Do the math, 2006 – 1776 = 230 years

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most money from the public treasury, with the result that democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship. The average of the world's greatest civilizations has been two hundred years. These nations have progressed through the following sequence: from bondage to spiritual faith, from spiritual faith to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependency, and from dependency back to bondage." ---Alexander Tyler in 1778

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Declaration of Independence

[Adopted in Congress 4 July 1776]

[Proposed Amendment March 28, 2006]

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The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen [People of the] United States of America

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights: that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes
destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to
them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their
former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain (President of the United States) is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a
candid world.

He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his [state] governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless
those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.

He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers.

He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislature.

He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to civil power.

He has combined with others [corporation owners] to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us: [that the members of our armed forces owe primary allegiance or loyalty to those who temporarily exercise the authority of the executive branch of the government rather than to the country and its Constitution which they are sworn to defend.]

For protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit
on the inhabitants of these states:

For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing taxes on us without our consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury:

For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses:

For abolishing the free system of English [United States] laws in a neighboring province [fifty states], establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule in these colonies:

For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the
forms of our governments:

For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves [himself] invested with power to
legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection and waging war against us [those who believe contrary to him].

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our
people.

He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy of the head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country to become victims of the Patriot Act, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare, is
undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions taking lands, privileges and rights of Native Americans guaranteed by duly signed and approved treaties.

In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms:
our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince [President], whose
character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have we been wanting in attention to our British [American] brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends.

We, therefore, the representatives [People] of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies [fifty states], solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies [states] are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown [President of the United States] and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain [the Executive Branch] is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this
declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.

Ancient / Primitive Cultures

Recently, in part of my studies, my quest for understanding and wisdom, I began studying ancient/primitive cultures. What I have found (so I think) is that in a majority of these cultures that were predominantly of a nature-based religion or belief system is that they were for all intents and purposes, a peaceful and harmonious society. That is not to say that they did not conduct warfare, or what we would today consider atrocities, such as human torture or sacrifice.

In most instances warfare or raids were conducted either as a means of protecting one’s hunting grounds, or as an expansion of those lands because the wildlife had moved on. From what I have been able to absorb, those nature-based religions or belief systems were not “into” spreading or forcing their will or belief upon others. They existed in a tribal or familial clan type structure, very similar to the herd or pack structure of many animal species, often with what we now call an alpha-male and alpha-female in the leadership or hierarchy of the tribe or clan.

As the tribe or clan grew, there always became a potential for another male or female to challenge the position of the “alpha”. Depending upon the outcome of the challenge and the nature of the level of support between the “alpha” and “challenger” the tribe or clan might split into two separate, yet intrinsically related sub groupings. In the same token, if there was not a level of support behind one of the participants, the loser might be expelled from the clan or be forced into a position of submission.

As the numbers of these sub groupings and the tribe or clan grew, one begins to see the development of a “nation” or “people”. Again, this is purely opinion pertaining to those grouping that were of a nature-based religion or belief system. For many hold the belief or position that all life, two-legged, four-legged, winged, finned, plant, and even stone was sacred or holy. Further this is why there are so many and diverse accounts of nature-based peoples following the precept of “Take from the Earth what is needed and nothing more,” or something extremely similar. It is also an example of why so many of these cultures had a ritual of prayer following the kill of the hunt, to thank and honor the spirit of the animal for giving itself as food and shelter for the people.

Regarding the issues of human torture and sacrifice, I have not studied enough to make an “informed” assessment, only a personal perception or opinion. First in order to attempt to comprehend the purpose we need to be able to step outside our current 21st century frame of mind and existence.

One of the most common beliefs or understandings of nature-based peoples is that all things are related. Additionally it is believed (or so I understand) that all life besides being sacred or holy has within it a “life-force”. The shedding or spilling of blood is representational of that life-force being taken or given by the one whose blood it is. Which is why in certain cultures after the kill, the hunters promptly after a prayer thanking the animal for giving its life, then consume either the heart of the animal or drink its blood. The concept is that the “life-force” of the animal then becomes a part of the hunter. In other similar cultures that are farmers, they would take the first fruits of spring milk or honey and pour back unto the soil, Mother Earth, as an offering to continue the abundance of the farming season.

We tend to think of human sacrifice as barbaric in this 21st century world. Yet when one considers the time of ancient or primitive culture and what it meant at that time, to give one’s life as a willing sacrifice for the good of the people, would be considered an honor. Yet in some instances the sacrifice was made through the shedding of captive’s blood, prisoners of battle, which by today’s standards in barbaric. Often times such a prisoner sacrifice was or could likely more properly be as atonement for actions of the individual or people.

