(Untitled)

[catlover2x]

Title: DNA has no feelings
Rating: PG for angst
Disclaimers: Don't own them
Not a Hodges one, written for DNA challenge on ngchallenge but I just felt like wreaking my angst in multiple places.

Comments

[catlover2x]

Well, I did, just because of you sweets.

Thank you. I guess powerful emotions propelled this. And yours is equally powerful and moving, more personal and tender.

The odd thing is before CSI ever hit the air or I knew about Greg, I actually used to say my DNA was imprinted with Nazi Germany. My mother grew up there, half Jewish, but blonde. She ended the war in a forced labor camp (mercifully not a death camp) and even tho she didn't like to talk about it, the experience permeated my childhood. Like many other first generation Americans, we don't have the easy belief that nothing can happen, we cringe at loud noises and duck when planes pass low overhead. Anyone whose parent has been in a country where they've been jailed, tortured, enslaved, whatever seems to come away with that feeling of having some cellular recognition of the experience. Don't know why.

And there are so many other examples of horror also. Sometimes it makes me despair of humans being able to live without violence. I swear, the minute the races get thoroughly mixed (and much better looking as a result) we'll all be fighting over what color t-shirts we wear.

About getting happy: In Habitat for Humanity (and other orgs) there's a saying: Think globally, act locally. So the best thing is to wreak random acts of unsolicited kindness on someone today. Let's start a chain and make sure we do it.

Give peace (and love) a chance. Kisses.

[caribbeanblue]

Firstly: EXCELLENT FIC. Hit me right in the gut, and if you will pardon my brief thread-hijacking, I will explain why.

Re: the DNA imprinting thing -- I can relate, in a weird way. My grandfather was a soldier in Nazi Germany, albeit a reluctant one. My family was farmers, not fighters. All we wanted was our plot of land. Unfortunately, Hitler didn't agree with my grandfather. He drafted him, the sod, and off my Opa went to the Russian Front. The war ended in '45, but not for him, because the Russians kept him working in a coal mine for a few years. On my grandmother's side, my great-uncle never came home from the war. I have his wooden recorder. Every time I play it, I think of him.

What were the results of years of war? My mother, in 1951, and her siblings a little later. My grandfather's renewed love of the earth; he worked his land faithfully until he died of cancer two years ago. My grandmother's appreciation for our whole extended family. Mum knowing that no luxury was ever guaranteed, and that even if one was poor, one was still rich if one had one's family to fall back on. (Oh, and a bitching stoic attitude. She really did walk to school uphill both ways in the dead of winter. ^_^)

When I went to the Holocaust Museum in DC, I wept for everyone. If there is one thing my family history has taught me, it's that war is not black-and-white. War is the grayest area humanity has to deal with. For every despot, there are citizens powerless to disagree. For every Hitler, there are scores of Papa Olafs.

For every bomber, there are people like us who want peace in the world. May we never forget that wish.

Thank you for this piece, catlover. Love to you and yours.

-- Blue

[catlover2x]

Thank you so much. Hijack any time. I loved reading your thoughts.

It's not just war, it's zealotry and closed-mindedness and the insane desire for power to force everyone to your way of thinking. The whole Nazi thing was a large scale version of the kind of thing that's been played out over and over. I know that many children grew up in Nazi Germany and ended up forced into things they never would have chosen. Once a movement like that gains power it's really difficult for one person to successfully rebel or choose a different path.

Yep been there on the stoic attitude. The "at least you're not in a concentration camp" attitude. One of the things that gave me is an appreciation of the greatest luxury of all: freedom. Or at least as much as you can have in a civilized society. I bet parents of kids who are dying in Iraq on both sides wish they had a little more to say about it.

I read this book, which is really worth reading if you can find it, called the Nazi Officer's Wife. Can't remember the author. But it's pretty amazing. For every jerk who couldn't think for themselves, there seemed to be another person (even Nazi officers) who could and did help in whatever small way they could.

I am hoping the people who want peace outnumber the bombers. I second your wish, and I hope more people start wanting it.

Random acts of kindness day!

Thank you for responding. I love hearing other POV's and you really did a great thing by putting it out there about your grandfather. It's another good thing to add to his legacy. He sounds like he was a fine man.

Love to you as well. I guess I'm just going to be crying all day then.

