12/21/08

My dear (please speak out your name)

Greetings!

The middle-class has been taxed (8.3 trillion dollars-- $ 8,300,000,000,000) to pay for the economic slop cooked up by greedy bankers, brokerage houses, MBAs, regulators, politicians and 'save- my- seat' legislators, throwing many who need a paycheck, out of work; (Oops! sorry about that, caveat, bla, bla, bla...),

but there is a silver lining to what has happened: it dismisses further opportunity to entice a "religious belief" in an "invisible hand" guiding "free markets" for the benefit of all, (hidden within macroeconomic theories?), and gives the global polity an opportunity to sweep it aside, (shred it, delete it?) and design a way "to manage evaluated hope through mutual trust" from an organic viewpoint (now, what else is relevant?) in a global political economy, this time keeping "greed" and "loop holes" under check to "meet the minimum needs of all" (MMNA), intrinsically, from the very outset.

Through empathy and compassion, MMNA has always been a part of evaluated hope of the global population; but we have circumvented the Trust, (30,000 daily global poverty deaths!).

WISH YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY AND A REWARDING NEW YEAR IN 2009.

In Peace,
MMNA Intent

10/2/08

A More Perfect Global Union

Senator Barack Obama proposes to the American electorate, a 'more perfect union' to be achieved by the American people. He builds on the promises in the constitution pursued with vigor in the past by political leaders like presidents Lincoln, FDR and Johnson, and spiritual leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. His remarkable skills in organizing communities have succeeded through the democratic primaries to get the people to strive beyond the expected golden harvest from the democratic past, presented by Senator Hillary Clinton. In the US national election of 2008, the stale program of violence offered by the Republicans contrasts with the fertile transformation offered in the Obama vision. His futuristic slogan "this election is about you and not me" is a tactical winner and a strategic strong horse. Further, support for his candidacy offers catharsis over one aspect of American attitude and provides an opportunity to cleanse the sullied image abroad of the American administration.

However, the continuing disconnection of the American people and corporations, as well as the middle class and well off of other countries, from entrenched poverty and its associated sufferings, is worthy of our concern and action.

Some leaders have made substantial contributions toward lowering poverty creating some connectedness as we entered this decade:

President Carter made it possible for the public to examine objectively the injustices perpetrated by the Israelis, (please, not people of the Jewish faith at large), aided by American inaction, against the Palestinian people, thereby challenging institutionalized taboos in political debate; Vice-President Al Gore brought sensible judgment to bear on the global warming crisis (the need for accountability on the part of human behavior), that gained acceptance at Bali.

Since the 1960s, Preacher Jim Wallis of the Sojourners has attempted to focus our attention on global poverty; from the 1980s onwards, Reverend Jeremiah Wright Jr. has emphasized that religion must be an active part of daily living for each of us in contemporary society, rather than a token Sunday spiritual event of praying and giving; and Rev. Rick Warren has questioned whether the 148 million orphans of the world should not be helped through a global program of caring.

2500 million people live on less than $2 each per day. This results in 30,000 people dying of poverty each day! Where does accountability for this outcome rest: in a punitive God? Original Sin or Karma? In Presidents, Prime Ministers, Legislatures, or those who participate in the structural violence of the global political economy? Specifically, are the 1200 million people of the First World population residing in all countries that make more than $8 each per day, accountable for these daily poverty deaths?

Subsequent to human sufferings experienced during the two world wars, nations did arrive at the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. But lacking a sense of connection with poverty, they relegated the Declaration to the low priority backburner, where it has remained. However, the UN adopted the Millennium Development Goals of 2015, and Quakers of New York Yearly Meeting approved a Minute in April 2006, to strive to "Meet the Minimum Needs of All" by the year 2030.

During the current watch, could we move towards 'a more perfect global union' in meeting the minimum material needs of all? Could we find ways to tweak the global political economy, as each of us has the resources of empathy and compassion from the Source within us and need look no further to feel a connection to those in poverty?

