The Christmas Day Attempt

On Christmas Day Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab, a young man of 23, boarded Northwest airlines flight 253, and shortly before it was due to land in Detroit, attempted unsuccessfully, to detonate explosives hidden on his person. Thankfully, alert, quick thinking passengers and crew were able to subdue him before any major damage could be done. Needless to say, a harrowing experience for all involved. Further developments bring us news that he had become radicalized and received  material and instructions in Yemen. The group claiming responsibility for the attempt is Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Apparently, Al Qaeda is now a franchise operation, kind of like McDonalds perhaps? A previously thwarted, attempted airline bombing, brought us Richard Reid, otherwise known as the shoe bomber. As a result of his hiding explosives in the soles of his shoes, we are now required to remove our shoes at airport security checkpoints. Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab hid his explosives in his underwear, giving us the underwear bomber. Or as I like to refer to him, the crotch bomber. I can only imagine what will now be required at airport security checkpoints. I can easily imagine a day, when there will be no luggage allowed on planes at all and one will be required to strip naked for the flight, be strapped into their seat, not allowed to speak or use the restroom. Upon completion of the flight, you will be allowed to redress after exiting the plane. Sounds extreme I know, but not unbelievable. OK, I digress, sorry, just had to get that off my chest. This is truly not a laughing matter and I promise to behave for the remainder of this post.

I believe that General Stanley McChrystal, some time ago, spoke of Yemen being the newest safe haven for Al Qaeda and it would seem he is correct. Yeman’s government is unable and ill equipt to stem Al Qaeda’s growth. As a result, The United States has been assisting them in their efforts, so, it would now seem that we, (The United States) are now getting more involved in yet another country in the Middle East. I am afraid, there is much done in our name around the world, both known and unknown, that does not speak well of us. Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab, when questioned as to motive for the Christmas day attempt, said it was in retaliation for United States sponsored bombings in Yemen. The United States is seen as occupiers by many in these countries, with every country we enter, with every bomb, with every bit of collateral damage we cause, we create a new, rich, fertile group of individuals, ripe for recruitment as extremists by groups such as Al Qaeda. We spend unfathomable amounts of money, time, energy and effort in the attempt to disrupt and disable extremest groups, all of these things can be measured and outlandish numbers can be attached to them. But how does one measure the untold amount of human suffering? Thousands of lives altered, irreparably changed, maimed or lost, on both sides of conflict. I often see and hear of stories of our brave, courageous women and men in uniform, being deployed time and time again. We are told of a certain percentage of them that return suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. I could not disagree with these findings more. They ALL have PTSD! No individual can return from a combat situation unchanged or unaffected, these babies have witnessed things no human being should. As horrific as their experiences were when deployed, so should the opposite be true for them upon their return. All of their needs should be attended to with compassion, caring, understanding, gratitude and love. I personally, am humbled by their depth of character and commitment, and grateful for their service.   The words homeless and veteran should NEVER be put together in the same sentence.

I am sure most would concur with my thoughts and feelings on our uniformed forces. Now, picture if you will, a young man or woman in Afghanistan, Iraq or Yemen, their village, school, town or city destroyed by bombs made or supplied by America. Perhaps many family and friends killed. No resources, no where to turn, few options to rebuild a life. One can easily see how such a person, or one that very much identifies with such a person, can easily fall into extremism.  Don’t get me wrong, I am not excusing the actions, merely attempting to explain them and trying to attach a human face, feelings and emotions. Too often we are quick to demonize and dismiss those we do not agree with, calling them crazy, lunatics, madman and the like.

