Newspaper Page Text
Griffin Daily News
Hare Krishna Movement: New Kind of Old-Time Religion
LEE MUELLER
NEW YORK — INEAI -
Unable to find peace in their
mundane pursuits of sin. sex.
drugs and Blood. Sweat and
Tears, many American
youths today are turning to
God for solace. The move
ment is looked on with ap
proval by most adults, who
take comfort and satisfaction
from their children’s recog
nition of acknowledged spirit
ual forces.
But old-time religion is one
thing. What about a gang of
chanting, baldheaded, tam
bourine-thumping. saffron
robed weirdos with pasty
complexions? What about
them?
They call themselves the
Hare Kirshna Movement and
you can see them on street
corners throughout the coun
try, smiling and thumping
and more or less soliciting
funds. Members live in
■‘temples” throughout the
world and belong to the In
ternational Society for Krish
na Consciousness, the pur
pose of which, of course, is
to promote consciousness of
Krishna, the society’s god
who first spoke in India
about 5,000 years ago.
Krishna consciousness is
simply that. The brain be
comes stuffed with Him
There is room for little else.
Devotees walk about all day,
chanting, 'Hare Krishna,
hare krishna, krishna, krish
na, hare hare, hara rama,
hare rama, rama rama, hare
hare"—a minimum of 1.728
time a day. "They are for-
Five killed
in wrecks
UnltedPress International
At least five persons lost their
lives in traffic accidents in
Georgia Thursday, the State Pa
trol said, including three out of
SORRY HERMAN
LOS ANGELES (UPI)-Den
nis Lee Herman, 27, was
arguing with his boss about his
paycheck Wednesday, and
called police when the incident
escalated.
Officers who answered the
complaint ran a routine check
on Herman and arrested him
for 27 outstanding warrants for
offenses ranging from disturb
ing the peace to lewd conduct.
They also arrested his boss,
Wayne A. Jones, 48, an art
dealer, when the same check up
turned up an unpaid traffic
ticket.
CLEARANCE
SALE
■ \ H AJB ■
Ij .
I I
I- ON-
I r *ll
IJg ’h: I -O
•Suits • Dress Shirts
•Sport Coats •Knit Shirts
•Dress Slacks eTies
•Casual Slacks •Cut-Off Jeans
•Straw Hats •Swim Suits
•Walk Shorts
Save now on hundreds of items reduced from
regular stock. Most sale merchandise reduced 25
percent to 50 percent.
®ljr ©xfnrh S’bup
510 E. Solomon Street
12
Friday, July 16,1971
ever chanting my glories."
Krishna said, and ’t still
seems that way. Krishna
people use "Hare thar-ra>
Krishna" for both hello and
goodby and then walk away,
chanting softly, as though
memorizing aloud: 'Hare
Krishna, hare krishna. krish
na, krishna. krishna . . .”
’You have to hear God be
fore you can see him,” said
Rupanuga Das, 31, standing
inside the four-story building
that is the Krishna temple in
Brooklyn. 'The holy name of
our Lord is the same as the
Lord himself. The problem in
this century is the lack of
god-consciousness. We want
to make people happy, and
anybody who hears the name
of God is benefited by it.”
Krishna consciousness, he
says, is experienced as a
process of seif-purification.
Americans, however, have
always been a little uncom
fortable with unorthodox
religions. It is rumored,
even, that enlightened as we
all are, religious prejudice
still exists in certain portions
oi the country. Fortunately,
there is little in the Krishna
believers to inspire fear or
suspicion or prejudice—ex
cept maybe their appear
ance.
What bad things can you
say about a gentle people
who do not believe in drink
ing, smoking, drugs, divorce,
gambling, coffee or tea?
Extramarital affairs do not
exist in the Krishna move
ment and even after mar
riage, sex is attempted only
for the procreation of chil-
state persons killed in a head-on
collision near Kennesaw.
