Federal debt, passing the buck to next generation.

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Dallas Morning News poses a question every week about the issues facing the nation and as a part of the Texas Faith Panel; I have been writing my columns addressing the issues along with at least ten panelists on a regular basis. Here is this week’s question that I have addressed below.
What should America do to keep the federal debt from limiting the future of younger Americans?
We are a nation of ethics and morality and have to set our priorities as to what goes on the chopping block.  We can apply the brakes on federal spending and loosen the revenue stream to reduce the federal debt from being passed on to the younger Americans.
Deficit spending (debt) is an insurance to uplift ourselves from the economic doldrums; it has to balance it out with future surpluses to even out over a long economic cycle.  We have to pump money out of thin air to shake out of the crises. That is how we gave life to our economy and got out of the great depression.  
I support the call from religious leaders that “The Biblical call to stewardship demands that we pass on an economic order in which our children and their children can flourish.   Indeed, the Native Americans consider impact of their actions for seven generations and that wisdom is embedded in every religion with no exception.
Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) described a good deed as an act which benefits others, such as planting a tree that serves future generations of wayfarers with fruit and the shade.  He said, the world is a better place today because of a good legacy bequeathed to humanity by people of all faiths that came before us. We owe it to coming generations to leave the world a little better than we found it, to usher an era of justice and sustainable peace and prosperity.
We cannot sacrifice our long term interests (well being) of our society with short term needs; we cannot cut support systems to the needy.
Morality demands that we make sacrifices, it starts with the ones who don’t live hand to mouth. Let the President, Administration, Senate, Congress and the federal employees take a voluntary pay cut for a few determined years until we find on the path of recovery.  We don’t need a precedent, we set the precedent. 
We must levy excise duty on luxury imports for a period of four years. It will increase the demand for domestic manufacturing and in turn create employment and taxable earnings. The actual taxes received must be earmarked for debt reduction.
We must cut the foreign aid by half; we need to take care of our needs first instead of funding non-essential needs of others.
Lastly reign in our itch to go for wars and intervene injudiciously, indeed it was the war that got us into trouble.
Ross Perot had a great idea to restore dignity of the people by including every one in the nation building. Let the unemployment and welfare checks be earned through community service work, bring our troops back home and ask them to work on infrastructure projects.
 John Kennedy’s words make a lot of sense in this context. Let every American take pride in becoming a participant in doing things for our country, instead of asking our country do things for us.
Link to Dallas Morning News: http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/03/post-94.html
Mike Ghouse is committed to building a cohesive America where no American lives in apprehension of the other. As a speaker and writer he offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His work is indexed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/

Salman Rushdie & Mike Ghouse on Uprising

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Salman Rushdie makes a lot of senese in his talk,
I urge Muslims to look at this independently and not be biased
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCeQVFNrtTs
I had a similar take on the issue on the site. 
Advise to Obama
http://nabsites.net/demo/obama-throws-me-off-compeletely/
Raping AlQaeda
http://nabsites.net/demo/raping-al-qaeda/

Messing with American Democracy

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One of the dangers of democracy writes Professor Lev Grinberg is that, “it provides a formal opportunity for the majority to force their will on the minority. “
Indeed the Osama Bin Laden formula has been activated in America, though he never represented main stream Muslims yet his actions ascribed his wrong doing on to them.  Here comes, David Yerushalmi, an Arizona-based white supremacist who does not represent the main stream Americans, yet his actions are going to be slapped on the White Majority.  Are we ready to accept this?
The evil man has called for a war on Islam and is behind the racist legislation in Tennessee, once the seat of racism in America. He has opened new expressions for bigots as they have been shut out from their deeply seated Anti-Semitic attitudes.
These attitudes pitch one American against the other and that is not good for America, it will take the country from the path of cohesion to division.
Mike Ghouse is committed to building a cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day – www.MikeGhouse.net

TEXAS FAITH: Will Facebook kill the church?

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In a new book, How Facebook Killed the Church, author Richard Beck argues that our new connectivity online is not necessarily a good thing for organized religion – at least in one respect. He says it offers a replacement for the important social function that houses of worship have long provided. One reason that millennials are leaving, he says, is because the digital world is providing a sense of community that has been an aspect of churches and other communities of faith.
Wayne Slater of Dallas Morning News asks “.. is the broader digital world is providing something our places of faith once did – a center of social networking? Is that a problem? And if so, what do we do about it? Here is one of the five responses:

 

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas


Substitution plays a key role in the social game of demand and supply of satisfaction. Indeed, the satisfaction is measured in terms of a sense of community and coherence offered by the religion to draw the congregants to its sanctuaries, when there is an alternate source of satisfaction that is easy to be had, people will switch.

