Is anonymous speech a right?

Yes. Anonymous speech is presumptively protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution. Anonymous pamphleteering played an important role for the Founding Fathers, including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay, whose Federalist Papers were first published anonymously. And the Supreme Court has consistently backed up that tradition, ruling, for example, that an Ohio law requiring authors to put their names on campaign literature was a violation of the First Amendment. Indeed, the Supreme Court has ruled that protecting anonymous speech has the same purpose as the First Amendment itself: to “protect unpopular individuals from retaliation ­ and their ideas from suppression.”

Was Loren violating my 1st Amendment Constitutional rights when he posted his blog entry?

The U.S. Supreme Court characterized in 1995 as “an honorable tradition of advocacy and dissent.” Accordingly, Steele wrote, a court should not order the unmasking of an anonymous Internet poster unless a plaintiff offers strong proof of defamation.

“We are concerned that setting the standard too low will chill potential posters from exercising their First Amendment right to speak anonymously,” Steele wrote. “The possibility of losing anonymity in a future lawsuit could intimidate anonymous posters into self-censoring their comments or simply not commenting at all.”

DEFAMATION

A statement is defamatory if it “tends to injure the plaintiff’s reputation and expose the plaintiff to public hatred, contempt, ridicule, or degradation.” Phipps v. Clark Oil & Ref. Corp., 408 N.W.2d 569, 573 (Minn. 1987).

Anonymous Speech

First, the First Amendment protects anonymous speech. See Buckley v. Am.Constitutional Law Found., 525 U.S. 182, 200 (1999). The Supreme Court has noted that “Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority.” McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Common, 514 U.S. 334, 357 (1995). Indeed, “Under our Constitution, anonymous pamphleteering is not a pernicious, fraudulent practice, but an honorable tradition of advocacy and of dissent.”

Second, the protections of the First Amendment extend to the Internet. See Reno v. ACLU, 521 U.S. 844, 870 (1997). Courts also recognize that anonymity is a particularly important component of Internet speech.

“Internet anonymity facilitates the rich, diverse, and far ranging exchange of ideas [;] … the constitutional rights of Internet users, including the First Amendment right to speak anonymously, must be carefully safeguarded.” Doe v. 2 The Mart.com, Inc., 140 F.Supp.2d 1088, 1092, 1097 (W.D.Wash.2001).

Why is anonymous speech important?

There are a wide variety of reasons why people choose to speak anonymously. Many use anonymity to make criticisms that are difficult to state openly ­ to their boss, for example, or the principal of their children’s school. The Internet has become a place where persons who might otherwise be stigmatized or embarrassed can gather and share information and support ­ victims of violence, cancer patients, AIDS sufferers, child abuse and spousal abuse survivors, for example. They use newsgroups, Web sites, chat rooms, message boards, and other services to share sensitive and personal information anonymously without fear of embarassment or harm. Some police departments run phone services that allow anonymous reporting of crimes; it is only a matter of time before such services are available on the Internet. Anonymity also allows “whistleblowers” reporting on government or company abuses to bring important safety issues to light without fear of stigma or retaliation. And human rights workers and citizens of repressive regimes around the world who want to share information or just tell their stories frequently depend on staying anonymous ­ sometimes for their very lives.

Anonymous communications have an important place in our political and social discourse. The Supreme Court has ruled repeatedly that the right to anonymous free speech is protected by the First Amendment. A much-cited 1995 Supreme Court ruling in McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission reads:

Protections for anonymous speech are vital to democratic discourse. Allowing dissenters to shield their identities frees them to express critical, minority views . . . Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority. . . . It thus exemplifies the purpose behind the Bill of Rights, and of the First Amendment in particular: to protect unpopular individuals from retaliation . . . at the hand of an intolerant society.

This lawyer, in an attempt to VERIFY my credentials, has accessed my personal information, which is none of his damn business and posted my identity on the internet, without my permission and fully knowing to incite vindictive action and personal bodily harm.  Therefore I will post his to expose his unethical action, in violating my 1st Amendment Constitutional Right.

Unlike myself Loren aka LorenC posts links from his blog to his web-site and biography, therefore in no way attempting to blog anonymously or protect his or his family’s identify, based on the sensitive nature of my research and material.

I have been in contact with the local authorities, the FBI, and am in the process of filing with The Georgia Bar Association.

I have also forwarded all e-mails, blog posting that reference anything relation to the unethical action by Loren Collins.  Most of the information that he has is wrong. 

INTERNET LAW – Employee Blogs Pose Potential Problems for Businesses

http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=latestnews&id=1629

 
Georgia Bar Assoc search has the following information posted on Loren Collins
 
Mr. Loren Christopher Collins
Law Office of W Bryant Green III PC
Atlanta, GA 30308
 
Here is what Loren has to state about himself;

www.lorencollins.net

Loren has divulged  personal information without my consent or permission.

I have screenshots of his posts from other blogs that have been sent by others;  wherehe boasts about ‘oust’ing’  me.

Loern Collins is a member of the Georgia Bar Association

http://www.gabar.org/directories/member_directory_search/?formsubmit=yes&FIRST_NAME=Loren&LAST_NAME=Collins&section=&COMPANY=&lawschool=&CITY=&STATE=GA&ZIP=&submit=Search+Directory
 
 

Google has the following information on 

Loren Christopher Collins

260 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 522-5330

 In light of the current political situation, if anything happens to me or my family.  I wanted  some to be able to see where this Obot was involved.  

I have contacted the local FBI office and local authorities am forwarding any and all threats recieved to both them and the local authorities.  I  have filed a complaint with the local Police Department and have contacted his employer listed and have sent three messages, to this end. I have not hear back.  

I have also sent copies of his information and actions to the local news, both TV and paper.

I will be expanding this entry.

Updated; Additional information and references added. Layout changed and text revised.

3014874    การออกแบบและการดำเนินการทดลองคลินิก    Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials

การออกแบบ การจัดองค์กร และการดำเนินการทดลองคลินิกแบบสุ่มและควบคุม ประเด็นทางกฎหมายและจริยธรรมที่เกี่ยวข้องกับการออกแบบการทดลอง แนวคิดเกี่ยวกับการควบคุมอคติ การปกปิดสถานภาพ และวิธีการสุ่ม การเก็บข้อมูล การเฝ้าติดตามผลข้างเคียงหรือผลดีของมาตรการรักษา การจัดโครงสร้างองค์กรและบริหารการวิจัย กระบวนการวิเคราะห์ข้อมูล ความผิดพลาดที่มักเกิดขึ้นเสมอในการออกแบบและการดำเนินการทดลองคลินิก

(Design, organization, and operation of randomized and controlled clinical trials; legal and ethical issues in trial design; concepts of prejudice controls, status masking, and randomization; data collection; ongoing monitoring for evidence of adverse or beneficial treatment effects; organizational structure and research management; data analysis procedures; common mistakes in designing and organizing of clinical trials.)

