"I ship out next week. I'm a Marine. THANKS for what you do," at the Vigil tonight.

"Brother, you keep your butt safe, hear," Start replied?!!!!  "The only group
in this country I have any respect for is our men and and women in uniform.
I'm TOTALLY AGAINST killing, but I TOTALLY stand for commitment, putting your life
on the line for what you believe, sacrifice for others... and you guys do that;
and everyone else is on the take.  Thank you for your service.

The greatest complement I'm occasionally paid is, 'Start, were you a Marine?"

I pray with all my heart he stays safe.

"Give me a military man to fight alongside, any day. 
Don't give me any cowards."  Gandhi

"I consider myself a soldier."  Gandhi.  "Me too."  SL

http://www.prop1.org

!WOW! "How much you Love Truth, measures accurately how much you Love." SL

[Warning:  I don't know if this is a brainstorm rearing its
head, like last week.  I'LL TRY RESTRAIN MYSELF IF IT IS,
FROM SENDING A BLIZZARD OF MAIL.  SUBSCRIBE TO THE
START LOVING SITE BELOW IF YOU WISH TO VIEW THE
BLIZZARD, SHOULD IT COME - FOR A DAILY SUMMARY.]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

WOW. 

"How much you Love Truth,
measures accurately how much you Love."  SL

That Gandhi emphasized over and over and over and...
that "Truth is God," and, 'Truth is the one thing worth
instantly giving one's life for.' This has slightly mystified me. 
I mean, at some level his maniacal emphasis on Truth
made sense, but SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CENTRAL?????

This afternoon, finally, I get it.  The saying above.

There are some Truths that are so painful, so hurtful, so
disruptive of our "lives" that we develop ferocious
psychological DEFENSE mechanisms to shield ourselves from them,
right?  For most of us there is actually very little by way
of unpleasant truth we are open to hearing, seeing, feeling,
knowing....

EXCEPT, WE TURN THESE DEFENSES OFF WHEN THE VERY LIVES
OF OUR DEAREST LOVED ONES ARE AT STAKE, RIGHT?!?!  What,
when a dad's child's life is at stake is a Truth too painful to
hear?  There is no such thing, right?  HE WANTS,HE FIERCELY
DEMANDS THE TRUTH, ESPECIALLY THE MOST HURTFUL TRUTH,
IF IT MEANS THE LIFE OF HIS CHILD, RIGHT?!??!!?

"How much you Love Truth,
measures accurately how much you Love."  SL

WOW.


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My Hunger Striking friend has been Hospitalized, Day 36 - Immigrtation Reform

I was worried having not heard from him since Thursday.

Youth Rally & Mass for Life 2010 - Hunger Striker Risks All for his Brothers & Sisters

Today I heard from him mid day, an urgent email asking for help.
I biked across town (not real smart as the roads are unplowed
:-(  ) and spent the afternoon assisting him before racing back
for my evening shift at the White House.

Thursday night he awoke in his homeless shelter screaming in
pain - extreme muscle spasms.  They rushed him to the hospital
in an ambulance.  Against their wishes he signed himself out mid morning and
made the rounds of every Congressional and Senate office
because he has scheduled a prayer vigil in front of the White
House Tuesday and needed to make the requests Friday of
each office to attend.  He collapsed several times, but by days
end had delivered the announcement to every office.  He
expects to do the same Monday. I don't know if he will make it,
but I'll not bet against his will.

He had a major article in one of the major spanish dailies last
week and the head of the Mexican news association, is an
admirer from the days he was tortured by the Mexican
government - and this afternoon Macias and I wrote the article
they will put out tomorrow.

