New Fall: New School Year

Hello All!

As we have just experienced the academic lull of the summer, I am pleased to say that the new academic year has just kicked off so there should be new material floating onto the Praxivism blog.

The Praxivists who will be at Marist this fall have informed me that they are planning to keep things up. So I will be pushing them (mostly Sam) to keep the blog flowing.

I myself will be spending the semester in Firenze, Italia. So I will be publishing things about my trip such as interesting stories, pictures, or poems. I also plan on continuing to write op-ed pieces for Marist's newspaper so I will publish them here as well when I write them.

Ci vediamo!
-mike

Thank Yous and Goodbyes

Today is the last day of finals week which means it is the offical end of the Spring 2009 semester. This semester was one of the best for the Marist Praxis Project in recent memory. Together we were able to accomplish so much in such a short amount of time. For that, I would like to thank everyone who has been involved with the project this year for making it such a great year. I would also like to give our departing seniors a special spot light, because each one of them left something special behind that we will continue on with.



Anthony

This past year, Anthony served as the Assistant to the Public Praxis Project. During this year, Anth became the spiritual leader of the Praxivists. From his many meditiations he gave to the class and to the group to the countless conversations he has had with everyone, Anth's influence and spirit will always be with us. He was a calming spirit, a rallying spirit, he is my very good friend. Under his guidance, the Praxis Project reached heights that will not be soon met. As a parting gift, Dr. Mar gave Anth a walking stick with his name carved into the side, so that he could move on his path of life in style. As noted by Carola, "He looks like a Tibetan monk [with the stick]."

We will all miss Anthony and I wish him the best with the road ahead of him. Hopefully soon our paths will cross again.


Colleen


Colleen is one of our most veteran Praxivists. She would frequently collaborate with others and her involvement would almost guarantee the project would be successful. Most recently, Colleen helped run the Coffee House for Peace and Justice and has been advocating and informing students about alternative post-graduation options. She also worked with some other students on the Forum on Homelessness earlier in the month.

Colleen will truly be missed and the Praxis Project and the Praxivists is losing not only a great person but also a good friend. Thanks for everything you've done for the project.


Lauren


Although Lauren only discovered the Praxivists at the beginning of this past semester, she contributed with the passion and frequency of a veteran Praxivist. As a Vegan, Lauren took up projects relating to ending animal cruelty and alternative food options. She worked with organizations such as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and the Veggie Fund which provides money for vegans to buy food for vegan events.

Thanks to Lauren, we all need to think twice about what we eat, and I'm sure she wouldn't have it any other way. Thanks so much for working with us Lauren, you are our Vegan Goddess.



Thanks to everyone
Peace and Love
-mike

Poem: Meta-morph-praxis

I am ignorance
un-aware.
I do not care because
there is they and
here is me,
false-self, self, self,
and on
you I’ll pee.

Stratified divided,
un-united,
inside the closet’s where
I reside in.

Bright bright light consumes
me in my darkroom
this is expoooosuuuure
to perceived others
suuuufferrrrrs,
so I
can’t live ignorant
Annny lonnnnnnnger.

Inside a fire
begins to start, in-
side my heart it
is compassion. Now,
love in action is
what is hapnin.’

Monies, countries, and enemies…
illusions
are you separations!
The truth indeed is
self as we so
o-bese e-go
has, got to go!
Adios!
You are killer
as Killer coke
Killer cola!



And hola
Righteous Selflessness.
I exper-i-ence
mystical
unity
one-ness.

One heart.
One Love.
Solidarity.

For getting together-ness
and
feeling alright-ness,

for the increasing of happiness
and the lessening of suffering,

for brotherhood,
for sisterhood,
and all that is good,

lets search for alternatives
so that
life can live, with
co-existent co-operation.

For the healing of the nations,

Come on and, lets
liberate liberation

Let her free
Let her see
Let her be

-Anthony

Recap: Praxis Forum

This past Thursday, April 30, the Marist Public Praxis Project held our annual forum. Featured at the forum were students who presented their projects from this semester, original poetry, songs, and spiritual meditations. This year has been particularly productive for the praxivists as we truly had an amazing collection of people who had one common objective, to make a difference. As Dr. Mar put it, “you were Awesome yesterday, today, and throughout the term with all your projects, and writing, editing, blogging, researching, critiquing, reflecting, journaling, singing, dancing, creating poetry, drawing, mentoring, instructing, fundraising, photographing, videotaping, sharing clips, offering meditations.” Attached are some pictures of the Praxis forum, I only hope in the coming years we can come near what we’ve accomplished this year. -mike



Anthony giving opening remarks.


