Humanism - Blogs - Demagoguery of Fear

 

Date:  6/21/09

 To:  XXX

 Re:  Article Entitled:  “Are We Bankrupting the Country?”

 Like most demagoguery, this article has some truth, but not in proportion to the level of fear that it hypes.  This was created to generate fear, and not to disseminate information.  The talks that it mentions by these developing countries [the developing eight countries] is indeed important and should have been more evident in our Main Street Media as the possible ramifications could be great.  But this article only tries to bring out the fear factors and presents these possibilities as done deeds. 

 Yes, they were talking about changing the currency and yes, that would severely affect our economy if they did.  However, China would wind up hurting financially if the value of the dollar dropped, so it is reluctant.  Yes, they were to discuss the currency of the IMF but that is useless as a traded currency, so that isn't a likely prospect.  Russia is dependent on the price of oil so it will not make decisions which would devalue the price of oil.  Each of these countries has a favorite alternative, but none of them are the same as the others.  They are all separate in their desires for an alternative so it is unlikely that they will agree on an alternative.

 But it is a start.  We must realize that the definition of Superpower has changed.  It used to reflect our being a military power.  But power in today's world is not to be measured in terms of military strength.  (We are in two wars where our mighty military powers are not being used.)  This paradigm shift needs to be recognized and incorporated by our society.  Power in today's world is to be measured in terms of financial power.  And the US is not a Superpower in the financial world, and will become even less powerful without a paradigm change. 

 But the calamitous effects won't come out of this week's meetings like this article so joyously pronounces.  It seems to revel in its fear.  Always distrust an article like this that revels in the amount of fear and also cannot discuss without resorting to extreme emotion-packed adjectives to create emotional responses rather than rational responses.

 David

 

 

 

 

Date 6/21/09

 

To:  YYY

 

Re:  Palestinian Election Monitoring

 

You might be interested to know that I was to have been an election monitor at the Palestinian elections back about January of 2006.  I am a Board member of the Nonviolent Peaceforce of Greater Boston and was all set to go.  I was to leave on Thursday and then go for two days of training with Jimmy Carter's election monitoring center.  However that Tuesday, I found out from the travel agent (in Palestine) that the airline had never entered my booking reservation when the travel agent had sent it a couple of months prior.  As a result, I did not have a reservation after all and it would have cost me an additional $800 to get a reservation with such short notice.

 

I do not regret many things in my life (although there are many things I could regret if I wanted to).  But this is one of the few that I regret.  I was so excited at the prospect of being a part of that historic election and then to have all my plans crumble right before I was to go.  I wish now I had paid the additional $800.

 

David

 

 

 

 

 

Date 6/22/09

 

To:

 

Re:  My Experience During Ramadan

 

About four or five years ago I decided to do something different.  Ever since 9/11 I have felt that the Muslims in our society were a maligned minority and have wished I could help in my own way.  When the month of Ramadan came around I thought I might have such an opportunity.  Although I don’t know much about their faith and traditions, I do know that during this month of fasting, they will break fast in the evening after sundown.  I also knew that often they would celebrate their breaking of fast with others – even of a non-Muslim faith.  I decided that I would like to break fast with a family during this month.  However I then realized how stratified my friendships were as I didn’t know any practicing Muslims.  I’m sure some of my friends may have been Muslims, but not overtly practicing where I could ask them if I could join them. 

 

So I went to the Unitarian Universalist (UU) minister in town and asked her if she knew of any Muslim families who would appreciate the opportunity of having a “stranger in their midst” for the breaking of their fast.  She did some investigating and found out that there was a community of Muslims which broke fast at a UU church in a nearby town.  They actually had a worship service there before the breaking of the fast.  She had contacted them and they agreed to let me come and be an observer to the service and then to join them in their meal.

