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The Horse, Hunter, and Stag

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I was working on an art journal page recently and started digging through my paper collection.  I have some ephemera of my own, but I also have a stack that I’ve bought from a lady who meant to use the items for her own art. She soon realized that she had more ephemera than time for art. It turns out she has a great eye for things that spark creativity.  One of the pieces was a page from a book of fables – stories designed to teach us something.  I think this one is remarkably appropriate for what we are experiencing now.  The entire wording is contained between the lines below.  My comments will follow.

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A quarrel had arisen between the Horse and the Stag, so the Horse came to a Hunter to ask his help to take revenge on the Stag. The Hunter agreed, but said: “If you desire to conquer the Stag, you must permit me to place this piece of iron between your jaws, so that I may guide you with these reins, and allow this saddle to be placed upon your back so that I may keep steady upon you as we follow after the enemy.” The Horse agreed to the conditions, and the Hunter soon saddled and bridled him. Then with the aid of the Hunter the Horse soon overcame the Stag, and said to the Hunter: “Now, get off, and remove those things from my mouth and back.”

“Not so fast, friend,” said the Hunter. “I have now got you under bit and spur, and prefer to keep you as you are at present.”

If you allow men to use you for your own purposes, they will use you for theirs.

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It is now time to be aware and awake to our divisiveness. Our lack of unity with each other and within ourselves allows us to be led astray by others.  It renders us passive and not active members of life, of community.

It is not time to worry or complain about those who seek to divide us – to put us into “us” and “them” categories, who want to bait us like fighting dogs.

To be against those who seek to use us for their own gain is to further be drawn into the spiral.  It is to become that which we are trying to be aware of.

 

The goal is to be aware of every time you are distracted.

Notice when you are being baited, being told that “they” – whoever “they” are – are the reason that you are down.

“They” aren’t the reason for why you feel the way you do.  “They” are the same as you.  They are struggling too.

It is easy for people to pick on those who are seen as weaker.  It is easy to scapegoat.  Don’t do it.  Rise above. Don’t be drawn into that game.  Turn it upside down.  Notice who you are being told to be afraid of, to hate and instead make friends with them.  Learn everything you can about them.  Join up with them for your common cause of working together.

Remember the old phrase – “United we stand, divided we fall.”

Remember the motto on the back of the US dollar bill – “E pluribus unum”.  It means “Out of many, one.”  It means we are stronger together.

It is time to stop being scattered and divided.  We allow others to use us when we are like that.

None of the above.

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Art journal page made 11/12/16.  It is time for each and every one of us to wake up.

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Our “leaders” aren’t our leaders.  They don’t care about us.  They don’t work for us.

This is a game to them.  This is a puppet show, and we are the puppets.

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Turn the TV off. Put down the smartphone.  Don’t look at the news.

Take care of yourself – go for a walk, eat healthy food, read a book to learn something – not to escape.   Now is the time to awaken, not to escape.

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We are waking up to the game that we are in.  we vote, but “they” pick the winner.

How about we all vote, but leave every slot on the ballot blank?  This way “they” can’t say it is voter apathy.  We didn’t forget to vote.  We didn’t just stay home.  We showed up, and we said NO.  No more of this.  We are tired of the game because “We the People” always lose.

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God is in charge, not any man or woman.  Not any elected official.  God was upset with Israel when they insisted on having a king over them.  God allows us free choice, and watches, hands tied, when we make bad choices.

We will always lose when we put people over us to rule us – when we forget that God is the supreme authority – not any person.  Time to look for other ways to support ourselves, rather than relying on “The Man”.

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Time to break up with government.

Time to say “It’s not me – it’s you, government.  It just isn’t working out.”

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Background and construction –

Base – the back of a sample ballot – the back was printed with “Page Left Intentionally Blank”.  When I first saw this (this is from a ballot from the Spring of 2016) I thought it was funny to make the page not blank by writing that it was blank.  But now I see something different.  I turned it so “Blank” – nothing  – is up.  You can see the printing of the sample ballot through the page, so it shows that this is about an election.