Dr. Bruce Luske giving a short lecture about spirituality and praxis.


Cara singing and playing her guitar.


Alanna talking about her involvement in the Kolkata Children's Project.


Emily presenting about the ESL program she and Cass Rosado run for Marist's Hispanic employees.


Carola reading her poem about the effects of taking down trees.


Lauren talking about her experiences as a vegan.


Andy reciting some original poetry.


Mike speaking about the Nobel Peace Prize booklet and his refugee project which also took place on April 30.


Sam describing her project where she measured the importance of hugs.


Kasey, Joe, and Nicole presenting their project at the forum. They are doing fundraisers for the Kolkata Children's Fund as Mar and Alanna are traveling there soon.


Dr. Mar giving closing remarks at the forum.

Holocaust Rememberence Program

On April 16, the Praxivists attended Marist's annual Holocaust Remembrance Program featuring speaker Ed Lessing a Holocaust "escapee" from Holland. The Praxivists painted a mural of the "arc of justice" which is depicted in a few pictures below. Here are some other pictures of the event as well. -mike



Top left: Professor Mar discussing some of the principles of justice. Top right: The Praxis I/II class listening to Professor Mar. Middle left: A picture of the mural made by the Praxivists. Middle right: Mural painters Colleen, Anthony, and Mike. (Kelly not pictured). Bottom: Andy and Mike hamming it up a bit.

The Civil Disobedience of Henry David Thoreau Blossoming Gandhi-an Satyagraha

Coined by Gandhi in Africa, to describe the non-violent, civil disobedient, independence movement in India, “Satyagraha” is truth-force. Seeking and teaching. The soul-force. Spirit invisible. Roots of the fruits are self-discipline, self-control, and self-purification. Con-version not co-ercion . Transformation and Liberation… all of wrongdoers. “Satyagrahi’s” are fearless lovers. Self-suffer-ers and self-sacrifice-ers. Evil eradicators. Community servers and unjust authority resisters.

In the words of Gandhi…”Why, of course I read Thoreau.” “I actually took the name of my movement from Thoreau’s essay, ‘On the Duty of Civil Disobedience.’

Thoreau and Gandhi… similar-ly rejected, and protested, and criticized interpretations of the Hindu Bible, The Gita, as a means for violence justification. Reading them often, in prison, in his newspaper, called Indian Opinion, Thoreau’s words spoke deeply to Gandhi. Impressively. Enormously. Inspirationally. Thoreau was one who also entered jail willingly, “for the sake of his principles and suffering humanity.” Thoreau philosophized that the true place for a just man is also in prison, under a government, which imprisons unjustly. Divinely, it is our duty, to resist against oppression, slavery and robbery. We should all realize this responsibility, then pledge ourselves independently. Let us not have, any longer, such evil-ous machinery.

Gandhi teaches us that being in jail is “of one’s good fortune” and in good name of one’s country and one’s religion. Going to jail is a season, for undergoing suffering, a place for fasting. For Reading, and writing. Meditation and reflection. Ultimate happiness in privation. Opportunistically a time for the purpose of perceiving the machine from a different perception.

For Gandhi, Henri. David Thorreau was a man who’s beliefs he practiced, guided by his consciousness, who confirmed the effectiveness, of societal and governmental defiance, non-violence, and non-cooperative, unjust law resistant, civil, disobedience. Thoreau was Gandhi’s encouragement, his nourish-ment for the move-ment, for the Salt March, that in flower-nature blossom, manifested… India’s Independence.

Introducing (however late it may be) the Praxis Mural

So this is far overdue, but I finally have a good picture of the mural to post. This is our Praxis Mural which we completed way back on February 10. Take a good look at it! -mike

Article: Shunning His Holiness

Another article written for Marist College's weekly The Circle. It should be out on campus March 26.

It saddens my heart to hear that the South African government will not allow the Dalai Lama to participate in a peace conference in Johannesburg. In a statement, the South African government wrote that they did not want to stress their relations with China, an important economic ally to the country. Although it is difficult for the country to rectify its role as a leader of the developing world, I would expect better from their government.

