Before we hear more about putting nationalism on the back burner, perhaps we should also consider what a former Soviet dissident has recently written about Defending Identity and it's critical role in protecting democracy.

Defending Identity: Its Indispensable Role in Protecting Democracy
by Natan Sharansky

Reviews

Washington Times, July, 25, 2008 “The Democratic Party's hopeful savior, Barack Obama, has made it clear that he will draw a sharp distinction between himself and John McCain through his approach to foreign policy and his emphasis on diplomacy and multi-nationalism. His commitment to restoring America's image and withdrawing from Iraq makes him the preferred candidate for much of Western Europe, and much of the world for that matter. However, Barack Obama's lead in world public opinion polls is something John McCain should highlight and embrace, rather than resist. If Mr. McCain finds this strategy flawed, he should read Natan Sharansky's latest book, "Defending Identity," which discusses the crucial distinctions between the United States and much of the world, including the European bloc. Mr. Sharansky, a Jewish former Soviet dissident who spent years in the gulags for trying to hold the Soviet Union accountable to its international human-rights commitments, explains as his central thesis that identity without democracy is totalitarianism, but democracy without identification to the larger community is weak and doomed to fail. “

Jerusalem Post, June 30, 2008
“Fortunately, one of the greatest Jewish heroes alive today has jumped into this battle, armed with his usual weapons - wit, iconoclasm, erudition and courage. Having survived Soviet prisons, having survived years in Israeli politics with his reputation for independence and integrity intact, Natan Sharansky is now ready to lead the charge against those who are deluding themselves by denuding themselves…This twist makes Sharansky's argument fresh, powerful, compelling, and yes, subversive. Rather than joining the Jewish woe-is-me crowd lamenting that particularist Judaism cannot survive America's universalizing embrace, Sharansky fears that America, Europe and the West cannot survive modernity's universalizing embrace. Sharansky endorses a strong Jewish identity, a vital American identity, a vigorous Israeli identity, a proud Western identity, to preserve democracy… Sharansky's book should make us appreciate how lucky we are as Jews to be a part of such an inspiring story.”

I couldn't get through that chatter, you used the word " War " eleven times, I could not possibly read that its boring x 11.
The title is nice though..

Well not everyone on the planet lives or imagines to live the Maha Vakyas, eh Deepak.

The modern day Shankara

Deepak...I love you guy, but stick to what you do best guru-ing. Leave politics and war-mongering to those that want to live that dream. Yes, here in America we are a bunch of arrogant misguided fools. Anyone that comes along, throws some pretty words and flowerly speeches at us, we will follow over a cliff with abandon. Let's all keep our intents.
America has it's pro's and con's, as all else does, it is the yin and yang of the world beast.
I especially like the 1st two sentences of your last parsgraph. Much compassion to all. p.soso

Ambasteve quotes...

"Washington Times, July, 25, 2008 “The Democratic Party's hopeful savior, Barack Obama, has made it clear that he will ..."

Surprise! A Washington Times -- not to be confused with Washington Post -- journalist calls Obama the "Democratic party's savior" and not the generic "savior". Oh, that's beacuse that label is strictly applicable to their founder Rev. Moon who has accrued a loss of 2 billions to run a media outlet to help the republicans for over two decades. This is a paper that lacks "minimum journalistic integrity" as observed by many studies.

Reverend Sun Myong Moon has publicly outlined the mission of The Washington Times:

"The Washington Times was created to help in America's salvation. Accept God and Reverend Moon. That is the theoretical conclusion. No smart American can deny that answer. This is the reality. Who did that? The American government or Reverend Moon? The creation of The Washington Times in 1982 was for that purpose. American conservatives cannot deny Father's great influence for moral values. Without Father's guidance for the Washington Times, this country couldn't have found a direction. Literally nine hundred million to one billion dollars has been spent to activate and run the Washington Times."