I included stamps related to America – personal freedom.  Native American.  Statue of Liberty that is Blue and Red and White – not divided, but all three – so not Blue (democratic) States or Red (republican) states, but all of the Union, together. There is even Green, for Independent.  Stamps about war and liberty, about “A common Determination”, about “Industry and agriculture for defense”, about “Security, education , conservation, health for defense.”   Dog tags saying “never forgotten” and a military medal saying “Honoring those who served”.

Ephemera about quality, creativity, unique expressions of each person, of the various and unique cultural and religious traditions that make this country so great.

This is OUR country.  It is time to reclaim it as the great country of individuals who choose to live in freedom – as wide and varied as that term means.

Presidential prophecies

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I’ve seen some unusual prophecies about Donald Trump’s time in office. I’ll share them here –

From Elizabeth Peru’s blog on 11-10-16
My Dear Community,

As I write this week’s ‘important’ blog post, America has just elected its next president. This is a decision that affects the entire globe, for we are all citizens of Earth and the energy of one nation does impact on the whole. Let me begin by saying that I am Australian and write from my perspective as a global citizen looking at the American situation from an ‘energy stand point’. In fact, my whole blog post will focus on the ‘energy’ behind the election, what to take away from it and where ‘to go’ from here, as a globe…

ALL ABOUT ENERGY
However you look at the American people’s decision, which has just elected Trump as president, it all has to do with energy. Throughout the entire election campaign, there was so much energy directed toward Trump and from Trump. He loves energy and thrives from it. Most of it was negative and it created a field of attraction that was palpable. Remember, that no matter if the energy is positive or negative, it is the force behind it which matters the most and gives it life.

Hence, if you are against ‘something or someone’, giving over all your energy to it or them, this actually increases its/their strength and can diminish yours in direct proportion. Hence, today in the US (and globally) we are see millions of people almost shell shocked and drained. Likewise, there are those who feel lighter, hopeful and energised now that a decision has finally been made.

USE THE CURRENT ENERGY TO YOUR ADVANTAGE
It’s so important that we now use the prevailing energy ‘post election’ to OUR ADVANTAGE. I’m always advocating (through my work) that we can create and utilise daily opportunities to rise up and better our lives. You have a choice. Just like this election was based on choice. You can get frustrated right now and sink into a pit of despair or you can rise and ask yourself, “How can I best use this energy to propel my life ahead?” For when we each do this, the collective as a whole rises.

WHAT I HAVE HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE US ELECTION THIS YEAR
Back on June 24, 2016 I sent out the below, special’ BREXIT, COSMIC ENERGY & US ELECTIONS REPORT’ to my Tip-Off Subscribers. This is what I said regarding The US Elections & The Cosmic Influences…

” OK, now let’s look at the pending US elections from a cosmic standpoint, as I know so many of you are worried about what may eventuate come November 2016. It’s that UNKNOWN factor again, isn’t it?

Well to begin with, the planetary Grand Cross is and will be influencing the tide of events of the US elections. Remember it’s all about championing yourself as an individual so that you are in a better position to assist the whole. It’s all about self-worth and reflecting that high value in your outer world.

Therefore, if you are an American voting in this election, you will vote for whichever party best suits your goals to rise in self-worth. You may say, “This is neither party”. For indeed we often vote by how we relate to the party leader, as opposed to the policies.

And whilst the policies may not resonate either, each American will need to look deep into their heart at the bigger picture, at what will allow them to do as the UK has done, make a stand as an individual.

I actually see more Americans voting this year than ever before. It’s the feeling that ‘our vote personally counts now’, that has shifted in 2016, as opposed to previous years.