Although South Africa has only been a democracy for 15 years, they have demonstrated great pragmatism in the field of human rights and peace. As the spiritual leader of millions of conflict ridden people and one of the most respected peace advocates in the world, the Dalai Lama is the symbol of harmony and hope in the world; barring him from participating in the conference would be a distinct step back for South Africa.

This decision on the part of the South African government is being described by some solely as a “business” decision. This is quite clear as the South African government is engaging in a very poor attempt to please the Chinese government, one of South Africa’s largest trading allies. As a nation that has overcome so much oppression and segregation, South Africa should understand the importance of peace.

Many Nobel peace laureates who were planning on attending the conference are now planning on not attending because of the absence of his holiness. Desmond Tutu, the former archbishop of Cape Town and a Nobel peace laureate, is one of the absentees who was quoted in saying that excluding the Dalai Lama is “disgraceful.”

One issue that is clearly not being addressed here is that peace is not something that a government can deny on the basis of business. Although the Dalai Lama advocates for a free Tibet, it doesn’t mean that he is going to slander the Chinese government during the conference nor does it mean that South Africa’s relationship with China is going to be jeopardized.

More than anything else in the world now, peace is something that we should all be striving for. Through all the turmoil of the global society, with the interconnectedness of the world becoming ever clearer, peace is becoming more of a necessity. Excluding his holiness from the proceedings at this conference is not going to achieve any additional positive outcome for the world.

We will only achieve peace if we all strive for its attainment, people and government.

-mike

Reflection: Kagyu Blizzard Iron Wind Trip

03.02.2008.

Today there were cancellations of both work and classes. I interpreted this as a signaling to embark in journey to Kagyu. Through blizzard-ing snows and iron winds, long strides I took, fast-paced, in admiration of extreme elements. SPIRIT WIND. Breath is strength today. White particle movement reveals before me air. Resembles the cosmos.. I experience gratitude. I experience suffering. There exists an Arjuna in nature, inner battle occurring inside of me. It is paralleling of external real situations.

Balancers of experience. We are all seekers of happiness. We are all avoiders of suffering and pain.

Scarf frozen attached to the grown, unkempt beard hairs of my face. I am indoors! I come for refuge! Meet-ed and greeted. Loose green tea defrosts, un-thaws my weathered bodily surfaces and regions.

Monastery is filled with monks and nuns pouring into lamps heated butter, in the liquid state, for an EMPOWERMENT retreat, as an offering to Buddha. How aromatic, merit-ous, peaceful of a practice. Thousands are filled for future ceremonial purposes. Placed within racked shelving, butter solidifies slowly at a temperature, considered “room.”

Cleaned up the messes. Then Lekshi, Orrin, and I all ate walnut and crystallized ginger cake. Taste sensual delicacy. Sharings of wisdom and laughter. When no more was left, Orrin and I left, for the barn house, for more tea warmth, and conversation deeply.

Small bedrooms promote intimacy. Insight upon insight. Consciousness expansion…

We cry heavily when born into this world. Every orifice development is abundant with pains. This is life essence. Enlightenment is sought for the transcending of “samsara”, the endless cycle of death and rebirth, a.k.a. suffering. This realized however, life experience is not strictly suffering, with many joys and meaningful growths are to be had, in this very lifetime.

We can emulate the way of the “bodhisattva” by renouncing our own peace vow to work for the liberation of all beings, eventually attaining ENLIGHTENMENT, but being so to speak, “the last to enter into its door.” We awaken our minds, and become rooted in solid ground. This way, when we attempt to help liberate others from their drowning into spiraling quick sands, we will better be able when not in spiraling quick sands ourselves.

In coexisting interdependently among others, all help in the fundamental understanding of “us” as individuals, and “us” as we are collective. Saints, lovers, healers… killers, rape-ers, drug junkies, material chasers, and being harmers. We are all the opportunity for us all to practice our practice with. Our PRAXIS with. All are vehicles. All are helping in the ELEVATION OF CONSCIOUSNESS. Helped by all we understand. INTER-CONECTEDNESS. Ego, BIG I dissolvent. One-ness. Bliss.

Suffering inevitable.
All beings
suffering on and off
inescape-ably.
We all ought to be understanding of all others,
of their suffering.

