Of course, Ghandi also recomended and indeed urged the Jews to practice
non-violent resistance against the Nazis in Europe...
>From: "heartLove!" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: a message of soulution.... via a friend
>Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2001 10:35:47 -0700
>
>Reflections On September 11
> >
> >By Scott Kalechstein, written on September 11th and 12th, 2001
> >
> >
> >"If I understand what Gandhi is saying, nonviolence requires something
> >far more difficult than merely turning the other cheek; it requires
> >empathizing with the fears and other feelings that provide that impetus
> >for people to attack us. Being aware of these feelings we have no desire
> >to attack back because we can see the human ignorance leading others to
> >attack us; instead, our goal becomes to provide the education for our
> >attackers which will enable them to transcend their violence and engage
> >in cooperative relationships with us."
> >- Marshall Rosenberg
> >
> >On September 11, 1906, Mahatma Gandhi launched the first mass campaign
> >of nonviolent struggle the world had seen, in Johannesburg, South
> >Africa.
> >
> >I am writing this exactly ninety-five years after Gandhi*s actions, the
> >day of the terrorist attacks.
> >
> >I feel sad, shocked and tremendously shaken up by this. At times I also
> >feel quite calm, as if I was the center of a hurricane, an Eye of peace
> >in the tumultuous storms around me. My focus has been to breathe in the
> >suffering of those in pain and breathe out my love and blessings to
> >them. A Course In Miracles teaches us over and over that all perceived
> >attacks are a call for love in disguise, and that miracles happen when
> >that love is given. Today I am sending love. Today I am asking the
> >question of God: How can I relate to this event in a way that brings
> >healing to the world? And the answer comes in a gentle, powerful and
> >earth-shaking whisper: Extend compassion and empathy to everyone
> >involved. And everyone is involved. Nobody on earth can pretend they are
> >separate from this event. It is that big. What potential for joining and
> >healing, movement and evolution!
> >
> >Rather than just labeling the terrorists as evil, can you imagine the
> >consciousness of those who would give rise to such behavior? Can you
> >begin to empathize with the pain that would inspire people to hate that
> >way? I can. And I believe we must, if healing is to come to our world.
> >It is said that if we could read the secret history of our enemies, we
> >would find sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all our hostility. I am
> >not saying we should accept violence because these people have suffered
> >so deeply. Empathy is not an excuse to condone terrorism. It is a way to
> >create the climate for healing so it is not repeated.
> >
> >Those who have experienced horror after horror and know not how to
> >grieve, to process the layers of their pain, find their un-cried tears
> >hardening into bullets and warfare. All energy moves to expression.
> >
> >If at all possible, I believe these people must be caught and prevented
>
>>from taking further actions of terrorism. And if force is needed to
>
>> >undertake such prevention, so be it. But force as a means to punish or
>> >to regain power only continues to feed the problem. In Gandhi*s words:
>> >*An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.*
>> >
>> >My hope is that we all allow ourselves to be shaken up by this, shaken
>> >out of our comfort zones that tower us Americans above the suffering
>>and
>> >poverty that most of the world experiences. Perhaps all ivory towers of
>> >separation have to come crashing down for the healing of separateness
>>in
>> >our world.
>> >
>> >If healing is to come, it will come through the consciousness of
>> >oneness. I am one with the hearts of all the people affected by these
>> >events. I am one with the people who lost their mates, the children
>> >whose fathers and mothers didn*t come home. And I am one with the
>> >tortured hearts of those who took these actions. We are all in this
>> >together
>> >
>> >Here is a question I am pondering: How do these terrorists reflect a
>> >part of my consciousness? Is there a part of me that believes that
>> >acting out my anger is justified, and that sometimes it is necessary to
>> >violate someone to make my point or express my frustrations? Have I
>>ever
>> >thought that inflicting pain on someone would wake them up, teach them
>>a
>> >lesson, or accomplish something of value? Do I ever feel so hurting and
>> >helpless that the best I can do is throw a tantrum? Of course! My
>> >actions may not ever be as dramatic as what has been acted out on this
>> >day, but I do own the shadow part of my consciousness that has
>> >contributed to such events.