Republican Congressman Ron Paul, on CNN’s Larry King Show, airing 12/28/09, had a rather spirited discussion with economist Ben Stein about our involvement in Yemen. You can view it on you tube or Congressman Paul’s website at http://www.campaignforliberty.com/. The Congressman asked Mr. Stein why we should be in Yemen, and his reply was to defend our allies against terrorists. The Congressman then asked why they were terrorists. Mr. Stein proceeded to demonize and dismiss the extremists, calling them crazy, lunatics, maniacal, things along that line. The conversation quickly deteriorated from there. It seems that Congressman Paul advocates removal of our troops from various regions of the Middle East. I could not agree more. There are many issues that need to be addressed right here in The United States, our troops, efforts, resources and energy can be utilized much more effectively here. I am not saying we abandon our allies, merely remove ourselves from combat mode where possible. Extremism is very much like a cancer that has metastasized throughout the human body, you can not remove it with one or two surgical procedures. As we have seen, the cancers we attempt to remove, we simply spread to other areas to regrow.  Though there are many extremists that are beyond dialog, I believe that the greater percentage would be willing to dialog with the hopes of having their needs met. As humans, we all want the same things, to be heard and validated, to love and be loved, to live in peace with freedom and the opportunity to fulfill our potential. Most become radicalized because they do not have these things and have no hope of ever obtaining them.

Not every country in the world will have the same vision of what freedom and opportunity and human rights looks like as we do. We alone, are not the world police. As former President Bill Clinton once said, “The power of our example, is far greater than an example of our power”. There are many in this country that do not have freedom, peace and opportunity. We have yet to live up to our finest ideals. Don’t get me wrong here, I would not want to live anywhere else, I love this country and am grateful I was born here. That said, just as most love their family and would not want to be born into any other, we can all acknowledge things about our family that are less than perfect, doesn’t mean we love them less. Do I have all the answers? As I have previously mentioned in other posts, not a chance. I have simply observed that what we are now doing, and have done, for far too many years, is not working. A favorite definition of mine for insanity, is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.

Be well, Be Peace. Join the conversation!

Destruction, devastation and opportunity…

The following is a post from my previous website. I thought it would be pertinent to re post it here as we have just marked the 5 year anniversary of the South Asia Tsunami. Though much has been done, much more is needed, as is true of much of the human condition in general. I can not begin to imagine, what progress could be made on this planet, were all our efforts, energy and attention to be focused in this direction. I am of the firm belief, that we can cure any disease, reverse global warming, provide food, clothing, shelter, health care, education and eliminate poverty for every person on the planet. All that is required, is a very simple, yet very complex shift in consciousness, to live and demonstrate on a daily basis, that we are all interconnected and interdependent, we are one species, one organism, on one planet. We are indeed,  all One. To quote Dr.Carl Sagan, “An organism at war with itself, is doomed”.  And now on to my previous post.

The destruction and devastation visited upon south Asia on December 26th 2004, is nothing short of mind numbing. The number of fatalities are unfathomable, 150,000 and growing as I write this. The conditions the survivors face are equally horrific. Lack of clean water, food, shelter and virtually no infrastructure threaten numbers far greater than that taken by the tsunami. In as much as I am saddened by this event, I am similarly awestruck by the outpouring of love,generosity and compassion displayed by the international community. The relief effort being undertaken is of historic proportions. As huge as was the tsunami, larger still has been humanity’s response.

Once again, humanity is given the opportunity to rise to its fullest potential. Sept.11, 2001 was one such opportunity. Gone are the insignificant differences such as race, creed, ethnicity and nationality that previously divided us. In there place are love, compassion, understanding, shared grief and the determination to do whatever has to be done to reach out, ease suffering and provide relief. Once again, a slumbering humanity is awakened to its interdependence upon each other and to what is truly important. Life itself! Let us use this grand opportunity to remain awake, to raise our consciousness to the levels we are capable of. As we have so admirably displayed in the days and weeks following the tsunami, the potential of humanity is far greater than we have previously demonstrated.

As traumatic an event as the tsunami was and as mind numbing as were the numbers, we shamefully have allowed far greater horrors to exist. There are many on this planet that die daily of starvation. There are many that die of preventable diseases. Wars, both known and unknown, are claiming untold numbers. Our outrage in relation to death seems to hinge on two factors. Time and visibility. The millions who have perished over the years due to such preventable conditions as starvation, disease and war due so over a period of time, not in one fell swoop as with a disaster such as a tsunami. Similarly, the events are not as visible, they are not being updated daily in the papers or media. What we don’t see on a daily basis, we don’t acknowledge.

Once again, the grand opportunity humanity has been given is to awaken to its true potential. We are each others keeper. We are all connected, all One. If we can restructure our planet and live up to these truths, if we can cause this event to be the catalyst for us to live up to our potential (and I am of the firm belief we can), then not one life lost shall have been in vein. Please use this opportunity and rise to your fullest potential.

