I’m stunned. This shines a totally different light on a lot of things I’ve been doing…

I’m not an american, and this issue in particular doesn’t affect me as much as other folks, but i must say that it gets me thinking. Time for me to realign with true peace, in every aspect, in every expression.

One is President Bush. I have observed him over the last eight years to be absolutely stubborn. Mr. Bush charged us into a war that has been a disaster predicated upon lies- the result of which has been the loss of life and limbs for thousands of men, women, children and our forces in uniform. Yet, he is seemingly unaffected by this.
President Bush has a veneer of self-righteousness that is infuriating.
Our country has suffered under his administration (and I do mean suffer)
the erosion of privacy, the loss of international respect, the loss of economic stability, the set-back of scientific progress in stem-cell research and on combating the threat of global warming, gasoline prices that are alarmingly out of control, the explosion of terrorists vowed to destroy the United States, torture as he thumbs his nose at the Geneva Convention…
I could go on and on.

Now, having said all this, Kenton, your point about just what my personal wishes are regarding the outcome of all this is well taken. If I am completely honest I must say that I do wish that all would come to a peaceful, successful conclusion. But, given what has transpired over the past eight years that is in fact, I believe, an impossibility. Therefore, it is pointless to wish for peace and happiness under the current circumstances.

As I said at the top of my discourse, there are scary things afoot in the thing we call Ourselves. What I can wish for is that someday the sleeping Giant, (Us) will awaken and decide that the way of suffering must end. That there has been enough of the Way in which we now come to realize Nirvana, (suffering) and institute a state of never ending bliss in which the beings can exist in harmony and enlightenment.

But, when one considers the topic you have introduced, that seems a long way off. However, I totally ‘get’ your point about being in a peaceful mindset. I just find it difficult to consider Mr. Bush and Peace in the same context.

If we sat down and talked, we’d probably discover that we agree on much of what you said. I’ve had some surprised questions from my friends, who know I don’t approve of Bush’s agenda or methods (scary is a word I might use, as you did), and thus there was some surprise at my apparent framing of him in this writing.
However, I think you also caught the ‘heart’ of this article, which really had nothing to do with Mr. Bush. I think your vision of an end of suffering can be a reality, but it will take the act of discovering our own active contributions to the world’s conflict, especially among those of us who feel we are acting for peace.
Like all of us who desire peace, Mr. Bush very well might believe that his actions will lead us toward a peaceful world. In his case, his contribution to violence is blatant and easy to see.
Others of us might also feel we are acting for peace, while our attitudes actually create situations in which we promote subtle but significant brands of conflict. If we can develop an awareness of our own conflict-creation, we can cease to use misguided methods and truly become active contributors toward the vision you describe.
This is the self-honesty and clarity I was pointing toward in this article.

Sweetwater,
Kenton

Thanks!

Jerry