RJ Eskow

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RJ Eskow is a business person, musician, and writer. He frequently contributes to The Huffington Post, as well as skippy the bush kangaroo, as well as his own blog Night Light. He has also been published in Common Dreams and a number of other publications.

His writings have alluded to his work history as an entrepreneur, and to his consulting work for private corporations and organizations that include the World Bank and the U.S. State Department. He is considered left-leaning or "progressive," although his work has included lamentations about the lack of a true modern conservative movement.

He has also referred to unspecified spiritual or religious beliefs. He has strongly defended moderate and mystical Muslims against what he perceives to be the generalities and prejudicial criticisms of Islam opponents like Sam Harris and Rev. Franklin Graham. He has defended liberal Christian movements like the National Council of Churches, suggesting they are better representatives of Jesus' message than fundamentalists, and has quoted progressive Jewish movements (as well as Buddhist and liberal Hindu beliefs) with approval. He has made oblique references to his own spiritual influences. These apparently include Jesus, Gandhi, William Blake, the Sufi mystics, the Japanese medieval Buddhist figure Dogen, and contemporary Indian Hindu/quasi-Buddhist meditation teacher Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. He has described his own ancestry as half-Jewish, half-Christian. He was raised in Judaism and has described himself as culturally Jewish, but also lived with Southern Baptist relatives.

He is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter in the rock and country vein. He has written of past involvement with the New York pre-punk and punk scene, including appearances at CBGB's and the Mercer Arts Center in the 70's. His last reported musical appearance was at a Democratic grassroots political benefit in Santa Barbara in 2005.