the propeace community - inner peace - Comments

our Constitution is not a nuisance

Jason White — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 20:41:02 -0500

josephteach wrote:

There is no way a small group of fanatics should have the power we give them

That is the crux of it right there. Our government has trumped up and pumped up a gang of criminals into something so much greater than it actually is. And now our corporate economy is invested in the illusion to the tune of hundreds of billions. However, the electorate is waking up to the reality of this blunder. Here are the words of one of the leading candidates for U.S. President. Mainstream Americans are voting for this person in droves. Can you guess who it is?

Quote:

Thank you for contacting me in support of core constitutional principles, such as support for basic civil liberties and opposition to torture and indefinite imprisonment. I strongly agree with these views and you can see that in my record. As a constitutional lawyer, law professor and public servant, I have been clear, consistent and outspoken in defense of these core principles. And I will work hard to restore our constitutional traditions as president.

This Administration has put forward a false choice between the liberties we cherish and the security we demand. [emphasis added] When I am president, there will be no more illegal wire-tapping of American citizens. No more national security letters to spy on citizens who are not suspected of a crime. No more tracking citizens who do nothing more than protest a misguided war. Our Constitution works, and so does the FISA court. By working with Congress and respecting our courts, I will provide our intelligence and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to track and take out the terrorists without undermining our Constitution and our freedom.

My Administration will once again show the world that we are not a country that ships prisoners in the dead of night to be tortured in far off countries. That we are not a country that runs prisons which lock people away without ever telling them why they are there or what they are charged with. When I am President, America will reject torture without exception. I will also reject indefinite imprisonment without trial and close Guantanamo, reject the Military Commissions Act, and adhere to the Geneva Conventions.

Our Constitution is not a nuisance. It is the foundation of our democracy. I applaud the work you have done to restore our Constitution to its proper place in our government. And I will continue to fight against the assault on our nation's most treasured document.

Joseph Bernard,

josephteach — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:39:15 -0500

Joseph Bernard, Ph.D.
www.peace-together.com
www.ExploreLifeBlog.com

Thanks Papananook for the comment, Tolle is worth exploring when you have the time. Inner peace is a key to world peace and he is a great teacher of the inner world.

Joseph

RE: your writing

papananook — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:19:52 -0500

I really don't have time (moving from Alaska to Oregon) for Eckert Tolle right now but noted his name and will explore later but I just wanted to say I love your "rant" and thanks for bringing some light here and in the world. I'm with you.

Thanks

josephteach — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 21:31:29 -0400

thanks Susan for the kind remarks! I have been in a flow of inspiration that keeps coming and I feel so fortunate to be open to a higher source. Grateful too for your supportive note and the many clients that have shared their inner journey with me over the years. I learned from them and from my own bumps and bruises of life.

Peace to you,

Joseph

Joseph Bernard, Ph.D.
www.peace-together.com

Peace Now

Susan Livingston — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 23:59:33 -0400

Joseph, I celebrate the resourcefulness demonstrated by this list - especially the fact that every suggestion you made is completely do-able with no prerequisites, special training, excessive expenditure of resources, or cooperation from those who do not place such a high value on peace. Please know that you have contributed in a very real way to the peace in my life.

Editor, propeace.net

continuous partial attention

Jason White — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 21:01:46 -0400

Susan Livingston wrote:

I would remind all of us that, in this age of instantaneous mass communication, we all find more issues than we can possibly address in a meaningful and effective way, so it is imperative that we choose our battles carefully. At the same time, we can stay open to supporting those who have chosen different battles. We can focus on the idea that we are all allies. We can form meaningful partnerships and coalitions.

There's even a name for the problem you indicate here. Continuous Partial Attention. Check this out:

http://www.politicsofhope.com/main/images/stories/POH_Ezine_June_2007.pd...

My Two Cents

Susan Livingston — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 17:55:28 -0400

I'm putting in my two cents worth to provide some context for the above. The discussion at the Appalachian Peace Education Center started about a week ago when one of the men was trying to organize a state-wide "action" against Senator Warner of VA because he thought this Republican leader's out-of-Iraq legislation was "tepid" and that perhaps we could shame him into taking a stronger stand by reminding him of the mess he made 30 years ago when he delayed withdrawal from Viet Nam.

I shared that I was much more interested in celebrating that there is bipartisan interest in a new direction in Iraq and expressing gratitude to Senator Warner for showing up to the left of his Democratic colleague, Senator Webb. What I didn't share is that I'm not convinced that Warner's motivations are any different than ours - he just wanted to write legislation that had half a chance of passing.

Under it all is the fact that I'm tired of angry faces and fist-shaking and Bush-bashing on the part of people who call themselves peace activists. And I get downright annoyed when they turn on each other and finger-point about who's not carrying their weight and who's flakey. I don't think demonstrating has much potential to effect social change. At the same time, I'm glad that others continue to gain satisfaction and meet their need for self-expression by demonstrating because I think demonstrations are an important reflection of public opinion.

Marshall Rosenberg says that in order to effect social change, we must harness the energy of celebration. I've noticed that activists often run from one worthy cause to another without taking the time to celebrate and congratulate each other on the peace that we DO manage to build in the world. So I'm founding an organization devoted to celebration! And I don't even have to be much of a spin doctor to find things to celebrate.

What we focus on, expands. If we focus on peace, gratitude, and celebration, then peace, gratitude, and celebration will expand. Keep your eye on PANinA.org, and go to groups.yahoo.com/group/PANinA and join the discussion there.