Kurt Vonnegut has left the building

I'm sad. Even though I really didn't read that much by him, everything I did read resounded and made me laugh. He's direct, says it like it is, emphasizes the real human tragedy of it all, and then laughs because really, life is so ridiculous that what else can you do but laugh...

Here is a really excellent reflection on the man.

You might also try Google Video or You Tube to see some videos of him. I saw him on The Daily Show last year and was terribly entertained and enlightened.

What we're spreading

"I find this so unsavory ... they‘re going out and killing people around the world to spread democracy, and what are we spreading? A form of government based on how much money you can raise from rich people."

- Chris Matthews, host of Hardball with Chris Matthews, on the record-breaking campaign fundraising figures for the 2008 presidential election. (Source: MSNBC.com)

Update on the letter: Kudos to the NAE

Evangelical Body Stays the Course on Global Warming

Rebuffing Christian radio commentator James C. Dobson, the board of directors of the National Association of Evangelicals reaffirmed its position that environmental protection, which it calls "creation care," is an important moral issue.

Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family, and two dozen other conservative Christian leaders, including Gary L. Bauer, Tony Perkins and Paul M. Weyrich, sent the board a letter this month denouncing the association's vice president, the Rev. Richard Cizik, for urging attention to global warming.

The letter argued that evangelicals are divided on whether climate change is a real problem, and it said that "Cizik and others are using the global warming controversy to shift the emphasis away from the great moral issues of our time," such as abortion and same-sex marriage.

If Cizik "cannot be trusted to articulate the views of American evangelicals on environmental issues, then we respectfully suggest that he be encouraged to resign his position with the NAE," the letter concluded.

he Rev. Leith Anderson, the association's president, said Saturday that the board did not respond to the letter during a two-day meeting that ended Friday in Minneapolis. But, he said, the board reaffirmed a 2004 position paper, "For the Health of the Nations," that outlined seven areas of civic responsibility for evangelicals, including creation care along with religious freedom, nurturing the family, sanctity of life, compassion for the poor, human rights and restraining violence.

On Friday, the association's board approved a 12-page statement on terrorism and torture. Anderson said that Cizik gave a report to the board on his work in Washington as vice president for governmental affairs and that there was no effort to reprimand him. "I think there was a lot of support from me, from the executive committee and from the board for Rich Cizik," said Anderson.

(Article Source: By (AND) - www.andnetwork.com)

Conservative Christians... you baffle me

So James Dobson and the conservative evangelical crew have written a little letter about Rich C. at the NAE. Read the letter here. Seriously, read it. It's very fascinating. It gives me a strange sense that history is unfolding in my midst when I read it. Indeed, a major change is taking place, and it's impossible to guess what the outcome will be.

I've met the head of the NAE before. It was as part of a group that focuses on helping American Christians find ways to alleviate the suffering of people in poverty. I was and continue to be, all about that. I was proud of him for being involved. A powerful Christian leader in DC could be doing a lot of things other than spending time on helping the poor. That was good to see.

I've been to meetings on Capitol Hill. One time at a meeting in a Senate office building, I was approached about Christians in leadership being part of the solution on climate change. Very little was being done. Ever since then, I've been happy to hear whenever more is being done.

But the most fascinating part of the letter is this... and I have to thank Sojourners in DC for highlighting this letter and this portion in particular.

They wrote:

"... we have observed that Cizik and others are using the global warming controversy to shift the emphasis away from the great moral issues of our time, notably the sanctity of human life, the integrity of marriage and the teaching of sexual abstinence and morality to our children."

Oh... my... God. They did not really write that, did they?!

The great moral issues of our day are (very narrowly defined) sanctify of human life (ABORTION), the integrity of marriage (NO GAY LOVE) and the teaching of sexual abstinence and morality (SEX IS PLAIN BAAAD!)

Sometimes it's hard to believe how different Christians can be from each other, because I wear the CHRIST nametag too but I feel like I have almost nothing in common with these misguided freaks.

The sanctity of life... how about defining that as it relates to issues like Iraq, Afghanistan, poverty, Hurricane Katrina victims still living in squalor, inner cities abandoned because of racism, the horrible travesty of public education in thousands of U.S. cities...

The integrity of marriage? Cool, if you're excited about that, if you've found the One, then cool. But Jesus did not harp on this. He mentioned it once. He also mentioned selling all your possessions once. Who has the hardened heart?

Teaching our kids sexual abstinence and morality? Again, what in the world is this preoccupation with SEX? How about we teach our kids love, tolerance, patience, integrity, honesty, generosity. These things don't making loving Jesus impossible or even compromised. They make loving Jesus real and tangible.

