Thanks, Rainbow Brain. I'm glad we're on the same page.

Editor, propeace.net

Ditto* - Seek the True*Culture, h'er message of love and tolerance is written in each leaf and every grain of sand which shifts beneath one's feet.

Find*This and you will find Peace, Know*This and you will know Peace, Create*This and you will create Peace*.

BL*M
Global-Luvolution.blogspot.com

According to the best anthropological evidence I can find, mankind evolved 2 or 2 1/2 million years ago, and the culture of peace, love, hope, and truth was the state of being of humans, the same as the state of being of the rest of the biosphere. This state of being was characterized by a balance between 1)the ebb and flow of predation, death, and decay versus procreation and 2)the carrying capacity, both physical and spiritual, of our Mother the Earth.

The domination culture, the culture of fear and hate, the culture of acquisitiveness, developed less than 10,000 years ago with the shift from earth-based to sky-based spirituality. And while it is the modal modern culture, it is by no means universal, not even in this country. In other words, while I am skeptical bordering on cynical, I am not totally without hope for the future of my species.

Our culture, including our spirituality, our economy, and our governance, is not in our genes - it's in our consciousness. It only looks like it's inherited because it is so intimately tied in with how we rear and educate our young. Our problem is compounded by the extent to which our "progress" has outdistanced the Mother's carrying capacity. So if we want to reinstitute a culture of peace, love, hope, and truth, it may take a generation or two of conscious practice - as opposed to the learned reflexive behavior of some 50,000 generations - to make it happen.

Or we can discard the earth and find a new planet.... Peace is inevitable. Gaia will have peace, whether humans rediscover their culture of peace or embrace their own virtual extinction.

Editor, propeace.net

Rainbow,

Thanks for stopping by the real world from time to time. Keep us posted on those alternative dimensions you inhabit...

Jack O Roses
www.usaourcountry.blogspot.com

Talking about the reality of Peace, of Truth, of how the simple statement that a culture of peace may never be realized, is just the kind of action which fear desires to create and keep before all who are kept in the shadows of its constructed reality.

The truth is that love and peace are the true foundations of the universe, always have been, always will be, fear is based in destruction and doubt, giving ones power to that doubt and destruction, even in thought is giving control to fear.

The culture of peace, has been at work on this planet for eons, it is now poised to bring about the very changes this web site seeks to embody, and is in fact creating those changes as we speak (type;) you, i, every individual is a part of this change, it is the thoughts and actions of each that will open the eyes of all to the reality of that which has all*ways been, Truth which is the culture of peace one seeks.

Please forgive me if my writings are difficult to follow, as i tend to be more present in the universal, and have to pause, in order to exist in a global and/or especially a regional reality.

BL*M
Global-Luvolution.blogspot.com

"It may be that our "culture of peace" is a purely platonic ideal - never to be realized but always to give direction to our striving."

Well said, Susan... thanks.

Jack O Roses
www.usaourcountry.blogspot.com

p.s. Rainbow... what in the hell are you talking about ?!?!

The Truth of the Universe was founded in a Culture of Peace, it is the reality which creates all reality, the very nature of this natural world, has evolved from a culture of peace, that some men have chosen to ignore this by giving their own personal labels and interpretations which deny the compassion, trust and love which all natural things share and abide by, is simply a matter of those men not seeing this message which is written in every leaf that falls and every grain of sand which shifts beneath ones path.

Peace All*Ways - leads to Truth.

Truth All*Ways - leads to Peace.

BL*M

Global-Luvolution.blogspot.com

I'm with you, Jack. I'm not willing to wait until blood runs in the streets, until one out of every four or five children is born hopelessly deformed, until the poverty level exceeds 50%. I couldn't live with myself if I held out for candidates who embody a culture of peace. The only way I can see any refuge from despair is to celebrate the accomplishment of smaller goals in the hope that my grandchildren and their grandchildren will be able to carry on.

