Update on Gov. David Paterson

Last month, I gave you my side on New York Governor Paterson's politics, so I thought it would be appropriate to give you an update. After his office handled the appointment of Hillary Clinton's Senate seat so poorly, Paterson's approval ratings have continued to plunder. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is more or less convinced to take another stab for the Governor seat partially because of all the mess Paterson is now in. In a recent Quinnipiac poll, Cuomo beat Paterson 55% to 23% in a primary match-up. In comparison to GOP opponent Rudy Guiliani, there was a dead tie of 43%, but Cuomo still won over Guiliani 51% to 37%.

At a press conference on Tuesday, when asked about plans for the future, Paterson contended that he still plans to run again in 2010 and blamed the low ratings on bad publicity in the media. Yes, Dave, I'm sure it has nothing to do with you and your administration's pitiful attempts to handle the budget deficit, exorbitant number of job cuts, and hypocritical misspending of government funds on Turkish rugs. 

After the appointment of Kirsten Gillibrand to Hillary Clinton's Senate seat, more and more information has leaked, adding increasing suspicion to the ethics of not only the appointment but the way in which Paterson acted to avoid backlash. This is to say that there was a last minute push by Chuck Schumer, which has been viewed as another Paterson attempt to spread the blame.  So far her achievements include alienating the majority of her New York colleagues on issues such as amnesty for illegal immigrants, gun-control, and presenting a balanced-budget amendment that, if left unchecked, could have bankrupted the state, according to a recent article in New York Magazine. 

Another enemy that Paterson and Gillibrand now share is Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. This is personal for her, too, because she fought to give Paterson a chance to speak at the Democratic National Convention in Boston back in 2004. Another issue raised is whether or not there will be an attempt to retain Gillibrand's seat in 2010, which we can only imagine will not be a strongly advocated issue. The Obama administration isn't a fan either, based on the humiliation that Paterson and his politics have put Caroline Kennedy through.

At this point it's pretty obvious that Paterson isn't going to have a change of heart and become any more human or willing to point an ear in the direction of the people of the state of New York, but maybe all of this outside pressure will make him at least change his course, even if only to preserve his image. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.

On a Personal Note...

The following is a message that I saved on my phone to later be added to the blog and am uploading now:

I'm sitting on a train heading back to New York and I could probably rip apart a phonebook right now. My train was delayed over 2 1/2 hours and I spoke with the person at the ticket counter and she started making analogies about airports and I responded "this is not an airport, you do not work for an airline, I am not trying to take a flight, I am trying to take train, which I already paid for and expected to be here when I was told it would be, so let's talk about that." Her ever popular answer was "talk to my supervisor." When I spoke to this supervisor I asked if I could get a new ticket on a different train and she said "sure, if you pay for it." So I politely explained that I'm trying to get home and I don't have the additional $60 that I would have to pay, and even if I did I wouldn't pay a cent extra strictly on principal. 

She said I could call the Amtrak phone number, so I did, and a very nice woman said that she felt for my situation but could not upgrade my ticket but I could try to talk to customer service. She transferred me and wished me a good day, and I proceeded to listen to 10 minutes of Beethoven. Now if I were sitting on my train on my way home looking out the window and admiring the trees and lakes and bridges I would love to have Beethoven as the temporary soundtrack to my life, but The only view in sight was of a big board of numbers and destinations and the capital letters next to my incredibly late train reading DELAYED. 

As I sat down and put my head in my hands after hanging up on Beethoven, I looked up and Dustin Hoffman was standing in front of me. In times of great stress and upsetment the human mind can often create eccentric illusions, but this was not one of those times. Dustin Hoffman really was standing right next to me, and I didn't even know what to say, so I just looked at him as he was looking back at me and smiled. For those of my readers that may not know me personally, I am an actor, and so this experience went beyond just seeing a famous person, it made me feel like there was a reason for my train being in the end a total of 3 hours late, and

Dustin Hoffman gave me some strange bit of reassurance. Now I'm sitting on the train somewhere in Rhode Island and watching beautiful landscapes go by my window while listening to music to calm me down from the first half of my day, and no, it's not Beethoven.

Invisible in America

There is a pressing issue that everyone is aware of, but most choose to completely ignore or deny, and that is poverty in America. In his 2005 book, "The Working Poor," David Shipler states that "in American atmosphere, poverty has always carried a whiff of sinfulness." This statement unfortunately bears a lot of truth. As Americans, both from within our own country as well as from outside foreign viewpoints, we are expected to fit a certain mold. 

