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(c) All content Leo Koziol & Rautaki Group 2004.



 

 

 

 

DON'T GET CAUGHT IN THE FEAR
Brendan Sweetman, Tennessee, 14 October 2004

Kia Ora,  The most interesting thing that I learned at the Michael Moore talk the other night [in his national campaign tour called "Slackers"] was that the Number One book being sent to our troops in Iraq today is the Micheal Moore book [Dude, Where's My Country?].  He is also coming out with a book before the election pertaining to letters that have personally been sent to him by thousands of soldiers in Iraq talking about how crazy this war has become.

They went over there trusting in our President, and are now stranded to fight a losing battle which they do not agree with.  He (Michael Moore) even mentioned that many soldiers were saying how wrong the media was in their representation (Propaganda) of the war.  We are fighting a losing battle which will be talked about just like Vietnam.  Who are we to think that our way is the way.  This is the same mentality with a different face which has tried to take the mana (Pride, Strength) away from my people (Maori) and the same devastating beliefs which have done its best to ruin the Indians of North America.

Sometimes our pride for our country stops us from seeing the truth.  Sure, our truth is a matter of perception, but, if we have been raised in a society like America living off the cream and consciousness of our forefathers which came here in the 1600's (Europeans) then our perception must be slightly jaded, dont you think? We learn from hardships that this makes us strong.  The many hardships that we have in America today would be a great day for the majority of Third World countries. What can we learn from this?

Probably nothing, until we can give freely of our self and stop trying to build a brighter future for just ourself and our family.  The togetherness and love of many other countries that they show towards each other is much greater than what is here in America.  One reason is most Americans have lost [a sense of] who they are.  America is a society rather than a tradition.

When you take the traditional  aspects out of the society as America is, you lose togetherness for the right cause. Please don't get me wrong, we do have love and togetherness here in this country, but it has derived from a space of knowing who we are away from tradition, rather than the foundation being tradition.

We have Democrats, Republicans, and many other parties which should be heard. Why are they not being heard (e.g. Green Party)?  We are on the wrong trek if we are going to vote for the next President because of a war.  We are on the wrong trek if we are going to vote for the next President because of tax reasons. Some say that Kerry cannot deliver what he has said.  This is a matter of opinion, and can be hard to believe the state of our country.

When John Walker of New Zealand broke the 4 minute mile in the Olympics everyone had tried and couldn't do it.  It was a mindset and after he did it so came the many [others] to go under 4 minutes.  This is the way I see the present  crisis that we are in – it is a mind set.  How could John Kerry possibly do the things he says he can do; he is a liar.  No, he is not a liar he is trying to bring things back to balance and, things have been so bad for so long we [have] no equalibrium.

When we are not balanced it is very hard to know who is telling the truth.  Our country needs balance. Just as John Walker broke the 4 minute mile so can we break through this mess. It comes with having strong faith for change through peace and not war.  Don't choose your patriotism over peace; there is another way.

Why is it that certain media groups and our President are not telling the truth about the war?  Sure, we all want a peaceful world.  It has been said that since we have gone into Iraq the Taliban have gone from two hundred to tens of thousands.  Well we wanted a war and we got it. It is naive to fully trust in any government and furthermore President Bush.

Peace to you all at this crucial time in our future. 
Naku noa, Brendan

 * * * * *

THE PARADOX OF LIFE'S JOURNEY:

 "It is only when we realize that life is taking us nowhere that it begins to have meaning."
– P.D. Ospensky

"All major mystical traditions have recognized that there is a paradox at the heart of the journey of return to Origin. ...Put simply, this is that we are already what we seek, and that what we are looking for on the Path with such an intensity of striving and passion and discipline is already within and around us at all moments. The journey and all its different ordeals are all emanations of the One Spirit that is manifesting everything in all dimensions; every rung of the ladder we climb toward final awareness is made of the divine stuff of awareness itself; Divine Consciousness is at once creating and manifesting all things and acting in and as all things in various states of self-disguise throughout all the different levels and dimensions of the universe."
– Andrew Harvey

 "Look at you, you madman, Screaming you are thirsty and are dying in a desert When all around you there is nothing but water!"
– Kabir

"After changes upon changes, we are more or less the same."
– Paul Simon

* * * * *

Brendan Sweetman is of Ngati Rakaipaaka and Ngati Kahungunu descent, and currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the proud father of RangituWaho Jack Rakaipaaka Sweetman, born 3rd September, 2004.

 

 

 

 

 

 
(c) All content Leo Koziol & Rautaki Group 2003. Header photo adapted from Wairoa District Council archive.
Host sponsor Huia Kaporangi Christy Koziol. Contact Leo Koziol.