I hear where Jason is coming from, though, and I suggest a simple bit of reframing. Let's not elect the "lesser evil." Instead, focus on (and expand) those qualities that led you to the conclusion that the candidate is less evil, and support the "greater good." It's hard to do that because of our habit of seeing the "other" as evil incarnate. But remember that evil is a concept, not a person. No person is purely evil - or purely good, for that matter. It may be that our "culture of peace" is a purely platonic ideal - never to be realized but always to give direction to our striving.

Editor, propeace.net

Here is the hope... Don't burn the flag. Wash it! http://apoeticjustice.blogspot.com/

There's a lot of truth in what I hear Jason suggesting, and there is truth in what Jack says to dispute it. Yes, we may have the luxury of voting our consciences, if we live in that great bastion of Liberalism called Massachusetts, or in the depths of right-wing southern Ohio or Cheney's Wyoming. But Jack describes well the dangers of entrenched power, and for those who live and vote where the scales are more balanced, there may be less luxury. If my vote helps forestall the accumulation of power in too few hands, it is not a lesser evil I am supporting, it is a greater good.

Jack rightly points out that the thousands of days that are not election days provide far more opportunity for seeking the conscience of our fellow citizens. Our communities still have open hearings on matters of importance, our newspapers still accept letters and guest editorials, we each have scores of associates with whom we can share opinions on things that matter, and the internet is teeming with discussion boards where it is possible to engage with our fellow citizens across the spectrum of thought, and be heard by many more. These are the trenches we must slog in order to find a better way together for our children's future.

Brain, you have made choices that few of us are ready to emulate. I hope for a time when such choices elicit widepsread admiration rather than scorn. You describe a life of good fortune that few in our world have the opportunity to experience. I hope for a time when such experiences are more universal. Yesterday I had the opportunity to dig in my garden for a couple of hours. That may be as close as I can come right now to the Nirvana that you seem to live in. No jealousy, friend, good on you! my future may not hold what yours has provided, but I am content with the hours in my garden, the love of, and for, my family and fellow beings, and the opportunity to contribute something of lasting value to the world.

Whatever we do, our energy rises up into the Mystery. What we say, what we think, our energy rises up into the Mystery. If we are greedy, bloodthirsty, selfish, manipulative, vindictive, judgemental, jealous, cruel, our energy rises up into the Mystery.

Let us make better choices. Every one counts.

Steve

=========

Our lives begin to end the moment that we become silent about things that matter. (Martin Luther King Jr.)

Rainbow Brain, the choices you have made are commendable. I can see the tremendous value your choices have to you and to the world around you. While my life is completely different, I admire the choices you have made and I imagine I might have made similar choices if my life had followed a similar path. It's important that we each make the choices we need to make to move ourselves toward peace and our relationship with the world toward harmony. The specific nature of the choices will depend on what confronts us on a day-to-day basis.

I can't say that I do even half of the things you do to create a better world. But of course that does not dimish the things that I do do. If I look at the trajectory of my life, I know that I am more at peace than ever and am contributing to peace in the world more than ever. I am far from ideal, or as you so aptly put it, I'm definitely not beyond reproach. But I have the will to continue to make choices that lead me on this trajectory.

Thank you for your poetic presence here.

you guys are active
your beliefs strong and well informed
and i wish there was someway in which
the energy used between us
resulted in a... result beyond words

let us act together
directly on one project that has a discernable result soooooooooon
OR
let me invite you to use your vision and deepseated beliefs
to long-view some solutions for our children and our children's children
http://www.2020worldpeace.org

Well*Jack, ... now that i* have (almost) removed the smirk from my face, thank you (i*think;) for that un-reproach-ful, reproach ;) My trust from reading your posts and comments, is that you are doing just fine in creating a personal reality which will be beyond reproach, especially once those who revel in such action have passed into his-story. As for me*, i have never been beyond reproach, as FEAR is always out for someone to hang on its cross.

Been there, done that, - far to often, time to usher in - The Age of Compassion.

Humbly, of course.

BL*M
Global-Luvolution.blogspot.com

Well, Rainbow... now that I have recovered from my shame spiral I can only hope to one day do everything so very well that I am beyond reproach ... and to do so with the same modesty and humility, without ever once sounding arrogant, pompous and full of myself.... I can only hope.

