-------------------------------------------------------- To: <•••@••.•••> Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2007 13:26:49 -0400 Organization: Institute for Professionals in Taxation From: "Peter Hollings" <> Subject: RE: dialog from the Sunshine Coast... http://cyberjournal.org/show_archives/?id=1346 Richard -- I appreciated the discussion below on creating a real democracy and it reminded me of a very worthwhile paper that I think makes a contribution to this, at least with respect to dealing with the particular challenges this currently poses in the United States. The paper's author, Stout, is or was recently president of the American Academy of Religion, a group of academic theologians. I have attached a copy of the paper in PDF. If it would be more convenient, I could convert it to text for you. Regards, Peter Hollings -------- Hi Peter, Stout says in his Intro: "Saying that we have already entered the new dark ages or a post-democratic era may prove to be a self-fulfilling prophecy, because anyone who accepts this message is apt to give up on the hard work of organizing and contestation that is needed to hold political representatives accountable to the people." My view, and I think the evidence is quite clear here, is that our form of government is not democratic and was never intended to be so. Government's main role is to protect the interests of wealthy elites, and those elites have ways of getting their candidates into office. It's been that way ever since the the Constitution was written in secret, by -- you guessed it -- wealthy elites. 'We the People' indeed! 'Contestation' does not succeed in making anyone accountable, but it does succeed in keeping people divided. Those who believe in the myth of 'restoring democracy' are apt to give up on the kind of hard work that can transform our societies. rkm -------------------------------------------------------- From: P To: <•••@••.•••> Subject: comment from upstate NY Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2007 08:27:57 -0400 Hi Richard, As one of your regular readers who is a great admirer of Bill Moyers, Wow! Congrats to you both. My brother just got back from Afghanistan Mts. as an imbedded reporter and has been in Iraq several times so we know it's even worse than reported. Similar yet even worse than when he was in Viet Nam This is just the tip of the iceberg of how totally corrupting the military-industrial-congressional-multinational complex truly is. We are all enraged. Another brother who has a small construction company (begun by building sheds, barns, etc. for the neighbors in order to pay the farm taxes) says one way to get control of the country again would for every single worker in the country to just stay home for X amount of time.In other words, just start over using what Franklin-Jefferson-Washington, etc. gave us for a new beginning. Of course we need a real leader that the world could get behind to do this--A JFK who they would probably shoot....... Perhaps someone could bring this up at the next town meeting day. Too bad they are in Vermont only, just across the lake from us. --------- Hi P, General strikes are indeed a good way for people to express their power non-violently. That can only happen when people have 'found their common mind', their empowerment. A 'great leader' is not the answer. We need to learn to stop being sheep...praying for a 'better shepherd' simply preserves our sheepness. rkm -------------------------------------------------------- From: "Peter Hollings" <> To: "'Richard Moore'" <•••@••.•••> Subject: The Emergence of a Global Infrastructure For Mass Registration and Surveillance: 10 Signposts Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2007 12:36:02 -0400 Richard -- I think this deserves some publicity. Peter Hollings The Emergence of a Global Infrastructure For Mass Registration and Surveillance: 10 Signposts https://id306.securedata.net/i-cams/Surveillance_intro.html -------------------------------------------------------- From: Bill Blum Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2007 13:55:00 EST Subject: Anti-Empire Report, November 6, 2007 Anti-Empire Report, November 6, 2007 <http://killinghope.org/aer51.htm> -------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2007 19:45:09 EST To: •••@••.••• From: jim fadiman Subject: Re: from Wexford: rkm trip report: "The Harmonization Tour" http://cyberjournal.org/show_archives/?id=1347 thank you for such a wonderful report- the report itself, factual and helpful and that you ended up so high from doing the work, not just talking about it. best jim -------------------------------------------------------- From: Brenda To: <•••@••.•••> Subject: Greetings from Toronto Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2007 14:03:02 -0500 Hi, I just finished reading your book,"Escaping the Matrix" and it was exactly what I was looking for! I have been involved with a number of different political parties over the years but could never quite reconcile with the fact that they all operated from the top down. My experience with NGO's didn't seem to do it either because the leader burnout rate was phenomenal and they could only ever hope to influence decision makers, not make decisions. And then a friend of mine whose political insight I greatly admired, dropped out of the political circuit altogether. He felt that individual spiritual development made politics unnecessary. I did not think that any of these approaches was enough to prevent a global meltdown. I spent some time researching different political strategies but at the same time I knew that what was needed had a lot to do with creating community and democratic decision making. I am hoping to organize a workshop on Dynamic Facilitation in Toronto, Canada. I have been in touch with Rosa Zubizarreta and she is willing to facilitate - although if she couldn't make it up here I would understand. It's a long drive from Great Barrington to Toronto. Anyway, I wanted to thank you for taking the essential leap forward that is so necessary if we are going to get out of this mess. All the best, Brenda <http://www.batgrafix.ca> ------- Hi Brenda, Thanks for your note. It appears you were 'ready' for the message of ETM. If it doesn't work out with Rosa for some reason, contact DeAnna Martin <•••@••.