Ugh. The whole thing is disgusting. I am so tired of powerful Christians intimidating each other. I am tired of ideologies being used as a heavy vehicle for rolling over and smashing other people. (A moderate Democrat or Republican is often mercilessly berated by their own party.)

Anyway, I guess that's a whole 'nother conversation... I just find this letter very telling and very disturbing. Dobson is probably planning a coup as we speak.

Ann Coulter calls Edwards a faggot

This incident was so, so inappropriate.... remind me again why this woman is famous? She is the political equivalent of Paris Hilton. I love hearing that some of her advertisers split and some publications pulled her column. John Edwards is a lawyer... he should sue her for defamation. That would be fun (albeit a huge distraction from anything that matters).

Whether she's talking about Democrats or Al Qaeda or whatever other stuff she talks about, she thinks she's so hilarious. Well she's actually a little hate inciter, and I can't stand her. Blah. Go away, Ann.

If you aren't convinced, check this out:

Women's Voting

During an episode of Politically Incorrect, she said: "I think [women] should be armed but should not vote... women have no capacity to understand how money is earned. They have a lot of ideas on how to spend it... it's always more money on education, more money on child care, more money on day care." She also once said: "It would be a much better country if women did not vote. That is simply a fact. In fact, in every presidential election since 1950 - except Goldwater in '64 - the Republican would have won, if only the men had voted."

Don't tell me she's joking. She puts so much truth in her joking. That's why she's a VICIOUS NUT!

Where did 38 people go?

US accused on 'missing' prisoners

Thirty eight people believed to have been held in secret CIA prisons - or black sites - are missing, according to a report by a US human rights group.

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) report also details allegations of torture by a terror suspect who was held in secret custody for more than two years.

The group has asked US President George W Bush to reveal the location of these detainees and close all US black sites.

Last year Mr Bush said the prisons had all closed and had not used torture.

'Missing' prisoners

In a televised address in September, Mr Bush admitted that 14 detainees had been held at secret CIA prisons that used interrogation methods that were "tough" but "lawful and necessary".

"The United States does not torture," Mr Bush said at the time. "It's against our laws, and it's against our values. I have not authorised it - and I will not authorise it."

He said the prisoners had since been transferred to the US military camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the CIA was not holding any more terror suspects.

But in a report published on Tuesday, HRW has named another 38 people who were believed to have been held in secret CIA prisons, who are now missing.

Quoting US intelligence officials, The Washington Post says more than 60 people have been held in the prisons since 2001.

'Beaten and burned'

The group has called on the US to reveal the location of all detainees held by the CIA since 2001 and end its "illegal" secret detention and interrogation programmes.

Palestinian Islamic extremist Marwan al-Jabour told HRW he saw or spoke to a number of those named in the report while he was held by the CIA between 2004 and 2006.

Mr Jabour, who was arrested in Lahore, Pakistan in May 2004, also detailed torture tactics he says were used against him while he was in US custody.

He says at various periods during his 28-month detention Pakistani authorities kept him naked and chained to a ceiling. He says he was beaten, burned and handcuffed in stress positions.

During this time he was also reportedly interrogated by US agents for hours on end, but Mr Jabour says he was only tortured when the Americans were not around.

Mr Jabour admits that in 1998 he trained in Afghanistan in the hope of fighting in Chechnya. He also says he helped Arab militants who had fled Afghanistan for Pakistan in 2003, but he denies any links to al-Qaeda or terror activities.

EU threat

Meanwhile, the US has warned the European Union that ongoing inquiries into secret CIA flights within Europe linked to the black sites are threatening intelligence ties between Europe and the US.

The investigations "have not been helpful with respect to necessary co-operation between the United States and Europe," John Bellinger, legal adviser to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, said.

Mr Bellinger also labelled a European Parliament report into the flights, released earlier this month, as "unbalanced, inaccurate and unfair".

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/6405089.stm

Oh yeah, this is why capital punishment sucks

I've been deeply disturbed by the whole hanging of Saddam Hussein fiasco, but I couldn't really articulate why. I mean I know I am opposed to capital punishment, aligning myself either as a super-liberal with Amnesty International or a super-conservative with the Catholic church (take your pick), but in the case of SADDAM? Why oppose it?

Thank you, Shane Claiborne, for saying it so well:

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Shane Claiborne: Communicating Through a Noose

"What do you think of that man?" the old guy asked in a raspy voice as I settled in next to him on the plane. He pointed to the face of Saddam Hussein on the front of his newspaper with a headline story of the looming execution. I gathered myself, and prepared for what could turn out to be a rather chatty plane ride. I replied gently, "I think that man needs some love." And the rather boisterous gentleman sat still, perhaps not exactly the response he predicted. Then he said pensively, "Hmmmm. I think you're right..." And finally, he whispered in a forlorn tone, "And it is hard to communicate love through a noose."