Given our conditioned preference for a secular approach to clarify and act on such questions, the First World populations of different faiths could be surveyed on whether the global political economy should continue with poverty deaths in their name, and if not, what it is they are prepared to do to eliminate poverty? Such a survey could be carried out by a global attitudes research team, such as the PEW Research Center. It is a matter of urgency for us to consider what we can do, as so many in poverty await resolution!

It is my expectation, that an outcome of such a survey would be to not wish to identify with any responsibility for the ills of poverty (which would strengthen the MMNA position: "No Poverty Deaths in My Name"). This could lead to positive global action enabling us to "Meet the Minimum Needs of All" through a consensus for the humanizing of corporate goals. It is time to operate globally utilizing our resources in empathy and compassion on matters that lead to life / death governance, and retire the "Clash of Civilizations, us and them" mindset. The people can do it.

Thanking you,
In Peace,
MMNA Intention

A report to Long Island Quarterly Meeting on "Meet the Minimum Needs of All"

Sunday, 1/4/09

Dear Friends,

Greetings!

During "after thoughts" subsequent to Worship today at PBQM, I raised my concern over the ongoing killings in Gaza.

Within models of continuity, an "eye for an eye" or "tit for tat", hold promise for negotiations in human affairs, while "two tits for one tat" or worse, represent lack of reason, ill-will and dehumanization, leading to suspicion, non-cooperation and revolt.

Israel's 60 year occupation and terror against Palestinians has escalated to a new brutality ratio of "100 for 1" in Gaza, re-igniting barbarism, and the people of USA need not be a party to their fool hardy attempt to manufacture consent ; dehumanization and barbarism were defeated in the second World War and the response to Israel and its cohorts today need be no different.

Their unethical effort can be opposed nonviolently, not by picking up body parts activating institutions of Kindness and Charity, but by expunging the nefarious scheme from Israeli / USA / consciousness, utilizing the global independent, non- mainstream media, supported by the people. Thank you IT and Google!

As the people strive to avert the dire consequences of discontinuities that accompany dehumanization, they may not be able to rely on the USA Administration that may have compromised itself in the matter.

The killing of Alexander, age 15, led to an eruption of pent up hope that had been thwarted by the Greek government under global malaise. Thank you REAL News, below at 11 and 12.

It is my estimation that the global population has awaited peace in the Middle -East since the Camp David Accord of 1978, and Israel and its cohorts must take note that global consciousness may well have passed "the age of acquiescence" to friendly vetoes against the call for Israeli compliance with UN resolutions. In this context in the Middle-East, we are close to an eruption in global consciousness.

Ultimately, it is the people who have to bear the burden, whether it is providing a bail-out for the USA led sub-prime economic collapse of 2008 or of asserting who we are, and who we want to be.

I request the WCC of NYYM to place on its Agenda, a Call to Israel and Palestine to cease all hostilites, independent of the outcome in the veto laden UN security council.

The evidence on the Israel- Palestine Middle- East conflict presented through You Tube videos below, was prepared by concerned others from a common- sense based, comprehensive, humanitarian viewpoint ; that, could aid everyone’s spiritual concerns as we manage our passions and take a stand.

In Peace,
MMNA Intention

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1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vnaf8R_SJo (Arundati Roy (9/11/1922)

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SbjAanvUqs (Occupation 101)

3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyVy5XHjuGI (USA aid to Israel)

4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0aEo59c7zU (The Killing Zone)

5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLLb2MAulfg (Palestine: Auschwitz of our time)

6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xscq2nIKLHM (Jimmy Carter: Palestine- Peace, Not Apartheid)

7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CKpCGjD8wg (A MUST SEE-- Chomsky, 1)

8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB1q2tdb-Gw (A MUST SEE-- Chomsky, 2)

9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYlyb1Bx9Ic (The Myth of the Liberal Media)

10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVLXqHgLSTM (Barac and AIPAC)

11. http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=3048 (REAL News)

12. http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=3058 (REAL News)

7/12/06

Meet the Minimum Needs of All (MMNA), 2030:

Borderless Spirituality

The guidelines of 'Exclusion Morality' (though not specifically written down anywhere: Machiavelli, the Artha Shastras?) , were not put into practice in a day and will take time to move into the background.

