Tonglen Practice: Turning Suffering Into Compassion...


When you run after your thoughts, you are like a dog chasing a stick: every time a stick is thrown, you run after it. Instead, be like a lion who, rather than chasing after the stick, turns to face the thrower. One only throws a stick at a lion once.

Milarepa 

“Just as it is known that an image of one's face is seen depending on a mirror but does not really exist as a face, so the conception of "I" exist dependent on mind and body, but like the image of a face the "I" does not at all exist as its own reality."   Nagarjuna 
"Thanks to impermanence, everything is possible."    Nagarjuna 
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An Up and Coming Progressive Site...

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by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Lib e rty -vs- Tyr a nny Today's blog entry is a very special entry. It is special in that it features a relatively new, yet up and coming spokesperson for the progressive minded in blogistan general. There are too few words to describe the potential impact this canine lover could have on the progressive movement. As I said there are too few words to describe this gentleman of the left. So, rather than try I will leave you with just a brief description of his talents. He is very focused on melodrama , fancies himself a sort of Sherlock Holmes , and he has an apparent obsession with misplaced periods. The volume of his thought is voluminous, and his edgy razor sharp analysis is as blunt as a hoe. But nonetheless the herculean efforts he has put forth in developing his following has been impressive. For this he deserves recognition, and from the conservative (not republican) and libertarian thinkers and bloggers a huge thank you. Check ...
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When and How Will it End?

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by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace of Independent Conservatism This is America. We are an English speaking nation. We have distinct and traditional American cultural values. We have some Americans in our population who have difficulty speaking a coherent sentence. We have many who cannot construct a complete and proper sentence. Yet we find the time and the money to educate youth in Arabic and Arabic culture. Mind you this is a Federal Grant program and limited to only five select school districts. At least for now. At a cost of 1.3 millions dollars students on these select district will be required,  you heard {read} right, required as mandatory part of their curriculum to learn Arabic. This is a blatant abuse of taxpayer money, and it is indicative of the future course our nation has embarked upon under the fuzzy, misguided, and incredibly deceitful anti leade...
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Gun Deaths By Country... Is There a Direct Correlation to Number of Firearms in Circulation?

from: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Purveyor of Truth No matter how much we argue about the details of its meaning today, in the opinion of many, the Constitution signed in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787 represents the greatest expression of statesmanship and compromise ever written. In just four hand-written pages, the Constitution gives us no less than the owners' manual to the greatest form of government the world has ever known. We have no tribal council, nor can we vote anybody off the island. But, we do live in the land of the free, and as long as the Constitution stands, we always will. Yes, the 2'nd amendment establishes the right of the nation's citizens to keep and bear arms, a right I personally agree with. When handled by responsible sensible individuals who keep there firearms and ammunition secure firearms in theory at least are as safe as knives, hatchets, axes and such. In 1787 the framers of our Constitution recognized the need for a wel...
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Are We Americans Capable of Entering Into Rational, Honest, and Productive Discusion Over Sensitive Matters?...

  Rape -  The crime of rape generally refers to non-consensual sexual intercourse that is committed by physical force , threat of injury, or other duress. Common law defined rape as unlawful intercourse by a man against a woman who is not his wife by force or threat and against her will. A sexual predator is a person seen as obtaining or trying to obtain sexual contact with another person in a metaphorically predatory or abusive manner. Pedophilia is considered a paraphilia, an "abnormal or unnatural attraction." Pedophilia is defined as the fantasy or act of sexual activity with prepubescent children. Pedophiles are usually men, and can be attracted to either or both sexes. How well they relate to adults of the opposite sex varies. Sexual harassment is bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In most modern legal contexts, sexual harassment is illegal. As defined by th...
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The Invasion Of Imposter Bloggers

by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation U S A Purveyor of Truth The internet is a wonderful place. A world of almost unlimited information and knowledge is available at a mere click of the mouse. If one has a computer, a smart phone, a notebook, or other such equipment access to a a wealth of information and facts are available in seconds. A person only need to take the time to do a bit of searching. Unfortunately the internet has a dark side as well. Individuals with a bit of knowledge and limited computer expertise can set up a site, or multiple sites and generate a lot of misinformation, total fabrications, outright lies, engage in defamation of someones character, and do it anonymously. In fact in the world of blogging it is fast becoming commonplace for unethical bloggers to set up a site, steal the avatar of another blogger, slightly change the original bloggers site names, and then go after the blogger whose positions they don't agree with. The unethical blogger's ( im...
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The Ground Zero Mosque... ADL is Right to Oppose

