Last Sunday was a notable anniversary, in1650 a Bishop named James Usher declared that by his estimations and interpretation of Scripture, the Earth was created at 9am, on October 25th, 4004 B.C.
Tomorrow is not just Halloween or the day before All Saint’s Day, or Dia de Los Muertos. Tomorrow is the anniversary of an earth shaking event in social, political, cultural, literary and religious history. It was the day when a small town college professor posted some statements on the town’s bulletin board that he hoped that members of his university’s community would consider for discussion, possibly even debate.
Universities have always been hotbeds of free speech and debate, even in times of strict political-correctness. Be that as it may, the last thing this professor wanted to do was to start a revolution. Reformation maybe.
You see, to revolve (as in revolution) is to suddenly, radically alter your direction. To reform is to, well, to reform. People are always calling for reform right? Like, “welfare reform,” “We need to reform the school systems” or “why don’t they reform the tax code?” or “Our government is in serious need of reforms.” It means that you don’t throw out what you have, but you do try to clean it up or repair it.
Whenever I think of reforming, I think about working with clay. If a student in my ceramics class doesn’t like how their clay pot is turning out they don’t need a whole new hunk of clay. They just need to take the cup they formed out of the clay, mush it back into a ball and re-form a new cup.
So on October 31, 1517 Doctor Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the Disputation of the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences. And if you’ll forgive the metaphor, all Hell broke loose.
An “indulgence” was a get-out-of purgatory card. They were being sold to help pay for the construction of St. Peter’s in Rome. You know St. Peter’s, Michelangelo, Bernini, the Renaissance, a little Baroque, the plaza where you look for black or white smoke when they announce a new pope. Expensive art and architecture
Luther’s argument was that Jesus died to forgive our sins, priests, and even the Pope pretty much just announce that forgiveness to us. No amount of money donated to any church pays for our sins, Jesus’ own blood did that.
Basically, Luther’s hope was to reform a bloated, corrupt bureaucracy, not start his own religion. His point of view was simplify. Drop all the red tape and focus on Jesus. Drop the miles of regulations and traditions and narrow it down to three things; the Bible, Faith and Grace. “Grace alone, Faith alone, Scripture alone.”
We all sin and fall short of God’s glory, rich or poor, well educated or not, prince or pauper (Romans 3:22-24). What saves us is Jesus. Heaven is not for goodie goodies, it’s for people who recognize that they need Jesus’ forgiveness, but that forgiveness is a gift- that’s grace. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Grace doesn’t come from a piece of paper or an official proclamation, it comes through faith. Trusting and believing that Jesus is who He says He is and that He did what He came to do- that’s faith. (Romans 10:17)
Luther implemented some Vatican II style changes too. Like having the congregation sing, not just a choir of monks. The biggest change had to be allowing and encouraging lay-people to read their Bibles. He translated it into their own language and encouraged everyone to be taught to read. During much of the dark ages and the renaissance mainly priests and lawyers could read at all, and very few of them could read Latin, which the Bible was published in.
Reading and Schooling was important so that we could read the Bible for our selves and develop a personal relationship with Jesus. When we do that, God equips us with everything we need to serve Him (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
After all, the name “Christian” means little anointed ones, if our faith is sincere, what we’ll want to be like Jesus and do the things He did; love, pray, help, serve, share. In other words, “minister.” Luther called this “the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9-10). Sure, congregations still need qualified leaders, that’s why you send pastors to seminary to learn how to read Greek and Hebrew and study theology, but every believer is part of the “body of Christ” and the ground at the foot of the cross is level (Galatians 3: 28).
Since Vatican II, most American Catholics put their focus on Jesus. Every Christian denomination and every congregation faces scandals and controversies. None is perfect or has an absolute monopoly on truth, only God Himself has that. We all argue and disagree from time to time even within our own congregations. But if we can agree that Jesus is the son of God, we are brothers and sisters.
The example Luther gave to all of us is to not become overwhelmed by details and doubts. Keep it simple, focus on Jesus (Matthew 6:33), read your Bible. What else do you need to know? Jesus saves (John 3:16). That’s all you need. Grace alone, Faith alone, Scripture alone.
I had grandparents who were Catholic, an aunt and uncle who were Baptist, others who’re Methodist. As amatter of fact just last week I had a Methodist tell me that this list sounds like them too! Here it is; You might be a Lutheran if...
You're watching Star Wars and when they say "May the Force™ be with you" you reply, "and also with you."
You sing "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus" while sitting down
It takes you 10 minutes to say goodbye
Your church library has 3 Jell-O™ cookbooks
You have an uncontrollable urge to sit in the back of any room
During communion you hum the hymns so you can see who's at church that Sunday
A meeting isn't a meeting unless it takes 3 hours
You feel guilty about not feeling guilty
Your church is on fire, and you rush in to save the coffee pot"
Grace alone. Faith alone. Scripture alone. Coffee with other Lutherans. Staley’s Chicken with Catholics and Methodists!
Thursday, October 30, 2003
Thursday, October 23, 2003
¡Feliz Dia de los Muertos, Calabaza Grande y Señior Araña!
Last year I tried, obviously in vain, to get people to focus on children, innocence, candy, and pretend at Halloween, instead of violence, evil, mischief and the occult. If you remember back that far, I wrote about Charlie Brown, Linus, and the Great Pumpkin (Calabaza Grande). Let me have another stab at it.
By the way, last year we encouraged Grace to choose a cute, maybe even feminine costume, like a princess or an angel or fairy or something like that, but what did she choose? A fireman. Excuse me, a fire-FIGHTER, not gender specific. I THINK it had to do with the fact that we went costume shopping right after Noah’s Ark Preschool took its field trip to the fire station.
Go ahead and take a look at this week’s front page- I’m plenty proud. Mind you, I’m a pretty progressive dad. I really believe Grace can be anything she wants to when she grows up, even President (although why would anyone want to?), there are already plenty of women firefighters, so I was all for it, what the heck.
Last weekend we were visiting cousins up in Sioux Falls and decided to ask Grace what she’d like to be for Halloween this year.
Spiderman.
Hmmm. How about Barbie? –No, ‘Pie der mawn- Oh, look honey, it’s Belle from Beauty and the Beast. –No, SPAWDERMAHN-
Okay, Spiderman. Forget that he’s a he. It took a really long time to convince Grace that she could be queen and being queen is just as good or better than being king (ex: Queen Elizabeth II and “king” Phillip of England), but she can never be king because she’s a girl and kings are all boys.
Spiderman shoots webs, swings between tall buildings, wears red white and blue and helps people by stopping bad guys. He’s a really smart, nice, kid next door. So great, you’ll be spider WOMAN to your Mom and I, but great. Spiders and Halloween, perfect match.
Have you tried getting your hands on a Spiderman costume lately? Not at K-Mart. ShopKo had one left, but the mask part was missing. I would say, don’t be surprised if every kid and his sister trick or treats as Spiderman, because the stores can’t seem to keep them on the shelves!
If Grace comes to your door looking for candy on Saturday morning, November first, you’ll know why. It will be because Bethany ordered her Spiderman costume on the internet, but they promised to ship it within five business days, one day late and several dollars too many.
I’m frustrated anyway because whatever she dresses up as, I have to miss it. Boyer Valley has an away game so I have to haul our cheerleading squad and mascot all the way out to Lake View. How much ya wanna bet all the cheerleaders beg me to wear stupid costumes instead of their uniforms?
Say, if I shave my beard, could I pass as Saddam Hussein?
I think Ellie is going to dress like Humpty Dumpty. Who says he wasn’t a she? She was an egg for crying out loud. Eggs don’t have gender, yet. Right?
Here’s what I think. Instead of monsters and demons and witches and chainsaw murderers, let’s adapt the Mexican take on Halloween. “Dia de los Muertos,” that is, “the Day of the Dead,” is a positive, joyful, family holiday.
The Mexican point of view is that this life is a dream and when you die, you “wake up” to reality. Therefore you don’t have to be afraid of death and life is a temporary thing that doesn’t need to be taken too seriously.
Dia de los Muertos is about family. Instead of having their family reunions in July or August, families come home to be together from October 31- November 2. November 1st, as you know is a Church holiday, All Saint’s Day- the day of the dead, when Mexicans honor and remember their ancestors and the family members and loved ones who died during the previous year. Mexicans have picnics in the cemetery and decorate grave sites with flowers, colorful cut-paper banners and paper maché skeleton dolls.
