In the daily metta practice with which I start my meditation, I reiterate the wish to be free from animosity. It's easy enough when it comes to those I like, and with whom I generally agree; the hard part is with the people I dislike, and those with whom I disagree. They include, most recently, the politicians who have in my own view seemed bent on destroying this country. The dharma teaches me, wisely and I think correctly, that the animosity that arises serves only to introduce toxin into my own veins. It certainly does nothing to change those against whom it is directed.
These thoughts were stirred in part by the comment to
my entry in The Buddha Diaries yesterday. I was writing about gratitude, concluding with a note about the surprise and plucky appearance of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords to cast her vote on the debt ceiling bill in the House of Representatives, and my gratitude to her for reminding me of the importance of the vote. Not a word about Obama. But my entry somehow triggered the response you'll find if you check in
the comments section, filled with anger directed at "Obama the Eunuch."
I was aware of my own distress as I read and re-read the comment. Some of it came from that part of me that is uncomfortably close to agreement with the content of the writer's argument. It's clear that Obama has been weakened by the unmitigated hostility and adamant rejection with which every part of the agenda on which he was elected has been opposed. It has been relentless and unappeasable, from his first day in office. In my view--perhaps incorrectly--there are many of his supporters who have allowed themselves to be swept up in that hostility, too readily co-opted by the powerful tide of rejectionist action and propaganda. With the erosion of support on his own side, he becomes still more exposed and vulnerable. As I've written before, we on the left, who have learned to distrust authority whatever its source, are prone to the heady delights of king-killing.
That's my view. I find that I hold on to it even more tightly when I myself feel the beginnings of mistrust in it; or, particularly, when I feel it under attack. I pull back in, defensive. Intended or not as such, my correspondent's initial sarcasm and subsequent anger felt like personal animosity, and I withdrew into my shell to mull over its implications. This morning, as I suggested, I paid more than usual attention to my own animosities. I did my best to observe them and then let them go, along with the anger that accompanies them.
I was wondering aloud, at the Buddhist Geeks conference just a few days ago, whether anger ever serves a useful purpose. I believe it can, when it is directed with clear intention and used skillfully; to do so, I must understand what part of the anger is about me, and what part is genuinely about the injustice or malpractice that aroused it. Warrior energy is a necessary part of political action--see Sun Tzu's "The Art of War"--but used indiscriminately and tainted by personal animosity, it can be counter-productive.
The image of a solitary Obama signing a bill which clearly fell far short of his objectives--and equally short of my own sense of what is needed in our current economic crisis--filled me with sadness for both the man and the country that he seeks to serve. He is the target of so many millions of deeply divisive projections that he can scarcely hope to live up to more than a handful of them. There are those, of course, many, who wish him nothing but ill. And there are those, many, who feel that he has let them down; that he is not the man they took him for. I'm only surprised that he manages to tolerate with a semblance of grace the generous heapings of scorn that are dumped on him from both left and right.
I personally think that this would be a good time for us all to take a thoughtful look at our projections: if we think of Obama as the mirror, what is it that we see about ourselves when we look at him? The projection of blame is too easy an answer for our troubles. We have our own share of responsibility for the dreadful mess in which the country finds itself. As another correspondent wrote to me in an email today, "I'm highly disgusted with what's going on in Congress right now, [but] I have to keep reminding myself that we DO live in a democracy, don't we?"
We do. Well, I sometimes think rather that we live in an oligarchy that survives by successfully disguising itself as a democracy (I first typed "demoncracy"!) But, yes, we do. So we do not further our cause by trying to wish away or ignore the existence of the deep and powerful strain of conservatism that has been changing the balance of the American political system, not just in Obama's time but, with increasing power, these past several decades. Like it or not (I don't!), it's impossible to move in any direction without taking it into account. All very well to stand by and jeer at Obama's perceived lack of leadership from the sidelines. He's trying to quarterback a team that plays by the rules of human decency and fairness against bunch of steroid-powered thugs who don't care what tactics they use--or how many injuries are incurred--so long as they dominate the game. (Is this animosity? Or simple realism?)
