– Marc Gafni’s friends, collaborators, and colleagues speak out for the sake of restoring integrity. This statement by William Heidegger on Today’s Politics of Outrage & the Marc Gafni Story was first posted as a comment to the Center for Integral Wisdom statement on centerforintegralwisdom.org. You can read the statement below or listen to the audio. –

The urge to defend and protect those who are unable to defend themselves is good and noble impulse. Unfortunately there are those who would twist this impulse to their own ends. Today we have evolved a politics of outrage where daily we are fed well crafted propaganda targeting our closely held beliefs. In outrage we strike out against the attended targets and feel good and just. I too have signed petitions and have raised my hand to do something I felt was good.

I had no idea that there were those who use these tools to attack, damage and intentionally try to assassinate the reputation of a leader in the community. I am sure that there are many who have been lured by this carefully orchestrated hit job on Marc Gafni. It’s sad that they don’t know Marc, that they don’t know the depth of his humanity. But how could they know? The attack isn’t interested in justice. It only seeks to damage and censor. I am appalled by those who are behind this.

Marc Gafni is a rare thing in our world, a teacher with phenomenal insight into the human condition. His teachings on Unique Self provide us access to escaping the isolating effects of our consumer society through simple insights into living a fulfilling life based upon love and contribution. The attack on Marc is an attack on his teaching. Repressing this teaching keeps us from the insights and awakening that we need to heal the world. And that is a crime.

-William Heidegger