'We Are Resolved to Follow Our National Dream'
Politics is not just about raising money for candidates. Politics is about creatively serving the needs of your people, and the election is just the report card on how you are doing and how many people you have helped and how many people are following your leadership because you were there for them. We do get the government we deserve, you see, and the crowd standing behind us in critical times is the crowd we have served through the years. People will not speak up about global warming, I assure you, until they first have a warm house for their own children.
What is it to our souls when we have to just keep slugging through dark places? Why, after all that has happened in America, from stolen elections to the destruction of our necessary institutions of mutual help, are you, personally, still at it? Why, after seeing our country become the international symbol of irresponsible conduct, of torture, of political imprisonment, of destruction to the global ecosystem, are your spirits not smeared across the plaza under the treads of these tanks?
Are your hearts perhaps stronger and your souls deeper than you imagined? Yes, this is what you came here to do. There is no greater gift than to be given a life of meaning. There is no greater heroism than to bravely represent love in a dark time of fear and danger.
We are resolved to help each other. We are resolved to represent love in the world and to follow our national dream.
So look at the situation wisely and know that a happy ending is not to be found under the paper moon of child's brief play. Accept and celebrate the fact that we are deeply engaged in a long, hard drama of global meaning. We welcome the fight. We welcome it, and, by George, we are up to it.
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Good points, when they
Submitted on October 14th, 2007 by arpidoodleGood points, when they apply. For too many people lifelong struggle is not only a reality, it is a very short one. Could talk about innocent children dying from illegal wars, sex trade slaves, forced exposure to industrial chemical poisoning - the list of enemies that make life a 'long hard drama' is quite long, we are all participants in that war, some more witting than others.
It's a sad thing when some charities will spend up to 80% of their donations on administrative costs, when the leaders of charitable evangelical organizations will appear in Mercedes' and with Rolex's on their arms seeking more contributions for their causes - but, power corrupts anywhere it is formed.
The successful soldier against this world's tyranny needs 'power', but they also need to be eternally moderate with its use, or fall victim to its' appeal. That is the battle, not only with the status quo, but ESPECIALLY with the status quo.
What defines the conscience of the American status quo? Or who? Know thy enemy. The crises' Americans are faced with are cultivated to appear as temporary and solveable to the status quo.
I doubt the average American is ignorant to information about the aggregate number of issues that need attenetion, but within the upper echelon of the worldwide status quo there is a far too willing complacency and deliberate avoidance towards activities that would effectively deal with the resolution of same.
This non-involvement is an intentional and deliberate attitude. When the rug gets pulled out from under the feet of the average citizen issues are no longer avoidable, but the reponse to them is to minimize rather than delve into more permanant solutions.
The path of least resistance. Capitalism plays perfectly on it. Modern capitalism has grown from a cut little puppy into a vicious pit bull.
Knowing that doesn't change anything, but knowing that is a prerequisite to change. The hardest question is to provide an answer to the issues of the amounts and costs of involvement -within all the elements that threaten worldwide quality of life, not just 'current' issues.
Jfl, I can't speak for you, but you seem very capable of articulating from an advanced humanitarian perspective on these issues, so I am going to suggest ballpark figures for the definition of involvement, this issue has been a 'pet peeve' of mine forever. I think some definition is needed.
When I undertook my spiritual quest in my teens I came to the realization that most people would NEVER be able allot the amount of time I was able to in that pursuit and so have had to moderate response to interaction on those issues accordingly - likewise for political issues. We are a finite entity, in a world of infinite problems, we are limited, and we do not want to waste our time.
The conclusion I reached is that I would be wasting time if I suggested that more than half ones time be spent pursuing any common cause - and just give me a second here - the figure 50% is important because it still allows majority of time to be at the indiviuals discretion - even though in reality full time involvement may be required to to deal with any single issue.
Too many people think that to dedicate half their lives to a cause to is too high a price (unless it was for hedonistic gratification) the reality is that one could spend their whole lives seeking answers and not get them. The reality is that some people don't get a chance to have a life to dedicate to a cause at all. The reality in affluent cultures is one is not expected to dedicate any part of their life to charitable ventures (unless it is for tax benefits)
You want to start motivating these people? - give them numbers that leave them in control. Don't give them martydom, unless they are Islamic, because we have become the most selfish of all Gods creatures.
I believe we need a strong theocratic emblem to accomplish that, in time we may evolve to a purely humanitarian set of moral guidelines, in time we may not, een sha Allah.
Define involvement then apply it. Take your time.
arpi will be afk on business for a bit