For being a sufferer myself,
I intend to practice
and intent to cultivate
patience,
understanding,
compassion,
and love onto others,
onto which
are in many various forms suffering,
spectrum-ing
from
radically differing,
to mirroring
similarly
alike.

-anthony

MadLib: Praxivist Warrior

Anthony, Sam, and Mike did this MadLib about their praxivist friend Jaimee who is studying abroad this semester. All the additions are in green!...

Jaimee DePompeo is no joke, a praxivist warrior. When her consciousness became aware about Food Not Bombs she fasted for four-hundred and twelve trillion days. She arised compassion in many others, and even became skinnier than Gandhi did. When Docter Mar showed her a short about Thoreau she became graciously inspired. So much so, that she dumpster-dived an elephant sized wood just so she could spread the message “Resist Mc-Domination!” all over this land. Change manifested. It blossomed like a sun flower. Separate became unity. Beauty in her, radiated outward, and happily ever after, liberated in laughter, THE ENTIRE KINGDOM CREATURE COMMUNITY. So next time you see this prophet in person, give her a hug or a high-ten. Heighten and enlighten. All right then!

Peace
-Anthony
-Mike
-Sam

Article: The new wave of Liberalism

This is an article I wrote for Marist College's newspaper The Circle and is due out on campus Thursday February 26. Enjoy...



With all the ideological struggle in America over the alleged culture war, it seems natural for there to be massive backlash by the political right in response to the changes Mr. Obama is attempting to push through in Washington. But the change from conservatism to liberalism is nothing new, particularly in American politics. What we may see now, though, is a general shift in public opinion and governmental policy that will reflect a more liberal model.

It isn’t too much out of the ordinary to see minor sways in the government’s policy nor is it uncommon to see slight changes in public opinion over the course of 20 years or so. What is major is seeing a complete realignment of public opinion to another ideology. This type of massive shift is usually a result of massive social and political unrest. We saw this with the election of Roosevelt in 1932 and the election of Reagan in 1980, the public changed their political alignment towards another political view based on economic hardship.

Now we are confronted with a new scenario: was the election of Obama a response against the conservative America built by Reagan, Gingrich, and the Bushes? This is a possibility. It seems as though the voting public dramatically swayed towards liberalism and, in doing so, gave the Democrats a mandate to try out their policy. Pundits have been noting that it seems as though America is fed up with the conservative economic and foreign policy of the previous administrations including Clinton.

The issue now is to what extent is the government going to liberalize. I find it hard to believe that the government will sway as drastically left as conservative pundits are speculating. Although the conservatives are worried about the extent to which the government will liberalize, they must allow Obama to try out his policies to try and better America

It is time for welfare reforms, to increase funding into education, and to mend one of the most tattered healthcare systems in the industrialized world. Who knows? We may even catch up to Europe in our quality of healthcare. We may even catch up to Cuba!

The conservatives have had their opportunity to lead the country, they have been doing so for the last 28 years. Now it is liberals turn to try and run the country with their policies. Trends dictate that within the next 20 years – if Obama succeeds in leading the new liberal movement – there will be a transition back to conservative politics.

I would like to close this article with a quote from conservative columnist Bill Kristol: “Liberalism’s fate rests to an astonishing degree on Obama’s shoulders. If he governs successfully, we’re in a new political era.”

-mike

Poem: Observations through glass

Looking into the world through the
Safety of glass encasement allows one
To see the world as it is, unbridled
From the worst and simplistic as to
Only view motion.
I see (a):
Woman running, sleek and slender moving
Easily as each step allows for another
Spring forward.
Friends walking along a path moving toward
A shared destiny as each step brings
Them closer to me, or further away?
Trees gently rustling in the breeze
Swayed by nothing more than nature
Existing, for no purpose?
River gently flowing pushing along its
Contents without purpose propelled by
Nature’s currents.
Snow dripping away into the soil without
Concern to what it has been or where
It is going or what affect it has.

The observations show me that
Things change naturally with fluidity
And foster positive outcome. Things
Created by sudden occurrences are formed
From malice and the unintentional and are
Not meant to be emulated.

Change comes with
Ease and Peace.

