards the meeting room so he could eavesdrop.  What a useful creation, rotatable ears!  I wish I had those.

Augustus stayed home, he thought it was more dignified to remain at home because he knew that I would give him a report when I returned.

And he went 'OMMMMM'.
Well, what can one say.  Maybe the only thing to do is to pray for unity...to stand for justice...to not become complacent.

This prayer, so beautiful, was said at the opening of the session.

OO my God!  O my God!  Verily, I invoke Thee and supplicate before Thy threshold, asking Thee that all Thy mercies may descend upon these souls.  Specialize them for Thy favor and Thy truth.

O Lord!  Unite and bind together the hearts, join in accord all the souls, and exhilarate the spirits through the signs of Thy sanctity and oneness.  O Lord!  Make these faces radiant through the light of Thy oneness.  Strengthen the loins of Thy servants in the service of Thy kingdom. 

O Lord, Thou possessor of infinite mercy!  O Lord of forgiveness and pardon!  Forgive our sins, pardon our shortcomings, and cause us to turn to the kingdom of Thy clemency, invoking the kingdom of might and power, humble at Thy shrine and submissive before the glory of Thine evidences.

O Lord God!  Make us as waves of the sea, as flowers of the garden, united, agreed through the bounties of Thy love.  O Lord!  Dilate the breasts through the signs of Thy oneness, and make all mankind as stars shining from the same height of glory, as perfect fruits growing upon Thy tree of life.

Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Self-Subsistent, the Giver, the Forgiving, the Pardoner, the Omniscient, the One Creator. (Abdu’l-Bahá)

Peace!


4 comments:

  1. Glad to see the Pasadena Bahai community stand-up and lay bare, for all the world to see, the atrocities that are being committed on religious minorities in Iran. However, it is good that didn't let Ollie into the meeting. He is too cute and distracting!

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  2. ...we are ONE...we can LOVE...we should FORGIVE...and we will REMEMBER...


    ~beautiful iphone photos~

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  3. gorgeous pictures , I am glad the architecture has been preserved , as should our freedoms and rights here at home and abroad. ( cat is adorable)

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  4. Thank you dear friends, it is heartwarming to know that people care...and yes, this building is gorgeous. I have to return with real camera and steady hands.

    xoxo

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