ZiaLink Ink

All this talk of more bombing in the Middle East is ridiculous. We simply can not continue in endless wars, for many reasons. First of all, we can’t afford it, but more importantly wars don’t work. It’s a leftover (maybe hangover) of macho caveman behavior. Beating our chest and then beating up the other person solves nothing. We only create enemies and perpetuate more violence.

Who started the trouble in the Middle East?  Warring factions over there blame each other. We blame Muslims for the 9/11 terrorism, but we (the USA) were meddling in their (Middle East) affairs for fifty years before that tragedy. We needed their oil back in the 1950s to satisfy our endless appetite for fast cars and “the good life”– at ANY cost. We didn’t care if we had to topple a regime or two to get it. Just like a school yard bully, we were on top, riding high for awhile until the oppressed got pissed and took revenge. That’s the way I see 9/11. It was already an act of revenge, but we turned it into a major war that has cost nearly TWO TRILLION dollars and ruined countless lives– American, Christian, Muslim and more.

What has this solved so far? “Absolutely nothing” as the old song song “War” proclaimed back in the 1960s. Now we have hawkish political candidates who want to double down. Totally ridiculous! The only hope is when one side is brave enough to de-escalate tensions.

Honestly, think about any conflict you’ve ever been engaged in, when has violence ever had a successful outcome? If you kill someone there will always be consequences. It could be anything from your conscience driving you crazy, to death, if a family member believes in “an eye for an eye”; or depending on your religious views, eternal damnation. Just imagine the revenge that will come from recent police brutality. We’ve seen that hatred escalating on both sides.

So, what is the solution when we hate someone (or a group of people) so much we want to kill them, or wage war? The only answer is forgiveness. WAIT, don’t blow me off yet. Hear my logic.

When we hate (or hold a grudge, or crave revenge) we are only hurting ourselves. The other person or group is not affected by our feelings of hatred, WE ARE! It makes our heart or head pound and increases our blood pressure. (I’m sure a medical professional could explain this is detail, but you get the point.) We are mad, angry and our face is flushed. If we follow through and physically harm “the other” we might feel some satisfaction for a brief time, and then what? Psychopaths might get off on it, but the rest of us usually feel miserable, especially if we do this repeatedly. The other possibility is the harmed come after us and we are injured, maimed or killed. Not great results, eh?

By forgiving the “bad guy” we discover several things. First, we feel better after letting go of the rage and anger. Our blood pressure and “fight or flight” response settles down. We feel lighter, free-er, and in time even joyful. And, after all success is happiness, not misery. Hard to be happy when we’re full of hatred and anger. And one thing I’ve learned: Our freedom is founded more in love than in hate.

Just some food for thought during this time of Thanksgiving.

This is actually two posts in one:  first my take on what being PRO-Life should mean, followed by the comments on local ABQ issues.

I cringe every time someone posts or replays the sound bite of Carly Fiorina’s gruesome depiction of the aborted fetus. Only a monster could be immune or unaffected by such graphic details. Yet for at least fifty years American pharmaceutical research labs have conducted far more horrifying acts on living beings.  Not only in the quest for cures to cancer and other dis-ease, but also so that overweight Americans can pop a statin drug and continue indulging in salty, fatty processed food. Humans and animals have been tortured in the name of progress, for something as vain and petty as make-up or as outlandish as mink coats. The collection of tissue and body parts that has outraged so many is actually one of the more humane ways to conduct research. And, by the way the video has since been called into question, so all this anger at Planned Parenthood is actually misplaced.

The point is ALL lives matter— not just fetuses, but the at-risk mothers forced to endure life threatening pregnancies. Mothers and women matter. Of course Black Lives Matter and good for those creating awareness with the hash tag campaign. But, how about Latinos, Hispanics, indigenous people, refugees, or prisoners? As the Pope pointed out, those lives matter, too.  If you’re going to say you are PRO Life, then you must be concerned about ALL life– not just causes you pick and choose.  You can’t be for the death penalty and say you believe in the Right to Life.

Christians can not be concerned only with other Christians. Jesus did not discriminate against anyone. We’re told he kissed the feet of whores and lepers, and would compassionately remind us that ALL lives matter. That includes Muslims, Buddhists and atheists. Even though many Christians believe Pro Life only applies to the dominant species, I suggest we take the wider, more compassionate Buddhist view that all lives includes ALL sentient beings. That means not only animals, birds and fish, but bugs and every living creature that has feelings (and they do have feelings!)  Ponder that PRO-lifers! All Lives Matter.

Now that you’ve read all that, here’s the post you may have been directed to.  How do I feel about MY Community?  In a word…
disappointed.

I’ve lived in Albuquerque over thirty years, longer than the place where I was born. So, although not a “true native”, New Mexico is my home.  I first felt disappointed while working at the County (back in the 1980s.)  Too many local leaders were more concerned about lining their pockets and self promotion than tackling tough community problems.  If they had addressed our water issues and sprawl years ago and not been so driven by attracting industry at any cost, we wouldn’t be facing the resource crises we have today. Sadly, they’re still at it creating another unsustainable “land grab” in the form of the problem-riddled Santolina development.

The same goes with the excessive force issues plaguing our police.  I can tell horrifying stories of police abuse that date back more than 20 years and have only become worse throughout the years, culminating in cases that have cost local taxpayers millions of dollars.

I realize Albuquerque is not unique in either of these problems–  resource management, human or natural.  But, local politicians should have listened to  savvy elders and creative voices back then and embraced our diversity, not caved in to become “Any Town USA.”

So, yes,  I feel sad and disappointed that we might end up like Phoenix, a sprawling dust bowl with no remaining character. Burque should have fought harder to maintain its unique, enchanting identity– the very thing that would have naturally attracted “economic development”  without selling out.

Well, the first batch of Seeing Clearly print books (mass paperback style) should have arrived by now. USPS says 2-day Priority is “slightly expedited, but no guarantees.” My Q is “then why bother with it?” Luckily, I ordered five more copies after I found a few errors and those are supposedly “out for delivery” (by 8 pm, June 17.) So, I will definitely post a PHOTO and say a few words when those arrive.

Meanwhile, just because I can, here’s the link to my favorite AKS book errata link. The Dickheads love it too 🙂 Help test the site by sending us a NOTE below:

Hey you Dickheads, gawkers and AKS book buyers, we’re switching things around.

This is the AKS Archive site for old book blog posts, your comments, and other fun stuff from the heyday of book signings, and AKS events (like the famous Phil Fest at Boulder, CO! and the famous errata page.)

Of course you can find the book, with samples, at  iTunes book store (for Apple fans) or at Amazon.com use my author’s page, where you can see (and BUY) all three books:

• A Kindred Spirit (the novel) in both trade paperback and eBook form
• Seeing Clearly (a “sequel-of-sorts” to AKS, but nonfiction)
• Beyond the GodForce
  (20 yr anniversary edition of the raw Cosmic feed)

Stay tuned… more updates and new projects in the works!