Matt, my 21 year old son, who at times can be more informed and passionate than I am, just came in and told me about ballots being printed with "Osama" as Barack's last name. I have that feeling again, the nauseated feeling I get each time I am faced with how low, how dark and desperate, how polarizing and distracting, how mean and violent things are becoming here in America as we progress towards this next presidential election. It is hard to be witness to the subtle and overt racism, the profound lies, the demonization of Muslims, the threatening yells of "traitor" and "kill him!" directed at Obama at McCain rallies, the circulation of accusations that Barack is everything from a terrorist to the anti-Christ. It is so disheartening. And Barack certainly saw it coming - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH2iufUU1f4... We all obviously have a long ways to go in America to individually and collectively have the courage to look in the mirror and the commitment to truly live up to our ideals. At the same time that there is much darkness in our midst, something which I believe is important to explore within ourselves first, my own personal resolve to contiue working at staying firmly grounded in my heart is only strengthened by these experiences. And I need to acknowledge the increasing numbers who are courageously working at embracing inclusivity and growing in compassion. This is a choice I believe we are all being asked to mindfully make - to keep our hearts open and stay rooted in our integrity in the face of injustice, or to passively or actively become part of the violence in our midst.
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From Truthdig:Election officials in Rensselaer County, N.Y., are caught in the middle of a national embarrassment after a “typo” on 300 absentee ballots listed the Democratic candidate for president as “Barack Osama.” Both Democratic and Republican officials in “Renassliare County” swear the error was accidental.
The Times Union:
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s last name is spelled “Osama” on hundreds of absentee ballots mailed out this week to voters in Rensselaer County.
The misspelling, which elections officials on both sides of the aisle insist was simply a typo, is causing embarrassment for the county.
‘’No question this is an honest mistake innocently done,’’ said Edward McDonough, the Democratic commissioner. ‘’We catch almost everything.’’
‘’This was a typo,’’ said Republican Commissioner Larry Bugbee. ‘’We have three different staff members who proof these things and somehow the typo got by us.’’
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"We have met the enemy and he is us."
Walt Kelly
"As one can see when the eyes are open, so one can understand
when the heart is open."
when the heart is open."
Hazrat Inayat Khan, The Bowl of Saki
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