Bleeding Hearts

Old fashioned bleeding hearts among the purple

creeping phlox - was spring so long ago?

The other day I told my husband that I wanted to go make up a T-shirt that read: "Nonaffiliated Bleeding Heart Liberal Who Can Beat Your Ass!" because I'm so sick and tired of hearing the word "liberal" as if it is a cancerous growth affixed to the heartbeat of America. I have always felt that, before all, I am a child of the Universe, a citizen of Mother Earth, a lover of Nature and a respecter of diversity. Growing up here in white-bread suburbia, I remember when I graduated high school in 1970 we had probably 2-3 black people in our school with over 700-800 in our graduating class. I don't recall too many other nationalities represented, either. Just us good old WASPs or Catholics ... that was our big split. I now live in the home I grew up in (am growing up in) and the melting pot of diversity is unbelievable ... and for the most part, I love it. I love seeing the different families in our area, with different beliefs, different clothing, different names, awesomely different foods and languages. I am someone who doesn't care if someone can speak English to live in this country, but I feel empathy for how difficult it must be to come to a strange land with hope in their hearts, not understanding what others are saying to you, being made fun of because you are made to seem "dumb" because your language is different. I guess I could say that I have become tolerant of others as I would want others to be tolerant of me. Isn't that what "Christianity" has taught? Do unto others? I believe there are many of us DOING UNTO OTHERS and being incredulous that the doing back really does reflect their own actions, for those who have eyes to see. Take the beam out of thine own eye and never mind the speck in someone else's ... isn't that a teaching also? It's so hard to watch all this political bullshit and not see these candidates or those speaking up on behalf of same as being childish and foolish, mudslinging and backbiting and clawing tooth and nail ... for the POWER of the office. The egos are undeniable, the tolerance close to zero. TEACH TOLERANCE ... that is what I would hope to have taught if I had chose to have children. I have sought to teach by example when I hear family members or good friends talking down with vile remarks, ignorant bigotries, sad commentary on reasons for hating someone. Lynch mob mentalities. And, yes, red neck so-called patriotism which, to me, just reeks of prejudices against anyone who is not like the one you see in your mirror. Look in your mirrors, people, and trying morphing into all sorts of beautiful, colorful, blessed people that serve to make the quilt of the 7? billions of peoples on this planet. Scientists keep looking for another viable planet to perhaps seed and sustain life on. I can't help but wonder if it isn't because they want to just "go away" or send others "away" when our Good Mother has been beaten down. It's not nice to fool Mother Nature! (yes, that was a dumb margarine commercial of the '60s or '70s!) It's just sad that so many don't realize that we are "all on this Ship of Fools together" and if we cannot learn to love one another, we can live our lives in turmoil and one-upsmanship, feeling others are not created quite as "special" as "we".

I have been grieving the loss of my brother for 2 yrs now. I have had writer's block and even "speaker's block" because no one wants to hear my sad little tale any more ... shit! not many wanted to hear it in the first place, though tolerated it for a little while. That is one brother, my only brother, and I have compassion for those who have lost others -- some through "war", some through accidents, some through diseases, some through hateful killings, some through divine intervention. Who knows why our brothers and sisters, mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, friends and "enemies" die? Perhaps it is a choice made by our essences before we choose to come into this world? Who the hell knows? After experiencing so much grief, my heart just feels broken and with much sorrow I watch this political arena of campaigning as people who are supposed to be highly intelligent with whatever it takes to make critical decisions that affect not only us, as citizens of our country, but other citizens all over our Mother. Can there ever be an intelligent campaign without all the bullshit? I fear it's not possible in my lifetime. I fear corruption in elections are the norm now and voters will be cast as "just not smart enough to use those darned voting machines" ie their votes shouldn't be counted, they shouldn't count, some are so much more important than others, especially us "special" white folk.

OK, here is what my old Webster's Dictionary says about the word "liberal":

"generous, ample; abundant; broad-minded, favoring reform or progress, one who favors reform or progress"

"Liberality: generosity, broad-mindedness"

"Liberate: release from slavery, enemy occupation, etc., to secure equal rights for (women, etc.)"

"Liberty: freedom from slavery, captivity, etc., a particular right, freedom, an impertinent attitude, leave given to a sailor to go ashore"

***

"Bleed: to emit or lose blood, to feel pain, grief, or sympathy, to loose sap, juice, etc."

***

"Heart: organ that circulates blood by dilation and contraction, central, vital or main part; core, the human heart considered as the center of emotions, personality attributes, a) inmost thought and feeling, b) love, sympathy, c) spirit or courage"

I claim no party affiliation, I claim Universal Citizenship, I claim that I am patriotic towards my country and have served by remembering and loving others and having compassion and empathy, I claim that my favorite color is Purple since as far back as I can remember, and I was always made fun of because of it. A friend, Rhiannon, reminded me today in her blog of a young person she had spoken with who said "why can't we get the red states and the blue states together and make a beautiful shade of purple?" and it made me remember my same exact statement at the last election (my husband can vouch for me!) that we need to come together, agree to disagree, season the melting pot stew just right so the flavors are compatible, see the blending of the red and blue as purple ... be our highest and best Divinely Human Beings and stop the insanity. The beautiful words at the base of the Statue of Liberty (there's that "L" word again) are so poignant: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, send these, the tempest tossed, to me. I lift my Light (Lamp?) etc etc" Yes! our country is overflowing with diversity. Perhaps our "founding fathers" never imagined in a trillion years (latest monetary word being referred to now--trillion!) that it would be this way, but perhaps the indigenous peoples of these North Americas never imagined seeing all those white faces, either. So, you see, saying "all wo/men are created equal" are only words if no one can ever truly believe in it.

I am a grieving Bleeding Heart Liberal... and I am proud of that. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. God bless America, however that Entity/Energy dwells in your being, in your heart, and God/dess bless Mother Earth, the Universe and, as Buzz Lightyear would have it................BEYOND.

I am SisSTAR Kylita and I have approved this message,

With LOVE!

XOXOXO