Likewise the guidelines of 'Inclusion Morality' go back about 2300 years, represented by the open hand of Gautama the Buddha, the intense message of visceral communication by Jesus the preacher on the Cross, and the strictures of Muhammad, (PBUH) , and have been continuously present in our consciousness, ever spiritually vigilant, watching for an opening to threshold the enticements and practical callousness of 'Exclusion Morality.'

In the 21st century, blessed with the characteristics of a flattened world, we are free to gain perspective on Kindness and Charity of 'Exclusion Morality', and are enabled anew to address the potential within us through Inclusion Morality of borderless spirituality, leading to MMNA.

Let it play... Let it sway... by 2030.

MMNA Intention

FREE hit counter and Internet traffic statistics from freestats.com

7/5/06

Meet the Minimum Needs of All, (MMNA), 2030:

How Consumerism affects Society, the Economy and the Environment.

Consumerism is economically manifested in the chronic purchasing of new goods and services, with little attention to their true need, durability, product origin or the environmental consequences of manufacture and disposal. Consumerism is driven by huge sums spent on advertising designed to create both a desire to follow trends, and the resultant personal self-reward system based on acquisition. Materialism is one of the end results of consumerism.

Consumerism interferes with the workings of society by replacing the normal common sense desire for an adequate supply of life's necessities, community life, a stable family and healthy relationships with an artificial ongoing and insatiable quest for things and the money to buy them, with little regard for the true utility of what is bought. An intended consequence of this, promoted by those who profit from consumerism, is to accelerate the discarding of the old, either because of lack of durability or a change in fashion. Landfills fill with cheap discarded products that fail early and cannot be repaired. Products are made psychologically obsolete long before they actually wear out. A generation is growing up without knowing what quality goods are.

Friendship, family ties and personal autonomy are only promoted as a vehicle for gift giving and the rationale for the selection of communication services and personal acquisition. Everything becomes mediated through the spending of money on goods and services.

It is an often- stated catechism that the economy would improve if people just bought more things, bought more cars and spent more money. Financial resources better spent on Social Capital such as education, nutrition, housing etc. are spent on products of dubious value and little social return. In addition, the purchaser is robbed by the high price of new things, the cost of the credit to buy them, and the less obvious expenses such as, in the case of automobiles, increased registration, insurance, repair and maintenance costs.

Many consumers run out of room in their homes to store the things that they buy. A rapidly growing industry in America is that of self-storage. Thousands of acres of land are paved over every year to build these cities of orphaned and unwanted things so as to give people more room to house the new things that they are persuaded to buy. If these stored products were so essential in the first place, why do they need to be warehoused?

"You work in a job you hate, to buy stuff that you don't need, to impress people that you don't like."
- Unknown

http://www.verdant.net/society.htm

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2/19/04

'Consumerism' is well entrenched in human 'attachment for identity'; Over 25%, (1.7 billion, including about 240 million from China and 120 million from India), of the global population currently participate in it, (National Geographic News, Jan 12, 2004), while approximately 40% of the global population is assigned to live on less than $2 per day and called upon daily to sacrifice about 30,000 of their living. Who sanctioned this level of poverty? Can the First World population continue to plead 'innocent' stating we have little to do with the global political economy of our 'exclusion morality'?

In my opinion, if we withstand the distraction of 'consumerism' and refuse to participate in its call to waste human (time, energy, values, orientation, and creativity) wealth, then we would endeavor to 'Meet the Minimum Needs of All' through our spiritual concern to provide 'restorative justice' and ensure the welfare of those allotted to be poor by us.

