Archive for October, 2009

Let’s start with the admission that I am neither an economist nor a military expert.  But I like to say I’m a thinker.  So last week when I stumbled across two seemingly disparate pieces of information, the Thinker in me made a troubling observation.

First, I learned that the Federal Reserve Board, which regulates monetary policy for the United States, was created in 1913.  The World Bank was created in 1944 with the 44 allied nations agreeing at Bretton Woods to go on the gold standard whereby currencies were valued against a constant.  The constant was gold.  However, in 1971 the system collapsed when the United States unilaterally decided to no longer back the dollar with gold. In effect, the U.S. dollar then became the world’s reserve currency.

Secondly, while doing some web research for a power point presentation,  I stumbled upon a graph history of wars since recorded time.  I couldn’t help notice the huge disparity between the total amount of wars from 1000 B.C. through 1913 and the amount of world conflicts since 1913.  The escalation of war worldwide since 1913 was astonishing, to say the least.

As I was staring at the graph I suddenly remembered reading about the U.S. led (followed by worldwide adoption of) centralized banking at the beginning of the 20th century. Then it hit me.  You can’t fight a war very long without the money to fund it…to buy arms, to feed troops, to replenish resources etc. 

Prior to the creation of centralized banking, and particularly once off the gold standard, the ability to endlessly print money and correspondingly fund war simply didn’t exist.  You fought a war until you were out of supplies. Then you either went home or negotiated something resembling a peace.

Not so since 1913.

Now, we can fund the military and finance every urge we have to tinker in economies and political systems all over the globe.  Short on resources?  No problem.  Print more money or manipulate the economy through artificial interest rates to support the political and military aspirations of whomever at the moment holds the decision making power for the Federal Reserve and the White House.

Why do I care about all of this? 

Because 2000+ years of out-of-balance, male dominated, aggressive energies have brought us to this point. We are engaged in more conflicts than anyone should be and we are in debt up to our great grand children’s ears!

I’m not blaming men.  I’m pointing out that imbalance is the precursor to disaster.

In order to bring the world, not to mention the monetary system, back into balance, the Divine Feminine aspect of female energy must step up and co-create a new reality through a balance of power and shared cooperation in the application of power. 

True power is neither controlling nor aggressive.  True power is liberating and certain.  What I mean by certainty of power was best exemplified by Mahatma Gandhi.  It was his certainty of purpose, and means of achieving that purpose, that allowed him to successfully defeat the military force of an empire. 

Certainty is the spiritual “nuclear option.”  True power always trumps force.

It is now time for women to access our true inner power and, by defying the laws of man in obedience to the laws of Spirit, bring back into balance a world bent on self-destruction through the endless financing of conflict.

Whenever I am about to sound like I have an agenda, I think its important to preface that supposition with a disclaimer.  So, in anticipation of any preconceived idea you may have about my political orientation, let me say at the outset that I was, until recently, a life-long Democrat.    That is no longer true.  I am currently a registered Independent. This said, let me turn to the recent White House assault upon Fox News, Glenn Beck, and countless Americans who see the world and the future of this nation differently than they.

It was my habit for many years to watch the Sunday morning television network news programs. I was always a political news junkie and enjoyed the weekly wrap-up and commentary.  It has also become my habit to listen to Glenn Beck when I can.  So what I know of what Mr. Beck espouses, and the meaning I glean from what he says, is based upon my own personal experience.

Good thing, too.

Because had I listened this past Sunday to what Chris Mathews and his guest commentators said about Beck, and those who are moved by his mission, I would think that he and they are some “right-wing-nut, tea-bagging, birthers” out to wreak havoc upon all that is good in this country.  Watching and listening to Matthews, I felt as if I was in an episode of Rod Serling’s “Twilight Zone.”  What was being said was dishonest, inaccurate, and biased.  A perspective designed to support an agenda and maintain an illusion worthy of Houdini.

Which brings me to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and White House Senior Advisor David Axelrod.

The previous Sunday, both appeared separately, and simultaneously, on two different Sunday morning network news shows to parrot, almost verbatim, a script that had obviously been predetermined.  Their script went something like this: “Fox news is not really a news outlet.  Its is more of a business with a perspective to sell and market for a profit.  Therefore, it should not be treated seriously as a news outlet but more in the manner of talk radio. Other news organizations should treat it accordingly and not follow in it’s footsteps.” (I paraphrase but the point is accurately made).  At the time I found it mildly amusing, since it is obvious that all media reporting has seemingly come to have a “perspective”…with network news NBC, CBS and ABC being no exception.

I stopped being amused when, this past week, the White House attempted to essentially blackball Fox News from the White House Press pool. Their shameful effort failed due to a momentary attack of “spinal conscience” from the other members of the pool. They said, “No Fox, no Us.”

The White House then had a change of perspective and Fox was included.

There are several lessons we can take from all of this. 

1.     Perspectives come is all colors, shapes and sizes.

2.     United we stand. Divided we fall.

3.     Freedom requires vigilant attention and rapid response.

4.     Source within for the Truth.  Perspectives change.  Only Truth is constant.

I can’t wait until next Sunday morning.  There is nothing I need to watch.

I think I’ll take a walk instead and get some fresh air.

    

    

I think anyone will agree that we are as polarized as any of us can recall in our lifetimes.  Polarization is not particularly helpful when going through profound times of transition and transformation.  After all, sayings like “United we stand…divided we fall” are founded, at some level, in Truth. At the same time, it might also be said that polarization is a direct by-product of transition itself.

So how do we deal with this seeming paradox?

