Why I Like Barack Obama

For those of you who don't know, I do hope Senator Barack Obama is the next President of the United States but for perhaps less than obvious reasons, having little to do with his political affiliation:

1. A few weeks ago, Senator Obama was quoted as saying, "it's always a good time for Stevie Wonder;" I firmly agree with this statement. A regiment of "Songs to the Key of Life" and "Music of My Mind" buoyed my spirits form catastrophic depression in the mid 90s.

2. Rapper-activist-poet Mos Def prophesied on Bil Maher's "Real Time" that Obama is too sexy not to win. This bears out over the last several presidential elections: Bill Clinton is clearly sexier than Bush one and Dole; Gore, who won the popular vote in 2000, is sexier than Bush two, who even the most liberal of us must admit has the edge on Kerry. Name one candidate for president ever prettier than Barack Obama.

So what about Senator Clinton? Hilary Clinton is a Republican in Kennedy-democrat's clothing: she was on the board of directors of Wal-Mart for six years for God's sake, and her health care plan may as well have been co-written by Newt Gingrich. Granted, as a lawyer, Senator Clinton did groundbreaking work for child advocacy, but as a politician, she's no woman from Hope. John Stewart is right on when he said that if Hilary weren't running, Bill Clinton would be Senator Obama's number one supporter.

It may be construed as cliche, or even racist to say this, but I mean the following statement with only the most profound eloquence: Obama simply has more "soul."

Global Warming

With the temperature fluctuations this week in the Mid West, anyone who says global warming is a myth deserves a jab-cross-hook combination to the face. I fear that Mother Earth is having a terrific bout of diarrhea and the human species is the pathogen she is trying to expel.

Seven Years to Old Age

Well today, around 9:45 PM I think, marks my 33rd birthday, also referred to as "crucifixion age" [and do to the astrological return of Saturn to it's natal position due to occur in the imminent present--whatever that means--there may be some metaphorical weight to that signifier.] But rather than snub my Christian readers out of hand, I'll instead focus on Srila Prabupada's assertion that preliminary old age begins at 40. That leaves me with seven years of youth, according to Vedic wisdom, which I guess is better than the Unitarian Universalist Association's ever-enlightened claim that youth ends at 35. I'm 33, still broke, and my only "claim to fame" is that I know the guy who played Kerillin on Dragon Ball Z, but I have an amazing marriage and a catalog of people who have afforded me the chance to enrich their lives, and in turn, have made me a more imaginative, empathic person. I am reminded of the Tantra, not the Alister Crowley pop-sex magick, the ancient meditative process [have I written about this before on this blog, oh well]. Tantra contends that when we engage anyone else, we conceive a spiritual child with that person; as relationships grow, the "child" matures--so you get the metaphor [that's what a lot of mystical stuff is--metaphor, those who have eyes, let them see, etc. etc.] : if one neglects relationship, the child starves. So I reflect on the marvelous souls who have shared reflections of themselves with me, through academic discourse, a friendly nod, a vital embrace, the acute pause punctuating laughter, to the strictest confidence. Thank you.

Me on the Radio with Wendi and Richard Pini

This morning Elfquest creators Wendi and Richard Pini talked with me about Vedic influences on Elfquest on the internet radio show Mr. Media. An mp3 of the broadcast is available here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mrmedia

Wendi and Richard also discuss their latest project, The Masque of the Red Death; their marriage and working relationship; their split with DC and Wendi as Red Sonia.

Lamentation of a Slave to Academia

Last night I received an email from a former student saying that my class was responsible for shifting her view of writing to "semi-enjoyable;" she said that I am the first teacher to challenge her and her thought processes. That is the second such email I've gotten from a student within the last three years that I can document from two vastly different universities. Pretty good track record, right, so why the lamentation?

This morning I checked my bank balance hoping to find my usual meager net pay of $756 deposited; I found half that. I was explained to me that I'd have the rest by Friday, but that's not my point. The average burnout point for teachers--those who don't teach primarily upper division and graduate courses--is three years. I've been doing it for nearly ten. I discovered this weekend that the GAs' in my wife's office net pay is my gross, and I think they get benefits, I don't.

The private sector is dumbfounded as to why otherwise qualified people are graduating universities unable to write affectively. Maybe, if we were paid what we're worth, commiserate with experience, education and the value of the skills, practical and meta-cognitive, that we facilitate, that would begin to change. I currently teach two sections with a total of 44 students registered. How much money do you suppose the university is making from my efforts? You do the math.

Don't get me wrong, I love what I do and those for whom I do it. And I know that my current supervisor is doing all he can to remedy the situation, but little is changing. I'm livid.

