American Theocracy?

What is a theocracy? According to the Miriam Webster Dictionary, it is “government of a state by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided; a state governed by a theocracy.”

Are there current examples of theocracies in the world? Yes; Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, most of the Middle East. Much of the Indonesian/Malayan region. And tribal customs embedded in many African nations probably fall close to theocratic principles.

Are there examples of nations which purport not to be theocracies but tend toward them? Again, the answer is yes, not as an official stance you understand, but not all such societies are honest with themselves on such matters.

Take the United States of America. Our pledge of allegiance is ‘under God,’ we swear oaths of truth and honesty on the Bible and, again, “under God.” If you polled the public you undoubtedly would find a large majority supporting the view that America is a Christian nation. Increasingly, state legislatures and Congress present the merits of theology as political tenets. Indeed, many of those elected officials ran a public campaign advertising their faith publically. A litmus test of how they are like us. A scrim curtain veiling their deeper beliefs, but a public face to calm the electorate.

I’ve made the argument more than a few times in the blog that ours is not a Christian nation by design or intent. If it were our society would be much more loving, accepting and welcoming. Instead we get a lot of rhetoric blaming others and invoking the wrath of a vengeful God. Go to Hell! succinctly sums up our national religion!

Well, I think we are better than that. Our nation is a polyglot of religions, nationalities, belief systems and cultures. We represent every spot on the globe. We have blended enormous diversity to arrive at today’s special gourmet blend! Yet we have hold outs; people who refuse to rub shoulders with those they disagree with. Tea Party followers are an example. White Supremacists are as well. Neo conservatives also fall into this category.

Why we struggle to find points of divergence among us and tease those facets to anger I find difficult to understand. I think it is too simple to just say it is caused by ego weakness, people who have to feel better about themselves by feeling superior to others. Oh, that’s got to be part of it. But I think the root lies much deeper in the national soul and psyche.

My life experience so far has taught me that theology is a very personal matter and one that grows slowly throughout one’s life. It provides me with meaningful yardsticks, times to assess meaning of key happenings; family births, deaths, marriages, divorces, graduations, new jobs, etc. Challenge met or failed is another moment for pause. Self worth, meaning of life, struggling to rise from the pit, self motivation, self image, humility…yes, those other occasions to ponder the universe and my tiny role in it.

Theology is not just about God or spiritual matters; it is about self in relation to those things, those concepts.  And it is best done alone. It requires thinking and self exploration. It usually involves seeking external help, reading, advice. A visit to a trusted pastor or priest helps. Talking it through with a counselor or faith group are helpful paths to pursue.  

Theology as creative life art? Maybe. Theology as self assessment? Yep. Theology as part of the march of maturity?  I think so! Theology as group effort? Nope.

I struggle with this issue frequently.  What do I believe and why does it matter? How do I use these tenets to strengthen or guide my life and behavior? And does all this personal business and thinking have anything to do with my country?

In America freedom of religion means I can think on these matters all I want. I can make my own conclusions on religious matters. I can even speak and write about them. But I do not require my nation to follow my dictates or beliefs. Freedom of religion means I’m free from your religion and you from mine. You don’t have to enforce your beliefs on me; neither should I enforce my beliefs on you.

And so it should be in our legislative and constitutional institutions. Religion is the business of churches and others; not of government. Government’s role is to ensure that people are free to pursue their own precepts of religious belief, not adopt it for others.

Yet one wouldn’t think any of the above is true in the America of 2012. We are expected to embed heterosexual standards in schools, boy and girl scouts and art events. We are required to follow somebody’s catechism on abortion, marriage, sex and/or pregnancy out of wedlock. In short we have adopted religion as a dictator of morality without assigning under whose authority such strictures are defined!

Do we follow rabbinic laws and teachings? From Israel or where else? Do we follow Roman Catholic doctrine from Rome? Or Capetown? Do we seek leadership from various protestant seminaries or church synods? Or will it be the teachings of Confucious, Buddha or …..?

Your morality and mine may be in agreement; or not. Who is to say which position is better or more correct? Why are we even involved with this discussion?  

Because too many have made it a part of our Congressional scene. And it ought not to. And the vast majority of Americans know this and agree with it.

Religion is private stuff. So is theology. To keep it that way, keep it out of government!

April 30, 2012

Why I'm Not a Republican

I’m not a Democrat either, really I’m not. I just tend to vote that way in recent years (15 to 20!) as an offset to what I feel is a growing presence of ludicrous republican nonsense. 

So I thought it might be useful for me to vent my soul of an accumulation of material that demonstrates the idiocy of republicanism. Bear in mind I was a Republican (that’s with a capital R) when it was rooted in the ideals of Abraham Lincoln. I still admire what Lincoln did, had to go through, and yet remained a principled man who gave his all for the nation and its long-term survival and success. Not easy work, but glad he was there when we needed him. 

So let me share with you examples of why I cannot bring myself to vote for most republican politicians. 

1. “Government involvement in healthcare decisions is un-American.” Unless of course you are a woman; then she can’t be trusted to make the right decisions for herself; so we will do that for her.  Big government or small?
2. Republicans have introduced 46 bills on abortion, 113 bills on religion, 73 bills on family relationships, 36 bills on marriage, 72 bills on firearms, 604 bills on taxation, and 467 bills on government investigation. Yet they BLOCKED the American Jobs Act. Separation of church and state? Big or small government?
3. Giving someone else equal rights does not infringe or take away rights of yours. It just makes it illegal to enforce your prejudice and hate. It’s that simple. Republicans continue to block gay/sexual orientation legislation.
4. “It makes no sense to make this attack on women. If you don’t feel this is an attack, you need to go home and talk to your wife and your daughters.” Alaska Senator (Republican) Lisa Murkowski. I would add, talk with your mothers, aunts, grandmothers, sisters and sisters in law!
5. “Some people say homosexuality is a sin. It’s not. God is perfectly cool with it, and He feels the same way about homosexuality as He does about heterosexuality. Now you might say, ‘whoa, whoa! Slow down…you move too fast. How could you have the audacity, the temerity to speak on behalf of God?’ Exactly. That’s an excellent point, and I pray that you remember it.”  Ted Alexandro  And this is why church and state are separated. Live your life your way; let others live theirs free of your beliefs.
6. “As President, I will: raise the retirement age to 69; prevent social security benefits from keeping pace with inflation; gamble your social security on Wall Street; and lower my own taxes.” Mitt Romney  I hope you are getting the point by now!
7. What Bush Inherited: strongest economy in decades; record low unemployment (4.2%); record low poverty rates; every segment of the population becoming more prosperous; a budget surplus projected to eliminate the national debt in 20 years.