I think its by recognizing that whenever change occurs, a natural state of tension and resistance is created as the parts of an organism, organization or society reorganizes and realigns itself.  As difficult as it may be to live through a realignment, it’s a necessary stage of growth.  Perhaps, the best way to transit a realignment (not to mention survive one!) is not by trying to hold on to the tail ends…thereby finding oneself whipped and flailed about in a constant frenzy…but to draw one’s energy into the center where the most stable condition possible exists.

So where’s the center?

It’s, literally, inside of you.

When remedies that previously worked and laws that once created order now seem, at best ineffective and at worst harmful, it is smart to retreat within and find solid ground amid the shifting external sands of reorganization.

This doesn’t mean you “drop out” in 60’s-hippie-type-fashion, but rather ask your own questions and find your own answers from a place within yourself.  It is futile during times of profound change to look outside yourself and seek solutions amid chaos. The best you can hope for in so doing is to be drawn into someone else’s perception of events, analysis and action.  The danger therein is that perception is time constrained. It is based upon one’s limited view at a finite point in time.

The principles that one needs to successfully traverse change are unchanging and beyond time. Since everything in the world you or anyone else can perceive is subject to change and time bound, your answers cannot possibly be found there.

If not without then within.

If you trust yourself to be able to source inner guidance and allow others the same opportunity without having to polarize their findings or your own, a core of stability can be created that will transcend and transform all that is in transition external to our true inner selves.

The paradox of unwanted but necessary polarization is thereby resolved.

As is all conflict.

Wouldn’t that be sweet.

A few nights ago I found myself with my 16 1/2 year old daughter, Zoe, seated at a Barnes and Noble waiting for Glenn Beck.  His latest book, “Arguing With Idiots” was recently released and this was an author’s book signing.  As Zoe and I ate a quick dinner nearby the bookstore, we pondered how many people would show up. 

Arriving an hour and a half early, we bought two copies of the book and were handed numbered wrist tags. Our numbers were 473 and 474.  By the time Mr. Beck arrived, there were 2000 people waiting to see him.

But not just any 2000 people. 

These were 2000 of the most polite and happy people I’ve every encountered in any one place at any one time.

Which is the first point I want to make.  No matter what misinformation the mainstream media likes to pump out, the people that are attracted to Glenn Beck and his message are not angry, right-wing revolutionary 9/12ers out to destroy all that is good in America.  In fact, these people appeared to be much of what is good about America. 

My second point is about the book itself.  I’ve read about 4 chapters. Its infuriating.  But please understand just what’s infuriating about it.  It’s the documented idiocy, incompetence and corruption of a government grown out of control and the propensity of entrenched ideological organizations to support it by advocating for policies, programs and structures that are destined to destroy all that is, in fact, good about America.

I live my life and form my opinions based upon my own personal experience.

It is my personal experience that Glenn Beck is a lightening rod for all different types of Americans who have had enough and simply aren’t going to take it anymore.  What form their opposition and resistance takes… only time will tell. 

But if Thursday night at Barnes and Noble is any indication, we (yes, I’m in) will come at this armed with knowledge, civility, and most importantly, certainty.  I doubt anyone in that crowd, or anyone else drawn in by Mr. Beck’s message, wants or intends to use any type of force to end the corrupt use of power and the politics of destruction that have become a way of life in our nation.

I said we don’t want or intend to use force.

If those in power, who have used and abused the public trust with which they were gifted, are unwilling to relinquish their death grip on the Republic… then civil disobedience will devolve into whatever is necessary. For I believe there is now no turning back.

Let us all pray that they go quietly into the night so that we, as a nation, will not someday have to paraphrase the words of Golda Meir to the Arab world:
 
         “We can forgive you for killing our sons.
          But we will never forgive you for making us kill yours.”

I continue to believe in the highest good for all concerned.  I believe it is not too late. I believe that transition is always difficult… and transformation always worth it. 

Now, let us turn away from empty bumper stickers and get on with the business of real change.

    

It’s often said that teachers have an important job because the future sits in front of them for 6-7 hours every day.  If that’s true, then the most important job in the world is being a Mother because that job, just for starters, is 24/7 and no summers off. 

I know, because I am one. 

I was also a divorce lawyer for 13 years who wore a pager and had a cell phone so that I was available whenever my client’s needed me. I know what a demanding career with no down time asks, and takes, and I can say with unequivocal authority and experience….there is no comparison.

Now, we Mothers are not all great at what we do. We try hard, really hard. We make mistakes and, hopefully, at times learn from them.  We’re too often tired, under appreciated, don’t even get me started on pay, and are never quite sure if what we’re doing will help or hurt in the long run.

But its an incredible journey that has as its reward a sense of selflessness that’s hard to come by and a unique insight into what unconditional love looks and feels like.  Which is why we are often fiercely protective of our charge and its well being.

Which is also why we have to march on Washington.

We have a government, a President and a Congress, who are mortgaging the sovereignty, individuality and financial security of those for whom we are responsible: The children. 

We, and others, have tried to garner our President’s and our Representative’s attention to ask them to be more aware…more responsible…more committed to the consequences of decisions they have been too quick to make. Their response, if at all, has been long coming and woefully inadequate. 

Mothers must have patience but not in the face of disaster. There is a time and season for everything. The time for waiting is passed.  It is now the season for action. 

Every Mother who cares about the opportunities her child will have in the future to be a free citizen with the right to speak its mind without fear of reprisal and pursue its dreams without governmentally imposed limitations on how and where and to what extent those dreams can be followed… needs to put on her Bierkenstocks, Manolo Blahniks, Uggs, Nikes or, if necessary, arrive barefoot in Washington, D.C. to say, “With one voice we speak for the children and you will no longer put up for bargain sale their rights and inheritance.”

No one will deny what a Mother can do.

Think what a million of us will do.