We are said to be this land of opportunity where the streets are paved with gold, but even the most diehard "patriots" have to realize by now (although some will never admit it) that there is a whole lot of poverty and misfortune in our sweet land of liberty. However, instead of addressing these issues head-on and dealing with them, we put people into categories, creating a class system within society. The average are thought to be the middle class; not poor like the forgotten blue collar workers, but not rich like the fantasy lives we see on TMZ. The poor are often regarded as lazy and as living tarnish on the American name. 

When we see a homeless person on the street, we call them a bum or laugh, or give them condescending dehumanizing looks. We deny them the dignity that we give a man in a suit and tie holding a $6 cup of coffee. Someone doesn't have a 9-5 desk job so they must be a drug addict, or unworthy of living a comfortable life. In reality there are so many good people that just don't have the opportunities that others are blessed with. The roles just as easily could have been reversed, which is far too often forgotten.

In reality, we don't know these people's stories, because we don't know them. There are many men that sit behind a desk all day and have a Blackberry surgically attached to their face, and quite a few of them live cold, closed-off, meaningless lives. The people that they walk by every day whether on the busy streets of Manhattan, or the windy avenues of Chicago are the forgotten souls that are not even given as much as a nod. This is not to say that there are not thousands, maybe millions of people that are living within communities like yours and mine that are struggling to make ends meet but still have the great privilege of owning their own home. These are the people that clean hotel rooms all day long, but can not afford to spend a night sleeping in it. These are the people that wash cars for 8 hours a day and can not afford to drive their own. These are even the people that go off to war and fight in the name of our country and come back to live on the streets. I'm not suggesting that there is an easy fix to these problems, but even the smallest actions can speak volumes. Next time someone asks for even 25 cents, just give it to them. Maybe you paid for part of their dinner that they wouldn't have been able to have otherwise.

Whenever I'm in New York City, I often am approached by those who are less fortune, many of whom seem to most likely be homeless, and they ask for anything that I can spare, and if they are kind and seem like they could really use the money, and I don't think they're just trying to score their next hit, I give them some money. Almost every time that I do so, I get an instant response of "God bless you" or "you're a good person" or "you're really helping me out." Hearing those words are instant gratification and it feels really good to help other people. It's also very easy to do. There are so many other ways to help though. You don't have to give money, you can buy something from a food stand for them if you're afraid of where the money would end up going. Most people that have resulted to begging for money are doing it because they really need it. Be the change we want to see in the world.

The above picture is graffiti art from the urban artist Banksy, you can check out more of his artwork here.

Chapel of Sacred Mirrors

Alex Grey is an American artist whose paintings are mostly spiritual, having to do with the human body, the soul, and the universe. While attending the Boston Museum School he met his now-wife Allyson Rymland Grey and experimented with LSD which, according to his biography on his website, "induced mystical experiences that transformed his agnostic existentialism to a radical transcendentalism." They became much more aware of their inner selves and beliefs through their entheogenic (derived from Greek, literally meaning becoming divine within) endeavors. At Harvard he began to study the human body in different respects varying from cadaver dissections to exploring various methods of healing energies.

Alex had training in drawing anatomy and this was one of the building blocks that led to his creation of the 'Sacred Mirrors.'

The 'Sacred Mirrors' is Alex Grey's 21 painting series that explores the human body and spirit through all walks of life, both before during and after. The goal of the paintings is to take the viewer of them through a visual tour of their inner self, mind, body, and soul.

"In a cosmos of billions of galaxies, in a galaxy of billions of stars, there's a planet with billions of people - the only one we know of - and every breath we breathe is a miracle. Our hearts pump, we see, we feel, we taste, we touch the world. And sometimes we forget the pure wonder of our brief journey on Earth. My life is committed to making artwork that wakes people up to the miracle of life, the value of being human, and the transformative power of love. There are moments when we see behind the opaque curtain of life, when the infinite One shines through the skin of the Beloved and we recognize the game we are in, the journey we are on, the powerful beings that we are and the truth that is worth living for." - Alex Grey

This man is absolutely an incredible inspiration. Now I can assume that some people may thing that he is a hippie, or a religious or spiritual radical, but the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors is open to all people, of all ages, race, and religion. As they state, "the mission of COSM is to provide an enduring sanctuary of visionary art to inspire every pilgrim's creative path and affirm the values of love and integral wisdom." I decided to dedicate today's post to this topic because I was reminded of it when I wrote the last entry about spirituality, I was reminded of the awe-inspiring artwork of this visionary artist. Essentially, Alex Grey has done and is currently doing all of this amazing things to help open people's minds and not to make them believe one particular set of beliefs, but to better understand whatever it is that they personally believe in. It's like helping someone see within themselves when their vision has been impaired, or they just haven't seen anything inspiring.

