Buddhist For President?

The other day I went to a temple for the first time in awhile. Afterwards, while speaking to a friend, he asked was I considering converting? I actually hadn't thought about it, but told him I will have to think about that. He quickly snapped back...there goes your bid for president!







Well, we laughed, then I started to ponder why could that stop someone? Then I had to put my political hat on. If Muslims are just violent animals to the xenophobic, ignorant part of the country; what would the typecast be for a Buddhist candidate?






Too passive, not strong enough to take on the challenges, not Christian, or "they are just like Muslims? You know, a religion that we don't understand or are willing to embrace. Remember folks, we are Americans. We are jaded, cynical, lacking nuance, or just downright gullible.


I came across some leadership traits and skills online that to me, truly makes a good point about the consideration for a Buddhist president:


http://www.leadership501.com/five-most-important-leadership-traits/27/


The five leadership traits/leadership qualities are:






1.Honest


2.Forward-Looking


3.Competent


4.Inspiring


5.Intelligent


http://www.nsba.org/sbot/toolkit/LeadQual.html






Dimensions of Sustaining Leadership






•Partnership and voice


•Vision and values


•Knowledge and daring


•Savvy and persistence


•Personal qualities (passion, humor, and empathy strength of character, general maturity, patience, wisdom, common sense, trustworthiness, reliability, creativity, sensitivity)


http://management.about.com/cs/generalmanagement/a/FJR_2.htm


Knows what he wants to do.
Tells people what to do, not how to do it.
Does his homework.
Leads by example.
Demand excellence, not perfection.
He takes care of his people.
Humble
Character



I even found a book that I must read:


http://americaneedsabuddhistpresident.com/americaneedsabuddhistpresident.htm

So I ask you...is America ready for a leader with those traits? Is America ready for something different?
Could a Buddhist be America's Commander-in-Chief?

Ken Mehlman Is Gay! SFW! Kerry Was Swiftboated!

OK, so I'm watching the news programs and many correspondents are saying about Ken Mehlman being gay:

THEY HAVE KNOWN FOR AT LEAST A DECADE!

So let me understand, you knew, but never said a word? You kept silent. Why? It was a private matter?
Wasn't that the b.s. line you used when Edwards was cheating on his wife? Its a private matter?
What about reporting the news? That's what you are there for. You're the news reporters! Report it!
Its relevant is it not? Arent you supposed to report and let US decide? I guess since you have an allegiance to the liberals(That's the line I always hear) reporting
Mehlman should have been right in your wheelhouse...BUT NOOOOOOOO!

You reported day after day that Kerry is being "swiftboated".

Yup, its a buzzword. Know what it means now?

Swiftboating is American political jargon that is used as a strong pejorative description of some kind of attack that the speaker considers unfair or untrue—for example, an ad hominem attack or a smear campaign.







The term comes from the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth (formerly "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth," or SBVT) and that group's widely publicized,[1] then discredited, campaign against 2004 US Presidential candidate John Kerry.[2]






Terms like "swiftboating", "Swift Boating", "Swift Boat tactics", etc. were mostly used by people who disapproved of the political tactics of the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth. It is now in mainstream use. Some American conservatives have strongly objected (see below) to the criticism of SBVT implied by such negative usage.

The lies you allowed because you were "reporting the news" is dishonorable! You didn't dig for the truth...
You went and got every right-wing loon you could find, placed their faces on TV and let them blast Kerry...
Day after Day! All of it was lies, but you just let the lies flow like water.

What about Valerie Plame, Joe Wilson, the "intelligence" that put us in wars that...wait for it...did not get Osama Bin Laden!
We got Saddam...didnt we already know where he was?
Did you know about that? Did you do anything to find out!

But, now you want to get the pulse of America about a guy who is gay? Why do you want our opinion now?
You didn't care in 2004! Why? Why are we bashing Mehlman...he did his job!

Did the media? Did they report the news? Cause if you ask me, Mehlman being gay doesn't belong on the news.
Put that on the History Channel.

