RAF,
I disagree with your "simply" statement. I find it simplistic.
In a DEMOCRATIC society -- which India is -- a social contract among the people
establishes a constitution and a government. The imposition of taxes and even
taking of lands as "eminent domain" for social purposes is a function of
Legislature. Such taking did not happen in the case of the lands that were
given for occupation by the Untouchables, which you feel impressed by. I am
also impressed by the donors' generosity (or motivation by guilt; or, worse,
income- or real-estate-tax-avoidance incentive).
But, now, I know that people directly connected with tax payments and takings
often feel ripped-off, and say they do, but they forget in that instance about
the social contract. And, I claim so do you when you write...
> ...TAKEN by the government, which is simply THEFT
It's a small point, which I extract from your appreciative comment about a
small piece of Subhana's teisho, but I think it betrays a mis-understanding of
the social contract on your part, or else you are letting your personal anger
about something take center-stage. Do you listen to a lot of pot-boiler AM
radio in daytime in USA? Does hatred and lack of understanding of the social
contract pollute all the *rest* of your "politics", too? It's an important
point, RAF. To consider. Not to expound upon here, however.
You think you are an Individual, but in fact you are also a member of Society.
All this leads back to Zen practice, you know, and -- we hope -- to Awakening!
With wishes,
--Joe
-> R A Fonda <rafonda@...> wrote:
>
> Joe,
>
> I was very impressed by this:
>
> > By the time Vinoba had reached the conference, two thousand acres had
> been given back to the poorest villagers. Inspired by Vinoba's work,
> Vimala also walked across India from east to west and north to south and
> eventually ten million acres of land was given back to the landless poor
> without a single hand from the bureaucracy. <
>
> Two important factors here:
>
> The land was FREELY GIVEN, which is a true act of compassion
>
> The land was not TAKEN by the government, which is simply THEFT
>
> Too many people consider themselves compassionate because they are
> willing to empower the government to steal from some to give to others
> they consider more deserving.
>
> I concede that some people deserve to have assets confiscated because
> they stole from others. For instance, Jon Corzine stole some of my
> hard-earned retirement funds, but since he is a crony and fund-raiser
> for Obama, not one penny of his ill-gotten gains have been taken for the
> benefit of those he victimized; he remains a billionaire and has never
> even been charged with a crime. If I could take his money and distribute
> it to those from whom he stole, I would do so, but that would simply be
> justice. To feel so 'compassionate' toward the poor that I help to
> empower the government to steal money from productive people to give to
> others is neither justice nor compassion.
------------------------------------
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