Chapter Two, Part 2

After the bath, they gave Bethena a jeweled loin cloth like theirs and lead her into the presence of the Goddess. Already in an altered state of sensual over-load, when Bethena smelled the hypnotic incense, and saw the bejeweled larger than life idol before her in the dimly lit sanctuary, she fainted, flopped to the floor. When she awoke, it was to a vision of the bare backs and buttocks of her sister temple maidens as they prostrated themselves before the Goddess. In a few moments, when her head cleared, Bethena joined them, prostrating herself as they did, in deep gratitude to the One who had granted her this blessing.
After a time, as Bethena’s heart ceased its racing, Melka came and led her to a dimly lit alcove with a divan and a smoking brazier from which floated the same hypnotic incense. They sat on the floor.
“You are of royal blood, Bethena,” Melka said. “A princess of Canaan. It is your duty to serve Astarte, Goddess of Fertility. The welfare of our people depends upon the Goddess’ favor. If She finds favor in your service to Her, She will bless us with a good harvest and many children. Do you understand?” Bethena nodded. “You will now dedicate yourself to Her service. From this day forth and for the rest of your life, you will come here, to Her temple for one month each year and offer your body. You are Her slave, Bethena, Her willing and obedient slave. Do you understand?”
“I am Her slave,” Bethena said dreamily and sensually, her body tingling and undulating slightly.
“Yes.” Melka stroked Bethena’s cheek, longing to take the comely virgin for herself. “Her slave.” She stood reached down her hands to Bethena and when she grasped them, pulled the new temple slave to her feet. “You will sit on this divan and wait, breathing in the incense of service, with every breath, reminding yourself that you are only a slave, here to serve whoever comes and commands you in the Goddess’ name. Do you understand?”
“I hear and obey,” Bethena said dreamily.
“Good, my little slave girl. I am pleased!”
Bethena’s heart raced with joy.
“You will give yourself fully to what is asked of you,” Melka said. “Trust the Goddess. She will guide you. Trust your body; your senses and feelings will guide you. Let your mind be asleep.” She caressed Bethena’s budding breast. Bethena moaned. Melka bent and kissed her nipple. Bethena moaned from the center of her being. Oh, what sacred sweetness, Melka thought. Surely initiating this girl could not be a sin?
“This is love, Bethena,” Melka whispered in the child’s ear; “sacred love. This is how you and I shall serve Astarte. This; what we are feeling now is how we are meant to feel and how She wants us to worship Her. You shall never know a greater, more fulfilling love, Bethena. You are mine in the Goddess’ name!”
“Yours….”

It's Broken, Let's Fix It

Churchill supposedly said, “people get the government they deserve.” Scary thought! But say that Churchill is right and I feel I deserve something better. What then? Washington, Franklin and Jefferson thought they too, deserved something better. As they did 234 years ago, I can realize a change is necessary then join with others to discuss and explore something better. That’s what I’d like to do and invite you to join me in such a discussion/exploration.

I’m not suggesting a second American Revolution as some are, or a Libertarian, Tea Party type solution. Frankly, I’m not very sure what to do, and am scared shitless of those who do, that’s why I want to discuss and explore. I do feel that more than cosmetic change is needed, tho; that changing the governing party from Democract to Republican and back again, isn’t working that well; just look at the “blue dog” Democrats. Bi-partisanship isn’t enough. A third party isn’t enough. Washington warned about political parties and factionalism and he was right.

We need a shift to ‘trans-partisanship’ or no partisanship. The Party system and the polarization, gamesmanship and gridlock that go with it are destroying the country. When party labels, party discipline, party dogma and party loyalty become more important than the health and well being of the Nation, as is the case now, it’s time to ditch party labels, party discipline, party dogma and party loyalty.

If you see this too, and know we can do better and would like to explore ways of achieving a trans-partisan system in which party labels, party discipline, party dogma and party loyalty are irrelevelant, please join me and let’s dialogue.

Is American Democracy Broken?

Miami held a special election this past Tuesday that cost $300,000. Of the 63,000 residents of the district, 39,961 are registered. Of those, approximately 12% turned out; that means roughly 4,500 people voted. The ‘winner’ got more than half of those votes, and a ‘landslide’ would have been 3,000 votes. So in other words, 3,000 people decided who would ‘represent’ 63,000 people. Does this seem ‘right’ to you? Does this seem like ‘democracy’?

It doesn’t seem ‘right’ nor like ‘democracy’ to me; it seems like something isn’t working and is broken. Many excuses are offered – ‘off-year’ election, local election, but these seem pretty lame to me. ‘Democracy’ isn’t what it used to be, and isn’t working now. Check it out – 63,000 people, approx 40,000 ‘eligible’ to vote, 4,500 vote. Even during ‘on-year’ elections with big issues of state and national interest, only 48% of the ‘eligibles’ turn-out. And, the thirty year trend is for lower registrations and lower turn-outs. Not very ‘good.’

There is something dead, deeply and fundamentally broken about this, and it seems to me until we admit that, until we stop making excuses for it and stop thinking we can patch it up, we won’t be able to fix it. Pretending it’s OK and denying that it’s fundamentally broken, keep the status quo. It’s not about blaming, punishing, or being ‘un-American,’ it’s simply about fixing something that’s broken beyond repair. When our shoes are broken, we fix ‘em, or our cars or houses.

I have some ideas about why this is happening and what to do about it, but before those can be shared, people have got to understand that new ideas are necessary, that the ‘system’ is broken. Until we’re ready to admit it’s not working, until we give up denial and admit we care and can do better, there’s no need to do anything. After all, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

There are consequences to doing nothing and staying in denial; the consequences of not fixing our ‘democracy’ are more polarization, gridlock, corruption and more visible, widespread failures of other systems – energy, immigration, health care. The consequences of letting these systems go is not only the death of the ‘American Dream,’ but the literal and actual death of our standard of living and place in the world. It’s not just politics and usual, it’s decline and dissolution. But it doesn’t have to be this way.