American Public will punish the Tea Partiers

American Public on the Tea Partiers

I am glad President Obama came through poised, clear and precise with stronger than ever conviction. He was Reaganesque when he thundered and said, he will go to every nook and corner of America and talk to the American Public, if the Tea Party members do not approve the Job Creation plan. It is time that American Public hears about them.

What’s wrong with the Republican Party? Party because they are getting run over by the Tea Partiers. How long they want to look macho guys, a few will fall for that talk even if they don’t have food on the table. Most Americans will give to them in 2012 if they don’t behave. The 2010 was fluke; they will not win the public in 2012 with 2010 arrogance, they are not in tune with the American public as they were in 2008.

The Tea Party candidates are beyond reason and logic, they act like the Toddlers throwing pranks and rejecting everything. Don’t they need to go to school and get some basic economic lessons? If the nation is going downhill, you don’t accelerate it. You pump Money in to the economy to generate jobs and create activity, which spurs economic growth and recovery.

Finally Obama did the right thing, to tell them take it or face the wrath of the American People. I hope they see what America needs now and not what they want.

Mike Ghouse is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day to the media and the public. He is a speaker thinker and a writer on the topics of pluralism, cohesive societies, Politics, Islam, interfaith, India and Peace. Over a thousand articles have been published on the topics and two of his books are poised to be released on Pluralism and Islam. Mike's work is reflected in 4 website's and 27 Blogs indexed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/ and you can find all of his current articles at www.TheGhousediary.com

Texas Faith: How do you interpret the Genesis Creation Story?

TEXAS FAITH: How do you interpret the Genesis creation story?

An old Jewish folk tale makes the point. One day God said to Abraham, "If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be here," to which Abraham replied, "True, but if I weren't here there wouldn't be anyone to think about you." To conclude, we created God in our own image and let's give him wisdom as well.

Dallas Morning News shares 15 opinions on the topic including mine at http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/08/texas-faith-how-do-you-interpr.html

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

The simplistic understanding of the Genesis is that God produced the world in six days in a process that created the universe -- planets, water, earth, plants and life -- and wrapped it up with a final product: man in his own image so he can commune with them. Adam and Eve were set on autopilot to keep procreating themselves and we are here today, seven billion of us from that one single couple.

The conservatives among Abrahamic faiths believe that Adam was the outcome of an intelligent design, and was created in the same format as we are today. They believe that the idea of evolution is in conflict with creationism and goes against the very word of God.

Indeed, they have an unquestionable need to believe that what "they know" is precisely what God means; any other point of view is anathema and confusing to them.  The non-Abrahamic faith followers need not gloat; a new idea is usually an abomination to someone or the other including them.

The liberals on the other hand feel secure to explore unfamiliar territories and find new meaning in the theory of evolution. Both attitudes serve the basic motivations of the individuals: security in the cocoon and need to quench the thirst for knowledge. Together we grow into newer areas of knowledge and enrich life.

Our leaders have a personal right to believe in creation or evolution, or both. They are not mutually exclusive. However, they do not have the right to deprive the rights of citizens to their beliefs and shut one or the other. Most see creation as an understandable transition from evolution.

Is it possible that Adam was the first species in the process of evolution that was able to communicate coherently, take care of him and survive against the nature's oddities?

He was able to survive the fires, storms, blizzards, floods and furies of nature. Did God feel pleased with this new species that was fit enough to survive and become a permanent fixture of the universe unlike the others that faded into oblivion?

Did God call him "Adam" because he was the first one to stand out on his own?

God's word is all embracing and that is what he may have meant in the Bible, Torah and Qur'aan. I am sure the other scriptures carry similar wisdom. It is rather our shortcoming in understanding the spectrum of God's word by limiting the meanings to suit our security needs. Let's give some leeway to God's word, religion is about what we are conditioned to believe.

An old Jewish folk tale makes the point. One day God said to Abraham, "If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be here," to which Abraham replied, "True, but if I weren't here there wouldn't be anyone to think about you." To conclude, we created God in our own image and let's give him wisdom as well.

Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker, writer and a frequent guest on Hannity show and nationally syndicated Radio shows including local TV, Radio and Print Media. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. Over 1000 articles have been published on Pluralism, politics, Islam, India, Israel, Palestine, justice and civil societies.  Two of his books are poised to be released this fall on Pluralism and Islam. He is available to speak at your place of worship, work, school, college, seminars or conferences. His work is encapsulated in 27 blogs, four websites and several forums indexed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/ and www.TheGhousediary.com

Rick Perry's Kingmaker, and David Brooks Wakes Up

Religion Dispatch
Post by Sarah Posner

http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/sarahposner/4813/

I went missing last week to an undisclosed location—okay, Wyoming, one of our country's most beautiful states with two of its most spectacular national parks. Reentry into work is always hard, and this time it's no exception, coming back to debt ceiling showdowns and other evidence of the collapse of reason.

Last night, before bed, I read the New York Times on my iPad, and I must have caught David Brooks' column just as it went up. And I thought, ah, he has evolved, he realizes the GOP has gone off the rails. And I anticipated that he would (in Beltway journalist parlance) "win the morning" by saying what everyone else is thinking but is too afraid to say lest they get called a dick by Mark Halperin on TV.

See what I missed while I was hiking in the Grand Tetons! While I was watching geysers erupt in Yellowstone! Is it any wonder that I took a deep breath as I opened my laptop for the first time in 10 days this morning and thought, will everything seem both tiny and blown out of proportion at the same time?

Indeed. But back to work it is for me, with all the tiny and giant inanities that are our political culture. And look who's rising (Texas Governor Rick Perry, with several profiles presaging his presidential run, but not his Christian right bona fides) and who's falling (Godfather Pizza exec and Americans for Prosperity favorite Herman Cain, with campaign staff defections coming "after weeks of swirling rumors between Cain’s staff and volunteers in the Hawkeye State accusing each other of affairs, homosexuality and professional misconduct.")

While Cain's staff walkouts will surely make reporters hyperventilate for prurient, back-stabbing gossip (because even if there were no affairs or homosexuality, the idea that campaign staffers were accusing each other—or him? not clear—of such is somehow irresistible) it's Perry's machinations that are in fact more interesting.

Perry doesn't have boots on the ground in Iowa yet—he hasn't even announced an exploratory committee. And Iowa native and religious right (that's right, not Tea Party) charmer Michele Bachmann is already drawing huge crowds.

As I wrote back in May, Bachmann may be the Huckabee of 2012, wowing Iowa caucus-goers, but fizzling in subsequent states. Enter Perry, another Christocrat favorite whose willingness to substitute prayer for policy rivals Bachmann's. (Applying Brooksian logic, at what point does one deem the GOP not a "normal" party?)

In Time today, Amy Sullivan highlights Perry's ties to the religious right, and zeroes in on David Lane, organizer of Renewal and Restoration Projects, and their associated Pastors' Policy Briefings. When I wrote about Lane's activities back in 2007 and 2008, it was commonly thought (as Sullivan notes) that Lane and his associates played a key role in achieving at least the Iowa victory for Huckabee, to the chagrin of other Republicans. (Lane scoffs at the notion that his mingling of Christianity and politics is in any way inappropriate.) Looking ahead, Texas political columnist Bud Kennedy reported in May that Lane associate Laurence White may be organizing a "Draft Perry" movement by pastors. And they are undoubtedly looking for their anointed one to go the distance this time.

Shaping Carrollton Politics

Shaping Carrollton Politics tonight in Candidates Forum

Sponsored by: Barbeque Tonite, Carrollton

PROGRAM OUTLINE

 
The program was videotaped and will be on YouTube with a title “Shaping Carrollton Politics”  and other sites including www.CarroltonDiary.com, www.AmericaTogetherFoundation.com, http://www.mikeghouse.net/, www.FoundationforPluralims.com and  www.WorldMuslimCongress.com

It is not a run of the mill candidate forum and it is not about the typical budget issue. It is about building a cohesive Carrollton where no resident has to live in apprehension of the other and more importantly, they need to feel welcome.  We hope you will find this meeting meaningful in building our future.

1.      NATIONAL ANTHEM – Played out Audio

2.     PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – Led by former Mayor Ron Branson

3.     PLURALISM GREETINGS – Greetings from A-Z Religions

4.     PURPOSE:  Carrollton is enriched with every race, religion and ethnicity and as residents of this city, we want that to continue. 

It’s my dream to make our city an exemplary city in social cohesion, where we learn to respect and appreciate the uniqueness of each one of us.  Peace is a product of opening our hearts and minds and learning about each other instead of believing in dished out versions of the other. If I need to feel safe, secure and peaceful, I need to work to make sure everyone around me is safe.  If I live in fears, it is likely the others do the same.