RADICAL SHIFT
Before I go into the cosmic influences upon this election, on a personal level, I must say that I feel whatever party does get into government, there will be a radical shift or change in the way they govern from the way they have campaigned that they will.

The people will demand it and the leaders personalities you see on display now, will surprise you when they actually are in charge.

Meaning, don’t be too worried if you don’t like either candidate, for something is going to change in how or who will govern within the first six months of their taking the reigns. And it will be for the greater good.

In The US election month, we feel an actual lightening up!! Yes, most of our lessons for 2016 are complete and we already have our sites set on 2017 and the new energy decade for the planet.

New beginnings abound for most people and I sense that a level-headedness takes over the planet. The energy is grounded and WE take positive action, personally.

Around the actual date of the election November 8, karmic cosmic influences come into play. People will be feeling very responsible and will have the bigger picture in view.

Interestingly Uranus plays a part, so there could be a swing at the end that wasn’t expected.

In short, I urge you not to be concerned. 2017 and beyond will demand that we take more personal responsibility for the way the world moves. It’s high time that more people woke up and did something to upshift in their personal life circumstances. We do have that power if we claim it.

Afterall, we will never collectively rise until this has begun and it has and I for one am feeling happy that at long last people are listening and slowly starting to action what was always theirs to utilise. ”

MY PREDICTION : A CHANGE IN PRESIDENCY AFTER ELECTION
Then on September 3, 2016, I was interviewed by Tony & Eddie of ‘Truth Be Told Radio’ and I again mentioned that whoever got elected would see a change in their presidency after they took office. My feeling ‘was and still is’ that they may not see out their tenure. Watch The Video at 20.29 minutes in…

So I find it ‘very interesting’ that Trump in his acceptance speech yesterday, also eluded to this when he said.. ” I look very much forward to being your president, and hopefully at the end of two years or three years or four years, or maybe even eight years… ”

THE AMERICAN DREAM IS THE GLOBAL DREAM
For decades we have heard about the ideal of ‘The American Dream’. It’s an ideal that has infiltrated popular culture worldwide. Yet, the reality outside of the dream is that in order to live a life of ease, respect and prosperity, one needs to surround themselves in the circumstances and people to create this. From what I tune into, many Americans AND global citizens, are despondent with their own lives. They have been complacent for far too long and with the rise of the Internet and social media are finally waking up within their dream. Conscious awareness is stirring on this planet and its high time that it did.

It’s important that instead of placing all of our energy into a figure head (such as a president) that we now use this fire in our belly to DO SOMETHING POSITIVE to improve our own life standing. There is an incredible amount of energy now available at YOUR DISPOSAL to utilise and upgrade your life!!

TRUMP IS A MIRROR
For when I tune into Trump, I sense someone who acts as a ‘mirror’. He attracts to him people looking for wealth, power and standing. People who may not believe that they already have this potential within themselves. And there’s a lot of people globally who feel this way. Trump reflects back to them what they want to hear, what they wish they were saying and doing for themselves. It’s a slippery slope for people to put all of heir faith into ‘one person or thing’, without enacting that personal change within themselves.

THE REALITY OF REALITY TV
It is no surprise therefore, that an ex-reality TV personality now becomes the next president of The US. For indeed the American culture (which has spilled out into the global culture ) has seem obsessed with reality TV players and their excessive displays of over the top personalities and wealth. For even though, as much as we seem repulsed by their blown out examples of excess, it is almost an obsession for many, to follow the antics of such shows and their casts. Ask yourself, “What attracts me to reality TV and how can I use any mirrors that I see to improve my life?” How can you use the energy to your advantage, rather than have it working against you?