(3014874 จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย)

In Japan’s early history, a serious disregard for manners could be punishable by death, and any samurai could kill any common person who failed to show him proper respect. The Japanese were required to behave in precisely prescribed ways—wearing permitted clothing, walking only a certain way, sleeping with their heads pointing in a certain direction and legs arranged a particular way. Eating, greeting, gesturing with hands, opening doors and many work tasks had to be done in assigned ways without deviation. Conduct became a measure of morality, and virtue in manners was visible for all to see. Even today, the code of conduct plays a significant role in the lives of the Japanese. Many societies, not Japan alone, have a prescribed form and manner for every familiar situation that might arise. Unforeseen situations can cause intense embarrassment or discomfort. Throughout East Asia, actions are judged by the manner in which they are performed. More important than the accomplishment of a task is the question of how someone went about trying to complete the task: Did he act sincerely? More important than winning the race is the grace of the runner. More important than expertise is the way one gets along with others. More important than profits is harmony. In contrast, Westerners and particularly Americans are more concerned with the principles of things, hard “measures” and objective facts. Although rules of ethics are extremely important, we are more goal oriented than method-conscious, we say “a good loser is a loser.”

One aspect of form is the concept of “face.” Much has been written about “face-saving” in Japan and China, but face-saving is important absolutely everywhere. The difference is only a matter of degree and nuance. Where an American might feel a little guilty or inadequate, an Asian, Arab or South American may feel deep shame and humiliation. What an American might see as a little honest and constructive criticism, the foreigner may take as a devastating blow to pride and dignity. A foreigner is likely to be sensitive to feelings of others in transactions that an American would consider strictly impersonal, such as returning a defective product or switching hairdressers. The traveler simply must be more conscious of saying things or behaving in ways that cannot be taken as disrespect, criticism or humiliation. In some countries it seems just about anything can be taken personally, even such indirect affronts as not taking your shoes off in a mosque or complaining about the heat.

Harmony with the environment can be as important as sensitivity to people in some cultures. In Japan a woman wears a soft pastel dress to a flower show so as not to take away from the beauty of the flowers. In countries where people believe in reincarnation they are careful about all forms of life. In India, for example, people are careful not to swallow gnats or step on ants—one might be a relative.

My Consultancy–Asif J. Mir - Management Consultant–transforms organizations where people have the freedom to be creative, a place that brings out the best in everybody–an open, fair place where people have a sense that what they do matters. For details please visit www.asifjmir.com, Lectures, Line of Sight.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson will learn on Thursday whether he will be punished for his comments about referee Alan Wiley’s fitness…. From BBC News. Full story

This site may contain information about: soccer jerseys. The blog is also related to: football player.

Date: Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:13:01 -0000
To: AM-GLOBAL
From: J.Young
Subject: Carya’carya Opposes Expulsion

Baba

“A’lor pathe je eseche a’ndha’re se hoy na’ ha’ra’…” (P.S. 996)

Purport:

Baba, those who are treading the divine path never get lost in the
oblivion of darkness and staticity. Those who are smiling sweetly, their
life can never be like hell– surrounded by the agony of suffering and
crying.

Baba, here along with me, You are and I am. And Your love has bound me. In
result I have lost everything else. Those who have ascended onto the path
of hope and optimism never get lost in hopelessness and pessimism.
Baba, by Your grace You have come with Your sweet smile riding Your
chariot of panoramic colors. By getting You, the whole universe is
purified; everyone’s existence has become successful…

Note: We are extremely sorry to hear about the recent tragedy surrounding our
dear elder brother Dada Parmeshvarananda. By Baba’s grace, Dadaji was saved
otherwise he could have been killed. We wish Dadaji and very fast recovery
back to 100% health. – Eds.

Namaskar,
Each and every Ananda Margii knows well that ours is the path of unity–
where all live together as one human family. This is Baba’s divine decree.
So the entire AM philosophy is moving in this singular, unified direction–
including all of Baba’s teachings of Caryacarya.

Unfortunately a few do not understand and have gone on to wrongly pronounce
that parts of Caryacarya can be used to divide the society by supporting
the dogmatic expulsion theory. They think that taking away someone’s
acaryaship or revoking their certification means that the particular worker
is therefore expelled. But that is not at all the case.

In a nutshell, losing one’s acaryaship or taking away their certificate
only means that the specified worker may no longer– temporarily so– be
allowed to perform initiations or teach various sadhana lessons etc. On the
whole though losing one’s ’ship’ has no bearing on their existential
standing as a worker. That is: One will continue to hold their usual post
and engage in all kinds of organisational duties and social functions etc.

So there should not be any confusion about this. None should think that
losing one’s certificate means that they are therefore an ex-wt or a
so-called expelled worker etc. It is not at all like that.

In truth 99.9% of the workers do not even have a certificate– nor is it
needed in the true sense.

With our rational minds we should properly understand Baba’s guidelines
about this and set the record straight.

In chapter 40 of Caryacarya part 1, Baba has beautifully issued one special
mandate to help maintain the standard of all acaryas. There Baba guides us
that if any tattvika, acarya, or purodha “is unable to discharge his
respective duties” then their ’ship’ or “certificate” can be taken away.

That means if one is not properly fulfilling their responsibilities as a
tattvika then they may temporarily lose their tattvikaship. And the same is
the case with acaryas and purodhas; they can lose their acaryaships and
purodhaships. That is what the rule states. And this is exclusively done
with the benevolent motive to bring those WT’s’ back up to the proper
standard. It is not designed as a mechanism to “expel” anybody.

All in all, it is just like how medicine is prescribed to cure a problem
and make the patient healthy and normal again. That medicine is not meant
to kill anyone. Same is the case with the taking of a worker’s various
ships. That procedure is done to make that Wt a better worker, not to
permanently terminate their role as a Wt etc. That is not the aim.

So taking away one’s ship’s is not designed to expel that worker. The proof
is that on many occasions Baba Himself with His Supreme Benevolence has
revoked the acaryaship or purodhaship from various workers but that did not
mean they were expelled. Rather over that period those Wts maintained their
usual close link with the organisation– trying hard to fulfill all their
normally assigned social duties etc.

Therefore none should think that any aspect of Caryacarya– such as chapter
40– is meant to go along with the dogmatic and divisive tactic of
expulsion. The two are not at all related.

Following is more about the solid organisational standing of those workers
who lose their various ’ships’.

Here it should be clear to all that the concerned individual who has lost
their acaryaship will continue to function as a WT and engage in all their
social work and simultaneously strive to do all their allotted duties.
Indeed they even maintain their same posting.

If they are Regional Secretary they will remain as RS; and if they are a
Sectorial level Prout worker they will keep that very post. So whatever
posting they have, they will keep. This is the system as per Baba.

By this we can understand that such persons who lose their ’ships’ are
still very much a part of the organisation and are expected to participate
in all types of functions from the weekly dharmacakra to various types of
organisational activities. So they are still very much involved and an
integral part of the collective Marga flow.

So if someone loses their ’ship’, such as their acaryaship, it does not at
all mean that they are therefore expelled. That is not at all the case.

In fact, 99.9% of the time when one loses their ships then those around
them are not even aware that that individual lost their ships. Because that
concerned worker is still involved in all their normal duties. Actually it
is only evident when one loses their avadhutaship for the simple reason
that the colour of their lungi changes from orange to white. So then
obviously others are aware that the person temporarily lost their
avadhutaship. Because their external dress is different– not because their
way of life is different. That is if one of the other ships is lost then
others do not even know. Because the dress stays the same, as does one’s
regular routine.