The program will be taped and sent as a model event in series of events to take place throughout the United States of America to build cohesive societies

5.     ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

a.     Salim Odhwani, Barbeque Tonite Restaurant

b.     Dignitaries, Former Mayors Becky Miller and Ron Branson

6.     CANDIDATES INTRODUCTION

As a society, it is our responsibility to keep law and order and faithfully guard the safety of every citizen. Hate is one of the many sources of disrupting the peace in a society and it is our duty to track down the source of such hate and work on mitigating it.  America together, Americans Together is an educational and pragmatic initiative to wean out myths from reality that is hurting the social cohesiveness of America. The myths are vigorously pumped in by a few insecure souls to disrupt delicate balance in the society by pitching one American against the other for their perceived gains.

The purpose of this “America Together” is to remove such myths in an open discussion forum and restore the cohesiveness of our society and work towards building a safe and secure America.

CANDIDATES INTRODUCTION

            Cathy Henesey, place 4
            Bob Garza, place 4|

                        Bonnie Kaplan, place 2

                        Anthony Wilder, Place 2 – declined to attend

http://carrolltondiary.blogspot.com/2011/06/candidates-forum-reshaping-carrollton.html

7.     ONE MINUTE RESPONSE

Since our independence in 1776, we have been tested time and again by various political, economic and religious forces to divide us, however, at the end we have come out strong as one nation. The Civil War, the Great Depression, the World War, Pearl Harbor, Women’s rights, Abortion, the Vietnam War, Civil Rights, Budget Deficits, Unemployment, 9/11, the Iraq and Afghanistan War have all been difficult, but we will make it through and sanity will prevail.

To the naysayers, we say, if we don’t do a thing about it, nothing good can be expected to happen.

Please pass the microphones… after response.

a.     Civil Unions,

b.     Racial profiling,

c.      Islamophobia,

d.     Anti-Semitism

e.      Immigration reforms in Farmers Branch

f.       Anti-Circumcision issues in San Francisco

8.     What plans do they have to keep the social cohesion in Carrollton? We have come a long way to embrace and accept the otherness of other and we have a whole lot more to go; in the coming months we will be holding meetings to understand the complexity of issues such as Gay & Lesbian acceptance, Anti-Semitism, Stereotyping, Racial profiling and hope to find answers that will lead to accepting the otherness of other to co-exists in harmony despite our differences.

9.     Q & A

Please ask the question without commentary, we need to get a few questions answered and I request you to just ask the question… take a minute. Thank you.

10. PLURALISM PRAYERS 

Carrollton is enriched with every race, religion and ethnicity.    

The following is an inclusive prayer called the prayer of Pluralism. We pray for the well being of every resident of Carrollton. 

Let’s reflect, wish and pray:

Dear Creator of the universe,

Please accept our gratitude in every name we call upon you; Manito,  Yahweh, Elahi, Ishwar, Allah, Mahavira, Buddha, Wahe Guru, Ahura Mazda, mother earth and Jesus Christ.  

Dear Causer of the universes,

In your name we want to create a cohesive and peaceful Carrollton with care kindness and dignity to every one of the 130,000 residents of this beautiful City. 

Dear God,

Help us appreciate the prosperity and progress brought to us by our former Mayors, Gravely, Stokes, Miller, Branson and guide our current Mayor Matthew to build a cohesive Carrolton.

Guide us in selecting two candidates from the four, who can serve our city and work on strengthening our unity. 

Guide our council members to treat,

Respect and honor every resident with their heart and soul.

Let goodwill prevail towards fellow Americans.

Guide our Mayor and the council to serve us with integrity and honesty;
Guide us to serve our communities with the spirit of volunteerism;
Guide us to do the right thing every moment of our life;
Guide us to open our hearts and minds toward our fellow beings;
Guide us to shed the arrogance in us, and enrich us with humility
Guide us to become conflict mitigaters and goodwill nurturers.

Dear God, Protect our men and women in uniforms committed to our safety and well being.

Help us learn to respect the uniqueness you have blessed to each one of the 130,000 of us in Carrollton,

And help us learn to respect everywhich way one adores you and worships you.

May God drench and soak us with peaceful thoughts and goodwill.

In your name, we bow to you.

Amen.

More about the Candidates at www.CarrolltonDiary.com

http://carrolltondiary.blogspot.com/2011/06/candidates-forum-reshaping-carrollton.html

REFRESHEMENT COURTESY OF SALIM ODHWANI