"The OUTCOME is NEVER the miracle. The ATTEMPT is the Miracle, always." SL

Sitting with my brother Macias today after my morning shift at the
Vigil (prop1.org) taught me this:

"The OUTCOME is NEVER the miracle. 
The ATTEMPT is the Miracle, always."  SL

My brother Macias is on Hunger Strike day #40, or thereabouts.
He is fighting for immigration reform - NOW:

Youth Rally & Mass for Life 2010 - Hunger Striker
Risks All for his Brothers & Sisters

350 views - 1 week ago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thFig6m4_ps

http://www.youtube.com/user/RodolfosBrother
http://rodolfomacias-sanews.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/mysanews

Water only.  I watch him get weaker and weaker every day.
I watch him get thinner and thinner every day.

I've watched him here in DC, alone, far from his San Antonio home
for 6 weeks or so.

Away from his friends, family, support network.  Living in strange
homeless shelters.

The repeated robberies of his belongings - hasn't slowed him down;
hasn't dampened his spirits; hasn't seemed to effect his spirits.

DC is filled with well funded organizations with a "supposed"
Interest in Immigration Reform.  ZERO SUPPORT.  ZERO CONTACT.
ZERO INTEREST.  Macias goes on, undaunted.

HIS ATTEMPT, IS A MIRACLE.

HIS COURAGE, IS A MIRACLE.

HIS GOODNESS, IS A MIRACLE.

HIS KINDNESS, IS A MIRACLE.  (He regularly brings FOOD for me,
from the shelters, so I am not  hungry.  Think about it.  And he
insists that I eat, while we work together on his campaign.  Think
about it.)

HIS FOCUS, IS A MIRACLE.

HIS ENDURANCE, IS A MIRACLE....

The Miracle wasn't the end of apartheid, but the endurance of
Mandela and others.

The Miracle wasn't the liberation of India, but Gandhi's endurance,
and that of others.

The Miracle wasn't major victories over Texas polluters, but Diane
Wilson's endless courage and sacrifice for the cause.
http://www.youtube.com/dianewilsonsfan

The Miracle hasn't been the termination of Mountain Top Removal,
but these s/heroes faithfulness to the cause.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcnV5TkHm3k

Have you reached out to him?  Have you helped him?  Have you
ATTEMPTED to get him help and support?

http://www.youtube.com/user/RodolfosBrother
http://rodolfomacias-sanews.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/mysanews

Start

SL here. To the True Friends - Thank you

Thanks for your help recently, you True Friends in the Attempt.

1.  I'm told by one of our heroes in West Virginia that all are now
out of jail, ON BAIL, in part due to the solidarity actions of some
of you.   (vid below)

Two Heroes Languish in Jail. Crime? Fighting for you. Mountain Top Removal.

236 views
2 days ago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcnV5TkHm3k

I have no credit card, so the donations I've accumulated these
last several years, mostly $1 bills from school kids that came in the spring
this year (prop1.org), along with all my belongings that they can use,  have
to be sent to an address, that only today I was able to secure from
them ClimateGroundZero.org.  I'll be sending all that I own (the laptop I use
is not mine) that isn't essential to the prop1.org vigil tomorrow.  My point? 
These heroes -
 
A.  are now just beginning the COURT BATTLES - IF NO ADDITIONAL
$$$, GUESS IF THEY WILL BEAT THE MULTI-BILLION $ MASSEY ENERGY
IN COURT, IN COAL OWNED WV. UHHHHHHH?????;

B,. These Tough-Loving Warriors ARE JUST STARTING THEIR WORK,
you heard in the vid (below) - now they plan to expand to other 
MTR sites throughout Appalachia.  The Revolutionary. War Soldiers
were kept alive by citizens like you.  For God's sake, for YOUR sake,
FUND RAISE FOR THEM.  PLEASE.  THESE FOLKS ARE THE GLOBAL SPARK
FOR TRUE CITIZEN ACTION ON A WHOLE HOST OF ISSUES - THAT WE
NEED, THAT WE WILL DIE WITHOUT !!!!

2.  Thanks for your PROMOTIONAL help.  In part thanks to you this
channel jumped last week from 8,000 viewings per day to more than
35,000 per day.  We Friends are using this SL2 Chan as a powerful
platform for TRUTH, for SANITY!!  Just tonight you quickly, you True
Friends have given us a chance of being a strong moderator of the
debate about Pr. Obama's BRILLIANT NASHUA SPEECH TONIGHT. 

