Obama and His New Security Team

I haven't written in this blog where I muse about the folly of humankind and its insistence that we continue to build more military bombs, boats, and guns. Despite the fact that many USAmericans do not believe it that the US is militaristic, we just need to go back to the formation of this country to see that wars have gone on an unsustainable path of growth of military hardware and nationalistic views of ourselves as the "greatest". But there are so many wonderful things in life we should aspire to grow and share with the world and one another. I sadden at the prospect of more wars that could and should be averted through means that require diplomacy before even thinking of warring. I realize that if someone attacked us--and I mean a country not a bunch of fanatical people--then we should defend ourselves. We'll always have the means to squelch any such invasion since we have the armament greater than all of our allies put together. I expect to grow and change with spiritual work on myself. Perhaps if I can grow so can others. As to the Nobel Prize for Peace that Obama received early in his first term, I think he's beginning to earn it because his new team will consider every and anything to protect our country with war being the last quiver in their arsenal. May 2013 be blessed for all of us.

Restarting with Dalai Lama

I'm reading and learning about the importance of taming my mind. Like many others, I assume, my mind takes on a life of its own and frequently leads me to wrong conclusions or premature judgments. These are never healthy in establishing connections with ourselves or with others. So as I practice this mind taming ideal, I hope to create inner peace for me and greater peace between me and those with whom I interact.

It seems to me that people from many different cultures have much to teach this short NewYorican/West Coast woman..


I will do my best to share my thoughts following prayer and meditation as well as following my more peaceful readings.

Kerry Rips MSNBC On Wright: 'You People Need To Let Go Of This' - Politics on The Huffington Post

If ever we are to have a peace movement we need to get rid of yellow journalism in the mainstream media. This little story from the Huffington Post and MSNBC has John Kerry standing up to the media. Perhaps he could have contributed to a diminished war in Iraq if he'd fought back as strenuously during his failed run for the presidency. Many people I know believe that there is a reason for everything; others of us believe that good can come from evil if we learn and grow from the struggle with it. Thus, perhaps Kerry can grow into a powerful voice for righting the wrongs created by the Bush administration and the NEOCONS who run it.

Kerry Rips MSNBC On Wright: 'You People Need To Let Go Of This' - Politics on The Huffington Post

Arianna Huffington: Shameful Days: Why Won't The Media Pursue the Pentagon Propaganda Scandal? - Media on The Huffington Post

Since the weaning days of Eisenhower's presidency, the pentagon has grown and taken huge chunks of political clout and government funding to itself. The media has shrunk due to the fact that just a handful of people own the major news outlets. Focus on peace has diminished and war mongering has increased. These are all my opinions which with time I am certain I could substantiate; however, I can't really be surprised as Arianna Huffington seems to be that what passes for mainstream media does not pursue and highlight important issues. Instead, this entire week has been spent on Obama/Wright controversy. What a presidential candidate's pastor says is given more importance than the lies and propaganda that comes out of the pentagon and that impacts the lives of our service personnel in war zones far from home.

Arianna Huffington: Shameful Days: Why Won't The Media Pursue the Pentagon Propaganda Scandal? - Media on The Huffington Post

Alice Walker on Obama | Views | TheRoot.com

Alice Walker on Obama | Views | TheRoot.com

I haven't hear Alice Walker's beautiful voice in a long time. Recently a good friend forwarded the link to a story Ms Walker wrote for The Root online journal and once again I wept. This time in the good way that we can weep when the connection is deep and good. Our lives matter and our connections remain more important than the particular things that "seem" to project deep divisions and differences. I cannot have Ms Walker's experiences but I can relate to them in ways that are meaningful to me and to any work I choose to do with other women of color. Bell Hooks once wrote that too often the feminisms we encounter in academia do not lend themselves to the realities in the lives of women of color. She was right and Walker's sharing is another way of showing ways of working with the distinctions and more importantly making connections with one another.

I hope again and have begun to work for the "greater" good by working with like minded people in my corner of the world. Walker and other women inspire the hope as does the young man who seems to resonate the ideas and words of heroes of younger years. So Walker's metaphor of the goddess who sees three views is excellent for those of us who need to hope for the future, recall the past and work in the present.

Words, Words, Words

Recent weeks show that politicians can seduce us with words or destroy our public discourse with them. Sometimes, as during the past two weeks, the seduction and destruction takes place simultaneously.

YouTube - She without arm, he without leg - ballet - Hand in Hand

War can destroy much but not the human spirit. At least this is so in the ballet scene performed below.

Humor from Colbert, Stewart, and O'Brien

Will this lead to peace? I think not. Will Huckabee become the next president because he can laugh at silly situations? Perhaps.

Moderate Conservative McCain

The following video was developed to pair with Obama's Yes We Can hip hopped video. However, McCain's video does not engender a feeling that Peace will be promoted or even sought by the McCain administration should he become president. This fact is truly sad as until now I'd believed that people who had endured great suffering while serving their country would be among the first to do all possible to prevent wars and to end wars they would inherit.