The Need For Compassion

Say what you will about Republicans, but they really are good for our character.

No, really.

Consider the words of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, a teacher of Kadampa Buddhism, in his book Universal Compassion: "[I]f we practice training the mind purely, we can turn these faults and imperfections of our times--which usually cause great difficulties and suffering--into causes of spiritual paths."

As a phrase, "faults and imperfections" captures one aspect of the essence of the human paradigm, and yes, Republicans are, in fact, human, subject to the fears and foibles that make us all do stupid or greedy things.

It can be difficult to remember this, of course. For instance, the California State Representatives of the GOP persuasion recently blocked efforts to tax oil companies earning windfall profits, this coming on top of Gov. Schwarzenegger refusing to close a tax loophole benefiting those who purchase luxury boats. With gas prices rising, foreclosure notices falling on our heads like confetti in a ticker-tape parade, and people frightened for their financial lives, why allow the oil companies to get richer? In the meantime, 10,100 teachers have already received or are awaiting pink slips.

This makes me angry, and of course it is very easy for this sort of thing to inspire hatred, an agnostic's desire for there to genuinely be an afterlife so these betrayers of the public trust can go to hell.

But this anger is not helpful. And what use would punishment in the afterlife be in terms of ameliorating social injustice in the here and now? As Marx said, religion is the opiate of the masses (at least it can be), the promise of heaven (and heaven's justice) being the carrot to keep the lower classes quiescent while the rich consolidate and enrich their positions on Earth.

And not only that, hatred and vitriol is toxic, even if it feels like a catharsis in the moment. The world is prone to anger and division and partisan belligerence. It is better to take these wrongs and use them to motivate a search for positive change. It is better, in the words of Gyatso, to let "their negative actions ripen upon me" and hope that "all my virtues ripen upon them."

So in the pursuit of peace and compassion, what is the proper response to the words of Oklahoma state legislator Sally Kern, who describes homosexuality as "the biggest threat that our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam, which I think is a big threat."

Leave aside the fact that fundamentalism, not Islam itself, is the basis for terrorism.

There are a few possible ways of reading her statement: either the hypocritical pose of a politician looking to score points; the ignorant fears of someone who genuinely does not understand what she is talking about; or the zealotry of someone beyond reason. The latter is not worth discussing, because you can't change the mind of a zealot. The first option, that of hypocrisy, is also not worth discussing, except in so far as it strikes a blow for women's rights in that it proves that women are just as capable of political corruption as are men.

So let's examine her statement as that of someone wrapped up in the very human condition of fear of the unknown. It's a natural fear. It happens to all of us, to different degrees, depending on our upbringing. I grew up in a liberal household, went to a liberal school in Missoula, Montana, and I still do not always feel entirely at ease in a situation where my ethnicity is in the minority. But so what? You have two options: either pull up the drawbridge and hide in your castle, or go forth and find that everyone is subject to the same strengths and weaknesses.

She describes 'the homosexual agenda', an entirely artificial construction of the conservative right, designed to make the easily frightened imagine a plot among gays and lesbians to take over the world. Now, I have several gay and lesbian friends, and unless they are being particularly secretive about their desires for conquest, this is drivel. All they want is to be treated decently, to be accorded their civil rights. As a woman, Sally Kern, shouldn't you be sympathetic to that desire?

Do you really believe that the desire of two people of the same gender to love each other and form a committed, legal relationship has as much destructive influence on the world and our society as a bomb planted by a terrorist? If so, I have to feel sorry for you, Sally, as it makes me wonder as to the extent of the love you received as a child.

She makes it sound so subversive and dangerous, as if homosexuals are actively recruiting. Are lesbians hitting on you that frequently, Sally, that you have to be afraid of what might happen?

She says, "Studies show no society that has totally embraced homosexuality has lasted, you know, more than a few decades." Can she name one society that would fit that description? She says it is a fact that the homosexual agenda is destroying this nation. Where are the facts to prove that?

Ancient Greece was known for embracing homosexuality, and they lasted for hundreds of years more than we have so far.

She says also that her Christian faith teaches her to be loving to individuals, but not their lifestyle. That's all well and good. She has the right to express what she values and what she thinks is right. But it is not loving the individual to imply that a homosexual is worse than a terrorist, and it is disingenuous to assert that she is only criticizing the lifestyle and not dehumanizing the people, and it is dangerous to rile up these sorts of ideas, because this does nothing to prevent future murders such as that of Matthew Shepard.

Finally, if she did love the individuals, she would not have declined the chance to talk to Ellen DeGeneres, who contacted her to talk about misinformation. Kern compares talking to Ellen to "throwing [her]self into the lion's den." That's just bizarre.