EJ0tcU-q04I

Pr. Obama (1 of 8) - Town Hall Nashua NH

125 views
3 hours ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ0tcU-q04I

ANYONE THAT IS WATCHING SHOULD know by now THAT ANYONE
THAT ISN'T STANDING, STANDING, STANDING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER
WITH PR. OBAMA - WILL GO DOWN IN INFAMY.  He IS the greatest
leader in the History of the world.  IF YOU COULD PICK ANYONE IN
HISTORY TO BE OUR CEO AT THIS TIME IN HISTORY - OBAMA IS THE
EASY, OBVIOUS CHOICE - ON EVERY DIMENSION.  WHATEVER GOD
IS, OBAMA IS A GOD-SEND.

barackobama.com - !!!! NOT ANYWHERE ELSE !!!!, IS WHERE WE NEED
TO UNITE, TO BRING OTHERS, TO FOCUS AND LEAP HUMANITY OUT OF
THE PYRE, AND ON TO A LEVEL OF SALVATION ONLY DREAMED OF BEFORE. 

CERTAIN HELL IS THE DEFAULT, IF YOU DON'T.  ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN.

Your brother,

Start

Two Heroes Languish in Jail. Crime? Fighting for you. Mountain Top Removal.

236 views
2 days ago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcnV5TkHm3k

My Friends - Brainstorm is ending, I think.

Yes, I've inundated you with a blizzard of my brainstorms.

I don't control the blizzards.

I CAN control sharing them.

I've chosen to share this blizzard.

I'll always hope you know how to assign me to the SPAM bucket.  Seriously.

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HELP, please. Not what I can "spare," but all I own I'm donatating. You? SL

They languish in jail FOR YOU, until you help them.

My "boots" are CVS bags over my socks under my sandals.
Duct tape is keeping my pants belt functional (so far). Point?
I spend nothing on myself.

I'm looking for sympathy?  If you don't deeply envy me my life,
I'm continuing to fail you.  Sorry.  I owe a debt of millions,
literally, to my global poor family - that unknowingly I squandered
on myself till recently.

All that I own I'm donating to these folks (below).  During the warmer
months occasionally school kids throw a buck or change into
a donation pot at the Vigil, and by tradition the vigiller takes that
to support themselves in their work.  I don't by coffee, or ANYTHING with it.
I save it for my work, or, the work of real heroes, in the hopes
they would emerge, in a time of need. 

All that I've accumulated these last few years I'm donating.
FINALLY THE RIGHT "CAUSE," THE RIGHT "HEROES" HAVE COME
ALONG.  (4 min vid below)

CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT THEY RISKED, WHAT THEY SUFFERED,
WHAT THEY SACRIFICED FOR US?  WATCH THIS. (4 min vid below)

THEY LANGUISH IN JAIL FOR YOUR KIDS, CUZ WE ARE NOT
DOING OUR PART OF THE WORK.

PLEASE HELP THEM.  NOW would be a good time:

 

QcnV5TkHm3k

Two Heroes Languish in Jail. Crime? Fighting for your
kids, nieces, nephews....

http://www.youtube.com/StartLoving2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcnV5TkHm3k

FOR GOD'S SAKE SHARE THIS with friends, "family," acquaintances,
facebook, twitter, youtube..., PLEASE.

"Example is not the major thing in influencing people; it is the only thing." Dr. Albert Schweitzer

[Friends - I value your time as though my childrens' lives depend upon it -
because they do.  I never send that which I believe is not crucial to their
lives, and yours, but I rely on you to read what strikes you as important,
and flush the rest].