-mike

Lesson is “The Roots of War”…

Consciousness is collective
The president is us
We are responsible in our
Support for love and understanding
We cannot be supporting
Of violence, hatred, anger, or fear
War causes suffering unto everyone
Its wounds are deep
In our souls
Is war
In us is toxicity
Society has become infected with illness
Not being happy enough
We need to begin with practicing
Peace, joy, and happiness,
Mindfulness within ourselves
Being in touch
With what is refreshing
And healing inside all around
Will transform the seeds of war
Within us collectively
By perceiving and doing
We influence others
Transformation
Is possible
We are all co-responsible

What we fill society with
Manifests into
What is inside society

-anthony

Poem: energy, flow

Solitude in wisdom, energy in flow.

We are the observers of the flow
Bearing witness to the constant
Moving of the people wrought by
Time and forced into observance.
We know not what we see for
Believing what is unknown is the
Folly of the believer and the
Knowledge of the thinker is to
Know that nothing is definite and
That finite particles can mean the
World or nothing at all.
We are the keepers of the gate,
Those who allow energy to
Flow and the guardians of what
May seem right but only truly
Express self-interest and offer
Nothing but the gentle rise of
Personal ego letting wind to the
Fruitless nature of passionless action.
We are all part of one, cog wheels in
The motion of life ticking in unison to
Strive for what ought to be and to
Berid this planet of what shouldn't;
That which is unfortunate was never a
Friend of us but we need not hold
Disdain towards things, objects that we
Cannot necessarily control as they are
Meant to be, meant to be wrong?
Nothing is inherently wrong, simply
Misguided by negative principals or
Strung about by mantra and partisanship.
We must accept the word of another to
Realize that we are truly citizens on a
Ship, a vessel known as a planet, the
Celestial body that we hold and too often
Ruin out of greed and want and other
Misguided principals.

It is our obligation to right that
Has become wrong and to strive for
A better planet to inhabit, to
Advocate for the truly ideal, to
Become Citizens.

-mike
note: the picture before this poem was taken by me while I was in South Africa in the countryside an few hours outside of Durban.

Poem: Citizen Ship

Soul journeying
Across universe’s space
Inter-depend-ed
On inter-connections
We are citizens
In a ship

Harmless
Standing under
So that others uplift-ed
How high they are shining
On us they are sun

Love one
Teach one
See one another
As one

Help all others
For the benefit of all beings
The conscious-ness
The cultural collective
Spiritual village

Humans
Right and left ten fingers in unity
We as privileged members giving back in society
Response-ing
Able-ly and willing-ly

Theraputical remedies
Healing inner and outer
Natures in need

Pollinate harmony
Pure waters
Disobeying-ly
Cease hell fire civilly

The force
The source
Positive energy
The creative ingredient
That disrupts injustice

In-volve
En-gage
En-lighten
Inter-be

Seek Truth
Speak Truth
Act Truth accordingly
Publicly
Non-violently
Like Jesus
Like King
Nhat Hanh
And Gandhi
Being the change that you wish to see

Reuse
Reduce
Recycle
Respect
Repair
The world

Change her
Care for her
Pour local
And global
Community all over her
Be a vessel
For spreading the light
Get up, get out,
And stand up for your rights

Share
Serve
Plant
Vigil
And sing

Liberation
Alleviation
Solutions
Revolution

Cultivated
and
Gravitated
Towards higher realms
Higher states and
Higher planes

All on board together
Rocket shipping
In the cosmos
We are tripping

Roots oriented
In the right directions
Unique are our perceptions
On our individual paths
We are practicing
Citizens in a ship

-anthony

Picture from Equality Equals Equal

This picture was going to be a part of the article previous but we had some technical difficulties....

Equality Equals Equal

02.04.09.


Today when I was delivering letters from Christopher, from Kolkata, from India, I crossed paths with Emily and Lauren on the third floor in the library, and they were engaging with others, English as a Second Language-ing. With there being a near hour before tutor mentoring at the Newburgh Free Academy, I decided organically to join the group. My intentions at first were only to observe. Well, the man I seated next to looked in appearance just like the custodian man that raised his vocals at me when I unmindfully walked across his freshly mopped hallway earlier this week. But I was uncertainly unsure. In the meanwhile, this man was radiating a sense of welcoming from within him. Not before too long my dormant observing him proceed along with ease, then misspell words, and sit pondering, evolved into a friendly greeting, manifesting into working cooperatively together.