On March 23, 2004, in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, The Reverend Moon declared himself "Savior, Messiah, Returning Lord and True Parent” and a bejeweled crown was placed upon his head. Several Capitol Hill lawmakers attended the coronation ceremony. They later claimed they had not been aware of the purpose of the event which was sponsored by The Washington Times Foundation.

Reverend Sun Myung Moon:

Leader of the Unification Church (often disparragingly referred to as the Moonies). Claims to be Savior, Messiah and King of Kings of all of humanity. Owns the Washington Times newspaper and makes large contributions to Republican campaigns and organizations. Advocates the genocide of all homosexuals.

Well known for staging mass arranged weddings involving thousands of previously unacquainted couples. Refers to Himself constantly in the third person as "Father". Also, pronouns referring to Him are capitalized in church transcripts and literature.

"Satan is clinging to our sexual organs..." ~Moon

"My enemies are America and Christianity. How am I going to win over those enemies. God's way is to get hit and win. Everybody opposed Father but I do not hate those who opposed me." ~Moon

Make that word paragraph, and Tammy love your Etta James.

The sudden outbreak of war in the Caucasus brings to light an especially dangerous example of McCain's lobbyist problem, and suggests he'll never be free of his lobbyist problem. At every turn, John McCain is entangled by the ties of the lobbyists who serve as his campaign staffers and advisers.

McCain's top foreign policy adviser, Randy Scheunemann, was until March a registered lobbyist for the Republic of Georgia.

www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12409_Page2.html

His firm continues to work on behalf of Georgia and other countries in the region. In 2006, lobbyist Scheunemann accompanied McCain on a trip to Georgia.

www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/us/politics/20mccain.html

And since Friday, McCain and Scheunemann have been issuing bellicose pronouncements on behalf of Georgia in its conflict with Russia over the breakaway enclave of South Ossetia. However neither of them mentioned that Scheunemann was a Georgian lobbyist.

"The conflict in Georgia also brought attention to another complicating feature of McCain’s campaign: His ties to Republican operatives with extensive lobbying practices. Scheunemann was, until earlier this year, registered to lobby for the government of Georgia.

A public relations firm working for the Russian Federation pointed out Scheunemann’s lobbying past to reporters — a sign that McCain’s stance is not, for better or worse, being welcomed in Moscow — as did Obama’s campaign.

“John McCain’s top foreign policy adviser lobbied for, and has a vested interest in, the Republic of Georgia and McCain has mirrored the position advocated by the government,” said Obama spokesman Hari Sevugan, noting that the “appearance of a conflict of interest” was a consequence of McCain’s too-close ties to lobbyists."

The conflict in South Ossetia is complex and nearly every observer of the situation blames both Georgia and Russia for escalating the long-simmering tensions there.

www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/world/europe/10ossetia.html

As Ben Smith at the Politco notes, Barack Obama issued a statement condemning the violence and urging both Georgia and Russia to end the conflict and avoid further escalation. It was similar to the line taken by the Bush administration and virtually all other western nations, all of whom recognize that there's plenty of blame to spread around and little advantage to wade in immediately scoring points against one of the parties to the war.

www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12409_Page1.html

Not John McCain, however. His statement was frankly confrontational toward Russia, which he blames exclusively for the fighting. McCain also calls for NATO to be inserted into the conflict, though Georgia is not a NATO member. McCain also dusted off his bizarre call for Russia to be kicked out of The G-8. And Randy Scheunemann immediately tried to politicize the conflict - without however mentioning that he was a lobbyist for Georgia.

"Sen. McCain is clearly willing to note who he thinks is the aggressor here,” he said, dismissing the notion that Georgia’s move into its renegade province had precipitated the crisis. "I don't think you can excuse, defend, explain or make allowance for Russian behavior because of what is going on in Georgia.”

He also criticized Obama for calling on both sides to show “restraint,” and suggested the Democrat was putting too much blame on the conflict’s clear victim.

