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Jagat

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  1. Dear Staff, Dandavat pranams. I think you should consider publishing Jagat's letter to the editor of Chakra, http://www.chakra.org/discussions/letters.html to balance Srivatsa's textbook antisemitic conclusions about Zionism. What his two recent articles do for spreading the mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu escapes me. I am personally reluctant to post on VNN if a neutral editorial policy means giving voice to the philosophy of the John Birch Society rather than that of Raya Ramananda and Srila Rupa Gosvami. I kept silent while the homosexual war raged on your front page, and won't respond to the Urmila Chronicles, either. I wrote a short article about guru tattva in response to Urmila's "nomination," but at this point am reluctant to send it to you for posting. Publishing Jagat's letter will give VNN more credibility. Otherwise you may find that organizations like the Jewish Defense League will flag VNN as anti-semitic and might even come after you in court. How will such a categorization (being labled anti-semitic) relfect on Srila Narayana Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaja and the other Gaudiya preachers whose sweet and wonderful Hari-katha also appear on the VNN pages? Your servant, Puru das, das anudas <center>Please visit «¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤» ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library http://www.bvml.org «¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»</center> ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
  2. Dear Staff, Dandavat pranams. I think you should consider publishing Jagat's letter to the editor of Chakra, http://www.chakra.org/discussions/letters.html to balance Srivatsa's textbook antisemitic conclusions about Zionism. What his two recent articles do for spreading the mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu escapes me. I am personally reluctant to post on VNN if a neutral editorial policy means giving voice to the philosophy of the John Birch Society rather than that of Raya Ramananda and Srila Rupa Gosvami. I kept silent while the homosexual war raged on your front page, and won't respond to the Urmila Chronicles, either. I wrote a short article about guru tattva in response to Urmila's "nomination," but at this point am reluctant to send it to you for posting. Publishing Jagat's letter will give VNN more credibility. Otherwise you may find that organizations like the Jewish Defense League will flag VNN as anti-semitic and might even come after you in court. How will such a categorization (being labled anti-semitic) relfect on Srila Narayana Maharaja, Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaja and the other Gaudiya preachers whose sweet and wonderful Hari-katha also appear on the VNN pages? Your servant, Puru das, das anudas <center>Please visit «¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤» ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library http://www.bvml.org «¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»</center> ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
  3. Dear Mahax, You said, "But they keep the misery alive because of their attachment to their race." Can any of us honestly say that we are not attached to some aspects of identity, like race? Look at the way Americans reacted to 9-11. "America under attack!" If I said, "You can live, but give up your Krishna consciousness." What would you do? Would that be the right thing to do? Would you be ready "to keep the misery alive" if you were oppressed and marginalized because of your attachment to Krishna consciousness? You happen to live in a country where there is religious freedom, even though social stigmas make it difficult to adopt a socially obscure, somewhat unusual religion like Krishna consciousness. You haven't really been put to the test. In fact, millions of Jews did convert to Christianity in order to save their asses. Didn't save all their asses when Hitler came along. 1/16 Jewish blood was enough to get you fried. What becoming a devotee of Krishna meant, in terms of cultural identity, is something that has not been fully fathomed by most of us.
  4. Dear Mahax, You said, "But they keep the misery alive because of their attachment to their race." Can any of us honestly say that we are not attached to some aspects of identity, like race? Look at the way Americans reacted to 9-11. "America under attack!" If I said, "You can live, but give up your Krishna consciousness." What would you do? Would that be the right thing to do? Would you be ready "to keep the misery alive" if you were oppressed and marginalized because of your attachment to Krishna consciousness? You happen to live in a country where there is religious freedom, even though social stigmas make it difficult to adopt a socially obscure, somewhat unusual religion like Krishna consciousness. You haven't really been put to the test. In fact, millions of Jews did convert to Christianity in order to save their asses. Didn't save all their asses when Hitler came along. 1/16 Jewish blood was enough to get you fried. What becoming a devotee of Krishna meant, in terms of cultural identity, is something that has not been fully fathomed by most of us.
