--by Mike Adams
(Part 2 Click here to start at the begninning of this multi part article)
In today’s society, righteous indignation is not out of style; it is not frowned upon or discounted. A quick wit and a well delivered blow even at the expense of truthfulness may well be exalted meanwhile, a common sense approach void of stereotype and consisting of practicality may be shunned. A mere perusal of modern talk radio from the political left or the political right will expose the depths of ontological sewage we are willing to not only tolerate but actively plumb for political entertainment or in our more vile and cunning moments, for political victory.
I’ll start by examining those with whom I am more likely to agree at least in sentiment. The far left pundits spare no effort in railing against any potential leaders of the political right. Even after most news sources acknowledged it unlikely that Sarah Palin didn’t know Africa to be a continent, the far left continued to proclaim that accusation with the same ardor that the far right employs when raising funds to build a scientific museum of biblical creation. The zealous left is quick to affix degrading labels to the right which denigrate their humanity and portray conservatives as greedy and heartless power mongers. This description may be true of some individuals, however, I can’t believe that all politically conservative people even those in Washington are somehow lacking in the spectrum of emotion and decency which make up a human being.
In fact, in the weeks leading up to this year’s election, I was discussing Washington politics with several co-workers. As we considered the ills of neo-conservative philosophy and the damage its’ application has wrought in our world, a new member of our office team walked over and asked if there are any other Republicans in the office besides her. Given the tenor of our conversation up to that point, this awkward interjection spelled the end of our lively discourse.
Just to clarify, I really like this employee; she is fun to talk with, fun to work with and fun to joke with. She is obviously intelligent, has a good work ethic and is fond of children. She recently presented me with a plastic bucket containing a salamander for my kids. There is no doubt that she and I have common values, common concerns and that we share political common ground; yet I have been unwilling to venture near politics with her in conversation because of the general level of hostility between left and right in our society.
As I write these thoughts, I increasingly suspect that I ought to be willing to discuss politics with my coworker, that the partisan deadlock of Washington is merely an amplified version of what is happening in work places, coffee shops, churches and living rooms across this country. Consider the absurdity that two people who like and respect each other are unable to discuss a topic of great importance because they disagree on a few points. Perhaps we citizens share more blame than we care to admit in the political impotence that pervades our national politics. It is possible that we misunderstand our elected officials and we ought to conceive of them as mirrors through which we can identify our own failures to be pragmatic and to compromise.
Consider the politics of employment. From the cross section of my experiences and the experiences of those who have shared with me there are definitely threads of continuity. Continuity in the way new comers may be distrusted and unfairly blamed for errors. Continuity in the willingness to deny culpability for consequences we helped to orchestrate. Continuity in the duplicitous actions we might take when competing for a promotion or a raise. Continuity in the subtle deceits we might employ to affect a meeting with clients or with management.
When we examine our own artful manipulations and those perpetrated by coworkers in an effort to gain even a slight upper hand, it becomes possible to see politicians not as villains, but as people trying to survive a difficult environment. Washington subterfuge may seem more unscrupulous than what occurs in our work places, however, on an interpersonal level, Washington politics is rather similar to what we practice every day, its primary dissimilarity being the high stakes and constant publicity.
Setting excuse aside, it is important to note that elected officials are obliged to govern effectively and in our collective interest. Difficult circumstances and human nature do not ease any charge of public service. All elected officials choose that burden when they run for office and we citizens will benefit by valuing, encouraging and even demanding pragmatic, thoughtful deliberation. Here is an area of interest, because when we choose our leaders, we charge them with certain tasks. Perhaps it would be useful to examine what labors we demand from our leaders and how that may or may not have contributed to the partisan bickering and deadlock in our nation’s politics. First, I’ll examine common complaints about politicians. Politicians are often thought of as unprincipled and ineffective; they are in the pockets of big money, they serve special interests and they place too much importance on party line while forgetting the plight of those who elected them.
From the mid 1990’s, through early 2003, I believed fervently that the political left needed to hit harder and develop effective counter attacks to answer right wing aspersions. I seethed that Al Gore was not a stronger candidate. I agonized over rampant disorganization in progressive politics. I wrote acrimonious letters to editors, complained to any who would listen and accomplished nothing. My opinion letters were never published with the exception of one, which appeared in a small paper, directly after an opinion linking political difficulties to UFO activity in the deserts surrounding Roswell, NM.
In May, 2004, I lost my energy for rancor. I became weary of the livid commentary that had dominated our politics for a decade. It seemed vital that we develop a new approach to politics, that we diminish extremes and search out common ground on political issues. I believed this country could progress only after we alter the tenor of political debate. Thinking better of myself than was justifiable, I imagined myself a leader in the new bi-partisan charge for common ground. After reading “Nonviolent Communication” (NVC) by Marshal Rosenberg, I tried to organize an NVC letter writing campaign, I arranged for NVC training sessions and encouraged my friends to use the process while corresponding with elected officials and editors of their favorite periodicals.
My friends found NVC to be cumbersome and tricky, meanwhile I wrote my heart out, although ineffectively. Of more than one hundred letters that I wrote, not one was published… none could even claim real estate in a local paper next to opinions about Roswell’s UFO’s. My friends didn’t write at all and slowly, I gave up…barely noticing my own surrender. As time passed, my country plowed further into political territory I found troubling and my ire resuscitated. My political discourse took on a new subtle ferocity partly inspired by George Lakoff and partly inspired by Karl Rove. I wrote to any and everyone including my whole email list, which was a bad idea as some people pointed out when they requested that I stop emailing them. Undaunted, I crafted opinions from the pulpit of moral certitude and as our wars in the Middle East deteriorated and our economy slowed, the fires of my indignation roared. I joined in chorus to evict the scoundrels from Washington and my vote carried with it, a directive to legislate my exasperation or at least, to inflict it on the opposition.
When I consider the experiences described above, which are common among people of all political persuasions, I worry that as a nation we are off course. We elect people to represent our outrage while at the same time complaining about partisan stalemate in government. What if partisan deadlock is simply a manifestation of our collective will? What if by adopting interpersonal changes, we could affect more political transformation than by implementing legislation? What if our government’s failure to be pragmatic and bi-partisan is a result of the value we place on staunchly adhering to and/or vociferously promoting specific, politically controversial agendas? What if we could alter politics simply by questioning the accuracy of our information, and asking if we really have the facts? What would be different if we were deeply concerned with having evenhanded and subjective information so that we could make informed and practical decisions about politics? How much do we set political tone by electing leaders who will “stick it to” the opposition? How much do we set political tone by tuning into sensational and partisan news programs or by avoiding the topic of politics with friends and acquaintances whose political affiliations rival ours?
I believe that collectively and individually, we have more control over the political process than we are comfortable with. Every day, we make choices that affect our political system. We choose how informed to be regarding local, state, federal and international politics. We choose how to view politicians and the work they do; whether we think of politics as positive, negative, corrupt, honorable or irrelevant. We choose where to give our attention whether sensational news and entertainment or factual assessment of current issues. We choose what sells, what is popular and what will be provided for public consumption. In a practical sense, we are the final arbiters of what our news covers, how in depth that coverage is and of how our politicians behave while representing us. We determine these things through what we watch, what we listen to and what we tolerate from others and from ourselves. In summary, if we intend to have a new inclusive and practical politics, we will necessarily attend to standards. We will examine our standards for developing opinion, we will look at our standards for personal behavior and we will consider the standards of news agencies, politicians and political pundits. We will raise the bar for ourselves and for our country.
Politics, Religion, Common Sense. Can they all mix? I think so. Please read and definitely leave comments! Thanks!!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Our new Challenges
--by Mike Adams
On November 4th, 2008, after working late, I returned home, went upstairs to say good night to my sleeping three year old son. I knelt by his bed, looked at his little face, kissed his cheek, straightened out his blankets, and began to imagine the possibilities that would be available to him in life. It occurred to me that because of this day’s events, my little Native American boy would grow up in a different kind of world than what I had inherited.
I reflected that my son’s first memory of a US President would be of Barack Obama, an African American. I swelled with pride for my country as the significance of that reality seeped into my being. I felt personally uplifted, because despite years of cynicism, I knew that if my little dark skinned, Native American son ever wants to grow up and become President, it is now a real possibility. Over the next few days, I became increasingly aware that this generation more than any other will grow into adulthood having a broader and more inclusive understanding of who can share American values and who can share in the American dream with all of its possibilities.