“That's kind of like saying after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, that Kuwait and Iraq need to show restraint, or like saying in 1968 [when the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia] ... that the Czechoslovaks should show restraint,” he said."

www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12409_Page2.html

As shown by the contrast between the reactions to the fighting in Georgia from Obama and McCain, the US cannot afford a president who is instinctively and immediately belligerent in every international crisis. Further, McCain is ensnared irretrievably by the lobbyists he's surrounded himself with.

www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0808/McCain_camp_defends_Scheunemann_against_Obama_CampaignKremlin.html

Americans can't be sure of knowing what kinds of conflicts of interest lie behind John McCain's pronouncements on both foreign and domestic issues.

The parallel to McCain's problems this week with voters in Wilmington, OH is striking.

www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-campaign8-2008aug08,0,4031248.story

In his latest visit there, McCain tried to downplay the role that his campaign manager, Rick Davis, had in lobbying for the DHL deal that now threatens to leave tens of thousands unemployed in southern Ohio. Indeed, McCain personally had intervened in the Senate to push the DHL deal through. Yet as Obama manager David Plouffe pointed out, until the Cleveland Plain Dealer this week uncovered Davis' role as a lobbyist for DHL, McCain had tried to keep concerned Ohio voters in the dark about that most basic of facts:

"[John McCain] was there a month ago in this community and was asked a question about this DHL issue and did not say one word about his role in this or the role of his campaign manager. That is the furthest thing from straight talk that we can imagine."

www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/08/plouffe-mccains-dhl-deal_n_117790.html

McCain's lobbyist entanglements will keep getting worse as this campaign progresses. They should help to keep him out of the White House, where his lobbyist buddies don't belong.

A Timely Message From Anna:

"Sometimes You Have To Wear Your Heart On A Sleeve"

All of my life, I've had a *fear* of speaking in front of throngs of folks, maybe it was that Christ incarnation that did me in. (Perhaps the vestal virgin going down with the Pharaoh?) ;-) Who knows?

Yesterday, after initial wobbly knees going to the podium to read my poetry ~ it just disappeared. One can only hope ~ forever. Who knows?

Suffice it to say I think it was my *being really real* yesterday. Thank you all. Oh, the poem I read, if I may:

Sometimes You Have To Wear Your Heart On A Sleeve

Sometimes you have to wear your heart
on your sleeve
worship the Black Madonna
and remember the tall ships that
brought you in chains to the
shores that separated your children
and husband and flogged you and
made you kiss the boots of an overseer,
that stripped you naked and sold you
to the highest bidder,

sometimes

you have to wear the Flag of Palestine
draped over your Jewish heart, remember
that Moses and Jesus walked over the same
desert and the river parted with only a
staff held in powerful hands,
"Let my People Go",
in the land of the Pharaohs,
in the land of milk and honey
olive trees and 30-foot high walls,

sometimes

you have to wear a rainbow bracelet
and dance in the Gay Pride Parade
lest you forget how to
and you take yourself seriously
enough to stop dancing,
forgetting there's always two of you,
and you can dance alone,
you can dance to your own music,
a Sufi twirling

sometimes

you have to write petitions and ask
your government not to make war
in the land that gave us Rumi and
Hafiz, red white and green words
that speak of purity, the fire of love
in which every heart burns until
nothing remains but the green grass
of home...in a Persian silver dish

sometimes

you wear the cuts of Rwanda deep in your
heart where no man can see deeply enough
your hands are stumps and still you write
poetry, offering your blind eyes
drowning in a sea of blood

even as the eagle soars with your heart clutched
in his talons, and the drumbeat of the rhythm
spirits ascend after you have walked that trail
of tears...in a hundred years of solitude
and so you land on Macchu Picchu, the hollow flute
of Krishna still echoing in the Andes,
the alien has come home

sometimes there's not enough hope
for another day...the shining path is dark

sometimes you are lost in the silence
you have forgotten you have earned
a little love...

to lie down in the arms of the Beloved
for this is the day you have died.

(I read this one particularly for an amazing activist -poet- performer Terry, who survived brain surgery. One of my favourite poems of his is about Natarj sung/read in Bob Dillon voice to the tune of Rolling Stone.)