Qualitatively, by losing their acaryaship it simply means that during that
period those persons may not do certain things that are the speciality of
an acarya– such as teach the various lessons of sadhana. That is the main
thing one cannot do if they lose their acaryaship. But they can participate
100% in all the collective functions of Ananda Marga and keep the very same
posting which they had earlier. So there is no question of their being
expelled from Ananda Marga. That is not at all the case.

Many may recall the time in October 1990 when Baba Himself withdrew the
’ships’ of so many Central Workers– around one dozen or so. He took away
their avadhutaships and acaryaships etc. This is a well known incident
because during that time a large DMC was held and various Central workers
like Keshavananda were moving around on the stage wearing white lungis.

They were wearing their orange shirts but were wearing white from the waist
down. Because their avadhutship was taken. This was the case with around
one dozen Central Workers like Keshavananda, Bhaveshananda, Nigamananda,
Mantreshvarananda, and so many others. They all lost their ’ships’ and were
moving around in white lungis that time, but keeping their same post etc.
This all goes to show that when one’s ’ships’ are taken away then they keep
their same posting and discharge their allotted duties.

Per Baba’s practical example this is how it works. Because that time in
October 1990 when Baba took away their avadhutaship etc, then all those
Central Workers kept their very same posts. Keshavananda even remained
as Baba’s PA. And they all participated fully in that DMC as well as all
the related meetings and festivities etc. So there was no question of
their being expelled from the organisation. It was not at all like that.

Only they were temporarily restricted from teaching the various lessons of
sadhana etc. That was the main thing that was affected.

Hence, all in all, the whole procedure in Caryacarya about taking away
one’s certificate or ’ships’ is a benevolent rule designed to rectify and
improve a worker– not alienate him.

It is all done with the intention and hope that such deficient workers will
succeed in overcoming their defects and ultimately regain their full status.
In contrast, if for their groupist interests, those in the helm attempt to
use chapter 40 of Caryacarya as a way to expel and marginalise any worker,
then that is a clear-cut case of the misuse and abuse of a good rule. And
that cannot be tolerated.

As the divine Sadguru Baba has come to form that one, singular human
society where there are no outcastes and all are part of the same
collective flow. And all the teachings of Caryacarya are working in this
same magnifcent direction.

Baba says “The unity of Ananda Margiis should not be allowed to be
jeopardized for any reason. Unity should be maintained even at the risk of
your life.” (Caryacarya-2, ‘Society’, pt#13)

By His above teaching and indeed on numerous occasions in Caryacarya itself
Baba directs us to from that unified humanity where there is no possibility
of expulsion.

Baba says, “The meaning of the sam’gacchadhvam’ mantra should be realized
in life. Always remain united. Solve all problems, big or small, with
unity. Consider misfortune of one as the misfortune of all, an injury to
one as an injury to all.” (Caryacarya-2, ‘Society’, pt#34)

Here is another of Baba’s divine decrees from Carya’carya.

Baba says, “Do not allow distinctions to crop up among Ananda Margiis.
Unity should be maintained even at the risk of one’s life.” (Caryacarya-2,
‘Misc’, pt#3)

And indeed throughout the entire AM philosophy the idea comes again and again that we are to form that one human society where no one is declared an outcast, shunned, or excommunicated etc. Such dogmatic beliefs and dirty terms are the very things which Baba wants to wipe away by creating one
human society. And His divine teachings of Caryacarya echo this same noble endeavour.

The crude and sinful act of expulsion has no redeeming quality. Expulsion
is fundamentally against the neo-humanistic teachings of AM philosophy.

Thus there is no place for expulsion in our Marga and Carya’carya certainly
does not condone such heinous acts like expulsion. The sooner everyone in
our AM family understands this truth, the better it will be for all.

So those who are having trouble incorporating this point into their outlook
should quickly seek help from others. And if we see that such and such
person is not getting it, then it is our duty to bring them on the right
path.

By and large we should take an important lesson from the post-1991 AMPS
history. Because Baba has pointedly warned us that expulsion is such a
divisive tool which leads the outcasted party to revolt and consequently
divide the humanity.

Baba says, “Suppose somebody is suspended from his job. In his mind the
seeds of revolt germinate. He files a court case, contacts so many people,
organizes a demonstration, etc. That is the natural reaction to
suspension.” (AV-3)

Unfortunately since 1991 various groupists have issued so many dogmatic
expulsions and this is itself the very cause of the splitting of our Marga
society. So we should learn from this mistake by correcting it and not
repeating it again. We must overcome and rectify those wrongful expulsions
and form one monolithic AMPS society.

By Baba’s divine grace the whole humanity will embrace the concept that we
are all one. With that neo-humanistic outlook we will all live harmoniously
side by side– together.

Baba says, “So the important thing is that all are the progeny of the
Supreme Progenitor. According to this, there will be unity in the physical
stratum, and so will there be in the psychic and spiritual strata. But to
strengthen this unity yet more, there is one more factor which should be
there, and is there – that factor being the common goal for all the
children of the Supreme Father – the merger of all in Him. All have come
from Him and are in Him; therefore, all people will have to live together.”
(Disc on MHB: ‘Planning for the Mahavishva’)

Namaskar,
Jagatmitra

Here in His below teachings Baba warns us about how the various dogmatic
religions issue crude edicts and decrees which divide humanity.

Baba says “Notions of vice and virtue, codes of justice and scriptural
texts – which are claimed to be the word of God – have been formulated by
different religions to further vested interests. Those who oppose the
scriptures or the system they propound are subject to severe punishment. To
socialize with a person of a different caste is a great sin and those who
commit such sacrilegious acts will be excommunicated. They will have to
make atonement according to scriptural decree, and sometimes the magnitude
of their penance maybe the cause of their death. If they plead for a milder
dose of punishment, the priests express their helplessness: one cannot defy
the scriptures!” (PNS-7, p.52)

Thus what is the difference when one religion self-righteously blasts
someone on the point of caste and when one groupist regime uses their
selfish agenda to oust and expel a Wt or margii. Answer: There is no
difference; both are sinful.

In Baba’s below teachings He guides us that all are part of the same human
family– and everyone should be made to feel included and part of that
larger humanity.

Baba says, “You should always be vigilant that not a single individual of
our collective body is in the least neglected or ignored. Let not a single
boy or girl feel within them that no one is concerned about them– let not
a single person be allowed to think: ‘No one cares whether I have taken my
food or not’. You must pay special heed to this.” (PNS-14, p.4)

Unfortunately if a worker or margii is expelled then they are just left
alone to rot. They are forgotten about and left to die– psychically if not
physically. That is the hellish result of expulsion and that is why Baba
has declared again and again that there is no place for expulsion in our
Marga. Ours is a neo-humanistic society.