Within days, my enthusiasm was blunted slightly by dour news of our economy, unemployment soared to six and a half percent, The DOW fell six hundred points, property values continued to plummet, our auto industry was in collapse, local and state governments were insolvent. Whimsically, I considered whether Republicans had intentionally lost the election so as to avoid dealing with their mess. I chuckled at the notion that now they could blame this all on “The Left.”
Later, while watching FOX news, in a personal effort to be more ‘fair and balanced,’ I noted that political battle lines were already being drawn and I registered another subtle drop in my own optimism.
My wife and I watch the news sometimes fervently. For two years, we saw each election blow delivered and each counter punch registered. I cringed as some of my country’s less informed citizens insisted that Barack Obama is Muslim and therefore not trustworthy to lead the USA. I stood tall as Colin Powell questioned why in this country, being Muslim would disqualify anyone from being President, while at the same time pointing out that Barack Obama is a Christian.
I was glad to hear Mr. Powell eloquently remind America that there are currently men and women serving in our armed forces of all faiths including Islam. His words underscored the important but often overlooked fact that our nation is called the United States of America. Our choice of a leader should be based upon principles of unity not dictated by fear and bigotry. We ought to measure ourselves by asking if our choices manifest the sacred words, “We hold these truths to be self evident. That all men are created equal…”
I began to note that while political battle lines were indeed being drawn, the impending political battle will differ from the stereotypical platitudes which have dominated our political landscape for the past few decades. By choosing Barack Obama as President, the American public has chosen a new direction. We have initiated a break from our past and will soon be charting new territory for our nation and for the world. On the surface, this sounds exciting and I definitely want to be an enthusiastic participant, however, there is another aspect to all of this transition and impending change, which I’ll examine next.
First off, the idea of charting new territory was much more appealing when it was almost entirely theoretical. Now that such change is as an immediate necessity and we don’t know what it will look like or how it will impact our families and loved ones, there exists in me a fair measure of fear. Part of me whimsically wishes for the ability to postpone the unknown challenges and upheaval.
We are faced with incredible and unimagined global challenges, ranging from an unprecedented economic downturn to ecological crisis including the possible mass extinction of varied species and global warming. It is understandable that many of us desperately wish to fit everything into the context of our old ways of thinking and doing. There is comfort in familiarity and tackling these problems using a familiar world view where roles are assigned and we know where others stand seems easier.
This crisis won’t be handled in that fashion. We can’t predict what will happen or what will be required of us and our leaders. We can’t know in advance specifically how to weather this storm and come out the other side having created a better world. Sometimes I imagine the possibility of a ‘Mad Max’ post-apocalyptic world, where I will be glad to have learned marksmanship with both guns and archery. I will be grateful to have studied martial arts and to know carpentry. On other occasions, I imagine a green and peaceful world, where we all live environmentally sustainable lives and earth day is the most celebrated and beloved holiday on the planet. Cliché’s aside, our future is more ambiguous than it was only two years ago.
What’s clear is that our current paradigms will no longer effectively function in the face of these new threats. Of necessity, our solutions will be forged from creativity carrying forward the very best of who we are and what we have learned from past crisis. Our fundamental concepts of common sense may soon be irrelevant. With exponential decreases in available resources we will be forced to alter our mindset leaving behind the convenience of disposability. Our world is likely to witness dramatically increased levels of global disease and famine. Our moral leadership and our resolve will be tested; our willingness to coalesce and confront an imminent threat will be challenged.
We will face a multitude of difficult and frightful choices over the next years. Our actions will decide on which side of history we stand. While we may not be able to dictate which circumstances confront us, we will certainly have the opportunity to choose which values we serve and how far we go to preserve and perfect our union.
(Continued...Click Here)
On November 4th, 2008, after working late, I returned home, went upstairs to say good night to my sleeping three year old son. I knelt by his bed, looked at his little face, kissed his cheek, straightened out his blankets, and began to imagine the possibilities that would be available to him in life. It occurred to me that because of this day’s events, my little Native American boy would grow up in a different kind of world than what I had inherited.
I reflected that my son’s first memory of a US President would be of Barack Obama, an African American. I swelled with pride for my country as the significance of that reality seeped into my being. I felt personally uplifted, because despite years of cynicism, I knew that if my little dark skinned, Native American son ever wants to grow up and become President, it is now a real possibility. Over the next few days, I became increasingly aware that this generation more than any other will grow into adulthood having a broader and more inclusive understanding of who can share American values and who can share in the American dream with all of its possibilities.
Within days, my enthusiasm was blunted slightly by dour news of our economy, unemployment soared to six and a half percent, The DOW fell six hundred points, property values continued to plummet, our auto industry was in collapse, local and state governments were insolvent. Whimsically, I considered whether Republicans had intentionally lost the election so as to avoid dealing with their mess. I chuckled at the notion that now they could blame this all on “The Left.”
Later, while watching FOX news, in a personal effort to be more ‘fair and balanced,’ I noted that political battle lines were already being drawn and I registered another subtle drop in my own optimism.
My wife and I watch the news sometimes fervently. For two years, we saw each election blow delivered and each counter punch registered. I cringed as some of my country’s less informed citizens insisted that Barack Obama is Muslim and therefore not trustworthy to lead the USA. I stood tall as Colin Powell questioned why in this country, being Muslim would disqualify anyone from being President, while at the same time pointing out that Barack Obama is a Christian.
I was glad to hear Mr. Powell eloquently remind America that there are currently men and women serving in our armed forces of all faiths including Islam. His words underscored the important but often overlooked fact that our nation is called the United States of America. Our choice of a leader should be based upon principles of unity not dictated by fear and bigotry. We ought to measure ourselves by asking if our choices manifest the sacred words, “We hold these truths to be self evident. That all men are created equal…”
I began to note that while political battle lines were indeed being drawn, the impending political battle will differ from the stereotypical platitudes which have dominated our political landscape for the past few decades. By choosing Barack Obama as President, the American public has chosen a new direction. We have initiated a break from our past and will soon be charting new territory for our nation and for the world. On the surface, this sounds exciting and I definitely want to be an enthusiastic participant, however, there is another aspect to all of this transition and impending change, which I’ll examine next.
First off, the idea of charting new territory was much more appealing when it was almost entirely theoretical. Now that such change is as an immediate necessity and we don’t know what it will look like or how it will impact our families and loved ones, there exists in me a fair measure of fear. Part of me whimsically wishes for the ability to postpone the unknown challenges and upheaval.
We are faced with incredible and unimagined global challenges, ranging from an unprecedented economic downturn to ecological crisis including the possible mass extinction of varied species and global warming. It is understandable that many of us desperately wish to fit everything into the context of our old ways of thinking and doing. There is comfort in familiarity and tackling these problems using a familiar world view where roles are assigned and we know where others stand seems easier.
This crisis won’t be handled in that fashion. We can’t predict what will happen or what will be required of us and our leaders. We can’t know in advance specifically how to weather this storm and come out the other side having created a better world. Sometimes I imagine the possibility of a ‘Mad Max’ post-apocalyptic world, where I will be glad to have learned marksmanship with both guns and archery. I will be grateful to have studied martial arts and to know carpentry. On other occasions, I imagine a green and peaceful world, where we all live environmentally sustainable lives and earth day is the most celebrated and beloved holiday on the planet. Cliché’s aside, our future is more ambiguous than it was only two years ago.
What’s clear is that our current paradigms will no longer effectively function in the face of these new threats. Of necessity, our solutions will be forged from creativity carrying forward the very best of who we are and what we have learned from past crisis. Our fundamental concepts of common sense may soon be irrelevant. With exponential decreases in available resources we will be forced to alter our mindset leaving behind the convenience of disposability. Our world is likely to witness dramatically increased levels of global disease and famine. Our moral leadership and our resolve will be tested; our willingness to coalesce and confront an imminent threat will be challenged.
We will face a multitude of difficult and frightful choices over the next years. Our actions will decide on which side of history we stand. While we may not be able to dictate which circumstances confront us, we will certainly have the opportunity to choose which values we serve and how far we go to preserve and perfect our union.