>> >
>> >The United States has a shadow too. We stampeded across this country
>> >through the genocide of the Native Americans, and we have contributed
>>to
>> >violence all throughout the world since then. To the extent that this
>> >shadow is disowned and denied, a large part the world feels compelled
>>to
>> >hate us and some even attack us. Just like an individual recovers from
>> >an addiction, we as a nation need to hit bottom, come out of denial,
>> >make amends for those whom we have inflicted violence upon, and own our
>> >weaknesses as well as our strengths. My hope is that the twin towers
>> >crumbling down can serve as our national bottom.
>> >
>> >Are the terrorists evil and is our country an innocent victim? Are
>> >things ever that black and white?
>> >
>> >I would like to quote the words of Michael Moore, who made the movie
>> >Roger and Me and has been a prominent political and social activist:
>> >
>> >*WE created the monster known as Osama bin Laden! Where did he go to
>> >terrorist school? At the CIA! Don*t take my word for it -- I saw a
>>piece
>> >on MSNBC last year that showed that when the Soviet Union occupied
>> >Afghanistan, the CIA trained bin Laden and his buddies in how to
>>commits
>> >acts of terrorism against the Soviet forces.
>> >
>> >We abhor terrorism -- unless we*re the ones doing the terrorizing.
>> >
>> >We paid and trained and armed a group of terrorists in Nicaragua in the
>> >1980s who killed over 30,000 civilians.
>> >
>> >We have orphaned so many children, tens of thousands around the world,
>> >with our taxpayer-funded terrorism (in Chile, in Vietnam, in Gaza, in
>> >Salvador).
>> >
>> >Will we ever get to the point that we realize we will be more secure
>> >when the rest of the world isn*t living in poverty so we can have nice
>> >running shoes?
>> >
>> >Let*s mourn, let*s grieve, and when it*s appropriate, let*s examine our
>> >contribution to the unsafe world we live in.
>> >
>> >It doesn*t have to be like this*
>> >
>> >-Michael Moore
>> >[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>> >
>> >Everyone will project his or her issues onto this experience. Some will
>> >see cause to hate and fear. Some will be motivated to love. Some will
>> >perceive the end of the world. Some will see it as the beginning of the
>> >New Age. Many will perceive streams of miracles and blessings showering
>> >onto earth. It*s all there- the dark, the light, fear, love, victims,
>> >villains, deaths, beginnings, despair, hope, wounds, healings, tragedy
>> >and miracles* I would like to close with the words of someone who
>> >emailed her experiences on Manhattan.
>> >
>> >
>> >I'm sure you have seen the footage by now on TV. What you
>> >haven't seen and heard is the amazing way the people
>> >of this city stepped in to help each other in ways
>> >that make me so happy and proud to live in this city
>> >and in this country and even in this world. The people
>> >of New York are an amazing and resilient breed and it
>> >was breathtaking to witness the kindness, patience and
>> >generosity of each person helping each other do what
>> >they needed to do to be safe and to get home.
>> >
>> >It is now the morning after and there is a strange
>> >calm over the city. Virtually everything is closed and
>> >people that are out are not talking. They are quiet.
>> >The streets are deserted. There is no looting or
>> >anything bad going on here right now. There is only
>> >people showing up to help, people quietly moving
>> >around, still helping each other in every way they
>> >can. Many are still in shock, many are looking for a
>> >way to help, as am I.
>> >
>> >If you want to help here, please take time to pray,
>> >whatever that looks like for you. Please visualize
>> >peace not only here but throughout the world. Please
>> >take some time to send love and all your blessings to
>> >the people who have lost loved ones. Please send
>> >prayers of light and strength to all those who are
>> >working around the clock to find survivors and to
>> >treat those who made it out alive but were injured.
>> >Send them healing energy. And here's a tough one,
>> >please send blessings even and especially to those
>> >people and countries that have done this. To some of
>> >you that may sound crazy but one of the greatest gifts
>> >we can give to our world right now is to send love
>> >into the hearts of people who harbor hatred. They
>> >clearly need it and we have the power to give it.
>> >Please find it in your heart to do so.
>> >
>> >I thank you for all the love and blessings each of you
>> >sent my way. I'll keep you posted on things as they
>> >occur here. I send you light and love as I know that
>> >this experience has affected you as well. I have you
>> >in my prayers as well.
>> >
>> >Blessings,
>> >Janice Marie
>
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