November first is actually considered “Dia de los Angelitos,” day of the little children who died. Kids munch on sugar skulls with their names written on them in chocolate icing. The Devil isn’t considered a powerful arch rival to God, he is a scheming fool who doesn’t have any power over you unless you offer it to him. Sort of like Wile E. Coyote.
There’s even a special supper where whoever bites into a plastic toy skeleton baked into their sugar bread, has good luck for the next year!
Festive colors, family, faith, candy, feeling safe, feeling like you belong…that sounds wonderful. I’ll take those things over weird pagan ceremonies, zombies, vampires, blood and gore, murder and mayhem any day.
I used to like Batman when I was a kid. Dark, scary, brooding multimillionaire. But now I like Spiderman. Young, upbeat, and a freelance photographer. Keep slingin’ those wild webs Spidey (AKA: “Araña”),
¡Buenos nochés niñios y niñias!
By the way, last year we encouraged Grace to choose a cute, maybe even feminine costume, like a princess or an angel or fairy or something like that, but what did she choose? A fireman. Excuse me, a fire-FIGHTER, not gender specific. I THINK it had to do with the fact that we went costume shopping right after Noah’s Ark Preschool took its field trip to the fire station.
Go ahead and take a look at this week’s front page- I’m plenty proud. Mind you, I’m a pretty progressive dad. I really believe Grace can be anything she wants to when she grows up, even President (although why would anyone want to?), there are already plenty of women firefighters, so I was all for it, what the heck.
Last weekend we were visiting cousins up in Sioux Falls and decided to ask Grace what she’d like to be for Halloween this year.
Spiderman.
Hmmm. How about Barbie? –No, ‘Pie der mawn- Oh, look honey, it’s Belle from Beauty and the Beast. –No, SPAWDERMAHN-
Okay, Spiderman. Forget that he’s a he. It took a really long time to convince Grace that she could be queen and being queen is just as good or better than being king (ex: Queen Elizabeth II and “king” Phillip of England), but she can never be king because she’s a girl and kings are all boys.
Spiderman shoots webs, swings between tall buildings, wears red white and blue and helps people by stopping bad guys. He’s a really smart, nice, kid next door. So great, you’ll be spider WOMAN to your Mom and I, but great. Spiders and Halloween, perfect match.
Have you tried getting your hands on a Spiderman costume lately? Not at K-Mart. ShopKo had one left, but the mask part was missing. I would say, don’t be surprised if every kid and his sister trick or treats as Spiderman, because the stores can’t seem to keep them on the shelves!
If Grace comes to your door looking for candy on Saturday morning, November first, you’ll know why. It will be because Bethany ordered her Spiderman costume on the internet, but they promised to ship it within five business days, one day late and several dollars too many.
I’m frustrated anyway because whatever she dresses up as, I have to miss it. Boyer Valley has an away game so I have to haul our cheerleading squad and mascot all the way out to Lake View. How much ya wanna bet all the cheerleaders beg me to wear stupid costumes instead of their uniforms?
Say, if I shave my beard, could I pass as Saddam Hussein?
I think Ellie is going to dress like Humpty Dumpty. Who says he wasn’t a she? She was an egg for crying out loud. Eggs don’t have gender, yet. Right?
Here’s what I think. Instead of monsters and demons and witches and chainsaw murderers, let’s adapt the Mexican take on Halloween. “Dia de los Muertos,” that is, “the Day of the Dead,” is a positive, joyful, family holiday.
The Mexican point of view is that this life is a dream and when you die, you “wake up” to reality. Therefore you don’t have to be afraid of death and life is a temporary thing that doesn’t need to be taken too seriously.
Dia de los Muertos is about family. Instead of having their family reunions in July or August, families come home to be together from October 31- November 2. November 1st, as you know is a Church holiday, All Saint’s Day- the day of the dead, when Mexicans honor and remember their ancestors and the family members and loved ones who died during the previous year. Mexicans have picnics in the cemetery and decorate grave sites with flowers, colorful cut-paper banners and paper maché skeleton dolls.
November first is actually considered “Dia de los Angelitos,” day of the little children who died. Kids munch on sugar skulls with their names written on them in chocolate icing. The Devil isn’t considered a powerful arch rival to God, he is a scheming fool who doesn’t have any power over you unless you offer it to him. Sort of like Wile E. Coyote.
There’s even a special supper where whoever bites into a plastic toy skeleton baked into their sugar bread, has good luck for the next year!
Festive colors, family, faith, candy, feeling safe, feeling like you belong…that sounds wonderful. I’ll take those things over weird pagan ceremonies, zombies, vampires, blood and gore, murder and mayhem any day.
I used to like Batman when I was a kid. Dark, scary, brooding multimillionaire. But now I like Spiderman. Young, upbeat, and a freelance photographer. Keep slingin’ those wild webs Spidey (AKA: “Araña”),
¡Buenos nochés niñios y niñias!
Thursday, October 16, 2003
Clergy Appreciation Month
October is Clergy Appreciation Month. I think that the only other profession less appreciated than teachers and farmers has to be pastors.
“No segment of our society is more strategic and more in need of prayer than pastors and their families. They urgently and desperately need our love, encouragement and earnest prayers,” said Dr. Bill Bright, founder and president of Campus Crusade for Christ.
According to Robert Velarde of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, 80 percent believe that pastoral ministry has affected their family negatively. 70 percent say they have a lower self-esteem than when they started in the ministry. 70 percent do not have someone they consider a close friend.
In our area we have several ministers who are over worked and under paid.
Father Richard Ball is Priest for no less than four congregations. St. Mary’s Ute, St. Mary’s D.C, St. Pat’s, Dunlap, and St. Boniface Charter Oak. Whew! What a mass of Masses he has to lead!
Pastor Ernst is no slouch either, juggling all three churches in the Lutheran “Triple-Parish;” St. Luke’s Ricketts, Immanuel Soldier Township, and St. Paul’s Hanover township.
I keep hearing good things about what a difference Pastor Ed Brandt is making over at St. Paul’s Lutheran in Ute since he came here a year or two ago.
Then there’s Ken Baughman at United Methodist, Charter Oak.
And our own Rev. L.C. Gebhardt at St. John’s Lutheran, here in Charter Oak. I’ve been to our voters’ meetings. I know what kind of pressure he’s under.
We need to honor our pastors and their families for all the hard work, sacrifices, and dedication.
Pastors and their families are unique. God uses them to ensure the spiritual well-being of His children, us.
One of the most poignant things I ever remember being said on a TV show was when Father Mulcahy was talking to the surgeons on M*A*S*H about a particularly stressful week. He told them that when they lose a patient, they only lose a life, but when he loses one, a soul is lost. That was frightening theological depth for a sit-com.
Pastors and their families live under unbelievable pressure. They live in a fishbowl, with the whole congregation and town watching their every move. We expect them to have perfect families, to be perfect themselves, to always be available on a moment’s notice, to never be tired or depressed and to always have all the right answers and always say the right thing at the right time.
Those are unrealistic expectations to put on anyone, yet most of us are quick to blame them when we don’t like the way things are in our church or community. That’s why God wants us to recognize them and support them with out prayers.
“The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching," 1 Timothy 5:17.
Saint Paul even asked his parishioners to pray for him in Ephesians 6:18-20; “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”
So if you haven’t done it lately, why not thank your pastor and their family for all that they do? Give them a card or bring them a meal or desert some night. Most importantly, pray for them regularly. Ask God to strengthen them, to guide them and to bless them.
Next time you’re in church and you’re tempted to tune out the sermon, try praying that the Holy Spirit speak to you through your pastor and pray that God would open your eyes and ears to the message He has for you. I bet you’ll be surprised by how much more you get out of your pastor’s sermon that week!
“No segment of our society is more strategic and more in need of prayer than pastors and their families. They urgently and desperately need our love, encouragement and earnest prayers,” said Dr. Bill Bright, founder and president of Campus Crusade for Christ.
According to Robert Velarde of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, 80 percent believe that pastoral ministry has affected their family negatively. 70 percent say they have a lower self-esteem than when they started in the ministry. 70 percent do not have someone they consider a close friend.
In our area we have several ministers who are over worked and under paid.
