WHAT DOES YOUR SENSE OF "RIGHT" TELL YOU?

I published this post and sent out a notice to everyone about 45 minutes ago. My first response was from my son Craig, who told me about a lively discussion on Facebook on the topic of the proposed "mosque"/center in NYC. He sent me the video you are now seeing at the top of the page. I urge each of you to watch this, as it touches on such an important matter.. The speech at the beginning will stir your memory. 

Much peace, my friends,
Marilyn

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My good friend from my FEMA days, Mary Simpson, who visited me recently, had an experience shortly after 9/11 that stuck in my memory. I asked her if she would write a brief account of an event that happened during those scary days that followed 9/11. This is her report.

"On September 11, 2001 I lived across the street from the Islamic Society of Denton mosque. Two days later, after coming in from a long shift at FEMA past midnight, I woke up about 3:00 a.m. because my dog was barking. I heard glass breaking. After making sure my house and car were safe, I remembered seeing a TV report about vandalism at mosques in several cities. I looked across the street and saw that a fire had started at the mosque. No cars were parked at the site, but I noticed a white pickup about ½ block away peel out. I called 911, and fire engines and police patrol cars arrived almost immediately. They extinguished the fire quickly. Police found a bottle rocket that had been tossed through a window. I am sure the one (or ones) responsible for the cowardly act was disappointed in the outcome: the fire did little damage; a group of student volunteers from the nearby University of North Texas whitewashed a wall on the mosque that had smoke stains; someone hung long sheets of poster paper on the fences and members of the community left messages, just as was happening in New York at the time; and a meeting took place between the Muslims and representatives from many other Denton congregations seeking a greater understanding of each other. I, who do not enjoy the spotlight, found myself preaching tolerance on my front porch into a (Dallas) Channel 5 microphone. Finally, a few days later two members of the mosque brought me a basket of fruit and their thanks." 

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You know, it took a lot of courage for my friend Mary to speak up -- on TV no less -- against the violence perpetrated upon the Islamic mosque across the street from her so soon after 9/11. Denton County at that time (I don't know about now), along with other smaller communities in that part of Texas, was known to have a lot of Ku Klux Klan members. Not long before I moved from there, I was with a group of people from Unity who showed up at a Klan rally in the City Park. We carried signs of love and peace and tolerance; and when the Klan became agitated and tried to speak their words of hate, we began to sing a simple song that many others joined. It was a little hymn called "Love is the Only Power"... "Love, love, love, love -- Watch our circle grow. " The song drowned out their rhetoric of hate and separatism, and the Klan shortly exited the park with their police escort.

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It seems to me that what is happening in our world today is not so much about religions or kinds of government or even race as it is about what is right.. ethically or morally right. Not what our religion nor what our government tells us is right. Our society is becoming more like sheep, inasmuch as it has become easier for us to watch our favorite pundits on television, or listen to the radio talk show hosts, and vote for those we are told believe the way we do. When did we start "believing" the hatred so many are spewing at the public today? When did we as a nation stop thinking for ouselves? How did those who espouse to be Christians or belong to a "Nation Under God" allow themselves to be brainwashed or hypnotized by the people who's only purpose is to gain more ratings, power, and money? Or to promote their candidacy for one government position or the other.

If we do some serious soul-searching, and go with our heart and our gut as to what is the "right" thing to do, and who is the "right" person or party to vote for in our own opinion, will we go along with those who are promoting the divisiveness, anger, and hatred in our country? We truly need to start thinking for ourselves in this country. And if you are reading this, you have access to the largest amount of information in the world via the Internet to research any and all political or religious views to make an informed decision when it comes time to vote or take a stand on an issue like the proposed NYC mosque.

I hear so many folks repeating word for word, some even appearing to be in an altered state while doing so, some of the mottos you can hear over and over on certain television news stations. One in particular is the one by FOX News: they purport to be the only network that is "fair and balanced" in their reporting. And in my email box today I received a notice that the owner of that network (and many other media outlets as well), Rupert Murdock has donated a seven-figure amount to the Republican Party to ensure their candidates win in the upcoming elections. Fair and balanced? Indeed!

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The following is an excerpt from an article written by Richard Restak called "Empathic Civilization", February 15, 2009:

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"..one can increase one's empathic powers by recognizing that, in general, the emotions that we bring to an encounter with another person will be the same emotions that that person will reflect back to us. A similar rule holds in our inner world. If we try to think in a compassionate manner about the other person--no matter how difficult that may be-- we then become capable of empathizing with him or her. Via such freely chosen acts of empathy we become at once homo sapiens and homo empathicus.

Developing and maintaining our empathic powers is a lifetime task with a simple goal: experiencing what is happening to another person as if we were experiencing it ourselves. But learning to do this isn't easy especially in our current society where we are encouraged to look upon others as competitors for increasingly scarce resources, or even as enemies we have reason to hate.

Our challenge is to enhance, fine-tune, and act upon our capacity for empathy. It's especially important to include people with whom we seem to share more differences than commonalities. I'm referring here to the level of empathy spoken about by religious leaders and prophets throughout history ("Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.") If we can live up to this challenge of extending our empathy beyond our immediate circumstances and self-interest we have a chance of achieving the so far elusive goal of creating an 'Empathic Civilization'."

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What are we as a nation reflecting to the world at large? And in our personal lives? What emotions and actions are we presenting to our friends and families? Do we understand and practice our own beliefs? Even when it is an unpopular thing to do and we might lose the friendship and love of some?

Love, peace, and increased empathy,
Marilyn