Having been well stimulated by recent dialog with a few of you, and having received
substantial Violence, unintended, from two considered internationally acclaimed
"Non-violent activists" recently, who now I see to be nothing of the sort,
tragically, sadly - once again my nervous system proves to me the old adage - if
it doesn't kill you, you grow.  Some of the fruits to me of this trauma, and
these dialogs, I'll share here:

"Example is not the major thing in influencing people; it is the only thing."
Dr. Albert Schweitzer  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Schweitzer  Nobel
Peace Prize 1952 (I was 1 year old) 
[Note to two friends:  I know nothing of the lives of Christopher Hitchings
nor Andrew Harvey that is not profound divorce from this Truth.  I do not
question their right to this Divorce, but I find them useless, no, dangerous
as a consequence.
"Nothing has so caused the needless suffering in the world as "Sages" that
Say but do not Do [I give you the Organized Religions, including Atheism, and
"Activism."]  These are the Hypocrites, clinically, that Jesus centrally warned
us of."  SL  (Yes, they piously, sacredly killed him.)

"Technically: Violence = Non-Loving; Non-Violence = Loving." SL 
"What does non-violence mean?
Uh, the love of mother for her child."
Gandhi paraphrase with liberties taken

"The Golden Rule is about Motive (Universal Love) NOT behavior."  SL
"[Love] unto others as you would
have them [Love] unto you."  CJ (as translated by SL)

"Why Jesus remained silent:
He would not aid and abet his sibling's violence on him."  SL
"Non-cooperation with evil is every bit as much a duty as
it is to not do evil."  Gandhi paraphrase

"Violence:  Neglecting our Duty to Love Each as Immediate Family."  SL

"Loving, like Skiing, divorced from Acting, is Nothing."  SL
"Love is that which cannot remain passive in the face of suffering."  Teresa of Calcutta paraphrase.

"Love EQUALS Life."  SL

Your Loving brother forever, no matter what,

Start Loving

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SL here. OK friends, Torture session over

I think.  :-)    :-(

I KNOW I've been deluging you with email,
AND I CAN'T SWEAR it will stop!!!!  ("Do not swear,"
is one of CJ's prime Commands.  Seriously.)

I get very hyped up around Christ-mass.

But I EXPECT to leave it to you to Subscribe
or NOT to the following sites if you wish to
follow in what is Revealed to me.  And if
so led, to have others do so.

I expect you will see my email torrent cease,
or subside substantially for a time.

Your Loving brother,

Start

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YAHOO!!!!!!!! Start's off line!!!!! [for a while] :-)

Hi! 

Well, not completely off line, but sort of in a cave.
Yes, my Vigil work continues but mentally I'm in a hugely
different focus for a time.

I will continue to use this lull in DC Political activity to
devote as much uninterrupted time to matters of the Spirit,
as possible - studying and responding to the Words
and Works of Christ Jesus.

You may or may not see bursts of activity on the
Spiritual Front from me, but on the Climate Change,
Health Care, Global Issues front I'm not even looking
beyond the major headlines. 

I don't expect to return to normal in that regard till
after New Years.

Your Loving brother,

Start

It is awesome wth Family and Friends this morning

5:48am I saw my late 20ish son about 3 blocks from our office as I was
heading to the park.  It was on the corner of one of the streets where
he and others sell my daughters for sex.  He wouldn't meet my eye.
But when I had passed him, I looked back, caught his eye, and said
"Merry Christmas."  He seemed a bit stunned.

5:52am it was another 3 of my sons, just a little younger, a block over.  My guess is
they too had just finished selling or wiping themselves with my daughters. 
They took no notice of me, an old, weird white guy, till I shot them a
loud and cheerful, "Morning!"  They fell silent.  They seemed confused.  On this
still, quiet morning I heard nothing from their group for the several
more minutes we remained within earshot of each other.  The seemed to
be thinking about something.

5:59am as I was just a block from the White House, my brother, my age,
white, was by the McPherson Metro for the warm air.  Looked like he'd been out all night
drinking, in the snow.  Not enough money I'd say to have been in bars. 
Scruffy.  No response to me or my "Merry Christmas?"