Historically Religion had the monopoly in offering a sense of community, where people gathered to hear stories of the prophets and God, of evil and good as that was an affordable communal entertainment in those days. Perhaps that was the only dominating topic of humanity some 2000 years ago, subsequently topics like Astronomy, Mathematics and Medicine started chipping into that monopoly.

Fast forward to 21st century; Religion gets relegated to the weekend activity and as Richard Beck argues in “How Facebook Killed the Church,” religion further loses its traditional share in capturing the congregants to an alternate source of satisfaction; the facebook. There is an element in all of us that seeks freedom through alternatives.

To millions out there, facebook is home! Where one feels completely at ease, you can browse through it at your leisure with no tension, you don’t have to answer to any one and you will always find some one whom you can chat with any time of the day un-intrusively. What cave was to the saints in the past, facebook is to the people today; a safe haven.

Questions about Religion that people were afraid to ask, and expression of dissension cannot be easier than at facebook, indeed no one will be called on the carpet. It is also increasing one’s ability to interact with each other and a new language of refinement is emerging and new communities are forming based on shared interests.

However, facebook will never be a full blown competition to the sense of community one finds in a Church. All systems will have their share of the communities but there is nothing like being with people and with the family, Church will continue to be a major player in our lives and will maintain its own, but dwindling market share. 
For all the five responses, please visit:  http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/03/texas-faith-will-facebook-kill.html
Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day to the Media and the public. http://www.mikeghouse.net/  

Model of Democracy, the Indian Idol

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http://nabsites.net/demo/model-of-democracy-indian-ido/

Democracy means different things to different people. I will present a few different aspects of democracy in the coming weeks as the events unfold in the Arab World.

Democracy is about choices and the freedom to choose what one eats, wears, believes and seeks in the pursuit of happiness without being harassed or humiliated.  It is the unhindered choice available to every citizen equally.
The Asia Bibi incident in Pakistan took me right into my own childhood where the Dalits were treated inhumanly even in the cosmopolitan Bangalore in the early sixties, it must have been humiliating to them the way Brahmins washed the public tap after the Dalits collected the water, I had never liked those attitudes when I was in the line I felt their anguish.  But that was in America too where the African Americans could not drink from the same fountain. 
Thank God, my Dad broke all the traditions and had the Dalits sit in our house and drink the tea with us in the same cups we used; I clearly remember Mara, Naga, Muniyamma, Venkat and others.  My Dad was harassed by a few for giving space to “them” and I am sure many of you had similar parents.
India has come a long way, just as America has.  Out of nowhere the picture of 2007 Indian Idol popped on my facebook screen. There it was a non-mainstream Indian making to the top. This was unimaginable fifty years ago.
It is this model of democracy I want to rave about and thank the Bollywood industry for it, they set the trends of inclusivism, pluralism and secularism in India, just at the Hollywood does. It has broken the class, caste and religious barriers – and offers equal opportunity to all.  Problems are not gone completely, but the progress is significant.
In the two seasons of Indian Idol I have watched, I have witnessed with delight the “slum dogs” moving up, the women folks, the illiterate with no exposure to music and the well trained ones; they were all on the level playing field.  I have admired the comments made by hosts particularly Anu Malik, Javed Akhtar and Sonu Nigam.  No one had an upper hand; it is what they can strive for to be the best and they came from every segment of the Indian society. 
I would suggest similar programs to pop in the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan and else where, where they can shape the future leaders of their nations by offering opportunities to every one and let every one learn to compete in serving their nations.
We all have the responsibility to share and explore avenues in shaping the future of each nation and the family of nations. We are all in this together and I salute the Indian Idol for shaping the future of India. It gives hopes to every citizen and that is one beautiful aspect of democracy.
Mike Ghouse is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day – www.MikeGhouse.ne
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Indian Idol 2007
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3828885197123734159
Asia Bibi Petition
http://www.petitiononline.com/Asiabibi/petition.html
Who wants to be the President of Pakistan
http://nabsites.net/demo/who-wants-to-be-president-of-pakistan/

Fareed Zakaria, Nick Kristof & Mike Ghouse on Uprisings

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Fareed Zakaria, Nick Kristof & Mike Ghouse on Uprisings
 
