Myth and Reality in the Time of Bush

By Richard Kruch

Many of us found the outcome of the last presidential election to be a sobering experience. It did not seem believable that half of our fellow Americans could have preferred Bush and what he stands for.  On the other hand, having done our part while realizing that there was really no option to the continuing war in Iraq or a clear voice for peace and justice on either side, we are left watching the political fallout with a sense of angst and a deep concern about the future.

Those of us who allowed ourselves to be swept up in the campaign jingoism of "a stronger America" or that, "hope is on the way," may need an issue enema about now. Where does mythology leave off and where does reality begin? What really is the greatest threat to the United States and to life on the planet?

When the world's sole superpower decides to militarize and add to its already totally dominant force of arms and actions, how can the prospects for peace and, indeed, the fate of the entire planet not be compromised? Can such an action be rationalized as defensive? How can we avoid Peter Ustinov's haunting assessment that, "Terrorism is the war of the poor and war is the terrorism of the rich."

What real difference did John Kerry and the Democrats bring to the world forum that might to help address this paradox? For that matter, what was added to help alleviate US dependency on military solutions, or its dependency on oil, or dependency only on the grace of God to mitigate the impact of environmental degradation? From where do such initiatives come?

This is a time when individuals are called upon to act from their own sense of truth. Those who seek social justice and a sustainable, equitable economy have been marginalized by both parties and in the media. Military force is held to be believable while dialogue and social justice are not. The leadership that can credibly advocate a new vision for peace and sustainability is still evolving. It is our own input that is still lacking. In truth this has always been the case. Holding the light of truth to the podium of power has always been the mission of the peacemakers. There are critical issues that await a champion. Here are just a few:

1) The Iraq war has demonstrated in the clearest terms that war itself, as a means of settling international disputes, is clearly a failed mechanism.  Alternatives to war need to be championed.

2) Re-opening the dark abyss of another nuclear arms race and the militarization of space is inherently evil and an ill-conceived blunder, one that threatens all future life.

3) Mother Earth has a human problem. A mountain of evidence pointing to the demise of our ecosystem in the face of global warming, resource depletion, species extinction, disease pandemics and the myriad of environmental emergencies are crying for a sane, deliberate response.

4) The growing gap between rich and poor in the world must finally be addressed. The insatiable agency of corporate capital accumulation devoid of social responsibility, especially in context of desperate poverty, must be changed.

5) It is appropriate that people of economically advantaged countries initiate a re-examination of the responsibilities and stewardship inherent in the holding of resources and wealth. This includes the ongoing genocide of Indigenous people.

6) Technology is evolving so rapidly as to outpace our institutional and personal capacity to remain aware of whom we are spiritually. To achieve civil equilibrium in the context of these changes, we must validate our own individual capacity to know what is true.

7) Both dominant political parties in the US have marginalized those activist elements that have put compassion before self-interest and social justice before hegemony.

These agencies have there-by lost the moral capacity to lead with wisdom and to administer equitably. Self-serving, arrogant policy-making has become unavoidable.

It is incumbent upon us all to find new ways to give expression and empowerment to the inner force of truth and love within us, individually and collectively. Directing our life force toward the pursuit of personal advantage for the sake of creature comfort and security is, by itself, a hollow shell of purpose unworthy of qualification for wisdom and emulation. We need to expand the qualifications for governing. Wishing and hoping will not make it so.

Denver Justice and Peace Committee is one of our community's clear and unfettered mechanisms to assist people in hooking up with their avenue for expression. If their programs do not directly deal with your area of passion, they will assist you in finding the right one.

As much as the issues can seem hopelessly overwhelming, they also bring to us the exciting context of the chapters in the human adventure yet unwritten. Before us is the real curriculum that comes with being born onto this planet at this time. It is called reality. Engage!