Baba says, “However little one’s capacity might be, if one constantly
remembers that Parama Purus’a is always with him, that they are in the
closest contact with Parama Purus’a, they will be able to do everything.
They are not as small as they think themselves to be. And as long as they
remember this closest association with Him, they can do much more than
ordinary human beings. When this idea becomes permanently established in
their minds, they become great. This is why no one should be disappointed
or depressed in any circumstances; let everyone constantly perform great
deeds, remembering that the flow of their capacity is coming from Parama
Purus’a, and thus they can do everything.” (AFPS-3, p.62)

***************************************

And he said unto them, “Take heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15).

Black Friday has come upon us again – the Friday after Thanksgiving, when many people get up very early and shop. Retailers like Black Friday – if sales are high, they make good profits and get back in the “black”– hence the name. Many are scouring the advertisements and are trying to get the best deals for gifts for themselves or for others.

Unfortunately, Black Friday has recently become synonymous with chaos, disorder, and mayhem. Some people have been injured or even killed in stampedes when stores open their doors. All manner of ungodly, selfish behavior takes place in those stores when a mass of people all go toward the same items. How tragic is it that gift shopping is so often turned into something so ugly and self-serving!

There is certainly nothing wrong with going out and shopping on Black Friday, or investigating the various sales and finding the best deals. Nevertheless, we must remember that if we are believers in Jesus Christ, we must serve Him at all times, and reflect His love at every opportunity – including on Black Friday (cf. Romans 8:29, 1 John 2:6, Luke 6:31).

As Jesus says, our lives do not consist in the abundance of our possessions. We must make sure that we do not get greedy or covetous on Black Friday or at any time, and elevate the desire to obtain products at low prices over our commitment to Christ. If we do not get the best deal, our lives will go on. If that perfect gift cannot be found, we should still be thankful that we have loved ones for whom we can give gifts. If we participate in Black Friday or other shopping days and act as ungodly and covetous as those in the world do, we have failed our Lord and have lost much, much more than we could ever gain through those inexpensive gifts!

But if we show love, kindness, compassion, and mercy, even on Black Friday, we might brighten someone else’s day. We can certainly let our light shine brightly during the Christmas shopping season, enjoy a better time ourselves, and be a force for good in the midst of this often selfish and greedy world. Let us serve the Risen Lord at all times!

lesson by Ethan R. Longhenry

Para Christian Barbosa, o principal vilão da produtividade é a falta de gestão na leitura dos e-mails. Cada mensagem que chega, dispersa de sete a 15 minutos do seu tempo. Por isso, é fundamental ter disciplina até na hora de abrir a caixa de mensagens. Veja dez dicas para aumentar seu rendimento..

- Desabilite o aviso de novas mensagens. Programe-se para abrir sua caixa de entrada no máximo sete vezes por dia

- Evite utilizar letras decorativas, fundos coloridos com contrastes, imagens flutuantes no e-mail e outros efeitos visuais. Eles só atrapalham a leitura

- Seja objetivo nos textos. E-mails não são um romance (apesar de servir para tal propósito algumas vezes)

- Utilize tópicos (bullets ou numeração) para elencar os principais assuntos. Além de melhorar o layout do e-mail, ajuda na compreensão e leitura do mesmo

- Nunca utilize o e-mail para criticar alguém, principalmente se ele for para outras pessoas. É extremamente desagradável e pode gerar problemas legais

Fonte: Triade do Tempo

Ho Chi Minh City parents are growing angry after recent reports of inappropriate behavior by teachers toward students.

Eleventh grader Le Anh Tuan, who was punished by his teacher with physical exercise, was later hospitalized in Ho Chi Minh City with an injury sustained during the punishment.

Within the last month, an 11th grade student from Le Quy Don high school was hospitalized after being forced by his teacher to perform physical exercise as punishment.

Local media reported that Le Anh Tuan said he was made to cross his arms while holding his ears and quickly bend up and down 100 times. 

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training (DoET)’s deputy head, Nguyen Hoai Chuong spoke with Sai Gon Giai Phong about the controversy.

He said his department has received details of the case and is now waiting for a decision from the school on disciplinary action for the teacher.

Also this month, a story surfaced that students at a local school were taking stimulant drugs to stay alert in class as their teacher was forcing them to recite their old lessons.

Mr. Chuong said improper teacher conduct is not new in the city, and school administrators need to learn from past mistakes.

Earlier, a private school in the city sacked a teacher for what it deemed inappropriate punishment of students, he said.

Education experts are also angry at the behavior of some teachers, calling their discipline methods outdated and dangerous. Teachers need to be educated about appropriate ways of dealing with students, they added, and do away with the old adage “Thuong cho roi cho  vot” (Hitting is the best formula to raise a child).

Le Quy Don high school Deputy Head Do Thi Bich Duyen said November 25 the school will convene a meeting attended by political party members to decide on disciplinary action for the teacher accused in the Le Anh Tuan case. The decision will adhere to education sector regulations, the school said.

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Baba teaches us that only those truly great ideas which broaden our minds in 360 degrees should be accepted. Because only then will we understand that we are all one.

Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:23:01 -0000
To: am-global@earthlink.net
From: Richard Cross
Subject: How Baba Deals with Hypocrites

Baba

“A’loker ei ja’tra’pathe prabhu tumi saunge theko…” (PS 3396)

Purport:

O’ Parama Purusa, on the path of this journey* of divine effulgence,
please grace me by remaining with me all along. If, while moving ahead on
the path, I stop, then please don’t leave me alone. Baba, keep me along
with You, in Your close proximity.

Baba, since eternity You were with me & You colored me in Your color.
Now, even in these odd hours, please do not forget this very thing: That
You will remain with me all the time.

Baba, at the end of the journey only You are there because You are the
Goal. And according to Your playful liila You go on pulling everyone close
to You by showering Your grace. Baba, due to Your blessing, in sadhana when
my mind becomes ensconced in You and I become drenched in Your divine
nectar then my ‘I-feeling’ gets lost in You, merged in You.**

O’ my dearmost Baba, on this path of forward movement towards You– in
all my duties and practices– please keep me at Your lotus feet. Baba, this
whole entire life is a spiritual journey towards You. Baba, please keep me
in Your divine shelter always…

*Journey= our spiritual way of living such as asana, pranayama, dhyana,
sadhana and all our devotional practices related with Sixteen Points.

**Where one’s unit I-feeling ends then only Parama Purusa is there. Then
one will dissolve or merge into Him. So when a person becomes completely
ensconced in the deepest samadhi, then in the sahasrara cakra one will
taste that divine nectar, and their whole existence will be inundated with
His infinite cosmic grace.

Note: The Bengali line has been written in phonetic spelling, according to
the way in which it is spoken and sung.

Namaskar,
We are aware that in our Marga, straight, clean conduct has far more values
and importance than any other quality. A classic proof of this is that
during different DMCs, as a Guru Baba graciously treated everyone equally,
whether rich or poor. In the DMC pandal, all margiis irrespective of their
nationality or economic status were sitting on the ground / dusty carpet
inside the pandal. It is not that there was a special air-conditioned
lounge arranged for wealthy people. Never was it like that. Rather all sat
on equal seats before Beloved Baba.