Those who watch and read multiple sources of news and information are fairly similar and accurate in their assessment of the situation in the Middle East, except those who just watch American News media, forget about the Fox news watchers.
In the last few weeks, I found similarities in the takes of Nick Kristof, Fareed Zakaria and myself.  Between Kristof and me, four articles have a similar take and one has an identical paragraph that I wrote on 25th and he wrote the same on 26th.
NICK KRISTOFF & MIKE GHOUSE
Nick Kristoff wrote in “unfit for democracy”  
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/opinion/editorialsandoped/oped/columnists/nicholasdkristof/index.html?inline=nyt-per 
A crude stereotype lingers that some people — Arabs, Chinese and Africans — are incompatible with democracy.
Moreover, this line of thinking seems to me insulting to the unfree world.
Look, there’ll be bumps ahead. It took Americans six years after the Revolutionary War to elect a president, and we almost came apart at the seams again in the 1860s. When Eastern Europe became democratic after the 1989 revolutions, Poland and the Czech Republic adjusted well, but Romania and Albania endured chaos for years.
The record is that after some missteps, countries usually pull through. Education, wealth, international connections and civil society institutions help. And, on balance, Egypt, Libya and Bahrain are better positioned today for democracy than Mongolia or Indonesia seemed in the 1990s — and Mongolia and Indonesia today are successes.
In the 21st century, there’s no realistic alternative to siding with people power.
Mike Ghouse writes “Trusting people to manage their own affairs”.
On February 25th I wrote:  “Lets support the people movement, after the initial turmoil everything will come together, we must resist the temptation to believe that they cannot handle their affairs; every human and every nation is capable of managing their affairs when each person is free to choose and free to think.” http://nabsites.net/demo/raping-al-qaeda/
And again on on 25th I wrote, “With the uprising in the Middle East, no doubt there will be chaos, but people can handle their own affairs, and out of that chaos will emerge a fledgling governance of the people by the people for the people.  It is sheer arrogance to believe that they cannot, they said the same thing about India, Indonesia and several other nations.” http://ghousetweets.blogspot.com/2011/02/trusting-people-to-manage-their-own.html
FAREED ZAKARIA & MIKE GHOUSE
On February 27, Fareed Zakaria said it eloquently
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2011/02/27/exp.fareed.zakaria.unrest.thetake.cnn?hpt=C2
Mike Ghouse has echoed the same thoughts thrice, spoken on Hannity Show, Dallas Fox TV, A Radio Station in Portland and Dallas Morning News.
February 14 http://nabsites.net/demo/fox-hannity-spencer-bolton-and-ghouse/
It is a fulfillment of the aspiration of people for their sovereignty; it is the beginning of the freedom, liberty and justice for the people of Egypt.
This is the first time in history that Muslims have chosen non-violence as their path to bring about a change and those attitudes must be encouraged. Do we really mean we support democracy? If we do, the time is now.
February 8, Dallas Morning news – http://nabsites.net/demo/obama-throws-me-off-compeletely/
We must admire them for giving life to one of the most civilized forms of a political change; non-violence. It is a new experience for the Arab world and due encouragement will pave the way for others with similar aspirations.
February 1, http://nabsites.net/demo/egypt-positive-change-in-making/
I am moved by watching the “non-violent” peaceful revolution coming out of Egypt, this is a major paradigm change for Muslims.
Feb 11, Fox Tv – http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2011/02/11/egyptian-celebrations-planned-in-downtown-dallas-frisco/ and http://nabsites.net/demo/egypt-freedom-at-las/  It’s one of the most beautiful days of my life; seeing a people get their freedom though non-violence and peaceful means.
I wrote on January 28, 2011
http://nabsites.net/demo/egypt-making-lemonade-out-of-lemon/
Obama understands that equity is sustainable than inequities we have been wrong many times, and I hope this time we will get it right and I trust Obama will do the right thing.
Mubarak will wither away and anything we (U.S.) can do to show support for the aspiration of people will do two things: firm up the people to people peace agreement and prevent the opportunity for brotherhood to take advantage of this.
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Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker, writer, activist and a futurist. He manages the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other and is committed to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress.

Mike is available to speak on Pluralism, Islam, Civil Societies, and Peace & Justice at your work place, place of worship, school, seminars or conferences.  He is a media commentator offering pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. 