Father Richard Ball is Priest for no less than four congregations. St. Mary’s Ute, St. Mary’s D.C, St. Pat’s, Dunlap, and St. Boniface Charter Oak. Whew! What a mass of Masses he has to lead!
Pastor Ernst is no slouch either, juggling all three churches in the Lutheran “Triple-Parish;” St. Luke’s Ricketts, Immanuel Soldier Township, and St. Paul’s Hanover township.
I keep hearing good things about what a difference Pastor Ed Brandt is making over at St. Paul’s Lutheran in Ute since he came here a year or two ago.
Then there’s Ken Baughman at United Methodist, Charter Oak.
And our own Rev. L.C. Gebhardt at St. John’s Lutheran, here in Charter Oak. I’ve been to our voters’ meetings. I know what kind of pressure he’s under.
We need to honor our pastors and their families for all the hard work, sacrifices, and dedication.
Pastors and their families are unique. God uses them to ensure the spiritual well-being of His children, us.
One of the most poignant things I ever remember being said on a TV show was when Father Mulcahy was talking to the surgeons on M*A*S*H about a particularly stressful week. He told them that when they lose a patient, they only lose a life, but when he loses one, a soul is lost. That was frightening theological depth for a sit-com.
Pastors and their families live under unbelievable pressure. They live in a fishbowl, with the whole congregation and town watching their every move. We expect them to have perfect families, to be perfect themselves, to always be available on a moment’s notice, to never be tired or depressed and to always have all the right answers and always say the right thing at the right time.
Those are unrealistic expectations to put on anyone, yet most of us are quick to blame them when we don’t like the way things are in our church or community. That’s why God wants us to recognize them and support them with out prayers.
“The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching," 1 Timothy 5:17.
Saint Paul even asked his parishioners to pray for him in Ephesians 6:18-20; “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”
So if you haven’t done it lately, why not thank your pastor and their family for all that they do? Give them a card or bring them a meal or desert some night. Most importantly, pray for them regularly. Ask God to strengthen them, to guide them and to bless them.
Next time you’re in church and you’re tempted to tune out the sermon, try praying that the Holy Spirit speak to you through your pastor and pray that God would open your eyes and ears to the message He has for you. I bet you’ll be surprised by how much more you get out of your pastor’s sermon that week!
Thursday, October 09, 2003
Fair, Balanced, Circus Freaks
This month, politics seems to be less real and more surreal then ever before. It’s a dirty business, politics. Lately it’s been raw, violent and faster paced than ever before.
On the Democrat’s side we have the arrival of Candidate retired General Wesley Clark. Former Democratic front-runner Vermont Governor Dr. Howard Dean and Massachusetts Senator John Kerry are eating Clark’s dust. The party buzz is that New York Senator Hillary and former President William Jefferson Clinton brought Clark into the race because they thought Dean didn’t have what it takes to beat George W. Bush.
The Republican side is a wild ride too. Way back last summer already arch conservative columnist George Will said that if there are no Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) found in Iraq, then Bush’s decision to go to war is seriously suspect. Lately Vice President Cheney and Secretary of State Powell have both been grilled about this on the Sunday morning talk shows.
Seeing as the President just asked Congress for more than eighty BILLION dollars just for Iraqi reconstruction and at least one American is being killed there every day, more since Bush declared the war over than during the course of the war itself- it might be time to think about the hole we’ve dug ourselves into. If there were no WMD, was the war for oil? No question the world’s a better place without Saddam Hussein, but there never was a 9-11 connection. There are probably more Alqueda terrorists in Iraq now than while Hussein was in power. Hussein and Bin Ladden hated each other.
Is it traitorous or treasonous to talk this way? There are people who will say that criticizing the President’s decision to invade Iraq “gives comfort to the enemy.” But isn’t it patriotic to want to save the lives and reunite the families of American service men and women by bringing them home?
Remember the 1980’s patriotic rock anthem “Born in the U.S.A.?” Singer/Song writer Bruce “the Boss” Springsteen recently weighed in on Iraq:
"The question of whether we were misled into the war in Iraq isn't a liberal or conservative or Republican or Democratic question, it's an American one. Protecting the democracy that we ask our sons and daughters to die for is our responsibility and our trust. Demanding accountability from our leaders is our job as citizens. It's the American way. So may the truth win out."
The first amendment says that “Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” I believe that this is what American soldiers should die for, not for political polling points or for cheap gasoline.
So now, it looks like someone in the White House leaked the identity of a CIA operative as revenge for their spouse’s opposition to the war. Holy Guacamole! If it’s not true, then everything that Bill O’Rielly and Rush Limbaugh say about the “liberal media” is right, but if it IS true (and it sounds like it may be), then Holy Guacamole! That’s what I call traitorous and treasonous! That makes the Monica Lewinski scandal look like middle school!
Do you see now why I consider myself a post-partisan centrist? When you’re honest about it, are either parties REALLY any cleaner than the other?
Just when it couldn’t get any weirder…As of yesterday my old home of California got a new governor. At the time I wrote this it looked like it was going to be “the Terminator.”
I thought it was weird that New Age Priestess and former arch conservative, turned “independent” political commentator Ariara Huffington debated Arnold Schwartzenagger (or however you spell that). Let’s face it, we needed sub-titles.
Then she dropped out of the race to defeat the Action Hero and support embattled Democratic Governor Grey Davis in his recall battle.
Then we heard that Arnold sexually harassed half a dozen women. No huge surprise, but conveniently brought to light just before the election (bad liberal press, bad press, no biscuit!).
Then we heard that he said that he admired Adolf Hitler in his first muscle movie back in the 1970s. Again, very good reason NOT to vote for him, but again, very conveniently brought to our attention just before the election.
Sigh.
Then came Rush Hour. My friends used to tell me they just listen to him because he’s funny, and sometimes they think he’s right. I used to warn them that he’ll suck them in, just like pro wresting. You say you’re just gonna watch because it’s so fake and so stupid, you want to make fun of it. Then you get caught up in the excitement. Then you get caught up in the soap-opera aspect. The next thing you know, you’re running for governor of Minnesota!
I don’t know why he’s so popular. It’s partisan propaganda infotainment that feeds off our fears and frustrations. I was relieved when his TV show faded and he was isolated to am radio. Then ESPN asked him to become a color commentator for NFL football. Because he knew so little about football.
Then he resigned because he said he thought that the “liberal media” supported Philadelphia Eagle’s QB Donovan McNabb just because he’s black. Forget about his records, his awards, or the fact that there’s like 18 other starting quarterbacks in the NFL today!
And THEN, it comes to light that Rush has been abusing prescription drugs, even involved in some kind of illegal drug trafficking ring for years! I wondered how he lost all that weight!
Of course the king of preaching personal responsibility to the rest of us is not a racist addict, it’s all the “liberal media’s” fault. Watch, he’ll find a way to blame the Clintons or some “feminazi.”
I sincerely hope he gets the help he needs. I hear the founder of the Betty Ford clinic was a Republican. I don’t think it’s fair that the media latches on to people’s personal lives, their mistakes or their hypocrisies. But I don’t think it’s because their anymore liberal than FOX and Bill O’Rielly are “fair and balanced.”
I think it’s because we the readers love a good fight and when sharks smell blood they start to circle, regardless of political persuasion.
I’ll admit, that while I honestly don’t want to gloat or say “I told you so,” I have got this overwhelming urge to say, “what goes around, comes around.”
On the Democrat’s side we have the arrival of Candidate retired General Wesley Clark. Former Democratic front-runner Vermont Governor Dr. Howard Dean and Massachusetts Senator John Kerry are eating Clark’s dust. The party buzz is that New York Senator Hillary and former President William Jefferson Clinton brought Clark into the race because they thought Dean didn’t have what it takes to beat George W. Bush.
The Republican side is a wild ride too. Way back last summer already arch conservative columnist George Will said that if there are no Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) found in Iraq, then Bush’s decision to go to war is seriously suspect. Lately Vice President Cheney and Secretary of State Powell have both been grilled about this on the Sunday morning talk shows.
Seeing as the President just asked Congress for more than eighty BILLION dollars just for Iraqi reconstruction and at least one American is being killed there every day, more since Bush declared the war over than during the course of the war itself- it might be time to think about the hole we’ve dug ourselves into. If there were no WMD, was the war for oil? No question the world’s a better place without Saddam Hussein, but there never was a 9-11 connection. There are probably more Alqueda terrorists in Iraq now than while Hussein was in power. Hussein and Bin Ladden hated each other.
