I just learned that one of the sponsors of this week’s health fair in Los Angeles is the Tzu Chi Foundation, a Buddhist charity headquartered in Taiwan. Tzu Chi was organized by a nun, the Venerable Dharma Master Cheng Yen, and now claims 5 million members in 45 countries.
So I’m saying that if health care reform falls through, there’s a silver lining. As more and more Americans sink into medical destitution for lack of health care, we can round up Tzu Chi, Dharma Drum, and other international Buddhist charities to set up free clinics with a little dharma on the side. Heh.
This is a rumor you are welcome to spread.
Update: Now I’ve learned that Tzu Chi already has a permanent free clinic in Los Angeles. Hey, it’s how the Christian missions got started in Asia and Africa. Why not?
Update: Tzu Chi has already infiltrated Massachusetts. This was low-hanging fruit, of course. Once we have Texas, it’s all over. On to Dallas!
Hmmm, maybe we can peel off a few of the nutsoids from the mob by convincing them that Obamacare isn’t a government takeover of healthcare, it’s a Homeland Security move to defend the nation against the evil, godless Buddhist conspiracy. It’s insane in just the sort of way that appeals to them – there’s a threatening Other associated primarily with a non-white foreigners and hippies, there’s an Authority who wants to protect them … still, I shudder to think what the nutsoids would do once they had Buddhism on their radar. Probably better not to try this idea.
Hey, don’t forget — we invented kung fu.
As for me, I welcome our new Buddhist overlords.
I hope you like tofu.
It’s not necessarily Buddhist, but I learned that a Hindu has become the dean of religious life at USC. Varun Soni is the first Hindu to become the primary spiritual leader at a big American university. According to the article, he did a semester as a Buddhist monk in India.
So bring on the tofu. This meshing of east and west is one of the best things about California. People here don’t think anything of it. On to Dallas!
Howard Dean spoke (Friday AM) at Netroots Nation (in Pittsburgh). I’m kicking myself cuz I didn’t go. Very worthwhile discussion about health care.
Dean thinks Obama is handling this well, letting the Republicans show their true colors – which was the way Obama ran his campaign. But mistakes were made, including not starting out with single payer. Dean says this – giving up single payer – is the compromise. The public option has to be there.
Although I can’t eat tofu (though I like it), I would welcome Buddhist overloads.