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Yes, it is awful. I keep thinking this is a nightmare and we are all going to wake up and realize it didn't really happen =( But, sadly, it did and my biggest concern is also that media is going to go on to the next thing, and like a herd of sheep, people will follow and this will get forgotten about.
Gassho,
Joyo
sat today/lahComment
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I already read in one of the big UK papers this morning that they were stopping their coverage (obviously they think the story is over). I found this article from 5 days ago with a list of advocacy organisations, most of which offer legal support to immigrants. Obviously it's a bit out of date now but the list of organisations might be useful. I think it's a lot of the same ones you mention, Shoka, but there are links to donate and links to the websites https://www.refinery29.com/2018/06/2...parated-border
Also Alyssa Milano has just offered to foster an immigrant child and support them through the process of being reunited with parents. At least this kind of action might keep it in the news.
Gassho
Eishuu
ST/LAHComment
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There’s still coverage going on here, CNN has a big story about the issue of getting these children reunited with their parents. It’s inevitable that coverage will fade, though. Poor Puerto Rico got wiped off the map and everyone forgot.
Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH
Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkComment
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If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, you may be interested in participating in this.
On Saturday July 7th, Green Gulch Sangha (part of San Francisco Zen Center) will be sitting zazen as a vigil at the Richmond ICE detention center. More info: http://blogs.sfzc.org/blog/2018/06/2...h-hosts-vigil/
Saturday, July 7
West County Detention Facility, 5555 Giant Hwy, Richmond, CA 94806
9:30 am – 10:30 am — Zazen
11 am – noon — Ceremonies, Teachings, and Testimonials
I plan on attending.
Gassho.
No merit. Vast emptiness; nothing holy. I don't know.Comment
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My son and I went to the #FamiliesBelongTogetherMarch in front of our congressman's office today. We considered going to one of the large marches in Richmond or DC, but opted instead for something closer to home where it would be very difficult to be dismissed as "paid protesters" or "fake news".
I was not sure what to expect in a sleepy little town in rural Virginia, but was pleasantly surprised that 50 or 60 people showed up to sing, laugh, chant, and wave signs and flags in the 94F (34C) sun. A few people who were not able to "march" for medical reasons stopped by with ice, water, and to support others.
Response from passers-by was mostly positive; a few hundred honks and cheers of support, maybe a dozen negative shouts, one "coal rolling" truck smoked the crowd, and and one guy doubled back through town a few times to make rude hand-gestures from his Harley.
On the way home my son was positively beaming. While at the march, everyone we met was smiling. There is a teaching in that I think. *It feels good to do good.* It might be scary and your voice might shake, but when you take action in the world with the intention of helping others: you'll feel good.
My son wants to do more. He has already signed up to help out in our local community in some other ways. And I think there is a teaching in that too. Sometimes we read about events that break our hearts and we do not see a way that we can help. *Every harmless and beneficial action is worth taking.* When the heart calls for action -- take action, even if it does not directly help with the issue that awakened the heart original. Sometimes we hear of a terrible tragedy that happens on the other side of the world and it seems there is little we can do to help those affected. The desire to help is our Bodhisattva nature, and we should listen to it and nurture it however we can. Help one being to help all beings.
At least thats how I see it this evening.
Deep bows,
Sekishi
#sat #lah
FamiliesTOgether-2018-06-30_14-40-33.jpgSekishi | 石志 | He/him | Better with a grain of salt, but best ignored entirely.Comment
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That is awesome Sekishi. Thank you so much for sharing.
Gassho, Shinshi
SaT-LaH空道 心志 Kudo Shinshi
For Zen students a weed is a treasure. With this attitude, whatever you do, life becomes an art.
— Shunryu Suzuki
E84I - JAJComment
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Nice work Sekishi and son. =)
Gassho
Shingen
Sat/LAHComment
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My daughter and I attended a local march here in California today. We also skipped the big rallies in San Francisco and Oakland, opting for a local rally in Concord, CA. It was hot, but there were over 1,000 people in attendance. Lots of organizers and politicians gave speeches and it was a super energetic crowd. My daughter was absolutely thrilled to see so many people who cared about this issue as much as she does.
Same. My daughter just could not stop smiling all the way home on BART. It was so encouraging for me, as it's been a tough week of news for this country.On the way home my son was positively beaming. While at the march, everyone we met was smiling. There is a teaching in that I think. *It feels good to do good.*
Image 2018-06-30_21-45-00-560.pngLast edited by Ryushi; 07-01-2018, 05:00 AM.
No merit. Vast emptiness; nothing holy. I don't know.Comment
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Well done, you guys. <3
Gassho, sat today, lah求道芸化 Kyūdō Geika
I am just a priest-in-training, please do not take anything I say as a teaching.Comment
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I am going to place these links here to a recent trilogy by a respected podcast from the US public radio show, "Radiolab." It is stunning, it is heartbreaking. Most importantly, it expresses how complicated these issues are, without simple right or wrong answers sometimes.