 

Knowing nothing of this group, I was expecting it to be a diverse group of Muslims in the MetroWest part of Boston from many countries – kind of a Diaspora of Muslims.  I wasn’t expecting what I found.  When I got there, the entire group of about 50 was from India – the Northern part of India, of course.  So I observed the entire ceremony in a foreign language that I couldn’t even identify.  I’m not sure if it was an Indian language or possibly even Urdu.  But I sat on the sidelines and observed while the men and boys were up front and the women and girls were in the back of the room.  (Of course, they were all seated on the floor.)  It was fascinating to watch and I came away with two words:  respect, and reverence.  I was amazed at the respect I saw displayed – especially with the children to their elders.  And I was also impressed with the level of reverence which was displayed during the service whether it was during their prayers or listening to the readings, or listening to the leader (perhaps an Imam?).  It was an experience that although it made me feel exhilarated, it also made me feel disappointed in that I would have loved to have shared this experience with so many of my friends.  But I knew that would not happen.

 

Then we had a delicious meal and I joined them in sitting on the floor and talking to several of the fathers and even the boys.  It was a great community experience and I have cherished the opportunity that was given me by this group on that evening.  That’s when I learned that these people were from Northern India and were in the process of having a beautiful mosque built nearby and were using this church temporarily until the mosque was finished. 

 

This experience and these discussions also taught me of the hardships that occur when entire communities are divided by imposed, often arbitrary national boundaries – such as the separation of the Muslims in Northern India from the Muslims in Pakistan as a consequence of the country borders in 1947 (or 1948?).  When there is enmity between the groups on either side of the boundary and causing subsequent abuse to the minorities by the majorities in each country, people are separated from religious communities, friends, and even families.  A truth which I still feel when I consider what has been done in Palestine – especially with the building of the Israeli Wall which separates established communities and even families to say nothing about workers from their livelihoods. 

 

This experience, by the way, was part of my goal to learn empathy.  (I define empathy as really understanding what and why a person thinks and feels the way(s) that they do.)

 

David

 

 

 

 

Date:  6/22/09

 

To:

 

Re:  The United Nations and the Palestine Issue

 

And much of what you decried I also decried when we attacked Iraq with our "shock and awe" warfare.  I cried when I saw mothers holding their dead infants.  Dead, not because of a bomb, but because of a lack of medicine and/or milk because the bridges were blown up and there were no deliveries.  Hospitals were useless because they had no electricity or supplies.  Men who had been drafted against their will into the army were being killed and leaving wives and children with no means of support and bereft.  I was ashamed.

 

Many people will talk of 9/11 as being a watershed experience for them.  For me, the watershed experience was when we invaded Iraq.  I no longer wanted to be considered an American.  But I didn't want to just stand back and say it was all the fault of Bush and the administration.  It was their fault, but it was also the fault of our society that allowed him to do this heinous act without any question.  So that is when I decided that I would no longer consider myself an American, or a member of any tribe or nation.  Instead I would consider myself a Global Citizen.

 

And then I did a lot of thinking as to what does it mean to be a Global Citizen.  And that is where I realized that the answer to that was in supporting the work of the United Nations.  Not the UN of the General Assembly (GA) or the Security Council (SC), but the work of the UN agencies - the WHO, UNESCO, UNICEF, etc.  These agencies, in collaboration with the over 25,000 NGOs around the world are where the good in this world is being performed. 

 

I have written about the need for our society to have a paradigm change from one of competition and control to one of collaboration and cooperation.  Whether in our education, our jobs, our international relations, or whatever, we need to shift from focusing on competition and instead focus on working together.  And I have used the UN as a metaphor of that principle.  The Security Council and General Assembly are examples of the competition and control paradigm.  The US (especially under Bush) wanted nothing to do with the UN unless it could control it.  However the agencies were a model of what could be done through collaboration and cooperation.  For example, when the Tsunami hit, it was the work of the UN agencies and over 250 NGOs that made that so much more successful in its relief than we experienced with our own Hurricane Katrina. 

 

I have often used the model of the Rotary and the Polio Plus program.  Rotary started with just the polio program early in the 80's but then, after seeing their success, the WHO joined with them and it became the Polio Plus program to eradicate not one but all five major childhood diseases.  What a model that program is.