Jack O Roses
www.usaourcountry.blogspot.com

Rainbow,

I would be delighted to hear how YOU answer the questions you pose..

Jack O Roses

* * *
Sure*Jack,

I* - do not pay income tax, nor support any government or political agenda, I* - do not use addictive substances, I* - grow a good portion of my own food on a very small lot, my home suits my needs it is not an investment which takes from others and the planet, it is my home, I* - do not use chemicals nor maintain a lawn, I* - do not use nor enslave animals or people for profit, pleasure or personal gain, I* - do not make excessive use of the modest vehicles i own and i have the skills to maintain, repair and build any*thing or situation which i choose to enjoy, I* - have lived a life of grand adventure, with a very small imprint by American Standards and have no desire to change the joy of it, as I* - have never been sick beyond a bad cold every decade or so, never broken a bone, nor crashed a vehicle, never known the meaning or experience of boredom, educated my*self to a degree which brings the divine truth of spiritual reality to the inner most depth of my heart, soul and spirit, every single moment of every single day that h/er breath sustains me, I* - choose work which helps and cares for others who do not have my skills and usually can not afford to pay the extortive price and wage which the global system of profit for war demands, and which so many are so willing to live under its rules of - FEAR, I*- live my life as an example for all who may choose to see that One* - can have what the american dream, the Peoples*Dream offers, without the need to live in or support those who desire to keep the chains of FEAR locked tightly around all whom are enslaved to their desires of power, greed, glory and greatness which sustains nothing of true reality. Every*Thing i do, touch, think, and trust is a product of truth, for S’he is the single reality.

This is a very short list and by no means covers the complete details of my existence, as like i said it has been, and is an ongoing Grand*Adventure, much of which one can only experience to truly know, words have little use to impart such clarity.

I* - have lived among you, seen the way of man, and chosen the Way of Truth.

I* - hope this is of use and perhaps some of what you we’re seeking to know about my*world.

Peace - All*Ways - leads to Truth.

Truth - All*Ways - leads to Peace.

BL*M

Love*Rulz - @ (Available on DVD ;)
Timeless-ink-Press.com

* * *
Open

The sun rose in my spirit today, as it does each morning, some days are gloomily overcast, others kind of a stormy gamble, a few spin in a foreboding whirlpool drawing life and limb toward the dark central vortex, then every so often there comes a gem, one which oozes with such splendid wonder that my heart is spun into a gambol, filled with courageous willing, a magnified glory of inclusiveness, this was such a day, one to gather cordial thoughts, to feel the generosity of life and give freely of its sensations, to gawk happily upon the outcome, to pursue goals with fearless and triumphant intention, and to stare intently into the fullness of the love presiding over the fragrant substance of all the precious ordinary glimpses of this moving joy of relativity for which my soul is a glutton.

©Bruce Larson*Moore
11-7-99
Tok, Alaska

Jason,

While I admire your idealism, experience has taught me that much more is required if we are to effect the kinds of changes we seek.

A brief review of recent history is revelatory. From 1960 through 1968, the Democrats held a majority in Congress and held the Presidency as well. From the same kind of lock on power the Republicans now enjoy, the Democrats endorsed and progressively expanded the war in Vietnam - the Republicans could not have stopped them even if they wanted to. These same Democrats nearly brought the country to financial ruin by enacting and implemeting economic policies from which it took many years to recover. Again, the Republicans were powerless to stop them. Until 1968, when the country awoke to the excesses of Democratic administration and elected a Republican president.

The lesson seems clear and obvious to me. Republican or Democrat makes no difference; this imbalance of power can only have negative consequences. Even the founding fathers knew this and they made every effort to create a structure of government that provides for the checks and balances necessary to limit the possibilities of a majority holding absolute power over a minority. The risks and perils of a two-party system such as we currently embrace was not and likely could not have been accounted for as these men drew up the Constitution and the Bill Of Rights. So long as we, the people, continue to endorse and embrace a two-party system, the burden is on us to draw effective lessons from history and act accordingly.