        What Bush accomplished in his 8 years: two recessions; doubled the 

        unemployment rate; increased the poverty rate; wiped out the budget surplus;

        doubled the national debt; left us with a trillion dollar annual deficit; a complete

        collapse of the financial system; unemployment skyrocketed out of control;

        750,000 people were thrown out of work in a single month. And republicans

        appear to think this is OK!

    8. FACT: Obama inherited the worst economy since the Great Depression, with

        unemployment on pace to reach 20% by the end of his first year. Hell of an

        inheritance!

        What Obama did in his first 4 years so far: stemmed tide of out-of-control   

        recession in only a few months; rate of job loss improved every month after the

        stimulus was passed; unemployment began declining a year after Obama took

        office; over 3 million new jobs have been created; businesses are now reporting

        record profits; the stock market has nearly doubled in value; economy has

        improved every month for the past 2 straight years. And he did this with zero

        support from republicans; indeed he accomplished this with their open hostility!

        So much for America First!

I think that’s enough for one sitting. Ideologues can and will argue each of the points above. I’m sure of that. But please, America is not about ideology. It is about common sense and caring for others. Always has been. Hasn’t always been able to live that value, but it claims to. How do we get back to productive work? And honesty?

April 29, 2012

Economic Lies

Seemingly we are in a political season with no end! Sure it is an election year, but really, when are politics silent? There is an election somewhere nearly every year and that’s OK; this is a democracy and we get to vote on matters of importance. However, I’m talking about the ludicrous political claims and counterclaims we are subjected to non-stop. After a while we tune them all out. We may favor listening to ‘our guy’ because it gives us security knowing someone is speaking up for our position. But is the other side listening? Or engaging in meaningful communications? Or is it all debate tactics designed to debase ‘the other side’ and keep our noses clean? 

In no other arena of American life do these shenanigans appear than in political economic issues. For starters, Robert Reich, the former Secretary of Labor, offers these seven lies frequently presented as truth. Reich is an economist, an academician. He has written and researched and added to the accumulative knowledge base of our society. He knows what he talks about. He’s not a politician trying to earn votes, power or money. Here’s what he has to say:

Seven Biggest Economic Lies 

1. Tax cuts for the rich trickle down to everyone else. ~Baloney
2. Higher taxes on the rich would hurt the economy and slow job growth. ~False
3. Shrinking government generates more jobs. ~Wrong again
4. Cutting the budget deficit now is more important than boosting the economy. ~Untrue
5. Medicare and Medicaid are the major drivers of budget deficits. ~Wrong
6. Social Security is a Ponzi scheme. ~Don’t believe it
7. It’s unfair that lower-income Americans don’t pay income tax. ~Wrong

Care to learn why these items are lies?  Here’s my understanding of the economic realities:

1. The trickle down theory of economics did not work for Presidents Reagan, Bush Sr. or Bush Jr. They sounded good but trickle down requires the dollars saved by the rich to be invested in companies, new businesses, new technology, etc. It usually winds up in bonds, stocks and luxury goods purchases. The latter rarely drive innovations in new technology or business start-ups.
2. Similar to #1, above, the theory is that if the rich have less disposable income, the loss of their purchasing and investment power would place a drag on the economy. The logic is the same as the first lie. In addition, recent deficits are partly caused by the loss of government revenue directly attributed to the drop in tax rates for the rich. One trillion dollars worth. Adding that back to our government’s revenue stream would help balance the budget and lead to a calmer investment market, and price and interest rate stability.
3. A large segment of declining employment in recent years has been the shrinking of government employment rolls. Local, county and state governments simply didn’t have enough money to continued paying salaries for over a million jobs. And those revenue declines came to us courtesy of the sick economy. The loss of these jobs came after corporate layoffs and worsened the recession considerably. Even after corporations began adding new jobs, government layoffs continued. This is a lag characteristic of a prolonged economic downturn. Now that business activity is improving and unemployment is ebbing, governments will begin rehiring laid off workers.
4. Deficit spending by the federal government is the number one tool for counteracting recessions. This has been in the economic textbooks ever since George Maynard Keynes. And it has been proven over and over again to work. What politicians did to warp Keynesian economics was to push perpetual deficit spending. That doesn’t work. It causes inflation, waste and eventual instability of the economy leading to a recession. Central governments who create and manage a national currency can participate in the deficit spending law. States and other government entities cannot. This is basic Money & Banking Economics. Check it out.
5. No, the federal deficit has been driven to enormous size because of the tax cuts for the rich, Iraq War, Afghanistan War, 9/11 and its aftermath. Together they account for over $5 trillion dollars of the current deficit, all started during the Bush Administration. Some are being repaired. Afghanistan war is being wound down; Iraq War is over; 9/11 restorations have been made and worked out in the economy; 9/11 security programs continue to press higher government costs and contribute to the deficit but logically so; and the tax cut for the rich is nearing elimination.
6. Retirement security and pension stability is part of the economy’s floor of operation. Destroy that and watch the economy dive into the endless abyss. Social Security is backed by a trust fund. $5 trillion has been borrowed from it by Congress to fund its irresponsible spending habits and poor political choices. Ponzi scheme? Hardly. Congress’ operations? Closer to the truth!
7. Low income citizens pay the same property, sales and excise taxes as everyone else. Income tax is just one of the taxes levied on Americans. And the poor often pay some state income taxes. Federal tax exemptions are available for most citizens; for the very poor, such exemptions save lives not standards of living.

Much more could be written and discussed on these issues. But the truth is often hard to match up with the sound bites which distort facts. Before believing, examine the issues carefully and ask some experts for more information. The economy you save may be your very own! 