(Continued...Click Here)
Monday, December 22, 2008
Lame Duck Laws
--by Mike Adams
Much to my amazement, GW has managed to transform my mild feeling of being rather sorry for him into disgust!
This man has the opposite of the Midas touch, everything he touches turns to maneur. Who else would come up with the brilliant idea of creating a law enabling anyone to refuse to do their job based on their religious beliefs. I wonder if he also supports the idea of people opposed to war being allowed to enlist in the armed services without letting the military know of their beliefs and then when it's time to do service, they refuse because according to their religious beliefs they cant do anything to support violence.
As if that weren't enough, GW then manages to circumvent the executive pay clause in our 700 billion dollar 'bailout' while simultaneously complaining that working Americans make too much money for producing cars and refusing to bail out Auto workers. I think that it is rediculuous for American Tax payers to subsidize the wealthiest citizens for being incompetent at their jobs.
Much to my amazement, GW has managed to transform my mild feeling of being rather sorry for him into disgust!
This man has the opposite of the Midas touch, everything he touches turns to maneur. Who else would come up with the brilliant idea of creating a law enabling anyone to refuse to do their job based on their religious beliefs. I wonder if he also supports the idea of people opposed to war being allowed to enlist in the armed services without letting the military know of their beliefs and then when it's time to do service, they refuse because according to their religious beliefs they cant do anything to support violence.
As if that weren't enough, GW then manages to circumvent the executive pay clause in our 700 billion dollar 'bailout' while simultaneously complaining that working Americans make too much money for producing cars and refusing to bail out Auto workers. I think that it is rediculuous for American Tax payers to subsidize the wealthiest citizens for being incompetent at their jobs.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
A New Sense of Self...A New Possibility
--by Mike Adams
As I sit and reflect on recent events, I have made one major shift in perspective between today and only seven days past. Today, I know this country is made up of a different, more dynamic and engaged people than what I had previously imagined. This great community called the United States of America, a collection of individuals with radically divergent linguistic backgrounds, radically different religious beliefs, radically different political views. This community, which has been called a melting pot of humanity, has shifted the historical context through which we are viewed by everyone, most importantly ourselves.
We modern Americans have inherited a contradictory legacy stretching over two hundred years. First, we have inherited a proud legacy of selfless service and sacrifice for others. We came together to defeat Nazi Germany and liberate Jewish captors, we rebuilt Japan from ashes after defeating her in a war, which she started. There is no doubt that we have done much good in the world. Secondly, and less proudly, we have inherited a legacy of cruelty, oppression and genocide, which our country perpetrated against Black Slaves kidnapped from Africa and against Native peoples who lived here when European settlers arrived, among others.
From day one, the United States of America has struggled often strenuously with trying to live up to the principles of our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. We often have fallen very short of those ideals, opting instead to tolerate slavery, racism, selfishness and greed, yet we have continued to struggle with ourselves and we have continued to look for an ever broader and more inclusive means of applying those sacred principles laid out in our founding documents. We Americans have struggled generation after generation to create a better world and often despite ourselves…despite the very worst that is in us, we have labored and triumphed in an ongoing effort to perfect our union.
Two days ago, on November 4th, when I returned home late from work, I knelt by the bed of my sleeping three year old, Native American son. I fixed his blankets, kissed his cheek and I imagined the possibilities that would be available to him in life. I considered that his first memory of a United States President would be of Barack Obama, an African American. As the significance of that reality seeped into my being, I swelled with pride in my country, I felt personally uplifted, because despite years of cynicism, I could not deny that if my little dark skinned, Native American son ever wants to, he can grow up and become President of the United States. The possibility of any American dream is truly open to him and to all Americans.
Today, a couple of days later, as I reflect on the world in which we live, I realize that this generation of children will grow up with a radically different sense of the United States and the position that all of her citizens occupy. This next generation will walk into the history books with a truly United States of America, composed of diverse peoples and cultures. This generation of children will have available to them opportunities that we were only able to imagine.
We must be clear, there is still much work to do. There are hearts to sway. There are lives to lift up. There are crises to handle and there are bigotries to overcome. However, on November 4th, 2008, we citizens of the United States came together and we took one bold and important step along the long and arduous path of securing America’s promise for ourselves, for our children and ultimately for anyone who will reach for it.
–May God Bless the United States of America and may we forever strive to be deserving of our gifts.
This letter was published in the Santa Fe New Mexican
This letter was also published in Indian Country Today
As I sit and reflect on recent events, I have made one major shift in perspective between today and only seven days past. Today, I know this country is made up of a different, more dynamic and engaged people than what I had previously imagined. This great community called the United States of America, a collection of individuals with radically divergent linguistic backgrounds, radically different religious beliefs, radically different political views. This community, which has been called a melting pot of humanity, has shifted the historical context through which we are viewed by everyone, most importantly ourselves.
We modern Americans have inherited a contradictory legacy stretching over two hundred years. First, we have inherited a proud legacy of selfless service and sacrifice for others. We came together to defeat Nazi Germany and liberate Jewish captors, we rebuilt Japan from ashes after defeating her in a war, which she started. There is no doubt that we have done much good in the world. Secondly, and less proudly, we have inherited a legacy of cruelty, oppression and genocide, which our country perpetrated against Black Slaves kidnapped from Africa and against Native peoples who lived here when European settlers arrived, among others.
From day one, the United States of America has struggled often strenuously with trying to live up to the principles of our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. We often have fallen very short of those ideals, opting instead to tolerate slavery, racism, selfishness and greed, yet we have continued to struggle with ourselves and we have continued to look for an ever broader and more inclusive means of applying those sacred principles laid out in our founding documents. We Americans have struggled generation after generation to create a better world and often despite ourselves…despite the very worst that is in us, we have labored and triumphed in an ongoing effort to perfect our union.
Two days ago, on November 4th, when I returned home late from work, I knelt by the bed of my sleeping three year old, Native American son. I fixed his blankets, kissed his cheek and I imagined the possibilities that would be available to him in life. I considered that his first memory of a United States President would be of Barack Obama, an African American. As the significance of that reality seeped into my being, I swelled with pride in my country, I felt personally uplifted, because despite years of cynicism, I could not deny that if my little dark skinned, Native American son ever wants to, he can grow up and become President of the United States. The possibility of any American dream is truly open to him and to all Americans.
Today, a couple of days later, as I reflect on the world in which we live, I realize that this generation of children will grow up with a radically different sense of the United States and the position that all of her citizens occupy. This next generation will walk into the history books with a truly United States of America, composed of diverse peoples and cultures. This generation of children will have available to them opportunities that we were only able to imagine.
We must be clear, there is still much work to do. There are hearts to sway. There are lives to lift up. There are crises to handle and there are bigotries to overcome. However, on November 4th, 2008, we citizens of the United States came together and we took one bold and important step along the long and arduous path of securing America’s promise for ourselves, for our children and ultimately for anyone who will reach for it.
–May God Bless the United States of America and may we forever strive to be deserving of our gifts.
This letter was published in the Santa Fe New Mexican
This letter was also published in Indian Country Today
Monday, September 15, 2008
The Choice is Ours
--by Mike Adams
This era of American History has been dominated by partisan bickering, divisive manipulations and less than honest statements. Our country has been torn into seemingly irreconcilable factions as we have waged a war of aggression and sacrificed thousands of American Service men and women. We have caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians. We have let the poorest and most vulnerable in our society suffer and we have enriched the wealthiest at the expense of our Federal Budget. We have seen our Government turn its back on our wounded and injured service men and women returning home from war. Over the past several years, many of us have lost hope.
I am supporting Barack Obama not because I believe that he will take the bull by the horns and change this country. That job is too big for any one person…No, I believe that as President, Barack Obama will inspire us to change our country. He will give voice to our passions, he will serve our will and our collective interest, he will ask us to stand together in unity and change our world, to change the course of our country and to make this planet a better place for everyone. The choice is ours. The future will be decided by our choices. Please join me between now and November and lets elect Barak Obama and Joe Biden to be the next President and Vice President of the United States of America.