Is it traitorous or treasonous to talk this way? There are people who will say that criticizing the President’s decision to invade Iraq “gives comfort to the enemy.” But isn’t it patriotic to want to save the lives and reunite the families of American service men and women by bringing them home?
Remember the 1980’s patriotic rock anthem “Born in the U.S.A.?” Singer/Song writer Bruce “the Boss” Springsteen recently weighed in on Iraq:
"The question of whether we were misled into the war in Iraq isn't a liberal or conservative or Republican or Democratic question, it's an American one. Protecting the democracy that we ask our sons and daughters to die for is our responsibility and our trust. Demanding accountability from our leaders is our job as citizens. It's the American way. So may the truth win out."
The first amendment says that “Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” I believe that this is what American soldiers should die for, not for political polling points or for cheap gasoline.
So now, it looks like someone in the White House leaked the identity of a CIA operative as revenge for their spouse’s opposition to the war. Holy Guacamole! If it’s not true, then everything that Bill O’Rielly and Rush Limbaugh say about the “liberal media” is right, but if it IS true (and it sounds like it may be), then Holy Guacamole! That’s what I call traitorous and treasonous! That makes the Monica Lewinski scandal look like middle school!
Do you see now why I consider myself a post-partisan centrist? When you’re honest about it, are either parties REALLY any cleaner than the other?
Just when it couldn’t get any weirder…As of yesterday my old home of California got a new governor. At the time I wrote this it looked like it was going to be “the Terminator.”
I thought it was weird that New Age Priestess and former arch conservative, turned “independent” political commentator Ariara Huffington debated Arnold Schwartzenagger (or however you spell that). Let’s face it, we needed sub-titles.
Then she dropped out of the race to defeat the Action Hero and support embattled Democratic Governor Grey Davis in his recall battle.
Then we heard that Arnold sexually harassed half a dozen women. No huge surprise, but conveniently brought to light just before the election (bad liberal press, bad press, no biscuit!).
Then we heard that he said that he admired Adolf Hitler in his first muscle movie back in the 1970s. Again, very good reason NOT to vote for him, but again, very conveniently brought to our attention just before the election.
Sigh.
Then came Rush Hour. My friends used to tell me they just listen to him because he’s funny, and sometimes they think he’s right. I used to warn them that he’ll suck them in, just like pro wresting. You say you’re just gonna watch because it’s so fake and so stupid, you want to make fun of it. Then you get caught up in the excitement. Then you get caught up in the soap-opera aspect. The next thing you know, you’re running for governor of Minnesota!
I don’t know why he’s so popular. It’s partisan propaganda infotainment that feeds off our fears and frustrations. I was relieved when his TV show faded and he was isolated to am radio. Then ESPN asked him to become a color commentator for NFL football. Because he knew so little about football.
Then he resigned because he said he thought that the “liberal media” supported Philadelphia Eagle’s QB Donovan McNabb just because he’s black. Forget about his records, his awards, or the fact that there’s like 18 other starting quarterbacks in the NFL today!
And THEN, it comes to light that Rush has been abusing prescription drugs, even involved in some kind of illegal drug trafficking ring for years! I wondered how he lost all that weight!
Of course the king of preaching personal responsibility to the rest of us is not a racist addict, it’s all the “liberal media’s” fault. Watch, he’ll find a way to blame the Clintons or some “feminazi.”
I sincerely hope he gets the help he needs. I hear the founder of the Betty Ford clinic was a Republican. I don’t think it’s fair that the media latches on to people’s personal lives, their mistakes or their hypocrisies. But I don’t think it’s because their anymore liberal than FOX and Bill O’Rielly are “fair and balanced.”
I think it’s because we the readers love a good fight and when sharks smell blood they start to circle, regardless of political persuasion.
I’ll admit, that while I honestly don’t want to gloat or say “I told you so,” I have got this overwhelming urge to say, “what goes around, comes around.”
Thursday, October 02, 2003
A funny thing happened to me on the way to the football game…
I had just finished my weekly column at about 5:30 last Friday. It was the September 11th one, it may have been pretty cheesy and sentimental, but, you know, it’s an emotional holiday. Poit is, it left me in a pretty patriotic mood. This set the stage…I gathered the Cheer squad to get in the van to drive to an away game but I left my keys on a table in my classroom so I ran back across the street to school to get them.
As you know, Iowa still has the first in the nation primary elections, so as I came back out the girls were all excited because a Presidential candidate was stumping on a neighbor’s porch across from the school. Some of the volunteers asked if the cheerleaders would like to have their picture taken with the candidate. I knew it was a cheesy photo op for him, but I figured it was exposure for us too, so I let them do it. I took a picture too and it got in the local paper here, the Dunlap Reporter, and we’ll probably use it in the yearbook too.
I walked up to Democratic Senator John Edwards from South Carolina, shook his hand and told him I thought he’d done a good job on the debates in Albuquerque the night before. For some people that would have been no big deal, others would have refused to shake a Democrats hand, but it was kind of fun for me just because of my background as a political new junkie.
Sen. John Edwards and the Boyer Valley Cheer Squad
Did I ever tell you about the time I met Republican Senator John McCain? I was on the staff of the weekly high school supplement to the Phoenix Gazette as a Freshman in high school. He had just gotten elected to Congress for his first term. Strong handshake, but he’s one of those people who grabs ya at the knuckles and doesn’t let you shake palm to palm- at least he was them. Anyway, at the time I didn’t trust him, maybe because of his handshake and decided I didn’t like him. Of course now, I have a lot more respect for him, he’s one of my favorite Republicans. I’d like to think we’ve both matured a lot
Say, that reminds me, did I ever tell you that Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Curt Schilling was a Senior at Shadow Mountain when I was a Freshman? Yeah, I guess I have huh? What? “like a million times?” Oh, okay, sorry. Is this too much name dropping?
Edwards, right. Well, I thought it was kind of funny, his people said that MSNBC was coming and asked if we’d do a cheer, well the zipper on one of the girl’s skirts had broke, so I had run back into school to get a bunch of safety pins when this request through another girl into a moral dilemma of crisis proportions.
“Wait, wait, Mr. Mallory, shouldn’t we find out what some of his positions are before we do a chant for him?”
I was thinking, “Uh, you’ve already posed for a publicity photo with him, this is a little late, kiddo,” but I didn’t say that. I suggested cheering for Boyer Valley and not customizing it for him, dilemma solved.
This wasn’t good enough apparently, as debate continued while we pinned the skirt the best we could.
“How about this,” I suggested, “Yell ‘Hey VOTERS, Get Fired UP!’ that way it’s pro-participation, yet bi-partisan, how about that?”
This idea appealed to the whole squad, but of course by this time Edwards had started his speech and we were faced with another dilemma- not one of politics or morals, but of manners. They didn’t want to interrupt, but they also didn’t want to make our exit too conspicuous either. We listened patiently for several minutes and snuck off to our van quietly. Fortunately we made it to the game on time.
The next day in Yearbook class one who’s notoriously Republican told the one who had had the hang up, “It would’ve been Okay, I found out he’s a Democrat and Democrats are against abortion, so it would’ve been okay.”
“Uh, actually,” I tried to explain, “generally Republicans are more likely to be Pro-Life and Pro-Choice advocates tend to get more support from Democrats.”
“But I talked to Jen (a former cheerleader who now attends Georgetown University), and she says she’s anti-abortion and she’s a Democrat?” she said.
“Sure, I oppose abortion and I’m a Democrat, that’s why you have to be careful of making generalizations and assumptions, but Jen and I are kind of unusual, generally you’d expect more Republicans to be more strongly opposed to abortion,” I explained.
“Oh,” said another student, “all I know is my whole family is like totally Republican.”
“All my family is like- ‘huh? Politic? Duh, huh?’” said the notoriously Republican cheerleader.
All I know is that I doubt Edwards stands a chance against Gebhardt or Howard Dean in the primaries, so it barely matters what he thinks about anything. I did appreciate that he’s the first and only Democrat to take a stand and say that he thinks that Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” program is bad for public education and should be eliminated.