When one very important political leader, Guljarilal Nanda’, came to see
Baba, he wanted to desperately to have personal contact. However Baba did
not allow him because his conduct was not at all good. That time that
negative political leader was holding a very important minesterial post in
Central Gov’t of India. And in that capacity he was doing varieties of
nasty activities. But in an attempt to get PC this politician followed Baba
from Delhi to Bombay airport. But Baba refused to give him the time of
day– means he did not get the chance to talk to Baba even. Because Baba
maintains only the strictest standards on dharma based on proper conduct.

Another story is coming in my mind. Before ‘70, when Ananda Marg was very
small, those days Baba was living in Jamalpur. Then one big capitalist
Hanuman Prasad Poddar came with bundles of millions of rupees to offer to
Baba. He took initiation so he could meet Baba since those days getting
Personal Contact was very easy. In this way this capitalist reached to
Baba’s room. And then and there he offered those bundles of rupees to Baba.
And he was thinking that Baba should give him some blessing so that he
could multiply his crooked business. But by seeing that money, Baba became
furious. And with anger He scolded that capitalist cheater that, ‘Why did
you bring this dirty money?!.

Then in dharmic fashion Baba took the bag and threw it out the window.
Hanuman Prasad Poddar was shocked with astonishment. And he ran outside to
pick up the money from the street, where it had scattered. In the mean time
Baba shut & locked the door from the inside.

So this is the way Baba deals with people– according to their mental
feeling. In other organizations money often plays a significant role. But
in Baba’s personal life, never was it like that. His relation with each and
every margii is totally based on devotion, and devotion alone. And that
devotion is related with the conduct. Without proper conduct, devotion is
not possible.

Similarly we should deal strongly with those who hypocrites who believe in
unity just with the tip of their tongues. Such talk has no value, rather it
belies their low mental colour. But our strong approach we should force the
situation so that their actions– no their tongue– reflect a unified and
dharmic approach.

Therefore those who give high talks about unity but side by side engage in
curtailing margii rights, ruining the Bhukti Pradhan system, distorting
Baba’s discourses, making their groupist tiirthas, infusing the dogma of
Mahaprayan, creating Fake Ananda Vaniis– all such persons are not for
unity, rather they are just groupist exploiters and power mongerers. And
they should be dealt with accordingly.

Of course this hypocrisy is the case with those top-dog leaders of the various
factions and sub-factions who preach high things about oneness but spend all their
24hrs indulged in groupist and dogmatic activities.

We all know who these people are – they are our dear brothers and sisters
who need help. Our duty is to help them and keep our Marga on the straight
path. Falling into groupsim is easy nowadays because “everybody is doing it.”
If one is not in a group it is difficult to survive. That is why unity of
moralists is needed in AM, then all will come forward and work together as
one family, and those few hypocritical group leaders will not have a base of
support. So they will be force to change their ways.

Remember, some think that unity can be achieved by mixing and matching all
the groupist parties together. However, keep such groupist agendas and gluing them
all together is not right. This type of approach has nothing to do with unity. That is
inviting more trouble. It would be the same as trying to from a just government
by picking representatives from various corrupt offices and compiling them all
together. Never will that bring a righteous government. Similarly, pasting
various groupist conspirators together under one roof and having them share
the power is but a mockery of unity. That is why step by step all are abandoning
this idea and instead embracing the view that unity can only be formed by those
sadhakas who practice and preach AM ideology. And that is evident by their conduct.

Thus for real unity, a pure and dharmic mind is essential and that will be
evident by one’s straightforward and righteous actions.

Here following are Baba’s decisive and clear teachings on unity:

Baba says, “All fissiparous tendencies and group or clan philosophies which
tend to create the shackles of narrow-mindedness are in no way connected
with spirituality and should be discouraged.” (PNS-3)

Furthermore Baba teaches us that only those truly great ideas which broaden
our minds in 360 degrees should be accepted. Because only then will we
understand that we are all one.

Baba says, “Spiritual philosophy does not recognize any distinctions and
differentiations unnaturally made between one human being and another, and
stands for universal fraternity.” (APH-2, p. 128)

Unfortunately the actions of groupist is completely contrary to real unity.

Baba says, “One human society is divided into different nations, and one
nation is divided into different religions; religions also have different
castes, and castes also have different sub-castes — what kind of situation
is this? We have only learned how to divide and subdivide humanity, and we
never learned how to unite the people. This is all due to the defective
teachings of dogmas…Dogmas are psycho-physical diseases.” (PNS-9, p.46)

Unity comes only on the point of ideology when mind is moving toward Parama
Purusa– otherwise unity is impossible.

Baba says, “Inner channelisation and one-pointed conversion into
psycho-spiritual pabulum brings about radical changes in individual and
collective life. The psycho-spiritual approach makes a person deeply
introversial, one-directional, strong and dynamic…Such a magnanimous and
devotional mind rises above petty quarrels and inter-personal and
inter-group conflicts.” (PNS-12, p.15)

Baba concludes, “The entire society of A’nanda Ma’rga is founded on a
common ideal, the goal of becoming one with Brahma…the unity in a society
founded on the ideal of Brahma will be everlasting.” (PNS-3)

Namaskar,
Ramendu

Baba says, “We are all the children of the same Father, we are all the
members of the same family. By fighting against all kinds of evil forces,
we will establish the glory of our Father and the glory of our family.”
(Point #13 of ‘14 Points’, WT Conduct Rules)

Note: A few fallen, degenerated, and disgraceful Wts are going astray from
this fundamental rule by spreading the poison of groupism and by creating
division in the society– all of which is completely against neo-humanism.
This is all happening due to greed, lust of power, desire for prestige etc.
Unfortunately such persons are still in the uniform of Wts so we have to
recognise them. As they have tainted the glory of Lord Shrii Shrii
Anandamurtiji by their sinful, power-hungry ways. Indeed by all this they
have destroyed the sanctity & unity of the family.

Note 2: Those who are sincere margiis adhere to this above cited rule since
the spirit of this conduct rule is common to one and all.

*******************************************

Criminal justice sytem

From my book CHILDHOOD MEMOIRS

 The words crime, punishment, criminal etc. were coined in the feudal era. At the time of the the capitalist revolution in France ( 177 5 ), when wooly-eyed writers and intellectuals took it as the true revolution ,words like liberty, fraternity and equality came into vogue. Victor Hugo’s Le Mirable  for the first time, made us aware of the fact that  a thief is also a human being. Alas! We have forgotten Hugo. Is  his name mentioned in any text book?

No wonder. It is highly inconvenient to mention his name, now that money is the supreme deity (in Malayalam the word for a billionaire is KODEESWARAN !). How else can we explain public linching of a poor harijan boy in front of TV cameras? If we claim to be humanists, we should have intervened to save the poor boy. Let us re-read Hugo. The word criminal must be deleted from dictionary.

We are all fallible. I used to travel in DTC bus, paying the minimum fare, until I was caught. Did I earn money this way? It is just human tendency to enjoy any gain, howsoever pitifully trivial it may be! Yet I am not a miser. We have to continuously improve our own thinking, attitude, outlook and behaviour. (To thine own conscience, be true). The system should help us to become a true gentleman, in every sense of the term! Wash away the criminal in me. Lockup, police brutality and the jail will only make me a hardened criminal. Parents and teachers have empowered themselves to beat a child whose sole parent is God. Will He be happy with our conduct?