This era of American History has been dominated by partisan bickering, divisive manipulations and less than honest statements. Our country has been torn into seemingly irreconcilable factions as we have waged a war of aggression and sacrificed thousands of American Service men and women. We have caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians. We have let the poorest and most vulnerable in our society suffer and we have enriched the wealthiest at the expense of our Federal Budget. We have seen our Government turn its back on our wounded and injured service men and women returning home from war. Over the past several years, many of us have lost hope.
I am supporting Barack Obama not because I believe that he will take the bull by the horns and change this country. That job is too big for any one person…No, I believe that as President, Barack Obama will inspire us to change our country. He will give voice to our passions, he will serve our will and our collective interest, he will ask us to stand together in unity and change our world, to change the course of our country and to make this planet a better place for everyone. The choice is ours. The future will be decided by our choices. Please join me between now and November and lets elect Barak Obama and Joe Biden to be the next President and Vice President of the United States of America.
Friday, September 12, 2008
The Change We Need
--by Mike Adams
In Senator John McCain’s speech to the Republican National Convention, he asked the American public to join him in fighting for America, to join him in fighting for the change that he claims we need and the change he claims he will deliver. I was at first dubious, but after considering the Senator from Arizona, I acknowledged that Senator McCain does represent a kind of change; Senator McCain has gone against his party, he has reached across partisan lines to stand for what he believed to be right. He has demonstrated that he is tough, dedicated and generally true to course. During the last two years, Senator McCain has unfortunately changed his mind on several important issues and he stands with other Washington Republicans on the wrong side of several important issues. He has changed his mind and now supports more tax breaks to America’s wealthiest individuals and corporations. He has changed his mind and now supports ‘soft torture’ which he opposed recently and really gained many people’s respect for his opposition to the Republican Party line. He has changed his mind and now supports off shore drilling. This is a surprise, because Senator McCain certainly already knows that off shore drilling and increased drilling in Alaska won’t begin to make a dent in our energy needs. Senator McCain knows that offshore drilling and drilling in Alaska will certainly add to already high pollution levels and add to global warming.
Obviously Senator McCain is capable of change and his most recent changes have given him leadership of the Republican Party. The sad truth is that he is not offering the kind of change that America needs. We do not need a leader who used to work for what he thought was right even when it cost him politically. We don’t need a leader who won’t push meaningful policies aimed at curbing oil consumption. We don’t need a leader who’s ‘change‘ platform will do nothing to reduce carbon emission who’s ‘change’ platform will encourage ever more dramatic climate change. Not only do we not need that leader or that kind of change, in reality, we can not afford it. In today’s world, the risks are too great, the times are too desperate and McCain is too dangerous to put in charge. The last eight years have shown us what having Republican leadership in the Whitehouse produces.
Record high deficits, record high gas prices, record high food prices, record high home foreclosures, the highest unemployment in more than half a decade, degrading public schools, growing poverty and a collective concern because our work lives and our country are headed in the wrong direction. We can not afford that and we can not give the Republicans four more years. We can not entrust them with our future, our environment, our children’s education and our health care. We must take back our country in this election.
In Senator John McCain’s speech to the Republican National Convention, he asked the American public to join him in fighting for America, to join him in fighting for the change that he claims we need and the change he claims he will deliver. I was at first dubious, but after considering the Senator from Arizona, I acknowledged that Senator McCain does represent a kind of change; Senator McCain has gone against his party, he has reached across partisan lines to stand for what he believed to be right. He has demonstrated that he is tough, dedicated and generally true to course. During the last two years, Senator McCain has unfortunately changed his mind on several important issues and he stands with other Washington Republicans on the wrong side of several important issues. He has changed his mind and now supports more tax breaks to America’s wealthiest individuals and corporations. He has changed his mind and now supports ‘soft torture’ which he opposed recently and really gained many people’s respect for his opposition to the Republican Party line. He has changed his mind and now supports off shore drilling. This is a surprise, because Senator McCain certainly already knows that off shore drilling and increased drilling in Alaska won’t begin to make a dent in our energy needs. Senator McCain knows that offshore drilling and drilling in Alaska will certainly add to already high pollution levels and add to global warming.
Obviously Senator McCain is capable of change and his most recent changes have given him leadership of the Republican Party. The sad truth is that he is not offering the kind of change that America needs. We do not need a leader who used to work for what he thought was right even when it cost him politically. We don’t need a leader who won’t push meaningful policies aimed at curbing oil consumption. We don’t need a leader who’s ‘change‘ platform will do nothing to reduce carbon emission who’s ‘change’ platform will encourage ever more dramatic climate change. Not only do we not need that leader or that kind of change, in reality, we can not afford it. In today’s world, the risks are too great, the times are too desperate and McCain is too dangerous to put in charge. The last eight years have shown us what having Republican leadership in the Whitehouse produces.
Record high deficits, record high gas prices, record high food prices, record high home foreclosures, the highest unemployment in more than half a decade, degrading public schools, growing poverty and a collective concern because our work lives and our country are headed in the wrong direction. We can not afford that and we can not give the Republicans four more years. We can not entrust them with our future, our environment, our children’s education and our health care. We must take back our country in this election.
Friday, September 5, 2008
A Woman's Worth
--by Mike Adams
My wife, a full time employee of our local school district, earns nearly 13,000 dollars a year. Our child care cost is $5400 a year for our three year old son, whom my sister takes care of for a lesser cost than other day care arrangements. This means my wife brings home $7600 a year after covering a basic and necessary expenses.
I have to be honest; this makes me feel rather angry. I can’t understand why an instructional assistant is only worth $13,000 a year. In a country where we profess to highly value our next generation; in this country with its federal mandate named, ‘No Child Left Behind,’ it seems that somehow, we could provide enough pay for child care professionals, for teachers and teachers’ assistants that they, the people who we entrust with our children’s futures aren’t left behind. I wholeheartedly disagree with any characterization of the teacher’s union as a “special interest group” at least in terms similar to the tobacco lobby being a special interest group. Shouldn’t all Americans take a particular interest in the quality our children’s educations and the livelihood of those who care for our next generation. Our children are our future, they will care for of us when we get older, they will run the government when we retire and on a personal level, they are our hopes and our dreams, they are our greatest investments. So I ask, why not loosen the purse strings and pay a reasonable wage to those with whom we entrust our kids?
I have heard some conservatives respond that, really, we want teachers who love teaching so much that they would teach even if they weren’t getting paid at all. That argument sounds good on the surface…I mean, really, I want my kids to be taught by someone who is passionate about and loves teaching, but seriously, no one should need to love teaching so much that they are willing to live in poverty or near poverty and neglect their own children’s financial needs in order to work in the school system.
Think about it, what if we decided that we really only want CEO’s who love that line of work so much that they would do it for free. What about lawyers or cosmetic surgeons or accountants, shouldn’t we find people who will do those tasks for free too?
Seriously though, let’s look at qualifications and pay; a teacher must earn a four year degree and then a teaching credential. Additionally, they have annual education requirements, which they are expected to pay from their own income. By necessity, teachers are well educated with five or six years in college before they qualify to lead a classroom. Why is their work so un-valued in our society that after completing all of that higher education, a teacher starts out earning only $32,000 per year?
I can’t understand why, an entry level computer technician, with no college degree, is able to earn more money than a teacher with five or six years of college. I worry that our values are mixed up, that our vision is blurry and that we have lost sight of some key American values.
In the 2008 Presidential race, there was much talk about sexism. It was used in the Democratic primaries and again in the general election. I’m not sure whether sexism played a greater role than did racism in the 2008 election year, however, I can promise you that every day across this country sexism plays a role in the lives of everyday Americans.
Consider the fact that in general, a single mother is considered to be a tragedy, or in Rush Limbaugh’s world, a slacker. However, a single father is something of a hero. We have a double standard for what kind of role women are expected to take with their children versus what is expected of men.
Women are expected to be nurturing, loving and in general caring providers for their children; they cook, clean and take care of the soccer schedule. They are expected to put their careers on hold and stay home for the important work of parenting. By contrast, men go to work and are expected to earn enough money to support the family. Men are expected to work late, attend meetings or even get a second job if necessary. If a child has to stay home sick, a mother is almost always the one to take sick leave or miss a work day. In my family, when we run out of sick days, it is usually my wife who stays home because her work for the schools pays so much less than my work.