Please reach out to our brothers and sisters in south Asia or in whatever region of our planet you choose, unfortunately there are many, in great need of assistance. you can donate with the International Red Cross at www.redcross.org. or Unicef at www.unicef.org. or look into Relief Web athttp://www.reliefweb.int for a list of countries and emergencies.

Be well, Be Peace. Join the conversation!

Some days ago, the United States Senate passed health care reform by a vote of 60-40, avoiding a possible GOP filibuster. Observing the unfolding process, over the many months it took to this point, was not much different than observing a group of unruly preschoolers fighting over a new toy. But enough of my observations. What the final result will be, what the final bill will look like, is still to be determined. What I know for sure, is that health care reform is very needed. Will the final result be perfect? I highly doubt it, will it please everyone? Not a chance. But it is a start.

It has been said, that you can tell how evolved a species is, by how it treats the least among them. By this measure, we can hardly consider our species evolved. We have not even advanced to the point where we can agree not to kill each other. Whatever the issue, be it health care, the economy, global warming, poverty, violence, war or any other societal malady that plagues us, we must move beyond our basic agreements. I will explore in more detail, in future postings, what changing our agreements could look like and what benefits we would derive from doing so. One major agreement we hold, with respect to health care, is that your well being, your health, your very existence, is dependent upon the numbers in your bank account or the health care plan your employer has chosen for you. We actually agree that money, or your lack there of, can determine whether or not you live.

Health and wellness care is not a privilege, it is a right! Health care for all is not socialized, it is civilized.  Every life is significant, each one no more, or no less special than the other. We need to regard the life of another halfway across the globe, as significant as the life halfway across the room. Lovely statement, I am sure many would agree, but please, take a deep breath, and reread that last statement. We need to regard the life of another halfway across the globe, as significant as the life halfway across the room. Over several years, I have made this statement repeatedly and have been chastised for it by many of my friends and family. You see, I make such a statement fom a belief that we are all connected, we are all One. I feel every woman to be my sister, every man my brother. But enough of all that spiritual, pie in the sky, Utopian type thinking, what do I know anyway?!

Most would agree that, stricken with illness, without any hope for assistance, would significantly lessen the ability of an individual to rise to their fullest potential. How can a person possibly aspire to be the best they can if they are uncertain of their health and well being?!  One particular discussion comes to mind. Some years ago, Oprah Winfrey, opened The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in Africa. A very beloved family member of mine, who suffers from various physical difficulties,   expressed their dismay that Oprah “took care of all those black kids in Africa, instead of kids here in the states”, despite the fact that Oprah has done much domestically as well.  I asked the following question, what if Ms. Winfrey would have opened this academy 20 or more years ago? What if, as a result, one of the children attending the academy would have found a cure for one of many ailments you are now dealing with? Would it still be such a bad idea for her to have done so?! Needless to say, there was not much of a coherent reply.

Seeing every life as significant need not come from a belief that we are all One. No pie in the sky, Utopian type thinking needed here at all. You can easily come from a mindset of whats in it for me, my concern is only for me and my family. Whenever an individual, group, or nation is disregarded, cast aside or in some way, shape or form, oppressed, we all lose. We are all cheated of their possible contributions to our lives. What song would they sing, what novel would they write, what disease would they cure? The poetry category of this blog contains two poems, “Brand New Day” and “I Miss You” that speak directly to this question. It is not the quality of the poems, or the lack there of that matters, it is the possibilities they present that does.

I am of the firm belief that we can cure most or all diseases, reverse global warming and cure all of our societal ills, if we would simply drop the agreement that some of us are better than others. We need to create a world that works for everyone or we will have a world that works for no one. So, in closing, care to help in creating that world? Who knows what possibilities it holds for you??

Thanks for stopping by. Be well. be peace and join the conversation!

With the holiday season upon us , I wish to take this time to say God Bless You and yours, may you always know the happiness and peace that is your birthright. As you hurry along your appointed errands, do them with the knowledge that you are a physical manifestation of the Divine,  as are all others on the planet. We are all daughters and sons of God. Yes, that is correct, we are all Goddesses and Gods. The only thing that keeps us from demonstrating that, is knowing and believing it to be true. We are all the Saviors we are waiting for. The world will be a better place, when we decide it should be. As well as being physical manifestations of Divinity, please remember, we are also, very much human. Perfectly, imperfect humans. So don’t be too hard on yourself when you don’t always demonstrate your Divine nature, I for one, could not make this claim. Recognizing that you are not, when you are not, is quite an accomplishment.