April 28, 2012

Lowest Common Denominators

What are the issues that matter to you? What roils your blood and makes you want to howl at the TV during a news cast or video ad?  

Who is saying what about the issues you are riled up about? Who’s voice is pushing for votes or action to ‘preserve’ our values and core beliefs? 

What are the issues? Might they be:

• Taxes; too damn many and too damn high; let me keep my hard earned cash!
• Too many people expect others to take care of them; they don’t plan or take responsibility for their own lives, decisions; to hell with them!
• Government is too liberal; they tell us what to do
• Government is too big; it gets involved in to much of our daily lives
• High corporate taxes are killing job creation and investment
• Deficit spending and federal debt is smothering us
• All of our history goes back to marriage between a man and a woman; changing that would change everything! It would lead to many problems
• Health is my business, not the government’s; keep them out of my personal business
• If it’s in the Bible it’s good enough for me; our laws should be based on the Bible
• This is a Christian nation; why do we let Muslims, Jews and non-believers have any say in the USA?
• About gays; it isn’t right; let them deal with their own problems; they chose them, let them deal with them
• Those Muslims are out of control; look at all the terrorism they are connected to throughout the world; man they could do it here; don’t let them in
• If you are here illegally, go back to your own country; you are not welcome here

As I wrote these items I kept picturing Rick Santorem, Newt Gingrich, and a host of other Republican presidential candidates; Romney, too. In fact these issues are almost exclusively part and parcel of the Republican political script today and for the past four years. Problem is these sound bites are misleading at best and downright false and worse.  

Why the issues have any traction in a country that claims to be well intentioned, well educated, and creative and future-thinking escapes my logic. Each and every one of the issues listed above can be easily refuted. So why do they persist in public discussion and news casts? 

Because they are easily made. But it takes time to refute sound bites. Media offers the sound bites to prove they are ‘balanced’ in their news presentation. How do we counter these mindless statements and positions? Is the American public aware of this? Are they gullible enough to believe this junk? 

Polls say they believe it. How else can we exit a presidential primary season with such negative feelings all around and Romney getting the brunt of ill will and then, less than a week later, polls indicate Americans believe Romney can lead the nation out of its economic doldrums? How can that polling result be so quickly made? We can discuss many aspects of why Romney’s policy won’t repair the economy. He and the Republican leaders have stymied the Obama administration’s every move while blaming him. The economy and politics simply don’t work the way a lot of people think they do.  

So what do we do? How do we counter the game players who constantly seek the lowest common denominator among us to win votes, power and economic gain? How do we do this positively without falling into the negative trap? 

I’m open to suggestions, here. I’ve been making the arguments all along in this blog, but is that enough? Are others making the same points? Am I making too much of this? Are the polls not credible? Am I dead wrong in my conclusions? 

I’m looking for answers here.  I’m getting very uncomfortable watching any news programs these days; the incomplete reports, the misleading conclusions, the faulty data, answering the wrong questions…all of this is leading me toward turning off the TV. Should I, or is this too drastic a reaction? 

Help! I need your input here.  

April 27, 2012

Adddendum to Big Oil & Taxes

Pardon my amendment to today's post but I thought readers should have the following link available for additional information.  This may answer some questions you have regarding positions I have taken in the post.

Thanks!

Five Questions For The Five Biggest Oil Companies

Big Oil and Taxes

Oil companies explore for oil deposits, drill for it, pump it out, transport it to refineries, make it into countless products, then distribute those to global markets. They have done this for over 150 years in the United States alone. Other nations began drilling for oil in the early 1800’s but humans have used oil and its ‘by-products’ for over 5000 years.

In earlier times oil supplies were plentiful. But as manufacturers, nations and automobiles sucked up available supplies in dizzying amounts, the world became aware that oil was a finite commodity. The earth slowly produced oil from the decay of previous carbon deposits from decaying vegetation. The process was so slow that engineers and scientists began measuring potential supplies. In the 1940’s and 1950’s, we all understood that oil sources would be used up at some point in the future.

Again geologists and engineers have found more and better ways to locate oil supplies and make the best use of them. The day of oil supply exhaustion has been pushed back many times. But the message is still clear: oil is finite and we need to find other energy sources sooner rather than later to keep our way of life humming.

So, in short, oil companies are now energy companies whether they recognize that or not. Their job is to produce energy for the global market. Along the way they will conserve existing oil supplies so that the chemical and by-product derivatives continue to be produced uninterrupted, and fuel supplies are kept adequate for our needs at affordable prices. The former is being managed handily; the latter is not.

World tensions affect market confidence in oil supplies and reliable deliveries of same. If these are threatened, commodity prices for oil and its derivatives rise. End result: we pay much more at the gas pump; but we pay more throughout the economy in other ways as a direct result as well.

The issue is clear to me. Find more energy supplies. Not oil, but alternatives to oil. New science and engineering discoveries will help in this process greatly. But oil companies themselves need to invest their ample treasuries to discover new forms of energy – for their longevity and the rest of humanity. It is in their self interest and ours that they do this.

Along the way the oil industry has produced a lot of jobs and economic activity. Commerce has been magnified incalculably due to energy supplies and its related technologies. Chemicals, materials and engineering advancements have transformed the global economy and quality of life.

Also, air, water and soil pollution has grown exponentially from the use of oil and its derivatives. We are attending to these problems but the job is far from over. We all pay for these problems, but also for their solution.

All of these costs have been borne by public institutions and government agencies charged with the responsibility to do something about all of these matters. How do they pay for this work? By levying taxes of various kinds. And yes the oil industry pays a lot of taxes, either directly or indirectly. But don’t fear for them! Those taxes are loaded into the product price and so the end user winds up paying the taxes! Not the industry. They are just the pay-through channel.

And most of these tax collections support the work that helps protect the earth from air, water and soil pollution from oil products. The work includes injuries to workers and care for their families through government sponsored health programs, insurance programs and pension and disability programs. Distribution of oil products happen over taxpayer owned roads and highways. They are used in taxpayer supported schools and hospitals and countless other social agencies. The taxes are used to do the work that no one else wants to do, or won’t do. Whether the products are oil or advertising blather, there are secondary and tertiary costs incurred. The involved industries don’t pay for these; the taxpayers do in their pricing structure.

