This weblog goes back in time, with newest entries at the top. Older entries are transferred to the archive. If a search engine or a link brought you to this page and you don't see what you're looking for, search the site: The Web This Site You can also go to the Pray for Peace News archive (click here) or an index of everything at this site (click here). NEWS ITEM: JUST IN The Coalition for Hemp Awareness (CHA) announces that on St. Patrick's Day (March 17, 1996) members of the Navajo Hemp Project planted their first crop of hemp. The CHA press release points out, "Native American cultures surpass most concerning relationship, respect and value of our Earth and is a perfect situation to have the first major hemp cultivation in recent history initiated on these lands." The Navajo Nation has allocated 30,000 acres for hemp cultivation, which will be developed in the coming years. They see hemp as a good alternative source of income. For information about native goods made from hemp, contact CHA at the International Headquarters: P.O. Box 9068, Chandler Heights, AZ 85227; tel.: (602) 988-9355, or the CHA gallery in downtown Scottsdale: tel.: (602) 675-0287 60 MINUTES: Morley Safer Presents "American Enterprise" On March 17 this year, 60 Minutes had a story about the annual Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam, a convention dedicated to the cultivation and sale of hemp products. High Times reporters predicted that favorable coverage of the convention could result in "a quantum leap forward in the legalization battle." Safer and the camera crew explored the convention floor to interview hemp enthusiasts, many of whom were Americans. 60 Minutes also interviewed experts in the United States, where Safer concluded, "There's a hard reality to face." Safer interviewed an American hemp grower who had to disguise his voice and identity to avoid 5 to 40 years in a federal penitentiary. Another expert told Safer that a life sentence is possible for citizens who grow large quantities. 60 Minutes included footage of police searching residential areas for indoor hemp growing operations. Their "search" was conducted in a helicopter equipped with infrared surveillance equipment. (Pray for Peace questions whether this search is Constitutional.) 60 Minutes portrays the case of Harold Schaffer, a former New Hampshire building contractor, who is serving 5-years in prison for growing plants. Schaffer explains that prison destroyed his family and his life. Ed's. Note: For more on 60 Minutes, see "The Cannabis Cup Hemp Expo," High Times magazine, May 1996. Editorial: 60 Minutes Did the Right Thing Pray for Peace News regrets that Americans like Harold Schaffer are being held in jail for their beliefs. Schaffer and others like him are Prisoners of the Drug War. 60 Minutes leaves the viewer asking: "How much longer will this persecution continue?" One man at the Expo summed up the frustration saying: "It's been 30 years since the Summer of Love and it's time the government lighten up on us." BUY HEMP PRODUCTS: YOUR VOTE FOR PEACE Pray for Peace News supports the commercial use of the hemp plant for food, fuel, medicine, and cloth (canvas = cannabis). Clothing stores in Arizona sell hemp shoes, backpacks, and hats. Our state's natural food stores sell a variety of hemp products, including oil, shampoo, lip balm, hand loation, veggie burgers, candy and cheese alternatives. Please buy hemp and urge your local health food stores and gift boutiques to carry hemp products. PRAYERS Om Namo Shivaya -- Hindu prayer to the Holy Spirit Give Thanks and Praise Unto the Most High --Rastafarian Prayer It is I who am the ritual, I the sacrifice, the offering to the ancestors, the healing herb, the transcendental chant. --Lord Krishna in Bhagavad-gita, 9.16 Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; and these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving. --Peyote Way Church of God (Arizona) Pray for Peace Affirmations Imagine that it's true that we create our own reality, as some people believe. If we are depressed about what's happening in the world, then we tend to reinforce the bad reality through our negative thoughts. The purpose of affirmations is to lift the depressing thoughts. Affirmations are not necessarily true YET, but by affirming the positive, we help create the blueprint for a positive world. We help form a vision of what is possible. Affirmations are like looking through rose-colored glasses. Instead of putting blinders on, we use our rose glasses to add positive energy to the collective consciousness. In this light, I would like to share the following affirmations. Please add your energy to these positive thoughts: World Events The truth remains strong and clear even when people refuse to see it; falsehood remains weak and exposed, no matter how many people believe in it. Peace in the Terror War We belong to a world community that honors justice, truth, and love. The good people of the planet are the majority and now direct world events. Honesty in Business Enduring wealth is built on honesty, including care for Mother Earth. Cities We weave a web of honor and love in our cities. Natural Areas We support organizations that protect the environment. We write letters and act to help the environment. The majority wants to protect nature and so it is. Raising Children We make this world a better place for children and teens. Elected Officials We support elected officials when they do what's right for the people and the Earth. If they refuse to care for Earth, then the people will lead them. Peace in the Culture War We participate in a peaceful social discourse, free from any connotations of war. Ours is a world of neighbors