My endorsement of "choosing the lesser of two evils" should in no way be considered a be-all and end-all solution. It is only the first and most tangible action that can be taken that will result in significant change in the power structure now in place in Washington, D.C. Effecting such change in the power structure appears to me to be the most effective way of bringing about change in the foreign policies of this administration. And for me, that is the goal. The madness of the men now in power must come to an end. No good can come to America should we continue to pursue these dangerous and destructive policies. We cannot hope that this Republican controlled, lock-step Congress will do anything more than continue to endorse and rubber-stamp the policies of the criminals that now populate the Executive branch of government.

Should we actually succeed in bringing the Democratic party to a majority in the House or the Senate, we can conclude that there is a hope for change but the work is far from over. Regardless of their political affiliation or yours, all of our elected representatives need to hear our voice, loud and clear every day. Regardless of the outcome of any given election, we make clear our beliefs on the issue of war and peace and demonstrate that we are prepared to act by voting, they will follow. They always do.

I am unwilling to wait through the "next few election cycles" in the hope that "it" will become obvious and people will begin to act. I suspect that a continuation of our nation's "violent impulses" will only serve to make people feel ever more fearful and impotent. And I don't think the world should be made to wait while we sort out what kind of people we are or what kind of nation we want to be.

If we desire a different type of leadership, we need to demonstrate that we are a 'different' type of people... starting now. "What does one say to get past the fear that seems to block so much rational thought in others"? Patient and persistent dialogue is required. I suspect a lot of people can be inspired to break through their fears when they realize that they are not alone and that there are positive and powerful alternatives to the way we define our place in the world; alternatives to the policies designed to impose our will and 'enforce' our place in the world. Knowledge is power and consensus is the key. Don't let anyone walk away thinking that "it" is about something other than oil. The lifeblood of the corporate/military economic infrastructure of this country is oil. The policies pursued by this administrations are designed to promote and perpetuate the power of that structure; to maintain continued control of the oil/energy resources of this world. No amount of lofty rhetoric, fear-mongering or obfuscation should be allowed to cloud that fact. I believe that once we acknowledge that truth, we can begin to acknowledge our responsiblities and we can begin to envision a new way of living in this world of nations; a way that is peaceful and just.

Jack O Roses
www.usaourcountry.blogspot.com

The more people who get involved, write to their representatives, go through political avenues, the more of a voice we will have.
The Alliance for a Department of Peace is a great place to start.

"I think these guys thrive on believeing that they somehow "know better than I do", believing us "boobs" out here are too dumb to know or care."

How do we start a dialogue with these people who do not take us seriously? I become so frustrated with people who claim that the Defense Department is waging war in Iraq for our safety. What does one say to get past the fear that seems to block so much rational thought in others?

"At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love."
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Rainbow,

I would be delighted to hear how YOU answer the questions you pose..

Jack O Roses
www.usaourcountry.blogspot.com

Jack, this is great stuff. You are committed and active, and your approach is firm yet humble. Thank you for sharing this.

I was hoping we and others could discuss this a bit more. I used to believe in the "lessor of two evils." But now I firmly believe that we should never vote for ANY "evil". It's going to take all of us abandoning our fear of breaking out of the mold to actually get a different type of leadership into power. The Republicrats have a lock on our democracy and the only way we can break out of it is to vote them out. Dennis Kucinich's "Courage America" speech at the Democratic National Convention comes to mind. Greater and greater numbers of people are finding that kind of courage.

This does mean that evil or its lessor will probably win the next few election cycles, during which time our nation's violent impulses may continue unchecked. As things get worse, more and more people will find their courage. More and more people will say "enough is enough!"

I want a culture of peace, not a lessor evil.

Thoughts?

Ask not what one can do to end war, ask what you can stop doing and support peace, for it is in the actions you take, the thoughts you hold onto, that the conditions for war are created.

Change is encouraged by doing some*thing different, yet it is truly created by stopping what is being done.

Ask*, - What illusion of comfort and safety are you willing to give up, for the peace and good of All*Ways.

BL*M
Global-Luvolution.blogspot.com