>>Open Letter to Barack Obama from Alice Walker >> >>Nov. 5, 2008 >> >>Dear Brother Obama, >> >>You have no idea, really, of how profound this moment is for us. Us >>being the black people of the Southern United States. You think you >>know, because you are thoughtful, and you have studied our history. >>But seeing you deliver the torch so many others before you carried, >>year after year, decade after decade, century after century, only >>to be struck down before igniting the flame of justice and of law, >>is almost more than the heart can bear. And yet, this observation >>is not intended to burden you, for you are of a different time, >>and, indeed, because of all the relay runners before you, North >>America is a different place. It is really only to say: Well done. >>We knew, through all the generations, that you were with us, in us, >>the best of the spirit of Africa and of the Americas. Knowing this, >>that you would actually appear, someday, was part of our strength. >>Seeing you take your rightful place, based solely on your wisdom, >>stamina and character, is a balm for the weary warriors of hope, >>previously only sung about. >> >>I would advise you to remember that you did not create the disaster >>that the world is experiencing, and you alone are not responsible >>for bringing the world back to balance. A primary responsibility >>that you do have, however, is to cultivate happiness in your own >>life. To make a schedule that permits sufficient time of rest and >>play with your gorgeous wife and lovely daughters. And so on. One >>gathers that your family is large. We are used to seeing men in the >>White House soon become juiceless and as white-haired as the >>building; we notice their wives and children looking strained and >>stressed. They soon have smiles so lacking in joy that they remind >>us of scissors. This is no way to lead. Nor does your family >>deserve this fate. One way of thinking about all this is: It is so >>bad now that there is no excuse not to relax. From your happy, >>relaxed state, you can model real success, which is all that so >>many people in the world really want. They may buy endless cars and >>houses and furs and gobble up all the attention and space they can >>manage, or barely manage, but this is because it is not yet clear >>to them that success is truly an inside job. That it is within the >>reach of almost everyone. >> >>I would further advise you not to take on other people's enemies. >>Most damage that others do to us is out of fear, humiliation and >>pain. Those feelings occur in all of us, not just in those of us >>who profess a certain religious or racial devotion. We must learn >>actually not to have enemies, but only confused adversaries who are >>ourselves in disguise. It is understood by all that you are >>commander in chief of the United States and are sworn to protect >>our beloved country; this we understand, completely. However, as my >>mother used to say, quoting a Bible with which I often fought, >>"hate the sin, but love the sinner." There must be no more crushing >>of whole communities, no more torture, no more dehumanizing as a >>means of ruling a people's spirit. This has already happened to >>people of color, poor people, women, children. We see where this >>leads, where it has led. >> >>A good model of how to "work with the enemy" internally is >>presented by the Dalai Lama, in his endless caretaking of his soul >>as he confronts the Chinese government that invaded Tibet. Because, >>finally, it is the soul that must be preserved, if one is to remain >>a credible leader. All else might be lost; but when the soul dies, >>the connection to earth, to peoples, to animals, to rivers, to >>mountain ranges, purple and majestic, also dies. And your smile, >>with which we watch you do gracious battl e with unjust >>characterizations, distortions and lies, is that expression of >>healthy self-worth, spirit and soul, that, kept happy and free and >>relaxed, can find an answering smile in all of us, lighting our >>way, and brightening the world. >> >>We are the ones we have been waiting for. >> >>In Peace and Joy, >>Alice Walker >> >> >> >>I've stopped 8,797 spam and fraud messages. You can too! >>Free trial of spam and fraud protection at www.cloudmark.com >> >> >>From: Sigrid Kulkowitz [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2008 12:05 PM >>To: K Minnix; Paula Marcus; Mihal Elman; Beena Kulkowitz; Heidi >>Nightengale; Mary Waisbrot; Emily Graw; Rachael Shapiro; Mary >>Loehr; Ellen Grady; Jenny Ross; Cili Phillips; Cecilia Lawless; >>Abigail Bokaer; Lauren Korfine; Pamela Moss; Carol Bushberg; Sue >>Perlgut >>Subject: Anthem: Old fat naked women for peace >> >>Enjoy! >> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OINStsPwgQ4 >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>>= >> >> >
