A Really Heartening Note from Jason Alexander
[Jason Alexander, who everyone knows for his acting but few know is exceptionally knowledgeable about international affairs and an exceptionally kind and loyal friend, wrote me a note that was very strong; I asked and received his permission to post]
Danny, my friend –
I am so sorry to hear of this postponement and to read your blog and hear the travails that you have all been going through.
i am also encouraged by the 600,000 signatures and the fact that One Voice is now a threat to those who only wish to hold to a false sense of power by manipulating the hate of those who struggle.
several years ago i befriended an amazing man named tom leyden. tom spent 15 years of his life as a working, prosthelytizing neo-nazi white supremacist. once he had his epiphany and realized there was no value to his life, he removed himself from that movement and has dedicated his life to educating those people he previously would have targeted in order to warn them against the hatemongers.
i once asked him how he targeted people when bringing them into the hate movement. he said, "If they hated anything, i could make them hate what I wanted them to hate. If they feared or were wronged by anyone, i could turn that to hate, too".
those who manipulate hate have an all-too-easy job. but those, like you and your staff and colleagues, have an enormously difficult job. but it is god’s job.
people ask me, how do you know which side in any conflict truly serve god?
I have a simple answer – god is a creator, the universe and all in it being acts of creation. Therefore any cause that moves forward by positive energy, creation, truth, trust, peace, harmony, building, understanding… these are the movements of god.
any cause that moves forward by violence, destruction, limitations of rights or freedoms, vengeance, the suppression of knowledge, isolation… these are the movements of… well, not of god. it is actually easy to see the difference.
just know that your efforts and those of your co-workers are blessed. they are vital. and they will lead to the only possible solution. your "one voice" is being heard. and it is being echoed. and it will prevail. and i am so very proud of you.
the amazing thing is, tomorrow you get to try again. keep going.
your work will prevail.
with much love,
jason
related posts
-
Danny DeVito, Jason Alexander, Annie Cusack, and Elliot Gould just recorded some PSAs for the OneVoice Summit
Antonio Soave, a producer and director who heads Capistrano Productions, helped us put together a filming session to record PSAs from Danny DeVito, Jason Alexander, Annie Cusack, and Elliot Gould. Doug Deluca from the Kimmel show helped us do this at Kimmel Studios in Hollywood, and Barry Meier was the DP. If you want to [...]
comments
[...] And even the painful and hardening setback of having to postpone the OneVoice Summit provided an opportunity for introspection, evaluation and growth. Indeed, we learned more from this setback than from many of our successes over the prior 6 years. Most heartening and energizing was the steadfast support from donors, Board members, and partners. [...]
post a new comment