The victims were identified as
Frank B. Mosher, 76, and his
wife Mabel, 70, of Palmetto,
Fla., and Violet Turner, 51, of
Rotnuls, Mich.
The State Patrol said a car
driven by Mrs. Mosher crossed
the median on U. S. 41 north of
Kennesaw and slammed head
on into Miss Turner’s car.
George Williams, 64, of Atlan
ta was killed Thursday when
his car was struck from behind
and he was thrown from the ve
hicle. The accident happened on
a downtown Atlanta street.
David D. Rittenberry, 18, of
White Stone, Ga. lost his life
when he rounded a curve at
high speed, his car caromed off
a telephone pole, hit a tree and
burst into flames. The accident
happened about four miles north
of Jasper on Georgia 5.
HARE KRISHNA followers do some proselytizing in
New York, using their chanting, dancing, button-holing
street style.
dren. Even television is for
bidden, unless a devotee is
scheduled to appear
Who might not approve?
Well, Kate Millett might not.
In the Krishna movement.
Grand jury
no bills
shoot count
MACON, Ga. (UPI)-A grand
jury returned a no bill late
Thursday against a white po
liceman charged with the fatal
shooting of a Negro three weeks
ago that touched off racial ten
sions.
The officer, John Beck, was
back on duty today, but still
faces the possibility of federal
charges, a threat made by the
attorney of the dead man’s
family.
“A coroner’s inquest ruled
Beck should be charged with
involuntary manslaughter in the
death of Jimmy Lee White June
24. The inquest said although he
lawfully shot White, Beck nev
ertheless did not exercise due
caution and care.
The grand jury, made up of
18 whites and five blacks, re
fused to indict the officer in
spite of charges by Thomas
Jackson, attorney for White’s
family, that he used too much
force in making the arrest.
Jackson refused to say what
action he would take in the
wake of the grand jury’s action
“since prosecution on a feder
al charge would be up to the
Justice Department and the U.
S. Attorney.” He said the jus
tice department is “familiar"
with the case.
Beck’s lawyer, Manley Brown,
said he wouldn’t be “surprised
to see the U. S. Justice Depart
ment issue a warrant on a
charge of depriving White of his
civil right to life.”
Beck told the jury he shot
White in self defense after the
Negro attacked him when he
tried to arrest his brother for
disorderly conduct.
The NAACP demanded that
Beck be suspended pending the
grand jury’s action but Mayor
Rennie Thompson refused. The
officer was placed in a clerical
job pending the jury’s verdict.
The incident also touched off
racial tensions in the middle
Georgia city and spawned sev
eral nights of minor racial vio
lence.
Aluminum
study
planned
ATLANTA (UPI)-The state
Department of Mines, Mining
and Geology will launch a
study this month on the produc
tion of aluminum from Kaolin,
which its director says “offers
exciting possibilities.”
Georgia is the largest produc
er of kaolin in the world.
Jesse H. Auvil, state geologist
and director of the department,
said the study will be conduct
ed with a $35,000 grant from the
Coastal Plains Regional Plan
ning Commission.
“The possibilities of benefits
for Georgia, for Georgia people
and the economy of the state
are excellent,” Auvil said.
the husband’s role is to pro
vide—and the wife’s role is
to follow and serve her hus
band, no questions asked. To
gether, they raise Krishna
conscious children, who.
Nixon text
IDS ANGELES (UPl)—The text of President Nixon’s
announcement:
I have requested this television time tonight to
announce a major development in our efforts to build a
lasting peace in the world.
As I have pointed out on a number of occasions over the
past three years, there can be no stable and enduring
peace without the participation of the Peoples Republic of
China and its 750 million people.
That is why I have undertaken initiatives in several
areas to open the door for more normal relationships
between our two countries.
In pursuance of that goal, I sent Dr. Kissinger, my assi
stant for national security affairs, to Peking during his
recent world trip for the purpose of having talks with
Premier Chou En-lai.