It matters not what holiday you celebrate, just as it matters not what you choose to call the God of your understanding. For that matter you need not even be attached to the concept of a God. I am certain that all of us believe in life, it is pretty self evident, we are all alive. I consider God and Life to be the same thing. The concept of being a part of something much bigger than self is easier to grasp when the evidence for it is right before you. There are approximately 6 billion of us on the planet, that does not even include the myriad of other life forms we share the earth with. I would say that qualifies as being bigger than self.

So,  as the holidays approach, I wish to make a few suggestions that may make the season a little more joyful and less stressful. I feel all ground to be holy and every moment to be sacred. That said, one need not stress about being able to spend a particular day in a particular place. Simply because a day on the calendar is designated a holiday, does not make that particular block of 24 hours any more or less special than another. Every day is a holy-day. Most would agree, that God/Life is omnipresent. Everywhere at all times. So in this, we see, that if God/Life is with us always, how can anyplace or anytime be more holy or sacred than right here, right now?! While there is a wonderful sense of peace and inspiration to be gained, in gathering with like minded individuals, in the house of worship of your choice, the ground you stand on, the structure that you are in at any given moment is as sacred as any other.

My lovely wife Marie and I, for many years now, have ceased the practice of buying adult friends and family gifts. Everyone we know, more or less, has what they need. We see no need to deal with the stress of trying to figure out what to get everyone. For the most part, gifts are usually put aside, discarded, given away or forgotten about. We usually celebrate with close friends and family by getting everyone together, well before the calendar holiday,  for an afternoon of food and drink. I can think of no better gift than to provide another with the nourishment necessary to live.

At these events, we usually suggest a few charitable organizations close to our hearts should our guests feel the need to spend any money. How much better would our world be if we all did that? I am reminded of a bumper sticker I recently saw, “Live simply, so that others may simply live”. Eight words, that if, were practiced by all, would change the planet. There is a wonderful website that I heard about recently called redefining Christmas. www.redefine-christmas.org It is dedicated to the idea that instead of giving loved ones gifts, you donate to a charity of their choice in their name and ask for the same for yourself. I assure you, it will be a much more satisfying, fulfilling gift giving experience and no need to lug around packages or clutter your home with things you will most likely never use.

Below are the suggestions we offered at this years holiday gathering, please feel free to partake of one or all if you feel so moved.

http://ww5.komen.org/ (breast cancer research)
http://nyc-dop.com/ (help create a culture of peace and non violence)
http://cityharvest.org/ (feeding hungry New Yorkers daily)

In closing, I wish you a wonderful holy-day, everyday! And a happy, healthy, peaceful and abundant 2010. Join the conversation!!

In the papers of late, do appear,
News of devastation, both far and near.
Hurricanes, tsunami, earthquake and war,
Cause personal and planetary tension to soar.

Where will it end? Does it all seem lost?
Will the end of our species, be the ultimate cost?
We have the technology, it could be too late,
If violence and fear, we do escalate.

I’ve looked over the mountain, seen the promised land.
We can rise above it all, peace close at hand.
Our deliverer has come to proclaim the news,
A joyful future is assured, if unity we choose.

Where is this deliverer? For you see none.
Who would convince humanity, we are all One?
Who would have the ability, who would be the source,
Of such consciousness, what enlightened force?

Look into any mirror and you will find,
Such a deliverer, so strong of mind.
You need not wait for another, these things to do,
For you are the force, it is all within you.

Overwhelmed by the task? The order too tall?
You need not cure the planet, feel free to start small.
Be peace in all you do, with compassion & love be free
Come from your heart always, be the change you wish to see.

J.Allegro, 2005

You are a forgotten refugee of a war torn land,
displaced and hungry, possessions in hand.
You are ravaged by disease, the future unsure,
If only funds were present, so would the cure.