  5. I want to keep issues a bit separate. I am observing that certain people are using the Israel/Palestine issue to further antisemitic objectives. I am personally vigorously opposed to Israeli policy, especially that of settlement in the occupied territories, but also the kinds of economic squeezing through manipulation of water resources, as well as the building of walls that are obviously meant to further reduce Palestinian well-being. I detest suicide bombing, but I honestly feel these are the expression of desperation that has reached extremes. People who have no reason to live commit suicide. People who have been reduced to hopelessness by hate turn to suicide bombing. There is evidently a faction of the Israeli body politic that really desires to annihilate the Palestinian people. This is perhaps not spoken of openly, but it seems to run through that country's policies. This has been there since well before the existence of an independent Israeli state. Like neo-Naziism, it is something that few would openly admit to, but it is the only way that we can understand the relentless squeezing out of the Palestinians. Again, the pro-Israeli lobby in Washington is very strong and influential. It not only supports Israel, but also actions like those in Iraq because they feel that these strengthen the Israeli position. I think these actions are wrong because they only increase resentment. On the other hand, Islam is a tough nut to crack. The presence of fundamentalism is stronger in Islam than any other major world religion. Islamic fundamentalists have an instinctive aversion to living in a state where they are a minority, especially in those places, like India, where they were once rulers. This implacability has resulted in Islam being involved in most of the major conflict situations in the world today. Musharaff recently recognized this, but his speech seemed to have a whiff of victimhood about it. Are Muslims themselves not to blame in part for their lot? Nevertheless, he was right to say that Muslims grievances must be dealt with in a satisfactory manner in order that world peace be found. Obviously dealing with Muslim grievances does not mean everyone converts to Islam. Where other religions are minorities in Islamic states, they are not treated well (Christians, Hindus, Bahais, Ahmaddiyas and Ismailis in Pakistan, Buddhists and Hindus in Bangla Desh, Christians and animists in Sudan, to give just a few examples). In view of this, it is hard for me to give all the blame for the Palestinian situation to the Israelis. A Sudanese friend of mine (son of the Sudanese ambassador to Washington, actually) once said to me that the West had exported its Jewish problem to the Middle East. This was a funny way of saying it, but it was true. What Jew wanted to live in Europe after WWII? They were given a part of Palestine because of the overwhelming demand, but how was it possible for them to be accomodated without severely inconveniencing the people who had occupied that land for centuries? The Europeans were happy to be rid of the Jews. Now they can comfortably be liberally against antisemitism, while also railing against Israel. But in fact, European-born antisemitism is alive and kicking in the Muslim world. Books like the "Edicts of the Elders of Zion," the infamous propaganda forgery of the Czarist period, are alive and well and selling briskly in Arabic translation. If Jews have become successful in America, it is due to their talent and intelligence, as well as their strong sense of identity community spirit, and buttressed by a this-worldly philosophy that sees God's grace in the fullness of life in this world. Those who see Judaism as a creation of men have a subtlety of vision approaching that of cows and donkeys. More Jewish ideas are ingrained in all of us, even after conversion to Krishna consciousness, than we would care to admit--ideas that have been vehicled to us through Christianity. Start with monotheism, for example. Devotees of Krishna are more monotheistic than good old Hindu polytheists. I am personally in favor of a more Hindu approach, but Iskcon devotees would probably call me a Mayavadi. But I am starting to wander...
  6. I want to keep issues a bit separate. I am observing that certain people are using the Israel/Palestine issue to further antisemitic objectives. I am personally vigorously opposed to Israeli policy, especially that of settlement in the occupied territories, but also the kinds of economic squeezing through manipulation of water resources, as well as the building of walls that are obviously meant to further reduce Palestinian well-being. I detest suicide bombing, but I honestly feel these are the expression of desperation that has reached extremes. People who have no reason to live commit suicide. People who have been reduced to hopelessness by hate turn to suicide bombing. There is evidently a faction of the Israeli body politic that really desires to annihilate the Palestinian people. This is perhaps not spoken of openly, but it seems to run through that country's policies. This has been there since well before the existence of an independent Israeli state. Like neo-Naziism, it is something that few would openly admit to, but it is the only way that we can understand the relentless squeezing out of the Palestinians. Again, the pro-Israeli lobby in Washington is very strong and influential. It not only supports Israel, but also actions like those in Iraq because they feel that these strengthen the Israeli position. I think these actions are wrong because they only increase resentment. On the other hand, Islam is a tough nut to crack. The presence of fundamentalism is stronger in Islam than any other major world religion. Islamic fundamentalists have an instinctive aversion to living in a state where they are a minority, especially in those places, like India, where they were once rulers. This implacability has resulted in Islam being involved in most of the major conflict situations in the world today. Musharaff recently recognized this, but his speech seemed to have a whiff of victimhood about it. Are Muslims themselves not to blame in part for their lot? Nevertheless, he was right to say that Muslims grievances must be dealt with in a satisfactory manner in order that world peace be found. Obviously dealing with Muslim grievances does not mean everyone converts to Islam. Where other religions are minorities in Islamic states, they are not treated well (Christians, Hindus, Bahais, Ahmaddiyas and Ismailis in Pakistan, Buddhists and Hindus in Bangla Desh, Christians and animists in Sudan, to give just a few examples). In view of this, it is hard for me to give all the blame for the Palestinian situation to the Israelis. A Sudanese friend of mine (son of the Sudanese ambassador to Washington, actually) once said to me that the West had exported its Jewish problem to the Middle East. This was a funny way of saying it, but it was true. What Jew wanted to live in Europe after WWII? They were given a part of Palestine because of the overwhelming demand, but how was it possible for them to be accomodated without severely inconveniencing the people who had occupied that land for centuries? The Europeans were happy to be rid of the Jews. Now they can comfortably be liberally against antisemitism, while also railing against Israel. But in fact, European-born antisemitism is alive and kicking in the Muslim world. Books like the "Edicts of the Elders of Zion," the infamous propaganda forgery of the Czarist period, are alive and well and selling briskly in Arabic translation. If Jews have become successful in America, it is due to their talent and intelligence, as well as their strong sense of identity community spirit, and buttressed by a this-worldly philosophy that sees God's grace in the fullness of life in this world. Those who see Judaism as a creation of men have a subtlety of vision approaching that of cows and donkeys. More Jewish ideas are ingrained in all of us, even after conversion to Krishna consciousness, than we would care to admit--ideas that have been vehicled to us through Christianity. Start with monotheism, for example. Devotees of Krishna are more monotheistic than good old Hindu polytheists. I am personally in favor of a more Hindu approach, but Iskcon devotees would probably call me a Mayavadi. But I am starting to wander...