And who subsidizes health care problems caused by product use and pollution? The government. Who helps science and engineers study oil, geology, chemicals and ecology to live better with the product or find new products to avoid the dangerous ones? Or find ways to lessen the burdens of the product? Universities and college and government labs funded to do this work. And who pays? The taxpayer. And through which tax collecting channels are the tax dollars collected? Manufacturing taxes, sales taxes, excise taxes, pollution fines, ad infinitum.

But you only hear anti-government and anti-tax ideologues mention taxes.  As though government is the enemy and its blood source is taxes; and all taxes are evil and unproductive.

Need I remind you that regulation protects us from a lot of problems? And even though many of the problems still exist, we are learning how to live with the issues, lessen them, and eventually rid our culture of the problems? The industries don’t pay this bill. You and I do in pricing, taxes and social ills. These are the sidebars to our culture. They are the dirty laundry of modern day commerce. It’s OK; we see it and work with it. But at least let’s not condemn either the industry or the government for dealing with the issues involved. They are doing our work!

The politicians seeking power and money will do and say almost anything to get what they want. Don’t let their political lobbyists and economic analysts posing as reporters fool you. Yes the oil industry involves a lot of tax monies. But they don’t pay them for their work; only the result of their work so we can all live. Period.

Jeesh!

April 26, 2012

Every Day is Earth Day

It is helpful to stop for a bit and consider the status of the earth’s health. We do this on Earth Day each year. Oh, there are other times during the year we pay attention, too, but my point today is that everyday is Earth Day, or ought to be in our conscious daily living. 

Here’s a good point made by Carl Sagan:

“Anything else you’re interested in is not going to happen if you can’t breathe the air and drink the water. Don’t sit this one out. Do something. You are by accident of fate alive at an absolutely critical moment in the history of our planet.” 

Growing up a California native I learned not to waste water. It was a fact of life. And everyone in our household lived by that maxim. My parents were from Chicago and Minnesota but they respected the planet and easily learned the struggle for water when they first moved to California to build a family.  

Now living in Illinois for over 50 years, I have witnessed a people who grew up with  plentiful water from the Great Lakes, and ground water wells. Lots of water. In times of drought we curtail watering our lawns and gardens, but this is often to maintain water pressure, not conserve water supplies. As more communities in the Chicago metro area tapped Lake Michigan for their drinking water, others experienced recharged underground aquifers; droughts for well users have waned considerably. We have lots of water in the greater Midwest. So much we have a hard time thinking of shortages and waste. But we should. For the long term future of not just our region, but for the nation and planet as a whole.

Again, living in southern California we were mightily aware of air pollution. Smog was more than an inconvenience. It was hard to breathe. It created allergies and asthma. Lung diseases soared. The region tackled the problem with bans on open burning, lower emission automobiles and trucks, reduced emissions for manufacturing processes and many other tactics. Still air pollution looms in the region. And it has spread nationwide unless you live in a heavily forested area. Even farmlands are polluted by crop protecting chemicals, soil erosion and surface water drainage. All contribute to pollution of air, water and soil.  

The planet’s health is all of our business. We have to rely on ourselves to solve the problems plaguing the globe’s health. It is not up to scientists or government officials. We need to appreciate the ecology which sustains our lives. We need to find ways to partner with the earth so it and we survive, and survive well. Not just eke by! 

If we forego this advice we threaten everything else we hold dear: families, freedom, health, hopes and dreams and life itself. This is not a political platform. It is fact. 

I say the latter because there are always people who seek control, power and money when they sense a large group of people don’t like a particular message. They eventually turn the discomfort into a political issue and win votes denying the obvious. And all too often there are enough gullible people who will fall for the manipulation. But the rest of us? It is up to us to live responsibly and to create models of daily living by which we protect the planet. In time the debaters and naysayers will either get the message or be relegated to the sidelines. 

Earth is our home. Keep it healthy, tidy and pollution free. And it will serve us and our generations which follow. 

April 25, 2012

Philosophy as Guide?

There are days I wonder about the state of the world and shake my head. I hear interesting and poignant quotes from various individuals. Then I read or are reminded of other apt quotations from people who lived long ago. Good thoughts. Ideas that cause us to take time to think a little longer on something.  

We work with these ideas to help us live with complexity of daily life. We strive to make the complex simple. Sometimes the old philosophical phrases are helpful; like this one from Arthur Schopenhauer, a German philosopher who lived from 1788 to 1860:

            “All truth passes through three stages: First, it is ridiculed, second it is

                     violently opposed, and third it is accepted as self-evident.” 

Those are good points. Most ideas are not readily accepted at first. They are mulled over, poked and jabbed; finally we get comfortable with them and consider their value. Or, if we don’t see the value, we ridicule the idea unmercifully. It takes time. If opposition develops toward the idea, then groups get riled and fight the idea even to the point of violence. Eventually, if the concept makes sense and holds up over time, it is accepted and we wonder years later why there was such a struggle over it in the first place.   

Doubt that paragraph? Think about the women’s voting rights struggle. Remember the civil rights movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s. Think of the violent times working towards workers’ rights – unionism. On the latter I offer this quote from the Internet:

            Labor Unions: The folks who brought you the weekend. Child labor laws,

            overtime, minimum wage, injury protection, workmen’s compensation

            insurance, pension security, right to organize, etc.” 

We ought not make light of labor unions. They accomplished much good for many millions of people and generations of their families and co-workers. Along the way there were excesses on both sides of this fight. But the overall good is of immeasurable value to our society.

Here’s another one, this time on gay rights; Paul Newman stated:

            “I’m a supporter of gay rights. And not a closet supporter either. From

            the time I was a kid, I have never been able to understand attacks upon

            the gay community. There are so many qualities that make up a human

            being…by the time I get through with all the things that I really admire

            about people, what they do with their private parts is probably so low on the

            list that it is irrelevant.”

And yet the ludicrous public debate goes on about the gay community, gay agenda, political wedge issue management and family values. Silly isn’t it? A tempest in a teapot? A distraction from real issues in need of our attention and resources? At some time in the future we will wonder what all the fuss was about! Many of us wonder that today! 