WHERE TO FROM HERE
Right now as global citizens we have many options. We can get angry. We can be apathetic. We can get over-excited and put all our trust in those outside ourselves. OR we can use this incredible shift in global energy to immediately up-shift our lives…

Stop wallowing in social media. Look at what areas of your life are currently lacking. Wake up early and set to work with a plan to implement your ideas that have been on the back burner.
Do something positive. Give out compliments. Wear your best clothes. Exercise. Put in 100% effort into everything that you do. Focus. Pull power towards you, rather than pushing it away.
Focus on the remaining seven weeks of 2016. We are wrapping up what we began in 2008. Old energy is on the way out. Let go every day. Visualise and work towards your ‘ideal’ 2017.
Most importantly create opportunities for your self-care and INVEST in yourself. LOVE is the power which fuels the universe and fuels you. Shower yourself in love and let that energy spill out into the world around you.

From Bentinho Massaro’s Facebook post on 11/9/16

**An insider on Trump’s victory and why it could be the best thing to have happened in a while**
This is what a well-connected insider friend shared with me today:
“Amazing things are happening here on earth, we got the Clinton/Bush machine out of the White House and exposed!
Trump is simply a transitional person who is posing – and never had any intention of leading the country! He is well aware of the NESARA/GESARA Evolution. Look at the man, do you think he wants to work for Americans? No chance!! He is here to help bring in the New Republic of America and block the Clinton/Bush machine’s further control. He will step aside soon, this has been planned for eons.
I can’t freaking believe we got the Clinton/Bush machine out of the White House!!!! This is HUGE for the evolution of earth’s people. Seriously, this man does not want to work for you and me so please stop fretting and lowering your vibrational frequency. He was brave to do this piece for humanity and will receive so much friggin money that he will be happy forever swimming in his riches. Kind of like a pig in slop and happy as a clam. This is all about planetary freedom, and not the least bit about what’s-his-name… Trump. So please don’t judge or fight with others about your political beliefs & disbeliefs. Both candidates were an embarrassment for humanity, yet both were the perfect mirror to all that is wrong with the world today.”

November 2016

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America has changed overnight.  The ugliness has been here, simmering, bubbling up in pockets for years.  Racism,  sexism, homophobia, fear of immigrants.  Now white people are openly targeting anyone they feel is “other”.  Now the ugliness is out in the open.

Now is the time that we must be awake and vigilant against every form of terrorism – especially that which comes from white people.  Now is the time to stand up to abuse even if it comes from our neighbors and family and friends.  Now is the time we were born for.

All of this has happened in November, 2016, in the week of the election where Trump won.

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In a public Facebook post, Sheri Wanderer shared this –
“Tonight driving home From work I stopped to get gas. There was a man, i’m guessing early 60s pumping gas. He appeared to be Arabic. I pulled in just as two young (early to mid 20’s) white man approached him. They begin to verbally assault him — yelling that he was not welcome here, and that Trump will send him back to where he came from. They mumbled something Incomprehensible that I believe included the word terrorism. I pulled up close, got out of my car and went and stood Beside him. At first I said nothing. I just stood next to him facing the 2 young men. My presence seemed to confuse them and as they hesitated I asked ( hopefully not unkindly and hopefully without Snark) ” why are you doing this ? ” One looked down and they both started to walk away. As they did one turned and spat at the man standing beside me. I stepped I front of him getting spat on instead. As I was not the intended target the spitter looked uncomfortable for a moment. Then the 2 young men left. I spoke just briefly with the man who was targeted with such hatred. He is from Jordan and has lived in Ypsilanti 8 years. His children were born here. He was so grateful. I had done so little yet for him I guess it meant a lot. I came home and cried. I’m gonna take a hot bath and cry some more. We have so much work to do friends.”