 

When most people think of the UN and the Middle East, all they see is ineffectiveness.  Because of the US allowing Israel to thumb its nose at all of the UN's resolutions condemning its settlements and “overkill” in its use of force against the Palestinians, the SC and GA are ineffective.  However most people do not realize that there is a tremendous amount of aid that is being given to all of the Palestinian refugees through the work of NGOs and the UN.  And the UN has been responsible for the hospitals and schools in the refugee camps and internment/Apartheid camps.  It is just a shame that this good that is being done is remedial and nothing can be done in a preventive way.  I find that the US complacency and even encouragement of Israeli policies to be shameful.  (What else can you call the US allowance of Israel to continue its encroachment with additional settlements but encouragement?) 

 

At the time of our invasion of Iraq, after doing some root-cause analysis, I realized a truth.  Those who were in favor of our "shock and awe" invasion were motivated by fear.  This is not including the Administration and others with their hidden agendas, but real people whom I knew as friends.  However those like myself who were against the aggressive and destructive actions were motivated by empathy.  And I realized that empathy is the greatest antidote to fear.  And that is why and how empathy became one of my four missions in life to learn and teach.  And I resolved that if I have a choice, and thank god I do have a choice, I would rather be known as a person who is motivated by empathy rather than motivated by fear. 

 

And I find the same truth in the Israeli/Palestine conflict.  And no, I don’t see Obama changing things in Palestine but instead he is allowing Israel to continue with their illegal settlements and disregard of Palestine as a separate autonomous State.

 

(My mission in life is to learn/teach critical analysis, empathy, ethics/justice, and conflict management)

 

 

 

Date:  6/22/09

 

To:

 

Re:  Announcement of National Assembly for Anti-War Groups

 

Personally, I would like to see a paradigm shift of the anti-war movement.  Although I am strongly anti-war, I feel that the best approach is not to attack war, but rather to deal with the meta-level above war.  War is an approach that is used for conflict management.  I feel that it would be beneficial to deal with the whole issue of Conflict Management and coming to grips with better ways, more humane ways, and more effective ways of Conflict Management rather than resorting to war.  I believe that we should have dialogues discussing alternatives to war (alternative means of conflict management) rather than using Lady Bird's simplistic approach to drugs:  "Just say NO".  We need to let people know that war is only and always one option of many.  And this option should not be the first option, as was the case with Bush, but should only be a last option after other options have been tried.  I believe that to be effective, we need to realize that these situations are complex and require complex approaches that are more than just saying "No".  (I should add that not only are the situations complex, but so are the reasons why so many people just accept the default option of war rather than considering other options - these reasons are complex.)

 

Just as for years, although I have been in favor of stopping the violence and war in Iraq, I have felt that the solution wasn't to just bring the troops home.  I have felt that the troops might be better utilized in re-building the infrastructure of Iraq since we were the ones responsible for breaking it down.  I believe that the response to the Israeli/Palestinian situation isn't in just saying "No".  It should be in insisting on positive actions by both sides rather than confrontational actions by both sides and definitely not by the action of increased violence of one side. 

 

As long as the anti-war movement is content to "Just say 'No' to war", I'm afraid it will continue to only preach to the choir and will not be as effective as it should be or as it needs to be. 

 

I would like to see this National Assembly in Pittsburgh deal with the Meta-Level of Conflict Management rather than exclusively deal with anti-war actions and collaboration with only other anti-war groups.  One of the chief tools of Conflict Management is Dialogue.  (Which is different than the Presentations or Spins or Debates which we see every Sunday morning on the "news" programs on TV.)  What kinds of Dialogue could this National Assembly hold?  Imagine a Conflict Management Dialogue on Respect.  Respect for the Palestinians - what does that mean?  Respect for the Israelis - what does that mean?  Respect for the sovereignty of Pakistan and/or Afghanistan - what does that mean?  Respect for other cultures and/or other religions - what does that mean?  To have a meaningful Dialogue just on that one principle of Respect would do wonders as far as presenting options to violence and presenting it to the non-choir. 

 

I would love to see this National Assembly hold such a Dialogue on the principle of Respect as well as other principles of Conflict Management.

 

Thanks for listening.

