That Man on the Corner: Where Ideology and Spirituality Meet

I have often felt conflicted in situations where there is a person on the street corner holding a sign, asking for something. Do I, or don’t I have a quarter for this person, and do I or don’t I want to give it to them? Now, I was raised a religious person, and I am an American. You wouldn’t think that these two aspects would oppose each other. But, strangely, they do. I don’t consider myself religious any longer, but I do my best to uphold spiritual values. Up until recently this man on the corner scenario was posing quite a dilemma for me.

There is a prominent political ideology in this country influenced by Darwinian ideas, that if one person helps another, it actually does them a disservice, as it merely perpetuates their weakness. It enables the weak and incapable to remain unproductive as they continue to leech from the rest. Rather, for their own sake and for society’s benefit, they must be left in the struggle or they will never grow and develop to provide for themselves. Then, there is what I was taught in church when I was a child. Jesus washed the feet of the meek, clothed the naked, and fed the hungry. He was a great teacher of not only charity, but also compassion. And like the other teachers of compassion, Buddha, Gandhi, the Dalai Lama, there is the teaching of opening one’s heart and comprehending the inherent oneness of human beings trapped in an illusion of separateness from one another and all things. To overcome such an inauthentic view, we are taught to love one another, have compassion, forgiveness, and to open up our hearts. As such enlightened beings, we are God, and there is no division, no fear, only unity everywhere. In such mode of being, the right thing to do was help this poor man out.

But ugh, to give out spare change! I really many happen to think that I need it myself. That I have my own bills to pay, and etc. and etc. But the sign that I saw that day, the sign that the old man sitting against the traffic-light pole was holding, did not say, need change, anything helps, need 50 cents (such an insignificant amount there’s not even a cent symbol key on my computer), Jesus saves, need beer, or whatever. It said, HUNGRY. Read the rest of this entry »

Essays, Politics, Religion, Spirituality | 24.09.2011 13:28 | No Comments

Senators in the Budget Wars, Do the Right Thing!

I have just completed my Master’s degree in Humanities, and am set to join the workforce of a productive society, one that has promised me success if I just worked hard enough to educate myself and then contribute my talents in service to the community. I dream of being an educator, a professor, dedicated to teaching others the ways of living a good life, a healthy, productive, prosperous, and joyful, good life. I dream of passing on to others what made life this way for me, except, my odds to do this are currently not so great. The principal of the Denver charter school where I would love to secure a professional position, told me that with the currently presented budget cuts, the school has to cut $800 dollars PER STUDENT for the next school year. In a nation that has just extended tax benefits for the wealthy, is a TRAVESTY.
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Politics | 14.03.2011 20:09 | No Comments

State of My Response, 2/2011

Barack Obama’s words did not ring empty to me as he spoke of the connection we all have to something greater than us, beyond parties and ideologies. Despite his emphasis on unity, Obama’s greater emphasis lied on fostering competition within the traditional framework of materialism/consumerist ethos, and the realization of the American dream. He focused on the need for everyone to make a decent living, and extolled the importance of the teaching of math, science in education, on development, technology, and innovation. This is consistent with the traditional belief that competition fosters brings out the best in this system. This is not without merit. Science has taught us about the survival of the fittest, and it is competition and innovation that brings this about. It is this that is at stake, it seems. Our very survival considering the challenges that we face. It is smart to assert the need for ourselves to reinvent ourselves as a people living in a new era, and the focus on clean energy technology. The wisdom in ending the subsidies to oil companies, and revoke this corrupting tie between business and government. I agree with Obama that we must invest in our future.

He spoke of the American family, but made no such comment about a world family. He spoke about a race to educate our children, but a race against whom? A race against those with whom we compete for our survival? Is this really the case, or do we win if we all help one another rise to meet the challenges of living in this world? That would certainly not please the conservatives who take the nature of existence with a grain of salt. But, is it realistic in this worldview that we will defeat our enemies without creating an infinite series of more of them? We have seen how expensive and difficult it has been to defeat terrorism. If we exuded a little more compassion, is it unrealistic that we could win some of them over? What good is freedom if greed of the few impoverishes the many? This is a skewed view of freedom, and if the above is the case, then we cease to be a “beacon of light” for the rest of the world, and are a majorly disfunctional American family.