A pick pocket or smuggler is let away with light punishment. Their patrons are in the good books of the police. Does the system have any way of reforming a criminal? The latter is just a tool .There is no law for punishing the real villain who works behind the scene. This aspect has to be taken care of.

In the proposed set up, a team of dedicated people will conduct a thorough probe into all aspects of even a petty crime and recommend measures to eradicate it forever. If only an individual is concerned, he can be given work of cleaning the gutter, removing garbage or some such useful work. Jails can be converted into schools. Hardened criminals  can be chained like slaves and made to work hard.

The investigating team should be headed by a judge (A retired one may be preferred).

The members of the team must be well trained, thoroughly honest and dedicated. The whole department could be under the control of the Chief Justice of India and function independently, without interference from any quarter. All proceedings must be video recorded, but the proceedings must be  in camera, lest others involved may know what is happening and arm themselves accordingly. The culprit shall remain in humane custody. No bail, even if the crime is trivial. The whole lot of lawyers should be asked to go home and tend cattle!

At present they work only to distort or delay the investigation and save the culprit for the sake of money. How do we tolerate this brazen miscarriage of justice?

APPOINTMENTMENT OF JUDGES

Like the election commission, there shall be a permanent judicial commission. Appointment of judges will follow the same pattern as that of MPs (see Democratic Disfunction).T he judges too should work hard from 8 am to 6 pm every day, with weekly holiday by rotation; but they will get suitable salary because they are not elected by the people.

Even a shadow of suspicion shall debar him .Once appointed, he should work for life time, without any age limit, so long as he is healthy and willing to work .Transfer and promotion etc. must also be decided by the commission.

They may be removed any moment, if proved to be incompetent or unhealthy or on grounds for suspicion; otherwise they can serve indefinitely as in the US.(Their system is better in all respects. If their system is a motor car, ours is a bullock cart, with one wheel broken and the animal unable to pull !)

Any person, not necessarily an aggrieved one, on the basis of news ,a first information report may be lodged even by e:mail  The concerned judge shall immediately start investigation ,assisted by CIDs, police etc., but in strict secrecy .Any person may be arrested, including witnesses who shall remain in custody till investigation is over.The people detained must not be allowed to meet each other. All questioning shall be video recorded in the presence of the judge. Refusal to answer a question will be treated as confession .

The judgement shall be given then and there .

The whole system must function independently, without  interference from any quarter. Nobody will even come to know ; how can they meddle ?

The policemen must be like elder brothers to the citizens, in the model of the English police.

A hearing is under way into the conduct of a Plymouth head teacher and her behaviour towards her deputy…. From BBC News. Full story

This site may contain information about: scholarships. The blog is also related to: teacher.

To make things clear, as some of the material you’ll find here is very light-hearted, this is an actual news report. All quotes are original. I welcome comments below.

Gay Christians Criticise ‘Hate’ Bill

Dan Bloom

Senior gay and transgender Christians have attacked a pro-discrimination law which was defeated four times in the House of Commons and criticised by the European commission.

The clause, which allows “criticism of sexual conduct” on religious grounds, was kept in the Coroners and Justice Bill in the dying hours of the last parliamentary session despite being defeated in the House of Commons. Justice minister Jack Straw retreated after lords voted to keep it for the fourth time on 11 November.

But the comments from within the UK’s gay Christian community put pressure on the mainstream church, after the European commission wrote to the government last week to say its discrimination laws were “broader than permitted”, effectively forcing churches to end bans on homosexual staff.

Pastor Kieren Bourne of the Living Springs church, Bath, had a sex change operation in 1999 and is part of a small minority of gay or transgender Christians in the UK. He said: “I think it’s appalling. It seems to me that the church is being allowed to get away with discrimination when every other section of society is not.”

Brought up in New Zealand, Rev Bourne, 51, moved to Bath 14 years ago but was surprised by what he perceived as a less liberal atmosphere in the mainstream church. He joined Living Springs, a branch of the 95 per cent gay Metropolitan Community Church (MCC).

“Having the opportunity to question the appropriateness of [gay sex] should be open to people, but without being critical of the individuals concerned.”

-Patrick Whitworth, rural dean of Bath

Now living with a woman in Bathford, Avon, he said the pressure put on gay Christians by employment bans and discrimination leaves many feeling forced out of the mainstream church, and into organisations like the MCC.

And although the minority church, which was founded in 1968, holds tri-annual conferences – the next is in Acapulco, Mexico next year – it does not have the same political weight as other organisations. It has fewer than 15 churches in the UK and the Bath branch has only 13 full-time members.

One of these, Bill Fraser, has been a full-time churchwarden in Bath for five years. He first contacted the MCC last year after announcing his sexuality at an annual parish meeting. But he stayed in the mainstream church to “fight from the inside”, following the example of controversial gay American bishop Gene Robinson.

Another, 64-year-old lay delegate Jenny Bailey, was a long-time member of the Church of England when she began attending the MCC. She revealed her sexuality to her vicar in 1997, and said his hostile reception made her feel pressured to leave.

She said: “I did not feel my personal preferences were relevant inside the church. He said they were. He seemed to think I was going to walk in holding hands with another woman.

“Just a few weeks after that I had a serious accident and broke my ankle into about seven or eight pieces. Nobody phoned to check up and see how I was. I thought, ‘Why am I kidding myself?’. They didn’t want me.”

“I did not feel my personal preferences were relevant inside the church. My vicar said they were.”

-Jenny Bailey, lay delegate, Metropolitan Community Church

But Ms Bailey, who was married for more than 22 years before realising she was gay in her 40s, also issued words of caution about restricting free speech. She said: “I want it for myself, so why should I not want it for other people? It’s up to them, and it’s their personal opinion. But they should not be able to impose it on me.”

While the MCC argues anti-homosexual readings of the bible do not reflect its meaning, the mainstream church in Bath is more traditional.

The Church of England rural dean of Bath, Patrick Whitworth, said: “From the church’s point of view it is not God’s view. So having the opportunity to question the appropriateness of it should be open to people, but without being critical of the individuals concerned.”

Meanwhile a group hosted by the MP Clare Short will meet at the Commons this Tuesday to campaign against similar clauses in the Equality Bill drawn up by Harriet Harman, Labour’s deputy leader.

The bill is designed to ensure greater equality between people of different gender, race, religion and social class. But the group argues religious ‘opt-out’ clauses could be added as the bill progresses to the House of Lords.

Date: Sat 21 Nov 2009 12:15:21 +0530
To: AM-GLOBAL
From: “Pandit_Sudhakar”
Subject: …Baba is on My Side

Baba

“Tumi esechile, mrdu hesechile sudha’ d’ele…” – P.S. 2309

Purport:

Baba, You came and smiled softly and graced me with the showering of
Your divine nectar. Unfortunately, that time I was just engrossed in my
own lustful and crude attachments; I was oblivious of Your divine
presence. Neither did I turn around to look towards You; nor did I talk
with You. That was my pitiful condition.

