[Buddha-l] Persecution in modern Colorado?

[Richard Hayes]

On Tuesday 03 October 2006 21:43, jkirk wrote:

> Yes, not only disappointed with some Buddhists, but also with different
> kinds of Christians who claim to worship the Man of Peace. And also with
> the majority of the Unitarians here. The minister treads lightly when it
> comes to taking positions on politics regarding any topic, except for the
> LGBT and racism topics. 

Unitarian fellowships are quite variable. The Albuquerque Unitarian fellowship 
is quite involved with environmental issues and with ritual hand-wringing 
over the influence of the religious right. On the other hand, the minister 
has devoted several sermons over the past couple of years to pointing out 
that Unitarians welcome everyone, even Republicans, and she warns the 
congregation not to make disparaging remarks about fundamentalists and other 
crackpots. All the same, I can't imagine a Bush Republican lasting for more 
than a week or two in our congregation, if only because of the sea of cars 
with "Impeach Bush Now" bumper stickers in the church parking lot. (It's 
almost as bad as the University of New Mexico faculty parking lot!)

For REAL social and political engagement in this city, one has to seek out the 
company of Quakers and Mennonites. Their striving for peace, economic 
justice, and environmental responsibility is tireless. And in New Mexico and 
Arizona the Friends are also working hard to keep the Mexican border open and 
to thwart the craziness of vigilante groups who think America will not be 
safe as long there is not a fortified twenty-foot cement wall all along the 
Canadian and Mexican borders. The Quakers seem to be among the few who 
realize that Mexicans come here to work, because there is no work for them at 
home, and that welcoming them here would be a good idea, because fruit and 
vegetables are rotting in the fields because nearly all Americans are too 
lazy to do the hard work of harvesting them.

It wouldn't surprise me if the administration pushed through legislation 
melting down the statue of liberty (that goddamn symbol of French culture in 
the harbor of New York!) and recasting it with a giant bronze image of 
President George III and his consort, the  Lady Condoleeza, giving the finger 
to incoming visitors: "Piss on your starving and huddled masses. They are not 
buying enough to support America's billionaires!"

Like a lot of people, I was really inspired to read about the Amish people in 
Pennsylvania raising money to support the wife and family of the gunman who 
shot several Amish students dead before killing himself. Now that is both 
good Buddhism and good Christianity. Would that more Americans would follow 
that example rather than sending cluster bombs to any government who promises 
to fight terrorists by blowing off their children's legs.

-- 
Richard P. Hayes
Department of Philosophy
University of New Mexico
http://www.unm.edu/~rhayes