Mike’s work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.MikeGhouse.net/

Launch of Ghouse Tweets in 100 Words

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LAUNCH OF 100 WORD TWEETS
ON ISSUES OF THE DAY.
There are about ten titles listed here that I wrote this week.
            The new edition of “100 WORD STATEMENTS” on issues of the day is reaching out to over 1500 Media anchors, reporters, editors and broadcasters around the globe and it is good to see acknowledgments. I am thrilled to report that Karl Rove, Sean Hannity, Anderson Cooper, Sarah Palin and their likes are following me on the Twitter.  I hope I can tweet enough to be heard with finding pluralistic solutions on the issues of the day.  http://ghousetweets.blogspot.com/
            Enjoy the weekend, there is a lot to do and each one of us has to do our own share of good in making the world a better place for all.
Mike Ghouse
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1. Gaddafi and beyond; a challenge for the Neocons and Muslims

            When I went on Fox’s Sean Hannity Show last week, we were to talk about Gaddafi’s call to Muslims to rise against the White people, here were my talking points. http://nabsites.net/demo/gaddafi-and-beyond-challenge-for/

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2. Trusting people to manage their own affairs
With the uprising in the Middle East, no doubt there will be chaos, but people can handle their own affairs, and out of that chaos will emerge a fledgling governance of the people by the people for the people.  It is sheer arrogance to believe that they cannot, they said the same thing about India, Indonesia and several other nations.  http://ghousetweets.blogspot.com/
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3. Sean Hannity, Brotherhood, Spencer, Qur’aan and Ghouse

            Sean Hannity is indeed excited about the Muslim Brotherhood. However he exercises caution and avoids outright condemnation, it is a positive shift in his judgementalistic approach towards anything that is Muslim and Islamic and I admire that. I am glad he brings a semblance of another point of view to the American public, that is a step in the right direction and I welcome it, however you have to have a lot of tolerance to watch  him, for the sake of peace, I have been doing it.   Even though I don’t get equal time, but that time I get has been instrumental in bringing a positive change.
http://nabsites.net/demo/sean-hannity-brotherhood-spencer-quraan/
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4. Middle East Mistakes by right wingers
President Bush buckled under pressure and blew a chance to nourish democracy in the Middle East by rejecting duly elected Hamas by their people. To make Hamas fit into their agenda they shoved them into an optionless cage, to proclaim claim, “We told you so.” Hamas’ call for destruction of Israel is not acceptable but so is the statements made by Israeli leaders who called for destruction of Palestinians.    http://ghousetweets.blogspot.com/
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5. Muslim politics – Ahmadiyya and Motamar Alislami  (75 comments).

I hope someday, at least in America, our future generation will see the value in coming together as Muslims regardless of our hues, as humans regardless of our religion for doing good and knowing each other (Q49:13). http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2011/02/muslim-politics-ahmadiyya-muslims-and.html
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6. Muslims Condemn Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari

            He was plotting to bomb President Bush’s house – he writes in his dairy, “You who created mankind. Grant me martyrdom for your sake and make jihad easy for me only in your path,” according to court records. Religion inspires one to be a good human and not a criminal. Quraan forbids killing and forbids suicide. http://nabsites.net/demo/muslims-condemn-khalid-ali-m-aldawsari/

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7. Al-Qaeda Raped

            Of course Al-Qaeda deserves to be raped by two more losers and liars; the CIA and Mossad. Have they been right any time from Iran in 1979 to Libya in 2011? http://nabsites.net/demo/raping-al-qaeda/

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8. Glen Beck barks in the dark

            An idiot randomly says things that may suit one at a given time, but that should not encourage the one to support the idiot, in the long run; he will nail every one unintentionally.  http://nabsites.net/demo/glen-beck-barks-in-dark/

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9. TEXAS FAITH: The Blessings and Burdens of Life Online

            Most certainly, I would advocate periods of withdrawal for reflection, family time, prayers or meditation. Call it a “tech Sabbath.” There is a time for everything and whatever you do in life, you should do it wholeheartedly as it brings a sense of composure, integrity and commitment to the task at hand and fulfillment to one’s being.
http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/02/post-93.html
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10. Terrorizing the Terrorists

            Push the Brotherhood or Hamas to the corner with no choices; they have no choice left but to hurt us. We cannot be secure if we keep threatening others; bullying throws our own sense of security out the door. http://nabsites.net/demo/terrorizing-terrorists/
 

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11. Aljazeera will straighten American Media

            You may disagree with me but a majority of American Media personnel have un-neutralized themselves for a long time. During the Iraq’s shameless shock-n-awe war, the CNN, FOX and other media were truly ‘embedded’ with our government; they became mouth pieces for the government. http://nabsites.net/demo/aljazeera-will-straighten-american/
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Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer. He manages the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other and is committed to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress.

Mike is available to speak on Pluralism, Islam, Civil Societies, and Peace & Justice at your place of worship, school, work place, seminars or conferences.  He is a media commentator offering pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. 

