GM food vs. The Monarch Butterfly
Ready for some more BAD NEWS? Monarch butterflies are dying thanks GENETICALLY MODIFIED CORN and COTTON. This is because those plants produce an all purpose toxin that kills a range of creatures. But wait, there's more! This toxin has just been found to build up in the soil (evidently no one had any idea this would happen). 

There is good possibility that it could make some bugs resistant or could kill non-target organisms (like beneficial insects). 

Of course all these unknown interactions that they either didn't bother to test for, or couldn't foresee, or just lied about do make you wonder about WHAT ELSE lies in wait for us down the primrose path of GM.

Sorry to bring such alarming news, but people need to be aware of the scope of this issue as it affects EVERYONE, especially in the USA where there are absolutely NO CONTROLS on GM foods yet. 

Almost everyone is now consuming some form of GM food without any idea they are or which foods are GM. There is only one way to avoid it. If you're very careful, all certified organic food is GM food free. But not necessarily every processed organic food product (these can contain a very small amout of gm food).

Here's a link to the most recent (and other) stories on this subject.

STORY

Once again the people are helpless to stop the reckless actions of large corporations in search of profits. 

Perhaps Robin can enlighten us as to the Libertarian stance in this situation. Do the butterflies sue the corporations or the ignorant farmers? It hardly matters because in the long run, WE ALL LOSE.

Don't get me wrong. I believe there's every reason to continue researching as the wonders of this technology might keep humans on this planet a little longer. Then again the abuse of this technology is just as likely to make it shorter. Can business be allowed to undermine the future? 

The North Pole is no longer covered by ice! Scientists say this is the first time in 50,000,000 years that the ice has completely melted at the Pole!
Check out this article for more info.

And down in Antartica the same thing is happening, check out this story.

It's time everyone started to DO SOMETHING about this after talking about it for decades. Once this reaches a certain point, it'll be TOO LATE to stop it! (we may have already passed that point). But at least we can slow down the rate, hopefully.

Learn more about this problem and tell others about it. It's not fiction, and it's not something we can leave to future generations to worry about. It's happening now and we have no idea what the repercussions will be across the planet (other than rising seawater), but you can be sure they'll be global and possibly devastating (for crops, species, forests, etc.).

We will soon witness the unstoppable consequences of our ignorance when it comes to Ecology. Pray for the planet.
 

Activism

People's Park

It's a sad story what happened there! The University clamped down on its own students and hippies who claimed an unused lot in the name of the people, only to have the national guard called in to keep everyone out. They fenced it off and riots ensued with many people getting hurt, and one killed.

It should be noted that the hippies planted grass and trees on the lot and made it into something usable instead of being wasted!

Just goes to show what happens when the "people" actually try to assert their rights and ownership of what is supposed to be theirs in the first place! Ronald Reagan was governor and was totally ruthless and disrespectful of the rights of the people (hey he didn't see us as HIS constituents (just dirty hippies) why should he give a fuck about us!)

Anyway The International Film Channnel (IFC) has been running the movie "Berkeley in the Sixties", and it goes over the whole event and much more! An excellent documentary - I highly recommend it as required viewing for all hippies.

-Skip 

(someone wrote about how the world is becoming more like America)

What you've failed to mention is the most important repercussion of everyone trying to be like Americans, CONSUMPTION! Americans consume far more than their fair share of the world's resources (2-3xs the average European, 15xs the average Latin American, and I think 30xs the average Indian). These are now old stats, and I think the average consumption rate has increased worldwide especially in developing countries like China and India. 

They say that when China reaches parity with the U.S. (it might come sooner than we think), the country as a whole will consume 7 times what America consumes! Can you imagine the impact on our world's resources? China already leads the world now in industrial pollution and greenhouse gas emissions! This wasn't the case when they were an agrarian society.

This massive increase in consumption of our world resources and the resulting increase in the pollution of air, land and water will be irreversible and terminal.

Who cares what they want to look like, it's far more scary who they want to ACT LIKE! Americans should begin to set an example and scale back our wanton greed and unbridled consumption. We don't NEED all the SHIT we buy. If we all consume only what we need, everyone can have a very fine lifesytle without such a negative impact on our planet which only has so much to bestow upon us.

To me this Consumption Factor (along with exploding populations in the developing world) are the greatest dangers facing mankind in the next millenium.

END GREED!

(Matt wrote that Anarchy would mean chaos)
Matt, that is EXACTLY what THEY want you to believe. If you didn't believe it , we wouldn't need the government, would we? Our generation already proved we can govern ourselves. That was the message of Woodstock '69. 

You think governments are the answer to man's prayers, well they're a sack of shit. Who do you think is reponsible for all the wars in the 20th century? Who is reponsible for repressions, concentration camps, ethnic cleansings, pogroms, gulags, biological, chemical and nuclear weapons research, opening vast tracts of virgin land to commercial development (without concern for ecology), imprisonment for enjoying plants, enslavement of the masses to profit a few, political cronyism, lobbyists, massive government fraud, ripping off taxpayers, LIES, LIES and more LIES..... And YOU believe these lies, and can't tell the truth from their LIES. You need to QUESTION EVERYTHING! Then you'll find the truth!

People wake up and smell the stink of a dying system that has become obsolete!

Read The Internet Manifesto: http://www.hippy.com/manifesto.htm

And in case you think that Anarchy is a system of chaos that can't possibly work, stay tuned to this site. You will see the birth of a new system...

Peace & Anarchy,

3rd world countries have far less violence than the U.S. The U.S. is THE MOST violent country next to Colombia (where we are financing a war against those who would justifiably overthrow their corrupt government) and Russia (which today would meet YOUR definition of Anarchy, but in reality is just being run by the Russian Mafia).

You need to get out more, Matt, before you dis other countries. How many have you been to? Do you know how other countries view America? I'm surprised you don't believe the "Party Line" that legalizing marijuana will turn EVERYBODY in America into drug addicts. It's exactly what you're saying about Anarchy - it'll turn everyone into criminals (yourself included I presume). You sound just like the teenyboppers who come here spouting the line "drugs are bad" after having been through their DARE classes. YOU need to GET REAL, and stop spouting the "Company Line". 

When you said the "3rd world countries were people are being killed constantly, and where genocide is rampant". Do you even know just WHO is doing the killing in say: East Timor, where the people democratically voted to separate from Indonesia, the government backed militia committed mass killings and atrocities, Rwanda and Burundi where the corrupt governments killed tens of thousands simply because they belonged to a different ethnic group than the ruling party, Burma (now called Myanmar) where the corrupt military government has suppress all freedoms for many years and has imprisoned the Nobel Peace Prize winner for years. I could go on and on, but what's the point? All these atrocities are not committed by civilians, they are committed by Governments. Governments who OUR Government often recognizes and legitimatizes and grants Sovereignity to, so that they might do whatever crimes against humanity they choose with Impunity! Just so long as it happens within their borders. 

Likewise our government can do anything it chooses to us with Impunity. Including having A WAR on our own people for smoking a plant (Spending $18 Billion, arresting 700,000 yearly) ! Now if that isn't ridiculous, and as if we don't have better things to do with our money!