 

November 10, 2016, a person I know shared evangelical Franklin Graham’s post =

“Did God show up? In watching the news after the election, the secular media keep asking “How did this happen?” “What went wrong?” “How did we miss this?” Someare in shock. Political pundits are stunned. Many thought the Trump/Pence ticket didn’t have a chance. None of them understand the God-factor. Hundreds of thousands of Christians from across the United States have been praying. This year they came out to every state capitol to pray for this election and for the future of America. Prayer groups were started. Families prayed. Churches prayed. Then Christians went to the polls, and God showed up. While the media scratches their heads and tries to understand how this happened, I believe that God’s hand intervened Tuesday night to stop the godless, atheistic progressive agenda from taking control of our country. President-elect Donald J. Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence are going to need a lot of help and they will continue to need a lot of prayer. I pray that President-elect Trump will surround himself with godly men and women to help advise and counsel him as he leads the nation. My prayer is that God will bless America again!”

To which I replied:

“How do you explain the acts of violence that are being enacted by citizens against other citizens right now? How does God even come into the discussion when people are taking it upon themselves to verbally and physically attack people who have done nothing to them, who are breaking no laws, who only want to live their lives in peace? God is the author of love, not violence. I pray that America does not degenerate into another Holocaust, with anyone who is seen as “other” (read: not straight, white, and male) is attacked simply for existing. We are better than this.”

She deleted my reply.

 

My friend Franko Hashiguchi shared this –

“From my friend, Blair Breitreiter. With her kind permission. This shit is REAL. Other friends, facing the same thing. I realized I was racially made fun of and put on edge, on Sunday. Will put in the comments, later, perhaps.”

“So far what I’ve seen on my feed:
My friend was harassed in a parking lot and a Trump supporter screamed at her to suck his dick; a couple had a note left on their car saying ‘gay marriage = burning in hell! Trump 2016; a man had a beer bottle thrown at him ‘Faggots like you are gone once Trump takes office!’; and this is a short list.
What I’ve seen from the majority of Trump supporters in my feed:
‘I don’t know why these idiots are protesting’; countless posts of how people in my communities are whiners; a repost of Trump holding the rainbow flag proclaiming ‘I don’t know why the gays think he hates them!’
I’m sickened. Please, by all means, not see the point. It is the populace that has been validated by this transgression of events. Your peers are the ones perpetuating fear through vile remarks and violence. The reaction is merely the fruit. And some of you? You won’t even take accountability. So few of his supporters are stopping to say ‘I’m sorry. I don’t support this. I have your back.’ (Some are – thank you.) No, instead you’re perpetuating the stigma and if that’s your game, please exit from my life. You are no friend of mine. I’m sorry but fuck you and get out.
I refuse to heal. I refuse to accept being treated this way. I refuse your antiquated ideologies and I refuse to accept that I mattered so little to some of you to be put in harm’s way and that only after doing so, you refuse to speak out against this horrific behavior.
I can accept that you are no hero and that you won’t be mine. You need to accept that you’re not my friend. And it’s fine really. Go live your life.
I’ll be my own goddamned hero

— Blair”

 

On November 9th, the Scarritt Bennett Center posted this –

Skinner Chapel will be open today until 6pm for anyone who would like a safe and inclusive place for reflection and prayer. All are welcome.skinner-chapel

Free self-defense classes are opening up for those who are targeted.

People are starting to wear safety pins to tell others that they are safe to be around and will not harm them – and in fact will stand up for them.

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May Theiss in the Nashville Feminist Collective wrote on November 10th

“Good morning beautiful people! This is my first time posting here but I need your help. We all know how hard the last few days have been. The emotions, the pain, the fear. I have friends fleeing, I’m seeing people get shot, my brothers and sisters of color are having their lives threatened, my own family attacked me and turned their backs on me.”

Friends of mine have changed their cover photos to things like this –

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and the website about information on applying for Canadian citizenship crashed this week after being overwhelmed with people looking for information.

This cover photo is poignant –

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along with profile photos like this –

 

and there is a trend of going all black as well, as a symbol of mourning –

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Nahko Bear, a Hawaiian musician and activist, shares this –

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Now is the time to wake up and be present.  This is the time we were born for.  Now is the time to stand up for human rights.

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Never again.