Often, I wonder if this isn’t because of the nature of my wife’s work. Because she takes care of children for a living and I take care of more pressing issues, like some one’s Microsoft Word Program won’t start or they really want flash installed on their computer. I believe that our society has relegated work, which is historically considered “women’s work” to a lower pay scale. Jobs like Daycare Provider, school teachers, Teacher’s Aids, house cleaners. None of them pays particularly well, all of them are considered by and large to be women’s jobs.
It seems that in our society, we pretend to value our children above all else, but in reality, we won’t pay a good wage to those people who we entrust with our children’s safety and future, as a country, we spend more money building prisons than we do building schools. Somewhere deep inside our collective unconscious, we still seem to believe that those tasks are a woman’s tasks…a stay at home mother’s tasks…unpaid and economically un-valuable tasks. The question is when will we realize that in fact, providing care and education for the next generation is invaluable work worthy of good pay and worthy of our deepest respect.
My wife, a full time employee of our local school district, earns nearly 13,000 dollars a year. Our child care cost is $5400 a year for our three year old son, whom my sister takes care of for a lesser cost than other day care arrangements. This means my wife brings home $7600 a year after covering a basic and necessary expenses.
I have to be honest; this makes me feel rather angry. I can’t understand why an instructional assistant is only worth $13,000 a year. In a country where we profess to highly value our next generation; in this country with its federal mandate named, ‘No Child Left Behind,’ it seems that somehow, we could provide enough pay for child care professionals, for teachers and teachers’ assistants that they, the people who we entrust with our children’s futures aren’t left behind. I wholeheartedly disagree with any characterization of the teacher’s union as a “special interest group” at least in terms similar to the tobacco lobby being a special interest group. Shouldn’t all Americans take a particular interest in the quality our children’s educations and the livelihood of those who care for our next generation. Our children are our future, they will care for of us when we get older, they will run the government when we retire and on a personal level, they are our hopes and our dreams, they are our greatest investments. So I ask, why not loosen the purse strings and pay a reasonable wage to those with whom we entrust our kids?
I have heard some conservatives respond that, really, we want teachers who love teaching so much that they would teach even if they weren’t getting paid at all. That argument sounds good on the surface…I mean, really, I want my kids to be taught by someone who is passionate about and loves teaching, but seriously, no one should need to love teaching so much that they are willing to live in poverty or near poverty and neglect their own children’s financial needs in order to work in the school system.
Think about it, what if we decided that we really only want CEO’s who love that line of work so much that they would do it for free. What about lawyers or cosmetic surgeons or accountants, shouldn’t we find people who will do those tasks for free too?
Seriously though, let’s look at qualifications and pay; a teacher must earn a four year degree and then a teaching credential. Additionally, they have annual education requirements, which they are expected to pay from their own income. By necessity, teachers are well educated with five or six years in college before they qualify to lead a classroom. Why is their work so un-valued in our society that after completing all of that higher education, a teacher starts out earning only $32,000 per year?
I can’t understand why, an entry level computer technician, with no college degree, is able to earn more money than a teacher with five or six years of college. I worry that our values are mixed up, that our vision is blurry and that we have lost sight of some key American values.
In the 2008 Presidential race, there was much talk about sexism. It was used in the Democratic primaries and again in the general election. I’m not sure whether sexism played a greater role than did racism in the 2008 election year, however, I can promise you that every day across this country sexism plays a role in the lives of everyday Americans.
Consider the fact that in general, a single mother is considered to be a tragedy, or in Rush Limbaugh’s world, a slacker. However, a single father is something of a hero. We have a double standard for what kind of role women are expected to take with their children versus what is expected of men.
Women are expected to be nurturing, loving and in general caring providers for their children; they cook, clean and take care of the soccer schedule. They are expected to put their careers on hold and stay home for the important work of parenting. By contrast, men go to work and are expected to earn enough money to support the family. Men are expected to work late, attend meetings or even get a second job if necessary. If a child has to stay home sick, a mother is almost always the one to take sick leave or miss a work day. In my family, when we run out of sick days, it is usually my wife who stays home because her work for the schools pays so much less than my work.
Often, I wonder if this isn’t because of the nature of my wife’s work. Because she takes care of children for a living and I take care of more pressing issues, like some one’s Microsoft Word Program won’t start or they really want flash installed on their computer. I believe that our society has relegated work, which is historically considered “women’s work” to a lower pay scale. Jobs like Daycare Provider, school teachers, Teacher’s Aids, house cleaners. None of them pays particularly well, all of them are considered by and large to be women’s jobs.
It seems that in our society, we pretend to value our children above all else, but in reality, we won’t pay a good wage to those people who we entrust with our children’s safety and future, as a country, we spend more money building prisons than we do building schools. Somewhere deep inside our collective unconscious, we still seem to believe that those tasks are a woman’s tasks…a stay at home mother’s tasks…unpaid and economically un-valuable tasks. The question is when will we realize that in fact, providing care and education for the next generation is invaluable work worthy of good pay and worthy of our deepest respect.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Pay Less now or More Later - It's up to you America
--by Mike Adams
Washington Republicans claim that Obama’s economic plan will raise everyone’s taxes while their Republican plan will, as they always claim, slash spending and lower taxes. George W. Bush promised the same thing, George H.W. Bush said “read my lips, no new taxes.” It seems that Republicans either don’t know how to fulfill on their campaign promises or they don’t care to. After eight years of Republican leadership, we have a record deficit and the only thing offered is a continued and expanded war along with more Republican tax breaks which will continue to benefit only the wealthiest individuals and corporations in our country. I’m sure that Republicans will continue to push for more ‘deregulation,’ which could more aptly be portrayed as a ‘Corporate blank check’ our jobs will continue to move over seas our resources will continue to enrich America’s Elite and average hard working American citizens will continue to lose.
Today, we are individually and collectively worse off than we were when the Republicans took the White House nearly eight years ago. This is a critical time in our history and we American citizens can not afford to make the wrong choice again, we can not afford to let Republicans control the direction of this country any longer, we can not afford to make a presidential decision based on misleading sound bites and partial truths again.
We have heard Republicans claim that Obama can not possibly pay for everything that he is promoting by taxing the wealthiest Americans. They say that it would be great to have a world class education system but it costs money, they say that it would be great to provide everyone with health care but it costs money, they say that we Americans simply can’t afford to take care of our poorest and most vulnerable citizens. What they don’t tell you is that we the American tax payer will ultimately pay that bill anyway. We will pay now or we will pay later. We will pay less or we will pay more…luckily, we get to chose.
In the last two decades, this country has seen an explosion in prison populations. We all know that prisons are not free and we the American taxpayers spend approximately $22,000 per year on each and every person who ends up behind bars, collectively that represents a cost of more than 40 billion dollars each year. This burden is not only economic because of the upfront monetary cost, but also social because prisoners are not productive tax payers, they are not able to be involved parents, they end up being little more than a burden. In fact, according to a 2000 USA Today article, prison costs were the single largest expense of many states. There is something wrong when the United States of America spends more money to build prisons than to build shools and colleges. Our system is failing our investments are mis-guided our direction is wrong.
The importance of this is stark when we consider that nothing will do more to keep people out of prison than education. The vast majority of American inmates are functionally illiterate and many of those who can read have only an eighth grade education. What is wrong here? Why do we have money to build and staff prisons, but not to build and staff schools, why can’t a teacher or instructional assistant receive decent pay?
Our choices are simple, either we pay for our citizens to have a world class education system now or we pay more for a world class prison system later. Which is the moral choice? Which choice will give us a larger tax base? Which is the choice consistent with American values, which is the choice consistent with family values?
Next, Republicans want to claim leadership in solving our energy problems. I want to know why, if Republicans wanted lead in solving our energy problems, they didn’t pass laws for increasing the national fuel efficiency standards in the 1990’s or again at the beginning of Bush’s term? The argument at the time had to do with the negative impact on our economy. Well, here we are...we could have paid less to avoid this crisis but instead, Republicans decided to avoid being responsible and have us pay more…much more now.