I know that I'm in a growing minority in a cacophony of voices noisier and I'm sure far more effective than my own. I suspect, though, in a less demonstrable way, that I may be a part of a new "silent majority" that continues to support the President despite the ferocity of the attack. I will not yet surrender the "I Back Barack" bumper sticker on my car. Nor will I cease sending daily wishes of good will to both him and his opponents. And the same to my "anonymous" correspondent, whom I thank for challenging me to think again, again. I send out metta in full consciousness of the adverse circumstance, if only to preserve my own health, and sanity, and self-respect! May all beings be free from animosity...
i don't feel animosity because he has failed. i feel unsatisfied because i believed he would do more to fight for his own agenda...the one he said he stood for... when we voted him into office.
i am disappointed, not filled with animosity --just hope...less. and that isn't change...
Considering the recalcitrant right and wishy-washy left I'm not sure what people expect the President to do. Yell? Scream? Then get nothing done? The strategy on the right is obvious. They have no shame in their determination to destroy this president even voting against their own bills. So if compromising with them still garners little, what is the President, who represents 1/3 of our govt, supposed to do? The cat-herd dems are a scattered mess. How is he supposed to get legislation through save going to congress and staking the lot of them?
I'm with you, not silent, but unheard.
And Rick Perry was my governor. Oh, lord.
Fanned you are.
Listen to 'Masters of War' and you will see what Obama and the electorate really face in their attempts to bring about 'Change'.
www.politifact.com
That said, Pres. Obama did not make it clear to his voters that he needed them to get out the vote, vote, vote straight Democratic ticket, and do it again in the mid-term elections. Many "Obama voters" in 2008 voted only for him. If they'd voted a straight Democratic ticket, the President would have had more power and leverage. But hey, you aren't going to get it if you don't ask for it.
The (highly likely unconstitutional) government-mandated purchase of a private sector product, i.e., health care insurance, is not right of center. It's left as hell. And it was his own Dem Blue Dog conservatives who obstructed its passage to the point of having to be bribed to get it through.
Obama's been selling out since the seventh week of his presidency, when he obediently chucked the public option under the bus, as ordered by the insurance lobbyis, in exchange for er helping to get his "historic" (read: legacy-making) HCR passed. Obama — an ace bullshoot artist — has always been about Obama. I don't know how long it's gonna take liberals to see that. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PwqSCJmbxk
Republican opposition has been shameless, craven, unprincipled, partisan hackery.
http://www.clicker.com/tv/the-rachel-maddow-show/shameless-craven-unprincipled-partisan-hackery-1930739/
My question is: "If they'd oppose the President no matter what, why not do the right thing?"
"It happened on his watch".
Obama gave warnings, he cajoled, he explained and he sought to bring the parties together, but for naught. And the Republicans have made it clear that they like this kind of "brinksmanship."
What was it McConnell said? "We have learned that it is a hostage worth ransoming."
And that's why they cannot be expected to do the right thing.
Can you blame the leader? Most seem to. But is it deserved?
No.
Democrats had a clear choice between Kucinich who has proven willing to fight and the compromiser/prevaricator we now have.
If Dems have buyer's remorse they have themselves to blame.
But you blame him for the Dish?
This while true on the face of it ignores that fact that candidate Obama proved to be vastly different than President Obama. We're not talking about a few promises not kept. We're talking about a complete reversal. The wars, the patriot act, wall street reform, real health care reform, support for social security, medicare and medicaid.
"We ought to show something greater than forgiveness in meeting the cruelties and strictures in our lives. To be hurt and forgive is saintly, but far beyond this is the power to comprehend and not be hurt."-Bahiyyih Khanum
1. Many, many people in this country will not consider any religious teaching other than their (misunderstood) Christian dogmas.
2. Many, many people in this country will not see the current president as inspiration. In fact, they won't look at a bl@ck man cross-eyed, much less a bl@ck Democrat.
2. May I ask why you see Obama as an inspiration, other than the fact that he managed to live the American dream and become the first black President?
How is it inspirational to betray those who supported you?
How is it inspirational to break promises you've made?
How is it inspirational to refuse to stand up for your principles under pressure?
Please understand that my intention is not to appear hostile toward you! I truly wish to know why you view Obama as inspirational.