You’re in poverty’s grip, flooding your hear,
how to feed family, provide a roof and a bed.
Oppressed due to gender, creed region or race,
your generations have had, this burden to face.

Needless suffering endured, for far too long,
When will humanity see, we’ve got it all wrong.
Not money, nor possessions or power are source,
you are our finest asset, earth’s greatest resource!

If only you were granted, the opportunity to thrive,
You would achieve much more, than barely survive.
What song would you sing, what novel would you write,
To rise is not a privilege, but your God given right!

What would you invent, what disease would you cure?
Your lost potential cheats all, of this I’m sure.
So I try in small ways, the paradigm to shift,
To change hearts and minds, and hope to uplift.

My efforts are small, of them what will be?
I doubt I could do enough, to truly set you free.
These feeble words I write, in the hope that its true,
Somehow you know, how very deeply, I miss you

Parts of the following was originally written for my previous website in  February of 2004. Unfortunately, it is still pertinent today.

Earlier this month (December 2009) the New York State Senate voted down a bill that would provide marriage equality for same sex and LGBT couples. Yesterday,  the New Jersey State Senate postponed a vote on the same issue. Although not officially sited as the cause, presumably, the votes to pass the measure, simply were not there.

With all the unnecessary time and energy being spent on the issue of same sex marriage/marriage equality of late, I am compelled to comment. I have heard it said from the political arena, that the sanctity of marriage is being threatened, and needs to be protected. That marriage is one of our nations most enduring institutions and must be defined as a union between a man and a woman. I have heard it said from more than one source that same sex marriage defies the laws of God.

I will attempt to address each statement. As for the sanctity of marriage being threatened, I don’t know about anyone else, but for me, I personally feel no threat whatsoever.  I do not live in fear of my marriage falling apart, because two people, who happen to be the same sex, get married. There are those, who given their way, would not allow marriage between different nationalities, races or religions. To me, this is the same thing. It is a civil rights issue, plain and simple. Besides, what right do I, or anyone else for that matter have, to tell someone who to love, or in what way to express that love.

As for marriage being one of our nation’s most enduring institutions, that needs to be defined as a union between a man and a woman. I would almost begin to listen to this argument IF the traditional male/female union was one, that was indeed, lasting and enduring. But, alas, this is not true. One look at divorce stats would tell a much different story. This is simply because the challenges, obstacles and difficulties faced in marriage are the same regardless of the sex of the people in the marriage. Indeed, they are most likely magnified in a same sex union, not because of individuals in the marriage, but the obstacles they must face from outside the marriage. There was at one time  talk of an amendment to the constitution to ban same sex marriage. I seem to remember something about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Now it seems to me that if a person were denied the right to marry, that would put a wee bit of an obstacle in that pursuit.

Now on to same sex marriage being against the laws of God. There are many who will point to one Holy book or another and quote passages that condemn same sex unions. Let me explain it this way.  Its kind of  like playing a game of telephone. Tell someone a story, give them instructions, whatever you like, and have them tell someone else. Do this for a few days and with 40 or 50 people and you will find that whatever the original story was, it will have changed to some degree. Maybe a little, maybe a lot, the possibilities are endless. This is because we all perceive things through our own individual filters of experience and preference. The Holy books that will be quoted were all written thousands of years ago and have undergone who knows how many revisions. Am I saying that everything written in such books are to be discarded, not at all. I am simply questioning accuracy. One look at the sophistication of today’s communication capabilities, such as email, voicemail, cell phones, instant messaging,  and social networking sites easily illustrates my point. Even with all of these devices, we still manage misunderstandings and lack of communication. You can bet the authors of many of our Holy books were not instant messaging, emailing or facebooking pertinent information to each other on a daily basis.

A revisiting of what we consider our Holy books would benefit us greatly, let us expand upon what is contained in them, that works, and detract what does not. Just one example, for me,  a compassionate, kind,  All inclusive and unconditionally loving God, works. A judgmental, condemning and wrathful god, does not.  We have all heard stories of those among us,  that have forgiven others for the most heinous of acts perpetuated against them or their families. Most would agree, that God, the Universe, Life, Source or whatever an individual feels a part of, that is bigger than self, is greater and grander than one individual. So if one individual could forgive the most heinous of acts, how much greater would be the God of our understanding?  I feel if I believe anything less, I truly am, a child of a lesser god.

