East v. West

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All atrocities must be condemned and indeed, they are being condemned in the west and in the east. What we hear, see and read is the work of extremists and not good people who are every where.
– The formula of governance is no different in Iran, India, USA, Palestine, Israel or Saudi Arabia; a few monopolize the power. Is it any different in a Mosque, Synagogue, Church or a temple? Nopes. The dominant spouse or parent gets away with a lot of things as well.
– It is the animal instinct in us to claim security, and we convert that into the form of superiority – Neither west is better nor is east, they are two societies operating on their own equilibriums. The practices in your family and your friend’s family are not the same; they have different sub-cultures in terms of spouse, parents and kids relationships. People in west are no different than the east that has been my experience, my relationships are not few minutes in the office or at a dinner, they are deeper and I am shaped by that experience. We are motivated by the same sentiments.
–  The people in west abhor atrocities just as much as in the east, but they really don’t do a whole lot about it. In one of the discussion threads that you and I were together, one fellow harassed a girl, indeed, he chased her out, I was the only one to tell the bully to back off, there were 19 others on the list, and did not say a word, did they? Did you?
– We cannot blame either west or east, but ourselves, if each one of us acts in the right way, then it is safe to expect that a few more will do the same.
Mike Ghouse

Pictorial Report – Holocaust and Genocides

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Pictorial Report – Holocaust and Genocides
The III Annual Reflections on Holocaust and Genocides.
Sunday, January 24, 2010This was an educational program, where 7 speakers reflected on 7 topics for 7 minutes each. Then 7 commentators made comments about 7 different situations. The topics ranged from the Holocaust to Genocides, massacres and tragedies.

This is perhaps the first time in our history that we have acknowledged the genocides of the indigenous Americans and Native peoples of Americas in a public forum along with other tragedies.

There is a shameless cruelty in us, either we shy away or some times refuse to acknowledge the sufferings of others, worrying that it will devalue our own or some how it amounts to infidelity to our own cause, and shame on us for justifying massacres that the victims deserved it or they asked for it.

Continued at: http://holocaustandgenocides.blogspot.com/2010/02/pictorial-report-holocaust-and.html

Facebook activity

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Muslims in America offering Friday Prayers in a church
Extensive comments on this thread…
Good Muslim, bad Muslim – By Tariq Ramadan
some 73 comments
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Obama names Indian-American Muslim as special envoy

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Your friend Mike Ghouse missed the opportunity for a greater personality.

Rashad Hussain is an activist par-excellence from my home town Dallas and is greatly influenced by the Indian ethos of Pluralism and inclusiveness. He would fit right in with President’s Obama’s idea of one world, where we respect every nation and their sovereignty.

He will strengthen the pluralistic values of America, and President’s desire to encourage the community of nations to review our values of Liberty, Justice and co-existence as catalysts for prosperity. As a Special envoy to the OIC, Rashad will initiate a positive relationship between America and the Muslim nations, I am proud of his heritage; an Indian, a Muslim and an American.

We have to maintain a healthy balance within our communities and with all nations, what is good for America has got to be good for the world and vice versa to sustain the equilibrium, he is the right man for the job. May God bless him in uplifting America’s role in creating a better world for the good of all.

Continued: http://mikeghouseforamerica.blogspot.com/2010/02/obama-names-indian-american-muslim-as.html

Happy Mahashiva Ratri

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HAPPY MAHA SHIVARATRI (A Hindu festival tonite)
According to scholars, the cosmic dance of Shiva, called ‘Anandatandava,’ meaning, ‘the Dance of Bliss’ symbolizes the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction, as well as the daily rhythm of birth and death. The dance is a pictorial allegory of the five pri…nciple manifestations of eternal energy – creation, destruction, preservation, salvation, and illusion.

Mike Ghouse

Happy President’s day

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Monday, February 15, 2010
Presidents’ Day is a federal holiday in the US, which is celebrated on the third Monday in February. Known also as Washington’s Birthday, it commemorates the birthdays of US presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
Mike Ghouse

Valentines Day taking on a new meaning

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Valentines Day taking on a new meaning

Valentine’s Day is a designated day to celebrate love, where two people choose to express their affection for each other. Through out the history, words have taken on new and expanded meanings, so is Valentine’s Day.

Valentine Day is a universal expression of affection between any two individuals. Between husband and wife, between two people in love, be it mother and son, father daughter, brother sister, friends, uncles, aunties, Grand Pa and Grand Ma.

Continued – http://mikeghouseforamerica.blogspot.com/2010/02/valentines-day-taking-on-universal.html

weekending February 14, 2010

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I wrote several pieces this week, here are a few

Valentine’s Day

Valentines Day is a designated day to celebrate love, where two people choose to express their affection for each other. Through out the history, words have taken on new and expanded meanings, so is Valentine’s Day.
http://mikeghouseforamerica.blogspot.com/2010/02/valentines-day-taking-on-universal.html
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Bad Fatwa by Muslim-American body against airport body scanners

The word “Fatwa” is wrongfully associated with “death threats”, it may be wise for us, until we educate the public that it is merely an opinion, and instead use the word “Opinion”. The word Fatwa carries a negative perception and until it is removed, it is not wise to use the word in this context. After all, we are using the English language to communicate and let the language be in English.