with a common dream of equality, freedom and prosperity. Police and Law Enforcement Agencies We support the men and women of law enforcement who fulfill the duty to protect and serve, thus nurturing trust, cooperation, safety and goodwill in our towns. Peace in the Drug War We affirm a peaceful conclusion to the War on Drugs. Personal freedom, civil liberties and democracy are restored. All drug sales are taxed and regulated. The black markets for money diminish, reducing the threat of terror and returning money to the legitimate economy. Addicts, Alcoholics We pray that addicts find the fellowship, counseling and medical care they need to build fulfilling lives, freed of their addictions. Medical Marijuana We affirm a spiritual road map for the respectful use of marijuana for mind, body, spirit healing. Children and Drugs We teach our children to cope with life's problems free from drugs of all kinds. Freedom of Religion Freedom of religion is a basic human right equally guaranteed to Native Americans, Hippies, Hindus, Buddhists, Taoists, Rastafarians, Pagans, Moslems, Artists, Atheists, Humanists, Agnostics, and everyone who follows an alternative spiritual path. Malevolent Astrological Alignments Let the planetary conjunctions become favorable to me, my family and all living beings. Diversity We celebrate diversity and build bridges of love. Here's an article by a like minded soul: The Vision of Peace, By John Dear Open Conspiracy H.G. Wells on World Revolution, by H. G. Wells, W. Warren Wagar (Editor) Amazon Book Description H.G. Wells was acclaimed during his lifetime as one of the most original and creative thinkers of the 20th century, and retains to this day a position of considerable importance in the history of ideas. In 1928 when he wrote this cry for a new age of worldwide knowledge networking, there was no Internet. Yet Wells was already convinced that if only thinking people across the planet could somehow pull together and pool their expertise, energy, and insights into sort of "cerebrum for humanity," then the world would be a saner, safer, better, fairer place. Anyone aware of how the Internet already reflects both the vices and the virtues of society and wonders how a world-renowned visionary like H.G. Wells envisaged knowledge networking as working in practice will enjoy this book. It is a hymn to the practical possibilities of world group action. About the Author W. WARREN WAGAR is the Distinguished Teaching Professor of History at Binghamton University, and a Vice President of the H.G. Wells Society. He is the author of several books on Wells. Additional Affirmations: HOLLYWOOD AND THE CITY OF ANGELS We hold a loving consciousness whenever thinking about these cities and the manifestations from these cities. We envision Hollywood as a safe, friendly and peaceful heart, surrounded by the loving arms of the greater City and County of Los Angeles. ALL CITIES We weave a web of honor and fellowship in a world where love prevails.

Visitors to Hollywood: Why do we need a Hollywood affirmation? Many people make "Hollywood" a scapegoat for violence in schools and whatever other problems are out there. Actually, Hollywood is just a neighborhood in the City of Los Angeles and many movies are made elsewhere (Burbank, Culver City or out of state). Nevertheless, political cartoons and editorial writers set "Hollywood" up as a straw man. It would take more courage to name the studios, producers, directors, writers and actors who make the violent movies they dislike. Blaming "Hollywood" is a lazy bad habit and I believe that negativity from the McCarthy era onward made Hollywood what it finally became in the 1970s and 1980s: a run down and dangerous black sheep within the City of L.A. Everything changed when Pray for Peace News started the Hollywood Affirmation circle. We wrote letters to City and State officials, asking them to help revitalize Hollywood. Now people consider Hollywood a major economic plus for California. Ever since the 1990s people have been working to improve the neighborhood in and around Hollywood. This happens automatically when we change our "story" about a thing. Our movies are our modern-day myths, so let's stop disassociating from our stories and accept (and deal with) the mirror that the movie industry holds up to us. Instead of blaming the problems on a great old L.A. district of historic landmarks, do something positive like write letters (link here for the Pray for Peace Activists Workshop) and join our affirmations a better future. Visit Hollywood for your next family vacation - If you want to visit Hollywood, we recommend that you stay in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, a historic landmark across the street from the Chinese Theatre. Click here for an introductory movie about the history of the hotel. Click here to go directly to reservation information. If you stay here, you can walk to many sites of interest along Hollywood Boulevard, including movie theaters, museums, restaurants and shopping. The Hollywood/Highland Kodak Theater and the subway to Universal Studios are also within walking distance. Pray for Peace News         est. 1995 Pray for Peace News was founded to spread awareness, education and devotion to the Great and Holy Mystery that is God. We accept all paths as true; all religions are but branches of the same tree. We promote interfaith dialogue and exchange programs to develop tolerance between religions. Pray for Peace News is dedicated to nonviolence (vegetarian diet) and daily meditation. Pray for Peace News editors are committed to the legalization of sacred natural medicines for spiritual healing, for all people. Pray for Peace End the War on Drugs index