Praxivism

The Power of Praxis

2011-05-16T21:39:00.006-04:00

Thursday night, I showed my freshly made documentary to my housemates and about halfway through the film; my roommate turns to me and says, “This looks like a lot of fun!”

And I thought to myself, “yeah, it really was.” The work that our Haiti class did in Les Cayes this semester really was fun.

Then I wondered, where did this idea come from that praxis wasn’t supposed to be fun? If anything, fun-ness is one of the key elements of praxis.

When we do praxis, we are exploring the roots of our humanity.

While hugging an orphaned child outside the city of Les Cayes, I am also getting in touch with “whatever it is” that ties us all into the human race. Sharing ones humanity with another is the same as exploring the core elements of one’s own existence.

Being a human; sharing my humanity with others is one of the simplest things I can do. And it makes little difference to whom I share my humanity with, that is beside the point.

When I think about the person who says “That looks like fun!”, I know that the only true response is to give them some food, a hug, or a back rub because you don’t need to go to Haiti to share something as simple as yourself. People are everywhere, there are all these opportunities to make deep connections with those around us except we seem to ignore them the majority of the time.

So, why does that idea of “that looks like fun!” even come up? Shouldn’t the fact that we are all people be more present in our day to day lives? It’s almost as if the individual is not appreciated to their fullest in a society.

We live in such a competitive world that we often forget that the man handing you his resume has much more depth than a couple of letters on a sheet of paper, or that the woman on the street corner is a lot more than a lump of flesh.

Having a culture that does not esteem human beings as valuable members of society corrupts it at its roots. If we aren’t fully aware of our collective humanities, then how are we to act justly?

This aspect of our existences, if it really is true, cannot be removed from ourselves. We can tear ourselves far from the truth and focus on the resume or the hooker but can always go back to the fact that each person shares this common thread in themselves. We can't separate this aspect of ourselves from ourselves no matter what.

Having that week in Haiti was very great, not only because we were able to do something substantial in the lives of many, but it helped cultivate the praxis spirit within all of us. Once we begin to act, it must continue. When a seed first sprouts out of the ground, it doesn’t wither and die; it grows into a bigger tree! We don’t leave this tree growing in Haiti either, because it is within ourselves. Likewise, solidarity does not exist outside people, but within them!

I learned that there really isn’t anything I can do except act generously. There isn’t anything substantial about a person except for their humanity. Now that I know this, I find it difficult to see people as anything but beings who can give and receive love. This world can be a wonderful place, and the ability to bring that world about lies within us. It is our blood. The power of praxis is truly amazing.

I feel as if it is very important that we all become aware of this. But explaining it only goes so far, I can talk about humanity until I am blue in the face, because it doesn’t truly exist in words. To “be human” with another I must share a meal, or give a hug, connect with another person in the most substantial way I possibly can. It is so strange, it becomes clearer and clearer to me that the best way to share this truth is to actually share.

Praxis is such a weird thing. It integrates critical analysis with public action. These two things amplify and perpetuate each other. Domtila said in class "You can first reflect and then act, or you can act and then reflect." The point of my documentary was to reveal that praxis cultivates deep understanding because it contains the depth of personal involvement that other academic programs lack.

I have found that ever since I got back from Haiti, I have become more and more involved with the praxis project. I don't know if this is an aspect of praxis, or of myself but the more I do praxis, the more I do it. "Once you pop, you just can't stop."

~matt

A Quagmire in Afghanistan

2011-04-29T00:54:00.004-04:00

By Mike Napolitano

For more than nine years now, the United States Military, in coordination with NATO forces, has been engaging in combat operations in Afghanistan. While supporters of the war state that controlling and stabilizing Afghanistan is vital to the security of the United States and its allies, opponents of the war state that the persistent presence of US military forces is actually causing a destabilization of the country. Additionally, US intervention is being scrutinized for the negative effects it is having on the social constructs in Afghanistan. This, on top of an unstable Afghani government, poses a great logistical and tactical predicament to military and political operations in the country.

Afghanistan is an interesting political anomaly. As a modern state, Afghanistan is not defined as a nation state because there is not a single dominating ethnic group that defines the country. Unlike other Central Asian countries such as Tajikistan and Uzbekistan where the prominent ethnic groups are Tajiks and Uzbeks respectively, Afghanistan is compromised of various different groups including Pashtuns, Tajiks, Uzbeks, and Hazaras (Maley). Because of these diverse groups who carry varied customs and dialects, finding a common cultural thread amongst Afghanis is nearly impossible. This assessment helps shed light on the tumultuous political atmosphere in Afghanistan.

Although Afghanis are more likely to associate themselves with individuals who share similar ethnic, tribal, and sectarian characteristics, an overwhelming majority of Afghanis are Muslim (Maley). Many Afghanis who become disgruntled with the political situation in the country are much more prone to associate themselves with an Islamist organization such as the Taliban or the Mujahedeen. This trend is seen, “even among disaffected Afghans most likely to support the Taliban,” that, “there was no evidence that ethnicity was a major worry” (Jones 12). It is clear that the Taliban, as a regional organization in Afghanistan and Pakistan, is more concerned with expelling those that they see as intruders on their territory, seen in their fighting against the Soviets in the 1980s and the Americans for the past eight years.

As the Taliban is such a rooted enemy, especially near the Pakistani border, the US military is having difficulty dealing with the insurgents. Mao Zedong once said that, “guerrillas are like fish which swim in the sea,” and that, “the sea is the civilian population, which provides the guerrillas with the support they need to survive” (Robinson 4). The difficulty then for those fighting militants is that, “counterinsurgency theory demands that the state catch the fish from the sea… to separate the insurgents from the population,” which is usually done, unfortunately, in brutal ways (Robinson 4).

Undoubtedly, the tactics used to pin-point and extricate suspected insurgents needs to be reconsidered. Currently, it seems that the course of action being taken by the US military is causing Pashtun villagers in Afghanistan to begin to, “lose faith in the American project” (Gopal 12). The trend in many villages in Afghanistan is that the villagers become victims of target bombings – where the US Military is attempting to ‘fish out’ suspected insurgents by bombing specific locations – and become supporters of the Taliban, their most convenient alternative to turn to. Instead of the use of violent means to try and ‘fish out’ suspected insurgents, many are saying that the, “best way to keep Americans safe from terrorism is through effective intelligence, expert police work and judicious homeland defense,” and that, “these practical measures cost far less than war and occupation in Muslim lands, which arouse hatred of the United States—and give strength to Islamist extremists” (vanden Heuvel 3).

The difficulty of winning the ‘hearts and minds’ of Afghanis is an interesting problem for the US government. On the one hand, “the paradox of military engagement in such a conflict is that the more you fight the more you lose” (Schell 18), where as, “the paradox of political engagement is that the more you rule the weaker the native component of the government becomes, and the more likely it is to collapse when you leave” (Schell 18). With this analogy, the costs of the war on the US efforts are clearer. While prolonged military engagement may result in relative stability and security, it also causes more casualties, more collateral damage to infrastructure, and more discontent among the citizens of both in the United States and Afghanistan. Furthermore, the longer the US remains in Afghanistan, the weaker the Afghani government will become as it will begin to rely more heavily on US support and intervention that, eventually, it will cease to function and collapse.

It is imperative for the United States government to reconsider their course of action in Afghanistan. Because President Obama has recently recommitted to US military operations, alternative theories must be present to, at the very least, combat the persistent use of violent military force. Some scholars believe that the best course of action is to involve Afghanistan’s neighbors by investing in a security initiative in the region. This can take the form of, “a major United Nations diplomatic initiative designed to get Afghanistan’s regional neighbors to join in setting a disengagement timetable and to share responsibility for preventing a Taliban return to power in Kabul” (Harrison 6). This type of solution cannot be attempted unless the US government seeks a major diplomatic initiative in Central Asia.

Afghanistan, however, cannot partake in multilateral talks with its neighbors if its own government is unstable. According to some scholars, “the collapse of governance in Afghanistan was a precondition for the onset of the insurgency” (Jones 19). This collapse of governance is rooted in the poor political management of Hamid Karzai, the Afghani president. The key to regain governance in Afghanistan is to reestablish the legitimacy of the government amongst the citizenry. It is difficult, however, for the US and Afghani governments to build relationships with Afghanis when the government isn’t functioning properly and botched military strikes are harming the civilian population. Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrote in Joint Forces Quarterly that, “For all the time we spend thinking about how we communicate our actions, we are failing to actually build relationships and convince the majority Afghans not to hate us. The Taliban, on the other hand, are doing pretty well” (Xinhua News Agency). This highlights the issue quite clearly: the Taliban is taking advantage of situations created by the US and allied forces which is hurting the political and military stability of the country.

There have been efforts by the US government to set up programs and initiatives to provide social and economic support to Afghanistan. These programs, however, have been mostly unsuccessful because of mismanagement by the Afghani government. Often, projects are planned by the US government and then given to the Afghani government to appropriate funds or find a local firm to handle the project (Roston 13). The issue, however, is that President Karzai often gives projects to unqualified or corrupt individuals (ibid). In one instance, Karzai gave a $360 million security and transportation contract to his cousins who have, “no known trucking experience, and little security experience to speak of,” and who have been charged with smuggling heroin into the US during the 1990s (Roston 16). It is unfortunate that the US government does not look further into the ethical and legal shortcomings of the Karzai administration but, until they do, US funded programs are not going to function properly and the Afghani people are going to continue to suffer.

The Afghani government has so many issues to solve that it is difficult to determine where to begin. As Afghanistan is in a state of war, resolution of certain issues will take significant political, diplomatic, and social will. Additionally, the Afghani government is at a crucial juncture as it is nearing the point where it will be unable to govern because it has become too heavily reliant on US support. Beyond that, the United States has to reevaluate their commitment to Afghanistan to try and decide how long is too long to invest resources, money, and human life in the country. The US government must realize, “that the American public will not support war without end, which means [the US military will have] to leave one day” (Schell 18). The reality is that the current strategy in Afghanistan is not working and it is failing at a massive human cost. The tactics the military is using either needs to be completely reconsidered or the US needs to withdraw from Afghanistan and let Afghanis resolve their own political differences.

Works Cited
-Chouvy, Pierre-Arnaud, and Laurent R. Laniel. "Agricultural Drug Economies: Cause or Alternative to Intra-state Conflicts?" Criminal Law and Social Change 48 (2007): 133-50. ProQuest. Web. 2 Apr. 2010.
-Filkins, Dexter. "Despite Doubt, Karzai Brother Retains Power." The New York Times 31 Mar. 2010, Late Edition ed., Main Section sec.: A1+. Print.
-Gopal, Anand. "America's Secret Afghan Prisons." The Nation 15 Feb. 2010: 12-16. Print.
-Harrison, Selig S. "How to Exit Afghanistan." The Nation 11/18 Jan. 2010: 6-7. Print.
-Jones, Seth G. "The Rise of Afghanistan's Insurgency State Failure and Jihad." Internaitonal Security 32.4 (Spring 2008): 6-39. Project Muse. Web. 2 Apr. 2010.
-Maley, William. "Afghanistan." Oxford Companion to the Politics of the World. 2nd ed. OUP, 2001. Web. 2 Apr. 2010.
-"Military chief: U.S. public diplomacy in Afghanistan flawed." Xinhua News Agency 28 Aug. 2009. Custom Newspapers. Web. 19 Apr. 2010.
-Robinson, Paul. "Soviet Hearts-and-Minds Operations in Afghanistan." The Historian (March 1, 2010). EBSCO. Web. 2 Apr. 2010.
-Roston, Aram. "How the US Funds the Taliban." The Nation 30 Nov. 2009: 12-16. Print.
-Schell, Jonathan. "The Fifty-Year War." The Nation 30 Nov. 2009: 18-22. Print.
-Van Ham, Peter, and Jorrit Kamminga. "Poppies for Peace: Reforming Afghanistan's Opium Industry." The Washington Quarterly 30.1 (2006): 69-81. Project Muse. Web. 2 Apr. 2010.
-Vanden Heuvel, Katrina. "Obama's War." Editorial. The Nation 21/28 Dec. 2009: 4-5. Print.

Haiti Solidarity Day!

2010-04-21T16:31:00.002-04:00

Short Story: Winter Walking

2010-04-03T17:04:00.002-04:00

By: Mike Napolitano

“Can you imagine what it’s like under the ice right now?” I asked Anthony.