The announcement I shall now read is being issued
simultaneously in Peking and in the United States:
Premier Chou En-lai and Dr. Henry Kissinger,
President Nixon’s assistant for national security affairs,
held talks in Peking from July 9 to 11,1971.
Knowing of President Nixon’s expressed desire to visit
the Peoples Republic of China, Premier Chou En-lai, on
behalf of the government of the Peoples Republic of
China, has extended an invitation to President Nixon to
visit China at an appropriate date before May, 1972.
President Nixon has accepted this invitation with
pleasure.
The meeting between the leaders of China and the
United States is to seek the normalization of relations
between the two countries and also to exchange views on
questions of concern to the two sides.
In anticipation of the inevitable speculation which will
follow this announcement, I want to put our policy in the
clearest possible context.
Our action in seeking a new relationship with the
People’s Republic of China will not be at the expense of
our old friends.
It is not directed against any other nation.
We seek friendly relations with all nations.
Any nation can be our friend without being any other
nation’s enemy.
I have taken this action because of my profound convic
tion that all nations will gain from a reduction of tensions
and a better relationship between the United States and
the People’s Republic of China.
It is in this spirit that I will undertake what I deeply
hope will become a journey for peace not just for our
generation but for future generations on this earth we
share together.
| SPECIALS '
! Broiled Choice J
| SIRLOIN STEAK ’2 s !
(SPECKLED TROUT »1"!
| Cole Slaw - Hushpuppies |
o o
| Delicious Sunday Dinners |
Meat-Vegetaoies-Salad-Dessert-Drink
o PRIVATE DINING ROOMS AVAILABLE FOR «
| BANQUETS |
i RUSSELL'S RESTAURANT I
| N. Expressway - Ph. 227-3308 |
p_ o
presumably, learn to thump
tambourines and further the
cause
Krishna believers obvious
ly are not adverse to making
a buck. True, the long lock of
hair on top of male mem
bers’ otherwise shaved
heads is a safety measure
so that if they ever fall into
the pit of “material con
sciousness,” Krishna can
yank them out of it by the
hare of the head. True.
Krishna members have
pasty complexions because
the women don’t wear make
up and because there is little
time between those 1,728
Hare Krishnas for sunbath
ing. But women sometimes
wear gold rings through their
right nostrils and saffron
robes don’t grow on trees
Even Krishna must have
known about capitalism,
5,000 years ago.
Strolling troubadours re
ceive considerable amounts
of money in contributions
and there are other profit
able enterprises working for
Krishna. Apple Records, the
Beatles’ outfit, has released
an album of Krishna chants
by London devotees. Royal
ties go to the movement.
Hare Krishna temples also
are large suppliers of whole
sale incense. Meanwhile, the
Brooklyn temple operates a
publishing facility which
turns out spiritual literature
(a lifetime subscription to
“Back to Godhead,” the
movement magazine, costs
$222) and is starting a cater
ing service.
Krishna food, incidentally,
consists of only fruit, vege
tables. grains, cheese and
milk products ino eggs).
Persons invited into the tem
ple are expected to take off
their shoes outside (shoes
are considered dirty) and
have a seat on the floor.
Visitors must eat with their
hands off paper plates.
The Brooklyn temple ha o
very little furniture, not be
cause items like chairs and
beds (devotees use sleeping
bags) and bar stools are con
sidered immoral, but be
cause they take up space
that can be used for other
endeavors.
If this sounds as though the
entire Krishna movement
might be slipping into the
material pit, let Das—a
former Washington D.C. so
cial worker—explain:
“The idea is not to give
up material things, but to
use them in Krishna service
. . . There is no danger of
our being corrupted by our
business enterprises.”
Das admits that his back
ground as a social worker is
useful at times since many
youths who live in the temple
• the average age is 22) are
former drug users or came
from unhappy homes. He
maintains that things are go
ing as well for Krishna in
the youth market as they ap
pear to be going for Chris
tianity.
“We’ve been around for
five years now," he said.
"We’re not just some hippie
fad.”
(NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISE ASSN )
Problem
of farms
national
TIFTON, Ga. (UPI) - Prob
lems facing the nation’s farm
ers are national problems, Sen.
Herman Talmadge, D-Ga., said
today.
The chairman of the Senate
Agriculture Committee said
“because of the diminishing
farm population and number of
farms, the contributions and
accomplishments of agriculture
receive less and less emphasis
and attention in our national
plans.”
The Georgia senator called
for expanded credit for farm
ers, and thumped for support
of his program for rural de
velopment.
Think of it
as money
\\ \ y
Commercial Bank b Trust Company
Griffin. Georgia
BRUCE BIOSSAT
Muskie No. 1 but
Watch Humphrey
Despite heralded handicaps and the consequent bad
mouthing, Sen. Edmund Muskie of Maine still seems to
be clearly leading the Democratic presidential pack at
the halfway mark in 1971.
Governors, aides and politicians who met not long ago
in Omaha for the second quarterly Democratic gover
nors’ conference reinforce this conclusion.
With one or two exceptions, the indication is that Muskie
is either the strong front-runner or in the top two in the
states represented (12).
His stiffest rival appeared to be Sen. Hubert Humphrey.
Though it is being asserted today in party circles that
he is damaged by publication of the so-called Pentagon
papers on Vietnam, only one or two governors raised this
possibility in private conversations.
One of the most startling findings of my survey of
leadership sentiment is that Sen. George McGovern of
South Dakota, the only declared 1972 candidate, is judged
to have very little strength in places he is counting on
for good support—including Minnesota and the critical
primary states of Wisconsin and Nebraska.
McGovern managers long have said they must do well
in Wisconsin and think they can. They have talked of
Nebraska as if it were in their pocket.
Nebraska sources said the state is heavily for Muskie
right now. One man said McGovern isn’t really in it.
Another said his early organization effort is good, but
that Indiana Sen. Birch Bayh’s is much better. The latter
is deemed to have a good grip, for the moment, on several
state Democratic committeemen.
A veteran professional’s judgment is that Muskie pres
ently would win the Wisconsin primary. This man would
hold the options open, but he does not find it easy to name
a close challenger for Muskie.
In Minnesota, a convention state, Humphrey would get
full loyalty if he became a candidate. Beyond that, it’s
Muskie. McGovern gets little spillover from South Dakota
into the neighbor state.
Other states where Muskie is said to have commanding
or substantial advantage are Oklahoma and the new
primary states of Rhode Island, Maryland and North
Carolina (whose Gov. Robert Scott has endorsed him).
The Maine senator is one of two or three top contenders
for delegates in Georgia, and is reported the strongest
one in Ohio at this stage.
Humphrey gets strong mention in Maryland, some in
Rhode Island and Georgia. Sen. Henry Jackson of Wash
ington pops up in Georgia and Oklahoma.
Though here and there Bayh’s aggressive overtures to
state and county politicians were rated at least partly
productive, for the most part he is lumped with McGovern
and lowa’s Sen. Harold Hughes as “unknown” or “a
mystery.”
This half-year verdict from governors and others does
none of these three contenders any good. But it is especial
ly damaging to McGovern.
The whole rationale underlying his early declaration
of candidacy was that it would be his springboard to
badly needed name identification. Well, there hasn’t been
much spring in the old board.
Furthermore, whatever improvement there has been
in identity has not translated itself into sharp gains in
popularity. He hangs at three to five per cent in the polls.
There is no real solace for him in observing that Eugene
McCarthy initially was also very low in the polls.
Meantime, Muskie goes clopping along, accumulating
sizable patches of scar tissue yet not being seriously dis
figured. The things he does which some leaders dislike
(“courting the left” or “speeches too tame”) are con
sidered correctible error. Some governors, sympathetical
ly critical, talk almost like protective fathers. He
stumbles, but he’s theirs.
(NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISE ASSOCIATION
By BRUCE BIOSSAT
WASHINGTON (NEA)