Each of us has a life to live. It is done day by day among many people. Co-workers in many cases, fellow commuters (whether on the train, bus or expressway), family members for sure, neighbors as well. The broader public is with us by way of classrooms, media reports, shared cultural events and happenings. We have others to get along with; and they with us. We rub shoulders with one another figuratively and literally. We are not alone. And we do get along mostly just fine.

When others determine it is in their best interest to manipulate happenings to their advantage or egos, we encounter problems. Enter the press release and advertising age; witness the shenanigans of political parties. And yet all of these activities are added to the basic daily routines we already manage. And mostly well managed!

Why then do we not screw up the courage to oppose these time and energy wasters? 

I still stew over this point but lesser so these days; why? Because I think the American people get it, are smarter than others think they are, and they actually ignore the manufactured issues. Voter turnout is low unless issues of importance are pending on the ballot. Church attendance is down unless we face enormous troubles whether personal or national. People still give to charities. People still volunteer their time and talent to local organizations and projects. People still tutor underprepared students. Food pantries are at the ready to feed the hungry. And emergency housing is made available to the homeless. 

I noticed this quote from Mary Anne Rademacher the other day: “Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow’.”  

What a great way to end this day’s blog. Courage as quiet voice, as determination to try again tomorrow. Yes we do. Live with intent and courage. Because it accepts the reality of today and the hope of tomorrow.  

Which ideas are we ridiculing today? Which are we violently opposing? And which are we accepting readily, adopting in our daily living? Like our small voice of courage moving forward, rely on it and keep the rhythm alive and well.

Have a great day!

April 24, 2012

Culture War?

You’ve heard it. I’ve heard it. There are those in America claiming a class war is raging in our land. At times I tend to agree with this statement, but the more I think about it, the more I’m taken with the notion that it’s not class warfare, but a culture war that is being waged. But then maybe I’m splitting hairs.

Here are a few elements for your consideration: 

• Are we a Christian nation or not? Seems this political question is heard in every election year to split Christians and all others; or church-going and inactives
• Are we for ‘normal’ families or all families? And what makes each so in its own category?
• Rich or poor? In fact, what happened to the middle class in this discussion? Perhaps it is omitted because either side lays claim to the entire middle? Or has the middle disappeared with this economy? Doesn’t this item actually reflect ‘class’ referred to in class warfare?
• Free market or ….or what? What is the opposite of that? Please don’t tell me big government managed markets because markets in the USA have rarely been free; when they were, boom and bust cycles occurred nearly every 10 years!
• Educated or not? Which degrees have you earned? Were they enough to fuel your career and happy life for several decades? Or did you go to the college of hard knocks and proudly display the bruises?
• Male versus female? Really? Do we have to dredge up this old canard again?
• Old versus young? This will be an interesting discussion!
• Right or Left? Conservative or Liberal? Right or wrong? Ideologue or principled?
• Republican versus Democrat? This is so old and irrelevant it seems like a joke!
• Intolerant versus accepting
• Gay or straight, or something in between?
• Generous or stingy?
• Optimist or pessimist?
• Independent minded or community focused?

That will do for now. You see what I mean. There is less to be said about class than culture. I think the latter is the focus of our disagreeableness. And why is that? Why do we rant about these as though they make a difference between life and death? They don’t when viewed with objectivity. Perhaps they make interesting discussion, but the black and white of most issues dissolve into shades of gray.

Generous or stingy? Come on; we give to others so that our communal life is better. Along the way some people get what they don’t deserve, but most importantly, those that do need help get it. And feel better for doing it; it is what makes us stronger as a society, and it also makes us feel better. Who loses? Why be stingy? It shuts off the flow of good feelings! Stingy people tend to shrivel up within themselves. They are lonely, uninvolved; yes maybe bored. With life and freedom all around you, why be a prisoner of your own mean mood?

Being of independent mind is an expression of freedom from within. You can make up your own mind about things. You can think deeply and broadly about many topics. You are free to associate several topics with one another and further radiate understanding. There’s nothing wrong about being independent…unless it become an ideology…something to build walls with for isolating self from others.

Optimist or pessimist? One is looking for possibilities and valuing them. The other is guarding against the unknown. Unfortunately, if the unknown is not explored it becomes the opposite of possibility. Then the pessimist is caught in the downward spiral to nothingness.

Intolerant or accepting. Seems a no brainer to me. Accepting opens doors to everyone and everything, the future and possibility all rolled into one. The opposite is narrow or pinched off. It is uninformed by the mass of everything that exists in the real world. Rather than living with my head in the sand, I’d rather hold the head high so it can see, smell and hear all that is around me. Experience will help me understand what is usable and what is not. What is good and what is bad comes from testing not gossip.

Culture is how we live and with whom. It is about how we value things and people and ideas. It is not about who has what and how they live with it. How crass that is.

Now there’s a concept I can get behind: crass war fare, or culture?

You decide; I already have.

April 23, 2012

Mellow?

I’ve written this blog for nearly 7 months now (October 4, 2011). 212 postings later and a growing readership. It’s been an interesting ride. It’s been fun writing every day and realizing there is even more on my mind that I will write about tomorrow and the day after, and so on. 

Idle time and idle thoughts now mean something different to me. And sorting it out in the blog helps me keep a better balance to my life. Might this be mellow? Could it possibly be that I’m calming down and accepting life as it is? 

Family and friends probably laugh at that possibility! I have rarely been mellow. Excitable, sometimes raging and ranting, yes. Mellow? Never! Well, they will have to continue to judge my exterior; I can’t. But inside I can report on a sense of calm that is a good thing. I feel it and see it. And it is good. 

I no longer think opposing ideas come from fruitcakes! And I allow their ideas to test mine. Sometimes I’m forced to rethink things. Other times I remain even more resolved to my conclusions. The process, however, is a healthy one. It helps me understand things better. And that also keeps civility alive and well in dealing with others. 

Of course we give others room to be different from us. There is a tolerance or wiggle room we allow. But family? No!  Decidedly no!  They know us don’t they? They trust our thinking and values, and …….. Whatever! They should know better and not be so obtuse. Really!  How could they think that way!!! 