6:02am Connie happily received my "Merry Christmas!"  I asked her to stay
by the vigil for a moment, and crossed the street to my 2 sons and a brother
in the Secret Service.  Two I didn't recognize, and one I saw upon getting
close was my brother Kevin.  Oh my goodness, does he ADORE his two
young children.  It was just daybreak, and here he was on Duty, as they
were waking up looking for Santa.  All 3 were surprised and happy with
my "Merry Christmas" handshake.

6:20am or so my sister, the one with the coke bottle glasses and missing
front tooth walked by.  Big warm smile - "Looks like another foot of
snow mid day, you be careful" she wished me.  I don't know where in
DC she sleeps, on the streets.  "Merry Christmas" I said.  "Merry Christmas"
she said.

6:30am this enormously talented, intelligent, handsome, single brother came down from
the office, furious at me for not reducing myself to being his alarm clock -
blaming me for his failure in his opportunity to be here at 6am when
Connie and I change shifts so Connie wouldn't have to walk the 10
blocks in the ice, with her bad foot.

It is awesome with Family and Friends this morning.

Love you.

Start

Friends, something exquisite just happened to me. Start

Hi.

About a month ago in the Park I was on post and a woman with a few
grandchildren approached.  We spoke for a while, and sadly I don't
remember the particulars - but my focus is always the same -
the Vigil, Thomas founding it, it continuing with Connie and now my
help, anti-nuclear, climate protection and repair, Palestine....
that we do this out of Love for our global human family, that Waging
Love with greater ferocity, and greater numbers than the world
has waged death is our entire hope; that there is no other ....

I could tell she was deeply moved.

At the end, I asked where she was from - Connecticut she said, and
then mentioned that she is the wife of William Sloan Coffin.  If you
don't know, and I did, William was Chaplin at Yale during the Vietnam
era and one of the most eloquent, first, most courageous, outspoken opponents
of that horrible, horrible, horrible war.  A book that Ellen and Thomas
connected me with that I've excerpted here was my exposure to his
sublime Soul and writings - his essay is excerpted here:
Militant Non-Violence, William Sloane Coffin

I said that reading more of his work was high on
my list.  I mentioned that I'd searched for more of
his work at the DC Libraries, but they had none.  She said she would
like to send me one of his books.  We spoke a few more words and then
she left (forgetting to get my address.)  I let it go.

10 minutes later she was back - "I forgot to get your address."

Last week a copy of William's "Credo" arrived.  Only just now did I
have a moment to begin leafing through.  The first chapter is
entitled "Faith, Hope, Love."  On the first page of this chapter she
had written a note:  "*  THIS IS FOR YOU!"  Here is what she
had marked, of William's writings (and now I weep):

"Socrates had it wrong: it is not the unexamined but finally the uncommitted life
that is not worth living.  Descartes too was mistaken; "Cogito ergo sum" - "I think
therefore I am"?  Nonsense.  "Amo ergo sum" - "I love therefore I am."  Or. as with
unconscious eloquence St. Paul wrote, "Now abide faith, hope, love, these three;
and the greatest of these is love."  I believe that.  I believe it is better not to live
than not to love."       William Sloan Coffin, by way of his wife Randy.

Your brother,

Start Loving

New Family at the Vigil

"Involuntarily, I now clearly see personal wealth as an accurate measure of Disease - InHumanity." SL

"Involuntarily, I now clearly see personal wealth as an accurate measure of Disease - InHumanity."  SL

I didn't anticipate receiving this Vision.  But that Spirit to which I have
been reborn, certainly will see as I see now. 
Always has, always will

"Blessed are the poor,
for theirs is the
Kingdom of
Heaven
[in this
Life!]