“It must be an entirely different world...suspended like that under ice.” Anthony seemed too lost in his own thoughts to continue his discourse on the pond. Although it wasn’t entirely frozen over, the pond had a thick layer of ice over the most of it. Anthony was kneeling at the edge of the pond and continued to stare directly into the center of it. He has a capability of appreciating nature that I could never match, and for that, I admire him. I could only imagine what he was thinking of. “You ready man?”

We turned and continued to move through the forest. I glanced over at the Hudson. All the trees were bare, allowing for a clear view of the river. I suppose the beauty of winter is that everything is in suspense and seems to move slowly. As we walked on, I continued to glance at the river watching the ice drift along with the current. The snow in front of us was completely untouched. With every step we took, we were creating a new mark upon the earth. I was so tranquil; it was almost as if every step I took away from Marist was a step away from all the homework, problems, and drama of student life.

I always looked forward to the next opportunity I had to walk through the woods with Anthony as my guide. He was the one who first showed me the splendor of a simple hike, to be able to walk through the plants until you felt a relaxing solidarity with nature. Anthony always told me about his idea of ‘oneness,’ which he said to be the feeling of being part of the whole, to feel compassion for everything around you. To me, it seemed like Anthony drew his entire spiritual being from his experiences in nature and I wanted to understand that.

As we meandered through the woods, we approached a ridge that I thought was going to lead to a severe drop but when we reached the edge of the hill, I realized that it wasn’t at all steep. Amazingly enough, the hill led down to a gully where a small creek appeared to have formed. I had never seen anything like it. The water was flowing between trees, through roots, around trunks, past piles of sticks, mounds of dirt. It was as if nature intended to connect all the water together by using the landscape as a path; the bare, vertical trees provided a labyrinth-like grid for the water to flow through.

Anthony and I approached the creek. It must have stretched about a quarter mile. The creek was odd, though, as it was only a few feet wide in spots while in others, it opened up to around ten feet. Naturally, Anthony and I went straight for the edge of the creek at the most narrow section as our acute sense of curiosity subliminally told us to. Approaching the creek, I glanced at Anthony and noticed a whimsical expression of glee on his face; he was evidently overjoyed at our discovery.

We walked between the trees, climbed over the roots, and hopped between the banks. After a few minutes, we both had our share of exploring the new terrain. I looked at Anthony and met his eyes behind his thick, unkempt beard. I could tell he knew what he wanted to do because, after all, nature is his forte. He smiled at me and sat, knees at the chest, on a downed branch. Following his lead, I kneeled next to a tree and used it as a back. Anthony had told me about his experiences meditating in the woods and I could tell that was what was on his mind.

Following his lead, I just sat. I closed my eyes and listened to the water capriciously flow through the roots of the trees. I was rapidly releasing all the stress that I had built up from earlier in the week. A part of me felt the flow of the water moving through my body, almost as if it was purifying me. I was meditating. I felt my mind becoming lighter than my body as if my troubled thoughts were escaping the confines of my skull. A surge of my spirit rushed through me, I felt revitalized.

I opened my eyes. The world was so very vibrant. Sounds were clearer, the water looked crisper, and the cool breeze felt so embracing around my bare cheeks. I reached down to touch the water. Letting it flow through my fingers, it felt as though the water was at its most basic form. Just touching the water was so incredibly refreshing. I took a deep breath allowing for the cold winter air to fill up my lungs. Never before had I felt so energized by a lungful of air. Through my sunglasses the snow was lustrous, the water was glistening. The world seemed to gleam before my eyes.

As I rose up from my crouching position, I noticed Anthony was also rousing from his rumination. There seemed to be an unsaid mutual agreement between us and we simultaneously turned back. It was the return trip back to the ‘real world.’ It was a very odd experience walking back. It seemed to take four times the amount of time to get to the creek as it took us to walk back. Uncharacteristic for Anthony and me, we didn’t talk much as we walked.

Much to our style we took a different route back. As we were crossing through a small field, we suddenly noticed something interesting above us. On the first branch of a nearby tree, we spotted a hawk. We found ourselves taken back by the new scenario that nature had given us. “What should we do?” I asked Anthony.

“I don’t know man…I’ve never been this close to a hawk. Let’s just wait for a few minutes.” So we stood in the field and watched this hawk watch us. The hawk was like no other creature I had ever seen in person. It had a large roundish torso that was mostly decorated with opal white feathers and a few other grey feathers mixed around the sides. Its eyes were particularly striking. They were brilliantly astute and it was evident that it could scan every inch of the ground even when flying above the trees.

It turned and spotted us. Anthony and I stared at this hawk staring back at us. The bird did not seem threatened by its human intruders; it was as if it was studying us as we were studying it. It seemed, in that one instance, a bird and two mammals shared a field, and nothing more happened. After the hawk was content, it turned and flew off in another direction. Watching the hawk fly away was a sight to behold. It happened so quickly but I won’t soon forget the astounding wing span it had. I couldn’t get past the fact that I was within twenty feet of a hawk.

Without a hawk to maintain our attention, we moved on towards Marist. Once we came within a few hundred feet of the end of the arboretum, we were greeted by a paved drive meant to allow access to St. Ann’s Hermitage. As the warm scent of brush left me, I was greeted by the dry, pungent scent of wet asphalt. We were still in the cover of the trees, but we were now on pavement. A minute later, the cover of the trees left us and I stared southward upon Fontaine, Dyson, Gartland, and the rest of the Marist campus.

The sight of the black pavement and its abrasive road paint assaulted my eyes almost as if it was a foreign design I had never seen before. The lack of tree cover forced all the unnatural colors of the campus back into my retinas. The noise of people and cars met my ears once again and the hustle and bustle of daily life was back to command my attention. My eyes begrudgingly adjusted, I returned home and started my homework.

Perspectives: Haiti

2010-03-27T17:17:00.001-04:00

A great clipping from Dr. Mar on Haiti:

Haiti Solidarity Project Connection

2010-02-21T19:29:00.004-05:00

This post and future posts here will serve as a forum for students and faculty to connect on projects for Haiti Solidarity Day. Below, I will list the different things that we will need student/faculty driven groups on. If you are interested in a project, leave your name, what you'd like to do for the project, and the best way to contact you. Please comment with what you are interested in and hopefully we can get people to cover all the bases.

1) We need a group of people who are interested in creating posters/fliers and running the advertising for the event. This would include getting the word out on campus in every way possible.

2) I know there are several students already working on a trafficking project or are interested in doing a project on trafficking. Can all of you please get in touch so that you can get on the same page.

3) We need a group of students to create a project on the refugee/displaced persons crisis after the earthquake. If you are interested but don't know where to look/what to look into I will work with you.

4) I will be working on a project on the prospect of debt relief to Haiti. Anyone who would like to join me, I would love to have some help on it.

5) There is going to be a project on clean water run by a group already on campus. John Boss is the person to contact if you are interested in this.

6) Depending on how many people are interested in this topic will depend on how many projects will come out of it. Mar and I would like a group to outline the humanitarian response to the earthquake including Partners in Health, the Red Cross, and the comfort ship. If there are a good amount of people interested in this, we could break the groups into specific organizations.

7) We need a group to create a project on the vital aspects of Haitian culture and to connect the tragedy with the rich culture Haiti has.

This is all we have right now, but we really need people to start giving us an idea of what you want to do. Use this thread as a way to share ideas and connect with others who are interested in the same things.

The Difficulty of Debt Relief

2010-02-21T18:37:00.001-05:00

Aside from the many humanitarian issues that have been ravaging Haiti in the last month, there are many other issues that have been plaguing the small Caribbean nation. Perhaps the most important economic disparity that Haiti suffers is the massive amount of debt they owe to the IMF, World Bank, and other western creditors.

Although debt relief to Haiti was already discussed and passed by the IMF last July, there are many other lingering issues that have yet to be resolved. Before the earthquake, there was no deal brokered between the World Bank and Haiti about the prospect of Haitian debt relief; approximately 27% of Haiti’s external debt is owed to the World Bank.

On February 7 the G7 – the world’s seven richest countries – agreed on a tentative plan that would relieve Haiti of its debt to these nations. This is a gesture that will be of great help to Haiti. On the other hand, it is a short term solution that industrialized nations are using as an excuse to “fix” poorer nations without creating a long term development plan.

In 2005 the IMF went through a process they called the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative where they cancelled the debt of heavily indebted countries. One of these countries was Nicaragua. Ben Beachy, an independent educator working for Witness for Peace, was working in Nicaragua when these programs were enacted. He noted that, “Just after pledging $201 million of debt relief for Nicaragua, the IMF has also promised to reactivate its stalled economic program with the country, meaning a new IMF loan package of about $100 million.”

This is common neoliberal double speak. They first allow for the cancellation of a debt that was clearly never going to be diminished any time soon, and replaced it with another loan that the country cannot afford. Not only that, but they riddle the loan with stipulations that dictate the social and economic policies of the debtor. These tighter regulations cause impoverished nations to cancel the only social programs they have protecting their people from abject poverty.

In the case of Nicaragua, it lead to an across the board decrease in healthcare. What resulted was a mass humanitarian setback where thousands of sick Nicaraguans could not access public hospitals that they had previously relied on for simple treatments such as infections and broken bones.

With the things that western nations and organizations have pledged to Haiti, upwards of 70% of its debt will be absolved. Although this will allow the Haitian government to focus more on rebuilding its nation, 80% of the Haitian population still lives under the poverty line, 27% live in abject poverty, and the country is posting a negative GDP growth.

After all the cameras leave Haiti, and everyone in the western world feels great for contributing money to such an impoverished nation, they will still be suffering, and they will still be in need. Haiti needs debt relief that does not have predatory stipulations and they need help rebuilding their nation.

-mike

The Me me-generation?

2010-01-21T16:05:00.001-05:00

Teenagers and Twenty-somethings are being described as members of the “me- generation”. A generation overpowered by narcissism and generally lacking humility. Raina Kelley, from Newsweek, describes in my contemporaries as “ego-addled, spoiled brats” and “hot house flowers puffed with disproportionate senses of self worth” . This past semester, class discussions often touched on our current, disconnected generation. Students and professors commonly agreed that individuals are becoming more self-centered and less concerned about their community. People remain confined within the bubbles of their individual lives, constantly working to get a raise or receive the best possible grade, yet not caring about the well-being of others. Everyone seemed to accept this theory of the “me-generation”, without much question or critique. Yet, I found myself in sharp disagreement, especially after helping to organize a fundraiser to support children in Calcutta.

I was able to organize a benefit open-mic night at a local coffeehouse this past semester, only because of the enormous support and help from other students. At first, I doubted many students would attend. After all, aren’t we the “me-generation”? I thought most students would be too busy, too lazy, or simply not care enough to attend the event. But, I was wrong.

The coffeehouse was packed with students. There was not an inch of free space to stand, let alone to sit and enjoy a latte. A vast array of students performed: Kevin Manning showed us his magic tricks, student-comedian Vinny Pagano filled the spare space with laughter, Alexa Warshany left people breathless as she sang and played guitar, and both the female and male a cappella groups sang some tunes. The coffeehouse was filled with music, laughter, and conversation from nine until midnight. This could not have been done without students like Courtney Meek, who tracked down talented students who would be willing to perform, or Lauren Goodman, who designed a beautiful flyer to publicize the event. It was the collective and collaborative action of students, who took a break from their personal lives and to-do lists, that made this event such a huge success.

By the end of the night, we were able to raise two hundred and sixty dollars in donations for the newly formed Calcutta Children’s Project. This project supports the educational, medical, and nutritional needs of about fifty children living and working in a small, contained dump in Calcutta. The money we raised was enough to send all the children to school for one year.

As I sat on the arm of a sofa in the dimly lit coffeehouse and observed students empty their wallets above the donation basket, or cheer for a nervous friend who was about to perform, I realized that this event was more than just a successful fundraiser. It was proof that our generation does not consist of self-centered and hyper-competitive individuals. It consists of people who are willing to humbly give to others, connect with others, and support each other. It was proof of how the “me-generation” is a big, fat lie.

-Sam

A Nobel Critique of Afghanistan

2009-10-18T15:11:00.002-04:00

You guys know how it works. This should be in the October 22 issue of The Circle. Enjoy:

On October 7, the War in Afghanistan entered its ninth year. Like the Vietnam War, there seems to be no clear mission other than the elimination of the, “bad guys,” that are ideologically opposed to the United States. Considering that Obama is to receive the Nobel Peace Prize and that there is a potential troop increase on the table in Washington, the political climate is ripe for true change.