Ignorant people like Matt who have been spoonfed the Establishment's propaganda can't conceive of any kind of a better system. I feel sorry for your lack of awareness and imagination. It just that which perpetuates the system.

Matt, by the way if you think things have gotten worse since the 60s, just who do you think is to blame? In my opinion it's people just like you who are completely apathetic to what's happening around them, and elsewhere. You live on a planet with 6 billion other people. Get to know them....and do something to help them!

Since there seems to be a lot of ignorance about Anarchy, here's a short definition. There are also numerous websites with info about various forms of Anarchy. In it's purest form Anarchy (from the Greek) means "without a ruler". The Greeks (who invented democracy) pondered this in depth (read Plato). Unfortunately, we have yet to have a beneficient Philosopher-King to guide us.

Few people writing in on this subject seem to understand the FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES that would occur to each of us once we are given the FREEDOM to GOVERN OURSELVES!

Just as a prisoner when released of his imprisonment feels a surge of relief and freedom, then looks at this big bright beautiful world, and thinks "I'll never be a prisoner again". It actually changes who you are and what you identify with. 

In most countries people choose something to identify with, their religion, ethnic group, football team, or nation. As Kurt Vonnegut would say, these are Granfalloons or illusionary realities that we choose to accept. In America we have more of an identity with our "country" or "nation" as that is what we are taught to identify with. For most of us this is synonomus with Government. What we need to do is change our Identifying image from such archaic and illusory concepts to the reality that we are all brothers and sisters, no matter where we live, what religion we have, the color of our skin or the color of our eyes. It's all illusion that keeps us apart from each other. When we get to this stage there will be no more wars, no more group hatreds, no need for governments and corrupt leaders.

When you yourself can understand and accept this idea, you realize its power to change people and society. YOU CREATE YOUR OWN REALITY! It's not necessary for everyone to buy into this idea, and the worse problems won't be criminals and psychopaths like everyone here seems to fear.

Echo has pointed out the importance of education. Do you folks realize the underlying goals of our current educational system? In case you haven't noticed, our government totally controls an indivdual's education, carefully designing just what this person will learn. The major goal is to make each child into a "good productive citizen". The definition of a "good citizen" is one who obeys the government (right or wrong). It's completely self-serving in its goals.

This is where the biggest change will take place, and the long reaching effects will transform society into something completely new. We can't even begin to see how these changes will manifest, but they will be liberating to each person and for society.

By the way, I've haven't mentioned this yet, but the best form of Anarchy will be the TRUE DEMOCRACY, one where we govern ourselves without the need for "representatives" who really don't represent each person, but rather those who can twist the arm best with power and money and favors. Let each of us have exactly equal power and you will achieve both the perfect Anarchy and True Democracy.

I have a vision about how to bring this about and make it work! It doesn't require a revolution, violence or chaos. It's simply replacing the outdated system with a modern, egalitarian one that uses the latest technological tools to put power in the hands of the people, where it belongs. This evolutionary process has already begun, and the outcome is almost unavoidable, provided we don't let the government step-in and take over these tools just to prevent its inevitable demise.

I believe we cyber-hippies are the vanguard that will spearhead these changes. But we must first let go of our fears of chaos and anarchy that have been programmed into us all our lives. Remember the spirit of the first Woodstock. Those who participated in it went there without fear, without expectations. And what they discovered was their common brotherhood, their trust in their fellow man, the sharing, helpful spirit that FREEDOM and LOVE can unleash within us all.

It's within our power to create this for ourselves.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!

   Any entity with wealth and power gets far more than their fair share of "representation" in government.  What about those special interests with NO POWER?  Like the environment, endangered species, children, the impoverished.  They are still denied their due representation under all the existing systems.  I've seen what a "world government" is likely to be.  Look at the EU, the WTO, and the World Bank.  All of them have only profits and business interests in mind.  Everything else is secondary.

  My dream is that one day we might actually see a government of the people, by the people and for the people.  Until that day actually arrives, we must see to it that our freedoms erode no further.  Think about all the corruption, waste, fraud, taxation, scandals, etc. that we would be spared if we could do away with government.  Think hard!  It's well worth it.  Oh, sure we'll still have to pay for things, but it will be each individual's choice as to how his/her money will be used.  We will set the budget.  Enough for now, I don't want to get into the details here.

  BTW, I don't mind using the term "Anarchy", just as I don't mind using the term "Hippy".  These terms may be dated, but what they represent is so important they must be revived and given added emphasis.  Historically many terms have fallen in disuse only to be rediscovered by later generations as being just what they need to describe a new set of circumstances.  Look at "democracy".

"Anarchism: political theory that opposes all forms of government. Anarchists believe that the highest attainment of humanity is the freedom of individuals to express themselves, unhindered by any form of external repression or control. One limitation on such freedom, however, is the ban against injuring other human beings. If any human being attempts to injure others, individuals have the right to organize against that person, although only by voluntary cooperation and not under governmental organization."
-Encarta Encyclopedia

Anarchism is the only philosophy which brings to man the consciousness of himself; which maintains that God, the State, and society are non-existent, that their promises are null and void, since they can be fulfilled only through man's subordination. Anarchism is therefore the teacher of the unity of life; not merely in nature, but in man.
- Emma Goldman

People sometimes inquire what form of government is most suitable for an artist to live under. To this question there is only one answer. The form of government that is most suitable to the artist is no government at all.
- Oscar Wilde

The consistent anarchist . . . should be a socialist, but a socialist of a particular sort. He will not only oppose alienated and specialized labor and look forward to the appropriation of capital by the whole body of workers, but he will also insist that this appropriation be direct, not exercised by some elite force acting in the name of the proletariat. . . . Some sort of council communism is the natural form of revolutionary socialism in an industrial society. It reflects the intuitive understanding that democracy is largely a sham when the industrial system is controlled by any form of autocratic elite, whether of owners, managers, and technocrats, a "vanguard" party, or a State bureaucracy.
- Noam Chomsky

Are not laws dangerous which inhibit the passions? Compare the centuries of anarchy with those of the strongest legalism in any country you like and you will see that it is only when the laws are silent that the greatest actions appear.
- Marquis de Sade

To me the "female principle" is, or at least historically has been, basically anarchic. It values order without constraint, rule by custom not by force. It has been the male who enforces order, who constructs power structures, who makes, enforces, and breaks laws.
- Ursula K. Le Guin

(Please note: at one time I was a practicing Astrologer. My book "Hippies From A to Z" has a whole chapter devoted to the Astrology of the Hippy Movement!)

Eastern astrology emphasizes prediction and is very accurate. They are also versed at analyzing relationships, which is something Western Astrology also excels at. A reading in India for instance will usually tell you what will happen, when, during the course of your life. 

A western reading will emphasize your potentialiaties, weaknesses and delves into an advanced interpretation of the angular relationships of the planets (aspects). Western Astrology is in a state of change right now as new elements are being incorporated (Asteroids) and new statistical analyses become popular.