Sometimes we just need permission to say, "It's not okay to kill someone to show everyone how much we hate killing." As Christian artist Derek Webb sings, " Peace by way of war is like purity by way of fornication. It's like saying murder is wrong and showing them by way of execution." I am encouraged by how many Christians I hear voicing an alternative to the myth of redemptive violence in light of the recent killing of Saddam, folks who love Jesus and have the unsettling feeling that Jesus loves evildoers so much he died for them, for us. I have heard many evangelicals who see Saddam's execution as the ultimate act of hopelessness and faithlessness – after all it is humanity stepping in to make the final judgment, that this human created in God's image is beyond redemption. And for those who believe in hell, executing someone who may not yet know of the love and grace of Christ is doubly offensive.

It is rather scandalous to think that we have a God who loves murderers and terrorists like Saul of Tarsus, Osama bin Laden, or Sadaam Hussein – but that is the "good news" isn't it? It's the old eye for an eye thing that gets us. But the more I've studied the Hebrew Scriptures the more I am convinced that this was just a boundary for people who lashed back. As the young exodus people are trying to discover a new way of living outside the empire, God made sure there were some boundaries, like if someone breaks your are, you cannot go back and break their arm and their leg. If someone kills hundreds of your people, you cannot kill 160,000 of theirs.

We've learned the eye for an eye thing all too well. A shock and awe bombing leads to a shock and awe beheading. A Pearl Harbor leads to a Hiroshima. A murder leads to an execution. A rude look leads to a cold shoulder. An eye for an eye we have indeed heard before and learned its logic all too well. But Jesus comes declaring in his State of the Union Sermon on the Mount address (Matthew 5): "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,'" but there is a another way. No wonder Jesus wept over Jerusalem because the people "did not know the things that make for peace."

Gandhi and King used to say, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth leaves the whole world blind" (and with dentures). The gospels tell the story of a group of people who have dragged forward an adulteress and are ready to stone her (this was the legal consequence). Jesus is asked for his support of this death penalty case. His response is this... "You are all adulterers. If you have looked at someone lustfully, you have committed adultery in your heart." And the people drop their stones and walk away with their heads bowed. We want to kill the murderers, and Jesus says to us: "You are all murderers. If you have called your neighbor 'Raca, Fool' you are guilty of murder in your heart." Again the stones drop. We are all murderers and adulterers and terrorists. And we are all precious.

When we have new eyes we can look into the faces of those we don't even like, and see the One we love. We can see God's image in everyone we encounter. As Henri Nouwen puts it: "In the face of the oppressed I recognize my own face and in the hands of the oppressor I recognize my own hands. Their flesh is my flesh, their blood is my blood, their pain is my pain, their smile is my smile." We are made of the same dust. We cry the same tears. No one is beyond redemption and no one is beyond repute. And that is when we are free to imagine a revolution that sets both the oppressed and the oppressors free. The world is starving for grace. And grace is hard to communicate with a noose.

Shane Claiborne is a founding partner of The Simple Way Community, a radical faith community that lives among and serves the homeless in Kensington, North Philadelphia. He is a Red Letter Christian and the author of The Irresistible Revolution.

Special Envoy to Sudan

The UN finally appointed a special envoy to Sudan. Thank God. It's about time. NOW there can begin to be some progress...

Bush's actions amount to book-burning

Read this article about the White House's cuts to the EPA budget. The White House has begun closing the Enviromental Protection Agency's research libraries to the public and to its own staff, cementing Bush's reputation as usher of a new dark age.

Populist tide has elitists running scared

I love this commentary from Lou Dobbs. I am a populist! So sue me!

Dobbs: Populist tide has elitists running scared

The only thing I don't fully understand is how American businesses really can compete and survive by keeping jobs in America and keeping them good-paying. I hope there is an answer, I just need to look into it more.

Happy Iraqi insurgents is a happy Fox News

A leaked Fox News memo shows the Vice President of News saying:

"Let's be on the lookout for any statements from the Iraqi insurgents, who must be thrilled at the prospect of a Dem-controlled Congress."

Shame on them. That is shameful.

The Eternal War

Everyone talks about how it important it is that we win the war on terror, or the war on terrorism.

But I just have a question: what will it look like when we have won the war on terror? What will we see and hear? How will we know when it's won? How will we know when it's no longer necessary to spend $100 billion per year on this? (We have just passed the half-trillion mark.)