Love Doesnt have Limits

Its really interesting how we as humans have become so "in love" with this or that. You see I have been looking at the love for some people's religion, faith, doctrine, country, gender, race, and even eating habits...I have even been privy to a debate on the love of certain types of hair.







The "love is blind" quote comes to mind very quickly when I see love with limits...or should I say when we love something so much, that we hate(YES I MEAN HATE) something else. A competition cant exist in an environment of love. You cant love something so much that you allow fear to taint that love. Love is, when no fear exist. Love is, when you rise above hate. Love is when you reach beyond a label, association, or beliefs.






Take one instance, my own personal experience, I love my country. One can use anything that they love in its place, the points will still apply. I don't, nor can I keep that love at the expense of looking down upon, competing with, or fearing another country. I cant play a zero sum game with that love. I see my country for what it is, good and bad. I embrace the good and point out the bad. That doesn't make me anti-American, it should make me an American. I can appreciate it, love it , and even question it...without fear.






Because I love it, I am able to look at other places on this planet with a loving spirit. I am able to look at its good and bad, not as a competition, but as a learning tool. What can we do to make each other better? What can I see in other countries to make myself better? Better...not better than someone else or their country...a better me. A path to wisdom must be that with the mindset of a student...not a master suffering from an inflated sense of exceptionalism.






Because I love it enough to want the best for it. That is what love means to me...wanting the best for what I love. Not what is the best for me, but for it. Knowing what love is, knowing that when you are loving you are better for it; I am certain that love will be reciprocated.






Love is all encompassing. It is love with or without you. It cant be misunderstood or redefined, it cant be interpreted or contained.






It is.






Because when everything is on the line love can save you...it can save us all. Don't believe me...try love for yourself. It has NO limits.

Please Go Read...

I dont promote many websites. This one deserves my endorsement. It deserves your attention.

http://subversify.com/2010/08/20/racial-profiling-immoral-and-ineffective/

Please leave a comment, even if you dont agree, its a great start of a needed conversation.

Necromonger law...we keep what we kill...the truth of all oppression...the fear!

I have written a couple of blogs that use analogies from pop culture. This one is just like those with a twist...imagine...

Chronicles Of Riddick

The basis of the movie is the Necromongers, a group of "evolved beings", are going across the universe asking people to "convert" to the Necromonger faith or die. Riddick is the only thing stopping them from total domination.

Here is a quote from it...

They are an army unlike any other... crusading across the stars toward a place called UnderVerse, their promised land - a constellation of dark new worlds. Necromongers, they're called. And if they cannot convert you, they will kill you. Leading them, the Lord Marshal. He alone has made a pilgrimage to the gates of the UnderVerse... and returned a different being. Stronger. Stranger. Half alive and half... something else. If we are to survive, a new balance must be found. In normal times, evil would be fought by good. But in times like these, well, it should be fought by another kind of evil.



I LOVE THIS MOVIE!
Did you see...another kind of evil?! Hell yeah!

Spoiler alert...

I just wonder...did anyone leave the theatre upset because Riddick won? Did anyone get the rental and return it saying that:
"To hell with Riddick"
No? The good guy that seemed to care very little about anyone other than himself? No one rooted against him? Why? I just wonder why? (Please note...last question was laced in sarcasm)

Now to understand what I am saying, I must add this...

The Necromonger Law...you keep what you kill.



Riddick kills the leader and gains the throne.

Why? You got it...The Necromonger Law...you keep what you kill.
The whole clan of Necromongers came about by giving in to the "evolution of man".
They either assimilated or faced death. There were no other options. They saw how horrible the Necromongers were, but still rather would give up their own humanity than face death. Now here is where it gets interesting...even though they acknowledged the leader...they aspired to be him one day...even if it meant to kill him to get it.

Now imagine if you were in a society that went across the land killing any and everyone that wouldn't(or couldn't) assimilate(or "convert") would you fear a backlash if someone challenged it? Wouldn't you get fearful of Karma biting a chunk out of your ass? It would only be fair if they were to kill you so that they could have the power.

Being erased would be a powerful inspiration to holding that power would it not?

If your society has been based on the premise that gains are based on destruction and domination, wouldn't you just panic at the possibility of losing your position?