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On November 9 to November 10, 1938, in an incident known as “Kristallnacht”, Nazis in Germany torched synagogues, vandalized Jewish homes, schools and businesses and killed close to 100 Jews. Citizens did this. The authorities stood aside and did nothing. This was the beginning of the Holocaust.

On November 9, 2016, America woke to the news that a man named Donald Trump has been elected president. This is a person who has advocated violence against immigrants, women, homosexuals, and people who are disabled. This is a person who encourages his followers to take matters into their own hands and be physically violent against anyone they see as weaker than them. Namely – anyone who is not a straight white male. That is a lot of people.

America was founded on the premise of freedom and liberty for all. The words on the Statue of Liberty are “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

We say that we welcome immigrants – those who are fleeing hardship and oppression. We call ourselves a melting pot. We believe that we are made better by our diversity.

Our Pledge of Allegiance is “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Right now, we aren’t one nation. We are divided. And there isn’t liberty or justice for all. Right now is a truly scary time to be in America. He isn’t in office yet – that will be in January. But now, his followers may feel they are justified in getting started in their own idea of ethnic cleansing.

Yes, we have problems. Yes, we need change. But there has to be a way other than violence and civil war. We must be better than that.

In spite of all the advances that minorities have made, there are plenty of those who were in power who feel disenfranchised. They feel that because civil rights have been assured for others, that they have lost theirs. There is room enough for us all.

In the French Revolution, over 40,000 people were murdered – citizens killing citizens, in the course of a year.

In Rwanda, over a million people were slaughtered – citizens killing citizens, in the course of a month.

Let this not happen here in America.

Let peace rain down on us, with the mercy and grace of God. Let cooler heads prevail. May God enter into every heart and hold back every hand raised for violence. May we get through this time of change, together.

The real problem with Trump

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I rarely discuss politics, but this topic has reached a head and it is time to say something.

Trump is not saying anything new. But by his position of authority he is validating it.

He is saying that it is OK, and even praiseworthy, to be violent against women and others. He pretends that it is seen as manly. That is the problem.

He and his followers represent the very worst of our society. They are people who put down women, the handicapped, immigrants, veterans with PTSD – in short, anyone that they see as weaker than themselves. This is bully mentality.

I had hoped that by 2016 we would be past this kind of thinking, but it turns out that the mean people just went quiet for a while – just long enough for their champion to crawl out from the woodwork.

All the rights of the disenfranchised are at risk if he wins.  All the civil rights progress that has been made in the past century are on the table.  Marriage for all – questionable. The Americans with Disabilities Act – questionable. Do we really need to go backwards in being kind and accommodating and inclusive?

He even talks about taking away the right of women to vote.  People say he’s joking – surely he can’t be serious. But I’m sure they said that in Iran before the government changed ideologies.  Women used to be able to dress however they wanted.  They could be doctors, teachers, lawyers.   Now, they are almost invisible.  It can happen here too.

I wonder what fear motivates Trump and his followers?  Are they afraid that by including more people at the table, there won’t be enough for them?  Are they afraid that granting rights to more people will take away their own rights?

Inclusion doesn’t work like that.  When we grant civil rights to people, we open up more opportunity, rather than take away.  Allowing gay people to marry doesn’t threaten the rights of straight people to marry.  This isn’t a game of musical chairs.  We can all win.  There isn’t a limited amount of freedom available.  Nothing is getting taken away.

But perhaps that is their fear, because make no doubt about it – fear is the motivator here.  They’ve been in power for so long, they are afraid that they will lose it by granting freedom to others.

Think of it this way – Buddha once said “Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” Civil rights are the same.  Granting civil rights to others doesn’t take away from anyone.  It expands, not contracts.  Nobody is losing anything.

 

Perhaps the poet Edwin Markham has the answer –

He drew a circle that shut me out –

Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.

But love and I had the wit to win:

We drew a circle and took him In!”