But will there be any change in the strategy on Afghanistan. Just as General Westmoreland told President Johnson in 1968 that a troop surge in Vietnam would stabilize South Vietnam, General McCrystal is telling President Obama that a troop surge in Afghanistan in 2009 will stabilize the country. We all know what happened
in Vietnam, and I’m afraid of a repeat in Afghanistan.

There are some negative signs that only seem to dictate a negative outcome in Afghanistan. Like fighting the Viet Cong forty years ago, the Taliban are a decentralized military entity that is fighting on territory they are familiar with against troops on their lands. Trying to take out the Taliban hiding in the mountains is nothing short of a logistical nightmare.

Also, the fact remains that the Taliban is not Al Qaida. The US originally sought to take out Al Qaida and its networks but has been preoccupied with the Taliban in Afghanistan for years. Nearly everyone knows now that Al Qaida is predominantly in Pakistan, which is nearing anarchy itself. So, while Al Qaida is operating in Pakistan, the United States continues to keep its attention on nation building in Afghanistan.

The fact also remains that many Afghanis are still quite hostile towards westerners. In some incidents – such as an incident involving a Canadian Air Force Captain – Afghani civilians have attacked military personnel attempting friendly contact. Additionally, if 2009 could tell us anything about the situation in Afghanistan, it would say that violence is at higher levels now than it has been since the war began.

On top of all this, the Afghani government is a joke. The Afghani judiciary is so weak that it is laughable. The Afghani government as a whole is so corrupt that it holds nearly no legitimacy with the Afghani people. This is all very reminiscent of the incredibly fragile, puppet South Vietnamese government. This is not to mention that Afghani President Hamid Karzai has been accused of election fraud from the August presidential election.

With the situation the way it is, and the prospects of a positive change fading with every senselessly violent day in Afghanistan, I as a pacifist call upon President Obama to earn his Nobel Peace Prize. End combat operations in Afghanistan and put an end to the Bush Wars.

Regardless of Obama’s previous actions that caused him to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, he will not earn it until the conflict in Afghanistan is over. It is time to put an end to this war before it truly becomes the modern Vietnam.

-mike

Defending President Obama

2009-10-11T16:32:00.002-04:00

I wrote this article for The Circle, but (as I always do) I am publishing it here first. I wrote this article from the perspective of an internationalist with special consideration for diplomacy, enjoy:

To the surprise of nearly everyone in the world, President Obama was selected by the Nobel Committee to receive the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. Naturally, his selection has raised many questions. His selection was made, however, on sound rhetoric based in the principles of international diplomacy and politics.

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to the individual who has done the most for world peace in the previous year. Most notably for Obama, is that he reversed the jingoistic – and at times borderline xenophobic – foreign policy of the previous administration; in doing so, he single handedly changed the attitude of most of the world toward America.

It also must be noted that individuals who promote world peace do not necessarily partake in specific actions. International diplomacy is incredibly formal, most of the attitudes and actions of individual nations are played out through speeches and gestures. In this way Obama’s contribution to peace is seen.

Some of Obama’s first actions as president set the tone for what the Nobel Committee dubbed as, “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” During his inaugural address he stated, “to all those other peoples and governments who are watching today…know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.”

These are strong words for an individual who just took office, that he is ready to help lead the world towards peace. His actions continued over the next few months. First, Obama signed an executive order closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, put an end to torture, and began withdrawing troops from Iraq.

In his first formal interview as president, he spoke with an Arab satellite network reaching out to the Islamic world. He later gave a speech in Cairo reaching out further to nations and peoples who had been so greatly dejected by the previous administration. Additionally, Obama has put pressure on Israel to desist their movement onto Palestinian settlements, refused to support radical right-wing coup leaders in Honduras, and has continued voicing his support for a nuclear free world.

To Obama’s credit, many world leaders have congratulated and shown their support for his award. Simply the list of individuals congratulating him, shows the span of his actions. Obama has been supported by public figures in France, Germany, Russia, Israel, Palestine, Iraq, Indonesia, Japan, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and by IGO’s such as the United Nations, NATO, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. Former recipients of the prize such as Wangari Maathai, Desmond Tutu, Mikhail Gorbachev, Mohamed Elbaradel, Shimon Peres, Jimmy Carter, Al Gore, and last year’s recipient Martti Ahtisaari have also expressed their support.

Meanwhile, on the domestic side, opponents of President Obama have been quick to criticize him. Most notably of the dissidents is the RNC chairman Michael Steele who attempted to portray Obama as, “unworthy.” So, while most of the world celebrates Mr. Obama and his strides towards peace, the minority political party in America has to resort to derisive politics. As one Floridian congressman put it, “If Obama somehow ended world hunger, they would try to blame him for overpopulation.”

It is time to put politics aside, because peace is more important that politics. America, your president just won the Nobel Peace Prize, let’s be proud of it.

-mike

Intershiping equates to life searching

2009-09-14T18:23:00.006-04:00

Published in The Circle some time in September, enjoy:

Imagine you just landed a great job, but then they tell you that you must commute everyday for an hour and a half by train and they won’t pay for your commuter pass. In fact, they don’t pay you at all. That’s the reality for many Marist students – including myself – who become interns on that dreaded slice of isle known as Manhattan.

I had a summer internship with a side project of a major political party. At first I thought this was great news. I’m a political science student and I got an internship with a political party; that makes perfect sense! But then I started thinking about what I was really going to be doing, and that really trounced my mood.

Interns for political parties do two things. They either call constituents to ascertain support or information or they talk to constituents to ascertain support or information. The first point means sitting at a table all day with a list of phone numbers to call where about 90% of those on the other end are either not home or refusing to answer their phone. The second point means standing in a square or park in the hot New York sun asking passerby’s for their support. It truly is a lose – lose.

I was stuck in the unfortunate situation where I had to be knowledgeable and excited for a policy that I was not too fond of. This was the one thing that truly crossed me morally about this past internship. The busy work that I had to do never fazed me, I simply input the information into the computer. What truly got to me was the fact that my job was to convince people that a policy that I believe will be ineffective is the way to go.

I began to have a very hard time collecting signatures and calling voters because of this dilemma. What made the whole situation even worse was seeing my friends out advocating for the policy I’m in favor of while I was stuck with my job. Fortunately enough for me, I was able to finish my internship early before things came to a peak.

My internship made me think about my career options. There was one good thing about this summer; it convinced me that working for a political party isn’t the right thing for me. I could never have a job where I am forced to advocate, sell, contribute to, or create something I am morally and ethically against. Fortunately enough for me, there are many different career options within the realm of politics where I could find something that suits me.

It may take a long time for me to discover what I truly want to do, but I know I won’t be content with something I can’t support. I think that is something everyone should consider, whether or not they are truly content with their career path. We are all in college for a reason, to learn and discover what makes us tick.

Unfortunately for us though, we will have to be interns and do things that we will look back upon and laugh. But for now, we just have to suck it up and try the world out.

-mike

New Fall: New School Year

2009-08-31T17:17:00.003-04:00

Hello All!

As we have just experienced the academic lull of the summer, I am pleased to say that the new academic year has just kicked off so there should be new material floating onto the Praxivism blog.

The Praxivists who will be at Marist this fall have informed me that they are planning to keep things up. So I will be pushing them (mostly Sam) to keep the blog flowing.

I myself will be spending the semester in Firenze, Italia. So I will be publishing things about my trip such as interesting stories, pictures, or poems. I also plan on continuing to write op-ed pieces for Marist's newspaper so I will publish them here as well when I write them.

Ci vediamo!
-mike

Reflection: Mother Africa Mending

2009-06-04T02:28:00.005-04:00

It has been an entire year and more since I visited South Africa. In the last week or so, I have been reading up on the current Marist group's experience in South Africa. Just today I read an entry they posted about their first day of community service. I was reading on some updates about the location I served at, a shelter for battered women and children named the Dusk to Dawn Haven. It really pulled my heart strings in the wrong direction reading about how little has changed over the course of a year.

When my group and I first encountered the shelter last May, we found a house in disrepair, and a yard that resembled a garbage dump at best. The shelter was horribly overcrowded. There was about 21 children there in total, about 15 women as well. I only know these statistics because Rob and I had reviewed our video footage extensively in the creation of our documentary (which is completed and will be distributed in the next 6 months).

What we encountered...

Our primary focus ended up being on the yard as it was littered with trash, glass, and assorted rotting piles. We tried our best to clean up the place as best we could but it seemed like every time we solved a problem another larger problem would come about. We cleared out a structure as well, but there was so much unused materials, bed linens, cloth, and other house hold items, it was hard for us to believe they were ever short handed of anything.

What we were able to accomplish...

This is simply a rash retelling of my service and you can read more about the first day here and the last day of our service here.

The whole thought behind this entry is that I assumed within in a year, things could change for the better. What I have learned through hours of documentary production, essay writing, reflecting, and talking is that it is not easy for people in the developing world to change the situation they are in, and it occasionally takes the intervention of a positive helping hand to give them the push needed to foster change.

A part of my heart will always reside at the haven because so much of my emotions - empathy, love, hope - is still residing there. I will never forget what I experienced and I felt like I left the shelter in a better place than I found it, and I can confidently say that. I hope that the group working there now feels the same way when their service is over.

My heart and thoughts are with the children there and the praxivists working to better their situation.

Peace and Love in the spirit of Praxis,
-mike

Thank Yous and Goodbyes

2009-05-15T14:50:00.005-04:00

Today is the last day of finals week which means it is the offical end of the Spring 2009 semester. This semester was one of the best for the Marist Praxis Project in recent memory. Together we were able to accomplish so much in such a short amount of time. For that, I would like to thank everyone who has been involved with the project this year for making it such a great year. I would also like to give our departing seniors a special spot light, because each one of them left something special behind that we will continue on with.

Anthony

This past year, Anthony served as the Assistant to the Public Praxis Project. During this year, Anth became the spiritual leader of the Praxivists. From his many meditiations he gave to the class and to the group to the countless conversations he has had with everyone, Anth's influence and spirit will always be with us. He was a calming spirit, a rallying spirit, he is my very good friend. Under his guidance, the Praxis Project reached heights that will not be soon met. As a parting gift, Dr. Mar gave Anth a walking stick with his name carved into the side, so that he could move on his path of life in style. As noted by Carola, "He looks like a Tibetan monk [with the stick]."

We will all miss Anthony and I wish him the best with the road ahead of him. Hopefully soon our paths will cross again.

Colleen

Colleen is one of our most veteran Praxivists. She would frequently collaborate with others and her involvement would almost guarantee the project would be successful. Most recently, Colleen helped run the Coffee House for Peace and Justice and has been advocating and informing students about alternative post-graduation options. She also worked with some other students on the Forum on Homelessness earlier in the month.

Colleen will truly be missed and the Praxis Project and the Praxivists is losing not only a great person but also a good friend. Thanks for everything you've done for the project.

Lauren

Although Lauren only discovered the Praxivists at the beginning of this past semester, she contributed with the passion and frequency of a veteran Praxivist. As a Vegan, Lauren took up projects relating to ending animal cruelty and alternative food options. She worked with organizations such as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and the Veggie Fund which provides money for vegans to buy food for vegan events.

Thanks to Lauren, we all need to think twice about what we eat, and I'm sure she wouldn't have it any other way. Thanks so much for working with us Lauren, you are our Vegan Goddess.

Thanks to everyone
Peace and Love
-mike

Alanna and Mar in Kolkata

2009-05-15T14:46:00.003-04:00

Today, Dr. Mar and Alanna left for Kolkata to work further with the children at the Sree Durga Dump. I urge everyone to read updates on their blog here

I hope you read about one of The Beloved Community's global outreach projects.
-mike

Poem: Meta-morph-praxis

2009-05-09T22:07:00.002-04:00

I am ignorance
un-aware.
I do not care because
there is they and
here is me,
false-self, self, self,
and on
you I’ll pee.

Stratified divided,
un-united,
inside the closet’s where
I reside in.

Bright bright light consumes
me in my darkroom
this is expoooosuuuure
to perceived others
suuuufferrrrrs,
so I
can’t live ignorant
Annny lonnnnnnnger.

Inside a fire
begins to start, in-
side my heart it
is compassion. Now,
love in action is
what is hapnin.’