JC

SL

"If
you
Love
the poor
you WILL share
their fate." Oscar Romero

"The greatest poverty I've ever seen
is the poverty in the west, the poverty of Spirit."  Teresa of Calcutta [paraphrase]

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The most important thing I know? "Spirit is Everything. Our purpose here is to advance and protect Spirit. ANY physical cost is worth it to protect and nurture Spirit. Period." SL

[[[NOTE:  Although I've attempted this before, I'm quite serious
about disciplining myself to no longer bombard you with emails, confining
my barrage of daily outbound to the sites below.  If you subscribe
to any or all that is your business, and it is blind to me.  Google
automatically aggregates and sends the Daily Summary(s) and
NEVER have I seen a problem or abuse with this.]]]

The most important thing I know?

"Spirit is Everything. 
Our purpose here is to advance and protect Spirit. 
ANY physical cost is worth it to protect and nurture Spirit.
Period." 
SL

1.  Spirit is EVERYTHING, in part
because EVERYTHING PHYSICAL results from, flows from Spirit.

2.  Spirit is EVERYTHING because as human
beings Spirit is the EVERYTHING of how our life "feels,"
from horrible to heaven, and every possibility in between.

Human Spirit (capital S) I'm talking of - a feature of
our Nervous System;  And more particularly
the Spirit (cap S) that is some amalgam of what we
call Conscience / Empathy / Humanity /
Compassion / Universal Love / Wholeness.

3.  BECAUSE EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON SPIRIT,
OUR ENTIRE PURPOSE AND WORK IS TO PROTECT AND NURTURE SPIRIT,
IN OURSELVES, IN OTHERS, PAYING WHATEVER
PRICE IS REQUIRED OF US TO DO SO,
FOR THE JOY OF IT!!!

THIS IS HOW IT IS.

THIS IS HOW WE WORK.

THIS IS HOW THE WORLD WORKS.

PERIOD.

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We westerners ARE Tom and Daisy Buchanan (Great Gatsby), "Thoughtlessly wreck everything."

I thought I'd seen every movie ever made!  But over several nights at the Vigil
(it was too painful to watch all the way through at one time)  I watched it,
hadn't seen it before - AND IT WAS US. 

We are Tom and Daisy Buchanan -
We "thoughtlessly wreck everything."

It, is a real Terror movie.

We, are the real Terror.

Fitzgerald tried to
show us, in
time.

We
Christians,
Peace Activists,
Progressives,
Lefties,
Jews....

This guy spent an hour with me this morning at the Vigil

Half of it taking pictures, half of it sharing a feast of mutual encouragement
and validation of Life.

Trust me - look at his work:  http://www.wendellphillips.com/world/03.asp

What is it worth to maybe impact, and encourage such a soul? 

:-)

HELP, please.

A miracle is needed. If you can think of any PROMISING contacts,
please let me know.

For a good 2-3 weeks now in the evenings at the vigil - "Hey
Start!"  "Hey D," I respond to the 7 year old.  And the family of 6 descend on
the vigil to chat.  Most recently they were in Detroit.  He
got laid off.  She, with 4 kids aged 3 to 7 was a stay at home mom.

Now, they are homeless.  It gets worse.  They are in DC cuz 10 years
or more ago he was convicted of a felony.  She is Canadian.  Turns
out she will be sent back to Canada cuz as a felon - clean for 10
years or more: A. he can't sponsor her; B. neither US or Canada will
let him go to Canada.  (God, please save us from this Christian
nation.)

For a family with all the supports a family should have, this family is wonderful.
But under their atrocious circumstances, that they are so kind, well behaved,
positive (so far) is unimaginable.  They spend their days on Capitol
Hill and among the NGOs trying to get help.  NOTHING so far.  They
wear sandwich boards telling of their story and so far, receive
donations each day enough for a $70/night motel.

They need someone(s) to help them stay together.

Your brother,

Start

Start L is very depressed at the moment.

[I had a wonderful conversation with a fellow at the Vigil this
morning - Bill.  Early 40's professional man, with kids.  It was a
wonderful connection - we covered much ground - and he
asked if since I've Lived this new life I've suffered depression.]