Elfquest

This afternoon, my wife took the most important exam of her professional career, the EPP, the licensing test for psychology. It's been a real lesson in powerlessness for me--I've baked cookies and banana bread for her while she studied; we've chanted together, but there was little more I could do to help, so I spent yesterday at Barnes & Noble reading the first of the Elfquest manga format graphic novels. By the end of it, I felt invigorated. The series is an American original that draws more from Native American and Vedic narrative and imagery than European. The story focuses on the relationships between characters as much as the action. It's sort of my latest obsession--I am diagnosed with OCD after all. If you're looking for an imaginative escape that's not a Peter Jacksonesque dumbed-down Tolkien, I recommend Elfquest. I found this nice video compiled by series co-creator Wendi Pini featuring art from the series:

http://www.veoh.com/videos/v1124493EEnKGKw3?searchId=4939942381780231482&rank=4

The Hare Krishna movement in 55 minutes

So if some of you have been following this blog and have picked up on the references to Hare Krishna but have no idea what it's about aside from a few foggy late-night memories of SNL reruns, I invite you to watch the following film, produced in 1983 detailing the biography of His Divine Grace AC Bhativedanta Srila Prabhupada:

http://www.krishna.com/node/1213

The events and sentiments described to my knowledge are represented accurately with the exception of the qualifications of the teachers at the ISKON primary school pre-1985, which is sheer propaganda, as students of the school during that era have told me personally.

So you're curious about non-conventional religious sects?

Over the past few days, I've been contemplating the subject matter of a presentation given by a couple of my now former students focusing, in part, upon the relationship between cults and conventional faith systems; theorizing that all traditions begin as cults, or "a system of religious worship directed towards a particular figure or object" (OED). Sound familiar? As the synoptic Gospels would have it, Jesus had twelve disciples [Bishops] with whom he indoctrinated his mysteries and a few hundred hangers on at best. Fast forward 2000 plus years, and we have as many sects of Christianity as there are indictments against Illinois public officials. The same is true of other enduring faith traditions, but how does one separate the "wheat from the chaff," so to speak? Here's some entirely unsolicited advice:

Look for children and the elderly:

A religious tradition that does not count children or the elderly among its members could be suspect, or a least radical, which isn't in and of itself, bad but can be indicative of deeper problems.

How much time or money does the community demand?

The key word here is "demand." Some may be inspired to give up worldly possessions or former associations, but if that is explicitly required, beware. When I was in college, a sect of the Church of Christ called "The Church of Christ Jesus" began soliciting membership from the campus community with a "back to the Bible" pitch. They would invite someone to a function and then systematically exclude him or her from friends and family with nightly group dates. Once someone decided to join the church, the congregation would surround the subject and vehemently accuse him or her of a number of sins. Once the person broke, they would build him or her back up by saying that only Jesus through their church can save him or her. Incidentally, this tactic is commonly used during hazing in fraternities and sororities.

Compelling theology or personality cult?

Founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness [a transplant of Bhrama Goudia Vaishna tradition of Bengal to the west], His Divine Grace A.C. Bhativedanta Swami Prabhupada, throughout his writing delineated the virtues and qualities of Krishna [God] and of the techniques of Bhakta yoga, but would not tolerate any suggestion that he was God. From his passing in 1977 until approximately 1990, his movement degraded itself into a series of competing personality cults, where Prabhupada's successors in some cases insinuated that they were God [those people are since long gone].

Where are the descenting voices?

A couple of years ago, I began attending a Bahia study group out of curiosity. Many of their ideas, particularly about marriage, I found compelling, but as I researched further into the canonical writings of the faith, I discovered an unflinching disdain for gay people; what's more, I the only support for gay faithful I could find was a website created by a non-Bahia for his lover. Now, my own faith tradition, the above mentioned Hare Krishna, isn't the most historically gay friendly sect out there, but gay-Vaishnavas have the second most active virtual Hare Krishna presence on the web, their own publication, and theological treatises written by prominent authorities in their support. The same may be said of gay Catholics, Baptists, etc. Descenting voices should be loud and clear.

Frankly, as HH Hridayananda das Goswami, a.k.a Dr. Howard J. Resnick, describes, why wouldn't God, the supreme parent, respond to the cries of his /her children regardless of the name used? Could you say "mom" as a two-day old?

108

I suppose it's customary to make some kind of New Year's statement on venue's such as this, so here goes:

It occurred to me a couple of minutes ago that today's date may be expressed as 108, the most sacred number to Vaishnavas and other Sanatana Dharma traditions originating on the Indian subcontinent, as the number of beads in a japa mala , etc.

I remember and thank those who help me recognize the sacred in my life, and my hope for everyone in 2008 is renewed vigor for that which is essentially meaningful and loving.

Hare Krishna; Hallelujah

Curt.