Washington Republicans it seems are always willing to mortgage a later generation, so that they don’t have to pay today's bills, they never want to invest in America’s future. It was under Republican leadership that we recklessly started a war under false pretenses. The current Republican nominee for President supported that war and all of the spending that goes along with it, yet no one except the men and women who serve in our armed forces along with their friends and families have been asked to sacrifice or change anything. I guess the Republican plan is to leave that bill for a later generation so that these Republicans won’t have to worry about it.
It was nearly eight years ago when Republicans took leadership of this United States of America. When Republicans took over, our economy was strong, the budget had been balanced, in fact we had a budget surplus and optimism was high. Since then, Republicans have given us the largest US deficit in history, record home foreclosures, rising unemployment, soaring healthcare costs and our children will be left to pay this bill, those of us in our twenties, thirties and forties will be left to deal with the consequences of this reckless Republican adventure.
Any Americans with children who will be going to college within the next fifteen years will be left to pay shoulder the burden of higher education and failed Republican policies. We will be left to cope with the health needs of returning war Veterans, we will be left with the moral hangover associated with the fact that the current Republican leaders won't provide appropriate or adequate care for veterans, we will be left to repay China for the debt that this Republican leadership left, we will be left to pay for an increase in prison costs as the next generation of impoverished Americans grows into adulthood without having learned to read without having acquired the college degrees that they needed from our neglected education system. We will be the ones to pay and we need to make the right choice now. Please remember this when you cast your votes in November, please make the right choice for America’s future, please lets do the right thing this time.
Washington Republicans claim that Obama’s economic plan will raise everyone’s taxes while their Republican plan will, as they always claim, slash spending and lower taxes. George W. Bush promised the same thing, George H.W. Bush said “read my lips, no new taxes.” It seems that Republicans either don’t know how to fulfill on their campaign promises or they don’t care to. After eight years of Republican leadership, we have a record deficit and the only thing offered is a continued and expanded war along with more Republican tax breaks which will continue to benefit only the wealthiest individuals and corporations in our country. I’m sure that Republicans will continue to push for more ‘deregulation,’ which could more aptly be portrayed as a ‘Corporate blank check’ our jobs will continue to move over seas our resources will continue to enrich America’s Elite and average hard working American citizens will continue to lose.
Today, we are individually and collectively worse off than we were when the Republicans took the White House nearly eight years ago. This is a critical time in our history and we American citizens can not afford to make the wrong choice again, we can not afford to let Republicans control the direction of this country any longer, we can not afford to make a presidential decision based on misleading sound bites and partial truths again.
We have heard Republicans claim that Obama can not possibly pay for everything that he is promoting by taxing the wealthiest Americans. They say that it would be great to have a world class education system but it costs money, they say that it would be great to provide everyone with health care but it costs money, they say that we Americans simply can’t afford to take care of our poorest and most vulnerable citizens. What they don’t tell you is that we the American tax payer will ultimately pay that bill anyway. We will pay now or we will pay later. We will pay less or we will pay more…luckily, we get to chose.
In the last two decades, this country has seen an explosion in prison populations. We all know that prisons are not free and we the American taxpayers spend approximately $22,000 per year on each and every person who ends up behind bars, collectively that represents a cost of more than 40 billion dollars each year. This burden is not only economic because of the upfront monetary cost, but also social because prisoners are not productive tax payers, they are not able to be involved parents, they end up being little more than a burden. In fact, according to a 2000 USA Today article, prison costs were the single largest expense of many states. There is something wrong when the United States of America spends more money to build prisons than to build shools and colleges. Our system is failing our investments are mis-guided our direction is wrong.
The importance of this is stark when we consider that nothing will do more to keep people out of prison than education. The vast majority of American inmates are functionally illiterate and many of those who can read have only an eighth grade education. What is wrong here? Why do we have money to build and staff prisons, but not to build and staff schools, why can’t a teacher or instructional assistant receive decent pay?
Our choices are simple, either we pay for our citizens to have a world class education system now or we pay more for a world class prison system later. Which is the moral choice? Which choice will give us a larger tax base? Which is the choice consistent with American values, which is the choice consistent with family values?
Next, Republicans want to claim leadership in solving our energy problems. I want to know why, if Republicans wanted lead in solving our energy problems, they didn’t pass laws for increasing the national fuel efficiency standards in the 1990’s or again at the beginning of Bush’s term? The argument at the time had to do with the negative impact on our economy. Well, here we are...we could have paid less to avoid this crisis but instead, Republicans decided to avoid being responsible and have us pay more…much more now.
Washington Republicans it seems are always willing to mortgage a later generation, so that they don’t have to pay today's bills, they never want to invest in America’s future. It was under Republican leadership that we recklessly started a war under false pretenses. The current Republican nominee for President supported that war and all of the spending that goes along with it, yet no one except the men and women who serve in our armed forces along with their friends and families have been asked to sacrifice or change anything. I guess the Republican plan is to leave that bill for a later generation so that these Republicans won’t have to worry about it.
It was nearly eight years ago when Republicans took leadership of this United States of America. When Republicans took over, our economy was strong, the budget had been balanced, in fact we had a budget surplus and optimism was high. Since then, Republicans have given us the largest US deficit in history, record home foreclosures, rising unemployment, soaring healthcare costs and our children will be left to pay this bill, those of us in our twenties, thirties and forties will be left to deal with the consequences of this reckless Republican adventure.
Any Americans with children who will be going to college within the next fifteen years will be left to pay shoulder the burden of higher education and failed Republican policies. We will be left to cope with the health needs of returning war Veterans, we will be left with the moral hangover associated with the fact that the current Republican leaders won't provide appropriate or adequate care for veterans, we will be left to repay China for the debt that this Republican leadership left, we will be left to pay for an increase in prison costs as the next generation of impoverished Americans grows into adulthood without having learned to read without having acquired the college degrees that they needed from our neglected education system. We will be the ones to pay and we need to make the right choice now. Please remember this when you cast your votes in November, please make the right choice for America’s future, please lets do the right thing this time.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Prejudice, Diversity, History
--by Mike Adams
For years, I worked construction as a carpenter and later as a foreman. Two years ago in spring, I began searching for a new project or for regular employment. I responded to newspaper ads, sent resumes, made phone calls and kept appointments. One day, a builder wanting an interview phoned me and after some conversation, he said I sounded like a good candidate. He said that he had several Mexicans who, he explained are good, honest workers; however, because of cultural inferiority, they will never be foreman material. He knew from talking with me that I had that certain ‘Anglo’ something, which would make me a good construction lead.
I am not making this up either!
You may have noticed that I’m not Anglo! He couldn’t tell on the phone, so I set an appointment, with no intention of getting the job. I did look forward to his reaction when Michael Adams the guy with that special ‘Anglo’ sense walked through the door with dark skin. I don’t think he even noticed I wasn’t white. He offered me a job, which I didn’t take, because I didn’t trust him.
But I was shocked…didn’t he know that we’re in a new millennium? I mean thank goodness I don’t encounter that often. I am a longtime UU and we gladly welcome people regardless of race or national origin. We welcome gay people, Hispanic people, African American people, young people, old people. I myself am half Native American. We have members who identify as being Jewish, Pagan, Christian, Buddhist, etc… We welcome diversity!
In fact, after last year’s inspiring General Assembly, I looked into starting a Spanish speaking UU service. I wrote to a well known UU minister, who I thought had already tried and the minister responded telling me that there had been no Spanish speaking effort, that the college educated people in that minister’s area already spoke English, and because the local Spanish speaking population were poorly educated Mexican Catholics, there was no need. OUCH! I couldn’t believe what I was reading. And it was coming from a well known and widely respected UU minister.
Another influential UU whom I personally know wrote to me, “This country consists of several cultures besides our own. (what would you call ours – European?)…I don’t agree that a Spanish speaking minister or church would make us more liberal. It sounds to me more like trying to force our image on other cultures.”
Sometimes I wonder who people are talking to when they communicate with me. I mean look at me, I am not Anglo. I’m not European. I’m Native American, I speak some Spanish, until recently, I worked construction, I don’t have a college degree. I don’t have a good salary. In fact, during our church’s recent pledge drive, I struggled internally with having to lower our pledge substantially. I am working evenings and Saturday mornings. Occasionally, I worry about paying our basic expenses.