Sigh, then again, I would have wished that 17 year olds would be a little more aware of what’s going on in society. That does make me miss teaching U.S. History. At least I’m trying to help them be more aware by teaching Journalism.
Well, another Friday night, another football game. I hope no Presidential Candidates show up at this one.
6:28 pm, gotta go, talk to you next week.
There’s no place like Home
We newspaper people love to hear from our readers. I’m sure that Mike and Barb Lyon would love it if you’d make the NEWSpaper what’s called in the biz a “public forum.” A forum is a place where ideas are exchanged. Recently we’ve seen it happen with letters to the editor about the school board elections. The more you contribute to the NEWSpaper with your letters and submissions, the more it belongs to all of us in Ute and Charter Oak.
In the interest of communication, I’m revealing ALL of my email addresses to you, even though I’m putting myself at risk. You could stalk me or start sending huge amounts of “spam” to me. Please don’t. Pretty pleeease? With sugar on top?
Here they are, oh- by the way, my “snail mail” address (AKA: usps) is P.O.Box 75 in Charter Oak. tedm@mapletonpress.com, as you know is my official NEWSpaper address, but no one ever seems to write me there, even though it’s at the top of every column. malloryt-at--valley.k12.ia.us is my official email address at work down in Dunlap. We just got email this year so hardly anyone ever writes me there. Ted.Mallory-at-.org is my nifty new Concordia University, Nebraska alumni email address, it’s mostly if and when Boyer Valley blocks hotmail like every other school, but it may be a way for classmates who’ve lost touch to find me and I personally think it looks cool to other churches when I have Youth Group stuff to mail. coachmallory-at-.com is the address I check daily, but I should warn you, once you send me something I have your address forever and you might just find that you get all kinds of spam FROM me!
That said, it’s time so say something else-
Homecoming was really great. Friends, family members, alumni of all ages, Charter Oak and Ute are great places to live, be from, and come home to visit. Wherever you are scattered, whether you’re still in Crawford or Monona Counties, elsewhere in Iowa, California, Oklahoma, or on any of the ships at sea, you have to admit, that there’s no place like home.
Granted, I’m a transplant and as an employee of a different school district and parent of small children, I didn’t get in on all the homecoming activities COU had to offer last week, but judging by the coronation Sunday and the parade Wednesday, COU school and the town of Charter Oak are brimming with pride and spirit. Believe it or not, the level of involvement and enthusiasm at COU’s homecoming is very rare.
In a previous column, I applauded the contributions of Dan& Deb Kuhlman, Rosie Lally, and especially Lucia Lincoln for the hard work they put into the shelter house fundraiser. This week I want you all to give a big hand to the COU student Council, to Mrs. Linda Nepper, to Principal Rollie Wiebers, to all the kids, and quite frankly to every last one of YOU.
Sure, I love watching the golds and yellows and ambers of the fields instead of concrete and traffic, sure it’s important to raise my kids near family and in a safer environment, but what makes this such a great place to live is that the people who live here are so involved and connected.
There are city-slickers who would have giggled during coronation and thought it was too idyllic, too 1964, almost campy or kitsch. Like a scene out of “Pleasentville,” “the Truman Show,” or “Peggy Sue got Married,” but I thought it was one of the most well-planned out, charming, engaging, and meaningful high school ceremonies I’ve ever attended.
Maybe I’m naïve or idealizing things, but it sure looked like the royalty candidates were kids who genuinely reflected the best things about the student body. It wasn’t “just a popularity contest,” and (no offence winners, you great looking kids, but) they weren’t just chosen because they were the “hottest,” kids in school. That demonstrates a lot of character on the part of the voters.
Tessa Lally did a terrific job as emcee. The fact that candidates are expected to prepare an acceptance speech and the involvement of all four grade levels and eight kindergarteners are powerful and important things that most other schools overlook. Even the adapted “Miss America” song speaks volumes about the values and priorities COU is teaching.
I’ve seen a lot of parades. I’ve watched homecoming parades for at least a dozen schools over the years, often as part of the visiting football crowd. For my money, COU’s is the most amazing thing around. Oh, sure, some schools have more elaborate floats, but no place has the kind of whole-community involvement, participation and turn out that COU did last week.
It sure looked like the BBQ had a HUGE turn out too. You expatriated Charter Oakians and Utites, you missed a lot by not being here last Wednesday. Naturally, I was partial to the preschool kids from Noah’s Ark. Gracie insisted that her Mom or I could not walk with her, but she and her cousin Hallie stuck pretty close together all the way down Main Street.
I haven’t gone to a single homecoming at Shadow Mountain since graduating. I’ve only been to a couple at Concordia, but I tell ya what, COU alumni really have something special to come home to.
We should be proud. We are Americana and small-town Iowa at its best. We are the red, white, and true blue.
In the interest of communication, I’m revealing ALL of my email addresses to you, even though I’m putting myself at risk. You could stalk me or start sending huge amounts of “spam” to me. Please don’t. Pretty pleeease? With sugar on top?
Here they are, oh- by the way, my “snail mail” address (AKA: usps) is P.O.Box 75 in Charter Oak. tedm@mapletonpress.com, as you know is my official NEWSpaper address, but no one ever seems to write me there, even though it’s at the top of every column. malloryt-at--valley.k12.ia.us is my official email address at work down in Dunlap. We just got email this year so hardly anyone ever writes me there. Ted.Mallory-at-.org is my nifty new Concordia University, Nebraska alumni email address, it’s mostly if and when Boyer Valley blocks hotmail like every other school, but it may be a way for classmates who’ve lost touch to find me and I personally think it looks cool to other churches when I have Youth Group stuff to mail. coachmallory-at-.com is the address I check daily, but I should warn you, once you send me something I have your address forever and you might just find that you get all kinds of spam FROM me!
That said, it’s time so say something else-
Homecoming was really great. Friends, family members, alumni of all ages, Charter Oak and Ute are great places to live, be from, and come home to visit. Wherever you are scattered, whether you’re still in Crawford or Monona Counties, elsewhere in Iowa, California, Oklahoma, or on any of the ships at sea, you have to admit, that there’s no place like home.
Granted, I’m a transplant and as an employee of a different school district and parent of small children, I didn’t get in on all the homecoming activities COU had to offer last week, but judging by the coronation Sunday and the parade Wednesday, COU school and the town of Charter Oak are brimming with pride and spirit. Believe it or not, the level of involvement and enthusiasm at COU’s homecoming is very rare.
In a previous column, I applauded the contributions of Dan& Deb Kuhlman, Rosie Lally, and especially Lucia Lincoln for the hard work they put into the shelter house fundraiser. This week I want you all to give a big hand to the COU student Council, to Mrs. Linda Nepper, to Principal Rollie Wiebers, to all the kids, and quite frankly to every last one of YOU.
Sure, I love watching the golds and yellows and ambers of the fields instead of concrete and traffic, sure it’s important to raise my kids near family and in a safer environment, but what makes this such a great place to live is that the people who live here are so involved and connected.
There are city-slickers who would have giggled during coronation and thought it was too idyllic, too 1964, almost campy or kitsch. Like a scene out of “Pleasentville,” “the Truman Show,” or “Peggy Sue got Married,” but I thought it was one of the most well-planned out, charming, engaging, and meaningful high school ceremonies I’ve ever attended.
Maybe I’m naïve or idealizing things, but it sure looked like the royalty candidates were kids who genuinely reflected the best things about the student body. It wasn’t “just a popularity contest,” and (no offence winners, you great looking kids, but) they weren’t just chosen because they were the “hottest,” kids in school. That demonstrates a lot of character on the part of the voters.
Tessa Lally did a terrific job as emcee. The fact that candidates are expected to prepare an acceptance speech and the involvement of all four grade levels and eight kindergarteners are powerful and important things that most other schools overlook. Even the adapted “Miss America” song speaks volumes about the values and priorities COU is teaching.
I’ve seen a lot of parades. I’ve watched homecoming parades for at least a dozen schools over the years, often as part of the visiting football crowd. For my money, COU’s is the most amazing thing around. Oh, sure, some schools have more elaborate floats, but no place has the kind of whole-community involvement, participation and turn out that COU did last week.
It sure looked like the BBQ had a HUGE turn out too. You expatriated Charter Oakians and Utites, you missed a lot by not being here last Wednesday. Naturally, I was partial to the preschool kids from Noah’s Ark. Gracie insisted that her Mom or I could not walk with her, but she and her cousin Hallie stuck pretty close together all the way down Main Street.