As far as the future goes, guess I'll have to order a new emphemeris to figure out what's in store for the new millenium. (I do have a computer program that does a good job). My new book will have a whole chapter devoted to the Astrology of the hippy movement, I think everyone will find it fascinating. 

For me, Astrology excels not just in describing an individual's set of talents, challenges and potentials (the birth chart), but when you compare two charts (synastry), for whatever reason, it's obvious whether the two are compatible or incompatible and precisely in what fashion.

Predictive Astrology (Horary, telling the future) on the other hand is the least perfected of the various disciplines in Astrology, although Vedic Astrology excels in this respect. This is because so many factors are involved and it's so easy to overlook something. When you read a horoscope in the newspaper they are looking at only ONE factor, the position of the sun, and not very accurately. After all they're just looking at your sign, a 30 day range, rather than the exact year, day and minute you were born.

It's very much like physics where if you look at only one thing, you can describe it in detail, but as you view it over time and involve other objects and try to predict what will happen you lose accuracy. And of course as any Physics professor or Metaphysics professor can tell you the observer influences what is observed (this is a scientific fact).

Just as the moon affects the tide and people's moods (just as Astrology predicts), the other planets and the sun all have influence upon us. My latest theory (You probably won't read this anywhere but here) is that within our complex psyches (I'm sure you'll agree we're all pretty complex) are various parts or subpersonalities (call them what you will) that interact with each other every day, coloring our perceptions and interactions with the world. At birth these parts are imprinted with a certain relationship to each other based upon the position of the planets. In other words, each planet rules a part of our psyche, and depending upon the position at the moment of birth will either get along with certain other parts or not. 

I hope I'm explaining this well, it's difficult, and there's so much that can't be put into words.

Many people can't see the connection between objects millions of miles away and our little lives on this speck in space! It does seem far fetched until you realize that if one large object, say the size of Mars was to come barrelling through our solar system, it would effect every object no matter how close it came to them. Just by its mass it would affect the orbits of the other planets to varying degrees. If it came close enough to the earth it could cause a catastrophe of enormous proportions, even wiping out most of the species. So the point is just because the planets are in stable orbits and don't seem to affect us, that doesn't mean that they don't! In fact you can infer from what I just said, that the fact that they have stable orbits, are what ensures a certain amount of stability on the earth! Likewise when their own orbits line up with each other, the influence they have increases (a conjunction). This is simple physics, as when the sun and moon line up there is a bigger high tide.

Humans are very sensitive creatures and we repond to very subtle cues in our environment. The fact that the planets are so far away is without standing since their mass is so large. They do indeed influence what happens to us, just as when we come into this world the mass of our mother and the doctors and nurses can determine whether we survive the next few hours. Distance is just one factor, mass, relationship to other objects, and their movement over time all contribute to determine the influence of an object upon ourselves.

Obviously the people we live with everyday for long periods of time (family, spouses, children) all have a much greater influence over our daily lives than a distant relative who lives far away. (mass vs distance). However one day that distant relative could leave you a fortune, thus changing your life! Likewise the planets (with much more mass) can affect your life in subtle or not so subtle ways.

When you meditate or trip out you can sometimes grasp the interconnectedness of everything. That is truth. Astrology attempts to interpret how this interconnectedness works. I believe if even a fraction of the resources that were spent on other sciences were set aside to study this subject further (now that we have supercomputers to help) we could refine Astrology much further and we'd reveal a lot more about ourselves in the process.

-lesson over, for now,

(Dylan's school won't let him access Hippyland)
Dylan, did this just start? Have you been accessing this site from your school before? It's censorship and you should protest it! There's lots of info on this site that is alternative to the lies told in school and it's important that students have access to alternative viewpoints if they're to learn to think for themselves! You should get active and demand access. Perhaps you can organize other students and petition the school administration. Do what you have to. Boycott the computers! FREE SPEECH IS WORTH PROTESTING!

Peace,
Skip 

Just that fact that they've found this website means they are looking for something. I'm sure many young folk come here expecting one thing (perhaps an Austin Powers chatroom), and find something completely different. Some may be turned off by talk of drugs and free love, and they probably leave. Many have preconceived notions of what hippies are (tie-dye, peace symbols, etc.), and really don't know the depth of hippy philosophy. 

You said "I am 18 years old man,and I gaurantee that I know more about the 60's and the hippy movement than all you "phonies" ever will." 

Matt, this isn't a contest. This is not a competitive thing. If just one person can learn something from this website, and change their views, then I've achieved my goal. That's what matters to me, not making the site for only "true" hippies.

There's enough information (just in these forums, much less the rest of the website) to give someone who visits a very good idea of where hippies are at. Like Tunes said you really can't know what's in the hearts and minds of others.

I can appreciate your attitude towards superficial hippies, but you have to realize they're only one step from becoming true hippies. They just need love and guidance, not insults to take that step.

We can't afford to reject people for superficial reasons. That's not the hippy way. It's one thing to call people on their shallowness, it's another to enlighten them and show them the way.

Matt, from certain postings you've made, you appear to have a lot of anger. Do you want to work on that? Let it out dude! You're very knowledgeable and have a lot of interesting things to say, but frequently your anger pokes through, usually distorting your message. People end up responding to your anger rather than your message.

Any idea where this anger comes from? What is REALLY buggin' you? You've said you're in college now, and possibly you're under a lot of stress. One thing I've noticed is your competitive nature. Being very bright you probably have had to compete for grades your whole life. Let it go, man. That's not where it's at. 

Hippies are totally NON-COMPETITIVE! We don't care who's smarter, who knows more about hippies or music. That's not how you gain standing. In fact hippies don't have ANY hierarchy. THAT'S THEIR GAME!

We need to have compassion for those who don't understand. We need patience to take the time needed to help them understand. I've lost my patience before with certain individuals, but I'm learning, too. It ain't easy!

One thing at a time, one person at a time, and we'll have our revolution.

Unfortunately, people are usually judged by the way they look, and this is something we need to transcend. Get beyond looks and find the real person inside. 

Dressing like a hippie is the TOP FASHION, especially with young people, at the moment. This will pass. But we need to take advantage of it because it highlights our movement. It's an excellent opportunity for all of us to share our true hippy ideals with these young people. Just explain that there's much more than clothes to being a hippy, and take it from there! 

There's no doubt that Manson & family cast a shadow over the hippies. He was labeled a hippy by the media. However the media already had turned it's back on the hippies before Manson. It was towards the end of the Summer of Love that hippie started to get negative connotations, mostly due to the drug use. But what really did it was the labeling of all the Antiwar protesters as hippies by the media AND the government. That really divided the country, and if you were patriotic and supported the war then you had to "hate" the hippies who were demonstrating against the war.

It's hard to believe that once upon a time hippie was a neutral/positive term in the eyes of the average American. Now we must deal with the typical prejudiced bigot, AND his children (and grandchildren) who have learned hatred from their parents. This is how it gets passed on from generation to generation. We must cleanse the term hippie and give it a positive meaning again.