Catlover2x

[caribbeanblue]

*writes down the book rec and hauls out the silk hankies*

Have one. I can't use them all at once, neh?

*cries a little with you -- emotional release is a good thing*

[catlover2x]

Yes I guess it is because I'm not crying every other minute any more. I am a little depressed. I went dancing tonight and tried NOT to dance. Not a good sign. Thanks, I'll take one. Hope you can find the book, it's really good.

[kahlualeia]

I know exactly what you mean by DNA feeling imprinted by our families past.

My Grandmother lived through the Spanish/Philipino war (a war we never hear about in the US) though much of her family didn't. She's told me about running barefoot at the sound of sirens and guns, how she'd been so close to death so often-- and my mother grew up under a very corrupt government. Like you said, first generation Americans never have that easy belief in safety and security, in part because we still feel echoes of what our parents, grand, and great, went through.

I swear, the minute the races get thoroughly mixed (and much better looking as a result) we'll all be fighting over what color t-shirts we wear.

So true! Humans feel this need to create this us and them mentality-- I just don't understand it!

*shakes head at the world*

XOX

[kahlualeia]

Oh! And I forgot to mention Hon; wonderful story! A real tear/mind jerker. I read it twice through, because it just calls for multiple readings.

XOX

[catlover2x]

Now isn't that weird? i find that first generation Americans (I'm one, lots of my friends are, I should have known you were too) often have that "one foot in this country, one foot in the other" feeling. And that DNA imprint feeling. Almost like whether our parents spoke about it or not, somehow we suck in that whole feeling. And that's not the only war we don't hear about in the US. You're in good company.

And thank you for liking it, even reading it twice. It was cathartic to write it. Not sure I'd have been able to sleep without writing it.

I shall be emailing you at much greater length.

XOXO

[yo_helena]

I learn something new about you every day, huh? I'm so glad you shared it with me.

I feel fortunate to say that I don't have any such cellular recognition; as a matter of fact, everyone calls me "lucky". Even my mother's friend calls me up and asks, "How've you been, Lucky?" (Like the cereal leprechaun! How humiliating.) It's because I'm good at a lot of things (or so they think. -_- Meh!) and I win high scores in competitions. I go around talking with everyone like a social butterfly and I've never, ever had to know any sort of suffering or, in your case, cellular recognition. It sounds so snobby, doesn't it? My parents look at me and go, "Haven't you know any sort of pain?" (I hate when they ask this because we constantly spend time together and anything I know about myself is something they know as well.) I'm ashamed to say I haven't. I don't want to experience anything hurtful but I don't want to be someone floating on this cloud with everyone else struggling every single day. See? Snobby. I sound like Paris Hilton or something! *is horrified* ARGHNOOOMEH!

Just talking to you makes me happy! ^_^ But yes, I love all those organizations. (I put bumper stickers like that on my car and everyone calls me liberal; it's not being liberal, it's being human. Practicing non-violence isn't part of a specific political party.) And writing makes me happy as well, so I've decided to quench anyone's thirst for plumbing! I feel good today and I don't know why. Plus I've made this entire message all about me, so yes, I'm the sister Paris never knew she had.

You know what? You should write a book with all your thoughts. Cellular recognition is an amazing concept and I know you would write something breathtaking. (But you'd have to promise to send an advanced signed copy my way. And when people try to steal it from me, I'd beat them with a stick and say, "Back off! It's mine!"

[catlover2x]

That is fortunate that you've had a relatively happy life and are successful and high scoring. Maybe that's why you are a ray of sunshine. I am unfortunately somewhat prone to depression and people like you are SO necessary. You cheer me up so much and it just makes me happy to know you. Actually you don't sound like Paris Hilton. She seems amazingly free from any sense of humor whatsoever. Disclaimer: Don't know her, don't know what she's like and haven't watched any of her shows so who knows. Don't sue, you already have all the money in the world.

Well I'm glad talking to me makes you happy. I'm a little surprised because you are the happy fairy with the happy wand. You know we will all be happier when the next chapter comes out, hint, hint. And yes, plumbing makes a man sexy.

I don't think I originated any concept of cellular recognition. There are transplant patients who swear that they take on some of the attributes of their donor. I've always had that DNA imprint theory tho, long before CSI. Never thought I'd be writing a story about it tho. Funny how geekwriter put up a DNA challenge. However, I'll give it some thought.