I have come to ministry to introduce others to an all inclusive, unconditionally loving and non-judgmental God. Well, allow me to introduce you. God does not care how love shows up, or what form it takes. God only cares that it does show up. And yes, “all inclusive” , does include same sex relationships.

So, in closing, should same sex marriage be legal? We all know the answer to this, its really not that hard. I will assist with a little hint, YES!!! 

Thanks for stopping by, join the conversation!

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Congratulations to President Obama for being awarded The Noble Peace Prize. Regardless of personal opinion either way, I feel this to be a significant event for our country. During the campaign, I felt that just electing this President would greatly improve the standing of the United States in the eyes of the world. Today is but one event of many that have confirmed these feelings. Once again, congratulations to our President and to The United States of America.

Thanks for stopping by, join the conversation!

It seems that almost daily, news of Tiger Wood’s unfortunate situation worsens. Sadly, it also seems our appetite for information is insatiable. Today brings news of his mother-in-law being rushed to the hospital in the early hours of the morning, (she has since been released) the stress and strain of her daughter’s current difficulties no doubt, a contributing factor.  Why is it so many are so fascinated and engrossed by this story? Although I don’t have, nor could I know,  all the answers to such a question, I will ponder but a few.

Some, no doubt, simply wish to be voyeurs into the lives of the rich and famous. Others, simply wish to be voyeurs into the lives of anybody, which might account for the over abundance of mindless “reality” shows that fill television and cable programing schedules. The more outrageous the character, the bigger the train wreck their life becomes, the deeper the fascination.

Tiger’s current difficulties are nothing new to the human story, he did not do anything that has not already been done. The unfortunate thing about all of it is, that unlike you and I, he is famous and is constantly in the public eye, for better or worse. Tiger is an extremely talented and gifted athlete, as well as a genuinely likable  guy. It is for that reason he is held in the highest regard, placed on a pedestal.  What we need to remember as we follow his family’s difficulties, is that they, just like all of us, are human.

We tend to rush too quickly to judgment, we are swift to demonize the actions of another. Many times,  the actions of another,  are our own thoughts, not acted upon, in some cases, our own deeds, undiscovered. I am not here to condone or excuse Tiger’s behavior, nor am I here to judge or condemn it.  Simply to observe, state what is true for me in this moment and hopefully gain some insight, wisdom and a deeper appreciation of what it means to be human.

I will however, make the following statement on love, relationships and marriage. It is quite possible, and highly likely, that a person would  love or desire more than one individual, in an intimate, romantic relationship. Love is unlimited, we love our family, no matter how big it is. Whether parents, children, cousins, aunts or uncles, we love them all. We love our friends, no matter how many or how few. The only difference is the type of love we have for a particular other and how we express that love. Why would  intimate love of another be limited to one particular individual, once again, love is unlimited. Yes, I know, it is quite a statement, worthy of much deeper and in depth discourse than I will not  go into fully here.

That said, no , I am not promoting that we express our love with whom ever we wish in whatever way we wish. Although I believe it can be done, I know of no one who has done this with any success.  Such a situation could only be achieved with the consent of all parties involved and all involved would surely need to be spiritual masters. I for one, do not fit this definition. I am perfectly happy, to  choose to  express intimate, romantic love, only with my lovely wife Marie and I am very happy, that she has made that same choice.  Key word here, choice. We are always at choice, there are always options.

I had the opportunity some years ago to witness, through the experience of one participant, three very highly evolved individuals enter into a intimate, romantic relationship. All involved were aware and consenting. After some considerable time, it became necessary for two of  individuals to partner exclusively, their bond had blossomed and deepened to that extent. Having witnessed this, leads me to believe, that it would be extremely difficult for most, to maintain intimate relationships with more than one partner.

In closing, may the Woods’  family and all that might be effected by Tiger’s choices, find clarity, understanding, compassion and peace as soon as is possible. May their sadness, frustration, anger and despair be short in both duration and intensity.  Whatever the result, whatever the final decision, whether it be resolution, or dissolution, it can be achieved with kindness, understanding, compassion and love.

Thanks for stopping by, join the conversation!!

Be well, Be peace……