One more thing, Woodstock '69 did more to put a positive spin on the term hippie than anything else we ever did. Unfortunately the disasterous Altamont concert, and continuing antiwar demonstrations and radicals like the Weathermen, (not to mention Woodstock '99) put us all in a bad light again.

For those who are unsure about hippies, here's a quote:

"We are here to make a better world. No amount of rationalization or blaming can preempt the moment of choice each of us brings to our situation here on this planet. The lesson of the '60s is that people who cared enough to do right could change history. We didn't end racism but we ended legal segregation. We ended the idea that you could send half-a-million soldiers around the world to fight a war that people do not support. We ended the idea that women are second-class citizens. We made the environment an issue that couldn't be avoided. The big battles that we won cannot be reversed. We were young, self-righteous, reckless, hypocritical, brave, silly, headstrong and scared half to death.

And we were right."

-Abbie Hoffman 

On the other hand, Democracy has been around on and off for thousands of years, has had an excellent reputation for providing opportunities, a limited amount of equality, and freedom. However when you look at it now, you can see its limitations and that what we have in the U.S. is also far from the ideal of democracy. 

The problem with all these systems is giving any power at all to the government. The government is supposed to be subservient to the will of the people. Is it?

"There will never be a really free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all its own power and authority are derived, and treats him accordingly."
Henry David Thoreau 

Dylan - I happen to disagree with you about the Internet. Using your example of Yellowstone and other popular Parks, the Internet is having a beneficial effect! Many US parks are extemely overcrowded. Yosemite is a great example where they now have to limit the number of people coming in due to the adverse impact so many visitors is having on the environment. So if you can learn about it over the internet, and not visit, yes you've missed something (I hardly call it a great experience anymore to have to wait in line, be stuck with thousands of others in over filled campgrounds, travel hundreds of miles to get to these places, consuming non-renewable resources and adding to pollution. etc.).

Thanks to the internet people all over the world can discover these great wonders and learn about them. Perhaps it will encourage them to visit there someday, or make them decide NOT TO VISIT such overcrowded attractions.

The point is the Internet is such a great educational tool, its influence is totally underrated. In addition as tunes stated, it does save lots of money and resources.

Now about people not getting out due to the Internet. This is a interesting point, however it may not be valid. So far studies have shown that people are cutting back mostly on WATCHING TELEVISION! What is wrong with that? Instead of being mesmerized by vapid programming and endless commercials, these people are actually learning and interacting with others! What kind of skills have you learned from TV lately? At least the Internet teaches valuable skills, especially to those who need them!

To me visiting a library is pretty much a waste of time anymore and will become totally obsolete once publishers realize the ecomonic reality of electronic publishing. Then we can save trees, gas, time and money! And for all you book worshippers, you better start collecting them now, before they become collectors items (start with mine, ok?).

Power to the Internet!

Peace to one and all! 

If you think arresting 700,000 people a year for not harming anyone is not a serious problem, you are mistaken. Most of these people have their lives turned upside down for doing nothing more than getting high - no different than having a drink. 

My contention is we DO have far more important problems to use our resources on. The Gov. of NM just stated that it costs our economy $50 billion a year to enforce laws against marijuana. Do you realize what we could do to help people with that much money?

Mariuana is an herb, not a drug. It is not processed in a factory. People who smoke marijuana are not addicts. Marijuana is very different from all other drugs. If you don't realize this you have been brainwashed, and it's time you learn to open your mind, instead of spouting lies like a puppet.

You don't have to smoke if you don't like it. But you have no right to put down others, especially since you obviously DON'T KNOW THE FACTS! 

Did it ever occur to you that if pot was decriminalized or legalized, kids who sniff glue and do other really dangerous drugs wouldn't have to? The real gateway drug, my dear, is ALCOHOL. That is the dangerous drug. No one has ever died from a marijuana overdose. Thousands die each year from alcohol poisoning. Not to mention tobacco. I don't hear you railing against these TRUE ADDICTIVE DRUGS. Why? Because you haven't been brainwashed about them. Our industries and government WANT YOU TO GET ADDICTED TO THESE. That's because these are taxed and you give our government more money to repress those who choose another, healthier herb to use.

And again pot does not kill brain cells - Alcohol does!
Do you drink colas? do you drink tea? These contain "drugs". I could just as easily call you an addict and ask when you are going to start sniffing glue. But I'm tolerant and it's beneath us true hippies to judge others based on such trivial criteria.

So get off your high horse (hehe), learn the facts, grow up and open your mind. 

Oh, one more thing, I think everyone in this forum would appreciate it if when you talk about drugs, you mention just which ones you are referring to, and not just the generic term "drugs". 

We don't know if you mean tobacco, alcohol, aspirin, valiums, marijuana (which is the specific topic to be discussed here), heroin, or ayuhuasca.

It's a sure tipoff that someone's totally brainwashed when all they can do is refer to "drugs" generically as they rant and rave. 

Scientists don't talk about drugs that way, so please wise up.

You to say there are no good or bad drugs then I guess aspirin, quinine, antibiotics, viagra, caffeine, polio vaccines, morphine etc. are all so destructive, that the hundreds of thousands of lives saved and millions more who have had their pain relieved are all evil people and should be locked up. 

By the way you probably have no idea that morphine, one of the most commonly used Legal pain killers in the world (it's very strong) is just a diluted form of heroin. 

Did you ever see the movie Contact? I guess you didn't know that Carl Sagan, the author, who also wrote the bestseller Cosmos, admitted that he used marijuana to find inspiration for important parts of both books. He is just one of thousands of people who use marijuana to help them be creative (you wouldn't know about creativity since you can only repeat what others say).

Are you using a Mac computer? Steve Jobs used marijuana to inspire him to invent it. The internet was created by people who used marijuana and psychedelics. These are facts my dear. Yet you call this poison. 

Yes everyone without exception who uses marijuana gets addicted and no longer is a productive member of society. They all die from horrible deaths.

Write me in a couple of years and tell me you still believe the garbage you spout now.

Humans have used marijuana for thousands of years, and no one has died - this is poison?

People are dying now, with AIDS, and cancer. Marijuana is the only thing that has been shown to help with both their pain and nausea. These are the facts. They come from the report commissioned by Drug Czar Barry McCaffrey. All the scientists concluded that we must study marijuana more so it can be used effectively as medicine. Yet you call it poison. Just where do you get this from?
 

I'm not saying anyone should use drugs. I'm just saying they have their uses. And all drugs are not the same as you seem to think. And you still haven't answered questions I've asked. 

I'm sorry but you fail this class. GRADE F 

Indigo, so far I have just tried to state the facts which requires I repeat things from other sources. You have stated NO FACTS yet. Just lies you've been told and swallowed whole without using that brain that I know you have.

Now, I'll give you my opinion (since that's what you seem to crave and spout). No I don't think children should do drugs (I'll state specifically: Marijuana, Cocaine, Crack, heroin, alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs to control behavior-unless absolutely necessary and many others). Why? Because I know how these drugs affect learning, attention, socialization, even growth. Do you?