If you killed millions of people, destroyed cultures, languages, and made them do what you wanted; could you surrender that power knowing that...you keep what you kill?

But don't worry...its just a movie...

Right?

Dr. Laura...You Lying...

Schlessinger said, "I want to be able to say what's on my mind and in my heart and what I think is helpful and useful without somebody getting angry or some special-interest group deciding this is a time to silence a voice of dissent."




Schlessinger apologized the following day, saying "I was attempting to make a philosophical point, and I articulated the N-word all the way out -- more than one time. And that was wrong. I'll say it again -- that was wrong."




Really? You want to be able to taunt someone on the radio by saying Nigger, Nigger, Nigger, Nigger, Nigger, Nigger, Nigger, Nigger, Nigger, Nigger, Nigger!






You want to be able to tell someone after taunting them that THEY are insensitive? So you just went on national television to say that YOU are a voice of dissent?






Ok, first, you are a racist, lying sack of shit. You were dissenting what? That the caller is too sensitive in her family environment that is hostile to her? That's your take, doctor?






But I Love Him - Dr. - Dr. Laura


Abuse can take many forms, from verbal and emotional abuse to sexual abuse and ... Many signs of abuse are subtle and can be warnings of danger ahead. ...


http://www.drlaura.com/reading/index.html?mode=view&id=37






Abuse can be verbal and subtle? Really? So being called Nigger by your husband's family isn't abuse?










The Straw that Broke the Camel's Back - Dr. Laura


Jul 29, 2010 ... However I ignored your advice that I read many times in your books that says " abuse, addiction, and adultery, are deal breakers". ...


http://www.drlaura.com/letters/?mode=view&tile=1&id=19952






Abuse is a deal breaker? Really?






Really? That's what having the right to say what you want is?






Well since you believe that...Your abusive power wielding ass just cost yourself the deal on radio. You believe in personal responsibility? You said you were wrong...but YOU don't want to be held accountable?






Being a bit sensitive aren't you? Or are you being...Dr. Laura...A Lying Sack of Shit!






Consider your ass NAACP'D!

To Hell with your EGO! Just get it right!

You know its funny, when I first came to the internet world the first person I came across was a gentleman from India. Very knowledgeable and confident in his stances. I told him it was an honor to know him and learn from him. He then forewarned me of "hero worship", I then had the moment that truly made me feel good...I disagreed with him. I told him I don't have any heroes. He scoffed at my statement, after about 45 minutes he came to the conclusion that I knew was the intent of his "hero worship" statement. Many people use others to make them feel good, we have a need to promote someone just to say we are the same because we have them in our camp. So I let him know that "cult of personality" was something I studied and was very aware of.







You see our ego is a good thing...in the right measure.






I once wrote a blog series that spoke about those here online and how I admire their ability to help in my path of knowledge. I saw how those that thanked me for my compliment were appreciative. I just wonder do they know how important their information has been to me. I just wonder do they know how much I appreciate that they have taken me further out of my own comfort zone. I just wonder do they know that even when they post...I investigate to make sure I'm not talking out my...well you know.






I have built friendships with some intelligent people, some are well educated and others are just organically knowledgeable. Its safe to say I value and are honored to have them as resources. But I would never get it to the point that I would fall prey to the "cult of personality"!






We have enough false prophets in this world, I don't have the time or lack of esteem to make myself worship at someones alter, just because they are smarter. Now, here is where nuance(you know that thing that you need to have critical thinking, research, and a desire to seek truth) becomes so very important. We must seek understanding of anything that interests us. You cant venture into the unknown blindly, nor can you concede to a point that just isn't true.






You cant see someone as the end all to be all, just as you cant ever see intellect or ability as something that cant be quantified. I know the last sentence will have some backlash from some of my friends, but damn...THERE ISN'T ANYTHING WRONG WITH HAVING TEACHERS, MENTORS, OR RESOURCES THAT ARE HELPFUL TO YOU GAINING TRUTH!






As I said in the right measure, ego is good. Lets look at the wrong measure...