To end this, I really don't know *what happened* here and why I am on this particular road of poetry and *activism*, suffice it to say, there's a play I'm part of and in a very real sense, it's writing all my lines.

Some of it guaranteed to piss off, bore, or shake one's head incredulously. Someone. Somewhere. Sometime.

Peace Now. Love Always.

~Anna
Aug 09, 2008

Irv, is there a link or do you keep the best for yourself? (not entirely, I do see.)
Also, I need to be sure on a simple level....oh dear, a chink in my armour ;)

Whatever the Democrats are, it sure isn't the anti-war party. They posture as such to get the anti-war vote, but it's a lie. In the final analysis, they voted to authorize the war, they have looked the other way when it comes to violation International law or the constitution, have participated in dismantling the checks and balances between the three branches of government, have voted to increase spying on Americans.

The Democrats can be counted on to approve whatever money Bush wants for the war, no strings attached, while collaborating with the GOP to keep impeachment off the table.

The Democrats could have done a lot for America in the last eight years. With a few notable exceptions, they have backstabbed voters and gleefully gone-along-to-get-along with the Bush agenda.

Hello Deepak and Everyone,

I second yog-one's e-motion....the Democrats could have, should have and f-ing didn't so what does that make them, in reality, Bush/Cheney partners in crime. It is a sad sad story but so very true.

Nationalism taken to the extreme which we got a taste of that in the early years of the Iraq war, when no one could say boo against it without those country/western stars and their fans(Bush's biggest fan club) standing on street corners with fists raised high and very mean scowls were threating to burn your CDs...it was ugly and you can just imagine that it would not take much for crowds of nationalist extremists to go from burning CDs to burning bodies, truly.

I think we will see in the next election whether or not the majority of Americans have bought, hook, line, and sinker the tainted Nationalism of the Bush/Cheney brand by their re-election of the same with John McCain or whether the majority have seen enough and are willing to at least make a small change in another direction.

Nationalism is here to stay just as religions are here to stay and with them come their fervent believers to their extreme believers who do not give a hoot if what they believe is an illusion or not.

So, really, your title is incorrect....illusions can neither accept or refuse....it should be titled.....Illusions that can live forever! or Illusions to die for! or How illusions kill! or When you get the rug pulled out from under you by your illusions...or the simple yet subtle power of the illusion of..say for instance...I am John Edwards and I can tell my wife that I just had an affair with another woman and for some very perplexing reason she will forgive me(not the perplexing part) but decideds to help me cover it up so I can run for the presidency of my country(perplexing part.)...we humans....are taken down time and time again by the simple, ye,t oh, so very subtle power of the almighty illusion.

that can be your title....The Almight Illusion.

:)))have a great day all, ruth

correction....The Almighty Illusion...but I am sure you already figured that out...

Ruth,

How did you come by the knowledge that nationalism (or religion for that matter) are here to stay? I'm 55 years old and both nationalism and religion have changed enormously in just my lifetime, not only in practice but in effect.

I read a lot of history and US nationalism isn't really something new, especially in times of war (Civil, WWI, WWII). Religion has also been a part of our history.

Perhaps it's the 24/7 news that makes it seem like it's so ingrained in us?

Just my $.02 worth.

Indy,

re#14...you ask, "How did you come by the knowledge that nationalism (or religion for that matter) are here to stay....

When I pulled the rabbit out of my hat the rabbit was cluthching a piece of paper and on it...an essay about nationalism and religion....

hats and rabbits....my reliable source for anything really worth knowing....

ruth

Preity, Ruth,

Nationalism came of age in the mid-1600's. And it's changed demonstrably since then. When everything you buy at Wal-Mart and half the stuff at Home Depot are all made in China, you know nationalism is in a state of flux.

You could call that flux globalism, and while it has many faults, it also has a few benefits, not the least of which is a higher standard of living for billions of Chinese and highly efficient $350 refrigerators for Americans.

Globalism's faults are way more prominent, in my opinion, and include the destruction of whole cultures, but my point is only that 'nationalism is here to stay' might be overstated a bit.