When a child is fully grown, and their mind has matured sufficiently (and this varies - age is irrelevant), then they, like any citizen of this country should be able to decide what to do with their minds and bodies. That is called FREEDOM. We keep children locked in cages most of the time. Not just schools, but mental cages. We feed them only what we think they should know to be "productive citizens". In other words they are brainwashed. Not just by schools but by media, parents, churches and peers. Every human being has a right to realize their potential, to express their unique individuality. If we let society dictate our lives we all become walking, working zombies. For some people it's very difficult to break this programming. Some discover meditation, yoga, or other philosophy. Others simple crack under the pressure (and then proceed to kill everyone in sight). Certain drugs like marijuana is another route to open minds and release the pressure valve of society (in that respect it's very similar to alcohol). But unlike alcohol, marijuana is far safer, and does not increase aggression or violence, quite the opposite. It also has many medicinal properties which you seem to ignore. Plus industrially it can be a great boon to economies around the world.

So if you have no constructive things to add to this forum about marijuana, then please refrain from posting. Repeating yourself ad nauseum, only makes your argument look thin and unconvincing. I'll be only too open to hear facts you might have to bring to the discussion. 

Also I don't even know why you're on this website, since you're obviously NOT A HIPPY. Hippies have open minds, and you obviously don't on this subject. 

Indigo. Thank you for sharing with us your personal experience. That is the first thing worthwhile that you have contributed on this page since it wasn't just unsupported opinion. I wish you'd brought it up to begin with.

I am sorry to hear about your friend. Yes, many people abuse drugs. That is what your friend has done, abuse. Not everyone abuses drugs. Some people respect them and know their power. You friend is young, and you mean well trying to help her. I respect that.

Just as you claimed my words about your intolerance towards drugs made you firmer in your convictions, you must realize that your words of intolerance towards your friend might've made her stronger in her conviction to use drugs. This is what INTOLERANCE does!

It seems you've had your buttons well pressed in the forums here. I would really be sorry to see you not post anymore, as now we are getting somewhere. My goal here was not to make you change your opinion or behavior (to get you to use drugs). I wanted you to explain yourself. It seems it's been painful for you to come out and talk about your friend. But as you can see it was the cocaine that has brought her down.

I too have seen many dear friends of mine addicted to cocaine. It is one of the most addictive drugs around, you'll get no argument from me! The fact that your friend went through a progression of drugs to get there shouldn't reflect badly on all the drugs themselves. 

I don't know if you understand the concept of "addictive personality", but it's a medical fact that certain individuals are more prone (usually through genetics) to have addictions. What form those take is irrelevant to the personality. It can be drugs, gambling, sex whatever, those people will get addicted to something in their lives. Your friend may have this disease. Fortunately it is treatable, and you should encourage her to seek treatment.

Now as to your rants and raves about hippies on the protest page, I'm sorry you feel that way now. I could say something derogatory, but I won't. I'd rather support you now, because THAT is the hippy way. You must understand that we don't support intolerance. That's what you've shown previously. Now you say you won't tolerate hippies.

If you can get over your initial cognitive dissonance (which happens when you are faced with facts that contradict your beliefs), you might see that hippies are welcoming you, not being hostile (as you now seem).

Unlike others who only want you to believe what they believe, with hippies you are entitled to dissent. But if you're gonna be vocal about it (by posting in forums) you must be prepared to defend yourself with facts.

I feel sorry for you if you were just one of these hippy pretenders that is just into it because of the fashions who discovers what hippies are really about, and in your shock, realize you've been fooling yourself.

The anger you have now is worthwhile if you use it to discover just who you are, hippy or not. For the last time (hopefully) I will say that you don't need to do drugs to be a hippy. You just need to be tolerant.

May you find your path.

P.S. You shouldn't critize other people's grammar and spelling. This is the Internet, and many people here are from foreign countries and not native English speakers. Again you are showing how intolerant you are. 

First of all, I believe you state the obvious. I think EVERYONE knows it's against the law in most places! Secondly this is an INTERNATIONAL WEBSITE where people come from all over the world. In some countries marijuana is NOT considered the great EVIL it is seen as in America. People need to be exposed to the OTHER SIDE of the issue. In America there is still FREEDOM of SPEECH. So anyone can say anything they like here.

Next, the management of this site DOES NOT ADVOCATE THE BREAKING OF ANY LAWS where ever you live. In face we encourage everyone to BE INFORMED about the laws as much as about the drugs themselves.

We also encourage everyone to GET INVOLVED in changing the laws where they live if they feel they are not fair.

In addition, WE, the management of Hippyland, do not encourage children to use illegal drugs at all! We are quite clear on that! Kids already take drugs every week (they just happen to be legal), like caffeine, tobacco and alcohol (not to mention sugar and Ritalin). Some of these drugs are WORSE than marijuana and that is what they really should be taught at school and home, but aren't!

So if you want to come here and preach to the "Kids" they're not gonna listen to the same "bullshit lies" they've been told thousands of times. Speak the truth and you'll be listened to. By the way 98% of the people coming to this site are 14 and over (many are over 30), and I think they know what's what by then.

One more thing, anytime anyone posts a LIE around here they get corrected very quickly, so unlike the "real world" no one is brainwashing anyone on this site, as you can see if you look around. 

Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development

Lawrence Kohlberg was a distinguished professor at Harvard who developed a very interesting theory for human moral development that helps explain why some people have higher moral standards than others.

It's actually pretty simple. It's a matter of being exposed to examples (people) exhibiting higher levels of morality that affords us the opportunity to accept their more universal logic as our own.

I say more universal because according to Kolberg's theory, the "lower" stages of morality revolve around oneself, then as the morality gets "higher" it includes others individuals and "society".

Here's the scale (more or less as I can remember off the top of my head).

First stage: Personal Survival - "Me against the world" - No altruism at all. You don't expect anyone to help you. You act upon survival instincts (I think some individuals lapse into this under stress). These people just take what they need without consideration of the impact on others. 

Second stage: "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours". You recognize that others can help you, and that you must return the favor! (I think this is the level of politics and politicians). Still no altruism.

Third stage: Good & Bad. Behavior is dictated by whether it is seen as good or bad depending upon whether it conforms or goes against some learned doctrine of acceptable behavior. (Typical of many religious fundamentalists and peer pressure). Any altruism is is only seeking the approval of others.

Forth stage: Law & Order. Recognition that behavior needs to conform to written laws. The Law is the final arbiter and is seen as something that should be obeyed without question. (Typical of law enforcement types and bible thumpers). Any altruism is seen as a responsibility (like tithing).

The next two stages Kolberg calls "Post Conventional", and go beyond the social programming, requiring individuals to discover for themselves the "higher morality". 

Fifth stage: The Social Contract. Recognition that laws exists for the common good, but that these laws must not be viewed as applying in every case. There is a geniune interest in the welfare of others and the concept of justice. Altristic. This stage is typical of those who protest the inequities of the system, go to jail on social principles, etc.

Sixth stage: Recognition of Universal Principles. The individual fully realizes that there is a "higher law" to which we are all subject. The individual's highly evolved conscience is the sole basis for behavior. Most behaviors are for the benefit of others. These people are willing to risk their lives for others. The ultimate example being Christ.

