In all of human history there has never been a time as important as right now. We have thousands of nuclear weapons in readiness. The "club" of nations possessing them is expanding rapidly. Perhaps in a decade there will be 20 nuclear powers and why should it stop there? That is one of dozens of ways we could end everything on Earth. I hear that we will be able to understand the aging process and be able to reverse it in 50 years (minimum). By that time it should be feasible to monitor all human activity and communication. Are we really wise enough to deal with the fall out of these and so many other developments?
Let's take a wide perspective. Who are the men (all men) who are at the levers of control that presently decide the worlds fate? Kim Jong Il, Dick Cheney, Ehud Olmert, Hu Jintao, George Bush, Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, Karl Rove...Tyrants, madmen, fools! Something I read about a city of paper entrusted to flames comes to mind.
I'd like to thank the Kossack community for being part of the impetus to drag me out of my frustrated lethargy and get me out pounding the pavement of my little precinct trying to get out the vote. On election night when we got the phone call giving us the word that our fairly good candidate beat out his opponent (a real Neo Con enabler) it was one joyful explosion at our local Dem HQ. I'll never forget it till the day I die. I don't belittle the political approach. I'll try to hold up my end and play a small part in it. If my health holds I plan to go at it again in 2008 and maybe before then if I see anyone I can believe in. What I want to say is that I don't think that a strictly political approach is enough.
I was once shot by machine gun in the chest and shoulder in Vietnam. I thought I had a minute to live. I had to decide if I was going to "get religion". I thought Real hard and the answer came to me in a moment----No. Nothing was revealed, so why should I go out on a lie. Of course I didn't die.
William Blake wrote that "The truth cannot be seen and not be believed." I'm trying to share the truest thing I know here. Thirty years ago in India that kind of truth was revealed to me. Just after it happened I remember looking at this guys eyes and seeing all the ego and games going on there and feeling nothing but compassion. It is my opinion that without that perspective, whatever ways we try to solve problems (though better than nothing) will eventually only create new even more intractible problems.
I wish I could report that I still have the perspective I spoke of. I frittered it away. If enlightenment ever strikes you, don't think it means you can keep it without cultivating it. Incidentally, what I'm talking about is the opposite of fundamentalism, and has nothing to do with ritual or any particular diet, dress or culture. The real thing unites and never divides. For now I'm just stumbling along trying to live up to the memory of what I experienced so many years ago.
I was in India 4 years ago when some terrible Hindu-Moslem riots broke out. Right in the midst of all this insanity was a tiny village called Ram Rahim Nagar. The village was founded by desperately poor Hindus and Moslems who wanted to live harmoniously. They made up their minds to set things up in order to accomplish this. Their political organization had this in mind. Their schools taught it. Even their architecture reflected this. Their mayor claimed that, "Humanity is our religion." When the riots hit all kinds of heroic activity took place here. It's an incredible story--a wonderful book, or a compelling documentary movie. I'm no writer (obviously) and I've learned that I'm no moviemaker either but if anyone wants to take on the challenge of telling this story I am at your disposal.