  7. The most disagreeable thing about so-called Vaishnavas is their smug superior attitude. "Our religion is transcendental.We are above the bodily conception.Judaism, Christianity and Islam are man-made religions. Only our religion comes directly from God.These are all cheating religions, only ours is truly pure." You are such foolish kanistha adhikaris. A religion is only as pure as its practitioners. Anyone can claim anything they like. Show me!! "Our race is true and pure. Therefore we can kill the others." "Our religion is true and pure. Therefore we can ..." See where this is going?
  8. The most disagreeable thing about so-called Vaishnavas is their smug superior attitude. "Our religion is transcendental.We are above the bodily conception.Judaism, Christianity and Islam are man-made religions. Only our religion comes directly from God.These are all cheating religions, only ours is truly pure." You are such foolish kanistha adhikaris. A religion is only as pure as its practitioners. Anyone can claim anything they like. Show me!! "Our race is true and pure. Therefore we can kill the others." "Our religion is true and pure. Therefore we can ..." See where this is going?
  9. Certainly, those who are discriminated against have a tendency to shout discrimination, often unwarrantedly. Jews, Blacks, Hare Krishnas, Hindus, Muslims--all do this. I am not saying that no one should speak out against wrong doing wherever they see it. Nor am I defending manipulatively using accusations of discrimination to one's own advantage, nor denying that some Jews may have done so in the past. What I am saying is that if we have a specific complaint about Jews in relation to Krishna consciousness, i.e., Israel passes a law banning the chanting of Hare Krishna, for instance, or a Jewish organization like the B'nai B'rith condemns Iskcon for idol worship, then we can enter into debate with that specific individual or society. But that is not what is going on here. Srivatsa and others are repeating traditional antisemitic slogans about Zionist bankers, world domination and so on. These are exactly the sorts of things that the Nazis repeated ad nauseam, until it became commonly accepted truth. We all know where that led. Apparently some of you haven't got enough historical sensitivity to be able to discriminate between these different kinds of discourse.
  10. Certainly, those who are discriminated against have a tendency to shout discrimination, often unwarrantedly. Jews, Blacks, Hare Krishnas, Hindus, Muslims--all do this. I am not saying that no one should speak out against wrong doing wherever they see it. Nor am I defending manipulatively using accusations of discrimination to one's own advantage, nor denying that some Jews may have done so in the past. What I am saying is that if we have a specific complaint about Jews in relation to Krishna consciousness, i.e., Israel passes a law banning the chanting of Hare Krishna, for instance, or a Jewish organization like the B'nai B'rith condemns Iskcon for idol worship, then we can enter into debate with that specific individual or society. But that is not what is going on here. Srivatsa and others are repeating traditional antisemitic slogans about Zionist bankers, world domination and so on. These are exactly the sorts of things that the Nazis repeated ad nauseam, until it became commonly accepted truth. We all know where that led. Apparently some of you haven't got enough historical sensitivity to be able to discriminate between these different kinds of discourse.