Kohlberg postulated that each indivdual must go through each stage and cannot skip stages. The way that people progress is through social interaction and exposure to individuals that exhibit these "higher" traits. Through encounters with "moral dilemmas" people get to test their beliefs against those of others and thereby learn which belief system yields a more acceptable result.

According to Kohlberg, children usually develop through stages 1 & 2 and settle into 3 & 4. A minority of adults pass into the higher stages 5 & 6.

Once you understand this theory, it explains a great deal about the varying morality that exists in any society. It also shows the way to elevate others.

Getting back to tigereyes' examples, it does easily explain the dilemma since the exposure to higher stages of morality was virtually non-existant for tigereyes or the Nigerian children. Just the fact that someone would question their actions can lead to the moral dilemma and acceptance of a higher stage. But better still would be someone who stood up, (at great risk) and argued that the sexual behavior was wrong. Even if this person was shouted down or outcast from the social group, the impact would have been felt, especially by those more sensitive or who felt likewise, but feared the social consensus. 

Does any of this sound familiar to you folks? It's what we hippies deal with everyday! The advantage of this perspective is that we can better understand what motivates other people, their words and deeds. 

You can see by the responses in these forums, just where people are coming from. That is the reason why these forums are here. To help everyone by exposing us all to a diversity of moral reasoning. After awhile it's easy to see the flaws in the reasoning of the different stages. 

Those who come here only to cut others down belie their own stage of moral development. Here we all have equality, a voice, and a stage on which to reveal our true souls. Why waste your time trying to prove to others how smart you are or highlight a narrow point of view? We have much to accomplish here, and we need to get to work on it. Open your minds and you will be enlightened!

The point is these stages are universal and apply to everyone. That certain religions acknowledge this only supports the theory further. Morality must be developed. Religions are one way to progress throught the stages. Wasn't Christ's story full of moral dilemmas and how he dealt with them. That's the most important part of Christianity. Likewise Buddha also faced the same dilemmas (materialism, temptation, etc.).

Hippies present many moral dilemmas for other people. That's why we get such strong reactions. I love it when we get all this hate mail. I just reply asking what it is about hippies that they fear. Is it Peace, Love, concern for others, etc? I never hear from them again. These knee jerk reactions that people have reveal their level of moral development. If we take the time, and explore their reactions further we create cognitive dissonance forcing them to face their own moral dilemma, hopefully enlightening them.

This is how you should proceed with people who put us down. Just the fact that they bring up the issue indicates something inside them is seeking answers. And if you're the person thus confronted, you must take on the responsibility of responding with understanding and love.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. 
Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Music Review

The Old Stoned Hippie
by Bobby G.

If you've ever wondered whether there's any hippies out there in Clinton country (Arkansas), this album proves they exist, and they definitely have a sense of humor!  From the very first cut to the last, "The Old Stoned Hippie" will have you laughing your ass off.  Each track revolves around a funny scenario like "Jail Bait", about a man, a frog, a teenage girl and a motel room. 

Bobby G. can't resist topical stuff, so we have "Executive Order 666" where President Clinton (great impersonation!) changes the marijuana laws, and "420-Y2k", which Bobby claims was the first song recorded in the new millennium. "Bell bottoms Levis, love beads and tie dyes - those were the good ol' days" so begins the song "Rainbow Gathering" where it's always 4:20!  "Jesus Likes Rock 'n' Roll" reveals that he also digs Acapulco Gold.  Other sensitive topics include Viagra, Ebonics and incest.

Each tale is accompanied by music, all performed by Bobby himself, with the help of backup vocalists, and it's all quite good.  Bobby shows his fluency in a range of styles including Country, Rock, Blues, Jazz and Psychedelic!  Some of the tunes were written back in the '60s, while others are more recent.

Bobby's brother Zeke is the Old Stoned Hippie himself, an active member of the Rainbow family.   Zeke appears on the cover of the album, along with those ubiquitous symbols of the movement, a brightly painted VW bus and a huge joint hanging out of his mouth.  He tells some of the stories on the CD and you can't help but like his style.   I really enjoyed the song "The Old Stoned Hippie".  It's an appropriate tribute to Zeke and old hippies in general.

Bobby G. can be controversial and politically incorrect because he wrote, produced and is marketing this CD himself. It gave him the freedom denied so many artists who choose to contract with a record label.  I recommend this recording for all you hippies with a sense of humor.  It's available on CD and cassette.

To get your copy, go to www.420hippiemusic.com

Here's my opinion of why the Dead are so great. First, they combined some common forms of music, namely Bluegrass, Blues, Folk and Rock into a unique psychedelic blend. Second, they were anti-pop. They didn't care how popular they got, they just enjoyed playing and pleasing their fans. Third, they were one of the greatest jam bands ever. Fourth, as their cult grew, they accomodated their following and even allowed people to bootleg their music - how many other bands have done that?! Fifth, it certainly helps to listen to them on ACID to get on their wavelength. Sixth, as it's been said before that they were a cultural phenomenon spawned by the psychedelic '60s that embodied the hippy principles. Need I say more?

Long Live the Dead!!! 

Perfection

Perfection of the universe includes us! Our bodies, our minds represent a being on the path to perfection. Indeed we are the mirrors of the perfection around us that is God (for lack of a better term).

When we can truly see the perfection that surrounds us is when we realize our own perfection.

There is the "cosmic dance" where everything is perfectly balanced. The only thing keeping us from seeing and realizing the perfection of the cosmic dance is our acceptance of the world of illusion as being real. So we are fooled by accepting the face of things as the true reality.

In this cosmic dance, even Nazism was part of the perfect order. Hinduism sees us reincarnating to learn lessons about morality. The Nazis created the perfect moral dilemma for everyone. Countless millions of decisions were made by millions of people. Eichmann made his, and people like Schindler made theirs. These circumstances always exist on this planet. This planet is like a classroom where we must learn our lessons or get left back. The goal is to graduate and thus free ourselves from this moral prison.

To free ourselves we must learn not to judge others based on appearances. If we witness a murder being committed and we judge just based on our observations, we really don't know what the motivation was, whether it was self-defense, etc. We just see a murder and want to condemn the person who did it. Likewise when we see any "crime", we are not in a position to know all the facts. This could include Karma from previous lifetimes (when perhaps the victim and murderer had reverse rolls). So when people say only God can judge, they mean only God has all the information about these individual souls to know where they stand in their personal moral development.

If we judge based on appearances, we fall victim to Maya, and lose our perception of the perfection of the 'cosmic dance'. If we instead try to further our understanding of these individuals and their motivation we all can grow.

As soon as we 'realize' the perfection of everything, the sooner our own actions will align with the perfect plan, and the more 'perfect' we become. So perfection is a matter of realization of truth. Only our perceptions are imperfect (any biologist/scientist will confirm this). 

Determinism vs free-will is a debate that doesn't have to be Christian, even if it includes God. So let's expand it for a moment. 