It doesn't really matter to me about politics.

I'm sure glad it's there because I love to read Ruth's comments.

Yo Ruth
Hats and rabbits.
You made my day. I laughed so hard.

Thank you so much

derek

Our world and everything in it tends to find it's balance as it moves along. What doesn't tends to fall away.

derek

Re. #11 yogi-one, #12 ruth

Take a deep breath. You cannot extrapolate from the action of a moment to the beliefs of an entire party any more than any one specific weather incident can be extrapolated to imply global warming. It is the trend we are looking for. And just as the trend of weather indicates global warming is real, ever since the initial shock, horror, and Republican gang actions of 9/11, the trend has been for Democrats to (slowly) unify in opposition to the war. That's an important trend too.

I am not sure what you think Democrats could have done for America in the past eight years. The first four were dominated by a Republican-controlled congress and a Republican-controlled presidency and Republican-controlled judiciary. In the last four we've begun to see serious gains. Don't let despair blind you: it's as much an illusion as false hope. Remember the excitement of the Reid filibusters and other small and large gains we've made. Liberals are human, they are politicians, they are therefore fallible and certainly not omnipotent and as much victims of circumstance as any of us.

@20

Don't forget a corporate-controlled and Republican-loving traditional media, an institution which as failed us (and deserves the fate that's in store for it).

Dear Deepak,

Illusions cannot die because they are not alive they have no material to tangible existence.

As I have articulated many times before individuals and societies host them.

The only solution for illusions is to either cure the host with awareness or if that fails to terminate from existance the hosts of the illusions.

Since illusions or fictions create imbalance and nature and evolution always restore things to balance it will impersonally destroy the hosts.

Let this be a warning to those that host and propagate them.

I may be a dothead but I can where Yogi-one and Ruth are connecting the dots.

That confirm Gore Vidal's witty summation of the "two" party system:

"There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit stupider, more rigid, more doctrinaire in their laissez-faire capitalism than the Democrats, who are cuter, prettier, a bit more corrupt—until recently... and more willing than the Republicans to make small adjustments when the poor, the black, the anti-imperialists get out of hand. But, essentially, there is no difference between the two parties."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gore_Vidal

Speaking of political commentary and synchronicity.

On the 7th of August I posted something regarding the impulse to write on the "Can the Mystery of Consciousness Be Solved Objectively?" thread.

When I was looking to find if there were any other thought on this subject I stumbled upon a quote from George Orwell by "accident". So I included it. I have never quoted George Orwell before and have only made reference to the 1984 theme.

Two days later a lead story on SlashDot was:

“George Orwell Blogs From the Grave” (Click my name)

That captured my attention because of the synchronistic timing.

Deepak, question...what would you replace the current illlusion with? It would be great to replace it with THAT, but I don't think that will happen. I mean just look at the imagined differences between these demo-crats and re-pub-lians,(see posted comments) additionally the muslims and christians or any belief system which says I got it and you don't. I had a dream once and in it I was told "The power is to those who believe." When I awoke I realized it is better to be powerless(without belief). What one believes in will control the ego or be control by the ego and therein lies the destruction. All religion, all political systems the same.

The Story has to do with the publishing online of Orwell’s Personal Diaries in detail on starting August 9th.

By THE ORWELL PRIZE In association with the Orwell Trust, Political Quarterly and Media Standards Trust {Click my name to read them}.

I think the timing of this is timely especially because I am observing attempts to control the flow of truth & awareness information through some very clever means, while propagating disinformation.

What interests me about his personal diaries is that other than general political insight they may provide for an interesting documented study of synchronicity because I would suspect that he was an agent of the divine to create awareness to allow us to take preemptive measures against the ego empire.

This is even more pertinent taking into account the recent attempts to block certain US web sites by the UK and Religion Advocates as I mentioned in the other recent threads.

