fundamentalist treason
It seems that one of the Alabama state senators, Hank Erwin has once again opened his mouth and swallowed his foot. Of course, he’s never really sorry about it. But, he receives some major criticism for it. Last time, he completely demoralized the homosexual population here, and now he’s claiming that New Orleans was destroyed because of God’s wrath.
And, now we have a new chief justice. I don’t know how I feel about it yet. I don’t think I even really know anything about him. Chuck Schumer was right… you can’t bet the farm on something you’re unsure of. I’m afraid of what might come to be. You know, the whole intelligent design issue has come up as of late.
It could be a long few years ahead…
pop-up
Every time I see them, I do a retake back to the 80s. It drives me nuts, and I just can’t for the life of me think it is remotely cool. But, popped-up collars have apprarently taken to the liking of too many.
Fortunately, one restaurant in Washington, D.C. has had enough…
domino theory
Who would have ever known that the beginnings of the domino effect in the GOP would make the mess that it has. In latest news, Tom Delay has been indicted of conspiracy, and has now stepped down. It will be interesting to see if the House censures him. Because, of course, in the days of McCarthy they were quick to do so. Leading into the ‘06 midterm election gives them every reason to withhold to seem strong, but it just doesn’t appear to be the case. Especially when you have the following other items on deck in the Bush administration:
Michael Brown has continually pointed fingers and said disaster response wasn’t his fault
Frist declares that he had no idea of the drop in stocks before he sold
Seriously, if both of your majority leaders are about to bite the bullet, so will the entire Congress. How did it happen? We, the good American people (or at least the ones who pulled a GOP vote in 2004) let it happen. Shame on us for trusting politicians… it hasn’t gotten us anywhere in the modern day presidency since Truman was in office.
Or, how about this for kicks… The Iraq Constitution is reported to possibly cause a Civil War. Hmm, I specifically remember having a thought about this. Ahh, yes… I knew it wouldn’t be done. Now, we’re helping to destroy a society somewhere else, just like we did here over a menial issue. Thank you, United States… we can always depend on you to massacre the simplest of ideas.
To leave you, I submit this thought. Is the U.S. a true democracy? Or do we rememble Japan more than we thought possible?
roughage
Today I saw a clip of President Bush on the news, speaking of his willingness to tap the oil reserves. Maybe it is me, but the man looks rough… in the hasn’t-slept-for-days way or the having-a-emotional-breakdown way. All I could do was wonder what could have possibly shaken him.
Then, I realized it. It’s almost the same way that LBJ was in the final days of his office… with catastrophes all around: Iraq (like a Vietnam quagmire), hurricanes surfacing extreme poverty in the South (a need for reform) and protesters outside his window opposing the war and his administration (peaceful, mind you, but then arrested).
While I feel horrible that he has chosen to ignore so much of this and he is getting beaten down every bit of the way, I do hope that he will see that not only he, but the entire country has failed to our job. We’ve no longer held onto our preamble: to hold a more perfect Union. The hope and desire to see America blossom into a true democracy is gone. We don’t trust our leaders, much less each other.
John Lewis in his autobiography/memoir said that he wondered if we’d ever have another JFK, RFK or MLK. FDR, Ike, Truman… these were leaders that we identified with… they had a passion and a dream that spread across society. There were no personal agendas set as adamantly as the past few administrations have. It was a different America, a different time. I wonder myself if it could ever return…
social integration
I used this phrase in a comment in my friend Jill’s journal, just in reference to the fact that I had not gotten to actually hang out with anyone lately because of my hectic schedule.
Today, especially in my reading last night regarding the theory of social gospel, the phrase took a spiritual meaning. I went to a different church this morning, just in the need to feel enlightened, as I have not been so in the past few months. Church has seemed sore and hardened lately. My theory was that I may have just missed a traditional liturgical service. Not that I don’t love contemporary worship, but there are only certain formats that are appealing to me, and they usually fall along the post-modern and emergent paths. I like the contemplative mood… I think that is why I like traditional liturgy.
Anyways, I went to First Church downtown. I was a little worried… just because it is a very old church, and I wasn’t so sure about the pastor… He just seemed like he might be like the rest of his generation, one of the warm toasty sermon styles that just spill over about the goodness of God. Yes, God is good… but that doesn’t explain the human life and relationship to a deity. This morning, I was blown away by the pastor’s message of the impact of a social gospel. He brought in contexts of the here and now, and challenged traditional thought. The text was simple. It was Jesus’ message to love God with all of our mind, heart and soul, and love our neighbor as ourself. I’ve never heard it preached the way he did it. It was moving… I haven’t felt that moved to action in such a long time.
But, my favorite thing that he said was about going against the grain, feeling as though you are even against the flow of mainstream Christianity (boy, shouldn’t that be contradictory). He said:
Don’t worry about having a bleeding heart… the only heart that isn’t bleeding is dead.
Wow. It hit me like a tons of bricks. In being referred to as a liberal bleeding heart, I no longer feel defensive. It makes me feel alive. It justifies my concern for the needs of those who have none.
I will never see that passage the same again.
I will visit First Church again… next Sunday. I loved seeing a minister unafraid of stirring thoughts or feelings. He didn’t sugar coat the gospel. But at the same time, he was never condemning or reaching a hell-fire-and-brimstone speech. It was the gospel alive and well. Convicting. Compelling. Merciful. Compassionate. Disciplined. Challenging.