  11. First of all "antisemitism" is a word used to refer to a specific set of ideas, which have been adequately expressed in Srivatsa's article. I have been in contact with another gentleman, evidently an associate of Srivatsa, who rehashes the same ideas. You can look at the source of their arguments, Des Griffin, and find out what he thinks. This right-wing Christian, anti-socialist, anti-liberal paranoiac is a clever antisemite, who does not fit the image of a frothing, rabid Jew hater. Of course not, successful propagandists are usually smarter than that. That does not make it something that it is not. The root is still paranoia, bigotry and hate. Its only destination is prejudice, exclusion and conflict. Srivatsa's article has nothing to do with denying the authenticity of Judaism. If it is against Jewish bigotry, then it should be equally against bigotry of any kind. Inciting people to fear and loathe Jews because of what some narrow-minded Talmud scholars said is not "benign." We have enough to worry about in Hinduism, from which we callously pretend to separate ourselves ("If Hindus are wrong that does not reflect on us, because we are not Hindu.") We have enough to worry about in our own history, which I need not repeat. Don't think that Vaishnavas are free from the potential to be bigots. We have seen fanaticism in our movement. We have seen devotees fighting pitched battles in Calcutta. Devotees are human beings with the potential for all the lower tendencies that are present in humans everywhere. No fanciful philosophy is protection against a very real world. Faced with social stresses, devotees are as capable of misusing their religion for political ends as Christians, Muslims or Jews. In other words, Vaishnavism also can become a cheating process. Those who use it for any purpose other than to achieve love for Krishna are cheating. This is what the Bhagavatam is saying. Not that anyone who wears tilaka and carries a mala is automatically protected from contamination. This article by Srivatsa is in fact an example of the misuse of Krishna consciousness. He adds one verse from Chaitanya Charitamrita--prithivite ache joto nagaradi grama. What for? To show that we Vaishnavas will conquer the world. And so, the Jews, Christians and Muslims are the enemies we must defeat. It is easy to point out the faults in others. It is less easy to see their virtues. Have Jews no virtues? Have Christians no virtues? Muslims? A true devotee focuses on those good qualities and asks how he can learn from them. History is a hard teacher. Believe me, the last century has been one heck of a tough one for all religions. Christians especially have had to ask themselves where their fanaticisms have led. We should learn from their experience rather than repeating it. As soon as I hear the expression "Zionist bankers plotting to take over the world," I know that we are NOT talking about your so-called "benign antisemitism," but the real thing--the one that did lead to the Holocaust. My reaction is not excessive.
  12. First of all "antisemitism" is a word used to refer to a specific set of ideas, which have been adequately expressed in Srivatsa's article. I have been in contact with another gentleman, evidently an associate of Srivatsa, who rehashes the same ideas. You can look at the source of their arguments, Des Griffin, and find out what he thinks. This right-wing Christian, anti-socialist, anti-liberal paranoiac is a clever antisemite, who does not fit the image of a frothing, rabid Jew hater. Of course not, successful propagandists are usually smarter than that. That does not make it something that it is not. The root is still paranoia, bigotry and hate. Its only destination is prejudice, exclusion and conflict. Srivatsa's article has nothing to do with denying the authenticity of Judaism. If it is against Jewish bigotry, then it should be equally against bigotry of any kind. Inciting people to fear and loathe Jews because of what some narrow-minded Talmud scholars said is not "benign." We have enough to worry about in Hinduism, from which we callously pretend to separate ourselves ("If Hindus are wrong that does not reflect on us, because we are not Hindu.") We have enough to worry about in our own history, which I need not repeat. Don't think that Vaishnavas are free from the potential to be bigots. We have seen fanaticism in our movement. We have seen devotees fighting pitched battles in Calcutta. Devotees are human beings with the potential for all the lower tendencies that are present in humans everywhere. No fanciful philosophy is protection against a very real world. Faced with social stresses, devotees are as capable of misusing their religion for political ends as Christians, Muslims or Jews. In other words, Vaishnavism also can become a cheating process. Those who use it for any purpose other than to achieve love for Krishna are cheating. This is what the Bhagavatam is saying. Not that anyone who wears tilaka and carries a mala is automatically protected from contamination. This article by Srivatsa is in fact an example of the misuse of Krishna consciousness. He adds one verse from Chaitanya Charitamrita--prithivite ache joto nagaradi grama. What for? To show that we Vaishnavas will conquer the world. And so, the Jews, Christians and Muslims are the enemies we must defeat. It is easy to point out the faults in others. It is less easy to see their virtues. Have Jews no virtues? Have Christians no virtues? Muslims? A true devotee focuses on those good qualities and asks how he can learn from them. History is a hard teacher. Believe me, the last century has been one heck of a tough one for all religions. Christians especially have had to ask themselves where their fanaticisms have led. We should learn from their experience rather than repeating it. As soon as I hear the expression "Zionist bankers plotting to take over the world," I know that we are NOT talking about your so-called "benign antisemitism," but the real thing--the one that did lead to the Holocaust. My reaction is not excessive.
