The Assassination of Richard Nixon

I watched the movie "The Assassination of Richard Nixon", starring Sean Penn, tonight. It brings up many thoughts and reflections. I think that the movements in the 60's and early 70's were the last opportunity we, as a civilization had, to bring about fundamental change in the political and economic institutions, in a relatively peaceful way, as the result of a grassroots, democratic, uprising. Since that time power has so extremely been usurped from "sovereign" nations by multi-national corporations. The strategists have become much more refined at propaganda and manipulating reality as the technologies to do so have developed. So called civilized governments, lead by the United States, have saturated the planet with weapons of mass destruction and conventional weapons. I'm not saying that it was possible then but at least there was a practical, strategic possibility.

Now we don't even see the source of decisions and policy. We only see actors and hucksters feeding sound bites to the media. Much of the policies that have been implemented have been hatched and developed in secret and semi-secret organizations such as the Tri-Lateral Commission and others that I don't remember the names and others that I and probably no others outside of the inner circles are aware of. We do not live in a democracy. If you think we do you need to wake up and do some studying.

I heard a song on the radio Saturday and two lines were so true. "Ignorance is the enemy, it wields a mighty sword." and "Ignorance is the enemy, it's working like a drug.", not just ignorance of the history of American and European foreign and domestic policy, which I used to think was the key, but spiritual ignorance. At the foundation of this ignorance is a belief that we as a human race and ,more critically, as individuals have some kind of true power. Granted, we have the power to get jobs, make money, buy stuff, we even have the power to control many aspects of other peoples lives if we work in management, as I have for much of my working life. But, do we have power over nature? Do we have power to force others to do our will? We may in the short term, but ultimately our hold weakens. Go to the beach and try stopping a wave if you want evidence.

The arctic ice fields, North America's air conditioner, has decreased in size by 10%. Some scientific predictions are, that at the present rate of the warming of the atmosphere, it will be gone by the end of the century. Our grandchildren and great-grandchildren might still be alive at that time. I saw this information on network news, not some progressive media source. The crazy newscasters then made the point about the effect that would have on polar bears. What about the effect on humans and all of life. That is quite a shift in variables.

What is the solution? It's not to try to assassinate those at the top, as Sean Penn's character attempted. There are plenty more spiritually perverted players to take anyone's place. Many scientists are pointing to evidence that there is a quantum shift about to happen, effecting both physics and spiritual consciousness. The choice I have made, is to make my spiritual condition, my primary purpose. I believe, through experience, that there is a guiding creative force that is at work. God, if you like, but don't get limited by names and conceptions. This spiritual intelligence meets us wherever we are at and works with us from that place. It is working with and through us whether we are aware of it or not. I have learned that the more I am aware of it, and the more self-less I am able to become, the more it works through me, and the more I see it working through others.

Pardon my ranting and rambling, but I was effected by the movie. I have been at that same place of despair and hopelessness that Sean Penn's character was when he put his plan into action. This film was based on actual events. Shedding our self-centered egos is painful and wrought with fear, but the power we are giving up is only an illusion. On our death bed we give it all up whether we choose to or not.

Ironically, I stood in the reception line, beside Julie Nixon and that Eisenhower guy she married, while in Washington D.C. protesting Richard Nixon's second inauguration. Security was more lax back then as was the calculated manipulation of the media.

I'll close with a quote from J.D. Salinger, author of "The Catcher in the Rye" (1951) :

I mean it's very hard to meditate and live a spiritual life in America. People think you're a freak if you try to."

Peace, Alan