The Orwell Prize
What I have most wanted to do… is to make political writing into an art.
George Orwell
The Orwell Prize is the pre-eminent British prize for political writing. There are two annual awards: a Book Prize and a Journalism Prize. They are awarded to the book, and for the journalism, which is judged to have best achieved George Orwell’s aim to ‘make political writing into an art’. Homage to Catalonia, Down and Out in Paris and London, The Road to Wigan Pier, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Animal Farm and Orwell’s incomparable essays still resonate around the world as peerless examples of courageous independence of mind, steely analysis and beautiful writing.
The prizes are intended to encourage writing and thinking in this tradition. Clear, elegant expression, original ideas and hard argument about political issues that communicate to a wide audience are looked for. Style matters and content matters. The definition of politics is broad, and can include political and moral dilemmas, ideas and history, as well as issues in public policy, social and cultural concerns, in both fiction and non-fiction. The ambition of the prizes is to reward, celebrate and promote work that helps nurture the discussion of politics and that contributes to the quality of public life.
For the first time in 2007, broadcast and film journalism as well as internet publications were included in the scope of the prize.
The judges ask only that ‘writing must be of a kind that is aimed at or accessible to the public, and submissions will be judged equally for the excellence of their style and the originality of their content’.

Click my name to learn more about the Orwell prize.

Two things Yogi:

1.House leader Nancy Pelosi (how many books has she sold? under 3,ooo). She talks and she blinks and gets nothing done.

2. The Dems/Repubs represent the will of a center right country. You represent an extreme left position. I'm not saying this in judgement, it's a fact and you are frustrated that the rest of the country and therefore Congress hasn't moved to your view.

The One, I mean Obama will continue to move center, he knows that's where the votes are and will do whatever it takes to win. Remember he came from Chicago politics, and I imagine you are pretty disgusted by all of this.

It is what it is. Hope you are enjoying a wonderful Seattle summer, something I have missed.

Cheers,

Steve

professional politicians are what keep democracy from working

being good local citizens is democracy

spending a billion dollars to get elected keeps democracy from working

strong local government is democracy

getting lost in the spinning of endless facts and statistics keeps democracy from working

simple straight forward and clear solutions is democracy

naive?

hows the system we got now working?

derek

Ever thought about what illusions really are?

Illusions are a problem of judgement and usually of ignorance about the complications in a given situation.

We all can give an opinion on the above subject, yet we all fail to come up with whatever solution because we will always be limited in our perception.

What is no illusion is the fact that whatever we do, there will always be so many facts and factors that we cannot foresee and therefore cannot do a thing about. It is so easy to have criticism on everything that exists around us.

Improve the world, start with oneself and the environment around oneself will improve by itself.

Dear Deepak,

You forgot to mention something yet may have been implying it indirectly. In a world where everyone has a life worth living and the systems are designed from a holistic perspective to achieve balance, harmony and efficiency there is no one left to go to war much less a reason. It is the creation of this that brings an end to war (unresolved conflict).

This is in fact where we need to focus our attention the system level changes that are needed. It is also true each individual must raise their own consciousness and increase there own awareness for this to happen collectively.

One clever technique used within the Ego Empire is where an argument is drawn pitting two fictions against each other, and the argument is to determine which fiction is most true. This acts to draw attention away from the truth that would resolve the unresolved conflict, which can never be resolved when arguing fictions and failing to bring the truth to light.

The center is another word for "integrated perspective".

This is where the two polarities are integrated to become one balanced whole.

When a baseline of zero is achieved then all needs are met and there is no unresolved conflict possible.

Agreed, though the 2006 gains in D seats has been a big disappointment in terms of progress. And it's not the juniors I'm upset with. It's Pelosi, et al.

But, equating the two parties is standard GOP tactic for deflecting criticism and turning off voters who opt for better. The special interests misplacing the mainstream American opinion on most issues with the Washington "center" doesn't help either.

With the current obstructionist behavior and sometimes shameless behavior of Republican congressmen and the President, Dems can pass little without a veto/filibuster proof majority. Congress can't work and bipartisanship is impossible. Not to mention a corrupt justice department and partisan judges.