When I delivered my pledge card, I felt embarrassed and upset. People are raising their pledges by 30% and I wanted to do the same. Sometimes, it is not comfortable coming here because we are able to make only a symbolic financial contribution. I know that any contribution honestly given is at least theoretically valuable.
My concern, how do we impact those who struggle to make ends meet. Would my friends feel inferior if I brought them to a UU service?
Please! Don’t assure me after today's service that I am welcome and valued…I do know that already. Instead, let’s consider how our assumptions about what credentials and financial resources a UU has might actually turn some people away.
I am not suggesting that we abandon our pledge drive or that we stop asking for members to raise their pledges…just consider how we could ensure that all who visit feel welcome.
Consider…would we really welcome anyone…Regardless of their appearance, regardless of their intelligence or lack thereof, regardless of their low income or blue collar background or basic vocabulary. Would we welcome people who “aint” educated? Would we view and treat them as equals?
Are we here to serve all, including the working class in our community; is our message really available to everyone? Or is ours a message meant for the intellectuals, the college graduates, the upper crust of American Society?
In short…have we surrendered the working class to conservative religion?
If so, how can we hope to impact our world? How can we meaningfully promote our seven principles at large in that seething mass of humanity, who make up our planet’s daily activities?
On March 18th, in Pennsylvania, Barrack Obama responded to attacks on his African American church minister, a civil rights veteran from the sixties. Obama said, “For the men and women of Reverend Wright's generation, the memories of humiliation and doubt and fear have not gone away; nor has the anger and the bitterness of those years. That anger may not get expressed in public, in front of white co-workers or white friends. But it does find voice in the barbershop or around the kitchen table. At times, that anger is exploited by politicians, to gin up votes along racial lines, or to make up for a politician's own failings.
And occasionally it finds voice in the church on Sunday morning, in the pulpit and in the pews. The fact that so many people are surprised to hear that anger in some of Reverend Wright's sermons simply reminds us of the old truism that the most segregated hour in American life occurs on Sunday morning.”
So here we sit on Sunday morning, look around you, look at the people, at their skin color, their age, consider their profession.
…are we diverse?
...are we prejudiced?
...are we turning people away by assuming that UU ’s have college educations and expendable financial resources?
Remember, I have worked in the construction field. I have shared an apartment with fifteen people from Guatemala. I promise you that blue collar workers, and laborers and immigrants care as much about freedom, about the environment, about social justice and about racism as do UU’s. America’s working class loves their children as much as America’s professional class. America’s laborers share the same sorts of dreams and aspirations as do America’s educated people.
While race is an important topic in our country, I do believe that most in this room are on the same page. We could and should look at questions of race in our denomination and in this congregation. But our real struggle in Unitarian Universalism is with classism. If we want to have an impact on race relations…if we want to have a true diversity of membership, we must confront our unseen prejudices and make our faith available to all who might share our concerns and values.
There are very few people I have ever met on a construction site, whom I would invite to a UU service. Not because they would disagree with what we have to say, not because they would be insulted by our message or values, but instead, because I believe they would leave feeling judged as stupid or unimportant or less than.
If we truly want to be a vital, open and diverse religious group, our challenge is not to be more welcoming to people of color, but instead we must welcome people whose earnings barely pay their bills. We must welcome people who lack any college. We must welcome people whose vocabulary is simpler than what many of us may be used to. We must open our doors…and our hearts…and our minds to people who work at the drive thru…or the laundr-o-mat…or the convenience store.
We have a choice to make. And it is my hope we will embrace the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” It is my hope that WE will take up this challenge.
But REMEMBER…we won’t do this alone, we can do this together and it is definitely something we can do. We are the right people for this task. So, let us accept that challenge…Let us raise the moral bar for our denomination. Let us raise the moral bar for our society and for our country. Let us ensure that the next generation of UU’s will look at our legacy with pride. We have a long and proud history of this kind of work
In February 1841, John Quincy Adams, fifth President of the United States, Harvard Professor, Congressional Representative and a founding member of the Washington DC’s All Souls Unitarian Church stood before the US Supreme court and attacked the President of the United States. He challenged the members of the court to try and live up to the legacy of those who had gone a generation before. This was Adams’ last case. He was defending thirty-six people who had been kidnapped from Africa and shipped across the ocean on the slave ship Amistad. They had revolted, taking control of the ship and killing many of their captors. They were charged with murder. Adams prevailed and the Amistad victims were returned to their home.
124 years later, in March 1965, the war against racial oppression was still raging and in Selma, Alabama, 39 year old Viola Liuzzo, mother of five, a Unitarian Universalist and a civil rights activist had been driving people to and from the march at Alabama’s Capitol. Liuzzo was intercepted by four members of the KKK, who chased, shot and murdered her. Liuzzo left a grieving family but her husband said, “My wife died for a sacred battle, the rights of humanity. She had one concern and only one in mind. She took a quote from Abraham Lincoln that all men are created equal and that's the way she believed.”
In every generation, every UU who has struggled to promote justice, has had to face their own personal prejudices and shortcomings. The beauty is that despite their pitfalls, despite their frailty, despite their humanity with all of it’s fear, with all of it’s fury, despite all of that, they did great things. So now it is up to us. We can either rise to the occasion and lay claim to our proud UU heritage or we can sit down at the back of the bus and pass the torch to another movement? Either is a valid choice, but only one is consistent with our seven principles.
In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”
Thank you, Amen, Blessed Be
For years, I worked construction as a carpenter and later as a foreman. Two years ago in spring, I began searching for a new project or for regular employment. I responded to newspaper ads, sent resumes, made phone calls and kept appointments. One day, a builder wanting an interview phoned me and after some conversation, he said I sounded like a good candidate. He said that he had several Mexicans who, he explained are good, honest workers; however, because of cultural inferiority, they will never be foreman material. He knew from talking with me that I had that certain ‘Anglo’ something, which would make me a good construction lead.
I am not making this up either!
You may have noticed that I’m not Anglo! He couldn’t tell on the phone, so I set an appointment, with no intention of getting the job. I did look forward to his reaction when Michael Adams the guy with that special ‘Anglo’ sense walked through the door with dark skin. I don’t think he even noticed I wasn’t white. He offered me a job, which I didn’t take, because I didn’t trust him.
But I was shocked…didn’t he know that we’re in a new millennium? I mean thank goodness I don’t encounter that often. I am a longtime UU and we gladly welcome people regardless of race or national origin. We welcome gay people, Hispanic people, African American people, young people, old people. I myself am half Native American. We have members who identify as being Jewish, Pagan, Christian, Buddhist, etc… We welcome diversity!
In fact, after last year’s inspiring General Assembly, I looked into starting a Spanish speaking UU service. I wrote to a well known UU minister, who I thought had already tried and the minister responded telling me that there had been no Spanish speaking effort, that the college educated people in that minister’s area already spoke English, and because the local Spanish speaking population were poorly educated Mexican Catholics, there was no need. OUCH! I couldn’t believe what I was reading. And it was coming from a well known and widely respected UU minister.
Another influential UU whom I personally know wrote to me, “This country consists of several cultures besides our own. (what would you call ours – European?)…I don’t agree that a Spanish speaking minister or church would make us more liberal. It sounds to me more like trying to force our image on other cultures.”
Sometimes I wonder who people are talking to when they communicate with me. I mean look at me, I am not Anglo. I’m not European. I’m Native American, I speak some Spanish, until recently, I worked construction, I don’t have a college degree. I don’t have a good salary. In fact, during our church’s recent pledge drive, I struggled internally with having to lower our pledge substantially. I am working evenings and Saturday mornings. Occasionally, I worry about paying our basic expenses.
When I delivered my pledge card, I felt embarrassed and upset. People are raising their pledges by 30% and I wanted to do the same. Sometimes, it is not comfortable coming here because we are able to make only a symbolic financial contribution. I know that any contribution honestly given is at least theoretically valuable.
My concern, how do we impact those who struggle to make ends meet. Would my friends feel inferior if I brought them to a UU service?
Please! Don’t assure me after today's service that I am welcome and valued…I do know that already. Instead, let’s consider how our assumptions about what credentials and financial resources a UU has might actually turn some people away.
I am not suggesting that we abandon our pledge drive or that we stop asking for members to raise their pledges…just consider how we could ensure that all who visit feel welcome.