 

Random

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It isn’t just about cops killing black people. It isn’t just about cops being killed

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It isn’t just all that which has gotten us all worried and concerned.
There is more.  We forget all the incidences of mass murders that have happened in this country. We forget the incidences of rape that have occurred that have had no punishment for the rapist.

The issue at hand is all the various examples of random and unexpected violence that have occurred in the past several years.  It doesn’t make any sense. It is violence that seems to come out of the blue. It is school shootings. It is shopping malls, it is movie theaters. It is anytime anyone out of the blue starts killing people who have done nothing to him. And that is the operative point.  It seems that all of these incidences have involved single men acting alone, and often young white men. They’re angry at something in general but not someone in particular and they don’t know how to express their anger, so they kill the person in front of them. The thing that is most frightening about all of this is that it could happen to any one of us at any time. It is nothing that we can control or prevent.

We feel helpless and constantly on guard, but even being on guard won’t do us any good. It is as if we can do all the right things and still be victims. We haven’t angered anyone. We’ve done all that society expects us to do and still someone, randomly, on their own, can decide to kill us. It isn’t personal at all – it is as impersonal as it could possibly be.

We were terrified by Ebola and then the Zika virus. These two things are seemingly random and they can forever affect your life (if not end it).  There was no way to avoid them. These incidents of random violence are the same.  There is no way to prepare or prevent them from happening.

This is why we feel so helpless.  We can’t legislate it away.  We can’t do anything.  Our “thoughts and prayers” seem to be falling on deaf ears.

 

To turn away from the newsfeed is to be accused of being indifferent.  It is to be accused of “white privilege”.  Tell us what we can do, and we will do it.  Otherwise, to continue to drown in these stories is to be psychically attacked over and over.

We have failed our boys.

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We have failed our boys. Every day I see more and more boys who say they don’t want to read. Knowing how to read but choosing not to is the same as being illiterate. The result is the same whether they know how to read but don’t or they never knew how. Every day I see boys who – if they read at all, read far below their age level, only able to read books that have many pictures in them. They are either unwilling or unable to read a book that has only words in it. They choose graphic novels and comic books if they choose books at all. There’s a whole series of books geared towards boys now that are written very simply and have many illustrations in them. It is as if they need training wheels in order to read. It is a disturbing trend.

Then if they read, the subject matter is concerning. Their parents steer them toward “boy” books. “Girl” books are about relationships – sharing, making friends, learning how to compromise. “Boy” books are about relationships as well – dominating others, being a soldier, being in charge. They learn this script too well. They learn that they must control every relationship they are in. They learn nothing about sharing or cooperating. Anything other than domination is seen as a failure. It is easy to see that it is impossible for everyone to be a winner with such a scenario. This sets them up for a lifetime of disappointment.

We have failed our boys. By telling them that “boys don’t cry” we are telling them that they are not allowed to express their emotions. Those feelings have to go somewhere. When you don’t allow someone to cry the feeling turns around upon itself and transforms, metastasizes, goes dark.

We have failed our boys. When we say “boys will be boys” to excuse bad behavior we’re saying that they don’t have to try better. We’re saying that there’s no reason for them to act in a respectful manner. Any behavior that you would want to see in your boy when he grows up into a man should be encouraged when he’s young. When we let boys get off the hook from punching others or pulling on girl’s pigtails (or worse forms of abuse), we are saying that they are not accountable for their actions.

Is all of this why so many acts of violence have happened recently? Is this why so many boys and young men have decided to express themselves, to be heard, to be noticed, by taking a gun into a public place and shooting random strangers? Have we done this to ourselves?

More importantly how can we make it stop?

Thoughts on the latest terror attack

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In this time of unrest, let us listen to these wise words from people from all over the world and all across time. Let us remember that we have a choice.

