Once again a shooting spree has shocked here and all over the world! Why does it happen again and again here, while democracy and freedom are said to be exported all over the world?
There is a grave misunderstanding about democracy and freedom here the most, but all over the world also. Democracy is not mobocracy. Freedom is not licentiousness.
Freedom is familiarity and friendship as shown from its cognate (Sanskrit priya-dhaman, beloved domain) and its root (Latin philia-domos, friendly domain).
Freedom is possible only by complete understanding and compassionate action as family members in love and friends in need.
Democracy is equality and peace as shown from its etymology (Latin demos-cratus, people’s power) and its history (equal and peaceful system against pyramidal rule).
Democracy is possible only by complete equality and active peace, by system members without discrimination and friends without violence.
No one can claim freedom and democracy without actually living them himself or herself. We are in one integral intertwined world, affecting it by our actions and action results.
Our actions (past, present, future of self and other) work in our world; we go up and down, creating and entering into heaven or hell from moment to moment.*
Our world is a psycho-physical one with ourselves becoming hellish beings, hungry ghosts, fighting devils, animal beings, heavenly beings.
We may remain physically human, but spiritually inhumane. We had better small selves and transcend our selfish systems, living limitless life, light, liberation and love.
*A samurai visited a zen master and asked if hell and heaven exist. The master said, “You coward!” The samurai became enraged and pulled out his sword. The master said, “Here, this is hell!” The samurai put back his sword. The master said, “Here, this is heaven!”