I haven’t gone to a single homecoming at Shadow Mountain since graduating. I’ve only been to a couple at Concordia, but I tell ya what, COU alumni really have something special to come home to.
We should be proud. We are Americana and small-town Iowa at its best. We are the red, white, and true blue.
Thursday, September 25, 2003
Email volley with a former student
First, for those of you that read last week’s column, where I left the keys to the van in my classroom, I had to share this with you. Eventually one of the cheerleaders got fed up and went into my room to help look for the keys.
She returned to the van, keys in hand, which she had found underneath someone’s pom-pon.
“Typical man,” she said, “men don’t know how to look for things!”
Now this week, I thought I’d share a conversation I recently had with a former student of mine from L.A. Chris Freet now works in the PR dept at the University of Oklahoma Athletic Dept. These were two emails, not an instant messenger chat- I hate those things, but I present it to you here in transcript form just because I thought it would be easier to follow.
Chris: I am enjoying the regular conversation.
Ted: Me too, I’m sorry it’s taken more than a week to get back to you. Monster case of bronchitis took me out one day and the rest of the week has been a bear.
Chris: I will prompt with two questions for the next one. Is Bush going to be reelected?
Ted:There’s nothing money can’t buy. Let’s see, the Republicans hated Clinton so much that after 6 or 7 years of not proving any Whitewater wrongdoing, they tried to impeach him for philandering. Then, when they lost the popular election in 2000, they had the predominantly Republican Supreme Court decide. What do you think?
Okay, I’ll get off of the “vast conservative conspiracy” trip for a minute. Seriously, I think it will be tight, just like last time, but I do think he’s vulnerable. You’re dissatisfaction is evidence. You and I are the biggest swing vote. White, male, working-class, rural or Southern. They call our demographic “the NASCAR vote.” But, unless Jesse” the Body” Venture throws his hat into the ring it comes down to five of the “ten little Indians.”
General Wes Clark, Southern (but not too Southern), a decorated vet, offers the most macho alternative. Good choice for Sec. of State or Defense if he doesn’t go all the way and Bush loses.
FLA Sen. Grahm, from right down in Bush Bro country, has gone so far as to sponsor a NASCAR pickup truck. How’s that for appealing to those with red necks, white socks, and blue collar jobs? But, most Americans hate Florida almost as much as we hate California and New York, don’t we?
NC Sen. John Edwards, young, dashing, espousing idealistic but impractical rhetoric about NAFTA and manufacturing jobs. Look for him to run again and again and again if Bush gets re-elected. Hey did I tell you I actually met him last week? I’ll have to send you a copy of the column I wrote about it.
MO Rep. Dick Gebhardt, tearing a page out of the Gore playbook is putting on the “pissed off middle class white guy” routine. He’s the most traditional center-left, healthcare and insurance for everybody Democrat. I predict a strong third for the nomination, look for a cabinet job if a Dem gets in.
And of course, Vermont Gov. Dr. Howard Dean, MD. Still the Democratic front runner. Savy, speaks his mind, not the party line, great money maker. He even looks a little like John McCain. He can take Bush, he’s a helluva lot smarter, but doesn’t come off as a boring egg head like Gore and Bill Bradley did. However, folks like your sister and brother-in-law and parents won’t like his positions on homosexuals and abortion. Other weaknesses include his wife. She’s no beauty pageant winner but more importantly, she’s a doctor too and plans to keep her practice if Dean’s elected. Too real, too strong, to independent for stay-at-home-barefoot-and-pregnant hyper conservatives.
Besides, Liberal former governor of a small New England state with a doctor wife- sounds an awful lot like NBC’s the West Wing. But ever since I saw him as JFK in “Missiles of October” in Government class in high school, I thought Martin Sheen would make a great President. Will life imitate art?
Chris: And Should Eric Gagne win the Cy Young?
Ted: He hasn’t done too well against Arizona this year, but anyone with a 1.27 ERA deserves a look. Obviously the Diamondback Dou (Schilling & Johnson) isn’t in the running this year. But Kevin Brown was always my (least) favorite Dodger. Which do you think I follow more closely, politics or baseball?
She returned to the van, keys in hand, which she had found underneath someone’s pom-pon.
“Typical man,” she said, “men don’t know how to look for things!”
Now this week, I thought I’d share a conversation I recently had with a former student of mine from L.A. Chris Freet now works in the PR dept at the University of Oklahoma Athletic Dept. These were two emails, not an instant messenger chat- I hate those things, but I present it to you here in transcript form just because I thought it would be easier to follow.
Chris: I am enjoying the regular conversation.
Ted: Me too, I’m sorry it’s taken more than a week to get back to you. Monster case of bronchitis took me out one day and the rest of the week has been a bear.
Chris: I will prompt with two questions for the next one. Is Bush going to be reelected?
Ted:There’s nothing money can’t buy. Let’s see, the Republicans hated Clinton so much that after 6 or 7 years of not proving any Whitewater wrongdoing, they tried to impeach him for philandering. Then, when they lost the popular election in 2000, they had the predominantly Republican Supreme Court decide. What do you think?
Okay, I’ll get off of the “vast conservative conspiracy” trip for a minute. Seriously, I think it will be tight, just like last time, but I do think he’s vulnerable. You’re dissatisfaction is evidence. You and I are the biggest swing vote. White, male, working-class, rural or Southern. They call our demographic “the NASCAR vote.” But, unless Jesse” the Body” Venture throws his hat into the ring it comes down to five of the “ten little Indians.”
General Wes Clark, Southern (but not too Southern), a decorated vet, offers the most macho alternative. Good choice for Sec. of State or Defense if he doesn’t go all the way and Bush loses.
FLA Sen. Grahm, from right down in Bush Bro country, has gone so far as to sponsor a NASCAR pickup truck. How’s that for appealing to those with red necks, white socks, and blue collar jobs? But, most Americans hate Florida almost as much as we hate California and New York, don’t we?
NC Sen. John Edwards, young, dashing, espousing idealistic but impractical rhetoric about NAFTA and manufacturing jobs. Look for him to run again and again and again if Bush gets re-elected. Hey did I tell you I actually met him last week? I’ll have to send you a copy of the column I wrote about it.
MO Rep. Dick Gebhardt, tearing a page out of the Gore playbook is putting on the “pissed off middle class white guy” routine. He’s the most traditional center-left, healthcare and insurance for everybody Democrat. I predict a strong third for the nomination, look for a cabinet job if a Dem gets in.
And of course, Vermont Gov. Dr. Howard Dean, MD. Still the Democratic front runner. Savy, speaks his mind, not the party line, great money maker. He even looks a little like John McCain. He can take Bush, he’s a helluva lot smarter, but doesn’t come off as a boring egg head like Gore and Bill Bradley did. However, folks like your sister and brother-in-law and parents won’t like his positions on homosexuals and abortion. Other weaknesses include his wife. She’s no beauty pageant winner but more importantly, she’s a doctor too and plans to keep her practice if Dean’s elected. Too real, too strong, to independent for stay-at-home-barefoot-and-pregnant hyper conservatives.
Besides, Liberal former governor of a small New England state with a doctor wife- sounds an awful lot like NBC’s the West Wing. But ever since I saw him as JFK in “Missiles of October” in Government class in high school, I thought Martin Sheen would make a great President. Will life imitate art?
Chris: And Should Eric Gagne win the Cy Young?
Ted: He hasn’t done too well against Arizona this year, but anyone with a 1.27 ERA deserves a look. Obviously the Diamondback Dou (Schilling & Johnson) isn’t in the running this year. But Kevin Brown was always my (least) favorite Dodger. Which do you think I follow more closely, politics or baseball?
Thursday, September 11, 2003
Patriot’s Day
“Patriotism;” Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines it simply as “love for or devotion to one's country.” Oddly enough, they date it’s creation as 1726, just fifty years before our country came into being. “Patriot is an older word, 1605. It’s taken from the Greek roots for Patriarch, as in your fathers. Webster’s defines a patriot as “one who loves his or her country and supports its authority and interests”
The question is, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
The Boys Scouts of America taught me to love you less than God and almost as much as my immediate family.
What are you? Who are you?
