I am grateful for your book as a guide toward getting our country back into balance, and I certainly agree that electing more women into political positions is required. And thank you for your "flexible and hollow" metaphor, Dr. Bob, I love that, and I do think that it is the image and symbolism in our Goddess of Liberty which will be pivotal in saving us.
Thanks again, both of you, for visiting with OpEdNews. Do either of you have any final thoughts as we complete this interview?
Liberty Sowing the Seeds of Victory by Frank V. DuMond, 1917
(Image by Library of Congress) Details DMCA
BH: I really appreciate your description of the creative process and how it brings you closer in tune with the Divine. That's great!
I always like to remind everyone that they have an artist inside of them, and to work on using their creative energies. It's good for your health and your own spiritual evolution.
Now, in terms of what you were saying about feminists back in the day demanding equality, every cause has its militant adherents who insist on a black and white kind of definition of their ideals. This reminds me of one of the extremist views of the Statue of Liberty that is gaining traction in these days of more and more people turning to conspiracy theories.
I would like to close with a simple warning to your readers not to fall for the claim that the Statue of Liberty is proof of an Illuminati conspiracy to rule the world. This is a popular theory on Internet conspiracy sites and it's presented with slick and compelling videos that will frighten the ill-informed. They call the Statue of Liberty a demonic Whore of Babylon. That particular theory, however, is a complete red herring.
Of course, there are real conspiracies all over the world where powerful men try to manipulate events, as they have for all of time. But there is absolutely nothing that links the Statue of Liberty to the Bavarian Illuminati, and there is very little that links her to the Freemasons. Furthermore, when you dig a little further it becomes clear that the conspiracy theorists who attack the Statue of Liberty by claiming she's demonic are emotionally disturbed people who resent women having authority, especially when it comes to controlling their own reproductive cycles. The crazy rumors on the Internet calling the Statue of Liberty the Whore of Babylon are linked to the rise of the theocratic right wing in this country and their determined assault on women's rights. All religious fundamentalists around the world prioritize pushing women back to their so-called traditional place. We learned a lot from Stephan Schwartz on this, and I highly recommend his latest book The Eight Laws of Change.
Detail from the 'Apotheosis of George Washington,' the 1865 Constantine Brumidi fresco on the ceiling of the Capitol dome. The figure representing Revenge holding the two torches is a portrait of Jefferson Davis, and the white bearded fellow representing
(Image by Architect of the Capitol) Details DMCA
MAB: Thanks for the reminder about Stephan's work, Bob, I should interview him, too!
How about you, Laura?
LEC: Thanks for one more chance to share a few more ideas Meryl Ann. I really loved your story of how your young self sorted out the Genesis creation story to make sense to you in a proto-feminist way! That's priceless.
Instead of encouraging women to be strong like men, we should be encouraging both to respect what each brings to the table. Much more can be achieved in every endeavor when both halves of humanity work unitedly to cultivate each other's strengths and grow together.
What was revolutionary about the American Revolution was their creation of a republican society where all can be considered equal under the law, something the designers of the Statue of Liberty emphasized symbolically by placing that tablet of law in her left hand.
The future definition of American liberty, as the liberty to do good and improve the world for others, will outshine the liberty to make a profit. If we want to work toward that, we can bring it about by living it in our own lives right now. We are all connected, and changing our own lives can change the world. Because we are all Liberty's children. We are all one.
Symbols are powerful because they are a bridge between the conscious and unconscious minds. Symbols are far more effective at motivating people's emotions than words and facts are. The Statue of Liberty has achieved the premier status as the symbol OF America, and despite the complexity and confusion of what "America" means, she continues to represent the best that all of us hope America can be.
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