Well, that’s the context in which they know me. And they don’t understand me anymore than I understand them. And that’s the way of family. Close enough to know each other, but too close so we really don’t understand. And thus small things grow into big blogs of discomfort, judgment, resentment. 

That still happens. My sister is 70; my brother 74. They sit in their own places steamed at me because I don’t live like them; but then again I do. We are alike and yet feel so different. Mellow does not describe them or me in this context. Each of us tend to judge each other. Some show it more than others. That’s what gets people steamed! I try to fit in with them to keep the peace but I won’t allow them to walk all over me. So…..I get steamed with them. 

Good thing brother lives in Rochester, New York and sister livcs in Phoenix area. Lots of space between us. Phone lines are quiet these days between us; so is internet. The quiet is peace. No transactions needed among us. Mom is still alive at 98 and that’s is our common thread. Too bad, really. We have so much life to explore and chuckle over and grow in wisdom over. Won’t happen I think. Mellow is mutual. 

Mutual mellow. Hadn’t thought of it that way. Mellow attracts mellow? Do you think? Or is it a one way street. I guess it depends on the willingness of the other person; are they ready to be mellow or receive mellow? Or am I allowing it or obstructing it. 

Either way, I hope mellow begets mellow. It’s creative and respectful. Respectful of other ideas, feelings and contexts.  Seemingly so much alike, yet often very, very different. 

Do we appreciate those minor differences? Or do we magnify them into obstructions? Maybe we should add a dollop of mellow to our lives. Take a deep breath; smell the surrounding air. Seek calm. Now resume your pondering.  

Did that help? If not, keep doing it. When mellow arrives, enjoy!

April 22, 2012

Finding a Path Among Divergent Views

Divergent views are one thing. People holding divergent views is another. So what to do? And need we ‘do’ anything? 

Used to be I thought we ought; to do something about views that were not in agreement with mine. Maybe I saw an opportunity to help someone see things more accurately? Or maybe I thought they hadn’t had the same set of ideas I did? Or maybe they were flawed and needed correction? Whatever….what a load of you-know-what! Who am I to suggest someone should see the world in the same way I do? Or need to agree with me? How about maybe I should agree with them? Ewwww!  

Ok. So it doesn’t sit well. I’ve earned my conclusions fair and square. Maybe others don’t agree with my point of view, but so what? Does it matter? Depends, doesn’t it? Whether or not you think their thinking is keeping us from making the decisions or taking the action we need to take as a nation, city, state…to get the right things done soon and in the right order! 

Well, plenty of times I’ve had this discussion with myself. Then I get sick or take a vacation and am distracted by other matters….and a few weeks later I realize I lost track of the burning issue and wonder what happened.  Then I learned nothing happened and the issue is the same, but other issues have taken its place. Meanwhile the sky has not fallen; disaster has not struck. 

This happened a few times in my life. Oh, OK; it happened thousands of times. I’m stubborn but finally came to realize the world does not revolve around me and my understanding of things. Neither does it revolve around your point of view either, nor America’s. We are not the only ones thinking these things. And we aren’t the only ones who think up the good stuff, either. There are lots of smart people who care and think well about things. We are in better hands than we thought. 

This is not an invitation to stop caring; or stop observing and thinking. Our involvement is needed. Just not in the all-knowing and all-important sense! This is the truth; uncomfortable but true.  

OK. The board has been wiped clean. We can start again. Fresh and perky eyed. Ready to look at the world again only this time with more positivism, and tolerance of diverse people and ideas. It’s a time to look at all of this as an opportunity using more resources and collaboration. 

I’d like to examine this with a quote from the Internet, again anonymous (who knew so many people were so smart but also humble and unwilling to share their identity?): 

 “Be confident. Too many days are wasted comparing ourselves to others and wishing to be something we aren’t. Everybody has their own strengths and weaknesses, and it is only when you accept everything you are – and aren’t – that you will truly succeed.”

I have found this sentiment to be a strong guide for me in recent years. I think I’ve learned that it is not important that what I think is right, but rather that I continue to explore what I think to determine if it has deeper meaning, logic and value to other areas of thought. Along the way I seek ideas from others. This enriches the thinking process. It adds to my knowledge and insight. It values what others have to say, think and offer as input.

The process intrinsically values diverse thinking. This nearly always leads me where I could never have arrived alone. It also speeds up the process. It pulls me in unexpected directions. What I thought was important at the beginning is surpassed by something much more important. But somehow they are related.

So, be confident in your own abilities but test them with the abilities of others. Let them be them; accept yourself. Allow the results to develop naturally. Together we are so much more.  

“We see through a glass darkly” the Bible tells us. The sources of light that enables better understanding is openness to others, other ideas, and broader processes. Open minds allow that to happen. Getting beyond the self becomes a virtue. The dark glass becomes clearer only if we let it.

Strive for self. Strive for understanding. All achieved through clear thinking with the help of others. Not a bad argument for diversity in the main!

April 21, 2012

It Takes All Kinds

A friend, colleague and community co-collaborator recently passed away. She was just shy of her 60^th birthday, and fought a debilitating disease for two or three years before succumbing. She fought to the end. Just like she did in many other avenues of her civic life. 

She was an artist – fabric arts, crocheting and quilting among others – a mother, a daughter of activist parents, a seeker for broader arts programming, a civic partner as an alderman on the city council, and a pusher of limits within the community’s life.

She was both a doer and a challenger of the status quo. She was an idea person. But not one who easily built bridges with others for better understanding. Hers was a difficult personality. There were many people in town that she didn’t get along with. The feeling was mutual and very personal. Uncomfortable really.

For some reason I saw beyond those skirmishes. I reached out and tried to build bridges for her so her ideas and inspirations had a chance to be heard and adopted. I don’t think I was very successful in those efforts, but we did make some common contributions to the community as a result of our work together. And I know she realized I made the effort.  

Her death confronts my sense of social justice. Did I and we allow her to have a positive effect? Or did we stubbornly fight her suggestions? Or did she provide the enmity that created ill will. Or in the final analysis was her work and methods a good thing for us? I think the latter. And here’s why.