 

David

 

 

Date:  6/18/09

 

Re:  GLBTA Project (Original Letter from me) (Part A)

 

To: Leaders of the Nonviolent Peaceforce of Greater Boston, and others,

I am in the process of working out plans where I work for a monthly Commemoration for those affected by anti-GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender) violence.  My plans are to have a separate table in the dining area at lunch time with a candle where people can come for a time of silence to commemorate those GLBT folks who have been killed or severely traumatized because of who they are.  Last year, around 29 people were killed so I'm planning on perhaps two a month.  However I would also like to add a few who have been severely beaten or injured - especially on those months when perhaps no one has died.

I would like to have a piece of paper with a blurb of the four or five being commemorated.   I would like to honor them by describing them as people who have been violently victimized.  This would be a table of silence where people can come up to the table, read the page, and sit quietly for a moment to pay their respects to honor those who have been victimized and then return to their table for their lunch.

I have said that I would be willing to be responsible for providing the candle and the printed pages and to sit at the table for an hour and a half each month.  This would give those who are concerned for the violence which is performed against these people an opportunity to honor these people, and also give those people who are not concerned an opportunity to see why they should be concerned.

My problem now is to find a resource where I can go to obtain this level of information.  I have found a web site for the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) which just issued the latest report on the total numbers last year.  However I would like to find a site that will not just report the numbers in total, but will individualize the victims.  I don't want this to be faceless numbers, but real people who have suffered from this type of violence.

If any one of you can help me find such a site, I would really appreciate it.

 

Date:  6/23/09

 

To:

 

Re:  Question of where I work that would include such a GLBTA project: (Part B)

 

Since you asked where I work, I'll answer.  I often don't present that at first until someone has a chance to know me better -especially those involved in the Peace and Justice Movement.  I work for a Defense company. 

 

Although you haven't indicated a curiosity of how a person involved in Peace and Justice can work for a company like a Defense company, I would like to give my reasons up front. 

 

First, to say that everyone in an organization like a Defense company is the "enemy" is like hearing Bush say that everyone in North Korea or Iraq is an enemy and deserves to be bombed.  There can be and there are good people even in such an organization.

 

Also, if I thought it would make a difference to a Defense company if I left, I would leave immediately.  But it would make no difference.  Also, I am not working in anything that deals with bombs or missiles.  I work in Finance and computer applications doing financial analysis.  Also, there are many areas of a Defense company that do not deal with bombs or missiles - such as the radar systems for commercial airports, and even night vision windshields for automobiles. 

 

Also, it becomes a slippery slope to say one should not work for such a company.  Does that mean that one should not work for a computer company like Hewlett Packard because computers are used for warfare?  It would also go that no one should work for the government since they are the ultimate ones responsible for the senseless wars.  But I wouldn't want to go to where no one in government was anti-war.

 

And lastly, I have been able to be a force for good because of my position within a Defense company.  When we invaded Iraq with our "shock and awe" bombs, although I didn't stand on a soap box, people knew where I stood.  I was able to have people come up to me and say that they were glad that there was someone else that felt as they did about the invasion.  Also, I was in a position to counter lunch-table conversations where the arguments for comparing Saddaam to Hitler could be countered rather than left unquestioned.  And also through a Defense company, I have had many opportunities to do community work such as being a math mentor to junior high kids, doing volunteer work at homeless shelters, etc. 

 

All Defense companies, and everyone in a Defense company should not be considered the "enemy".

 

My Defense company has a great GLBTA group that they support.  This is a network of GLBT's and the A stands for Allies - of which I'm one.  They have won all kinds of awards for their GLBT support of their workers (such as having separate recruiting tables at job fairs targeting GLBTs to let them know that they would be comfortable in that environment, and also for their support of local GLBT events.)  As an ally, I felt that this would be an opportunity to not only support the GLBT community, but also to promote my anti-violence values.  My anti-war stance is only a subset of my values of anti-violence.  Or perhaps I should say that anti-violence, to me, is a meta-level above anti-war. 

 

This is, I think, a great way that an individual can do something proactively to affect their first degree of separation contacts rather than just railing against those who are six degrees separated.  I would rather do something locally than just talk globally. 

 

I hope you agree.