That is what faith is about. Faith compels us to action, regardless of stereotype, race, gender or kind, continuing through suffering and strife but through joy and love. It is constant. It is truth.
free at last…
One of the greatest semi-Wesleyan scholars (who actually made his living as a Baptist preacher/social activist) is an essential to the continual spiritual formation of any strong Methodist. Martin Luther King; made his ministry from the social gospel, transferring Biblical stories into modern day prophecies and teachings that transformed the 1960s and made the modern world as we know it (of course, there is always some question as to whether it has really taken effect in some cities like Birmingham, New Orleans, etc.).
Of course, you have to love his rousing words from the Washington National Mall, or even his letter from the Birmingham jail. But, this is pure MLK, from his sermons pre-movement, but they continued throughout his life, even to his assassination, in which he became a martyr for the same social gospel he believed:
We must love the unlovable. Love the hell out of them.
-Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
to blow off auntie em
Did you know? That’s why Dorothy and Toto went over the rainbow. Who knew? RENT did. 
This has been an entirely grueling week. We’ve got a press deadline soon. Actually, Monday at 10 a.m. When did it begin to be created? Monday. It’s the inexplainable world of preachers who have no clue what the crap is involved in anything. Oh well. Life goes on, I suppose.
I’m still freaking out about what’s coming up. I have a book review due on Tuesday (I’ve yet to re-read the book… I read it last year). Then, I have the GRE on October 3, and have yet to study or work on anything. And, 3 tests on October 4. Nightmare? I’d so say. But, on October 7, I’m headed to Chrysalis for the weekend. That should be some good rest. At least, I hope so.
I wish I had some great story to share, but the truth is, I’m absolutely exhausted at this point. I should be reading, obviously, but I’m so tired. I just want to go to bed. Tonight is the first night I haven’t had my cruel migraine that came on Monday and left this morning. I don’t know what to think of it.
Do you know how much reading I have to do this weekend? Don’t try to guess… you’ll be ever so glad you’re not me, and I’ll be mad that you’re not me.
what can you say?
New Orleans floods again… will they ever get a break? I seriously can’t imagine what they’re going through.
This is just funny, due to the latest movie happenings with McCarthyism
political linkage
Because I got behind this week, following are some great stories/opinions to check in on…
Jeff Sessions and his “moral” plea to repeal the death tax amidst poverty concerns in the South
What is the difference between a Democrat and a Republican?
Transcript of Clinton’s interview with ABC criticizing the current administration”
It’s official… Siegelman is running
Hurricane Katrina and the marketplace of ideas
Criticism of Bush’s speech in New Orleans
UA students stress need for a new constitution by reading aloud… here too.
A Bid to Repair the Presidency
quickly ignored
In discussing Hurricane Katrina:
“[Terrorists] look at the situation and wish they had caused it.” -George W. Bush
Seriously, can he really believe this for truth? Maybe I should re-phrase that. Can he really even mean that?!?!? Statements like this make me nauseous. I just can’t understand that man.
Well, he is not coming to Birmingham, like he had announced. He was supposed to visit with hurricane evacuees that have completely lost everything from New Orleans and the Mississippi Coast. Instead, he is taking 2 days away from Katrina’s duties, and headed to San Antonio to view their preparation plans and then going to Colorado to watch the storm come in. Of course, he’ll be in Texas quickly afterwards. I mean, why shouldn’t he? If people there actually lost everything, Bush loses much more than when poverty stricken New Orleans and Mississippi get thrashed by a hurricane. He’s gonna have to pray really hard this time. But, I’m guessing he won’t have to worry that it ruined his vacation this time. Rita is already less inconvenient.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Rita for coming in and giving the Bush administration an opportunity to completely ignore Katrina victims from here out. I mean, obviously to Bush, Texas is way more important than the poverty stricken state of Louisiana. He will put much more effort into Texas… and as soon as I see it, this time I will do something about it. He’ll have a quick letter of anger from me, even if I doubt it will ever matter. I hate that it is this way. I absolutely hate it.
Just to continue on my soapbox, I’m entirely sick of hearing people say that they are more prepared for a hurricane than Katrina, and that they have learned their lessons. I’m sorry, but there is no way you can correctly prepare for a hurricane. No hurricane is alike. Quit making it sound like people from New Orleans are idiots. Maybe you could have helped by buying them a bus ticket… or maybe going to pick them up yourself. Get off your high horse of thinking you’re better than these areas that were so affected. At any moment you could be in the same position. And you would have done the same thing. So just stop… you’re making it worse.
OK, now that I’m off of my soapbox. Well, probably not, but I’ve had my fill of self-righteous white supremacists for the week. If I hear one more person say that it is the people’s of New Orleans fault for being lazy and alcoholics (with underlying tones of the fact that they could be black), I think I’ll go livid. Because you know, these people “know” everything… too bad these self-proclaimed Christians haven’t bothered to read the Bible that says love and compassion have no pre-existing requirements or condition.
Yesterday on the news, I heard that the Birmingham Post-Herald is closing up shop. This saddens me… it puts 40-50 people out of work in Birmingham. They say it is for financial reasons. I say it is because people hate the Birmingham news media altogether because it’s horrible and they don’t report well, and usually one-sided. But, I feel bad for those people.
Oh, Barack, will you leave your wife and kids and marry me? Days like this make me proud to be a democrat. Man, oh man, if he wasn’t so new to the scene, he’d be a fabulous president. I may just write him in anyways. OK, I don’t really mean for him to leave his wife and kids. I just have a huge crush… he’s swept my political heart away.
Technorati Tags: hurricanes, politics, social justice