Linda had ideas. She wondered how they would work, how they would change things: cultural events offered in town; the community’s celebration of itself in different seasons (Halloween, Christmas, 4^th of July, craft shows, summer art sales, etc.); how local government should work; who to trust in civic matters; how to raise money for charities; how to support local arts and artists.

Her ideas were many and frequent. Ask her about a topic and she would shower you with ideas. And laugh about them! Think up new wrinkles and approaches to handling those topics. Sit down to discuss something and the coffee cups and fresh baked goods suddenly appeared on the table. If we were going to talk we had to have refreshments to grease the discussion or just enjoy a good treat! This was a social event. And Linda was all about people getting together and enjoying a setting.

Bubbly and brimming with thoughts. Sometimes those were historical, or memories of an event, or a reminder of a friend and how she/he handled a situation; or maybe it was how another village made a name for itself by following its own calling in art, or design or civic personality. She wondered how we could adapt those ideas to our own time and place. As I said, these ideas were plentiful and freely given; a torrent. For all the time I knew Linda, she was a wellspring of this free association of thoughts.

For some these ideas were brilliant and refreshing. To others these were intrusive and unwelcome. If rebuffed Linda would press for a rehearing of the points, even demand fresh attention to them. Maybe adoption and action? Insistent. Wanting to give, to be heard, to make a difference.

In the end she was heard and accommodations were made. Maybe not to her satisfaction but at least things were done a little differently, a new program came to life, a new method tried. Linda was persistent. Just like her final struggle for health and life.  

Linda Spicer was not a quitter; she was a fighter. Sometimes others couldn’t fathom what she was fighting or fighting for. But I sensed she fought for good. We didn’t always understand what that was. Her actions often appeared as obstructive. She frustrated a lot of people; but they frustrated her, too. So the playing field was level in her mind!

Linda was a person of special talents and insight. She shared them enthusiastically and willingly. Generous and hard working, she was a partner in her community, always making it a home. And that was what was good in Linda. She attempted what others wouldn’t or couldn’t. Her efforts were not always understood. But she was there whether you wanted her or not! Indefatigable. Loyal. But true to the idea, an idea, hers or yours. And she made us work for it, ready or not!

Difficult to know or understand, but worth the effort. Linda will be missed.

April 20, 2012

Building Community

For those people who know me, I think they would agree that I’m a fan of ‘community’ and the building of it wherever it is needed. It could be in a neighborhood, a housing complex, apartment or condominium building, or a complete town. Or in an organization, church or institution.  

A definition from Dictionary.com: a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.  

There are other related definitions that would apply here, but let’s keep it general for now. Obviously a shared government might apply to home owners association, or church polity, or any other organizational governance structure. We don’t have to talk about a town, city, county or state, or even a nation when we refer to community.

Community is also present in a more complex and personal context. It is our sense of belonging, of sharing like thinking, of finding a commonality among us. In the end I think we build a sense of community so we feel we belong. We have a place to be ourselves and explore life with fewer restrictions. A sense of possibility yet in a place of safety. 

I came across the following item and felt it was worth sharing with you. It is anonymous again, but if anyone can identify the author, I’d appreciate you sharing that with me.  Here’s the quote: 

                                                How To Build Community 

Turn off your TV, leave your house and know your neighbors;

Greet people, look up when you’re walking, sit on your stoop;

Plant flowers, use your library;

Play together, buy from local merchants, share what you have;

Help a lost dog, take children to the park;

Honor elders, support neighborhood schools, fix it even if you didn’t break it;

Have pot lucks, garden together, pick up litter;

Read stories aloud, dance in the street, talk to the mail carrier, listen to the birds;

Put up a swing, help carry something heavy, barter for your goods, start a tradition;

Ask a question, hire young people for odd jobs, organize a block party;

Bake extra and share, ask for help when you need it, open your shades;

Sing together, share your skills, take back the night;

Turn up the music, turn down the music;

Listen before you react to anger, mediate a conflict;

Seek to understand, learn from new and uncomfortable angles;

Know that no one is silent though many are not heard; work to change this

Go back over this material. Do it slowly. Think about each phrase. 

Have you done any of these things? Have you watched others do them? How did you feel if you observed this in someone else? How did you feel when you did one of these items?

The knitting of community bonds is ever so simple, but also complex.

I think it comes down to this: A community is richest when its people feel a part of it and are allowed to be who they are freely and simply; valuing each other is both the way and the reward. 

How can you and I make this happen today?

April 19, 2012

  

Some Comments on Abortion

Back in the 1960’s I struggled with the concept of abortion. I came to grips with it on a few levels back then. But that was before I was sexually active, before marriage, and before fatherhood. The moral discussions back then heated up and raged through the 1970’s and early 1980’s. I morphed my thinking over and over again as I attempted to understand the issue.

The problem is: abortion involves two basic elements of life. First, the moral dilemma of making a life not possible. Second, the practical issues of bringing a new life onto the planet. One is a universal concept of right and wrong, spiritual values and theological significance. It is quite complex. It is not about what I know or feel; it is about the logic of philosophy and theology. The other is a personal matter of consequences and right and wrong, and…possibility; the unknown outcomes from personal decision making.

The discussion over abortion needs to be approached from a basis of kindness. The discussants may state positions bluntly, but they are borne of deeper feeling and moral fiber than we give credit for. Too, the wavering doubt caused by not truly knowing the right and wrong causes a moral stress felt very personally. We often don’t think of these two emotional burdens when discussing this issue. All the more reason to be kind to each other as the issue is explored for clearer meaning. 

I found this piece on the Internet the other day. I’ll parse it afterward but for now read it over and think about it a bit: 

“You say you’re against abortion, but:

  ~you’re also against sex education
  ~you’re against welfare to take care of these kids
  ~you’re against free education for these kids
  ~you’re pro-death penalty when these kids don’t make it as adults
And really, how many minority drug babies have you adopted lately?”
                                                                                  Author Unknown 

This is not a kind argument to make. So take a deep breath and seek some calm.

Now, let’s look at the quotation with a bit more insight.