 

David

 

 

Date:  6/22/09

 

To:

 

Re:  The Power of Nonviolence and Iran’s Demonstrations

 

I wish I could be more optimistic on the positive effects of nonviolence.  But I lost my positive attitude back in the Bush administration.  We witnessed the largest demonstration ever assembled (five million people here in the US and another 3 million outside the US) and the only response we got was the President's social finger.  The powers that be have realized that the best way to counter these demonstrations is to do nothing and to ignore them.  If they fight the demonstrators, they lose ground.  But if they ignore the demonstrators, nothing changes. 

 

Just because there are large demonstrations, does not mean that there will be any changes in the actions of the administration.  The US proved that with Bush. 

 

At first, the change-agents in Iran were looking for change within the current Iranian system.  Then, as the administration beat back the demonstrators, the demonstrators realized that they needed to require a change OF the system, not just IN the system.  They are not prepared to implement a change OF the system right now as a change at this level is recent and has not had a chance to gel.  I don't expect to see any change IN the system or OF the system as a result of all of this.

 

The United States is a leader in many things – including setting a bad example of Democracy.  And I’m sure that Iran will prove to be an apt student of the Bush tactics.

 

David

 

 

 

Date:  4/13/09

 

To:

 

Re:  To Say a Prayer

 

The other day you told me that your cancer might be coming back, and that you had some tests done.  You mentioned that you were very fearful of the results you were to receive at the end of this week.  You said that you knew that I didn’t believe in god, but would I please pray for you.  (I am a Humanist and as such I believe I have the ability and the responsibility to develop all that it means to be human both in myself and in others – without the need for a belief in the supernatural.) 

 

As you may or may not know, I am very much into storytelling as I am a member of two storytelling networks.  But, as opposed to most of the members, I am not into storytelling by standing up and telling stories to groups of children and/or adults.  These are Platform or Performance storytellers.  Rather, I am into storysharing where I will sit down one-on-one with someone and will try to draw out of them their own personal stories. 

 

It is a similar thing with prayer.  Instead of praying for you by myself in a room at my house, I would rather sit down with you and draw out of you the prayers that you have inside yourself.  These would be both the prayers of your own felt needs and perhaps also your subconscious prayers.  I feel that this would be more therapeutic and more helpful than my isolated prayers would be.

 

David

 

 

 

Date:  2/18/2004

 

To:  Letter to the Editors (Boston Globe)

 

Re:  Gay Marriage

 

A critical analysis of the gay marriage issues shows that many people are missing the boat.  To look at an issue using critical analysis means that you ask the right questions, you come to grips with the right definitions, you identify the assumptions and see that the logic is correct and is not flawed so that other people can and will accept it.

 

The main issue of gay marriage is one of spousal rights.  It is not an issue of children, it is not an issue of historic or cultural custom, and it is not an issue of being a threat to family or church.  We need to examine what is the definition of a spouse? And what rights does society currently grant a spouse? 

 

Currently we grant spouses special rights such as inheritance, hospital visitation, tax breaks, social security benefits, joint property ownership, etc.  The gay community is calling for equal rights for their spouses.  Instead of comparing this to the black civil rights movement, it is more accurate to compare it to times when there were fights for spouses to own property and to inherit property.  These rights not only provided them individual rights but also special rights because of the responsibilities they incurred by becoming married and also because of the obligations that society imposes on a spouse. 

 

I have heard no one against gay marriages say that a gay person should not be given special rights like hospital visitation.  So the issue comes down not to the granting of rights as much as a definition of a spouse.  What defines a spouse?  Since the rights which are granted a spouse are granted by the government (society), other institutions’ definitions should not be an issue.  The Catholic Church currently does not recognize a divorce which is sanctioned by society, so it does not have to recognize a marriage which is sanctioned by society.  It can continue to define holy marriage with its own definition as it does now.  The rights enumerated above are not predicated on the presence of children, so that should not be the issue. 

 

We should ask ourselves questions such as why society grants rights to spouses first, and then see if those reasons apply to marriages of same sex people in the same way or differently than heterosexual marriages.  Then maybe we can have some constructive discussions and dialogs that are rational rather than based on emotions.  Then maybe we can see this process of dealing with a complex issue as a community building experience rather than a divisive issue.

