I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]
An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.
Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.
Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.
The Dalai Lama taught about wisdom, compassion, and the nature of the self, but not politics in two, two-hour Dharma talks Saturday at the University of Michigan. Speaking to a reverent crowd of thousands, he urged people to adhere to their own traditions, saying that a multiplicity of traditions and religions serves the diversity of human beings. He said that while some people find different religions threatening to the point of embracing fundamentalism, “genuine harmony on the basis of mutual respect is essential.” The spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet said that as he learns about Islam, Christianity and Judaism through personal experience “my genuine admiration and respect to those traditions grows.”
Hours before the first lecture, some of that diversity gathered outside.
Continued – Reflected in slide show:
– Arjia Rinpoche heads the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center in Bloomington, IN. During the Cultural Revolution he was required to work in a labor camp. After release from the camp, he served as Abbot of Kumbum Monastery, one of Tibet’s six great monastic universities and held high positions in the Chinese government. One of the eight high lamas of Tibet, he escaped Tibet in 1998. Referring to the presence of demonstrators at Crisler Arena he said, “this is a free country so you can have demonstration or protest without any fear of gunshot. In Tibet, unfortunately we cannot do that.” “My concern is that only through genuine dialog and negotiation can solve the problem, either violence or crack down with guns doesn’t work.”
– A carefully arranged setting for the Dalai Lama’s teachings. Cushions for monks, three brilliant thangkas (paintings), flowers, offerings of food and incense.
– Chinese students from University of Michigan prepare for non-violent protest before Dalai Lama’s presentation. About 50 students gathered at the peak of the protest. Liang Zhang, a University of Michigan graduate student in electrical engineering and president of the Chinese Student and Scholar Association said, “The theme of this rally is to support the Beijing Olympics and to protest the violent behavior that’s been taking place during the Olympic Torch run. Also to protest political interference in the Olympics.” He added, “I think we have to listen to voices from different sides and different perspectives — not only from Dalai Lama and not only from Chinese government, but from more vast points of view.”
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