RE: Angela�s Plan

Take No Prisoners

Brother, taking any prisoners is not on when our great friend (the only ones with "Valooz") are there to Free Iraqis - from their own selves.

Ever heard of Operation Iraqi Liberation - O I L?

It came as a (perhaps naive) shock to me the other day when I read that the number of years now into the War in Iraq exceeds those of the Second World War (US).

With regard to the post above, for a little over two years I lived and taught in the coastal rainforests of Costa Rica.  After a particularly bloody Civil War, in 1948 the Costa Rican government abolished the army.  And what did they put the money into - that which had formerly bought soldiers and weapons?  Why, Education, of course.  Costa Rica now has perhaps the most stable country in Central America, and by far the highest literacy rate.

A lesson for those in the "developed" countries?

C

To Whisper and all of you,

As one of the "original members" of this post, I have to say that the world is no better today than it has ever been; Angela's Plan remains a dream in our Hearts and Minds.  (It must, or why are we still posting here?) Perhaps not in our lifetime...

Angela's Original Plan:

Angela wrote:

Here's a possible solution I offer to the dilemna.

We form a Council of Middle Eastern Nations....Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Kuwait, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt and we ask them to set forth a list of Goals and Timelines to be voted on by the Iraqi people. Then the US pulls out. We continue to provide the Money for the rebuilding on two conditions. The World Bank does a constant audit of the funds to make sure they are going to the people and second, the government is established by popular vote among the Iraqis. (I believe there is an organization that oversees elections that Jimmy Carter is part of....)

That way, the people have their country back, we have our men out and the infrastructure and economy are rebuilt in Iraq.

We cannot do with the Iraqis what we did for Japan. Its not going to work that way.

And still not yet......but that may not be the point...These almost two years beg the question (though my great respect for www.avaaz.org and their efforts in so short a time gives me some sort of hope at least): what can we do to affect a decision which will encompass all views, yet negate none?

I ask you to listen to a song by Sting entitled:  "I hope the Russians love their children too".

I believe our love for our children may be the answer.  It is perhaps the only way we, as individuals, will see what a world they will inherit if we do not project ourselves beyond our current impasse.

It is naive, of course it is, to wish for World Peace, at this season, or any other. Most of us in the so-called developed world have differing ideas anyway and the heads of the "Global Economy" (tell that to those in Darfur!) want to exploit those differences as much and as far as they can. But as long as  it exists in human hearts...and it does, (Angela, Herjihad, Colin, so many more...so many of you who believed in this - Daniel ) - it will, one day, be a possibility.  It must be. It is an evolutionary necessity. Eventually, and probably not in our lifetime, Sasha, we WILL overcome our differences, don't doubt it. I believe that humankind are evolving.  The problem is, as is the slow progress of any evolution, it is not in our power to do anything more than to keep ouselves distant, but to do no other more than simply learn to love our "neighbours", and to recognise that what we pass on to them in that name, we also do to ourselves.

I once visited a little island in the Caribbean called Saba.  Everyone, everyday, sweeps the only road on the island, (by the way, a road they built themselves in the opposition of the "Experts" who said it could not be done)....in front of their own door.  And so the road stays clean and accessible to others. A lovely place, and so small.

Perhaps that is all we can hope for in this very volatile phase of our humanity.  Perhaps, most likely, we won't ever see it, personally, on a global scale.  But I believe so strongly that it Will be one day. Our children and our grandchildren, and their grandchildren will make it possible. They are the ones we must educate in this oh so silly, oh so important message of international, interspritual, message of a World Community. We truly are ALL connected!  I believe this with all of my heart.

Laugh at me: I don't care.  I will never turn my back on my dreams for Humanity because what we share is far, far greater than what divides us, and we MUST overcome the compulsion to fall into the trap of Econotheism: if anything were the message of corruption, this surely must be it.

Who is the last "prophet":  Jesus?  Mohammed? Gandhi (my best candidate so far): it doesn't matter because in our hearts and minds we know what God says to us.  No offense to anyone.  Those who post here frequently know I would never intensionally offend you.  I post this at Christmas - does that mean anything personally to me?  Absolutely not!  The message is hollow to most: an excuse to spend too much(and get too much in debt), try too hard, pretend too much (this bothers me most of all).  But a child born anywhere, to parents of any belief, or none, is destined to walk this Earth, in despair perhaps, with us all, and I hope, he or she will be a collector (as I try to be): of moments of joy, moments of connection, moments of understanding: moments of depth, the most special moments of love given and received.  Most of all I hope that she or he will travel...experience different cultures, foods (perhaps that idea of a communal supper as I have had tonight will have have a binding effect:  appreciating the more simple things that the world provides, celebrating a culture, whatever culture) - but please with an open mind to those of others -parents: we CAN teach that!  Perhaps that is more our duty than staying within the narrow purviews of our own religion?)

Am I a Pagan?  You know: I've been thinking about this a lot over the last few days.  I'm not going to start to worship oak trees or holly bushes but, somehow Robins bring a little more to me in December, and LIGHT.

Yes, maybe I am a pagan, and forgive me all of you.  But somehow I see little financial gain in Paganism, and an awful lot of appreciation for the beautiful world God has provided for me.  No need for war or differences you see, if we just can set ourselves back and see the amazing Simplicity of it all.  We ask too much, sometimes, I think.

I've had a lovely Christmas Day with my daughter and her special man.  Next year they plan a baby and I cannot think of anything more I would want but a new life looking up at the lights on the tree next December.  Sound familiar?  Does it matter the date?  Or even the "religion"?  A child is special, even for someone like myself who has written (and believe) that perhaps the ultimate is not to be born at all? I come closer to Gnosticism than any religion I have ever looked at, and yes, I know how "unpopular" that might make me.

This world as it stands: how many of us would actually choose to be born into it if we remained helpless, unable to change it in whatever small way we could? Maybe that's why we are here?

My Wish for the World today?  Change it.  Make it just one step closer to what it could be.  What it was meant to be.

Cassi

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