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A cuppa moral courage in the morning

Posted in Irshaddering Thoughts on Oct 02, 2009

This week, I appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” to discuss moral courage, Iran, and leadership in our increasingly divided political culture. Among the highlights? My handshake with Pat Buchanan.

(I’ll never wash my right paw again. Ever. Unless the swine flu cops are around, in which case I’m all about sanitizing. But not sanitizing the truth. Gotta draw my boundaries.)

And the truth is, I don’t think I’ve had a better interview about the Moral Courage Project. That this could happen on morning TV — in the land of cable — testifies to why we can still hope for meaning in our media. Here’s some of the feedback you sent after watching:

“I probably would not agree with you on many issues, but you are one of the few people with whom I think I could disagree without being disagreeable. Please take Keith Olbermann’s time slot. He’s most disagreeable.” - David

Irshad replies: To mimic His Holiness, The Very Reverend Keith Olbermann, “How dare you, sir. How. Daaaare. Yoooooo.”

“I was so pleased to hear your message. I was taught all this ethics stuff when I was in army officer basic. That was the last time any ethics were demonstrated in my workplace, much less my actual life. I’m 50 now.

To answer a question you ask on moralcourage.com: If I say what I think, the best that can happen is… mental health. Freedom from the bad self-esteem that cowardice brings. Confidence. Self-respect. The release of constant stress and dissatisfaction. Occasionally, one also wins a battle. That’s a bonus. I hope your project takes over the world!” - Robin

“This Moral Courage concept can make democracies better — especially the so-called young and sometimes laughable democracies in my own part of the world, Africa. I’m from Cameroon and have been living in China. Through your site, therefore, I will be learning more about moral and immoral courage, if there is a distinction.” - Henry (fellow professor)

Irshad replies: Oh, there’s a distinction alright. Read this.

“I am glad to have met you and your contribution to society through MSNBC and now on your moral courage site. I disagree with my own community about viewing life as a simple linear explanation, LEFT/RIGHT, LIBERAL/CONSERVATIVE, SELF/MASSES. The world is much more complex; it is spherical and infinite.

I also disagree with the assumption that society as a whole should solve all problems with MASS support. The great teachers — Christ, Buddha, Krishna, Muhammad, Moses, Gandhi — taught that each person must find his truth. They only guided his first steps…

But I think it was also Siddhartha who, after years of searching for righteousness, discovered there was nowhere to go but to accept what he already was: himself. Right action was giving JOY to those one met along the way.” - Bill

To experience some of that joy, come to moralcourage.com and interact with a growing community of individuals who speak truth to power, who fight intellectual conformity, who challenge the herd in order to BE HEARD.

Get involved in the discussions, debates and ideas for action. You have nothing to lose but fear. Give ‘em a reason to declare, “How daaaare yoooo…”