  13. Dear members and readers of this forum, Two threads dealing with this subject have already been locked. I do not wish to cause trouble, but I find this issue is an important one. You may read my article on Vaishnava antisemitism. Some of you no doubt support antisemite views. That is unfortunate. Those who are clear, not only of the sinister nature of such propaganda but of its irrelevance to Krishna consciousness, absolutely must make their viewpoint known to VNN. VNN can be reached at the following addresses VNN can be reached at the following addresses editorial03@vnn.org news03@vnn.org cp03@vnn.org pr03@vnn.org publish03@vnn.org notpublish03@vnn.org This is not an issue of free speech, but of relevance. It is not the business of a Vaishnava website to discuss the merits or demerits of the Jewish people, any more than it is to discuss the merits or demerits of American Iraqi policy or the Tchetchen issue in Russia. Therefore the suggestion that one write an article to rebut Srivatsa's is not appropriate. The ideas of antisemitism have a long and rather disgusting history. Vaishnavas should not be associated with them. If you value the reputation of Lord Chaitanya's movement--which places love of God at the forefront--then take a stand against this nefarious tendency to blacken a single race, people or religion. I cannot overemphasize how important this is. Some of you may not care if Vaishnavism is associated with hate and racism. I do. Your servant, Jagadananda Das.
  14. Dear members and readers of this forum, Two threads dealing with this subject have already been locked. I do not wish to cause trouble, but I find this issue is an important one. You may read my article on Vaishnava antisemitism. Some of you no doubt support antisemite views. That is unfortunate. Those who are clear, not only of the sinister nature of such propaganda but of its irrelevance to Krishna consciousness, absolutely must make their viewpoint known to VNN. VNN can be reached at the following addresses VNN can be reached at the following addresses editorial03@vnn.org news03@vnn.org cp03@vnn.org pr03@vnn.org publish03@vnn.org notpublish03@vnn.org This is not an issue of free speech, but of relevance. It is not the business of a Vaishnava website to discuss the merits or demerits of the Jewish people, any more than it is to discuss the merits or demerits of American Iraqi policy or the Tchetchen issue in Russia. Therefore the suggestion that one write an article to rebut Srivatsa's is not appropriate. The ideas of antisemitism have a long and rather disgusting history. Vaishnavas should not be associated with them. If you value the reputation of Lord Chaitanya's movement--which places love of God at the forefront--then take a stand against this nefarious tendency to blacken a single race, people or religion. I cannot overemphasize how important this is. Some of you may not care if Vaishnavism is associated with hate and racism. I do. Your servant, Jagadananda Das.
  15. You signed my name to the post beginning "I fail to see why that surprises you..." I had clearly put Danijel Turina's name in the subject header and given his name and URL at the bottom. Please change this immediately. http://www.danijel.org/
  16. Dear Prabhus, This was not my post, but a copy of something written by Danijel Turina. Danijel is Slovenian, I believe, and once took an interest in Krishna consciousness. He has become critical of Vaishnavism, in particular the Iskcon variety. I am not supporting his position, but I think it is important that devotees realize the consequences of taking positions such as the one I am protesting against. That was my point. I am not necessarily approving the above post. But, I must say, that the person who did post the above, is furthering his love affair with me on another forum. For those who do not frequent that cesspool of his and 's making, I will quote what he has to say about anti-Semitism:<blockquote>Vaishnavism is inherintly anti-semitic inasmuch as Vaishnavism declares that we can only approach God through his devotees like Jesus. The Jews however think that they can approach God directly without going through his representatives. This is undoubtedly anti-Vaishnava and therefore makes Vaishnavism as anti-semitic as it violates all the laws of pancharatra and Bhagavata-marga. ========= It is a known historical fact that the Jews crucified the devotee Jesus. Your claim of "innocence" does not correspond to the facts. Whether or not decendents of Jews joined the Hare Krishna movement and secured leading positions and then killed Prabhupada is still a bit dubious, but there is some evidence that tends to lead to that conclusion. All you so-called Jew devotees are good examples of how hardened and belligerant is the ego of the Jews. Even after becoming Hare Krishna devotees you still want to maintain this ignorant bodily identification of being "Jew" based upon ancestry even though you have never been a practicing Jew a day in your life. This arrogance and impudence is exactly why a lot of people don't have any love for Jews. saying "I am Jew" is no better than the pig in the wallow saying "I am pig". What ever happened to "I am spirit soul, part and parcel of Krishna"? This "I am Jew" crud is very unbecoming and repugnant for somebody who is posing as a Hare Krishna devotee. </blockquote>Do you devotees agree with this? Apparently yes. Someone suggests that free speech means we should debate issues of this sort. Come on, folks. This is not like debating the hollow earth theory. There is something very nefarious going on here. admin5:edited to remove specific names
  17. I hadn't realized that this plethora of requests stemmed from the soccer player Bekham's tattoo. When I saw a picture of him the other day, the lights went on. I was rather unhappy to see that the tattoo was misspelt. He has vhiktoria. Why they stuck that "h" in there is beyond me. That's what'll happen, though, if you're not careful...