Consider…would we really welcome anyone…Regardless of their appearance, regardless of their intelligence or lack thereof, regardless of their low income or blue collar background or basic vocabulary. Would we welcome people who “aint” educated? Would we view and treat them as equals?
Are we here to serve all, including the working class in our community; is our message really available to everyone? Or is ours a message meant for the intellectuals, the college graduates, the upper crust of American Society?
In short…have we surrendered the working class to conservative religion?
If so, how can we hope to impact our world? How can we meaningfully promote our seven principles at large in that seething mass of humanity, who make up our planet’s daily activities?
On March 18th, in Pennsylvania, Barrack Obama responded to attacks on his African American church minister, a civil rights veteran from the sixties. Obama said, “For the men and women of Reverend Wright's generation, the memories of humiliation and doubt and fear have not gone away; nor has the anger and the bitterness of those years. That anger may not get expressed in public, in front of white co-workers or white friends. But it does find voice in the barbershop or around the kitchen table. At times, that anger is exploited by politicians, to gin up votes along racial lines, or to make up for a politician's own failings.
And occasionally it finds voice in the church on Sunday morning, in the pulpit and in the pews. The fact that so many people are surprised to hear that anger in some of Reverend Wright's sermons simply reminds us of the old truism that the most segregated hour in American life occurs on Sunday morning.”
So here we sit on Sunday morning, look around you, look at the people, at their skin color, their age, consider their profession.
…are we diverse?
...are we prejudiced?
...are we turning people away by assuming that UU ’s have college educations and expendable financial resources?
Remember, I have worked in the construction field. I have shared an apartment with fifteen people from Guatemala. I promise you that blue collar workers, and laborers and immigrants care as much about freedom, about the environment, about social justice and about racism as do UU’s. America’s working class loves their children as much as America’s professional class. America’s laborers share the same sorts of dreams and aspirations as do America’s educated people.
While race is an important topic in our country, I do believe that most in this room are on the same page. We could and should look at questions of race in our denomination and in this congregation. But our real struggle in Unitarian Universalism is with classism. If we want to have an impact on race relations…if we want to have a true diversity of membership, we must confront our unseen prejudices and make our faith available to all who might share our concerns and values.
There are very few people I have ever met on a construction site, whom I would invite to a UU service. Not because they would disagree with what we have to say, not because they would be insulted by our message or values, but instead, because I believe they would leave feeling judged as stupid or unimportant or less than.
If we truly want to be a vital, open and diverse religious group, our challenge is not to be more welcoming to people of color, but instead we must welcome people whose earnings barely pay their bills. We must welcome people who lack any college. We must welcome people whose vocabulary is simpler than what many of us may be used to. We must open our doors…and our hearts…and our minds to people who work at the drive thru…or the laundr-o-mat…or the convenience store.
We have a choice to make. And it is my hope we will embrace the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” It is my hope that WE will take up this challenge.
But REMEMBER…we won’t do this alone, we can do this together and it is definitely something we can do. We are the right people for this task. So, let us accept that challenge…Let us raise the moral bar for our denomination. Let us raise the moral bar for our society and for our country. Let us ensure that the next generation of UU’s will look at our legacy with pride. We have a long and proud history of this kind of work
In February 1841, John Quincy Adams, fifth President of the United States, Harvard Professor, Congressional Representative and a founding member of the Washington DC’s All Souls Unitarian Church stood before the US Supreme court and attacked the President of the United States. He challenged the members of the court to try and live up to the legacy of those who had gone a generation before. This was Adams’ last case. He was defending thirty-six people who had been kidnapped from Africa and shipped across the ocean on the slave ship Amistad. They had revolted, taking control of the ship and killing many of their captors. They were charged with murder. Adams prevailed and the Amistad victims were returned to their home.
124 years later, in March 1965, the war against racial oppression was still raging and in Selma, Alabama, 39 year old Viola Liuzzo, mother of five, a Unitarian Universalist and a civil rights activist had been driving people to and from the march at Alabama’s Capitol. Liuzzo was intercepted by four members of the KKK, who chased, shot and murdered her. Liuzzo left a grieving family but her husband said, “My wife died for a sacred battle, the rights of humanity. She had one concern and only one in mind. She took a quote from Abraham Lincoln that all men are created equal and that's the way she believed.”
In every generation, every UU who has struggled to promote justice, has had to face their own personal prejudices and shortcomings. The beauty is that despite their pitfalls, despite their frailty, despite their humanity with all of it’s fear, with all of it’s fury, despite all of that, they did great things. So now it is up to us. We can either rise to the occasion and lay claim to our proud UU heritage or we can sit down at the back of the bus and pass the torch to another movement? Either is a valid choice, but only one is consistent with our seven principles.
In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”
Thank you, Amen, Blessed Be
Monday, February 11, 2008
Why I Support Barack Obama
--by Mike Adams
My family is tight on money with three children a mortgage and a monthly budget, which leaves us with almost no wiggle room. We are very hesitant to part with our money.
After discussing the current political situation with my wife, we decided to devote $25, which is a significant portion of our slender resources to support Barak Obama’s bid for the presidency.
Neither of us has anything in particular against Hillary Clinton, we both agree that she would probably be a fine President, however, we both also agree that this country stands at a turning point in history. Ours is an era, which has been dominated by partisan bickering, divisive manipulations and less than honest statements. Our country has been torn into seemingly irreconcilable factions.
Our Country has waged a war of aggression and sacrificed thousands of American Service men and women. We have caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians. We have let the poorest and most vulnerable in our society suffer and we have enriched the wealthiest at the expense of our Federal Budget. We have seen our Government turn its back on our wounded and injured service men and women returning home from war. Over the past several years, many of us have lost hope, we have given up on our democracy, on our Government and on our society.
To those who barely have the courage to raise your heads and hope for a brighter future, I say to you that this is our moment; this is our chance if we will seize it. Barak Obama is not promising to change this country, and we ought not to expect him to accomplish that.
What the Obama’s promise is to give voice to our passions, to serve our will, to believe in us even if we have stopped believing in ourselves. We are being called to rise up in unity and change our world, to change the course of our country and to make this planet a better place for everyone. The choice is ours. The future will be decided by our choices.
My vote goes to Barak Obama. I will share of my meager monetary resources and I will work for his election. I pledge to fan the flame of hope burning in my heart and to relight the fires of faith in my fellow citizens wherever possible. I pledge to create a better world for my three children, for my community, for everyone. I pledge to leave pessimism behind and work for a better future. In short, I pledge to make a difference!
My family is tight on money with three children a mortgage and a monthly budget, which leaves us with almost no wiggle room. We are very hesitant to part with our money.
After discussing the current political situation with my wife, we decided to devote $25, which is a significant portion of our slender resources to support Barak Obama’s bid for the presidency.
Neither of us has anything in particular against Hillary Clinton, we both agree that she would probably be a fine President, however, we both also agree that this country stands at a turning point in history. Ours is an era, which has been dominated by partisan bickering, divisive manipulations and less than honest statements. Our country has been torn into seemingly irreconcilable factions.
Our Country has waged a war of aggression and sacrificed thousands of American Service men and women. We have caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians. We have let the poorest and most vulnerable in our society suffer and we have enriched the wealthiest at the expense of our Federal Budget. We have seen our Government turn its back on our wounded and injured service men and women returning home from war. Over the past several years, many of us have lost hope, we have given up on our democracy, on our Government and on our society.
To those who barely have the courage to raise your heads and hope for a brighter future, I say to you that this is our moment; this is our chance if we will seize it. Barak Obama is not promising to change this country, and we ought not to expect him to accomplish that.
What the Obama’s promise is to give voice to our passions, to serve our will, to believe in us even if we have stopped believing in ourselves. We are being called to rise up in unity and change our world, to change the course of our country and to make this planet a better place for everyone. The choice is ours. The future will be decided by our choices.
My vote goes to Barak Obama. I will share of my meager monetary resources and I will work for his election. I pledge to fan the flame of hope burning in my heart and to relight the fires of faith in my fellow citizens wherever possible. I pledge to create a better world for my three children, for my community, for everyone. I pledge to leave pessimism behind and work for a better future. In short, I pledge to make a difference!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)