The idea that there is a place where anyone can go, and they can experience art and spirituality and open their eyes, and their minds to their inner beliefs and the beauty of all of the wonders of the universe and are encouraged to do so is unbelievable. The mix between transcendental art and all around good natured people that are part of this movement is such a beautiful thing to take into consideration, if everyone were a part of something like this, we probably wouldn't need to worry about any more wars. Everyone has their own way of looking at themselves, the world, life, death, the afterlife, but this artwork speaks volumes to anyone that views it and each person is open to their own interpretation. Below are just a few samples of Alex Grey's artwork.

This painting, entitled "Artist's Hand" is very symbolic in my mind to the art of Alex Grey, how his art opens people's eyes, with the eye in place of the bristles of the brush, you can see the different people and religious/cultural figures in the top left corner, which represents his focus on a hyperawareness to those kinds of important pillars. Towards the bottom there are evil looking creatures which seem to be being tormented, possibly from the lightness coming from the art itself.

This painting, "One" makes me think of love. The love between two human beings making this mental and spiritual connection, represented by the two heads conforming together. To me the eyes throughout the painting represent both the universe and the mind's eye, and they are flowing back and forth between the two people that are experiencing this unbreaking connection.

This painting is called "Oversoul." It reminds me of the experiences that I've had that I referred to in the previous entry of spiritual and mental occurrences and is like a human being catching a glimpse into their soul, their higher powers and levels of being.

This painting, entitled "Wonder" can apply to many people in many different places in their life, whether it be mental, spiritual, geographic, or anything at all. I think of when I was a child looking up at the stars and wondering if my wishes would really come true if I found a twinkling one, looking up at the sky and trying to imagine what it would be like to fly up there and just explore. The forehead of the child portrayed in the painting is illuminated and makes me think of the third eye, of which is significant in many different forms of spirituality, culture, and religion, but varies depending on each sect. Sometimes referred to as the "chakra," the third eye is thought to be the part of us that connects to inner realms and higher levels of consciousness. It is often connected with instances of clairvoyance, visions, precognitions, and out-of-body experiences. Everyone has it, but not everyone can harness and actually use these abilities. Those that can are often referred to as "seers." In the Hindu religion, when women wear "the dot on their forehead," it's actually called a "tilak," and it represents the third eye. The intricate details that are floating in the sky remind me of a flow of knowledge and information, similar to the belief that all thought processes operate on an electrical impulse frequency and travel through the open space.

Apology

Tonight I want to do something a little different and give you a little bit of everything. I'd like to start with a continuation of the philosophy to keep things flowing. Last night I talked to you about the "Allegory of the Cave," but for right now I'd like to focus more on Socrates as the human being, not just the man whose words have been strewn across countless pages across the world. This is called "Apology."

Meletus, Socrates' chief accuser interrogates Socrates in front of the Athenian jury (in this time period, the jury was the men of the Senate.) He is accusing Socrates of corrupting the youth. This retelling is referred to as "the apology," but it's much more of an attack followed by a responsive defense than anything else. Socrates describes to the men of the jury his experience of visiting the oracle at Delphi, who said that "there is no man wiser" than Socrates. He is perplexed by this notion, and decides to look at it more as a riddle than a statement. Socrates figures that as long as he finds another man whom he believes to be wiser than he, it will contradict the oracle's statement and make a bold statement against such prophecies and stipulations. There is another man that has the reputation of being very wise, so Socrates decides to use him as a test. This man is a well-known politician, and many think of him as a very wise man, but they Socrates comes to realize after actually sitting down and talking to this man, that he is not a wise man at all, and he thinks of himself as even wiser than the common people do. Socrates realizes that he truly is much wiser than this man. Socrates calls this man out on his lack of wisdom, and is met with great hatred. 

He decides to take it as a lesson and says to himself, "well although I do not suppose either of us knows anything really beautiful and good, I am better off than he is - for he knows nothing and thinks that he knows. I neither know nor think that I know. In this latter, then, I seem to have an advantage over him. In my opinion, he is saying that he is much more realistic and aware of the notion that although he may have some very thought-provoking stances and ways of interpreting certain details of life, there are many things that he does not and will never know. He can appreciate the fact that some things are just infinite questions that go through most people's minds but can not simply be answered. "why am I here?" "how did I get here?" "what happens after all of this?"

