[Dialogue] AN ALTERNATIVE ?

[Michael & Molly Shaw]

David, et. al.,

I don't offer a three point plan, but rather a reflection that made sense to
me about Bush and Kerry being cut out of the same cloth.  This question came
up early when it was beginning to look like Kerry would win the nomination.
The response was something like this:

There are three power groups in this country.  One is money and both have
bent their knee to the throne of money.  Another is militarism and both have
bent their knee to the military power.  The third is the right wing
fundamentalist, and only one has bent a knee to that.  

I have to keep reminding myself of that when I hear the comparisons of Bush
and Kerry being cut from the same cloth.

Peace,
Michael Shaw
Seattle

-----Original Message-----
From: Dialogue-bounces at wedgeblade.net
[mailto:Dialogue-bounces at wedgeblade.net] On Behalf Of David & Lin Zahrt
Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 6:12 AM
To: Colleague Dialogue
Subject: [Dialogue] AN ALTERNATIVE ?

When it was observed, on occasion, that things ought to be different 
in the world, we used to ask each other (and our course participants) 
for a 3-point plan.

I had a conversation with a fellow that has been a long-time family 
friend, a Sierra Clubber, and is in principle a Republican.

He said Bush didn't ask to be the 9-11 President. The current 
administration's response is not dealing adequately with the 
situation. His question to me was, "What's your alternative?" I think 
he was being genuine. I think he too is looking for a more 
appropriate alternative. His observation is that Kerry and Bush, with 
few exceptions, are cut from the same cloth. So Kerry doesn't offer a 
serious alternative. I will vote for Kerry. But with the sad 
disclosure that I agree with my friend.

SO WHAT'S YOUR 3-POINT PLAN?
1. Support the Troops--get them and all military out of Iraq and harms way.
2. Approach the world community in repentance. Ask for the 
opportunity to construct a new approach that reaches beyond 
tribalism--the  current world paradigm which is suffering its death 
throes.
3.Acknowledge that the earth's resources are finite, everything has 
to go somewhere when you're through with it, and the earth was not 
made to support the ever-growing population of humanity. Initiate a 
policy, being modeled in US, of scaled back 
throw-away-overconsumption, human population containment, and 
renewable energy harvesting infrastructure. This would restore the 
current imbalance in which 15% of the world's population is using 80% 
of the worlds resources, eliminate US dependence on Middle East 
supply of oil, stabilize (and hopefully reverse) the impact human 
society is having on Mother Earth.

You know we never expected to establish agreement in asking the 
question. We simply were asking for positive, future oriented vision 
which can and will be a self-fulfilling prophecy.
SO WHAT'S YOUR 3-POINT PLAN?

david

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