Bill,  :-)

You asked me if I ever suffered depression.  With the greatest
gusto I said NO!

Of course I was attempting to tell you the truth, but to my
amusement, at my many limitations, I write to tell you - absolutely
I suffer depressions.  I'm in one this afternoon - a significant
one.

One of my advanced degrees is in psychology.  Abe Maslow
is one of the handful of psychs whose work was not toxic -
but extremely health producing.  At a conference back
in the 1960's he was challenged for listing Abe Lincoln as one
of his Icons of human health with, 'Dr. Maslow, Abe Lincoln
was known to be depressive, an "illness," and you label him an
icon of human health?'

'Hmmmm,' Maslow replied.  'Yes.  Lincoln was in the midst of
a war destroying thousands of his brothers and sisters both
north and south.  He was deeply depressed about this.  And you
deem this unhealthy???'

A am in agony over, and depressed about the lethargy in my
brothers and sisters in this country regarding the Health Care
Legislation - and how the most promising minds I see insist
on sitting on the sidelines pontificating while the greatest
leader in the history of the world, Pres. Obama, stays on the
field of battle fighting for us, Alone.  You know the movie,
"High Noon," with Gary Cooper?

The question my brain (oh so limited) was hearing from you
when you said "depression," I was responding to Joy - was
there ever an instant when I didn't experience Joy.  No IS
the correct answer to that - including now.

In his studies of Self Actualized people, among the traits
he found among all was that they, 1. Were all completely
and totally dedicated to the well-being of humanity, and
2.  Practically all would relate that - 'Life is so wonderful
I almost can't stand it - it is just too much - excruciating.'

That is how it is.  The pain of the world is so acute in me
that at times it does lead to depression.  NEVER do I
regret either the pain or the depression.  I'd be "Dead" if
I lacked either.  A STONE would feel the pain so rampant
in the world today.  Yes? 

But in my own experience and in my ongoing
studies in many fields - the Agony and the Ecstasy are NEVER
separate;  NEVER.  The Agony of those needlessly
suffering is the FUEL, the ENGINE for LOVE and the
fruit of Living out of our Love  is JOY - Ecstasy.

It is not rare that I am depressed.  It is NEVER that I do
not Live Joy.  It is Heaven, and Hell.  :-)

Your brother,

Start

Fw: What you(?) did in August

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: "Nita Chaudhary, MoveOn.org Political Action;
To: Start Loving;
Sent: Sunday, September 13, 2009 10:38:11 AM
Subject: What you did in August

Click here for more photos from the summer.

Dear MoveOn member,

Wow—August was really something.

At town halls, state fairs, public forums, and hundreds of other events across the country, MoveOn Councils and individual MoveOn members showed Congress and the media that the vast majority of Americans support the change agenda that President Obama ran on.

Local MoveOn members organized face-to-face conversations with key senators including Evan Bayh, Kent Conrad, and Olympia Snowe. And we got a slew of positive press coverage to amplify our message—from television stations in St. Louis and Sarasota, FL to MSNBC.

Then, we capped it off by holding hundreds of powerful "We Can't Afford to Wait" Vigils across the country. (Check out this terrific homemade video of the Los Angeles Vigil.) The vigils had over 100 people in attendance, on average; and over 70% of them got media coverage.

The sum of all this? We've had a big impact. We're starting to regain control of the debate over health care reform, despite a small but disruptive minority. Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst during President Obama's powerful speech on Wednesday was symptomatic of the right's growing credibility problem.

And now, in these next few weeks, we'll be fighting hard to keep the pressure on.

On September 22nd, we will stand up to the multi-billion dollar health insurance industry at our "Big Insurance: Sick of It" rallies.

There's still plenty of work to do, but the fact that the progressives are taking back the health care debate—and holding the line on clean energy—is a testament to the amazing work you were part of this summer.

Thanks so much for all you do.

–Nita, Anna, Lenore, Ilya, and the rest of the team

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

---

PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to Start Loving on September 13, 2009. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.