Monies, countries, and enemies…
illusions
are you separations!
The truth indeed is
self as we so
o-bese e-go
has, got to go!
Adios!
You are killer
as Killer coke
Killer cola!

And hola
Righteous Selflessness.
I exper-i-ence
mystical
unity
one-ness.

One heart.
One Love.
Solidarity.

For getting together-ness
and
feeling alright-ness,

for the increasing of happiness
and the lessening of suffering,

for brotherhood,
for sisterhood,
and all that is good,

lets search for alternatives
so that
life can live, with
co-existent co-operation.

For the healing of the nations,

Come on and, lets
liberate liberation

Let her free
Let her see
Let her be

-Anthony

A First Hand Account Of Disability- An unnecessary Struggle

2009-05-05T12:40:00.001-04:00

For much too long people with disabilities have been misunderstood. We are perceived, perhaps by some reading this, as bitter or weak or foreign or strange. I’ve seen all of them, and our push for equality has been hurt by these misconceptions. All too often handicapped parking spaces are taken by people who don’t need them and public buildings, including those here at Marist are difficult for those with disabilities to access let alone feel safe and secure inside of. I believe these sorts of things happen because people don’t fully understand those with disabilities. I believe this can only happen when somebody who lives with a disability speaks up and makes their voice heard by telling their story. I hope as you continue reading, you come to better understand those with disabilities and our cause.

I was born with Cerebral Palsy. A hemorrhage on my brain left me unable to walk without assistance. I was told by many as a young child that I wouldn’t amount to anything. At times the difficult of simple tasks, made me believe that they were correct. I was often very bitter about not be able to play like other kids or do things as quickly as other kids. Then at age 8, a doctor told me that I would never be anything more than a vegetable. My bitterness was soon overcome by a motivation I can barely put into words. That doctor quitting on me helped me realize one thing, the only person who decides what I am capable of is me.

That mindset has put me here on the road to a second college degree. I am not alone there are many others with disabilities just like me. On a mission to accomplish what others say we cannot. We overcome pain and doubt everyday because we have no other choice. We are not bitter individuals who are content wasting away but rather an unstoppable example of the human spirit, driven by an incredible desire to do the impossible.

This is why impediments such as taken parking spots and an unsafe campus are such travesties. People with disabilities overcome obstacles just by waking up in the morning, and having to constantly navigate curbs missing a cut or open a heavy door because there is no handicap button or worry about our safety in a second floor classroom because of absent security is part of an unnecessary struggle. Other students don’t have to worry about their safety and security the way those with disabilities do.

All I ask for is understanding. Remember that the greatest exercise of the human heart is reaching down and picking someone else up. If you agree with this letter, park a little further away next time you go to the store. And help me make my voice heard, tell Marist’s administration and security that changes must be made and that safety is not too much to ask for. For those of you who have taken the time to read all of this you have my deepest gratitude

If you’d like a copy of this to distribute to your friends email me at- tribe716@aol.com
- Corey

Recap: Praxis Forum

2009-05-01T18:12:00.014-04:00

This past Thursday, April 30, the Marist Public Praxis Project held our annual forum. Featured at the forum were students who presented their projects from this semester, original poetry, songs, and spiritual meditations. This year has been particularly productive for the praxivists as we truly had an amazing collection of people who had one common objective, to make a difference. As Dr. Mar put it, “you were Awesome yesterday, today, and throughout the term with all your projects, and writing, editing, blogging, researching, critiquing, reflecting, journaling, singing, dancing, creating poetry, drawing, mentoring, instructing, fundraising, photographing, videotaping, sharing clips, offering meditations.” Attached are some pictures of the Praxis forum, I only hope in the coming years we can come near what we’ve accomplished this year. -mike

Anthony giving opening remarks.

Dr. Bruce Luske giving a short lecture about spirituality and praxis.

Cara singing and playing her guitar.

Alanna talking about her involvement in the Kolkata Children's Project.

Emily presenting about the ESL program she and Cass Rosado run for Marist's Hispanic employees.

Carola reading her poem about the effects of taking down trees.

Lauren talking about her experiences as a vegan.

Andy reciting some original poetry.

Mike speaking about the Nobel Peace Prize booklet and his refugee project which also took place on April 30.

Sam describing her project where she measured the importance of hugs.

Kasey, Joe, and Nicole presenting their project at the forum. They are doing fundraisers for the Kolkata Children's Fund as Mar and Alanna are traveling there soon.

Dr. Mar giving closing remarks at the forum.

Happy May Day

2009-05-01T17:51:00.003-04:00

As an individual who has a mistrust for business, I believe that the consumer and the worker have to be protected. I don't believe that in the unchecked, capitalist market that we live that there must be safe guards put in place to protect the workers from being taken advantage of by their employers. So, to that regard I wish you all a happy May Day, a day designated by many to be the symbol of the worker's rights and as a celebration for their freedom. This is, of course, an oversimplification, but I wish you all a happy May Day, especially if you are celebrating it today.

Unidad, paz, y justica.
-mike

What is Praxis?

2009-05-01T17:46:00.004-04:00

What is praxis? asks the masses. In the words of Bruce Luske praxis is “heads, hearts, and hands” “spreading like wild mushrooms” conscience and consciousness. How so? Through the universal flow. Through the unity, of critical theory with love in action. Like “Yab-yum” in Tibetan, it is in, essence, a union-ed representation, of female wisdom, locked in embrace with, male compassion.

Praxis is about, transformation. Praxis is about integration, of we the students in our study, purpose-ful-ly, into the en-viron-ment, and in so-cie-ty.

Praxis opens one, to hear the cries of the world, to feel the pains of other, genuinely, which is compassionate, deep empathy. When praxis exposure opens us, and has us, feeling that suffering, it vibrates within, and responsibility, organically arises. We begin to care, and we become eager to help. And this is why theory needs action, to allow us to walk the walk, after thinking the think, and talking the talk. Praxis is…to experience, to reflect, and to gain insight. To give meaning to the teachings, and to give…mean-ing to our be-ings.

Peace. Namaste blessings. and One Love, -Anthony

Article: Impure Tea Party Absurdity

2009-04-21T15:03:00.002-04:00

There is an amazing thing about grassroots organization; it could lead to populist change. The grassroots is the place where you find fresh ideas brimming from personal experiences. It’s how women obtained the right to vote, how segregation ended, and how the Vietnam war ended. More often than not, grassroots organizations have been the forerunner of social change in the United States.

This notion has been tarnished by some recent rash actions. The so called “tea parties” that took place on April 15 were far from the principles present in the Boston Tea Party in 1773. The Boston Tea Party was a rejection of the massive corporate tax cut the British government created for the British East India Company, the largest corporation in the world at that time. The colonists – knowing that the BEIC would put them out of business – revolted against the tax by dumping the tea into Boston Harbor. The tea parties of 2009, on the other hand, were gross misrepresentations of this historic event.

Although the organizers of these “tea parties” claim that it was in the spirit of the original tea party, there were many discrepancies that would say otherwise. For one, these events were virtually sponsored by the biggest corporate news spin machine of them all, Fox News. In the week leading up to the “protests,” Fox News would run on-screen prompts revealing locations of the protests as “Fox News Channel Tax Day Tea Parties.” Although this “news” network claimed they had no sponsorship of the event, they continuously claimed ownership of the events with these on-screen prompts.

Another large discrepancy between the two events is the organizers of the events. The Boston Tea Party was carried out by angered colonial merchants. The new tea party was organized and funded by the right-wing think tank Freedomworks whose founder is far-right conservative Dick Armey. Freedomworks gets their funds from the likes of Steve Forbes and ExxonMobil who has contributed up to a quarter million dollars a year.

This, “representation of the people,” seems to me like less of a true grassroots movement and more like a corporate puppet scheme involving hundreds of thousands of US citizens. I can understand one supporting the principle of these protests – lower taxes – but I urge people to understand where something is coming from before they jump on board. If this were a true movement for the lowering of taxes on families, it would include an increase in corporate tax to make up for the loss of tax revenues from the family tax cuts.

This movement was truly absurd. It was advertised as a “populist” uprising of people who reject tax hikes while in reality it was an orchestrated scheme by right-wing businessmen and politicians to smear the Obama administration. So as many donned the phrase, “Don’t tread on me,” in reference to the American fight against their colonial ruler, the power elite push their corporate agenda with Americans as their pawns.

As Jane Hamsher puts it, “Before any media covering these events accept the idea that this was just a grass roots outpouring of populist sentiment, they ought to take a look behind the curtain -- where Dick Armey is laughing and counting his cash.”

-mike

Reflection: Green Teen Community Garden Project

2009-04-18T17:46:00.002-04:00

April Eighth. Two Thousand and Nine

In the Green Teen Community Garden, in their, in the works, Green house, I Helped my good friend Zenote with Green Teen Tenoya build a temperature regulator, swing open window. Tenoya is skinny, light as a feather, and likes building and architectural design. Her sole volunteering for this construction-nature of work over cleaning or gardening revealed her confidence in the defiance of societal gender norms. Right away it seems as if I had admired her for that. Zenote and I had her hammering, lifting, moving, and holding boards for us while we circular sawed them. She flowed so well with us. So cooperative and quiet, happily and genuinely interested. The clouds were dark and the weather was stormy. At one point it snowed snowflakes. Before I found gloves in the shed, my fingers became red frozen. Lengthily into the path of our project, Tenoya found her way into another garden project where constructively we observed her contributing, so we let her be and returned to work, to finish the window installation, and drill in green house structural frame supports. Within a short while, Zenote’s partner, Green Teen Coordinator, Bria White slyly asked us for our help to cut open a surprise birthday cake for our Green Teen Educator friend Robin. We lit up a double chocolate frosted with candles and song-ing for her, “Happy Birthday,” the Stevie Wonder version. We warmed her with hugs and positive vibrations. There was a true sense of love, happiness, and unity in the community when all this was happening. In need of a way to get Vassar, Zenote asked me if I could help him by riding with him to Vassar for the purposes of returning Bria’s Volvo wagon to the Family Partnerships Center. We shared a hemp waffle, avocado, coconut butter, and banana sandwich humoring about riding on bicycles locked into bike racks on top of cars. Zenote is a shining spirit. He genuinely thanked me for my help and presence. We hugged long before the fork on our path would have us traveling in different directions. Zenote left me with a feeling of true friendship, wanting to be nearer to him, especially through more Green Teen garden days. This project is a continuation of cultivating relationships whose seeds have been planted more than one year ago by now. I feel it is vitally, healthily, and meaningfully important to engage in projects and relations on the long-term rather than short-term level to allow for the various potential fruitions and blossoming to occur. Staying with Green Teen last spring, and in the summer at the Poughkeepsie Farm Project, to this springtime again, I can feel the interwoven-ness of connections that have evolutionarily developed, and are ever evolving. Returning Bria’s ride to FPC, I ran her keys up three flights of endless marble stairs to meet her at the Green Teen office room. Bria and Robin always greet you with some of the biggest smiles that you had ever seen. They told me that there was one piece of chocolate, chocolate cake with my name on it if I would like. “Of course!” Indulging, it was delicious, “They treat you well here,” is what my mind-heart said. I cleaned up the dishes and composted the fruit peels from inside my backpack. Bria was off to make a vegetable-ly dinner for Robin, so I walked her downstairs on our way out. She told me how good it was that Zenote and I connected that day. “He’s out of work, and up and down all the time lately.” She mentioned his down transforming into an up when we essentially reunited with each other out there. Zenote greatly inspires me. He is a hardest working construction worker and he is a spiritual, folklore, cultural, singer guitar player performer. I have witnessed him carry exhaustive amounts of food from his far away house down to the river to cook dinner for us with, he has told me great stories of him walking alone at night through the wild great distances, and I have crossed paths with him on his knees on the New Paltz sidewalks playing Spanish guitar with soul-force energy as if it were our last day here on earth, with two pizza slices that he had gotten, one for me, and one for my love Ella, “Hey, Come stay, sit down, eat, listen,” welcoming us he would say. And now he is in need of work, with out work, and he is helping with his hands, heart, and head to build a community garden green house for assessable to all, fresh local food access. “Is this what people are going to start doing exponentially more often, when the jobs keep vanishing, corporations poisoning our Mother and us in our food, and the scam of loans->money creation out of thin air->inflation->debt->slavery comes to an end?” Scarcity over needed resources often means war in the greed driven chase to control over them, but at the same time a common coming together, to make a better livable world possible, is another possible, possibility. This is how I see the relevance in Green Teen. There are too many oil petroleum stocks at Wall Street at stake, so the media is silent, but we are deeply listening and we an hear Mother Earth and all her creatures. They are asking us to live differently, so we, are voluntarily, adopting the lifestyle practices, of living simply so that others may simply live.