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By: Les Carpenter III Rational Nation USA I have maintained my pledge to generally keep the debate of religious theocratic philosophy, with all the sordid details with respect to human suffering that are part of it's history, off the pages of this sight. I can no longer do so. The proposed construction of a Mosque near Ground Zero, and the rush by the progressives to argue in support of its construction, leads me to delve into the issue, and provide a reality check for those in favor of any such construction. Just to set the record straight, because the progressives who read this will otherwise undoubtedly call me a right wing  Bible thumping fanatic, I am a believe that religion, or the lack thereof is a deeply personal issue. If there is one issue I agree with the progressives on it likely would be the issue of religion and its place in society. But I digress. The attack on the United States of America on September 11, 2001 was an a...
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Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders Rising?...

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Rational Nation U S A Purveyor of Truth Maybe the democratic primaries will shape up to be; interesting? It is looking like Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders, the independent from Vermont is getting some legs and with them some name recognition. Hillary Clinton, once the anticipated shoo in to receive the democratic nomination is finally getting some, competition? Bernie Sanders just might be the man to provide a serious challenge to Hillary who certainly has been dealing with her share of troubles stemming from the Clinton Foundation and perceived improprieties. Not to mention her less that brilliant performance as former Secretary of State. It is good for our republic when all parties have a field of candidates with divergent views and all serious candidates are able to have their views heard by the voting public. Who knows, maybe Bernie Sanders will be the 21st centuries George McGovern, the ultra liberal democrat who lost the 1972 presidential election to Richard Nixon...
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Bernie Sanders To Challenge Hillary Clinton...

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"People should not underestimate me," Sanders told the AP. "I've run outside of the two-party system, defeating Democrats and Republicans, taking on big-money candidates and, you know, I think the message that has resonated in Vermont is a message that can resonate all over this country." Rational Nation U S A Purveyor of Truth This site does not advocate for a socialist agenda or a socialist candidate. However we do believe it is healthy that Bernie Sanders is stepping up to challenge Hillary Rodham Clinton for the democratic nomination to be their standard bearer in 2016. Aside from the likelihood if Clinton's baggage were air balloons they could carry a airship around the globe Bernie Sanders is at least honest about who and what he is and that is at the very least, refreshing. Hopefully his entry into the field will encourage other qualified democratic pols to toss their hat in the ring and make a run for it. Sanders has already shown he’s not af...
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Lets Talk About Fascism...

Rational Nation USA Purveyor of Truth Fascism is typically viewed as a leftist political and economic system. This is true if leftist is to mean a strong central government with great influence on and regulation over a nation's economic maters. In other words private ownership of business exists but the government essentially establishes economic policy through over burdensome regulations. Ayn Rand and Dr. Leonard Peikoff shared a different view. Both view conservatives and republicans as drivers of our politics and government in the direction towards fascism. While conservatives and republicans typically may not push for as much regulation over the business sector they too have in the past and continue to so so today. When combined with other traits exhibited by fascism the case can be made conservatives and republicans are more likely to meet the criteria for fascism. Dr. Lawrence Britt posted the 14 Characteristics of fascism based on his study of 4 fascist regimes. B...
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Is It Time For Americans Supporting Hillary's Candidacy To Rethink Their Position?...

Rational Nation U S A Purveyor of Truth Yesterday the FBI, following a yearlong investigation of HRC's e-mails and her use of private servers, decided not to refer criminal charges to the DOJ, thus playing into the hands of the Trump campaign's claim that the system is rigged. Here, in summary, is what FBI Director Comey acknowledged. Edited for clarity. She did not, as she claimed, turn over all her work-related messages for release. Her private email server did carry classified emails, also contrary to her past statements. Clinton used many devices to send and receive email despite her statements that she set up her email system so that she only needed to carry one. The facts, uncovered by the FBI are as follows. Again edited for clarity The FBI identified at least 113 emails that passed through Clinton's server and contained materials that were classified at the time they were sent, including some that were Top Secret. Clinton has separately clung ...
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