To remain consistent to the theme of unity, Obama would do better, while acknowledging the importance of excellence in math and science to secure our survival as a nation, and cosmopolitan world citizens, to not neglect the humanities: philosophy, psychology, art. Yes, survival is a must, but we also require for it to have meaning. There is a virtue in freedom in studying that which brings us the most joy, to be able to provide the best for the family by cultivating the talents which we have a propensity for. Education is key to Obama’s vision of the future, with which I agree, but not a one-sided education. Humanities demonstrate their relevance by supplying the meaning to our existence, and providing avenues for us to not just survive, but to survive with a depth and richness of experience, following our passions, and feeding our souls. Yes, Americans, unite, in more ways than one.

Image: friscovista.com

Politics | 25.01.2011 21:45 | No Comments

THE ISSUE OF OUR TIMES

I am so impressed with particularly this one of my two US Senators. Michael Bennet has been a champion of moving our country to a new energy paradigm. This IS if not anything, THE VITAL issue of our times. Along with Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tom Carper (D-DE), Tom Udall (D-NM), Bennet introduced a bill called the OIL INDEPENDENCE FOR A STRONGER AMERICA ACT which seeks to diminish U.S. oil consumption by approximately 8 million barrels per day in 2030 by setting vehicle efficiency standards, developing alternative transportation fuels, improving travel options and infrastructure, and reducing the amount of oil used to heat buildings. (The Environmental and Energy Institute) Information on this bill can be found here.

This would not only move America toward oil independence, but boost national security, reduce the need for war, enhance Americans’ self-sufficiency; it would create significant jobs, and improve the planet and our bodies’ health.

What would it be like to live in a city that with less pollution, congestion, traffic?? Pristine lands and oceans without worry of toxic oil slicks, clean air… What a sight it would be for every sunshine state roof-top glistening with solar panels, windy states sporting a collection of wind turbines dotting a verdant hillsides, and a lightrail trains coasting to their stops at convenient times and locations!

According to Bennet’s energy policy liason Zane Kessler, already, 20,000 jobs have been created as the result of wind turbine tower production. He supports clean energy technology tax incentives which would draw more such businesses to states offering them. He also envisions a “Race to the Top” with energy (similar to the “Race to the Top” in education, which used a carrot approach to encourage states to produce a system of rules designed to improve teaching in our schools). This would be a system used to allot federal funding to clean energy investments based on a system to determine which states are prepared to create an environment conducive to producing clean energy technologies. Thousands of jobs are a by-product of this, so is a product which can be exported around the world. Last night at a town hall, where I was honored to meet Mr. Bennet, he said that one of the United States’ largest exports is military equipment and aircraft. China’s, by contrast, is solar panels! How is it, that they are leading producers and exporters of this technology when we in the US came up with it? What would it look like if we could garner in on this industry?!

One of America’s core values, especially held dear by the conservatives (and incidentally, by me as well) is SELF-RELIANCE. If the government has any legitimate role in preventing or mitigating economic collapse, it ought to invest in this new and needed infrastructure. If anything, leaders, lead the nation towards self-sufficiency!

Renewable energy is the investment we should be making. Building and implementing the infrastructure could be the new driving force of our economy, our security, the health of our planet and ourselves and our children. This issue could bridge conservatives and progressives, environmentalists and businessmen, even Democrats and Republicans. Especially if businesses were to legitimately compete to secure any possible government investment (funding). This is the entry point for me, an independent. I just want a that steers us in the right direction. I want to feel secure. I just don’t in an economy based on fossil fuel.

Michael Bennet understands that renewable energy equals jobs, national security, self-reliance, and that it’s an important investment for our future, not only as Coloradans, but citizens of the United States. Investing in renewable energy is the responsible thing to do as citizens of this shared wide blue world.

Politics | 9.08.2010 10:48 | No Comments

On Health Care Reform

Hey Health Insurance Companies!

Your essence is good.
It is your job to help us with our health care.
You finance it through our monthly payments.
Your service is that we don’t have to have the savings to cover our asses.
You shoulder our responsibility.
It is not your job to deny claims or tell doctors how to do their job.
It is your financial incentive to help us stay or get healthy.
What are you going to do about it?

Hey Lawmakers!

Expand the taxes on products that make us unhealthy.
We already have a liquor and cigarette tax.
Tax corn-syrup, sugar, partially hydrogenated oils.
Lawmaker, laws are to protect all of us.
Do not sell us out.

Politics, Rant | 15.01.2010 19:54 | No Comments