“Heracles was journeying on a narrow road when he saw what looked like an apple on the ground. When he stepped on it, the object instantly became twice as big. Seeing the extraordinary growth, Heracles stepped on it with both feet and smashed it mightily with his club. As result, the thing expanded so rapidly it blocked the road. Heracles threw down his club and stared at it dumbfounded.

The goddess Athena appeared to him then and said, “Dear brother, leave that thing alone! It is the spirit of argument and disharmony. If you keep from touching it, it can do no harm. But, as you have seen, if you try to fight, it only grows greater.” – Fable of Aesop.

“Rabbi Akiva traveled with a donkey to lighten his load, a rooster to awaken him at dawn, and an oil lamp to study by at night. He trusted in God and believed that all God does is for the good. One day, God made it that Rabbi Akiva arrived at a town after the gates have been closed, so he had to sleep outside in the dangerous woods. When he, at last, sat down to study by the light of his lamp, a great wind arose and blew it out. So, saying to himself “All is for the good,” he lay down to sleep, confident that the rooster would wake him early the next morning.

But then a fox came and carried the rooster away. Rabbi Akiva said, “This too will be for the good,” and with that fell asleep. In the middle of the night, a lion pounced on the donkey and devoured the animal before it made a sound. Rabbi Akiva mourned over the life of his donkey, but saying “Everything is surely for the good,” he found joy and comfort and returned to a deep sleep.

When Rabbi Akiva awoke in the morning, he saw that the town had been attacked and burned to the ground. “See,” he said, “all is truly for the good. If I had gained entry into the town, or if my lamp had remained bright, or if my rooster had crowed, or my donkey had brayed, these attackers who destroyed the town would have certainly come after me, too!” – Traditional Jewish story.

“Ambrosia can be extracted even from poison;
elegant speech even from a child;
good conduct even from an enemy;
gold even from impurity.”
-from the Laws of Manu (sacred text of Hinduism)

“How far that little candle throws his beams.
So shines a good deed in a naughty world.”
– William Shakespeare

“You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well. Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 5:38-40, HCSB translation)

“An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind”
– Gandhi biographer Louis Fischer, summing up Gandhi’s view on the Hindu concept of “ahimsa”

We have a choice now. We are at a crossroads. We can choose life or death. We can choose to be present and aware. We can choose to love our neighbors. We can choose to not be afraid. We can choose to rise above, rise together. We can choose. We are not powerless.

This isn’t about race or religion or creed, not anymore. This has happened too often, in too many different ways. There have been more mass killings in this world than we can easily count. It has become our normal, this terror, this fear. Some male takes a gun and kills many people, all strangers, in a moment.

In the same way that it has become our present normal, it can become our past. This does not have to continue. All things change.

In the meantime, we must remember that we have a choice to remain calm. To listen to the stranger. To be open and welcoming. To forgive. To show love and compassion. We must remember that there are far more kind, compassionate, and loving people than we realize. They don’t get the press attention so we don’t notice them. Start looking for the good, and you will find it all around you.

We must embrace the “other”, the different one, and include rather than exclude. This is a time to unite, not divide. I do not mean for “Us” to unite against “Them” – but to have a “We” instead.

We have a choice. It is time.

Easter eggs at the public library

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I spy with my little eye, something that begins with E.

3

Eggs.

4

Easter eggs, to be specific.

2

At a public library.

1

The idea of separation of church and state means in part that the state cannot do anything to hinder people’s practice of their faith. But it also means that the state should not promote a particular faith either.

For a government-run entity to have any display of any one faith tradition implicitly excludes all others.

Where was the Purim festival for the Jewish families? How about an observance of Holi for the Hindu families? Both of these celebrations happened this week, but there was no notice of them.

How about understanding that there are people who do not practice any faith tradition at all? How about understanding that there are people who have been psychologically harmed by Christians?

Government-run organizations get their money from tax dollars from every citizen. That means that it should represent all of them, not just a few. If they are going to have religious displays, then they must have all of them. Ideally, they would not have any displays at all.