  18. <center><h3>Abusive Ex-Priest Is Killed in Prison</h3> By DANIEL J. WAKIN and KATIE ZEZIMA New York Times -- August 24, 2003</center> John J. Geoghan, the former priest whose abuse of children over decades opened the door for a scandal that shook the Roman Catholic Church, was strangled by another inmate in a Massachusetts state prison, officials said yesterday. Mr. Geoghan, who was defrocked in 1998, was serving a sentence of 9 to 10 years at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, a medium-security state prison 40 miles northwest of Boston. Another inmate, Joseph L. Druce, 37, will be charged with murder, John J. Conte, the Worcester County district attorney, said. An autopsy is to be conducted Monday, but "preliminary indications" showed that Mr. Geoghan, 68, had been strangled, Mr. Conte said. In January 2002, Mr. Geoghan was convicted of groping a 10-year-old boy in a pool and given the maximum sentence. Other criminal charges were pending, as well as civil cases involving more than 130 people who said he had abused them. His case was among hundreds involving clergy members, but the extent of his crimes and the mountain of church documents released in lawsuits against him turned him into a symbol of the church's sexual abuse scandal. "In many ways he was a worst-case scenario because he was a serial sexual predator whose behavior was facilitated by the hierarchy of the Archdiocese of Boston, and the worst judgments were made in his case," Stephen Pope, a professor of theology at Boston College, said. His case also showed the degree to which the Roman Catholic hierarchy knew about problem priests and shuttled them among parishes, showing what victims said was more concern for the church's reputation than for the safety of children. "Abusive priests were not news particularly," said David Clohessy, national director of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests. "But with Geoghan, for the first time ever there was undeniable evidence that bishop after bishop after bishop knew and did virtually nothing." Mr. Geoghan's abuses date back to his first assignment as a parish priest, at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Saugus, an area north of Boston where he served from his ordination in 1962 until 1967. And they continued until the 1980's through a swath of suburban Boston parishes, in the bedrooms of his parishioners' children, at his family beachfront home, while he prayed, even at a Boston Red Sox game, victims said. All along, bishops and cardinals received warnings from parents and some priests. He was sent for psychiatric treatment and returned to ministry. For their part, the bishops said they were only following the accepted psychiatric wisdom. In the end, the revelations in the sexual abuse scandal led to the resignation of Cardinal Bernard F. Law, who was succeeded by Archbishop Sean P. O'Malley on July 30. The Massachusetts attorney general released a report last month saying that at least 789 children and probably more than 1,000 have been sexually abused by 250 priests and other church workers in the Archdiocese of Boston since 1940. The report also criticized many former aides to Cardinal Law now serving elsewhere, including Thomas V. Daily of Brooklyn, who will step down this fall for a successor, and William Murphy of Rockville Centre, N.Y. The Rev. Christopher Coyne, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Boston, called Mr. Geoghan's death tragic, The Associated Press said. "The Archdiocese of Boston offers prayer for the repose of John's soul," Father Coyne said, "and extends its prayers in consolation to his beloved sister, Cathy, at this time of personal loss." While Mr. Geoghan achieved nationwide notoriety, the abuses by James Porter of the Fall River, Mass., diocese became widely known in the early 1990's, and the same was true of Rudolph Kos in the Dallas Diocese about five years later. Another notorious priest in the Archdiocese of Boston, the Rev. Paul R. Shanley, 72, was indicted last June on charges that he raped and assaulted four boys at a Newton, Mass., church from 1979 to 1989. But the Geoghan revelations showed the extent of the archdiocese's actions regarding abusive priests. They became clear when a judge ordered it to release files in abuse lawsuits in January 2002. And as the scandal began growing in Boston, scrutiny of dioceses around the country turned up similar accusations of cover-ups and led to the suspension of more than 300 priests. The scandal led to an extraordinary summoning of the nation's cardinals to the Vatican for a meeting with Pope John Paul II the next April. Several months later, the nation's bishops adopted sweeping guidelines to protect children. "The entire country, I would argue, and certainly every single Catholic, owes an enormous debt to the men and women who he victimized and were strong enough to come forward," Mr. Clohessy said of Mr. Geoghan. But he added, "Despite the horrific damage he caused, no one deserves to die like this." A lawyer for many of Mr. Geoghan's victims, Mitchell Garabedian of Boston, said that 147 people had come to him since 1994 saying they were abused by Mr. Geoghan. He said his clients would rather have seen Mr. Geoghan serve time in jail and undergo more trials, so more details about his activity could be made public. "Many of my clients have never expressed any vindictiveness whatsoever," he said. Mr. Garabedian said 26 people who said they were abused by Mr. Geoghan were the subject of settlement talks between lawyers for 542 victims of sexual abuse and the archdiocese. The archdiocese offered $55 million to resolve those claims on Aug. 8, and made a second offer of $65 million last week. Last year, Mr. Garabedian reached a $10 million settlement with the archdiocese for 86 victims of Mr. Geoghan. Mr. Garabedian said the civil cases would continue. The man accused of killing Mr. Geoghan, Mr. Druce, was serving a life sentence. Mr. Conte said that he received the sentence in 1989 for murder, armed robbery and other counts, The Associated Press reported. In 2001, Mr. Druce was charged with an anthrax hoax, the news agency added. Mr. Geoghan was attacked shortly before noon and was pronounced dead at the University of Massachusetts Memorial Health Alliance Hospital in Leominster at 1:17 p.m., the prosecutor said. Professor Pope, the theologian, said it was troubling that an inmate convicted of one of the most despised crimes among prisoners — sexual abuse of a child — was left vulnerable. "It's an irony that his criminal behavior was facilitated by a church that was negligent, and now his death was facilitated by a criminal justice system that was negligent," he said. Mr. Geoghan had been living in a protective custody unit, which held 24 inmates, a Department of Correction spokeswoman, Kelly Nantel, said. Inmates in the unit sleep in individual cells, but can mingle during the day, Ms. Nantel said, and are placed based on the nature of their convictions, their notoriety or whether they have enemies. Phil Saviano, founder of the New England chapter of the Survivors Network, said he expected many of his victims to feel responsible for Mr. Geoghan's death. "He needed to be off the streets and away from children," he said, "but that prison sentence was never meant to be a death sentence."