This is part rhetorical question, and part sincere answer-seeking. I mean, what the heck are we looking for? A world where people who strongly dissent have no way to violently hurt or kill innocent people to make a political point? A world where nation-states are all democratic and pro-Western, refraining from harboring terrorists? English as a second language? McDonalds? I really don't know what the end goal is here.

Yet another gay Christian "scandal"

Well it seems Ted Haggard, President of the 30-million member National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) and pastor of a 14,000 member church, is stepping down amid gay affair allegations. Of course I have no clue if it's true or not, but it's not like he's being accused of some one-night fling; his accuser says they had sex about once a month for three years. That's 36 encounters.

Here's an article from the Seattle Post Intelligencer

Now my little post here isn't about homosexuality being wrong. I honestly don't know where I stand on that. I'm more struck by two things:

(1) A Christian world that often times provides shaming rather than healing and support to homosexuals or people struggling with homosexuality, however you want to put it. *

(2) A Christian leader who practices the very sin he so passionately speaks against. If the allegations are true, they are appalling especially because he is such an outspoken opponent of same-sex marriage. I don't care really if you are for it or you're against it, but don't rally millions of Christians against it and then practice it in secret.

I really don't have any judgements here... in fact, my lack of having a strong opinion about homosexuality is probably seems wrong to some. But I guess I'm more just commenting on the brokenness of the whole situation. It's messed up on many levels.

Of course there is the political dimension of it, too. What timing! As my Dad joked, this is nothing compared to the Foley incident. lol

* As an afterthought, I do want to note that this environment is changing slowly and many gay people are receiving a better welcome and better treatment from the Church. So that's good.

100 Hours of Pure Joy: If the Democrats Win Congress Next Month

The two party leaders, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., are promoting a six-prong "New Direction for America" agenda -- their so-called "Six for '06."

Pelosi has also promised that within 100 hours after taking control of the House on January 3, Democrats will pass legislation to increase the minimum wage, mandate the negotiation of Medicare prescription drug prices, fully implement the recommendations of the 9/11 commission, and repeal tax benefits for big oil companies.

And that would be only the start. Other Democrats -- especially prospective committee chairmen eager to gain, or regain, control of the gavels -- are bubbling over with possible initiatives across the public policy spectrum.

For instance, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., in line to chair the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, wants to push legislation to reduce greenhouse gases, while Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., who may lead the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, is looking to cut interest rates on student loans. On the other side of the Capitol, Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., the prospective House Ways and Means Committee chairman, wants a more bipartisan policy on international trade, including better protections for U.S. workers.

(From MSNBC at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14833983/)

I love all of these things! Let it be so!!!!!!!!!!! lol Seriously though. It would be like the end of the nightmare. I'm sorry to say something so pro-Dem but I just think all these things are very positive for our country and we are not doing so well right now. We need a change. Oh yeah, add to this list repealing the disgusting tax cuts for the wealthiest people in America. And giving funding back to programs like HeadStart. Or addressing the fact that the number of people living in poverty has increased every year, as well as the number (and proportion) of people without medical insurance. But I digress...

Well whatever you think... even if you totally disagree with me... (I can't believe I'm saying this to those of you.. haha).. but vote in November.

The end of books

I'm currently very disillusioned with books because I have realized that anyone can publish one, and that the things you might read in one book are, almost definitely, contradicted in 100s of others. The daily responsibility of filtering truth from myself is overwhelming enough - add to it an information flow attacking me through innocent BOOKS and I may very well drown. :)

Of course it's not just books - ideas and information come in many ways. But the fact that I can find a book to reinforce any worldview or opinion of mine is a little disconcerting. What is truth!? And who can we believe to point us toward it?

Here is a tremendously fascinating Washington Post article about Blue Media and Red Media. In a nutshell, Republicans like FOX and Democrats divide their attention between CNN and NPR. Haha. Not super surprising. But hopefully you DO find it super disconcerting. Choosing news sources that reinforce your current views seems strange and unhelpful for the person with an open mind. On the other hand, we select our sources on a constant basis - who we spend time with, what places we visit, which companies we buy from, etc.

In a world where we choose the news source that is most compatible with our status quo beliefs, do we have more freedom or less? Does that bring us closer to truth or further away?

Personally, I am finding that the subjectivity is where it's at. I'm having more and more of a sense of awe at our intuition. Now don't get freaked out - I'm not necessarily saying all the answers are within me or within you. But in a way, they are. All I have is my own mind and my own conscience to tell me what's good and right and true. In a way, I also have a very loving community to help me with this, but honestly, they don't agree on most matters of contention.

