Compassion. Comments from my dear friends Jenny , Afterglow, and Ana stirred me and I spent a lot of time at the beach thinking on it. Does having compassion mean that you allow life (or government) to run over you? Is it a fine line between love for all mankind and naivete with regard to the chaos mankind can create, and where is the line? What does it take for me to go from "Namaste" to "burn in hell?"
I am reading a book right now, "Suite Francaise." This book, and the history of its creation, are helping me contemplate the extent to which I am capable of compassion. In this book, compassion and naivete will sometimes get you conquered or killed which makes me wonder how a population can possibly know when enough is enough? When compassion must give way to action and decision.
Yes, my cursing the president to a long roast in hell is not very mature, granted. My feverish anger for corruption, no matter who it is corrupted, is the source of my venom. I am not a Democrat. I do not worship at the altar of Clinton. I am not... anything. Clinton was an ass in his own special way, and in more ways than I'll ever know. Corruption exists everywhere, and I despise it no matter the mask it wears. I have no intention of voting for Hilary, and God knows that as the first woman with any chance of being elected I wish that I could proudly vote for her. I don't know what the answer is, but the Clintons aren't it, George isn't it. Cheney most definitely isn't it.
I only know what I feel and what I think. I feel betrayed by my government in a way in which I have never felt about anything in my life. I am not simply disappointed as I was in Bill and Monica and the lies told. Utterly betrayed by the office I was brought up to trust to know best. I cannot just trust anymore. I think we, as a people, are lied to more now than we have ever been (and we have ALWAYS been). I think our rights are being taken away and no one is paying attention. And I am afraid. And there it is. The fear. Only when I am afraid, do my words fly like poisoned darts. It is so hard for me to let go of this... to trust that everything is just as it should be and the world doesn't need my anger to keep spinning.
Evilness exists, but it is a slippery being. In and out of humanity, never completely metastasizing. And I wonder... when does a people decide that maintaining compassion should not stand guard against righteousness in the face of negative vibration, violence, and evil? I think about whether I will look back on these days and wish I had known how to do more than write inconsequential, uncompassionate letters to my president that he will never read. Good night.
you have a strong spirit of discerment as it should be blessings beck
If no-one gets angry, nothing will change.
you are a very wise woman jenny ♥
Your letters to the president that he will never read nevertheless inspire people to think and to discuss, and that in itself, can change the world, one thought in one person, at a time.
We can have compassion and still make sure that stupid people don't have the power to do horrible things. We can find a way to have compassion for a man who, as was said before me, is really only just a man... while still doing everything in our power to make sure he can't harm others.
Compassion doesn't mean turning the other cheek, or even making allowances when something is obviously wrong.
The world does need your anger, because anger, when properly directed, is a driving force. It does keep the world turning... because it causes change. I'm talking about the "I'm-not-giong-to-stand-for-attrocities-this-needs-to-change-NOW" kind of anger, not the kind of anger that is rage directed towards other people.
If a child throws sand at another child in the playground, you pick up the child and remove him from the sandbox... and eventually teach the child that throwing sand is not okay. We don't hate the child for throwing sand; we may get angry at first, but eventually we understand that the child does not yet understand, has not yet been taught.
I believe that Bush does need to be removed from the sandbox, and also gently (somehow) taught that throwing sand is not okay. Then he can sit back during his time out and watch other people playing in the sandbox so he can learn what better things can happen when we don't throw sand.
If he choses never to learn that throwing sand is wrong, his consequences are that he never gets to play in the sandbox again.
Also... if a child throws enough sand, eventually one of the consequences is that you make them clean it up, too, and say sorry to all the kids that got sand in their eyes...
'Anger' tempered with compassion is what the world needs to spark change, at least in my own humble and uninformed opinion
I think that the role of president has been changed too much, by the media, by current events, and by America's changing role in the world. The result of this is that the wrong kind of people are attracted to the job. It's not about being a civil servant to the country, its about power, agendas and notoriety. In those conditions, what good person, free of total corruption is going to want to take it on? What decent person would want to subject their family to the scrutiny of the media? or deal with the corrupted leaders of other countries? or go towards the nearly impossible goal of making America stand for something different in the eyes of other countries and in the eyes of America itself?
its not a job i would want, thats for sure.
I'm not gonna lie... I would vote for you!