  19. The article said that the main difference in costs came from the multiple insurance companies and their internal bureaucracies, not drug costs. Drug innovation may come from American companies, because of their dominant position in the market, but the science does not come exclusively from the U.S. Besides which, your first sentence addresses the problem but thinks it is the solution: "It works for those who can afford it." Those who can't afford it are evidently inferior human beings who deserve to die. That way the human race will just keep on evolving and getting better, right?
  20. <center><h3>Canada-U.S. gap in health care cost grows</h3> By BRIAN LAGHI from Thursday's Globe and Mail </center> Ottawa — The overhead cost of operating the United States health-care system is more than three times that of running Canada's, and the gap is getting bigger, new research says. The study, to be published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, puts the administrative cost of the U.S. system at $294-billion (U.S.) per year, compared to about $9.4-billion in Canada. That translates to a per-person cost of $1,059 in the U.S. and $307 in Canada. A similar study, conducted in 1991, put per-capita costs in the U.S. at $450 and Canadian costs at one-third of that. The study, whose lead author is Dr. Steffi Woolhandler of the Harvard Medical School, indicates that Americans spend more on administrative costs because of its many private companies from whom they buy their insurance. The companies increase paperwork by creating multiple claims-processing offices, while Canadian doctors send their claims to a single insurer, the government. Private insurers also spend money on marketing and underwriting, costs that the Canadian system doesn't have to bear. However, the same issue of the journal says that the authors may be overestimating the gap between the two nations. Editorial writer Dr. Henry Aaron, an economist with the Brookings Instition in Washington, said the authors have overestimated the cost of the U.S. system by about $50-billion. Not all the reporting in the journal about Canada had such a rosy outlook. A paper produced by two prominent Toronto doctors argues that the recent health accord signed by Canada's first ministers will not be the panacea many think it to be. "The Health Accord represents a welcome reinfusion of previously withdrawn federal funds and contains many useful reform initiatives," says the study, authored by C. David Naylor, dean of medicine at the University of Toronto, and Allen Detsky, chief of internal medicine at Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital. "However, we also believe that the latest federal-provincial agreement is best interpreted as yet another temporizing compromise." The authors argue, for example, that the plan to reform family doctors' offices to add multidisciplinary teams will be very difficult to achieve because such a change requires a negotiated settlement and can't be imposed. A part of the accord also calls for reasonable access to catastrophic drug coverage, a requirement that can be interpreted in several different ways. Yesterday, a spokesman for Alberta Premier Ralph Klein reiterated the Premier's pledge not to join the proposed Canadian Health Council. "As it stands right now, they'll be doing it without Alberta," said Gordon Turtle. "It's not something we would push because we don't see any need for it." Prime Minister Jean Chrétien has said that the government is ready to announce the establishment of the council. Senior sources said that the body will be created even if certain provinces don't sign on. The council has been a source of controversy since it was agreed to at a first ministers meeting earlier this year. Several provinces are concerned that it will constitute an incursion into their right to run their own systems. The council is supposed to monitor the progress of the accord and of the provinces as they endeavour to meet certain service goals. Mr. Turtle said that, while Alberta will continue to discuss the council with other deputy ministers, the province does much of its own monitoring and feels the money allocated to the council would be better spent on direct health-care costs. Other provinces, such as Ontario, have also expressed concern about the council. "It's a nice idea and we'll look forward to talking to Paul Martin about it," a source with the Ontario government said.