Is a country a place? I love your terrain. I love your panoramic views, your horizons and highways. I love the searing heat of my native Arizona and the cool, damp, subtropical sea breezes of the California coast. I love the aroma of pine trees in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I love the dramatic landscapes of Colorado, the serenity of Wyoming and New Mexico. I love the chilly waters and pebbly shores of the great lakes in Michigan. And I’ve sure come to love the rolling hills of Iowa that seem to embrace you and the aromas that come from the fields when the corn and soybeans are ready to be harvested.
Is a country a political entity? I’d have to admit to having a love-hate relationship with you then. Sometimes I feel like I’m the rebellious teenager, other times I feel like you’re the impetuous, sometimes annoying child and I’m the exhausted parent. Why can’t we always see eye to eye?
As much as I HATE to admit it, there have been times that I’ve been embarrassed to claim you. Like when your own people were enslaved or hanging from your trees, or when thousands of them were cut down in one day in Oklahoma City, not by outsiders, but by one of your own. Or when we are millions are never born because others think of them as decisions, rather than as people. Or when I reflect upon how much how few of us horde and consume while so many others starve and suffer. There have been so many times when your way was not the right way.
But, there are other times when I couldn’t be more proud of you. Like how much how many suffered and sacrificed for others on this awful day two years ago. When I think of how much how many suffered and sacrificed to literally save the world sixty years ago when evil incarnate walked the earth. There have been so many times, so many times when your way has been the most right way, when you led the way, even when others refused to follow.
Is a country songs and colors? Pomp and ceremony? Is a country the sum of it’s symbols? I love red, white and blue. Your anthems bring a lump to my throat, even more since this awful day two years ago. But while I venerate your flag, I will not bring my self to worship it. In the end it is only cloth and ink. Rather, we should “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
It is not the red of thirteen stripes of a banner, it is the red of the life blood of your patriots that matters. Deep in the ground of Lexington and Anteitem, of Normandy and Sicily and Glaudal Cannal, and yes, of Manhattan.
What is a country? Is a country a system? Laws and processes and precedents? Is it a shared ethos? A morality, founded on God’s eternal laws?
I love that you still work. Through abuse and corruption, investigations and scandals, swings of the pendulum, the system that is America still works.
I love that you promise me that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
So that no denomination is corrupted by the power of being your “official” religion. So that I can seek God as I understand Him and as He reveals Himself to me in His Word. Even if that means that false religions are free to flourish here too.
So that I can speak my mind without being jailed or fined or murdered or persecuted.
So that people can read this.
So that we can gather peaceably for social, political, or religious reasons. So that thousands could gather in 1963 to hear a black preacher with a dream.
So that we can complain about you, complain to you, and “throw the bums out.”
Is a country a people? We are so many. So different. So imperfect. So angry with each other, so disrespectful of each other, so selfish. So human.
So warm, so giving, so caring, so committed, so daring, so intelligent, so powerful, so patient, so helpful, so important, so united. So sewn together not by race, not by creed or color, not by language, not by song or culture, but by choice, by commitment, by conviction, by country.
I love you to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach. I promise to do my best to do my duty to God and my country. I’ll help, I’ll give, I’ll vote, I’ll volunteer, I’ll hope, I’ll continue to believe in you.
I’ll pray for you.
I’ll remember.
I’ll remember all my fellow patriots who were lost this awful day two years ago.
I’ll remember, will you?
The question is, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
The Boys Scouts of America taught me to love you less than God and almost as much as my immediate family.
What are you? Who are you?
Is a country a place? I love your terrain. I love your panoramic views, your horizons and highways. I love the searing heat of my native Arizona and the cool, damp, subtropical sea breezes of the California coast. I love the aroma of pine trees in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I love the dramatic landscapes of Colorado, the serenity of Wyoming and New Mexico. I love the chilly waters and pebbly shores of the great lakes in Michigan. And I’ve sure come to love the rolling hills of Iowa that seem to embrace you and the aromas that come from the fields when the corn and soybeans are ready to be harvested.
Is a country a political entity? I’d have to admit to having a love-hate relationship with you then. Sometimes I feel like I’m the rebellious teenager, other times I feel like you’re the impetuous, sometimes annoying child and I’m the exhausted parent. Why can’t we always see eye to eye?
As much as I HATE to admit it, there have been times that I’ve been embarrassed to claim you. Like when your own people were enslaved or hanging from your trees, or when thousands of them were cut down in one day in Oklahoma City, not by outsiders, but by one of your own. Or when we are millions are never born because others think of them as decisions, rather than as people. Or when I reflect upon how much how few of us horde and consume while so many others starve and suffer. There have been so many times when your way was not the right way.
But, there are other times when I couldn’t be more proud of you. Like how much how many suffered and sacrificed for others on this awful day two years ago. When I think of how much how many suffered and sacrificed to literally save the world sixty years ago when evil incarnate walked the earth. There have been so many times, so many times when your way has been the most right way, when you led the way, even when others refused to follow.
Is a country songs and colors? Pomp and ceremony? Is a country the sum of it’s symbols? I love red, white and blue. Your anthems bring a lump to my throat, even more since this awful day two years ago. But while I venerate your flag, I will not bring my self to worship it. In the end it is only cloth and ink. Rather, we should “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
It is not the red of thirteen stripes of a banner, it is the red of the life blood of your patriots that matters. Deep in the ground of Lexington and Anteitem, of Normandy and Sicily and Glaudal Cannal, and yes, of Manhattan.
What is a country? Is a country a system? Laws and processes and precedents? Is it a shared ethos? A morality, founded on God’s eternal laws?
I love that you still work. Through abuse and corruption, investigations and scandals, swings of the pendulum, the system that is America still works.
I love that you promise me that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
So that no denomination is corrupted by the power of being your “official” religion. So that I can seek God as I understand Him and as He reveals Himself to me in His Word. Even if that means that false religions are free to flourish here too.
So that I can speak my mind without being jailed or fined or murdered or persecuted.
So that people can read this.
So that we can gather peaceably for social, political, or religious reasons. So that thousands could gather in 1963 to hear a black preacher with a dream.
So that we can complain about you, complain to you, and “throw the bums out.”
Is a country a people? We are so many. So different. So imperfect. So angry with each other, so disrespectful of each other, so selfish. So human.
So warm, so giving, so caring, so committed, so daring, so intelligent, so powerful, so patient, so helpful, so important, so united. So sewn together not by race, not by creed or color, not by language, not by song or culture, but by choice, by commitment, by conviction, by country.
I love you to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach. I promise to do my best to do my duty to God and my country. I’ll help, I’ll give, I’ll vote, I’ll volunteer, I’ll hope, I’ll continue to believe in you.
I’ll pray for you.
I’ll remember.
I’ll remember all my fellow patriots who were lost this awful day two years ago.
I’ll remember, will you?
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
Cousin Campout
I missed out on a rite of summer last weekend. The annual McCutcheon “Cousin Campout” at the St.Thomas Moore center. To be honest, we never really go to camp. We go on Sunday morning and stay for the worship service and lunch. This year we stayed home to make sure the LYF Contemporary Service went smoothly at St. John’s. Just as well since all four of us seem to have come down with winter colds.
One reason I’m disappointed that we missed it is that my father-in-law Allen’s aunts, Erma, Marylin , and Janette are some of the biggest fans of this column, and never fail to tell me so. That always feels great. Even if Janette thinks I’m becoming a Republican (God forbid- no offense intended Republican readers).
Mike and Marylin Schiltz and their crew are just about the best at coming to weddings and baptisms!
Something we can all learn about our families is in Deuteronomy 5:9-10; “…I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”
It’s painfully obvious. Weight problems, alcoholism, child abuse, infidelity or incest, these are problems that are hereditary. Even things like smoking, credit card debt, gambling habits or dropping out of school are patterns that our children imitate.
All of us have skeletons in our closets and a few fruits and nuts hanging in our family trees. I’m not about to pretend that our family is any different. Be that as it may, I want to point out to you the wonderful promise of this Bible verse.
First of all, notice that all of the negative cycles can be broken. It may be difficult and painful, it may take “three or four generations,” but it can happen. They say it takes 21 days to make or break an exercise habit, one study claims that it takes two years to quit smoking, but it can be done. But look at the other half of the verse- God shows love “to a thousand generations” of those who love Him!