First, I think everyone needs to stop anthropomophizing God. God is not a person like us, who makes decisions for everybody and everything (imho). But that's not my point.

My point is that if you believe in an infinite being, you must not let that being be limited by your own finite perceptions and limited understanding.

Chaos theory says there is a certain randomness to the universe that modifies the order imposed by the laws of physics. This coincides completely with Eastern thought, specifically the Tao, which sees a duality, the yin and yang as two forces that balance each other.

With respect to subject of this thread, it might imply that our awareness informs us of the nature of reality and our choices determine whether we "go with the flow" or oppose the balance.

Now if God is the omniscient creator of everything, then God has created an infinite range of possibilities from which to choose. What does this mean? It means every second of our lives we act acccording to our awareness and intent, and make free choices among the infinite variety of choices presented. What we choose in one moment determines what we are presented with in the next. All possibilities exist in every moment, in every choice we make. 

When we make a choice, our consciousness proceeds upon that path, ignoring and never experiencing the infinite "what ifs" that we have chosen not to follow. Many people believe that these other possibilities do exist, and other versions of ourselves explore those. But having a more finite consciousness than God, we can only experience one of these possibilities in any moment. God by definition must be aware (omniscient) of all these
possibilities.

So our free-will is exercised every moment we exist. We are then responsible (on some level) for everything we experience. Exercising our free-will is simply using that power that God (in Its infinite wisdom) has granted us to experience God's creation according to our own needs. 

Do you grasp what this means? It means we have TOTAL FREEDOM to be whatever we choose. But of course with that unlimited freedom comes a load of responsibility. To be truly aware means to understand the consequences of your actions. To be responsible means to accept those consequences, to deal with them in the most aware and reponsible way, and to learn from those experiences. That is how we grow.

So an unlimited concept of God sees that God has created this field of energy for all awareness to play in. Each of us being a portion of God's awareness, following a path of energy over time (an illusion that separates us from God).

On the one hand, this energy field that we exist in is predetermined, yet what games we play in that field is our choice. Therefore the paradox of determinism and free-will is possible.

I'd go on with this but I've got to get back to editing my book! (A choice I must make to proceed with my Dharma).

This gives us the power that most infer to God. That is "determinism". But since Time is part of the illusion of Maya that separates us from God, it does not benefit us to think of this as "pre-determinism" since that implies time and lack of responsibility - both of which rob us of power to change the circumstances of our lives.

To me this is a great flaw in the practice of Hinduism, this idea that Karma has "predetermined" your whole life and you must accept that. The good part of course is that what you do in this life will improve your circumstances in the next (true). But taking the time factor out, it empowers you to rise above your Karmic circumstances in this life, in this moment (all that really exists) rather than hoping in your next life things will improve.

If you look at Indian society, you can see that the way Karma is understood (in the past more than today) it is just another tool used by the upper classes to keep the masses under control (and profit from it). The amazing thing is that it has worked for centuries, but the lack of freedom and opportunities experienced by millions is unforgivable.

If we are created in God's image, then it follows that we are made of the same stuff of God (energy/love) and have as much power within and over ourselves as God does with the universe. If you look at the microcosmos, we consist of billions of living parts, cells, bacteria, etc. each with its own genetic code, and perhaps (i do believe), its own consciousness. To cellular consciousness, we must appear to be God or perhaps Gaia. Each cell has free will within its genetic program to behave as it chooses. As long as it goes with flow, it remains healthy. But when it chooses a different course, it gets sick and causes problems (cancer, whatever) that effect the well being of the greater organism. 

On the macrocosmic it is the same, we are just the cells in Gaia, Gaia is a cell is something larger. When we fight the flow, it causes stress in our lives which makes us sick and unable to fulfill our programmed functions or our greater potential (and thereby making it more
difficult for the greater organism, mankind and gaia to reach their potential.

So God exists in everything, and our choice is to flow with God's energy to fulfill our and God's potential, or to pursue a different course and work at cross purposes. When that happens we not only hurt ourselves, but all around us. No?

Therefore Karma is not something that exists outside us, but rather something that we reinvent moment to moment, and we can free ourselves as soon as we realize our place in the greater plan. 

I agree that we need to respect other people's religious beliefs. However a popular "religious belief" among hippies is that a person's religion is a very personal affair, that is, no one can tell another what to believe, your belief system should be something you "discover" for yourself either through personal revelation or study of existing religions.

There is a big difference between following an enlightened teacher, be that Christ, Buddha, Lao Tzu or the guru down the block, and joining an institution that has deified someone, set down a lot of rules and rituals, expects money from you, has a closed internal hierarchy, decides who can and can't be a member, has penalties for failing to follow the rules, etc.

The most enlightened teachers don't organize their followers and setup churches, etc. This is because, like hippies, they know that the truth lies within. Something always gets lost in the translation from person to person. And when you have an institution, it has it's own priorities, personalities, power games, etc. that have nothing to do with bringing their followers closer to the truth.

Again, the best teachers help you find the truth within yourself, asking nothing in return. Also the best teachers teach by example, living lives that are impeccable. "The truth shall set you free" 

The whole planet is our TEMPLE. If we respected it like we do these so called "holy" places, we wouldn't be in the mess we're in (in case you haven't noticed). 

Helping others is exactly what Christ did. Why save your piety for a couple of hours on Sunday. LIVE IT! 

Look at India/Pakistan, Northern Ireland, Kosovo/Serbia, you name it. All in the name of religion or National pride. All deceptions to enrich and empower a few people. For this thousands, no millions must die.

And the worst is yet to come! It won't be communism vs capitalism (although with China who knows?). It'll be Islam vs Christianity (Kosovo was just a warm up). It'll be Islam vs Hinduism (Fire up those nukes Pakistan & India). It'll be little terrorist bands (representing the dispossesed and impoverished) with nukes that'll make a bang. It'll be ruthless dictators with chemical and biological weapons seeking to enslave their neighbors (Iraq, Iran, Korea).

We are indeed on the brink of something far more hideous than we've seen since WWII. Yet we cling to false notions and institutions that have their own agenda and see human life as dispensible to their "higher causes". 

You are absolutely right that the Truth lies within, and we have no need for institutionalized religion to discover our own "godliness". In fact they serve but to keep us from realizing our true nature. Those qualities we ascribe to God, are within us all. Love, forgiveness, healing, miracles are all in our power to realize. Yet we chose to ascribe these powers to a "higher" being, thereby denying our own power. What Christ did was what any can do if he/she achieves this realization.

We are only limited by our awareness, and guess what? It's expandable! FREE YOUR MIND, FREE YOUR SOUL, THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE! 

It's similar to Christianity in that the teachings of Christ (and Lao Tzu) become institutionalized and (to me) lose their meaning under a cloak of dogma and ritual which only serves to empower the priest class while robbing the layman of the intimate experience of truth. 

How many of us realize we live our lives in a prison? It may be velvet lined with all the amenities, but it's a prison nevertheless. And we are the slave labor used to perpetuate this system by enriching those with power (our jail keepers). If you try to escape from this velvet lined jail, they put you in another higher security jail without all the amenities, and even the freedom to move around. Face it we're all prisoners! 