There are many factors that can make someone as afraid as Sally Kern clearly is. I won't go into those. It is just sad that someone who clearly has the drive to work hard and attempt to make a difference in the world via political service should feel so unsettled and unhappy as to spew such hatred. It does not make me happy when I think hateful thoughts about conservatives and fundamentalists; can it make her happy and at ease to think these fearful, hateful thoughts about those different from her? I would seriously doubt it.

Random Thoughts On Saturday, Honoring the God of Agriculture

Saturday, The God Of Agriculture
In the spirit of Saturnus, a quick review of what my sickle is reaping from my life's harvest today. (Do sickles reap? Maybe. But it's Saturday, so I'm not going to bother fact-checking.)

First, though, a quick political thought:

I. The EPA (Environmental Problems Acceptance, or Environmental Problems Aggregation) has justified denying California the right to enforce stricter greenhouse gas emission standards for automobiles by saying that global warming is not unique to the state.

Which is kind of like saying "Well, everyone has the same problem, so no one should try to fix it."

Seriously, this administration and the bureaucracy it has put in place has been devastating to this country and this world. And it is only through my desire to be tolerant that I don't say something like "I wish I could believe in an afterlife so that I could know that these greedy powermongers would face consequences and judgment beyond that of history." Consequences such as being cut down, separated from the wheat, and put through a spiritual threshing machine. I may have that out of order, because I don't know, technically, what a threshing machine does, but again, Saturday. Justified laziness.



II. Online dating bears fruit! After frustrations with eHarmony (no matches until after the free weekend was over) and almost no responses on match.com (and nothing that resulted in a date), I decided to give a new site a try, crazyblinddate.com, pointed out to me by . Why the heck not, I thought. I'm all about meeting random people these days. And this site has the added benefit of not really having to initiate contact with these people before getting a date out of it. The site does the work, provides some basic information about possible matches (but no photos, so none of those issues), and then finds a time and a place for a quick blind date.

I will admit to some reluctance, stemming from my inclination to not try new things, but I pushed through it. On Wednesday, suddenly, a possible match! I had to act urgently and quickly to try to set it up! Oh no! But I didn't want to go out. I wanted to stay in and relax and read and drink wine. Oh no!

But I decided that on principle, I had to do it, so despite my unease, I accepted and set up a potential meeting time and place, pending her acceptance. So I acted on principle, and was rewarded when twenty minutes later, I was informed the date was cancelled. That wasn't so hard!

And then, imagine my surprise when another possible date showed up later that same evening. I was tired from wine at that point, so I had to decline, as guilty as that made me feel, but it gave me the option to seek a rescheduling, so I'm waiting to see if she will accept a date for next Wednesday. I found myself less nervous about this one.

And then last night, when I got a message that another date was in the works for tonight, I was downright excited. It seems to be getting easier and easier to deal with blind dates, and I haven't even gone on one yet. (Yes, I know, I could get bushwhacked by awkwardness, but hey, it would be a story, and I want as many stories as I can get). And so I promptly accepted, and a few minutes later received confirmation that the coffee date was confirmed for tonight at 7:30, so I'm feeling good about that.

There's no pressure on it, and most likely nothing will happen. But it is a new experience, a chance to meet someone new and practice my dating skills, and an excuse to go out for coffee (as if I needed an excuse). And because we didn't converse before hand, she won't have some wrong impression of what I would be like in real life, a problem that has cost me a couple of potentially great friendships in my life.


III. I was ecstatic to hear that Candlestick Park is once again to be officially called Candlestick Park. No more corporate shilling. No more 'Monster Park' monstrosity. Much as there is a plan to spray pesticides over San Francisco and the greater Bay Area to kill off apple moths and liberals, the city of San Francisco sprayed legislative pesticide over the stadium, forbidding the team from selling the naming rights again when the current contract expires.

That was pretty good, but I would have been a bit disappointed if that, plus the extension of the contract for a thus far lackluster Alex Smith, had been the primary moves of the 49ers during the initial stages of Free Agency '08. But then I found they had signed the coveted pass rusher Justin Smith, and then added the veteran leadership of wide receiver Isaac Bruce, who even at 35 has to be considered an upgrade from the collective mediocrity of the 2007 imbroglio.



IV. I am tending my life in quiet ways. My mom is in the hospital in Montana, feeling like she is finally getting some proper care, that her condition is finally being attacked full bore to determine the cause. She is feeling better and hopeful, which in turn reassures me, though of course I am continuing to be anxious. I was telling my friends Vaughn and Tara about it last night, and was surprised to find my voice quavering. Apparently I am a little more anxious than I was letting myself realize.

But all will be well. I cleaned and cleared my room last night, pruning away some extraneous bits of paperwork, drinking wine, eating cookies, and watching Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

I awoke to a clean and tidy room, perfect for a relaxed Saturday morning of home-brewed coffee and scones from the Irish bakery, reading the paper, listening to Weekend Edition, et al. Soon I will run, then do laundry, then do my best to avoid nerves prior to the coffee date. It is going to be a good weekend.