"By changing ourselves as individuals, and learning how to tap into the higher vibrations of love and peace," Mehas says, "we can change the collective energies of the world around us. By becoming peace-filled and loving, each one of us can help create a world of peace and love. But we have a lot of work to do, so please come down and help us."

The six-month series will meet on the third Thursday of each month, concluding on December 18^th. All events will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Bank of Books in downtown Ventura.

Tolle's books, The Power of Now and A New Earth, and Stolen Boy can be found on the shelves at Bank of Books. In celebration of transformation, Clarey Rudd has agreed to offer a 20% discount on all three books. For further information about the series, call 805.643-3154.
 

Most of the people I hear from provide much in the way of wisdom, support, and positive reinforcement for what we do. This letter was no exception.

"Hello Michael!  ...I  am a civil rights activist.  I remember when Brandon shot and killed the boy at the Oxnard middle school and I thought that was so sad. Then I read your article in the Ventura Star and I was appalled...51 years before a chance for parole. I have some strong feelings about this case and other ones all over the country just like it. I don't feel any teen under the age of 18 should be sentenced to life without parole or a ridiculous sentence like the one Brandon is facing. My point is this: we all make mistakes when we're young and in time we learn from our mistakes.

For Brandon to serve the rest of his adult life in jail for a crime he committed as a minor is by all means cruel and unusual punishment. As you stated in your article, teens who do get such harsh sentences more often than not, do committ suicide. So in actuality, the Ventura county has given this child a death sentence indirectly. I think a life term of 25 years should be the max. for all minors who committ such violent acts. This enables the individual to eventually have a second chance and it also gives the convicted hope while doing the time, 'light at the end of the tunnel', so to speak.

I know from my own experience how unfair the justice system can be after recently having a run-in with the law... I'm sure race played an issue but besides that, I am positive that the justice dept of Ventura is very unjust and Brandon McInerney is a clear example of how heartless the legal process has become and how rehabilitation, one of the sole purposes of incarceration, has been lost and completely forgotten. I will forget about my case in order to assure no more children get a harsh life sentence. I am currently working on changing the law for sentencing minors...Thanks for your time Michael and I hope we can work together! 

Thanks for your time, and I know we will work together to make this a more compassionate world in which to live.

 

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THE LAST WORD

The Last Word comes as a result of a commentary I wrote to the Ventura County Star last month about my feelings regarding the Brandon McInerney situation. I received much intense feedback from across the country for what I wrote. People filled my ears with hateful words on what they wanted to see happen to Brandon. Others believed that Larry King got what he had coming. All the way around, the words were very sad and filled with a lack of compassion.

People on the Internet also attacked Ventura attorney Steve Pell just for representing the victim's parents. Larry King's parents were also excoriated viciously for filing a lawsuit against Ventura County and our school district for their son's death. So many people are so angry and expressing it in so many ways, and this is what we need to change. With all the insults being hurled everywhere, receiving the below letter was like a cool splash of water on an otherwise bone-dry desert day.

"Hi Michael...interesting you've gotten so many negative responses, because I didn't think the person who wrote the counterpoint to yours was convincing at all.

I don't see this as a gay thing - although Larry's story is sad (how agonizing to be 'different' than others, especially in America where there is so much shame and weirdness around sexuality and being comfortable with it, especially if you are perceived as being different from the norm). But, it doesn't give him the right to intrude on Brandon's space by taunting him or making him uncomfortable - especially at school. Not that what Brandon did was 'right' or justified - but, from the Newsweek story, it seems like this was a complicated issue - if the school officials weren't handling it, how was a 14 year old supposed to? And, who knows what Brandon feels inside about his sexuality, or peer pressure issues.

Geez, and the Newsweek story makes the school officials out to be a bunch of morons, even encouraging Larry's self exploration?  (would they have let the kid come to school dressed so distractingly if he weren't 'expressing his sexuality'?)

People can be fragile when their emotions get wacky - it's not right to provoke anyone intentionally like that...life is stressful enough..... we need to be nicer to and more tolerant of each other! 

Isn't it in Tolle's book that says there are no victims...? I see it as these two boys came here to earth and sacrificed their lives to teach US a lesson - what can we learn from this, how can we be better people after this tragedy?  Whatever the lesson is, tolerance, maybe it's just PAYING ATTENTION TO OUR KIDS... I don't think socking Brandon away in prison for the rest of his life is going to solve it."

I agree -- the key is the lessons we all take home with us from these tragic and trying experiences. The path will become much smoother, however, once we learn to tap into that energy field called love. I swear it'll make a difference in your life. It has in mine. You can trust me on this -- I'm a lawyer.

Peace, Love, and Blessings to all of you,