Baba, keeping my room bolted shut, in that isolated state I was just
secretly involved in thinking about my own greatness. In that crude
state of mind I was constantly hankering for more and more prestige–
for more name and fame. Baba, I was sitting on the shore of the black
river* only involved in my own crude, selfish, and egoistic thoughts.

O’ my dearest One, I did not look towards so You left– but even then
You graced me with Your abundant love. Baba, You are so gracious. In
spite of my not caring about Your arrival because my mind was so crude,
even then You showered so much grace that the whole world is dancing
ceaselessly in Your divine love. Baba, the colorful flowers are
ensconced & swaying in Your loving vibration and they have started
blossoming uncontrollably. It is Your causeless grace.

O’ Baba, You are so magnificent & gracious; You have come and blessed
me with Your divine love– You have saturated my whole existence.
Baba, You are grace personified…

ASTERISK NOTES:

* ‘Shore of the black river’ [krs'n'a' nadiir ku'le]= This represents
that dark, negative, or degenerated state of mind where one’s mind is
dominated by all kinds of crude thoughts and desires. Thus when the mind
is very low and one is just hankering for prestige, and singing about
their own glory, and they want that others should praise them;– Such
persons are degenerated. Their mind is in the lower kosa. And they do
not want to listen to anything other than the tales of their own
greatness. This is what it means by sitting by the shore of the black
river.

Note: An important audio file that is highly related with this topic has
been uploaded to the AM-GLOBAL Blog:

(Reference the sound file on the left column titled, “Baba is on my side”.)

Namaskar,
At present, our Marga is gripped in the throes of groupism – huge clash
has been going on for years.

Both parties are thinking that, “Baba is on my side and that I will be
victorious”, and in that way they continue their fight.

Yet in His teaching from Purnea DMC (1971), Baba clearly warns that if
one engages in such crude battles for post and power then it means they
have fallen away from ideology, in which case they will lose Ista also.

That is the very real concern that all in our Marga should consider,
especially those of our brothers and sisters involved in the factional
fighting.

Everyone in AM loves Baba, but in this era of group clash we should all
take a moment to reflect on how far we are truly serving Ista and
adarsha, or giving way to factional interest.

At Purnea DMC in 1971, by His grace, Baba issued a dramatic teaching
that is highly applicable to the state of affairs these days in AMPS.
The original Hindi sound file from that Purnea DMC has been uploaded to
our blog. (Reference the sound file on the left column titled, “Baba is on my side”.)

Baba says, “About thirty-five years ago [in 1936], a war was going on
between two countries, the citizens of which have the same religion
(Buddhist). When the soldiers went to war, their mothers used to pray to
Lord Buddha to save the lives of their respective sons. What will Lord
Buddha do? Save this man or that man? Both have the same “Is’t'a,” but
both parties have totally forgotten their ideology. If they were
established in the ideology, they would not have gone to war.” (SE)

In the above teaching, Baba is clearly stating that both Buddhist groups
lost their ideology. The proof being that the two camps went to war with
each other for their own petty gains – each praying to Buddha to gain
victory over the other. Thus, despite being followers of the same ista,
they began fighting for their own selfish agendas instead of following
the high ideals of Buddha.

Sound familiar?

What Baba has recounted in His above Purnea DMC teaching from 1971is
highly applicable to what is going on in our AMPS these days. All the
various camps in our Marga share the same Ista, but they have gone to
war with one another for their personal gain – thereby losing AM
ideology. That is Baba’s explicit teaching. Because instead of adhering
to the neo-humanistic principles of Ananda Marga adarsha, such groups
have been swallowed up by their own groupist tactics – the race for
name, face, post, power & prestige.

Just as those Buddhist parties were praying to Buddha for their own
victory, nowadays in AMPS the various camps also believe “Baba is on my
side and therefore my camp shall be victorious”. But when any party
strays from AM ideology, then how can such a party gain Baba’s favour.
They cannot. Rather they are doomed to their own destiny.

Toady’s fight is 100% about groupism and has nothing to do with
ideology. They are fighting over land, resources, post, power, money,
jagrtis, buildings. Their fight is cent-per-cent selfish. There is no
higher ideal in mind.

Due to their rigid adherence to their groupist battle plan – and not AM
adarsha – they have also forgotten Ista. Because when one’s mind is
involved in self, self and self in the form of power and prestige, then
it is impossible to think of serving Ista. That is the stark irony of
today’s groupist battles. They justify to themselves and others that,
“Baba is on my side”, yet the tragedy is they have left AM ideology and
drifted from Him entirely.

That is the very sad and unfortunate state of affairs going on now in
our AMPS. I have deep love and respect for all in AM. Everyone has come
out of love for Baba. That is why it is so difficult to watch what is
going on now. Today is not the time to blame, but to awaken, realise,
and march side by side holding the flag of ideology.

What Baba warned us about in 1971 with those two Buddhist camps has now
become a living reality in 2009 in our Marga. The current clash in AM
has nothing to do with ideology and everything to do with factional
power. Indeed this has been the running theme of our AMPS in this post
1990 era. Let us hope that things change soon by His grace.

We must recall that life in our Marga was not always like this.

Rather, in the past, all our struggles with outside elements were for
the establishment of AM ideology. By Baba’s grace we fought and were
victorious over communists, Hindu fundamentalists, capitalists, and so
many other negative parties. But our fight with them was not at all
personal, it was for the spread of Baba’s teachings: AM ideology. Thus
each struggle and subsequent victory led to the great establishment of
the Marga – the establishment of universal dharma.

However, there is not a shred of ideology or welfare in today’s group
clash. There is not an ounce of dharma involved. Rather, day by day
ideology is on the wane as the flag of groupism reigns. This terrible
state spells the destruction of AM, if we are not careful and allow it
to continue.

Today’s group clash has been marked by killings, beatings, distortions,
thievery and the fight for resources and land. Avadhutas like
Abhipremannda have been killed – others have been maimed – jagritis have
been destroyed – and Ananda Marga has turned into a war zone. So much
destruction has occurred.

Yet all the while, the various group camps think that “Baba is on my
side and soon we will get victory.” This is their contorted outlook. In
their heart they think it is true.

But now, by His grace we know what is true. Just as Baba points out how
the fight between the two Buddhist factions represented the demise of
ideology, we are witnessing the same misfortune nowadays in AM. The
group clash itself means the loss of ideology, and subsequently the loss
of ista as well. In that case the outcome of such groupist fighting is
beyond bleak.

Baba says, “Suppose somebody has no ideology in his life and for a
moment forgets his “Is’t'a”, he will degrade. So the wise man will
always remember that he has to follow the ideology and more important,
the “Is’t'a”.” (SE)

Let us no longer think of such dark outcomes. Now is the day to once
again keep the banner of AM ideology flying high and end all groupist
squabbles.

Please understand that this letter is not an attempt to condemn any
person or any party. Ours is a neo-humanistic mission and all are my own
brothers and sisters. I do not want to see either side win or lose – nor
blame anyone. Only the aim is to watch all come back under the banner of
AM ideology and once again become a follower of Ista.