-anthony

Holocaust Rememberence Program

2009-04-18T17:32:00.002-04:00

On April 16, the Praxivists attended Marist's annual Holocaust Remembrance Program featuring speaker Ed Lessing a Holocaust "escapee" from Holland. The Praxivists painted a mural of the "arc of justice" which is depicted in a few pictures below. Here are some other pictures of the event as well. -mike

Top left: Professor Mar discussing some of the principles of justice. Top right: The Praxis I/II class listening to Professor Mar. Middle left: A picture of the mural made by the Praxivists. Middle right: Mural painters Colleen, Anthony, and Mike. (Kelly not pictured). Bottom: Andy and Mike hamming it up a bit.

Reflection: Food not Bombs

2009-04-16T14:28:00.003-04:00

Tonight was Praxivist’s third Food Not Bombs. Christian at Earth Goods donated it food and drink for it. Mar helped to her surprise with the refrigeration. Earlier at six o’clock, I brought twelve eggs over to Emily’s to cook them there. She shared her time, her kitchen, plastic cups, granola bars, and bread. We made twelve golden browned egg sandwiches. They finished miraculously just minutes before meeting up with Alanna, Sam, Sam’s friend, Lauren, her sister and their friend. The coordination of all this just fell smoothly, right into place. Everyone showed up timely; we had slightly enough room in the two cars, and gracefully, an array delicious nourishment diversity. We dove on roads, through signs, through lights, then parked the cars beside the Millhouse Panda. Opening of trunks unveiled our abundance. We are privileged. We are in abundance. What are implications onto others with this abundance that we are in? Others do not have because of our abundance. We know where the food is, and we know who is, and where they are without access. Therefore it is our duty, our moral obligation, and our niche to reduce suffering, to not waste and feed the hungry, empty bellies. Arms fully full carrying boxes and bags in between traffic; we survived crossing the highway-natured street together. On a brick ledge before the grass of the First Baptist Church, we laid out the spread. Pizza squares and circles, garlic knots, pasta, breads, chips, orange juice, raisins, yogurts, granola bars, and egg sandwiches. I went up to the church steps to embrace and welcome the community there to join us. They receive us kindly, friendly, and gratefully here. The unexpectancy of it all must feel like some kind of surprise party. Within minutes people were accumulating and congregating, uniting through meal sharing. Food brings us together. Sharing it, eating it together breaks down barriers. Barriers of society’s accepted versus society’s rejected, higher class versus lower class, have versus have not, color, gender, sexual orientation, and age. The solution to many of our problems, crises, and suffering exists in un-separation, in inter-relations, inter-dependence, and interconnectedness. From far away I noticed a familiar face from crossing paths before. It was O.T. Not “Old Timer,” but “Otis Thomas.” I love that name. He is fifty-seven, sleeps beneath the walkway over the Hudson in the trellis. “Who is that? Woody the woodpecker?” He once yelled out in a disturbed sleep from jackhammer thundering construction out there. O.T. is my favorite person to see on the streets. He is lively in his energy, always with a story. This time he told me that he has been collecting cans, hiding them like squirrels do their nuts, scattering his can, bottle stashes around Poughkeepsie. For breakfast he gets a bagel and a coffee from recycling them. How earth friendly I thought. O.T. is happy to live, but ready to die. He believes in the Lord Almighty, he believes in angels, “and there are devils, so look out!” is what wisdom he gave me. I saw the cosmos mystery in his eyes. He remembered me from the last time we crossed paths on the crossroads. “Cross-roads, you get it? I’ll see you at the cross roads.” He said, looking at me with eyes that knew, that had seen, and had met. We hugged in his departure, as he left to catch the bus. All men, we are brothers. In some way, in some form I will meet him again. Many who are homeless are college educated, were skilled dedicated culinary artists, professors, or servers on tropical cruise liners. Then outsourcing happened, 9-11 happened, the economy happened. Jobs are scarce and the times are hard. People shiver around nights in the dead of winter, in countless layers. The homeless shelter does not welcome all. Sometimes there are less beds the number of heads who are in need, so cocooned outside is where some sleep. How is one expected to stay sane, to keep cool, live rightfully in health, under such societal rejections, trials, and tribulations? In retrospect, I reflect and tonight was beautiful, insightful, sunny delightful. It is clear to see that we are welcomed and appreciated by this beloved community. The dynamic is angelic. I wish to be here more often. I intend to do this again. The energy is right, and all the people are nice. All the leftovers are donated to the shelter. What would have been wasted attains meaningful purpose. Beings with gifts, gems, and high potentials are in a homeless situation. Society deeming them waste, I can only rest my head and pray for the day, which like the food, that they to will be given the opportunities, recognition, and means to attain theirs to, their accepted, meaningful purposes.

-anthony

Reflection: Food not Bombs

2009-04-16T14:21:00.001-04:00

Our first Food Not Bombs adventure of the semester. I was able to talk with two veterans, both homeless. One fought in the Vietnam War. I heard fragmented pieces of what he experienced: Holding together the torn arm of one of his dyeing friends. Warning another soldier not to pick a child up, because once the kid’s feet were off the ground, a bomb would be triggered. “I just knew how to blow stuff up,” he declared. He showed me his faded military picture he kept safe in his brown leather wallet. He was seated in uniform, with an American flag behind him. Land of the free? “So I guess it’s really me that should be thanking you guys,” I told him.

It is easy to ignore the homeless. To draw a line that separates you from them…the poor…the other. But in reality, we are all on the same side. I told one of the men that I am doing a project about homelessness in my social work class. “What would you like me to tell them about the homeless population?” I asked. “Just that they know that we are the same as them. We are smart people,” he replied.

-Sam

The Civil Disobedience of Henry David Thoreau Blossoming Gandhi-an Satyagraha

2009-04-06T12:08:00.004-04:00

Coined by Gandhi in Africa, to describe the non-violent, civil disobedient, independence movement in India, “Satyagraha” is truth-force. Seeking and teaching. The soul-force. Spirit invisible. Roots of the fruits are self-discipline, self-control, and self-purification. Con-version not co-ercion . Transformation and Liberation… all of wrongdoers. “Satyagrahi’s” are fearless lovers. Self-suffer-ers and self-sacrifice-ers. Evil eradicators. Community servers and unjust authority resisters.

In the words of Gandhi…”Why, of course I read Thoreau.” “I actually took the name of my movement from Thoreau’s essay, ‘On the Duty of Civil Disobedience.’

Thoreau and Gandhi… similar-ly rejected, and protested, and criticized interpretations of the Hindu Bible, The Gita, as a means for violence justification. Reading them often, in prison, in his newspaper, called Indian Opinion, Thoreau’s words spoke deeply to Gandhi. Impressively. Enormously. Inspirationally. Thoreau was one who also entered jail willingly, “for the sake of his principles and suffering humanity.” Thoreau philosophized that the true place for a just man is also in prison, under a government, which imprisons unjustly. Divinely, it is our duty, to resist against oppression, slavery and robbery. We should all realize this responsibility, then pledge ourselves independently. Let us not have, any longer, such evil-ous machinery.

Gandhi teaches us that being in jail is “of one’s good fortune” and in good name of one’s country and one’s religion. Going to jail is a season, for undergoing suffering, a place for fasting. For Reading, and writing. Meditation and reflection. Ultimate happiness in privation. Opportunistically a time for the purpose of perceiving the machine from a different perception.

For Gandhi, Henri. David Thorreau was a man who’s beliefs he practiced, guided by his consciousness, who confirmed the effectiveness, of societal and governmental defiance, non-violence, and non-cooperative, unjust law resistant, civil, disobedience. Thoreau was Gandhi’s encouragement, his nourish-ment for the move-ment, for the Salt March, that in flower-nature blossom, manifested… India’s Independence.

Introducing (however late it may be) the Praxis Mural

2009-03-29T18:54:00.001-04:00

So this is far overdue, but I finally have a good picture of the mural to post. This is our Praxis Mural which we completed way back on February 10. Take a good look at it! -mike

Rasta and Babylon

2009-03-28T18:11:00.004-04:00

Babylon is ‘polytricksters’ (political tricksters), ‘downpressors’ (oppressors), and ‘downgressors’ (aggressors). Babylon is imperial, colonial powers. The vampire. Suckin’ children and suckin’ the blood of the sufferers. Men eating men. Babylon the establishment. Governments, police agents, humans, systems, institutions, and empires against the ways of God, Jah. Rastafari. In the eyes of Rasta, Babylon is wicked, the worst of evils, identifiable sin, hell on earth, real and re-vealed.

“Come we go chant down Babylon one more time” sings the honerable, Robert Nesta Marley. Rasta are rebels, soul rebels, resisters against slavery, degradation, exploitation, and humiliation. This is why rasta unkeep their hair, and wear, “natty dred, natty dred locks”. Locks are like the hair of victorious biblical Solomon. Locks are the mane of the lion. Power, strength, and freedom, wandering through the wilderness on the path of righteousness, ranging, roaming, headed towards the promised land. Dred is a way. A way of resistance, expressing grievances, spreading peace and love with confidence, and holding self together in the face of societial forces which have been aimed at tearing self into pieces and shreds.

I-and-I. We. Are all ‘Lords of Creation’. Not commodities, and not units of labor for any slavery, or any profit in pockets. Rasta never seek to be accepted in wider society, and never conform to the standards or norms of Babylon. Smoking Ganja herb sacredly is not only a spiritual ritual, but a living practice of rebellious, societal, deviance. Ganga is the smokescreen that brings into consciousness Babylon’s trickery, the poverty, brutality, and inequality. Enlightened, awakened in mind and spirit, start come off, the brainwash.

Reggae, is the healer. Heart’ically and ear’tically. Babylon will end apocalyptically, and the present order will be transformed spiritually, supernaturally, a.k.a. divine intervention-ally. Salvation is a certainty, manifested through experientially and introspectively seeking, testing, reasoning, and discerning to realize the divine book within, and to discover what is true and what is false. Rasta path is about determining events rather than being determined by them, determining who self is, and determining how self is manifested and where exactly it is, that self is going.

The refusal to be defined by, along with the stripping ourselves of material possesions allows us to see, that we, are organic beings connected with eachother, living and non-living. “I-and-I” consciousness calls for a new responsibility for ones thoughts, words, and actions. To live naturally, ‘sitting in the dust’, in rhythm, in harmony, and closeness with the creatures and the nature of our loving mother, Mother Earth.

May lightening and thunder strike the downpressors, and may peace, wisdom, and good health be rewarded to all righteously planting, cultivating, respecting, protecting, dancing, chanting, and singing…

Jah Jah love,
is like a burnin’ fire,
that keeps on burnin’, burnin’ burnin’
down in my soul

Babylon burnin’,
Babylon bur-ur-nih-ih-in’,
Babylon burnin’, burnin’ burnin’…

...and we got no wahhh-ter'.

-anthony

Article: Shunning His Holiness

2009-03-25T01:15:00.003-04:00

Another article written for Marist College's weekly The Circle. It should be out on campus March 26.

It saddens my heart to hear that the South African government will not allow the Dalai Lama to participate in a peace conference in Johannesburg. In a statement, the South African government wrote that they did not want to stress their relations with China, an important economic ally to the country. Although it is difficult for the country to rectify its role as a leader of the developing world, I would expect better from their government.

Although South Africa has only been a democracy for 15 years, they have demonstrated great pragmatism in the field of human rights and peace. As the spiritual leader of millions of conflict ridden people and one of the most respected peace advocates in the world, the Dalai Lama is the symbol of harmony and hope in the world; barring him from participating in the conference would be a distinct step back for South Africa.

This decision on the part of the South African government is being described by some solely as a “business” decision. This is quite clear as the South African government is engaging in a very poor attempt to please the Chinese government, one of South Africa’s largest trading allies. As a nation that has overcome so much oppression and segregation, South Africa should understand the importance of peace.

Many Nobel peace laureates who were planning on attending the conference are now planning on not attending because of the absence of his holiness. Desmond Tutu, the former archbishop of Cape Town and a Nobel peace laureate, is one of the absentees who was quoted in saying that excluding the Dalai Lama is “disgraceful.”