  21. That looks to me like om in Tibetan.
  22. Jagat

    What I want

    <h3>What I Want</h3> By Marc Ash (truthout.org) Tuesday 19 August 2003 I am often asked by readers, "Why are you doing this? What do you want?" It's a good question. My friend and colleague, William Rivers Pitt, recently called upon the words of John F. Kennedy, who said it far better than I could hope to. This is the quote that Will drew upon:<blockquote>"What kind of peace do I mean? What kind of peace do we seek? Not a Pax Americana enforced on the world by American weapons of war. Not the peace of the grave or the security of the slave. I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living, the kind that enables men and nations to grow and to hope and to build a better life for their children - not merely peace for Americans but peace for all men and women - not merely peace in our time but peace for all time." -- President John F. Kennedy at American University 10 June 1963</blockquote>We are, as a nation, challenged as never before. We are squarely confronted by a Presidential administration that bears no resemblance to any of its predecessors. Do not be lured into that grey cavern of political analysis. Understand without doubt that to view those who now control our federal government in the same light as those who have gone before them is to invite total disaster. What do I want? I want a Presidential administration that is not above the law. Preemptive warfare is an advertising slogan designed to sell ruthless and brutal aggression, for profit, to an American public that would be asked to give up its prosperity, its civil liberties and the very lives of its children on a foreign battlefield. Such warfare is an outrage before the world. We have traded our reputation with other nations, built over more than two centuries, for the enrichment of arms dealers and gasoline merchants. What do I want? I want freedom to be more than a reason for killing; I want freedom to be a reason for being. Word now comes of 7,000 dead across Europe, killed not by terrorism, but by heat. For years, scientists have warned of global warming caused by the buildup of greenhouse gases caused by man-made chemical pollutants. One country generates more of these pollutants than any other: My country. No other nation even comes close. An international treaty to limit production of pollutants that contribute to the problem, the Kyoto Accord, stands ready to be ratified by a consensus of nations. One country stands in the way of international ratification and implementation: My country. What do I want? I want my neighbors to join with me in choosing leaders who will seek solutions that help Man, live on earth. Will we cease to have a government "Of the people, for the people and by the people?" Privatization of our government means the end of American democracy. You who remain silent now as the rights of all Americans are sold to the highest bidder, believing that your interests, your vision of America will be preserved as all others are forsaken, stand to reap the whirlwind. What do I want? America. ------- Marc Ash is the Executive Director of t r u t h o u t. He can be reached at: ma@mail.truthout.org -------
  23. vande maataraM sujalaaM suphalaaM malayaja shiitalaaM sasyashyaamalaaM maataraM || Mother, I bow to thee! Rich with thy hurrying streams, bright with orchard gleams, Cool with thy winds of delight, Dark fields waving Mother of might, Mother free. shubhrajyotsnaa pulakitayaaminiiM pullakusumita drumadala shobhiniiM suhaasiniiM sumadhura bhaashhiNiiM sukhadaaM varadaaM maataraM || Glory of moonlight dreams, Over thy branches and lordly streams, Clad in thy blossoming trees, Mother, giver of ease Laughing low and sweet! Mother I kiss thy feet, Speaker sweet and low! Mother, to thee I bow. koTi koTi kaNTha kalakalaninaada karaale koTi koTi bhujai.rdhR^itakharakaravaale abalaa keno maa eto bale bahubaladhaariNiiM namaami taariNiiM ripudalavaariNiiM maataraM || Who hath said thou art weak in thy lands When the sword flesh out in the seventy million hands And seventy million voices roar Thy dreadful name from shore to shore? With many strengths who art mighty and stored, To thee I call Mother and Lord! Though who savest, arise and save! To her I cry who ever her foeman drove Back from plain and Sea And shook herself free. tumi vidyaa tumi dharma tumi hR^idi tumi marma tvaM hi praaNaaH shariire baahute tumi maa shakti hR^idaye tumi maa bhakti tomaara i pratimaa gaDi mandire mandire || Thou art wisdom, thou art law, Thou art heart, our soul, our breath Though art love divine, the awe In our hearts that conquers death. Thine the strength that nervs the arm, Thine the beauty, thine the charm. Every image made divine In our temples is but thine. tvaM hi durgaa dashapraharaNadhaariNii kamalaa kamaladala vihaariNii vaaNii vidyaadaayinii namaami tvaaM namaami kamalaaM amalaaM atulaaM sujalaaM suphalaaM maataraM || Thou art Durga, Lady and Queen, With her hands that strike and her swords of sheen, Thou art Lakshmi lotus-throned, And the Muse a hundred-toned, Pure and perfect without peer, Mother lend thine ear, Rich with thy hurrying streams, Bright with thy orchard gleems, Dark of hue O candid-fair shyaamalaaM saralaaM susmitaaM bhuushhitaaM dharaNiiM bharaNiiM maataraM || In thy soul, with jewelled hair And thy glorious smile divine, Lovilest of all earthly lands, Showering wealth from well-stored hands! Mother, mother mine! Mother sweet, I bow to thee, Mother great and free!
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