The Republicans (conservative) champion economic freedom and the Democrats (liberal) champion personal freedom. Together under the direction of those that own the gold, the Republicans succeed in destroying personal freedom and the Democrats succeed in destroying economic freedom and the citizens are left in chains to dig their master’s new gold. The exception being some of the more more clever slaves that realized if they got the other slaves to behave and conform better they would a little bit of freedom from the digging and additional benefits.

All in good fun!

Refer to post #31...Richard what you are decribing is called Sophism and has been used for centuries to deceive mankind.

pauli

Dear Dr. Chopra and everyone,

Referencing Richard's statement,"One clever technique used within the Ego Empire is where an argument is drawn - pitting TWO FICTIONS against each other, and the argument is to determine which fiction is most true. This acts to draw attention away from the truth that would resolve the unresolved conflict, which can never be resolved when arguing fictions and failing to bring truth to light" - I would like to speak on fictions.

When subjecting one's self to the organized press and broadcast media and their dedicated agendas, one should always be looking for the truth behind the stories being presented.

Have you heard the Associated Press or the media political analysts mention the name of Frank Marshall Davis? This man was a surrogate father to Obama after his father deserted the family. Frank Marshall Davis was an avowed Communist, before/during/and after WWII. He was the major influence on Obama during his teenage years and explains why he has associated with socialists/marxists over the years.

If you wish to read about this, the address is: www.aim.org (AIM stands for Accuracy in Media). My point is that we are kept in the dark about too many facts and we are immersed in too many fictions. This prevents us from making any sound judgements and gives our power away to the Ego Empire.

Best Wishes,

"Betsy" S.

Irvine,

Thank you for your post #9. I am moved by it.

May I know... who is Anna?

Sharon

She is the Beloved
in the heart of
this world
there is but one

traveling thru
what must be
time
to reach
the soul
as a servant

I am
as he
I am

here
now..

And
I am ready
to be

clothed
in fire
of conquering love.

It is I
I am Tammy Christine,
I am nothing
I am no one
I am the One.

God help me
Know and serve.

Hello Deepak and Everyone,

In today's washingtonpost.com Mikhail Gorbachev writes, "What happened on the night of Aug. 7 is beyond comprehension. The Georgian military attacked the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali with multiple rocket launchers designed to devastate large areas. Russia had to respond. To accuse it of aggression against "small, defenseless Georgia" is not just hypocritical but shows a lack of humanity.

Mounting a military assault against innocents was a reckless decision whose tragic consequences, for thousands of people of different nationalities, are now clear. The Georgian leadership could do this only with the perceived support and encouragement of a much more powerful force. Georgian armed forces were trained by hundreds of U.S. instructors, and its sophisticated military equipment was bought in a number of countries. This, coupled with the promise of NATO membership, emboldened Georgian leaders into thinking that they could get away with a "blitzkrieg" in South Ossetia."

I think the word recklessly jumps out at me in his description of events here because now we know for certain how recklessly the Bush/Cheney?Rumsfeld Administration played, fast and loose, with the power entrusted to them by their being elected to lead this Nation.....so Mr. Gorbachev's words are sending off alarms in my brain...

Today, at google news I read an article from the Chicago Tribune stating how John McCain got it right about Georgia...and Barak Obama not so much.

So, I was wondering....about the timing of all this mayhem over yonder in the Black Forest area, Barak Obama is on vacation....playing...resting...enjoying some r&r...while the "white haired dude" is still plugging away on the campaign front...making like he is "in charge," "in the know," and all that jazz....

Because, I have a feeling that if there is war-torn strife somewhere in this world around election time....it will make voters nervous...to vote, for the newbie....when the "ole white haired dude" has been there, done that, sort of thing....

how far will the neo-cons go in their surge for power?

wonderings ruth....

Here is a quote for you:

Don´t part with your illusuions. When they are gone, you may still exist, but you have ceased
to live. ~ Mark Twain

Blessings in all you do ~ :)