One issue that is clearly not being addressed here is that peace is not something that a government can deny on the basis of business. Although the Dalai Lama advocates for a free Tibet, it doesn’t mean that he is going to slander the Chinese government during the conference nor does it mean that South Africa’s relationship with China is going to be jeopardized.

More than anything else in the world now, peace is something that we should all be striving for. Through all the turmoil of the global society, with the interconnectedness of the world becoming ever clearer, peace is becoming more of a necessity. Excluding his holiness from the proceedings at this conference is not going to achieve any additional positive outcome for the world.

We will only achieve peace if we all strive for its attainment, people and government.

-mike

Recap: Spiritual Circle Discussion

2009-03-12T22:23:00.005-04:00

This past Tuesday (10 March 2009) the Praxivists hosted a spiritual circle discussion. At the discussion, the particpants discussed their personal spirtual experience along with what effects them spiritually. After, Mike and Anthony had another discussion with Evan Pritchard about the history of religion. During the discussion, Evan gave us a diagram about the history of religion which is attached below. You can click on the image to view it on a larer scale. I hope you enjoy it. -mike

Reflection: Hare Krishna wisdom gems for Praxis Journeying

2009-03-05T22:35:00.004-05:00

Lord Krishna,
Supreme Being,
all-attractive one,
symbolic cow finder and herder of symbolic cows.

This soul-guider, destroyer of material, selfish, and divine sin, is a shedder of wisdom, providing several gems of divine insight for us to bathe in, and consider deeply in our Praxis approaches and paths of Praxis actions.

Krishna’s council to us as Praxis peoples goes a little something like this…

Do all Praxis without seeking reward, and seek never the fruit of your Praxis. Seeking fruit rewards means putting your ego, your false self, the selfish self into your Praxis. Ego into Praxis spoils Praxis. This blinds us, and impures us, corrupting, and infecting, even when Praxis appears as if outwardly good. Do the dance of Praxis, surf its wave in harmonious peace, so that you can, act spontaneously, rhythmically, perfectly, and naturally. Spiritual practice is a pure, fresh, and clean source of rest and renewal that is often necessary for such endeavors. Be free from those… selfish desires! They are disturbers that manifest disturbances. To wherever your Praxis path leads you, be unmoved by success, and be unmoved by failure. Enjoy your Praxis, but enjoy it with detachment to whether the fruit will be good or bad, for it will be neither, as it just “will be”. Do your Praxis with your whole heart and whole soul force. Wisdom and love into praxis. Skill in action. Love into our wisdom, love into our understanding arises insight, knowledge by love. The entire creation is understood through experiencing balanced, the unity between a female named “Action” a male named “Contemplation”.

May these words be the heat of self-guidance, self-control and self-discipline. Inner heat from an inner fire. Inner fire that is in all, every single, one of our hearts, the place that is the dwelling center of those little love-lights of ours, that we all let shine. Let them shine. Let them shine. Let them shine.

-anthony

Article: Common (Liberal) Sense

2009-03-03T11:18:00.002-05:00

Here is another article I wrote for Marist College's newspaper The Circle. It's due out on campus Thursday March 5.

Considering all the hardships this country is facing, one of America’s greatest founding fathers is becoming progressively more notable. As the government is shifting gradually towards liberalism, Tom Paine is now one of the more important ancestral figures. Paine’s importance derives from his discussions on the necessity to embrace change and to break from unnecessary and cruel tenants.

In the introduction of his pamphlet, Paine writes, “A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom.” I think this quote applies to the current debate in Washington over economic policy. For too many years now, we have been embracing “trickle down” economic policy while deregulating important governmental welfare functions. It is time for us to stop embracing a system that we perceive to be right, and begin to embrace a system that, at first, seems to be the enemy.

I know it is difficult to break from the status quo, but we are living thorough very trying times and there is a need to try new policies. Change must come now at the first realization of wrongs. The change will break from customs, and we cannot be afraid of it. For too long this government has been allowing for the suffering of the least fortunate; individuals who have been suffering at the hands of budgets designed to benefit the wealthy.

So the “redistribution” of the nation’s wealth to benefit those who have been suffering – to provide them affordable healthcare, education, and services – is bad? Have you ever heard of the saying “we’re only as good as our weakest player?” This nation will continue to be weak if we do not help the weakest individuals in this nation. No longer should this country be the country of unregulated corporations, it is time for it to become the nation of the people.

To those who do not want to pay their share: you can afford to live comfortably while paying slightly higher taxes. It is much easier for an individual to pay more taxes if they are making a quarter of a million dollars than it is for someone who is making less than $35,000. For that, I applaud Mr. Obama. As Paine noted, “Those who want to reap the benefits of this great nation must bear the fatigue of supporting it.” In an equal and just society, every individual who is well off should bear the responsibility of helping those who are unable to support themselves.

It is time for this country to stop believing in the mantra that capitalism is always right. People in this country are suffering at this very moment because of simple issues like malnutrition and improper health care. We must now seek alternative models that will, in the end, help those who are suffering the most. With this logic, our country will improve from the bottom up, not the top down.

-mike

Reflection: Kagyu Blizzard Iron Wind Trip

2009-03-03T10:58:00.002-05:00

03.02.2008.

Today there were cancellations of both work and classes. I interpreted this as a signaling to embark in journey to Kagyu. Through blizzard-ing snows and iron winds, long strides I took, fast-paced, in admiration of extreme elements. SPIRIT WIND. Breath is strength today. White particle movement reveals before me air. Resembles the cosmos.. I experience gratitude. I experience suffering. There exists an Arjuna in nature, inner battle occurring inside of me. It is paralleling of external real situations.

Balancers of experience. We are all seekers of happiness. We are all avoiders of suffering and pain.

Scarf frozen attached to the grown, unkempt beard hairs of my face. I am indoors! I come for refuge! Meet-ed and greeted. Loose green tea defrosts, un-thaws my weathered bodily surfaces and regions.

Monastery is filled with monks and nuns pouring into lamps heated butter, in the liquid state, for an EMPOWERMENT retreat, as an offering to Buddha. How aromatic, merit-ous, peaceful of a practice. Thousands are filled for future ceremonial purposes. Placed within racked shelving, butter solidifies slowly at a temperature, considered “room.”

Cleaned up the messes. Then Lekshi, Orrin, and I all ate walnut and crystallized ginger cake. Taste sensual delicacy. Sharings of wisdom and laughter. When no more was left, Orrin and I left, for the barn house, for more tea warmth, and conversation deeply.

Small bedrooms promote intimacy. Insight upon insight. Consciousness expansion…

We cry heavily when born into this world. Every orifice development is abundant with pains. This is life essence. Enlightenment is sought for the transcending of “samsara”, the endless cycle of death and rebirth, a.k.a. suffering. This realized however, life experience is not strictly suffering, with many joys and meaningful growths are to be had, in this very lifetime.

We can emulate the way of the “bodhisattva” by renouncing our own peace vow to work for the liberation of all beings, eventually attaining ENLIGHTENMENT, but being so to speak, “the last to enter into its door.” We awaken our minds, and become rooted in solid ground. This way, when we attempt to help liberate others from their drowning into spiraling quick sands, we will better be able when not in spiraling quick sands ourselves.

In coexisting interdependently among others, all help in the fundamental understanding of “us” as individuals, and “us” as we are collective. Saints, lovers, healers… killers, rape-ers, drug junkies, material chasers, and being harmers. We are all the opportunity for us all to practice our practice with. Our PRAXIS with. All are vehicles. All are helping in the ELEVATION OF CONSCIOUSNESS. Helped by all we understand. INTER-CONECTEDNESS. Ego, BIG I dissolvent. One-ness. Bliss.

Suffering inevitable.
All beings
suffering on and off
inescape-ably.
We all ought to be understanding of all others,
of their suffering.

For being a sufferer myself,
I intend to practice
and intent to cultivate
patience,
understanding,
compassion,
and love onto others,
onto which
are in many various forms suffering,
spectrum-ing
from
radically differing,
to mirroring
similarly
alike.

-anthony

MadLib: Praxivist Warrior

2009-02-26T19:50:00.003-05:00

Anthony, Sam, and Mike did this MadLib about their praxivist friend Jaimee who is studying abroad this semester. All the additions are in green!...

Jaimee DePompeo is no joke, a praxivist warrior. When her consciousness became aware about Food Not Bombs she fasted for four-hundred and twelve trillion days. She arised compassion in many others, and even became skinnier than Gandhi did. When Docter Mar showed her a short about Thoreau she became graciously inspired. So much so, that she dumpster-dived an elephant sized wood just so she could spread the message “Resist Mc-Domination!” all over this land. Change manifested. It blossomed like a sun flower. Separate became unity. Beauty in her, radiated outward, and happily ever after, liberated in laughter, THE ENTIRE KINGDOM CREATURE COMMUNITY. So next time you see this prophet in person, give her a hug or a high-ten. Heighten and enlighten. All right then!

Peace
-Anthony
-Mike
-Sam

Article: The new wave of Liberalism

2009-02-24T00:36:00.003-05:00

This is an article I wrote for Marist College's newspaper The Circle and is due out on campus Thursday February 26. Enjoy...

With all the ideological struggle in America over the alleged culture war, it seems natural for there to be massive backlash by the political right in response to the changes Mr. Obama is attempting to push through in Washington. But the change from conservatism to liberalism is nothing new, particularly in American politics. What we may see now, though, is a general shift in public opinion and governmental policy that will reflect a more liberal model.

It isn’t too much out of the ordinary to see minor sways in the government’s policy nor is it uncommon to see slight changes in public opinion over the course of 20 years or so. What is major is seeing a complete realignment of public opinion to another ideology. This type of massive shift is usually a result of massive social and political unrest. We saw this with the election of Roosevelt in 1932 and the election of Reagan in 1980, the public changed their political alignment towards another political view based on economic hardship.

Now we are confronted with a new scenario: was the election of Obama a response against the conservative America built by Reagan, Gingrich, and the Bushes? This is a possibility. It seems as though the voting public dramatically swayed towards liberalism and, in doing so, gave the Democrats a mandate to try out their policy. Pundits have been noting that it seems as though America is fed up with the conservative economic and foreign policy of the previous administrations including Clinton.

The issue now is to what extent is the government going to liberalize. I find it hard to believe that the government will sway as drastically left as conservative pundits are speculating. Although the conservatives are worried about the extent to which the government will liberalize, they must allow Obama to try out his policies to try and better America

It is time for welfare reforms, to increase funding into education, and to mend one of the most tattered healthcare systems in the industrialized world. Who knows? We may even catch up to Europe in our quality of healthcare. We may even catch up to Cuba!

The conservatives have had their opportunity to lead the country, they have been doing so for the last 28 years. Now it is liberals turn to try and run the country with their policies. Trends dictate that within the next 20 years – if Obama succeeds in leading the new liberal movement – there will be a transition back to conservative politics.

I would like to close this article with a quote from conservative columnist Bill Kristol: “Liberalism’s fate rests to an astonishing degree on Obama’s shoulders. If he governs successfully, we’re in a new political era.”

-mike

Poem: Conscious All Versus American Capital “M” dash “Pyre”

2009-02-24T00:29:00.003-05:00

[Conscious All:]
Invader!
Raider of turf!
Why must you kill
all the creatures
and Earth?
Where inside
it
are you find-
ing
any worth?
We demand
you disarm
all us be-ings,
we are hurt!

[M-Pyre:]
Aww,
come on now!
You ought to better know me.
I gotta gotta eat
more of
them resource-ceez.

Cause the only highest power
that my eyes can see
Is a mighty common acronym,
“G” to the “O”
Tuh’ tuh’ the “D”

[ Conscious Chorus:]
For the Gold, Oil, Drugs is why
He’s spreading the blood
For the Gold, Oil, Drugs is why
He’s spreading the blood
For the Gold, Oil, Drugs is why
He’s spreading the blood

[Conscious All:]
Elite!
This thug
Is American!
Capital letter “M” dash “Pyre!”
Napalmed grand mom’s
in Vietnam
and melted
skeletons
on fire!
Possesed by his possessions,
Expansions
All he
Desires

[Conscious Chorus:]
M-Pyre!,
On you a demon made a spell!
M-Pyre!,
Truth, all your hurt-
ing is yourself!
M-Pyre!,
Should share it good
Share your wealth!
M-Pire!,
We pray for you,
To soon get well.