Mike’s work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.MikeGhouse.net/

Aljazeera will straighten American Media

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You may disagree with me but a majority of American Media personnel have un-neutralized themselves for a long time. During the Iraq’s shameless shock-n-awe war, the CNN, FOX and other media were truly ‘embedded’ with our government; they became mouth pieces for the government.
Thomas Jefferson made a strong statement about the role of media in a democracy when he noted, “If it were left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”
Describing the role of the press, George A. Krimsky, the former head of news for the Associated Press’ World Services and co-author of Hold the Press, writes, “In the wake of America’s successful revolution, it was decided there should indeed be government, but only if it were accountable to the people. The people, in turn, could only hold the government accountable if they knew what it was doing and could intercede as necessary, using their ballot, for example. This role of public ‘watchdog’ was thus assumed by a citizen press, and as a consequence, the government in the United States has been kept out of the news business.”
The US Congress, the Senate and the Media all acted like sycophants of our President during the Afghan and Iraq wars.  I am glad the then Senators Obama, Paul and late congressman Murtha had the guts to speak their minds while others sheepishly following the pied piper.
Could the Iraq war have been prevented had our media asked the right questions? We could have saved the lives of our soldiers; we did not have to carry the guilt of massacring the innocent Iraqis and Afghans – for one Bin Laden?  Would the American families have suffered had we not had the budget deficits resulting from the wars?
Our cavalier attitude towards the administration, the senate, congress and the press was shameful.  Enough is written and talked about the collective guilt and I hope the future generations forgive us.
Thank God we have the NPR, PBS and BBC to give us a semblance of another point of view. I am looking forward to Aljazeera to set the new standards in journalism by asking dare devil questions that most of the American reporters dare not ask and risk their jobs.  What are you afraid of?
The Aljazeera Show “Empire” gathered Carl Bernstein, Amy Woodman and a few other media stalwarts about the role of media.  The questions the facilitator asked were incredible! He said “the American media acted as the mouth piece of government” and indeed we sounded like the state television of Gaddafi. 
The essence of democracy is the ability to question everything without worrying about censure against such inquiry. How many journalists from the mainstream media have failed this test in recent times?
I have seen Anderson Cooper grill a few right wingers a few times, more of it is needed. We should question every damn politician if we want our freedom to prevail over their interests and I am glad he still has his job unlike Helen Thomas.
I welcome Aljazeera to pave the way to American Journalists or hire them to regenerate their guts to report the facts and not what Rupert wants them to say in critical matters.  We must cherish, nourish and fight from freedom, nothing is more valuable than freedom.
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A note to Aljazeera: Please show the names of the anchors or reporters. I still did not get the name of the news anchor and the host of the Empire.
Mike Ghouse is committed to offer pluralistic solutions and work towards building a cohesive America. His work is listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/

Andrew's First Flight and Memories

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Andrew boarded the plane in Little Rock, Arkansas to fly to Dallas; he walked into the plane and asked me if he could sit in the vacant seat next to me, by all means of course, I said. Then he asked me again if it was ok to have the skate boards with him, … It was his first flight and he was all nervous.  

Jeff my Son was 8 years old when I took him to India, he did not want to take his roller blades off even in the plane… and in the Mumbai Airport he had a show, we had about six hours to kill in the airport to catch flight to Bangalore, so we stayed in the Airport from 2AM to 7AM… he was all excited and roller blading in circles. Before too long we had a huge audience circled around us watching Jeff’s show.  In Bangalore Airport at that time, they pulled the ladder to the plane and then you walk on the run way and walk to the airport, he roller bladed his way. I was smiling all the way.
I recalled my own first flight, all nervous and worried sick about life… I assured him that it will be just fine. He was going on and on and on… within a few minutes I noticed that every one in the plane went on a HELP gear with him. The flight attendant to the lady on the aisle seat… I thought about it long and hard about the human inclination to help.  There is a “HELP” node built into each one of us and it instantly operates on a need basis.
When the plane took off, he closed his eyes and he was trembling badly, I assured him placing my hand on his that every thing will be alright.  I pulled the window shade down on the window directly facing him so he does not have to see outside. Once up in the air, he was alright but frightfully stealing glances of the outside to gauge if he is really up in the air… once we landed, he gasped.
The flight attendant and I asked him to take a deep breath he was such a good kid! I recall some of it happening to me.
Way back in 1982, “DW” and I took a 2 seater Mooney to Marshall, Texas, we could not spot the strip to land… so he took a dive and literally my heart was in my mouth and about to come out of it.  Between the thin door and I, there was barely a 6” space and you look on the right, it’s the earth way below… we passed through the cloud into open… same feeling again.  On the way back DW asked me to navigate while he was reviewing the Blue print of for the Sprinkler Systems were engineering for a plant in Marshall.
Memory is amazing, one small thing can jog your memory and you go places. Did you go places?