If you are in a position to start a revolution or participate in a revolution that would get men like Kennan out of our government it is your responsibility to do so. Regrettably, I lack both the charisma and the ego required to lead a revolution so I cannot tell you where to begin.

Since you mention your roles as teacher and parent I suspect you already know where the entry level work in revolutions is but I will try to clarify my personal views on this subject.

As I have already suggested, I believe that each of us has unique responsibilities.

I believe that we must each work under our personal, continually evolving system of first principles and also within the system of our professions and the greater systems within society and culture. When we sense that it is necessary, we also have the responsibly to change those systems with the gifts (both genetic and experiential) we have been allotted. Gandhi strove to become the Gandhi he was destined to become. Likewise, I have the obligation (equal to Gandhi’s) to struggle to be the J. E. I am destined to become. The tragedy of our times is that so many natural gifts go unused. I believe utilizing one’s personal gifts takes a lifetime of discernment.

As teachers, you and I have different responsibilities from our Hollow brothers and sisters in communications, social work, planning, and non-profit(ing). I believe that we are not teaching art and craft. We are teaching how to be an artist and how to be an artisan. More specifically, we teach how to be and adults. We are teaching the final lessons of childhood. We should always be striving to reveal to our students their responsibility to seek for and develop their gifts.

In society and culture we must do good by everyone we have the fortune to come in contact with. Our action or lack of action in our relationships is the most powerful force we have. I believe we cannot allow ourselves to make or keep enemies whether personal or conceptual. Enemies such as Kennan and his ilk are a distraction from the sytems in which we have true power. For as Pongo said, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

Obviously being successful at these efforts takes unflagging energy and we will fail more than we succeed but we must continually strive to fulfill our obligations to our gifts so that we may fulfill our obligations to the world.

I know there are a lot gaps in this credo — feel free to point them out. As I think I’ve made clear, it is an evolving process.

Thank you Ned. Thank you for challenging me throughout this week and thank you for explicitly challenging me to explain myself. I agree with your earlier comment — this is emotionally taxing, as personal growth always is. A week of this has left me battered but better for it. Chalk it up to revolution training.

Happy Easter!