Reading Books For Peace & Justice

I was a little taken aback at first by the message below, as we are coming close to an election and I am finding it hard to be relaxed, objective, fired up, fired down, mindful or much of anything else. I reread it though, including the book review, and now plan to read this book, along with the new Thomas Frank one, to regain a little equilibrium and focus. I think this will help with the job, the political activity and all the rest and that it should be time well spent.

This was the message:

I consider this election, the economy and other things a challenge to my mindfulness. I found comfort this weekend in reading and meditating. I have always felt that people who kill and promote war, such as Hitler were supposed to be my “enemy”. I realized that I could not be following in the right path if I gave that label to any living being. The Buddha teaches us that in order to love anything or anyone we must understand them first, so I decided to find some book or something that would help me understand folks that I feel are kind of like the “American Enemies”, Bush, Cheney, Bill O., FOX news etc. The book below has been extremely enlightening in helping me understand how people’s minds work when they are fearful and anxious. If you can afford to buy this book it will help. It also explains how people in the face of overwhelming evidence, they will cling to a lie that is unsubstantiated as long as it makes them comfortable and less fearful.

It would be dishonest if I were to say to you all that I love Dick Cheney; his crowd and the robotic individuals that follow his doctrine, but at least I am beginning to understand how and why they see the world in the way they do.

State of Confusion: Political Manipulation and the Assault on the American Mind (Hardcover) This book offers great insight into why people in America are not seeing the same things and the psychological reasons why.

The bottom line in all of this is if you can find someone that is “willing” to listen and is on the fence they are worth your time to talk to and hold a debate or discussion. The individuals that believe with all their being that Iraq attacked us on 9/11 and that the earth is 5 thousand years old, it truly is not worth getting upset about or wasting your time because you will “never” convince them. Remember Bush even said there was no evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved, yet 30% + of his supporters still believe that he did. Once scared individuals latch on-to something concrete they will not give it up for fear their reality will become distorted.

This is the other book I plan to read. I heard the author interviewed on Bob Edwards' show on NPR. You will probably remember his other book which came out right after the last election and was called "What's the Matter with Kansas." The broadcast was very good but the essence of why I want to read it is contained in the title on the book jacket. (Read & Listen at NPR.Org