Many people have crossed my path...lawyers, doctors, educators, and even politicians. I have had days where I have held my own and others that have schooled me. Great times in all instances. I have enjoyed all the discussions and debates. I like being corrected as much as I like being right. Its the same to me, one just has more steps to the goal...to know. But some of them...Master's degrees? Really? I'm a lawyer! Really? I teach at so and so! Really? I studied here or there? Really? What did you study I ask because it wasn't how to discuss, interact, articulate, or respect your peers.






Its about ego, can you make the importance of knowing the truth more than you having a belief on the basis of "hero worship", "cult of personality", or worse an ego so big that you just cant be wrong? Cant there be perception and knowledge sharing the same space?






Cant we just understand that if the truth will set you free, the lie will imprison you?

EEOC, the "Media" and the Tea Party

The EEOC was established on July 2, 1965; its mandate is specified under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), [4] the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008.







Now, the above was posted for reference. My point is this...why has the media ignored the most obvious point of the tea baggers?






I have been in management for over twenty years, gone to many seminars on the basis of discrimination. I have been privy to how to identify, confront, and extinguish any and all discrimination. I still have in my mind the last meeting where I and many managers have role played in order to properly deal with the issue. The biggest reason I have heard for management to have these "tools" is to insure a safe and productive environment in the workforce.






Now during the 2008 election I decided to be a pain in the ass to our human resources bigwig, I said during a role play moment(completely taking him, a white man, off guard) that Obama is a Muslim and I don't like him. The room went silent! The guy looked at me with a glaze over his face, paused and said this:






First, that is politics, the workforce is no place for that. That is the law. Secondly, saying that you don't like someone because they happen to be Muslim is discrimination. That type of behavior has no place for the workforce or any where else for that matter. That's when I hit him with a "monkey" comment about Obama. Boy was he pissed! He stated that the comment was racially insensitive to blacks, do I not see the historical context behind my comment? I retorted that he was being "politically correct", he was violating my first amendment rights! Well, he let me know that I was violating others civil rights with my insulting, bigoted, and rancor comments.






Then he fired me.






So you see, bias of any kind or insensitivity, isn't about "politically incorrectness". Its insulting, bigoted, and produces a unsafe and unproductive environment in society that cant be allowed if we are to be the "land of the free."






I just wonder when I watch television and watch the tea party rallies, when is the media going to fire them? When will the " we aren't racist", "why are you playing the race card again" going to be replaced with...your fired?






If their termination doesn't come soon...will our first woman president be called sugar tits? Will she hear the phrase, shrill every time she speaks? Will we have to constantly hear men say they fear for the security of the country once every month? Will we hear that "political incorrectness" and freedom of speech that absolves the members of today on a woman?






Will our first handicapped (don't bring up Roosevelt) be called words such as "Mongolism," or "retard" and "lame." Will we just let it be? Is Special Ed going to be that President's nickname? Will we have millions fearful because "he could accidentally press the wrong button?"






Will some people's "freedom of speech" continue to impede on others freedom?






Will we allow it...or will we say...your fired!

Im Just Going To Say It!

We have very serious problems in our society. Please, take note, I said ours. Not yours, but Us. Us, not the U.S. I said us. We have issues that are results of problems that we just cant deal with or confront. Why? Because we have far too many people participating...but they don't contribute.







Yup! I'm talking about you...the devil's advocate. The Devil does NOT need an advocate! We get it you are smart...hello...you are NOT proving it! When someone is getting to a point that brings progress, but you decide that today you are going to express your discontent with something that brings NOTHING to the table. You come to the table talking about Steak and we are discussing fish! WTF! We don't need to address your temper tantrum because you didn't get us to see your pain. Call Oprah! Critical thinking is NOT conflict deflection, NOT conflict suppression, its apart of conflict resolution. You think its not that serious...so why should we take you seriously? As I heard many times as a child...shut up...grown-ups are speaking. But no you just keep it up...being, in your own twisted logic, cute. You don't have answers, don't create more questions that doesn't address the issue.






Quit imprinting, quit passive-aggressive taunting, and last but not least...quit being cute. You aren't. You are just another piece of division on the internet and beyond.