His name was Douglass and we thought each other were funny. I liked his nature, and felt as if, if he were that custodian man, I felt reconciled, a reoccurring pattern that has been present in my life lately, especially in meditation, dreams, and prayer to the powers that be. Douglass has a basic rooting in his understanding of the English language. I comprehend him when he communicates verbally, and the way he writes is well. Presently he is practicing developing his grammatical skills writing. It was a pleasure to work together with him. We shared happiness and wisdom.

Emily had contributed sentence structure along with verb tenses worksheets, so we spend our time together in such a way. Douglass encountered with balance, struggle and ease. For the most part he had it, so I would help him when he got stuck, or reassure him when he was in doubt, or cheer him along when he was sailing on. We were so immersed in it, and before we even knew, everyone else there was packing their belongings to leave. Douglass, grounded in his chair, unready to depart, noticed a word he became curious about. He had heard the President Barack Obama say it repeatively, and the word was “equal.” Mi amigo asked me what the president meant when he said that? And I responded in the essense of…”Equal is a word that means “the same.” When the president is saying it, he is talking about equality. Equal rights, equal opportunity, and equal treatment that he wishes to be the same for all. Everyone. Just like you and I should both experience equality equally.” Douglass laughed happily. Pencil across paper, he wrote in a sentence…”We are all equal.” “I like that word” he said.

Equanimity is the Buddhist concept that Douglass revealed in his life presence to me. Cultivating equanimity is to love and accept all. It begins with becoming loving and accepting of all of the qualities within oneself. Practice expands this love and acceptance to encompass all beings and creatures. To love all like you would your own mother, and not to decrease the love for your mother to such depths, but to elevate love for all to reach such highest heights.

All love
Loving all
All for love
Love for all

-anthony

Mural Beginnings

With this week's Praxivists meeting we were fortunate enough to construct a wood frame that we will paint into a full mural next week. With the help of Sam, we were able to attain tools and materials to build a portable mural that we will include at future Praxis events around campus. Included are several pictures that depict the groups daunting task of turning scrap wood into mural material.
Power to the Peaceful!
-mike

Poem: The Quick Story of the World

A man’s death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind;
And therefore never send to know
For whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee. -John Donne

Third world’s dying while
Second world’s crawling while
First world’s gunning
And running.

Force leads to profit,
Profit leads to wealth,
Wealth leads to greed,
Greed leads to corruption,
Corruption runs the world.

First world’s gunning
Third world’s running
Nowhere to hide
Second world’s in limbo.

It is a story well known by those who wallow:
Inconsideration, ignorance, misunderstanding
Perhaps?
NO.
It is the intention of the crat with his
Rat-a-tat-tat spoke scratchin at the back
Of those who wallow in their ghettos
Forced by those who care little of humanity
But would rather see a profit increase one
Half a percent stuck in place cause
There is no place for the other half,
Quarter, whole, they don’t care, they
Can change it all but they let them
Live in des pair; they push arms and
Take leg’s, rape minds, and pillage the
Most precious resource of them all,
Hope, dignity, promise, potential
Perhaps?
NO.
They went the way of the WTO and
Legalized the selling of people for profit
Because tis easier to own one’s workers
Rather than treat them like an equal
A brother, a friend, an acquaintance
A human.
There is no room for humanity in the
Marbled walls of the world’s headquarters
Because, after all, they must know what is
Best, after all, they do have all the money.
So because of this false sense of authority
[authority being perceived dominance over
Another human that is in every sense of the
Word equal to him or her or it. Bullocks]
They exploit the resources, people and
LIVES of those who were just unlucky enough
To be born outside of the “industrialized” world.
They care less about the fellowship of man
And more of their all mighty god
The all mighty Dollar.
The one that justifies murder hate, violence.
The one that fosters destruction, malice, ignorance.
The one that causes misery, pain, woe.
The one that we all praise.

And therefore
The world dies.
And do not send for me
For I already know:
The bell has tolled
It tolls for thee.


Enjoy the thought food
Power to the Peaceful!
-mike

Drawing: Humanize

Although this may be a simple doodle I thought up while I was being berated with conservative business theory in economics, I think its message is simple enough and powerful enough to stand on its own.

Power to the peaceful!
-mike