We would use our intellect and creativity to reshape our circumstances to elicit 'inclusion morality' and develop the global geo-political leadership that would 'Meet the Minimum Needs of All.'

MMNA Intention.
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If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be.
Now put the foundations under them.

Henry David Thoreau.
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Those who take the most from the table
Teach contentment.
Those for whom the taxes are destined
Demand sacrifices.
Those who eat their fill
Speak to the hungry
Of the wonderful times to come, and
Those who lead the country into the abyss
Call ruling too difficult for ordinary men.

Bertolt Brecht

6/30/06

Meet the Minimum Needs of All (MMNA) 2030:

Opening MMNA statement.

Minimum Needs Are:

• Drinking Water
• Adequate Nutrition per day
• Basic Clothing and Basic Housing
• Primary Health Care
• Primary Education of 5 Years Duration.

Representing the global production of goods and services for the Year 2002 by 10 plums,

• The global First World population of about 1.1 billion (earnings greater thn $8 per day: India 125 million, China 250 million, USA 300 million, all of U.K., Japan, Western Europe, and a small percentage of the population in every nation of the world) , kept 8 plums for themselves.

• Global Lower middle-class of about 2.5 billion were given 1.5 plums, and the

• Global Poor of about 2.4 billion people had to live on 0.5 plums, without access to the seed.

Five out of six people suffer from the current distribution.

The obstacles to meeting the Minimum Needs of All, are SOCIETAL:

• 'Moral Exclusion'-- Justice need be only for those 'within' our group,

• 'Unconnected ness'-- we are not related to 'them'.

'Moral Exclusion' necessitates violence, that comes in different forms: direct, as in wars, and structural, as in economic, political and cultural.

Economic structural violence results in the daily poverty death of several tens of thousands of the global Poor. Why allow the global political economy to indulge in such sacrifice in the 21st century?

'Moral Inclusion' allows consideration of:

. 'fair play' for the other,
. willingness to share and allocate resources, that leads to
. willingness to make sacrifices to foster the welfare of the included, and
. extending the psychological boundary of the 'scope of justice'.

In this manner, 'Moral Inclusion' would lead to economical nurture of effective, enduring , global security.

'Those who received more', under ‘exclusion morality’, are called upon under ‘inclusion morality’ to consider acknowledging that:

'more, at the expense of the unmet minimum needs of many, is not one's to receive from the global political economy', and as inclusion morality is better understood and accepted, to undertake the necessary nonviolent steps to amend the global political economy, leading to global distributive justice on minimum needs.

Personal and institutional Kindness and Charity (outside of 'cash-back') are wonderful outcomes to nurture, even in inclusion morality, but they cannot be relied upon to MMNA.

Global Distributive Justice:

• 'Subject - centered - justice', (measured by that which I would need to quench my thirst, abate my hunger, keep me in primary health, clothing, shelter, and education) , would enable incorporation of all members of the human species, within 'one moral community',
• Basic rights are necessary in society,
• Everyone born has a right to something: life,
• Some 'other things' (personal security, subsistence, political and cultural, Freedoms) are necessary to enjoy the first thing, as a right,
• Everyone has rights to the said 'other things', (minimum needs) , that are necessary to enjoy the first thing as a right,
• 'Necessary' means 'made essential by the very concept of right'; to be brought into existence, administered and defended by global society.

What is necessary, lies outside personal choice, is not charity, and does not depend on kindness.

When engaged with the welfare of others, the concern is spiritual. Can the current distribution of the global political eonomy be justified in the 21st century?

Whether theists, atheists, or agnostics, we are given to belief. Through worshipful contributions of concern on the Web on this theme, how can we arrive at and make 'moral inclusion on minimum needs', the global vanilla of morality flavors by 2030, and MMNA?

In Peace,
MMNA Intention

MAY GOD BLESS THE WHOLE WORLD