Furthermore, this “Fatwa” will be wrongfully propagated as Anti-American… continued:http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2010/02/bad-fatwa-by-muslim-american-body-about.html
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Petition for Native American Heritage Day

Please sign the Petition for Native American Heritage Day
My heart is in tune with the Native Americans and the native people around the world. I am sensitive to what they have endured over the centuries, it is time for all of us Americans to come together and acknowledge their contributions and honor their tradition with the Native American Heritage Day.
http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2010/02/petition-for-native-american-heritage.html
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Synagogue Library Destroyed in Crete

In behalf of the Foundation for Pluralism and the World Muslim Congress I express my dismay about this incident. I am saddened that people attack the houses of worship and educational institutions.

As a community of people of the faith, we need to discourage such behavior, and as a Muslim I want to parttake in rebuilding of the synagogue Library by shipping a few books on Judaism that I have treasured.

Books are the most they want at this time.
http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2010/02/synagogue-library-destroyed-in-crete.html
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Ancient Tribe Goes Extinct as Last Member Dies

It is time to mourn the end of an era of the Bo tribe in Andaman Islands, and it is sad to read this non-sense from the British officer Portman, who wrote in 1935, “the natives were still either ferocious enemies or at best half-tamed “. The Jerk got away with it, the world at that time let him – Mike Ghouse.
http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2010/02/ancient-tribe-goes-extinct-as-last.html

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Stunned Passengers after Muslim bus driver pulls over

This is a ridiculous act of showoff, the Muslim man stopping the bus in the middle of the journey to pray with a busload of passengers waiting anxiously and watching him pray. What was he doing? Impressing others that prayer is important? It is indeed important, but not inconveniencing others. If he was on his own, he should do that, but he was carrying the responsibility of public transportation.
http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2010/02/stunned-passengers-after-muslim-bus.html
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Snow in Dallas, Texas

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Feb 11, 2010 – Carrollton (Dallas), Texas.
We do get snow every other year, but this year we have had thrice… on Christmas day, again in January and now in February… thank God, all my appointments were canceled this morning, and as I look outside of my home office window, it’s snowing .. the flurries are continuously dropping, some look like cotton off the bushes … love the looks of it. Then I went to the front door to see the lake across the street… and look through by backyard… it is covered with beautiful snow, it must be over an 1″… I see it on top of my car… I will get out later and take several more pictures… darn, I left the camera at the office, the pictures are from my phone camera.
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Native American Heritage Day – corrospondence

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I’m pleased to join in the efforts of the Native Americans for a special day to honor their heritage.

 

Info at:
http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2010/02/petition-for-native-american-heritage.html
comments at:
http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2010/02/petition-for-native-american-heritage.html#comments

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

From: MikeGhouse@aol.com
To: cherokeekxxxxx.com
Sent: 2/11/2010 7:59:53 A.M. Central Standard Time
Subj: Ruth…. Native Indian Heritage Day

Ruth,

 

Did you see the comments on facebook, and am glad, all my friends are signing up one by one, on the petition

 

On the sites – www.worldMuslimCongress.com ,www.Foundationforpluralism.com and www.mikeghouse.net  I have provided the link for people to post their thoughts and notes as well. I am collecting all of this to pass on to you.

 

 

Blessings

 

Mike

 

 

In a message dated 2/9/2010 9:58:49 P.M. Central Standard Time,cherokeekyxxxxxx.com writes:

Thank you for putting my petition on your website means a great deal to me. I do not have a committee. I have started this on my own. I have Cherokee heritage in my family and I am tired of the Native Americans still getting passed over. There are now teenage Native Americans committing suicide on the reservations now.  Some thing must be done. I have sent a letter through my congressman’s website. If I have to I will start sending letters to all 50 state’s senators just to be heard. I am sure if every one started to write to them and to the President of the US then hopefully we will be heard and this will pass on through; and also have enough people who have signed the petition. I am trying to get a web page going soon.  Thank you once again and thank you for signing my petition.

Ms. Ruth Bryan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

From: mikeghouse@aol.com
To: cherokeekyxxxxxxx.com

Sent: 2/10/2010 12:10:45 P.M. Central Standard Time
Subj: Re: Petition Initiative for Native American Heritage Day
Dear Ruthie
To do good work you don’t need to prove your heritage. I am an Indian and a Muslim, and feel I have to stand up for the under privileged

Mike Ghouse
www.MikeGhouse.net
(214) 325-1916

On Feb 10, 2010, at 11:31 AM, Ruthie <cherokeekyxxxxxxxxxxx.com> wrote:
Thank You Mike I believe right now we need just be heard and get all the signatures we can. Native Americans are still being treated as a low class citizens even though some have made it to Hollywood and some to do good.  November is suppose to be Native American Heritage month but we hear of nothing of any good that has come with in; like they do with Black Heritage Month.  I do agree with some Columbus Day needs to be replace with the Native American Heritage Day.  I do however can use some ideas I do not have a masters in anything. Just a diploma in Business Administration and a diploma from Stratford in Creative Writing. So, far I am the only one on my mother side to graduate from some type of college. I am just a single mom (widow) trying to make it a better world for my kids and my heritage. I wrote to some one on facebook; and told them it’s my Cherokee heritage that comes out in me the most. I was thinking on doing DNA but comes to find out some those are just scams. So, I am going by what my grandmother told me. It was either my 3rd or 4th great grandfather that was full blood Cherokee. If she was still alive I could ask.