First, people against abortion are not automatically supporters of the other four positions. So let’s not fall for that debater’s trick. Second, the concepts contained in the citation are elements of the broader discussion which need to be dealt with. Third, not all the elements are automatically a part of the abortion argument.

So where to start? Well for one I think we need to think of consequences. What do we wish to be the ideal situation? Starting there might help us deal with a number of ideas, keep them sorted out, and yet lead us to some workable conclusions. 

Let’s try these on for size:

• Abortion is a fact of life; part of the human struggle from the beginning of time
• Abortion is a baser part of our life journey, one which we would like to avoid
• Abortion decisions are made under duress and seek a lesser complication of life
• Not all babies are wanted; although that is a cruelly blunt statement, we can soften it by saying that not all babies are wanted in all circumstances.
• Some circumstances harm the baby’s opportunities to succeed in life due to poor economic standards of living at the time, inability of parents to properly nurture the baby then or even later, or the ‘unwantedness’ of that baby at this specific time will somehow be communicated to the child over time and stunt its development
• Outcomes of sexual activity are not always planned; they are the result of moments of passion or misplaced power (abuse and rape)
• We want new life to be wanted, nurtured and valued
• We do not want abortion as a form of social engineering, or of birth control

If we can generally accept these tenets, then we will need to work for social policies that aim for what we want while avoiding that which we don’t want. Accepting what we don’t want is part and parcel of the dilemma we are attempting to manage.

Judging others is not our job. We may not agree with someone, but we still have to deal with the realities of the human condition. We have to make the best of bad situations. No sense beating up on ourselves unnecessarily. 

So where does this leave us?  Here are few things we will need to support for those people who choose not to have abortions:

• Sex education in our schools and families is a must; this will help avoid the need for abortions; but it will also raise awareness of the consequences of sex should we choose to proceed without protection; sex is a fact of life; it is beautiful and base at the same time. It is natural. We cannot deny this reality, so let us live with the consequences as best we can.
• Welfare programs must be available for children’s long-term health; they are living among us; we need to do the very best for each young life so they can grow into a proud, valuable, achieving adult
• Education should be available to each child that nurtures them into adulthood and beyond so their life is maximized for everyone’s good; this is part of being a responsible society
• Death penalty does not deter evil deeds; but it is useful to cull heinous, dangerous lives from society and should be available; the decision to apply the penalty should be restricted to only the clearest of cases and otherwise not implemented
• Adoption of unwanted children should be nurtured throughout our society to ensure human worth is constantly sought and achieved for every life

It seems to me these are the inescapable elements of the discussion. Not all are pretty. Some are downright ugly. But so is life itself.

As we go forward can we at least give each other some room to see life differently from each other and respect that difference? Can we accept our responsibilities and provide hope and support for those who live their life-decisions differently?

We are on this journey together. Let’s enjoy the experience as best we can! And value each person’s life as fully as possible.

April 18, 2012

Fear and Public Policy

Michelle Obama provides us with today’s quote: “You can’t make decisions based on fear and the possibility of what might happen. We just weren’t raised that way.”

That’s what she and the President believe. It is a wise statement. If good things are to happen we need to aim high, clearly identify objectives. What would we like to see happen and by what date? That’s getting more specific, but it requires us to define our expectations and hopes.

Hitting this process from the negative position requires defensive thinking. It assumes something bad will happen and we need to prepare for that happening, and also try to avoid the problem in the first place. So one is preventive and the other is defensive, all rolled into one. All from the negative view.

The positive view helps create the desired outcome while also making the negative possibilities less likely to occur because the chance of a problem developing becomes less and less.

The positive viewpoint programs people to work on solutions to problems. They are predisposed to develop programs to advance our life together. This is how new Boy Scout or Girl Scout programs, dens and troops come about. It is also the way communities provide safe alternatives to high school prom events to avoid drunk driving, accidents and death. Sports programs for youth from the very young through high school get their genesis from community activists looking out for our youth.

In this same manner churches pull together to provide family counseling centers, alternative housing programs, emergency relief funding for families in need, tutoring programs, English as a Second Language programs, and so much more. Ministers and priests face these issues in each of their congregations; so much more can be accomplished through shared programs. Along the way the community learns a lot about itself and can address their most pressing problems.

Reverse the focus and seek protection from all you fear: war, invasion, space aliens, bad breath, ill health, bad weather, bad hair day…you see what I’m saying. Following this theme we would list all the negatives in life, maybe rank order them, and then attempt to find ways to protect ourselves from each of them.

Growing up in the 1950’s we were confronted with the thought of building a bomb shelter in our home or back yard. There were prefabricated models available; all you needed to do was dig a big hole and place the contraption into it. Of course an alternative power source would be needed; anything underground and sealed would have to be a battery rather than an internal combustion engine, else the family would be killed from carbon monoxide poisoning! And water would be needed, bottled preferred, but for how long were you expected to hibernate in the shelter? How much water would be needed, and food, and battery life, and candles. Then there was the concern for sewerage, drainage and those sorts of things. Finally, air; what was the source of uncontaminated air? How was a family to purify outside air for internal consumption; and could that even be done?

Even more finally, if the shelter achieved its objective and saved the family from certain atomic death, how long would they need to be sheltered? How would they know that it was safe to re-enter the outside world? Days, weeks, months, or even years? And exit to what sort of life?

Survival takes so much work. So much time. So many resources. Diversions from ‘regular’ life. We are losing the now in order to have a future? An uncertain one? A future with the same problems unsettled? Just more primitive due to the expected destruction? I’m sorry, what are we saving ourselves for?

You surely can see the absurdity! Preparing for the worst removes us from the present enjoyment of life. We lose sight of what is and become absorbed in the non-existent for some elusive objective. Fear does that. It pulls our focus away from things that matter. It skews our attention and judgment. We lose the very thing we thought we were protecting.

Another oxymoron of life? Maybe. But we can avoid it entirely. By focusing on the positive and working towards those things we have hopes for: world peace; abundant food; clean air and water; exploration of life and all that is possible in it.

Along the way we can hope that others will capture this spirit and help with the positive. The peace surely will follow – because it matters to everyone. That’s the way to conquer fear. Eliminate it and work for its opposite.

April 17, 2012