My African Brother( or sister you didn't say)... A response to your comment...

"I am surrounded by poverty all around me here in Africa. Bono often refers to this as "stupid poverty". We will have the poor with us ALWAYS."

My friend, poverty is the result of benign neglect, rampant greed and the ability of the west to impose the idea of scarcity on the world. There is no scarcity of the things required to live a life outside of the bonds of poverty. As such, poverty does NOT ALWAYS need to be with us. We merely need to find a way to change attitudes not only in the west but also in those countries of Africa with unscrupulous leaders who rape their own economies for momentary gains.

"However, as a person raised in the West perhaps our responsibility to an impoverished world is to teach our fellow pilgrims on this planet how to fish."

I could not agree with you more. My mother is currently on the ground in Malawi doing just that. In fact she has used those same words as have I on numerous occasions. Her husband (my step father) is also working for one of if not the largest medical provider in that country. A point of which I beam with pride for they are not only teaching how to fish, but how to be families, build communities, love and hope.

"We see the big bucks come and leave this part of the world quicker than you can scratch an itch. Corruption is rampant, lies are the game of the day, and stealing is a lifestyle. Where is God in all this? Is there any hope? How do we reconcile the "professional-style" greed of the West and the greed and envy that is prevelant in Africa? Both are wrong. However, we in the West have a responsibility and the privilege of sharing our blessings with that part of the world that is not as privileged."

I agree with you that big bucks come and go every day. I also believe that the systemic greed that capitalism produces as an ancillary effect is what causes the rampant corruption and lies. All in the name of the almighty dollar (soon to be transplanted by a currency in the east, certainly in our lifetimes, care to hazard a guess which one?)

WHERE IS GOD in all this? I wish I knew! I can tell you that I was raised a catholic (now fallen), have experienced each of the monotheistic religions (a point which is clear if you read all of my work posted here_) I believe fully that one day everyone will be held to account for their actions here on spaceship earth. As to your other point, I try to impart what I know upon the world every day, I speak out against greed, lies, etc. I bemoan the failings of Adam Smith and the resultant economies that were devised from his brain. I KNOW THERE IS A BETTER WAY and one day IF MY VOICE BECOMES LOUD ENOUGH I will be able to aid in getting us to a better system. A fair system. A just system. A system which values individuality over conformity, truth over lies, knowledge over supposition, empowerment over oligarchy. In the absence of that maybe if I can convince one person a year and they in turn convince one person, so on and so forth many moons from today that seed which was planted will reap the rewards of the tree of knowledge of that better system.

"The spirit of helping must be of the mindset that we are giving a hand up and not a hand out. This is not a license to encourage freebies and a welfare system. For this type of thinking the white man is at fault. When will the African be liberated from the ties that currently bind him?"

It is an important point that you've made here. I can give money to anyone and watch it fly out the window. But if I can train someone to enable them to provide for their families (regardless of the currency) that is the result. A HAND UP not out. Although it will be forever reaching to aid the next one up (at least in my case). This reminds me of a quote by Frederick Douglas (Do you know him?) ; "Never let any man pull you so low as to hate him." With that in mind, I don't hate the west, or capitalism or the current structures of power that keep the world running the way it is. I do however live each day with the lofty hope that one day the iniquity that these systems have produced can be replaced with something better. I do agree that the white man is at fault for much of the ills not just in Africa but all over the world. However, we must MOVE BEYOND assessing blame, WE MUST RISE UP TO THE CHALLENGE OF WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TOI BE HUMAN and that is to lift up those that we can EVERYDAY.

To answer the last question Bob Marley (a prophet is ever there was one) once said;

"Until the philosophy which hold one race
Superior and another inferior
Is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned
Everywhere is war, me say war

That until there are no longer first class
And second class citizens of any nation
Until the colour of a man's skin
Is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes
Me say war

That until the basic human rights are equally
Guaranteed to all, without regard to race
Dis a war

That until that day
The dream of lasting peace, world citizenship
Rule of international morality
Will remain in but a fleeting illusion
To be persued, but never attained
Now everywhere is war, war

And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes
that hold our brothers in Angola, in Mozambique,
South Africa sub-human bondage
Have been toppled, utterly destroyed
Well, everywhere is war, me say war

War in the east, war in the west
War up north, war down south
War, war, rumours of war

And until that day, the African continent
Will not know peace, we Africans will fight
We find it necessary and we know we shall win
As we are confident in the victory

Of good over evil, good over evil, good over evil
Good over evil, good over evil, good over evil"

I hope you read this and understand that I agree WE CAN make a difference with GODs help. It starts with you. My Brother,

SDM

Response to a friend request from American Muslim on MySpace

As-Salamu Alaykum, Shalom Aleichem, Peace Unto You,

I am not a religious man. I was however raised in the spirit of tolerance. I was raised both Catholic and Jewish and my father then married a Muslim after my parents divorce.

I believe that religion has been used as a pretext for much of that which is wrong in the world. I strongly believe that each of the monotheists state that their God is right and all others is wrong. This is a belief which will ultimately cause (and has already) great strife in the world.

I categorically state that we are all but players on this world stage. Further that none of us have met God, be God a man, woman or it, none of us know.

I say to many that I am a Rabu (Rasta Buddhist).

I too am curious how you came to find me? As you can see from my profile I am trying to effect positive change in the world by operating outside the normal confines (or boxes) of all religion, corporate culture and charitable causes.

How did you come to find me and in what spirit is it that you would like to be friends?

Do you believe as I do that we can imbue children with the ability to think outside of the box that for so long has caused so much strife on this planet?

Do you believe as I do that we can channel the purity and innocence of childrens thoughts to effect positive change?

Do you believe as I do that someday we will be called to account by something greater than ourselves?

Do you believe that our reward is in the way that we live our lives here in this moment, at this time and in this place?

As a Jew who is now converting to Islam have you considered the possibility that all religion may not have the final answer that so many search for?

As a human being living on this planet, one of seven billion constituents, all interrelated, what is your responsibility?

I am a friend of all on this planet who are concerned with righting iniquity, recognizing our shortfalls and trying to correct them.

Do you feel the same?

I ask all this not to be a thorn or righteous, I ask this to determine what your true self is and whether we are on the same path.

I look forward to hearing your response. Best regards,

SD Mac

63rd Anniversary of D- Day

To all those that gave their lives in the ultimate sacrifice so that tyranny did not rule the day I remember you.
To all those that returned home broken never to recover I wish I could give you a hug and make it all okay.
To all those that returned home and made it their mission to ensure the horror would not be repeated I celebrate you.
To all those that suffered indignity, iniquity and endless suffering I wish I could turn back the hands of time and make it all okay, in the absence of that ability let me make a solemn promise; I WILL NEVER FORGET and I WILL LAY DOWN MY LIFE trying to make this world a better place.
To all those reading this are you aware of the sacrifice,
are you aware of the price,
are you aware of what happened then that shaped today?

Take a moment to reflect, say a prayer, be silent and then realize just how fortunate we are that the greatest generation paid the price for freedom.

Thank you will never be enough, but from the bottom of my heart, veterans and the families which too sacrificed; thank you.

THANK YOU!