Reflections on some recent news

A few reflections from the local newspaper:

1. The Dalai Lama wrote an ob-ed article recently reflecting on his religion of choice. He shares that while growing up he believed that his religion was the best of all the religions in the world. Then he grew up and began to meet outstanding men and women of other faiths. He discovered that all religions had the same core center – not to do any harm to others, but to seek their benefit. Anything other than that is a misread or misunderstanding of their religion. What he calls for is more tolerance … we are just not tolerant of those who think, act, look differently than us. He believes that out of a desire to dominant and control we see others as inferior and thus the intolerance.

2, As has been reported in various news media this week the Texas Board of Education is trying to re-write history. Daniel Ruth began is St. Pete Times Opinion article on this subject … “Let’s see if we have this straight. U.S. Sen. Joe McCarthy, who ruined untold innocent lives as a besotted red-baiting vigilante, was a peach of a fellow. Check. The words of the treasonous Jefferson Davis should be held in the same esteem as Abraham Lincoln’s. Got it. And Thomas Jefferson, one of the fathers of the country in more than one, couldn’t hold Ronald Regan’s teleprompter: 10-4.” Other changes they have passed are: The Civil War was not over slavery, but states rights; the slave trade is to be known as the Atlantic Triangular Trade; and there shall not be any negative comments about genocidal treatment of the American Indians and the Ku Klux Klan. What this reminded me of was how Nazi Germany tried to re-write history by classifying the concentration camps as work sites. The danger here is that the “softer” we make history sound the easier it will to repeat its negative effects on society.

3. There is a political race in Connecticut, like the one we are witnessing here in Florida, where someone with deep financial pockets can spend their own money is huge amounts all for the purpose of getting elected. The senate race in Connecticut includes Linda McMahon, the CEO of the WWE which glorifies sex, violence and pornography. The good thing is that once she declared her desire to run for the senate seat WWE began to clean up its act. Here in Florida we have the former CEO of a major hospital group that had to pay a $1.7 billion for Medicare fraud and now he wants to run our state. Ouch!

4. And the sad news is that one of the good guys, Art Linkletter, passed away. Mr. Linkletter proved, like Bill Cosby, that it is possible to make a lasting impression by providing good, clean, family safe humor. Mr. Linkletter you will be missed!

Quote for today: from an unknown source …
My life shall touch a dozen lives before this day is done;
Leave countless marks for good or ill, ere sets the evening sun.
This is the wish I always wish, the prayer I always pray:
Lord, may my life help other lives it touches by the way.