I am not sure who all is trying to get something like this done but I feel we could find one another and start combine together we can get this done sooner.  I will keep in touch and thank you I appreciate the help. Right now I am looking on finding a t-shirt printing place to have some t-shirts done. I had 3 air brushed at the mall this pass weekend. Loved how they turned out.  I am giving one away on facebook to the one who has the most recruits to my cause.   I had them to put a ribbon in the colors of the medicine wheel with a feather hanging next to it as my logo. Then it just says “Support to have a Native American Heritage Day”.
Sorry for being so long; thank you; I appreciate your help. I will keep in touch.

Ms. Ruth Bryan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

From: “MikeGhouse@aol.com”
To: cherokee 

Sent: Wed, February 10, 2010 10:00:35 AM
Subject: Ruth Bryan: the new write up….. hope you like it
Ruth,

I have written this to appeal to my face book friends to sign up…. hope you can comment on it and take us forward, are you on the face book?

http://www.facebook.com/MikeGhouse?ref=profile#!/notes/mike-ghouse/petition-for-native-american-heritage-day/323732092773

Mike Ghouse
www.MikeGhouse.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Letter sent to Ruth Bryan and copies to Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk and the members of the Memnosyne Board and Staff.

 

From: MikeGhouse@aol.com
To:  Names removed for privacy
CC:  Removed for privacy
BCC:  foundationforpluralism@gmail.com
Sent: 2/10/2010 12:41:25 A.M. Central Standard Time
Subj: Petition Initiative for Native American Heritage Day

 

Dear Ruth,

 

My heart bleeds for the Native people and what they have endured over the centuries, it is time to acknowledge their tragedy and honor their tradition with the Native American Heritage Day.

 

I am glad you have taken this initiative and we are here to assist you in whatever little ways we can. It is your plan, and your drive, we will do whatever work you assign us to do, the way you want it.

 

My organization; the Memnosyne Foundation seeks to create a healthy, sustainable future for mankind, and has established seven centers to achieve that, two of them are dedicated to the preservation of native cultures and native medicine. My other organization, the Foundation for Pluralism is all about Co-existence and Harmony of different values systems.

 

In collaboration with the University of North Texas, Memnosyne foundation is organizing a conference forhttp://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2009/12/indigenous-environmental-summit-2010.html.

 

The World Muslim congress and the Foundation for Pluralism in collaboration with the Center for Spiritual living organized the III Annual reflections on Holocaust and Genocides, and I believe, it is for the first time, the  Genocides of the Native Americans was expressed in a public forum along with other Genocides and Holocaust. Peggy Larney and Ricardo Cervantes represented Native Americans and spoke at the event. Peggy Larney has compiled a report on the topic and the full report will be published in the Journal of Pluralism located on the Foundation for Pluralism website within a week and I will share the same with you. A full day conference on Holocaust and Genocides is planned for Wednesday, January 26, 2011. Short documentaries and discussions of every possible human brutality will be discussed in several panels.

 

I am copying the information to my board members; Co-Chairs Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk, Joshua Frenk, Phillip Collins, Coke Buchanan, Gregory Gomez and other members of the Board.

 

The petition is at www.MikeGhouse.net and is ready to go online atwww.FoundationforPluralism.com and www.WorldMuslimCongress.com  and will send it to my list of people to sign up.
Please sign the petition for Native American Heritage Day

 

You may also want to read about an: Ancient Tribe Goes extinct as last member dies

Please let Mary Ann, Coke or myself know what we can do.

 

Thank you for taking the initiative for the Native American Heritage Day.

 

Mike Ghouse

www.MikeGhouse.net

(214) 235-1916

 

In a message dated 2/9/2010 9:58:49 P.M. Central Standard Time, Ruthie ____writes:

Thank you for putting my petition on your website means a great deal to me. I do not have a committee. I have started this on my own. I have Cherokee heritage in my family and I am tired of the Native Americans still getting passed over. There are now teenage Native Americans committing suicide on the reservations now.  Some thing must be done. I have sent a letter through my congressman’s website. If I have to I will start sending letters to all 50 state’s senators just to be heard. I am sure if every one started to write to them and to the President of the US then hopefully we will be heard and this will pass on through; and also have enough people who have signed the petition. I am trying to get a web page going soon.  Thank you once again and thank you for signing my petition.

Ms. Ruth Bryan