•••> of the Center for Wise Democracy. Also, you might want to join this low-traffic email list by sending a message to: •••@••.••• cheers, richard -------------------------------------------------------- From: "GUY L PROUTY" <> Date: Sat, 10 Nov 2007 07:43:46 -0800 To: <•••@••.•••> Subject: Re: Salt Lake City Mayor: "We won't take it anymore!" http://cyberjournal.org/show_archives/?id=1348 Very good Richard. That is why I suggest that everybody become war tax resistors because if you pay federal taxes, one half of those taxes go to pay for war and that's all that really matters. Do you think they really care what you believe or think? I doubt it! However, if millions of Americans such as yourself made it very difficult for the IRS to get your war tax money which they will shuffle off to the Pentagon, then that will send a true message. Check out <http://www.nwtrcc.org>, the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee for more information. Peace, Guy Prouty, Ph.D Eugene, Oregon ------ Hi Guy, Unfortunately, this kind of campaign can only be effective up until the point it becomes too effective. That is, if it really caused budget problems, the government would find a way to confiscate our money. rkm -------------------------------------------------------- From: BE Goodman Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2007 10:53:45 EST Subject: Re: Salt Lake City Mayor: "We won't take it anymore!" To: •••@••.••• All I can say is "BRAVO"!!!!!!!!!!! -------------------------------------------------------- From: "Jeff Keiffer" <> To: <•••@••.•••> Subject: Re: Salt Lake City Mayor: "We won't take it anymore!" Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2007 17:44:39 -0500 Wow, reminded me of MLK while I was reading it. -------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 11 Nov 2007 18:08:38 EST To: •••@••.••• From: jim fadiman Subject: Re: Dahr Jamail: "Beyond the Green Zone"- NOW AVAILABLE! http://cyberjournal.org/show_archives/?id=1349 I've been hearing him and reading bits of all this. he is terrific in describing the dishonest Hell that the US has built around itself in Iraq. thanks -------------------------------------------------------- From: "John Lowry" <> Date: Fri, 16 Nov 2007 18:07:26 -0800 To: <•••@••.•••> Subject: Re: Strong Democracy, Societies, and Resonant Fields http://cyberjournal.org/show_archives/?id=1350 Richard -- Sign me up! ------- Hi John, Sorry, but applications are pending until we create the resonant field. rkm -------------------------------------------------------- From: "Lincoln Justice" <> To: <•••@••.•••> Subject: Re: Strong Democracy, Societies, and Resonant Fields Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2007 11:06:11 -0600 Richard, I believe the biological model you suggest for democratic societies has great power if people can get a mental picture of how a healthy biological community operates. The cells of the human body is a handy model that most people can understand. The resonate energy field that holds this community of cells together is the human spirit. When the spirit departs, the community of cells fall apart and die. Therefore, I believe that the energy field that holds any community together is a group spirit -- a team spirit, a family spirit, a national spirit, etc. Bee hives and ant colonies are examples of insect communities that are held together by an energy field or spirit. Within the human body each organ and system appears to have its own cohesive energy field that enable that group of cells to operate as a unit -- kidneys, liver, heart, etc. The heart and circulatory system serves the function of a beautiful economic/transportation system. It is a medium of exchange of life giving resources to every cell in the body in according to its changing needs. No part of the body is allowed to starve. The heart is love in motion. Every function and system within the human body has a corresponding system within the body of Mother Earth. I believe that a careful examination of biological systems can provide a miniature model of a healthy global community. In the advance publication copy of EARTH ALIVE (1989), there is an outline for developing planet Earth according to the patterns in the human body. Peter Russell has an exciting book THE GLOBAL BRAIN AWAKENS in which he shows how humans now function as the nervous system for the planet. Within this century humanity has created an electronic global communication network enables instant communication. Perhaps a biological model might be a helpful guide for our transition from today's systems and infrastructures, to a sustainable, peaceful, and healthy future. The comments above are just a quick response to your email. I will be happy to give a more organized outline of the subject, if this would be helpful. I have been gathering information on this subject since 1989. Lincoln B. Justice -------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:49:55 -0700 From: Sue Supriano <> Subject: Brasscheck TV: 9/11 - The fascist blueprint What Naomi [Wolf] is saying in this video is exactly what I've been thinking for quite a few years as I've watched it so obviously unfolding. I keep wondering why so many other people don't see it. Maybe it's my age and university education in Political Science at the particular time I was at universities in the mid '50's and early 60's. In any case, I do hope you watch it, even though it takes some time, and pass it on!! It seems to me important that people are able to put together what they see and hear. Of course, there's still time to stop it and maybe "collapse" will aid that. Who knows? I just know we should ALL be paying attention at least! One love, Sue http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/177.html -- -------------------------------------------------------- Posting archives: http://cyberjournal.org/show_archives/ Escaping the Matrix website: http://escapingthematrix.org/ cyberjournal website: http://cyberjournal.org How We the People can change the world: http://governourselves.blogspot.com/ Community Democracy Framework: http://cyberjournal.org/DemocracyFramework.html Film treatment: A Compelling Necessity http://rkmcdocs.blogspot.com/2007/08/film-treatment-compelling-necessity.html Moderator: •••@••.••• (comments welcome)
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