These questions have been going through my head for the past several months, and sometimes I catch glimpses of the answers, but they're always subtle, faint, uncertain, but nonetheless powerful and moving. We search for our place in life, the meaning of life, the reason why we were put here, on this planet, in this place, in this time period, being who we are, and these questions are enough to make you crazy. And they do make me crazy. But sometimes I find comfort in the little moments of fulfillment. Is the sky there so that the birds can fly? Are the birds there so that the sky can have something to fill it? Or is their interaction a coincidence? This may be a terrible example, but we just don't know.

Socrates is accused of spreading the views and beliefs of atheism. Meletus charges that Socrates is completely atheist and has no spiritual, divine, or holy beliefs. Socrates responds that if he believes in holy and divine things, then he is not a complete atheist just because he's not so sure if he believes in a divine being or multiple beings. He goes on to pose a few questions before Meletus and the rest of the jury, "did any man, Meletus, ever believe in the existence of human things and not human beings?... I wish, men of Athens, that he would answer and not be always trying to create an interruption. Did ever any man believe in horsemanship and not horses? Or in flute playing and not flute players? No, my friend. I will answer for you and to the court, as you refuse to answer for yourself. There is no man who ever did. But now, please answer the next question. Can a man believe in spiritual and divine activities and not in divine beings?" 

This question is one that many people can go their entire lives and not be able to fully answer. We all have our own set of beliefs, regardless of religion or background, but everyone experiences things at one time or another that they just can not explain. Those are the things that make me hopeful that there is a greater purpose to this life, there is something more than right here, right now, you and I, me and you. And if not, then let's make it count right now. But if there is, let's live our lives in every way we can to try to attain a higher standard and meaningful existence, a bigger meaning, accomplishing positive triumphs. A closed mind is like a closed book, and the eye of the master will do more work than both his hands. Open your mind, your eyes, your mind's eye to the bigger meaning in the little things in life, the minute by minute timeline of your existence and you will find a deeper purpose.

This is not a religious blog crusade, the words I've just put in front of you can apply to anyone in any creed, region, socioeconomic status, or place in their life. Live in the moment, but be aware of it's affect on the future, and the way that the past is shaping your actions, your decisions, your justifications. In the end we have tools put in front of us, whether they are physical objects, other human beings, or opportunities, and we have to act. If a knife is put in your hand you can oppress the people around you, or you can break the bound free. Life hands us countless opportunities, both big and small each day, we just have to look for them, and decide what to do with them.

Allegory of the Cave

First off I'd like to thank the people that have become followers of my blog, and keeping up with the posts, and I apologize that I haven't updated in a little while. With the new semester starting I've had free-time at weird points in the day. This time I'm going to take a break from talking about politics and focus on philosophy; particularly the writings of Socrates and Plato.

The first work that I'd like to focus on is Plato's "Allegory of the Cave," which is actually a metaphor all in itself. Try to picture a dark cave, where men are chained up and can not move at all. These men are surrounded by fire both in front of and behind them, and beyond the fire at their backs is a path where free men can walk. On the other side of the fire in front of them are their shadows. The chains symbolize the fact that these men are held back by their practices of unethical and devious actions and thoughts. These thoughts may be malicious or sensual desires that they have trouble resisting. Basically the message that he's trying to get across here is the fact that when people give into temptation and stray from good, they are chained to their dark beliefs in a cave of darkness, and until they get out of that cave they will not be able to see the light, both literally and metaphorically. 

Once the chained individuals are finally able to overcome this darkness and break through to the light, they are temporarily blinded by it, because they are so used to the darkness, and the light is such a different viewpoint for them. Picture yourself say, being a drug addict, and then you finally overcome that addiction and you're seeing the world from a sober view and mindset all in one day. That would be a huge change for you and that essentially is what these men in the cave are going through.

Too often in life we find ourselves trapped in a deep dark part of ourselves that we may not even understand or know where it's coming from; we just know that it's there. It's like a slump that we know we have a strong desire to get out of, but we just don't know the way out. At least not right away. We are those people chained in the cave. We are chained to our material possessions, our addictions, our habits, our stray thoughts, our impure thoughts. When we finally break free of those chains that are holding us back, we see the light, but in the beginning it is very bright, often blinding, and we get scared. What I'm proposing to you is that you build up all the courage that you can, within yourself, and you walk into that light and open your eyes and you will see that the difficult journey was worth the destination all along.