Sometimes it's hard to keep up with just the basics of what is happening in the world today. So much is disheartening that it's difficult to maintain the Pollyanna world that you have made for yourself. Perhaps that's why it's easier to subscribe to one perspective that puts everything into its proper place. But if you can't just turn from all the unpleasantness or don't have a structure to attach what otherwise makes no sense then you are left with a lot of questions and doubts. ...Or you just use it all for copy, via Nora Efron.
One of the better happenings here on the prairie is an effort for a number of counties to secede from Colorado. If successful, I'll be living in a different state than my wife. A goal that I have been working on for a long time.
There are more counties that might join but the likelihood of their being successful is slim. It still is fun to think about. I'm not sure what all the dissension is totally about but high on the list are gun laws, and animal rights. ...And the fact that most of the defectors are Republican.
One of the worse happenings quite recently is the 1429 people killed with nerve gas in Syria, 426 of which were children per John Kerry. Granted that the situation and the issues are complicated, but the children aren't.
*Press/TV
It's hard to think about the number of children that are killed each day by abuse, drone strikes, lack of food, lack of medicine, genocide, terrorism and ignorant beliefs. Please don't tell me that's just the way things are.
One of the most revealing things that happens is the media telling us what Ted Nugent's says. I'm not sure whether he's an asshole or just plays one on TV.
I'll not list his opinions as they have that shock jock, attention getting "nuance" to them, but I'll say he's entitled. You know, free speech and all. I just can't figure out how Rock and Roll failed him.
In what might be seen as an odd twist, Buddhists are killing Muslims in Myanmar and burning their homes and shops. (RNS, Richard S. Ehrich) There's a lot of odd, and many times violent, religious happenings, but this seems a bit out of place.
Whatever happened to being mindful? I always counted on Buddhists being nice. Sure there was the occasional scandal and individual excesses and shortcomings, but I certainly thought they'd make good neighbors.
Political gamesmanship is an unfortunate part of what's happening, but it's interesting when you get criticized for pointing out a legitimate problem. Of course, it doesn't help if you have a history of pointing out problems that don't exist.
Sarah Palin's exposure of Ayo Kimathi, a Federal employee who advocated race war on the internet, was said to be hurling insults until it was seen how unimaginable is was for Kimathi to work work for Homeland Security and that he had already been reported on but nothing came of it. He has since been placed on leave.
This is a good example of the blanket wrongness that is too often used. You can't be right no matter what the truth is. "I know, I know," Obama was heard saying.
That's about enough of the part of life that gets so much unwarranted attention from the mainstream. Thank God for all the rest that provides sense, harmony and a hope of peace. There are the wonders of creation to consider despite the magical claims of materialism. Even if you don't live near Yellowstone or Yosemite, chances are there's a bit of creation's beauty right outside your door ...or darn close.
I'm not discounting science but truly believe it's not the final determination of what is. I'm also a believer in puppies and kittens. They're just too AWEdorable. And they're still amazingly wonderful when they are older.
If what's happening leaves you with questions and doubts, that might be the best it can get. If so, I'll take the stream of grace that is running through the universe any day. I still want to believe that we're heading forward at a pace that can be changed. But striving to make that happen might be as hard as trying to build a mosque in the new state of Northern Colorado. ...Let it be so.
