Put yourself in this scenario… Your husband and daughter go to India for a spiritual retreat. While in a hotel in a picturesque location and practicing meditation, crazed terrorists storm the place and massacre that killed and/or injured hundreds of people. Your husband and daughter are among the dead.

I know, it’s something that none of us even want to imagine. But if something like that were to happen to my family, I know I’d want to kill the animals who did this with my own bare hands.

Tonight, I spoke with Master Charles Cannon, founder of the Synchronicity Foundation. The group was holding a spiritual retreat at Mumbai’s Hotel Oberoi when terrorist stormed the hotel and other locations around the city on November 26, 2008. Four of the group were injured, and two were killed.

The two were the daughter and husband of Kia Scherr, who had stayed home in the US. Following the attacks, Master Charles Cannon and Kia Scherr refused to condemn the terrorists, speaking instead of compassion and forgiveness!  On Monday, the lone surviving gunman, Ajmal Kasab, will be sentenced for his role in the attacks.  Many are pushing for the death penalty, though not Master Charles and Kia Scherr, who’ve launched the organization One Life Alliance to lead others to recognize the value of life as sacred.

Master Charles released this statement:

“From the beginning, our response to the Mumbai terrorists has been one of
compassion and forgiveness but not condonement. We do not favor the death
penalty because violence never solves the problem of violence. It does not
change the life-negative belief that is causative to the behavior. We do not
choose life-negation, fear, hatred and violence. We choose life-affirmation,
love, compassion, kindness, forgiveness and peace.

“We believe there is a need to show these young men how to understand and
embrace the oneness of all life. For this reason we advocate for Kasab’s
rehabilitation and education, and would welcome an opportunity to share our
message with him.”

And Kia Scherr said this:

“I am grateful to the Indian authorities and to the people of Mumbai, and
grateful to see the trial concluded. The events of 26/11 have forever
changed me and though I still mourn the loss of my husband and daughter, I
will continue to honor the sacredness and oneness of all life and share this
experience with others. I believe that we can make a difference when we live
with this perspective. This is why we have created One Life Alliance, to
create this conversation that is so badly needed in this world.

“If circumstances permit me one day to meet Ajmal Kasab, to simply sit with
him as a human being and listen to what he has to say and then share my
experience on the sacredness and oneness of all life, perhaps he will be
moved. He could be one of the most powerful voices of all for anti-terrorism
and could save many more lives than were lost in the attacks.”

It was an eye opening interview that I’m very glad I had the opportunity to conduct!

We actually started the show with breaking news! Just moments before hitting the air, Florida Governor Charlie Crist had made the official announcement that he was leaving the Republican party and continuing his run for US Senate with no party affiliation!  I played the announcement, and then discussed it with Miami Herald Tallahassee bureau reporter Marc Caputo.

And, as we do on most Thursday nights, we wrapped up the week with a visit from comedian John Fugelsang.

Just a reminder that tomorrow is the last day of voting for the DFA scholarship to Netroots Nation. I’m trying to win, and I could use your vote.  Please click here and register your support to help get me to Las Vegas!

And the weekend is here for me… I’ll be celebrating my daughter’s 11th birthday (with a slumber party.. yipee!), but back here Monday night with a recap of the Sunday talk shows with Crooks & LiarsNicole Belle, and a visit from Salon’s Joan Walsh.  Talk to you then!