[M-Pyre:]
Conscious all,
all
yall
is no victims
in this
system.
You got to feel my ism’s!
Capital,
political,
military,
industrial.
Connected by all them
chords umbilical.
Live life in a bubble,
and don’t knock my hustle.
Any questioning
of the weaponing,
out in public
I will call you…
unpatriotic-al!

[Conscious All:]
M,
hold up now,
just for one minute.
We here you propaganda,
but we just don’t dig it!
So get out of town.
Please take the next train or bus,
cause’ your nuclear arms have been toxic-ing us,
And you’re ish’ outta’ luck,
cause we mean
most serious.

Hands,
hearts,
heads…
Please spread
like on bread
with peanut butter
these truths
to many others…
Thank us
will our Earth Mother
when we
wake up and love her.
And end
will many suffers
when we
all free each other.

And end
will many suffers
when we
all free each other.

-anthony

Poem: Observations through glass

2009-02-18T12:06:00.003-05:00

Looking into the world through the
Safety of glass encasement allows one
To see the world as it is, unbridled
From the worst and simplistic as to
Only view motion.
I see (a):
Woman running, sleek and slender moving
Easily as each step allows for another
Spring forward.
Friends walking along a path moving toward
A shared destiny as each step brings
Them closer to me, or further away?
Trees gently rustling in the breeze
Swayed by nothing more than nature
Existing, for no purpose?
River gently flowing pushing along its
Contents without purpose propelled by
Nature’s currents.
Snow dripping away into the soil without
Concern to what it has been or where
It is going or what affect it has.

The observations show me that
Things change naturally with fluidity
And foster positive outcome. Things
Created by sudden occurrences are formed
From malice and the unintentional and are
Not meant to be emulated.

Change comes with
Ease and Peace.

-mike

Approaching a creature named PrAxiS

2009-02-17T21:21:00.006-05:00

When approaching non-thing named Praxis…

For the insights for this one thanks be to
-Ram Dass
Approach is your attitude, your state of being, your frame of mind/heart/soul when participating, publicly serving, helping, or promoting any form of life in community. It is mindful to wanting to understand others, being open to being helped, and to receive as well as to learn. Percieving our”selves” as separate “selves” often obstructs us from being generous. Feeling unity and one-ness in our approaches can counter obstructions, increasing our potential to be generosity. Loneliness, angriness, and powerlessness feelings may manifest helping efforts to gain intimacy, power, control, etc. Catering to our own needs may lessen our abilities to serve others. Help others as they truly are, whole and complete. When you are seeing, see wholly. Although in some situations this is unavoidable, generally try avoiding the roles of active helper and passive helped. For attachment to roles is limiting to our outreach. Approach with intentions to destroy, but create. Not to separate, but to unify. To heal wounds. In all seriousness be humorous, have a trip when you uplift. Utilize your inner-most gifts and spread shining light, illuminating as the sun, when you approach praxis. In our beings is every non-thing, the universe, for us to disperse all around affecting the world every moment, whether we mean to or not. In essence, our actions and our states of mind matter, because we are so deeply interconnected with one another.
“I would say that the thrust of my life has been initially about getting free, and then realizing that my freedom is not independent of everybody else. Then I am arriving at that circle where one works on oneself as a gift to other people so that one doesn't create more suffering. I help people as a work on myself and I work on myself to help people.”- Ram Dass

-anthony

Poem: A Peaceful Heart (Inspired by Thay, a.k.a. Thich Nhat Hanh)

2009-02-17T21:14:00.002-05:00

If we are anger
We a living in hell
What we put into our minds
Brings us
To where we are
Our own weapons are…
Prejudice, fear, and ignorance
Working for peace is
Uprooting roots from
Within us and others
What of us others ask…
Give
There are always ways to
Solve our problems
Always ways
Without killing
The person we call our “enemy”
Is also suffering
Deeply
When we
See
This we
Have the capacity
To love
We have compassion for
And accept one another
“Enemies” are illusions
They are individuals who are
Suffering and greatly need our compassion
Forgiveness is
The fruit of awareness
Forgive kindly
Mindfully
It will allow you to see
Root causes that lead to them
To suffering
This occurs naturally
And this allows
Compassion
To be given

-anthony

Lesson is “The Roots of War”…

2009-02-12T18:25:00.002-05:00

Consciousness is collective
The president is us
We are responsible in our
Support for love and understanding
We cannot be supporting
Of violence, hatred, anger, or fear
War causes suffering unto everyone
Its wounds are deep
In our souls
Is war
In us is toxicity
Society has become infected with illness
Not being happy enough
We need to begin with practicing
Peace, joy, and happiness,
Mindfulness within ourselves
Being in touch
With what is refreshing
And healing inside all around
Will transform the seeds of war
Within us collectively
By perceiving and doing
We influence others
Transformation
Is possible
We are all co-responsible

What we fill society with
Manifests into
What is inside society

-anthony

Poem: energy, flow

2009-02-10T12:22:00.010-05:00

Solitude in wisdom, energy in flow.

We are the observers of the flow
Bearing witness to the constant
Moving of the people wrought by
Time and forced into observance.
We know not what we see for
Believing what is unknown is the
Folly of the believer and the
Knowledge of the thinker is to
Know that nothing is definite and
That finite particles can mean the
World or nothing at all.
We are the keepers of the gate,
Those who allow energy to
Flow and the guardians of what
May seem right but only truly
Express self-interest and offer
Nothing but the gentle rise of
Personal ego letting wind to the
Fruitless nature of passionless action.
We are all part of one, cog wheels in
The motion of life ticking in unison to
Strive for what ought to be and to
Berid this planet of what shouldn't;
That which is unfortunate was never a
Friend of us but we need not hold
Disdain towards things, objects that we
Cannot necessarily control as they are
Meant to be, meant to be wrong?
Nothing is inherently wrong, simply
Misguided by negative principals or
Strung about by mantra and partisanship.
We must accept the word of another to
Realize that we are truly citizens on a
Ship, a vessel known as a planet, the
Celestial body that we hold and too often
Ruin out of greed and want and other
Misguided principals.

It is our obligation to right that
Has become wrong and to strive for
A better planet to inhabit, to
Advocate for the truly ideal, to
Become Citizens.

-mike
note: the picture before this poem was taken by me while I was in South Africa in the countryside an few hours outside of Durban.

Poem: Citizen Ship

2009-02-07T23:47:00.003-05:00

Soul journeying
Across universe’s space
Inter-depend-ed
On inter-connections
We are citizens
In a ship

Harmless
Standing under
So that others uplift-ed
How high they are shining
On us they are sun

Love one
Teach one
See one another
As one

Help all others
For the benefit of all beings
The conscious-ness
The cultural collective
Spiritual village

Humans
Right and left ten fingers in unity
We as privileged members giving back in society
Response-ing
Able-ly and willing-ly

Theraputical remedies
Healing inner and outer
Natures in need

Pollinate harmony
Pure waters
Disobeying-ly
Cease hell fire civilly

The force
The source
Positive energy
The creative ingredient
That disrupts injustice

In-volve
En-gage
En-lighten
Inter-be

Seek Truth
Speak Truth
Act Truth accordingly
Publicly
Non-violently
Like Jesus
Like King
Nhat Hanh
And Gandhi
Being the change that you wish to see

Reuse
Reduce
Recycle
Respect
Repair
The world

Change her
Care for her
Pour local
And global
Community all over her
Be a vessel
For spreading the light
Get up, get out,
And stand up for your rights

Share
Serve
Plant
Vigil
And sing

Liberation
Alleviation
Solutions
Revolution

Cultivated
and
Gravitated
Towards higher realms
Higher states and
Higher planes

All on board together
Rocket shipping
In the cosmos
We are tripping

Roots oriented
In the right directions
Unique are our perceptions
On our individual paths
We are practicing
Citizens in a ship

-anthony

Picture from Equality Equals Equal

2009-02-06T01:29:00.002-05:00

This picture was going to be a part of the article previous but we had some technical difficulties....

Equality Equals Equal

2009-02-06T01:13:00.005-05:00

02.04.09.

Today when I was delivering letters from Christopher, from Kolkata, from India, I crossed paths with Emily and Lauren on the third floor in the library, and they were engaging with others, English as a Second Language-ing. With there being a near hour before tutor mentoring at the Newburgh Free Academy, I decided organically to join the group. My intentions at first were only to observe. Well, the man I seated next to looked in appearance just like the custodian man that raised his vocals at me when I unmindfully walked across his freshly mopped hallway earlier this week. But I was uncertainly unsure. In the meanwhile, this man was radiating a sense of welcoming from within him. Not before too long my dormant observing him proceed along with ease, then misspell words, and sit pondering, evolved into a friendly greeting, manifesting into working cooperatively together.

His name was Douglass and we thought each other were funny. I liked his nature, and felt as if, if he were that custodian man, I felt reconciled, a reoccurring pattern that has been present in my life lately, especially in meditation, dreams, and prayer to the powers that be. Douglass has a basic rooting in his understanding of the English language. I comprehend him when he communicates verbally, and the way he writes is well. Presently he is practicing developing his grammatical skills writing. It was a pleasure to work together with him. We shared happiness and wisdom.

Emily had contributed sentence structure along with verb tenses worksheets, so we spend our time together in such a way. Douglass encountered with balance, struggle and ease. For the most part he had it, so I would help him when he got stuck, or reassure him when he was in doubt, or cheer him along when he was sailing on. We were so immersed in it, and before we even knew, everyone else there was packing their belongings to leave. Douglass, grounded in his chair, unready to depart, noticed a word he became curious about. He had heard the President Barack Obama say it repeatively, and the word was “equal.” Mi amigo asked me what the president meant when he said that? And I responded in the essense of…”Equal is a word that means “the same.” When the president is saying it, he is talking about equality. Equal rights, equal opportunity, and equal treatment that he wishes to be the same for all. Everyone. Just like you and I should both experience equality equally.” Douglass laughed happily. Pencil across paper, he wrote in a sentence…”We are all equal.” “I like that word” he said.

Equanimity is the Buddhist concept that Douglass revealed in his life presence to me. Cultivating equanimity is to love and accept all. It begins with becoming loving and accepting of all of the qualities within oneself. Practice expands this love and acceptance to encompass all beings and creatures. To love all like you would your own mother, and not to decrease the love for your mother to such depths, but to elevate love for all to reach such highest heights.

All love
Loving all
All for love
Love for all

-anthony

Mural Beginnings

2009-02-04T14:39:00.008-05:00

With this week's Praxivists meeting we were fortunate enough to construct a wood frame that we will paint into a full mural next week. With the help of Sam, we were able to attain tools and materials to build a portable mural that we will include at future Praxis events around campus. Included are several pictures that depict the groups daunting task of turning scrap wood into mural material.
Power to the Peaceful!
-mike

Poem: The Quick Story of the World

2009-01-31T19:02:00.004-05:00

A man’s death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind;
And therefore never send to know
For whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee. -John Donne

Third world’s dying while
Second world’s crawling while
First world’s gunning
And running.

Force leads to profit,
Profit leads to wealth,
Wealth leads to greed,
Greed leads to corruption,
Corruption runs the world.

First world’s gunning
Third world’s running
Nowhere to hide
Second world’s in limbo.

It is a story well known by those who wallow:
Inconsideration, ignorance, misunderstanding
Perhaps?
NO.
It is the intention of the crat with his
Rat-a-tat-tat spoke scratchin at the back
Of those who wallow in their ghettos
Forced by those who care little of humanity
But would rather see a profit increase one
Half a percent stuck in place cause
There is no place for the other half,
Quarter, whole, they don’t care, they
Can change it all but they let them
Live in des pair; they push arms and
Take leg’s, rape minds, and pillage the
Most precious resource of them all,
Hope, dignity, promise, potential
Perhaps?
NO.
They went the way of the WTO and
Legalized the selling of people for profit
Because tis easier to own one’s workers
Rather than treat them like an equal
A brother, a friend, an acquaintance
A human.
There is no room for humanity in the
Marbled walls of the world’s headquarters
Because, after all, they must know what is
Best, after all, they do have all the money.
So because of this false sense of authority
[authority being perceived dominance over
Another human that is in every sense of the
Word equal to him or her or it. Bullocks]
They exploit the resources, people and
LIVES of those who were just unlucky enough
To be born outside of the “industrialized” world.
They care less about the fellowship of man
And more of their all mighty god
The all mighty Dollar.
The one that justifies murder hate, violence.
The one that fosters destruction, malice, ignorance.
The one that causes misery, pain, woe.
The one that we all praise.