And I’m sure I’ll catch a little flak for this statement, but Jesus of Nazareth did say, “Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his brother.” Granted in the context used here by me, the quotation of Christ is out of context with Hebrew teachings about killing another person. Yet my purpose of mentioning it is associated with the “honor” and “respect” of giving one’s own life for his brother or sister or people. This is another reason those who were warriors of the clan or tribe or people were always held in high honor and respect for they chose to put their lives on the line for the protection of the people.

21st Century Society . . .

We of humanity, in the 21st Century are the most vile, viscious, destructive and selfish species on the planet likely since the begining of time. We seek to control, kill or destroy that which we do not understand, accept or believe as we do. Even the most viscious of the animal kingdom does not kill its own kind even to appease it's hunger. Yet, we humans, the stewards of this planet, will kill each other for a pair of designer tennis shoes, a few ounces of a man-made chemical to alter our sense of reality, or worse for the thrill or adrenalin rush. We have no reason to be at the top of the proverbial food chain.

In fact it begins to scare me to an extent when I look at today's younger generation. These are going to be the ones in government positions making decisions about society and life when I reach my "golden years". They will be the ones in control of this country's nuclear arsenal for the defense of this country. They will be the ones required to take action should Al'Qeda, the Red Dawn, Shining Path, or other terrorist group strike the American homeland again. Yet these are the same ones today who accept no responsibility for their actions and are so quickly to point the finger of blame at someone else.

May the Creator have Mercy on humanity!

Silver Eagle

Parallels ... Toltec and Lakota

Toltec ... 2nd Agreement

Don't take anything personally ~ Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

Lakota ... Let the wind blow through you

You cannot forget what other say anymore than you cannot feel the wind when it blows. But if you learn to let the wind blow through you, you will take away its power to blow you down. If you let the words pass through you, without letting them catch on your anger or pride, you will not feel them.

commentary

Here we have two teachings or concepts by two cultures from the Americas, separated by thousands of miles, yet of almost identical concept. A concept that if not only followed but lived by has the capability to revolutionize human life. Yet a concept that is so humanly challenging to live by, because of the poison of the spoken or written word, is likely the most difficult to master.

March 16, 2006

Another thing that came to mind this morning is the teaching of Jesus to his disciples about forgiveness, which to some might be a broad reach to connect with the above Toltec and Lakota teachings. Consider Matthew 18:21-22, 35 . . .

Then Peter came to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. ... So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts frogive not every one his brother their trespasses.

The rabbis (of that time) taught that people should forgive those who offend them three times. Peter, trying to be especially generous asked Jesus if seven (the "perfect" number) was enoughtimes to forgive someone. But Jesus answered, "Seventy times seven" (the number ofeternity), meaning that we shouldn't even keep track of how many times we forgive someone. We should always forgive those who are truly repentant, no matter how many times they ask. ... Because God/Creator has forgiven all our sins, we should not withhold forgiveness from others. Realizing how completely God/Creator/Jesus/Christ has forgiven us should produce a free and generous attitude of forgiveness toward others. When we don't forgive others, we are setting ourselves outside and above Christ's law of love.

Is there a connection between this Christian scripture and the Toltec/Lakota teachings? I believe so. That connection is the "natural" progression or sequence of events, from "Letting the wind blow through you to forgiveness. For letting the wind blow through you or not taking the action of another personally, we take the "power" out of the action whatever it may be. But by forgiveness we remove from that voice within us, that small seed which could grow into a massive tree of resentment.

In various texts and teachings one will find however a divergent view pertaining to forgiveness of an action and forgetting the act. Some teach that after we forgive that we should also then forget, whereas, I am of the understanding that we do not forget, that is erase the event or action from our memory. For by "letting the wind blow through you" we have already removed the power of the event or action, and by forgiving we have expressed the nature of the Creator's love. By removing the power from the event we have made it "neutral", like the words on a page, it's just there.

In the book Black Elk Speaks, Black Elk speaks of what wisdom is, the merging of knowledge with experience, or " Knowledge + Experience = Wisdom ". Every action, event, situation, etc., that occurs in the physical world does so for a specific reason in the Creator's Plan. We cannot begin to comprehend the vastness of the Creator's Plan, so many times we question it ... Why? Much like I initially questioned the purpose behind the squirrel I named "Compassion".

Forgiveness can be in today's computer world likened to anti-virus software, protecting your computer's hard-drive from infection. In our human situation it is protecting our spirit from developing resentments. Forgetting, on the other hand can be likened to "wiping" your hard-drive clean in the process of reformating, you loose all stored information.

If I were to walk up behind you and tap you on the shoulder, then as you turned to see who tapped you, I punched you in the nose, you might eventually forgive me. Now if you were to forget that event happened, I could do it again. By forgiving me you have taken the power from the situation and made it neutral, however by NOT forgetting the experience you have gained "wisdom" to be carefull when someone taps you on the shoulder from behind, that you might get punched in the nose!

Mitakuye Oyasin,

Silver Eagle