Yes, I feel that separating family, parents and small children, is so clearly wrong that it needed to be protested and stopped. However, the question of illegal immigration itself, and how to deal with it, is the bigger question with no easy answers. This program explains why. The bottom line is the preservation of life, as our Precepts guide us to seek. This program describes tens of thousands of deaths due to a combination of (1) desperate people, mostly for economic reasons although some to escape gang violence and persecution, willing to do almost anything for a chance at a better life, combined with (2) government border policies that were so effective at the "easier" (none are easy) crossing points, thus forcing people to walk through the deserts and mountains, a trip many do not survive. The policies have also increased the role of "coyote" smugglers, who often physically abuse the people they are leading. What happened is that tightening restrictions caused people to come the hardest ways. I will be frank, it almost (emphasis on almost!) made me think at one point "the Wall might not be a bad idea if it completely stops crossing all along the border (it would not, as the show makes clear) because then we could replace this madness with a rational system of admission that would save lives."
I suppose my point is that easing or tightening enforcement and restrictions in one way has effects, many unexpected and life threatening, in other sometimes unseen ways. Great caution is required.
For that reason, opinions can vary among good Buddhists. I do not think that we can say the the Precepts and Compassion lead us particularly to x or y policy stance on this question. While I believe that separating children and parents is wrong, I also believe that a radical reformation of this system is required. I believe that these poor people should not be subject to violence and economic injustice back home. I believe that as many good people as possible should be given a chance to contribute to American (and, where similar situations exist, European and Japanese) society. Policies need to be developed which bring order to the system, while not encouraging people to make these horrible and life threatening treks. I am not sure what those policies are, and hope our supposed "leaders" of both parties put the politics aside and develop some workable policies. Thus, I am not willing to officially say at this point that "Buddhists" or "our Sangha" must believe x or y about immigration policy apart from the most basic stance that (1) separating families is wrong, (2) we must do all we can to preserve life, (3) we must continue to work for a world where so many people do not have to live in economic deprivation and subject to violence, (4) there must be developed some rational policy to thread this needle by our leaders. For example, I have recently heard the voices of good and caring Buddhists, some living near border areas such as California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, who say that things are not so simple.
You can listen online or download as an MP3. Be warned that some of the descriptions, including of the biology of death in the desert and what happens to corpses to cause them to almost vanish, as well as sexual assaults, may be difficult for sensitive listeners.
Border Trilogy Part 1: Hole in the Fence
Border Trilogy Part 2: Hold the Line
Border Trilogy Part 3: What Remains
Personally, I would like to find a way to stop people crossing through the desert and dying, while bringing them some relief in their home countries from poverty and violence, combined with a rational system of admissions. European, Japanese and American workers worried about their own jobs and wages in the face of competition also must be listened to, as well as economists who speak of the mixed positive and negative effects of immigration on domestic economies. Right now, doing all that seems almost impossible. It almost seems that we must pick among priorities.
I will say that in the Buddha's day, there were also terrible cases of famine and war, mass migrations and kingdoms which built walls and castles to protect their territories. I don't believe that the Buddha himself came up with one "Buddhist solution" except to say that this world, Samsara, is a place of suffering beyond fixing. Bodhidharma crossed mountains and seas to come from the west. I still don't know why.
Gassho, JLast edited by Jundo; 07-02-2018, 01:22 AM.ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLEComment
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Gassho Jundo. This like all issues is not black and white but a nice gray. This is a highly complex issue that does not have an easy fix solution.
James F
Sat
Sent from my SM-G920V using TapatalkComment
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Thank you for posting these Jundo.
Yesterday I avoided a confrontational discussion with my wife’s opinionated uncle on this topic. We were talking about something else and the topic of separating parents from children at the border came up. I was told “you don’t understand the situation”. I was about to respond but then decided better of it. Surprisingly he also let it go.
I do believe that no matter the reason it is wrong to separate the children from their parents. Even if some kids are being used by drug traffickers or whatever this is a case where you error on the side of keeping families together BUT I do recognize that this a complicated issue with lots of grey.
I’ll take some time to educate myself more on this issue
Tairin
Sat today.泰林 - Tai Rin - Peaceful WoodsComment
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Thank you Jundo for your teachings. I found that post really insightful and I appreciate the links.
Not only are the problems incredibly complex - our current political landscape seems to be such that issues are only addressed only in the simplest terms. Complex issues are reduced to some meaningless slogan. And then the slogan is used to create policy - completely ignoring the underlying issues.
Gassho, Shinshi
SaT-LaH空道 心志 Kudo Shinshi
For Zen students a weed is a treasure. With this attitude, whatever you do, life becomes an art.
— Shunryu Suzuki
E84I - JAJComment
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