And therefore
The world dies.
And do not send for me
For I already know:
The bell has tolled
It tolls for thee.

Enjoy the thought food
Power to the Peaceful!
-mike

Drawing: Humanize

2009-01-31T18:23:00.004-05:00

Although this may be a simple doodle I thought up while I was being berated with conservative business theory in economics, I think its message is simple enough and powerful enough to stand on its own.

Power to the peaceful!
-mike

Reflection: Kagyu Thubten Choling Tibetan Monestary

2009-01-31T15:46:00.006-05:00

Sunday, Jan 25:
Celebration of Chinese New Year 2009
5 Hrs.

After lengthily journeying on foot from Vassar through Poughkeepsie, to its train station that transported me to Newburgh, I began yet another embarkment, to revisit Kagyu Thubten Choling Tibetan Buddhist Monastery. The walk was beautiful, littered with trees, and the frigid air was fresh feeling in lungs. The birds sang near today. I discovered a fallen, elongated, brown peas in a pod, which primitively became my shaker instrument. Walked and walked and walked and walked. I was relating in my mind to Carlo Carretto trekking, suffering, revalate-ing, and being empowered by spirit across Earth Mother’s Golden sands. And as Food Not Bombs Keith McHenry would say, “What a trip!”
This is a season of my life which has been highly spiritual in nature. Recently, I had a dream about reuniting with a long-lost friend who I used to negatively, and regularly conflict with. The dream was flowery. My friends name is Armin, and we were brotherly in love with each other in the dream I had. I was shown the fruits of my refuge in Buddha and the feeling that I felt was warmth. Buddha in my heart more opened, right mind and intentions have seemingly been expanding, pollinating, and blossoming. By Chogyam Trungpa , I have just read, Shambalah: The Sacred Path of The Warrior. I am yet not one, but I feel as if I am becoming. My intentions of visiting Kagyu are to be among warriors embodying gentleness, authenticity, fearless love, and selflessness. Trungpa’s “crazy wisdom” taught me that “drala,” or invoke-able magic, fearless love, begins from cleansing and purifying one’s self inner-ly. I intend to cultivate internal drala at Kagyu for the benefit of other beings. Drala, in its nature, once unfolding internally will manifest externally. First in the home, then in the family, and the final realm, that is community, for a more enlightened society.
At last when I arrived at Kagyu, I was greeted by nuns, and monks, and long lost friends. I was told that today was a very special day for me to be there, for it was Chinese New Year, o-nine, celebration. They told me of how they were just talking about me yesterday in remembrance of our cave chambers meditation retreat one year ago. Their greetings and expressions revealed to me that I am welcomed and loved here. Before I could ask my question, “How can I help?,” They were already asking me, for out of grace, it was in need. How spiritually this had occurred. Not before long we found ourselves out in the snows gathering, loading, transporting, unloading, and axe splitting firewood. There was a fire ceremony underway. In interconnectedness, collectively we made two fire pit sites. We made mountains of stacked, axed wood and placed crumbled, old papers within cracks. Out of necessity, the others had to leave and I was asked to complete jamming in papers. I found peace in solitude. Also, I found a special book in the garbage called Dharma Practice. I opened, and message from inside it read “Go now for the welfare and happiness of the man, out of compassion for the world, for the good, happiness, and welfare of gods and humans.” I am blessed to be here.
Came three o’clock and it was time to begin the Six-Armed Chadrupa Practice. Many gathered in the colorfully, radiant shrine. I prostrated to Buddah, then sat on a meditation mat facing the leading monks, and Lama Norla Rinpoche
A nun kindly gave me a booklet to follow along chanting, as we began the Mahakala (protector) prayers. Mahakalas are performed to clear away obstacles from the last year, to liberate us form them in the New Year to come. This was my second time following along chanting in Tibetan. Chanting is quick in speed, and challenging. I discovered that by following this symbol “/,” as a guide, I can follow along a little better, getting lost less often.
The chanting practice completed with a blessing and an offering of New Year’s medicine from Lama Norla. While I was waiting to receive, my friend David (who reminds me of Snow Lion when he meditates) and I were asked to help with the oiling of the fire pits outside as soon as we were finished. Neither of us were prepared with the proper white clothes, but a kind elder man had an abundance of them, and generously shared with us, making well sure that all were welcomed and included. I watched and learned how to approach, greet, receive, and depart until our turn eventually neared at the end of the line. Over the years I have heard so many special things about Lama Norla, and I have seen him wave smiling from afar, but this was the first time truly meeting him, a warrior, and I was livened in gratitude. Approaching mindfully in my steps, I felt his comfort illuminating the shrine, and I was not anxious or nervous, as I had expected to be. A true revealer of how the fruits of practice effect others. I kneeled down before him and his smile widened as his face wrinkled. “How are you?” He said it so genuinely. “Well,” I said, “How are you?” And he mothering-ly took the white cloth draping it to rest atop my shoulders, held my head in his hands, bent us both down in a bow, touching his balded forhead gently to mine, placed medicine crumbles in my palm, and gestures my depart with motion and golden smile. Felt nirvana. Love, happiness, and peace radiating in all ten directions.
Feeling high as the sky, David and I slipped outside from the shrine, to oil bless fires. David is experienced as a blesser, so I observed silently and appreciated. The pits were ignited and The Sür, Evening Fire Offering Ceremony was now happening. “Sür” is an offering to the 4 guests: the Buddhas & Bodhisattvas; Protectors; sentient beings; and those with whom we have karmic debts. It averts obstacles and sickness and is dedicated to those who are dying, beings in the Bardo realm suffering, and to beings with whom to which we have karmic debts. Thubten, which means “teacher” in Tibetan, described this to me to be in the essence of a celebration party for the deities. And that indeed it was.
Everyone reunited outside the monastery kitchen to continue chanting and be handed to carry giant food arrangements, beers, wines, and sodas into to the burning fires. Wasteful? I had these thoughts. Hey, they are always eating mindful small portions here I replied. Food and drink are of great need and desire to many suffering, and here we were offering them up like crazy. This is entirely new to me. Accept or un-accept? I thought of the holistic nature of the day, and the way of life at Kagyu, and my mind-heart opened to see it as an act of love through non-attachment, and self-less sharing. Beverages poured onto snow, circling rocks, and smoldering coals. Immaculate uncooked linguine designs, mountain berries from Tibet, and oranges with tooth-pic umbrellas in them, all in to the fires. Deities, we are in love with you, thank you for your presensce.
The day concluded in socialization while snaking on goldfish crackers. Since the monks live in the way of ahimsa, or harmlessness, they joked about liking the eating of these artificial animals. There is a great sense of humor there that I love to be around. Especially Lekshi, who will ask me questions such as, “How is your life?” Then when I respond “Good” he will say “You’re not supposed to have a wife! I asked about you wife not your life!” Lekshi is an amazing throat singer as well as a wealth of wisdom. He taught me to metaphorically not go through life focusing only one of my hands, but to witness the larger picture. We talked about the mysticism of Thomas Merton this time. I learned of his enlightened qualities along with his spiritual transformation and eastern journey. I relate to Merton in my similar roots in the church, and current journey into mystical and eastern worlds. Interestingly, I learned that Merton was to give a monumental speech on socialism and religion, just shortly after the time of his death.

Prophets get stoned
In history see
Jesus taught we
To hate not, but love them enemies
Oppressors,
Murderers
Torturers
And Infectors
You true nature is goodness
But has been misguided
A world divided
Is only illusion
One-ness through union
Manifests liberation
Erase
The hate
With a giant’s eraser
Now before later
Awake up
To join hands
Together one people
Together one land

-anthony

8 Years Gone

2009-01-30T12:22:00.005-05:00

We are eight years
Gone from the wreck.
It is odd to see all
That once was is
Now Gone.
The pain I had on
My face that day is
Hard to think of.
Why did they rule
The way they did?
Why did they
Force change on us?
It is not in my mind
Now, it is gone.
The hurt I, NAY we,
Felt then is now gone.
I still do not know how
All this came to be.
I find that I am still
A bit in shock.
But that ship is at
Sea, and I will not see it.
Why did the court
Rule that way in
Bush v Gore?

That was a poem I wrote in my grammar, style, and editing class during an exercise where we had to write a passage using only one syllable words.

Enjoy the thought food
Power to the peaceful!
-mike

Results of the first Praxivists meeting

2009-01-28T00:18:00.003-05:00

This is a drawing that we made at our first Praxivists meeting. It is a collaborative drawing where each member added to this drawing and then passed it to the next person. We find that art can be a positive medium for those who are too shy to speak in public situations to share with the group. We feel that art is essential to fostering positive social change and it is quite therapeutic.

After our first meeting we are all very excited to begin our projects this semester. I am particularly excited for the beginnings of my project where I hope to turn the campus green here at Marist College into a make-shift refugee camp. In doing so I intend to raise awareness about refugee crises, poverty, AIDS, and the developing world. All the proceeds I plan to donate to Acres of Love, a South Africa based orphanage.

We are collectively excited at the prospect of creating a mural on a large sheet of paper which we will bring around campus to show students and raise consciousness on pertinent issues. We are looking forward to holding more truth seeking round tables, hosting more talks, and fighting for what is just.

Power to the peaceful!
-mike

Article: Prison Reform

2009-01-27T01:45:00.007-05:00

This is an article that I wrote for Marist College's newspaper The Circle in December 2008.

One of the largest problems facing the United States that does not get enough attention is our broken criminal justice system. Over the last 35 years, the number of incarcerated persons has increased by nearly 700%. Half of the increase is from non-violent drug offenders whose incarceration has increased 402% since 1985.

Part of the problem is that the laws that are currently on the books were drafted twenty, even thirty years ago. In New York, drug laws were intended to be very harsh towards offenders under Governor Nelson Rockefeller in the mid 1970s. At the federal level, harsh mandatory sentencing and the three strike rule were established under the socially conservative policies of Ronald Reagan.

Whether these laws intended to or not, they have been tearing apart inner cities since their enactment. These drug laws are more stringent on drugs more common amongst the poor like marijuana and crack cocaine while more "expensive" drugs such as cocaine hold lighter offenses. What has resulted is a large influx of low level non-violent drug offenders who may have done nothing more than had drugs in their possession at a routine traffic stop.

A common misconception with the criminal justice system is that we can, "arrest and imprison our way our of a crime problem." Under that logic, why do we continue to imprison people at alarming rates while our crime rate has stabilized and is decreasing nearly annually? The answer is that incarceration is a business and the government is more interested in making money than rehabilitating alleged criminals.

The eerie fact is seen quite clearly in the recidivism rate, or the percentage of prisoners who return to prison upon release. Inmates who receive no rehabilitation have a recidivism rate hovering in the 70s while studies have clearly shown that the more counseling and education prisoners receive the lower and lower their recidivism rate drops.

The federal government made the situation worse when in 1994 they decided not to issue Pell grants to any prisoner; Pell grants that would have allowed them to pursue an advanced degree while incarcerated. While congress cuts more programs for prisoners and the prison population continues to grow I sit here and wonder why the government isn't doing anything positive while they continuously make the situation worse for prisoners.

My thought on congress: misconception and greed. Many believe that just because someone is incarcerated they are automatically a "bad guy" but often dismiss the grounds on which they were convicted and their offense. If I may mention it again as well, prison building is a business, a business that the government makes a lot of money off of, and they wouldn't want to see anything happen to their money.

So what can be done? With the new president elect hopefully this issue will be addressed, but I'm not getting my hopes up. This is one of those issues that has to be voiced by the people. I will continuously be advocating for prison reform in the hope for a more just and equal society. As Dr. King said: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

This article was published just before I started a letter writing campaign to try and free political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. I would like to say that I mailed 74 letters to Governorn Rendell of Pennsylvania and I hope our efforts have made a difference. As I had said in the article we the people must fight to reverse these injustices and better our society.

Power to the Peaceful!
-mike

The beginning of our movement

2009-01-26T23:37:00.000-05:00

In association with the Marist College Public Praxis project and the aptly named student collective "The Praxivists;" I open this blog up to spread awareness of important local, national, and global issues. I will keep this blog in coordination with the class I am taking with Professor Mar-Peter Raoul called Praxis II.

It is my intention to create a better society through awareness, positive action, and civil disobedience.