It is crazy that it has been almost....eight....years...since the Clinton thing and it still gets under people skin...ERIN
Even though the President may never read your letters, you do influence others in cyberspace. You have a HUGE following around Xanga, I have noticed. And while I (and maybe a handful of others) may not agree with them, others do. Your blog is your contribution to changing the political world. People with money and time can run for office. But blogs are the biggest thing that's going to influence the next election. The guy I'm hoping will run is planning on utilizing the power of blogs. It's the coming thing. The media just puts too much spin one way or the other on things anymore, and all they care about is Paris Hilton getting out of jail.
And for what it's worth, I opposed Bush on the immigration bill. So see, I don't agree with him all the time. LOL! And I'm glad to know that you won't be voting for Hillary. That woman makes my skin crawl.
I'm not very compassionate when it comes to things outside my family. Sometimes I get a burr in my craw and rant about something. Sometimes it's spurred by listening to the Rush Limbaugh Podcast from Jeff's Ipod when we are on a trip. But the family and house is my main focus. We are only here for a little while, and the world is just going to keep on going. We are so tiny and insignificant in the history of the world, really.
Compassion does not mean turning a blind eye. You can understand something and still find it abhorrent.
In fact, we should all strive to understand each other's points of view - it is only then that a true dialogue can begin. This is what I feel is lacking in our current administration. They seem to have no desire to understand other people's points of view. They've made it very clear that you are either 'with them or against them.' There is no middle ground and no room for compromise.
It is unlikely that he will read your letters - but, as it has been mentioned here, your thoughts and letters help to promote the discourse in the populous. This is what is needed to truly enact change. The people need to come together and share ideas and then act, with reason of course, according to their beliefs.
crazy people = crazy government....
I dont like this equation much but ... there it is
Comments (11)
you are a very wise woman jenny ♥
We can have compassion and still make sure that stupid people don't have the power to do horrible things. We can find a way to have compassion for a man who, as was said before me, is really only just a man... while still doing everything in our power to make sure he can't harm others.
Compassion doesn't mean turning the other cheek, or even making allowances when something is obviously wrong.
The world does need your anger, because anger, when properly directed, is a driving force. It does keep the world turning... because it causes change. I'm talking about the "I'm-not-giong-to-stand-for-attrocities-this-needs-to-change-NOW" kind of anger, not the kind of anger that is rage directed towards other people.
If a child throws sand at another child in the playground, you pick up the child and remove him from the sandbox... and eventually teach the child that throwing sand is not okay. We don't hate the child for throwing sand; we may get angry at first, but eventually we understand that the child does not yet understand, has not yet been taught.
I believe that Bush does need to be removed from the sandbox, and also gently (somehow) taught that throwing sand is not okay. Then he can sit back during his time out and watch other people playing in the sandbox so he can learn what better things can happen when we don't throw sand.
If he choses never to learn that throwing sand is wrong, his consequences are that he never gets to play in the sandbox again.
Also... if a child throws enough sand, eventually one of the consequences is that you make them clean it up, too, and say sorry to all the kids that got sand in their eyes...
'Anger' tempered with compassion is what the world needs to spark change, at least in my own humble and uninformed opinion
its not a job i would want, thats for sure.
Even though the President may never read your letters, you do influence others in cyberspace. You have a HUGE following around Xanga, I have noticed. And while I (and maybe a handful of others) may not agree with them, others do. Your blog is your contribution to changing the political world. People with money and time can run for office. But blogs are the biggest thing that's going to influence the next election. The guy I'm hoping will run is planning on utilizing the power of blogs. It's the coming thing. The media just puts too much spin one way or the other on things anymore, and all they care about is Paris Hilton getting out of jail.
And for what it's worth, I opposed Bush on the immigration bill. So see, I don't agree with him all the time. LOL! And I'm glad to know that you won't be voting for Hillary. That woman makes my skin crawl.
I'm not very compassionate when it comes to things outside my family. Sometimes I get a burr in my craw and rant about something. Sometimes it's spurred by listening to the Rush Limbaugh Podcast from Jeff's Ipod when we are on a trip. But the family and house is my main focus. We are only here for a little while, and the world is just going to keep on going. We are so tiny and insignificant in the history of the world, really.
Compassion does not mean turning a blind eye. You can understand something and still find it abhorrent.
In fact, we should all strive to understand each other's points of view - it is only then that a true dialogue can begin. This is what I feel is lacking in our current administration. They seem to have no desire to understand other people's points of view. They've made it very clear that you are either 'with them or against them.' There is no middle ground and no room for compromise.
It is unlikely that he will read your letters - but, as it has been mentioned here, your thoughts and letters help to promote the discourse in the populous. This is what is needed to truly enact change. The people need to come together and share ideas and then act, with reason of course, according to their beliefs.
crazy people = crazy government....
I dont like this equation much but ... there it is