I guess that, for deciding what's true, the other thing I rely on is getting out into "the real world" and gathering empirical evidence - what do I see? But even then, my choice of going into the ghetto to see the real world may be opposed to your idea of going into New York's financial district where, in your perspective, "real life" happens. So even then, even if we could agree on a common circumstance that portrays reality, we have to use our minds, feelings, intution, conscience, etc. to gather and sort information about reality. We will still come to different conclusions. Even if we could get so far as to agree about truth and reality, the way we emphasize different things - by how much we love certain things, how much time and concern we devote to them - this will also show that what we believe to be TRUE, or most true, differs greatly.

Sigh. Life in the year 2006. You asked for it; you got it - Americaaaaaaaa. lol

Just say no to Lieber

What's all this Lieberman stuff in the news? I mean, who really cares? I don't know much about him but I will tell you this - he's a career politician and that can't be good for America. We need real people who live real lives and serve their government for a short time. (I don't care if it's impractical.) Plus, what's with MoveOn and other alliances taking him down? I hate the idea that if you're a Democrat, you have to vote "the Democratic way" on all issues. Don't we always give our political leaders a hard time for towing the party line no matter what rather than following their consciences? So if someone actually diverges from the party position - awesome! Even if you disagree, you should know that it's awesome, because it means there's some humanity and diversity and thinking going on. Of course it could just be corruption and betrayal and all that, but let's give people the benefit of the doubt. After all, it's Liiiiiiieberman. lol (I've just never really liked him and for superficial reasons, that's all. It's really not fair that he's the object of my annoyance but that's just the way it is.)

The news in general is really... not good lately. I mean, if you get it by TV (which I know you shouldn't...) all you see is CRISIS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. Crisis. What a word. I realize what's going on is extremely serious. I realize people are dying. I just think it's very sensational and exploitative to cover it the way they do.

I don't know where I'm going with this. It's 10:33. I have a flight at 7:35 in the morning. Plus I need to finish a project and pack. Ayyyy.

Bolivia's war on poverty

Making economic and social policy is, in my humble opinion, quite possibly the most important thing a government does. Our leaders are elected to make and enforce POLICY, and the ones that deal with money, opportunity, and society are pretty central. Capitalism is the best generator of wealth, yes, but does little or nothing to distribute it fairly. That's where leadership comes in. And no, by fairly I don't mean that everyone should get an equal share... but children shouldn't be abandoned, and the elderly shouldn't be forgotten, and people without homes, food, medical care, education... should not be left to suffer. That's just what I think. We're humans. Come on people. We need each other. I'm not talking utopia or communism. I'm talking about remembering who we are. So I like this article. The specifics can be debated, sure, but why is it big news when a country cares for its people? If you want an even more fascinating article, read about how Morales feels like a prisoner of neo-liberal laws and red-tape.

Bolivia unveils anti-poverty plan
By Daniel Schweimler
BBC South America correspondent

The government of Bolivia has announced a radical plan to reduce poverty and create employment in the poorest country in South America. Almost $7bn (£3.8bn) will be invested in ambitious public works programmes.

The economic plan announced by Planning and Development Minister Carlos Villegas aims to create 100,000 jobs a year for the next five years.

It is the latest measure in a series implemented by President Evo Morales since taking office in January.

The people of South America, and especially Bolivia, have often heard their leaders promise to reduce poverty and create jobs.

But President Morales appears to mean it and many Bolivians believe what he says.

The money will come from the recently nationalised gas industry, supplemented by international lending and foreign investment.

The plan, presented in the presidential palace in La Paz, also aims to deliver more basic public services such as school meals and better access to clean water.

Speedy changes

Since he came to office, Evo Morales, a former cocoa leaf grower, has launched a number of ambitious projects to reduce poverty and close the gap between rich and poor in Bolivia.

He cut wages in the public sector, including his own, and sent troops in to take control of oil and gas installations after he nationalised the industries. He has forged links with Venezuela and Cuba and worries Washington.

Few in Bolivia deny that the country needs radical changes.

The speed with which President Morales has moved to implement those changes has delighted his supporters, but left wealthy Bolivians and foreign investors nervous and uncertain how they should react.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/5090850.stm

US biggest global peace threat

People in European and Muslim countries see US policy in Iraq as a bigger threat to world peace than Iran's nuclear programme, a survey has shown.

Christian vs. Christian on AIDS

This is a truly interesting article:

Rift Opens Among Evangelicals on AIDS Funding

For one thing, it's definitely shocking where Pat Robertson comes down on the issue. And for another... it's just interesting. (Man I am sooooooo tired that's all I can offer. lol)