> >This is an fabulous letter. > > > > >> >>Open Letter to Barack Obama from Alice Walker >> >>Nov. 5, 2008 >> >>Dear Brother Obama, >> >>You have no idea, really, of how profound this moment is for us. Us >>being the black people of the Southern United States. You think you >>know, because you are thoughtful, and you have studied our history. >>But seeing you deliver the torch so many others before you carried, >>year after year, decade after decade, century after century, only >>to be struck down before igniting the flame of justice and of law, >>is almost more than the heart can bear. And yet, this observation >>is not intended to burden you, for you are of a different time, >>and, indeed, because of all the relay runners before you, North >>America is a different place. It is really only to say: Well done. >>We knew, through all the generations, that you were with us, in us, >>the best of the spirit of Africa and of the Americas. Knowing this, >>that you would actually appear, someday, was part of our strength. >>Seeing you take your rightful place, based solely on your wisdom, >>stamina and character, is a balm for the weary warriors of hope, >>previously only sung about. >> >>I would advise you to remember that you did not create the disaster >>that the world is experiencing, and you alone are not responsible >>for bringing the world back to balance. A primary responsibility >>that you do have, however, is to cultivate happiness in your own >>life. To make a schedule that permits sufficient time of rest and >>play with your gorgeous wife and lovely daughters. And so on. One >>gathers that your family is large. We are used to seeing men in the >>White House soon become juiceless and as white-haired as the >>building; we notice their wives and children looking strained and >>stressed. They soon have smiles so lacking in joy that they remind >>us of scissors. This is no way to lead. Nor does your family >>deserve this fate. One way of thinking about all this is: It is so >>bad now that there is no excuse not to relax. From your happy, >>relaxed state, you can model real success, which is all that so >>many people in the world really want. They may buy endless cars and >>houses and furs and gobble up all the attention and space they can >>manage, or barely manage, but this is because it is not yet clear >>to them that success is truly an inside job. That it is within the >>reach of almost everyone. >> >>I would further advise you not to take on other people's enemies. >>Most damage that others do to us is out of fear, humiliation and >>pain. Those feelings occur in all of us, not just in those of us >>who profess a certain religious or racial devotion. We must learn >>actually not to have enemies, but only confused adversaries who are >>ourselves in disguise. It is understood by all that you are >>commander in chief of the United States and are sworn to protect >>our beloved country; this we understand, completely. However, as my >>mother used to say, quoting a Bible with which I often fought, >>"hate the sin, but love the sinner." There must be no more crushing >>of whole communities, no more torture, no more dehumanizing as a >>means of ruling a people's spirit. This has already happened to >>people of color, poor people, women, children. We see where this >>leads, where it has led. >> >>A good model of how to "work with the enemy" internally is >>presented by the Dalai Lama, in his endless caretaking of his soul >>as he confronts the Chinese government that invaded Tibet. Because, >>finally, it is the soul that must be preserved, if one is to remain >>a credible leader. All else might be lost; but when the soul dies, >>the connection to earth, to peoples, to animals, to rivers, to >>mountain ranges, purple and majestic, also dies. And your smile, >>with which we watch you do gracious battl e with unjust >>characterizations, distortions and lies, is that expression of >>healthy self-worth, spirit and soul, that, kept happy and free and >>relaxed, can find an answering smile in all of us, lighting our >>way, and brightening the world. >> >>We are the ones we have been waiting for. >> >>In Peace and Joy, >>Alice Walker >> >> >> >> >> >>I've stopped 8,797 spam and fraud messages. You can too! >>Free trial of spam and fraud protection >>at <http://www.cloudmark.com/sigs?rc=wr3c7>www.cloudmark.com >><http://www.cloudmark.com/sigs?rc=wr3c7> >> >> >>From: Sigrid Kulkowitz >>[<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2008 12:05 PM >>To: K Minnix; Paula Marcus; Mihal Elman; Beena Kulkowitz; Heidi >>Nightengale; Mary Waisbrot; Emily Graw; Rachael Shapiro; Mary >>Loehr; Ellen Grady; Jenny Ross; Cili Phillips; Cecilia Lawless; >>Abigail Bokaer; Lauren Korfine; Pamela Moss; Carol Bushberg; Sue >>Perlgut >>Subject: Anthem: Old fat naked women for peace >> >>Enjoy! >> >> >> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>><http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OINStsPwgQ4>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OINStsPwgQ4 >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>>= >>> >> >> > Related: :Macintosh HD:image001%2087.gif:00571635:46281908:00000000:00000000 -- Elan Shapiro Sustainable Tompkins Community Partnership Coordinator Sustainable Living Associates, Principal Frog's Way B&B 211 Rachel Carson Way Ithaca, NY 14850 607-275-0249 607-592-8402 Cell "We must be the change we want to see in the world" Mohandas Gandhi _______________________________________________ For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: [email protected] http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