 

 

 

Date:  5/26/05

 

To:  A Xangan

 

Re:  Why Do I Have a Sexually Oriented Site?

 

Wow.  And I thought I was to be the one to ask the provocative questions.  (And by provocative, I mean to provoke thought and reflection – not argument as it is often used today.)  But since you asked "why do you have the site that you do?  So sexual and everything", maybe I should answer.  By the way, I've never had to answer this question before so I'm answering it to myself as much if not more than to you.  (I'm a believer that one doesn't know what they believe or feel until they try to express it.)  This is the first time because you are the first person who has bothered to get to know both sides of me.  All of my friends and co-workers know me socially and professionally, but have no idea what my inner sexual/sensual side is.  And those in Xanga don't know me outside of Xanga.  So I've been able to maintain this split-personality all this time.  (Actually, it's not that I've tried or meant to be schizophrenic, but rather I haven't found many people who would be comfortable knowing the whole me.)

 

My life philosophy can be wrapped up in an intense desire or passion to develop.  To develop many aspects of myself.  To develop those aspects that make us human – both those aspects that we share with other animals and those aspects that are uniquely human.  That includes developing mentally, developing socially, developing aesthetically, developing physically, etc.  And developing is accomplished by being stimulated.  I am stimulated to sit down and read a book of math or logic.  (I know, I'm a pervert.)  I am stimulated by trips to the museum, to concerts, to theaters, and music and shows.  I am stimulated by engaging socially with stimulating people.  I enjoy being stimulated to the point that I will engage with others and will also engage from a reflective manner in writing poems, essays, or other creative endeavors.  Exercising the power of language, the power of descriptive phrases, the power of puns, the power of humor (irony and other types), the power of suggestion, and other powers of the human language to me is stimulating.  And I include sexuality and sensuality as part of what makes us human and I enjoy being stimulated in those areas as well. 

 

But in my society, one is not allowed to have a sexual nature.  I am not allowed to let my appreciation for an attractive woman (or an attractive man) be expressed.  Even if it is non-sexual or non-sensual.  If a woman happens to show cleavage that I enjoy, I am forbidden to even look, and especially I am forbidden to say anything appreciatively.  I could lust after someone, but I could never let that person know. 

 

And I'm talking about my own wife in this case also.  She does not enjoy sex and doesn't feel any need to accommodate me.  As a result, I have learned to take matters into my own hands so to speak.  As a result, my whole sex life is nothing but sexual fantasies without dealing with real people.

 

But Xanga offers an opportunity for me to explore my own sexuality and sensuality if not with real people, at least with virtual people.  I can say "I like to suck" within the Xanga community, but I can't say it to my friends.  Yet I do like to suck.  So why shouldn't I be able to say it?  I also love to be stimulated by stories, by pictures, and by other verbal means.  So Xanga gives me an opportunity to express a part of me that I otherwise would have to repress.  So I appreciate the opportunity to post to my own site, and also to post comments to other people who have stimulating posts.  Often my responses will be sexual or sensual in nature, but often they will be otherwise.  I've found myself giving supportive counsel to several people who are depressed, or giving words of encouragement to the insecure, or words of wisdom to those who might be seeking.  (And in a few cases, even giving financial assistance)  So in an anonymous fashion, I do find myself engaging in more than just sensuality.

 

Yet the Xanga community usually is not going to be interested in the other parts of me.  So I don't impose it. 

 

I'm sure I've told you more than you ever wanted or expected to hear from me.  But I hope this helps to answer your question.  (I've actually enjoyed this reflection probably more than you.) 

 

Do I dare say "Thanks for asking"?  But I've been honest and open with you.  I'd like to use that as a model of how I'd like you to be open and honest with me.  What about your sexual/sensual side?  What about your other sides?  How does Xanga play into the picture?  Etc.  Inquisitive minds would like to know.  (And by now you should know that I am nothing if not inquisitive – just look at my Xanga handle of "curiousdwk".)

 

I'll be waiting to hear.

 

David