All in our Marga have feeling for Ista and it is a shame that the clouds
of confusion have caused some to drift away. They feel they that they
are doing for Baba, but by the practical expression of their groupist
campaigns, it is plain as day that they have fallen from the path of
neo-humanism. They are thinking of the survival of their group, not
universal welfare.

While there are many problems and issues in our Marga, this group clash
is the worst problem. It signifies the loss of ideology. So this is the
biggest issue – the most dangerous disease. For us, this group clash is
cancer. It kills.

In contrast, all those smaller issues and scandals like school
enrollments, press malfunctions, basic money issues etc are
comparatively small things. In comparison to the cancer of group fight
these problems are like cough and cold.

And again it should be repeated: The reason why the present group clash
is cancerous for us is that it represents the loss of ideology. That is
Baba’s clear-cut message. In the face of group power struggles, ideology
is totally forgotten – and along with it Ista as well. Verily, without
adarsha and ista, our Marga is doomed, just inviting destruction.

The most pressing task at the moment then is to end this groupist
conflict. Not by creating a peace proposal and merging the various
camps, but rather by bringing AM ideology to the fore. When that is
done, our Marga will surely survive – and not just that but thrive.

By Baba’s grace, the call of dharma is being heard all around. Instead
of getting befooled by group factions that proclaim, “Baba is on my
side”, when in fact their ways are utterly devoid of adarsha and ista,
true Ananda Margiis have set their sight on ideology. By that way, we
will sure to be victorious and build up a bright new Marga, by His grace.

Baba says, ” O human beings! be established in the radiance of divinity
and the splendour of valour and chivalry, because yours is the path of
revolution. Your path is not the path of extra caution and scheduled
movement. You are the traveller of a rugged path. You are travellers of
an impregnable path. You have to march ahead proudly with the flag of
Marga upright. You have no time to stagger or to look behind.” (SS-1)

Namaskar,
Sudhakar

For further reading about the nature and root cause of today’s group
clash, please reference these below letters.

Baba says, “As life becomes increasingly easy, there will be greater
opportunities for intellectual pursuits. A day will come when there will
be hardly any need for human beings to work. This may sound strange
today and perhaps we might not like to hear such a thing, but that day
will surely come. Physicality will be transformed into more and more
intellectuality, and intellectuality will be transformed into the
culminating point of spirituality.” (PNS-17, p.36)

***************************************

     I’m not sure how many of you know this, but pre-kids, I used to be a teacher.  More specifically, I used to be a junior high teacher. So, if you think back for a couple of minutes to how much of a little punk ass you probably were at that age, you can probably understand how I got REALLY burnt out on this career REALLY fast.  Nevertheless, though, I held my own for a solid six years with those hormonal little bastards, and truth be told, I actually have a lot of fond memories from my time with them.  Sure, it’s a super tough age to teach, but it’s also a very important stage to try to make a connection and hopefully steer them on the right path towards something good.  I was WAY younger than a lot of the other teachers at the school, and I think that the kids really felt like they could relate to me a little more. Sometimes, however, I think they felt a little too comfortable and close to me.    

     Most eighth grade boys are all about seeing how big of an idiot they can make of themselves in order to draw any little bit of attention that they possibly can.  They all think they’re the next freaking Jim Carrey and try their very damnedest to put on a one-man show, never mind if it just so happens to be right in the middle of a lesson on prepositions. And let me just tell you, this type of behavior just completely fueled my fire. I may be petite, but I was known as being a hard ass and not putting up with a whole lot of shit in my classroom.

     Throughout my teaching years, I certainly had my fair share of show-boaters who tried to pull their crap while under my wing.  I recall this one boy, in particular, who drove the absolute bat crazies out of me.  This kid was interested in anything and everything that didn’t relate in any way, shape or form to a single thing that was EVER going on in my class.  I swear you would’ve thought there were talent scouts for Funny Bones sitting in the back of my classroom with the way this kid would perform on a daily basis.  I slapped this kid with about a zillion detentions, but none of them seemed to ever deter him from coming back and pulling the same old stunts day after day.

     I was so excited by the time eighth grade graduation rolled around so that I could finally be rid of this little troublemaker.  I had absolutely no doubt that he would have considered me his very least favorite part of the whole eighth grade experience.  So, you can see then why I about fell over in shock when this very same unruly kid approached me in peace at the big eighth grade dance.  My husband and I had agreed to be chaperones and were standing around chatting when young junior came up and asked me to dance.  I practically choked on my punch and just stood there completely stunned at the very thought of it.  After a couple of seconds of very awkward silence, my husband leaned over and whispered that I HAD to dance with this poor kid if he had the guts to ask me in front of ALL his friends who were standing there gawking.  Trust me, the last thing on earth I wanted to do was to dance with this little thug, but I swallowed my pride and let him guide me out onto the gym floor.  It was by far the most uncomfortable slow dance I’ve ever had in my entire life, but my husband later tried to explain to me that it was probably the highlight of this kid’s whole year.  He said that boys at that age have no idea how to show their feelings for girls, and they often end up being complete a-holes to them instead.  So, I suppose then, that under this theory, I was the object of this moron’s affection or something.

     Actually, if you think about it, the whole eighth grade boy mentality is not really all that different from most grown men.  Don’t they typically all have trouble expressing their feelings and act like complete jackasses when they see something that they want?  And the hormones?  The hormones NEVER EVER stop raging!  Ok, so, maybe the old boners don’t happen all twenty-four hours of the day, but I’d bet my left eyeball that they’re saluting at least a good fifteen to twenty hours a day.  So, it’s no wonder then that my husband practically pushed me into the arms of this little classroom terror.  I think he was secretly fulfilling some “hot for teacher” fantasy that he never quite fulfilled as a fourteen year old boy.  Whatever, though — no harm, no foul.  As long as I didn’t have to take anything to the drycleaners over someone else’s “overly excited reaction”, it’s all good, right?

Street Maestros:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyWj7VXiz84

Bidding opens for a chance to conduct, or play strings, with CBSO

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/newsaggregator/2009/11/18/bidding-opens-for-a-chance-to-conduct-cbso-65233-25191081/

The auction page:

http://www.cbso.co.uk/ebayauction

Congratulations and thank you to these fine teachers and directors from the Columbus Community! They will each share the baton with Maestro Timothy Russell on Friday, December 11 at the Southern Theatre for Messiah and More! a community sing-along.

It was lunchtime at a Catholic elementary school. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun wrote a note and posted it on the apple tray: “Take only ONE. God is watching.” As the children moved further along the lunch line and got to the other end of the long table, they found a large plate of chocolate chip cookies. There one mischievous child had written the note: “Take all you want. God is watching the apples.”

Well, I hope you know that God can watch the apples and the cookies at the same time. The big theological word for this is omnipresence. The Bible’s most extensive passage on the subject is Psalm 139:7-12, but a singular verse that encapsulates the idea is Jeremiah 23:24, where God asks, “Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him? Do I not fill heaven and earth?”   

So, if you will permit me to play off my illustration, take all you want of some sin today, but know that God is watching. He fills heaven and earth, and He doesn’t miss one thing you do. Whenever you commit a sin, He sees it. If you will keep this simple fact in mind as you move through your day, you’ll be surprised at how it helps you to live a more godly life.