FREE THE PRISONERS! FREE YOUR MIND!
-skip 

As far as our perceptions revealing reality, they should be called deceptions not perceptions! 

In my opinion, Aristotle is wrong. Some of the happiest people I've ever met were dirt poor. The problem is using the word happiness. A more current term which would fit Aristotle's definition is self-actualization (Maslow). Maslow said we had to get beyond the basic human needs before we could truly actualize ourselves or find our higher roles.

I believe true happiness (or deep satisfaction) is derived from helping others and spreading love. Sharing Unconditional Love is the best high you can experience. Pure Engery flows though you unhindered by doubt, fear or expectation. It is magical beyond belief. Try it sometime. 

Respect for women varies from culture to culture. The main difference seems to be between Patriarchal societies (where power resides with men) and Matriarchal (where power resides with women). Almost all Judeo/Christian societies are patriarchal, where as many "primitive" cultures are Matriarchal. 

Believe it or not, in some societies women own the property and pass it down to their daughters. Women are the leaders and make the important decisions. And yes, it works just fine. So there is no inherent reason why women shouldn't be treated equally.

My understanding (although I don't have any figures on hand) is that Matriarchal societies are far less violent. In pagan belief, women or should I say feminitity is worshipped (as is mother nature) since women are the ones that bring new life into the world. Paganism has always been repressed by organized religion (here we go again! :0) as they fear and supress the animal we all have within.

In the '60s (sorry I'm jumping around here - so much ground on this subject), women became aware of the discrimination and double standard imposed upon them by this male dominated society. This is because suddenly women became part of the workforce (as TL pointed out), but weren't treated equally. It's quite understandable since men hadn't had to compete with women before. 

Feminism became a very powerful movement in America and did help liberate women from some of the stereotypes. Men were extremely defensive for awhile as it's difficult to change these ingrained patterns of thinking. (A lotta cognitive dissonance going on there)

Nowadays women do have more power and opportunities, but they still have far to go to counter centuries (or millenia) of cultural bias.

In my opinion, society would greatly benefit from a return to Matriarchy as the violence (almost entirely male in origin) has gotten out of hand. Some people say that it's men's nature to compete for women and if it takes a fist fight or a whole war, it's something we should just accept as an expression of our "animal nature". Bullshit. While there are many animals that do fight for mates, they rarely fight to the death. Only humans, the "highest species" does this, and for far less reason than mating.

On the positive side, changing roles is something not only challenging, but very enlightening. However it will take many generations before men and women can just be themselves without society dictating the roles. It's our aging social and religious institutions that are slow to accept change. Even big business and government are unwilling to share power with women as long as the "good ol' boys" are still around. Give it a coupla generations more and maybe we won't have to be discussing this anymore. 

My Favorite Movies

These aren't in any particular order:

Casablanca (I can watch this again & again)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (Great message)
2001 - A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick)
The Seventh Seal (Ingmar Bergman)
12 Monkeys (Cookoo's nest meets Brazil)
Woodstock (There was ONLY one!)
Pulse - Pink Floyd (mezmerizing Comfortably Numb)
Nosferatu (silent version)
Dracula (Bela of course!)
Blade Runner (SciFi Heaven)
Rear Window (Hitchcock)
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Godzilla (the original)
Roshoman (Kurosawa)
Woman in the Dunes (Beautiful & moving)
Ju Dou (Chinese)
The Joy Luck Club (Good story)
Babbett's Feast (Piety vs. Pleasure)
Like Water For Chocolate (Hot Food!)
Tampopo (Ramen will never be the same)
Eat Drink Man Woman (You better eat first!)
Tommy (Tina Turner!)
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (Good Satire)

And why can't everyday be a Thanksgiving? Why do we have only one day a year where we give thanks for what we have? That should be part of our outlook on life! It's like holding your piety and self-reflection (and don't forget hypocricy) for Sunday.

I do think this is a good holiday, for one thing, we're not out there buying up everything in sight (except Food!), like Christmas and now Halloween. We actually spend time with family (those who can).

I do believe it can be a time of superficiality and certainly spending time with the family can create some stress, but this is easily overcome since the reason for the holiday is so simple! There's no religious dogma or patriotic fervor or other bullshit to buy into.

It also coincides with pagan holidays this time of year. In fact Thanksgiving is as close to a hippy holiday as you can get (besides Earth Day)! Perhaps we need to start our own holidays to celebrate those events important to us. Here are some suggestions!

Hippie Holidays!

Gathering of the Tribes (Jan 14th) The anniversary of the first Human Be-In. A day for us to reflect upon our accomplishments and to set new goals! 

Woodstock Day (mid-August) (A happy joyous day filled with music and togetherness). Perhaps we can have large regional gatherings around the world, with FREE music, without corporate sponsorship!

Kent State Day (May 4th) A sad day to remember those victims of government repression and conspiracy. A day to protest government repression!

Earth Day (April 22) We already do a lot for this day. It's a reminder of our relationship with our planet, and a day to point out environmental abuses and find ways to minimize our impact and repair our ecosystems.

Peace Day A day to promote peaceful solutions to the worlds problems and to protest militaristic policies and nuclear proliferation. Apparently there are many days that are celebrated as Peace Day. Check out his page to get a partial list:
http://www.peaceday.org/pcdays.htm

It seems we should either have one big international day, or we hippies can make our own (it could coincide with one of these international days).

It seems Jan 1, 2000 is the next big one, sponsored by the UN. Check out:
http://www.worldpeace2000.com/

I think we'll need some peaceful thoughts and actions on THAT DAY!

Greed Day A day to protest corporate and individual greed! Target those companies and individuals who put their own materialistic desires over the common good. This might be good to have during the Xmas holiday shopping season. Highlight those who have suffered as a result of our society's unrelenting greed, and demonstrate the benefits of alternative approaches (cooperatives, communes, etc.).

Legalization Day (April 20th) A day for all the groups and individuals who protest the criminalization of non-addictive drugs to get together and coordinate their efforts. Nationwide and worldwide protests to demand legalization and release of the "political" prisoners in jail who have harmed no one.

Solstices & Equinoxes - These are traditional Pagan holidays and have been cause for celebration for thousands of years.  Many hippies already celebrate these celestial events.  (note how celebration and celestial have the same root!).

These are just some of the possible holidays we can have that can unite us and give us a focus again. Who knows? Some of these may be adopted by mainstream society as was Earth Day.

(someone wrote asking for investment advice - LOL)

My Advice:
Take all your money out of the market. The bubble is gonna come crashing down. Invest your capital directly into people and projects that you yourself have a say and can manage.

There are tens of thousands of small alternative businesses that need investment! Is greed your only motivation for investing? Then obviously you don't belong on this site. If you really care about more than money, then get involved personally, and use your money to help people, not companies. You might not get as much a financial return, but you'll feel way better about yourself.

When I realized that I was supporting the greed driven capitalist system, I took my money out of investments and put it into this website. I've never felt better (and I sleep a lot better, too)!