Twenty or more generations ago, back in the early seventeenth century Robert Peck decided to answer God’s call and became a pastor. Just a couple of generations later, John Alden and Priscilla Mullins came over on the HMS Mayflower, fell in love and made history. Seven generations later, one of their descendants, George Washington Bidlack settled in what became Crawford County, Iowa. He was a leading Republican in Iowa, but I don’t hold that against him. If Abe Lincoln had been president when I first registered to vote, I’d like to think I’d probably register GOP too.
One of his daughters, Ella, married John McCutcheon. Our daughter Ellen is named for my great aunt Ellen and for Ella McCutcheon. These McCutcheons are who the Cousin Campout is named for.
One of the most beautiful worship opportunities I’ve ever been a part of was last year, at the funeral of Julie (McCutcheon) Meyer. She’s one of Verl and Linda’s triplets from Dow City. She died of cancer, leaving a husband, Matt and a three year old son behind. She was my age. But I’m telling you, it was incredible what a legacy of faith she left behind and how many people’s lives she touched as a nurse and with the ministry she and Matt had to college kids at their church in Lincoln, Nebraska.
John and Ella McCutcheon’s daughter Grace, married a fella by the name of Art Samuelson. Grace was down right famous throughout Iowa as a stern but loving school teacher. Their love and faith impacted generations of their descendants too.
One thing they passed on is this corny tidbit; Art’s favorite hymn was “Amazing Grace” and Grace’s favorite was “How Great Thou Art.”
Our other Daughter, Grace, is named for Grace Samuelson.
All the folks at the McCutcheon Cousin Campout do all of the same things you probably do at your family reunions. We eat a pot-luck, we joke, we reminisce, we swim, we sweat, play cards, play games and even award door prizes. And we all have our family sins and problems, we’re no better than anybody else’s family.
But what I appreciate most about the Cousin Campout, is that at this family gathering they worship together. Different denominations, different generations sing praises to their Savior to tell Him how much they love Him, discuss how He has worked in their lives, and pray to thank Him for blessing their families for these many generations.
He loves you so much. He’d rather have you love Him than hate Him. Test Him and you’ll see Him bless your family for a thousand generations.
One reason I’m disappointed that we missed it is that my father-in-law Allen’s aunts, Erma, Marylin , and Janette are some of the biggest fans of this column, and never fail to tell me so. That always feels great. Even if Janette thinks I’m becoming a Republican (God forbid- no offense intended Republican readers).
Mike and Marylin Schiltz and their crew are just about the best at coming to weddings and baptisms!
Something we can all learn about our families is in Deuteronomy 5:9-10; “…I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”
It’s painfully obvious. Weight problems, alcoholism, child abuse, infidelity or incest, these are problems that are hereditary. Even things like smoking, credit card debt, gambling habits or dropping out of school are patterns that our children imitate.
All of us have skeletons in our closets and a few fruits and nuts hanging in our family trees. I’m not about to pretend that our family is any different. Be that as it may, I want to point out to you the wonderful promise of this Bible verse.
First of all, notice that all of the negative cycles can be broken. It may be difficult and painful, it may take “three or four generations,” but it can happen. They say it takes 21 days to make or break an exercise habit, one study claims that it takes two years to quit smoking, but it can be done. But look at the other half of the verse- God shows love “to a thousand generations” of those who love Him!
Twenty or more generations ago, back in the early seventeenth century Robert Peck decided to answer God’s call and became a pastor. Just a couple of generations later, John Alden and Priscilla Mullins came over on the HMS Mayflower, fell in love and made history. Seven generations later, one of their descendants, George Washington Bidlack settled in what became Crawford County, Iowa. He was a leading Republican in Iowa, but I don’t hold that against him. If Abe Lincoln had been president when I first registered to vote, I’d like to think I’d probably register GOP too.
One of his daughters, Ella, married John McCutcheon. Our daughter Ellen is named for my great aunt Ellen and for Ella McCutcheon. These McCutcheons are who the Cousin Campout is named for.
One of the most beautiful worship opportunities I’ve ever been a part of was last year, at the funeral of Julie (McCutcheon) Meyer. She’s one of Verl and Linda’s triplets from Dow City. She died of cancer, leaving a husband, Matt and a three year old son behind. She was my age. But I’m telling you, it was incredible what a legacy of faith she left behind and how many people’s lives she touched as a nurse and with the ministry she and Matt had to college kids at their church in Lincoln, Nebraska.
John and Ella McCutcheon’s daughter Grace, married a fella by the name of Art Samuelson. Grace was down right famous throughout Iowa as a stern but loving school teacher. Their love and faith impacted generations of their descendants too.
One thing they passed on is this corny tidbit; Art’s favorite hymn was “Amazing Grace” and Grace’s favorite was “How Great Thou Art.”
Our other Daughter, Grace, is named for Grace Samuelson.
All the folks at the McCutcheon Cousin Campout do all of the same things you probably do at your family reunions. We eat a pot-luck, we joke, we reminisce, we swim, we sweat, play cards, play games and even award door prizes. And we all have our family sins and problems, we’re no better than anybody else’s family.
But what I appreciate most about the Cousin Campout, is that at this family gathering they worship together. Different denominations, different generations sing praises to their Savior to tell Him how much they love Him, discuss how He has worked in their lives, and pray to thank Him for blessing their families for these many generations.
He loves you so much. He’d rather have you love Him than hate Him. Test Him and you’ll see Him bless your family for a thousand generations.
Thursday, September 04, 2003
Cheesy puns put ‘unity’ in ‘community'
by Theodore J. Chipmonk
I have to hand it to Rosie Lally and Lucia Lincoln. They've done it again. Last weekend's benefit production put on by the Charter Oak Shelter House Committee was a laugh riot.
But it was a whole lot more than funny, it was democracy in action and it was exactly the kind of thing that makes small towns so wonderful.
The show was everything it set out to be. How many Broadway plays can say that? Of course, what it set out to be was silly, cheesy, puny fun. This play was everything a small town ought to be, and everything you look for in a friend or neighbor- totally unpretentious, self effacing, and able to laugh at them self. That may be due, a great deal to Rosie and Lucia.
Ms. Lincon has been teaching, (or “coaching”) drama at Charter Oak-Ute High School long enough to have established herself as a community institution. There are some powerful values that seep into the way she writes, plans, produces and directs her plays. It’s pretty obvious that she very deliberately tries to include as many people as possible.
As a result, more people are exposed to the creative process than usual. That way, we take ownership for it, we respect it and it’s more important to us. That also means that more of us “get cultured.” More of us attend such a play than normally would.
Another result is that the creative process is exposed to more hands, more input. Rosie & Lucia know we’re not professional actors and enjoy our idiosyncrasies. Heck, they take advantage of our personality quirks. In the case of last weekend’s play, they took advantage of our names.
It’s gotta drive them crazy. Having so many people learning and rehearsing parts has to start feeling like herding cats. But they manage it like pros.
Some would argue that “too many cooks ruin the soup.” Maybe so and that may be a problem if you’re trying to make Viennese turtle soup with truffles, but if you want a good ol' jambalaya, the more input the better. Lincoln and Lally actually ask for input, encourage improvisation and solicit creativity. What results is something that reflects who we are as a town, and is more our voice than either of their voices alone.
I know it sounds hokey to compare a High School English teacher to Thomas Jefferson, but just like he was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence but it was really written by the whole Continental Congress and is historically considered to be an expression of “the American mind,” Lucia starts out writing a fun little play but it takes on a life of it’s own and it really represents Charter Oak and belongs to Charter Oak, more than to Lucia or Rosie or any one else.
When I married Bethany, it didn’t take long for me to figure out that I didn’t just marry her, I married into a family, what’s more, I didn’t just marry into a family, I married into a town. That’s a wonderful feeling, even if it was a little intimidating at first. A stereotype we city native have of small towns is that they’re exclusive, stodgy, and unwelcoming to outsiders. Charter Oak broke the stereotype for me. It has been warm, accepting, understanding and has enthusiastically made me feel like a welcomed member of the community.
When we’d first come back to visit from college or California, I’d have a hard time placing names with faces. Bethany told me that there aren’t TOO many names to remember. If you know Neddermeyer, Kuhlman, Meseck, and Staley, you know almost about everybody. Thanks to last weekend’s play, I can put a lot more faces with a lot more names.
Those are the kind of values that Lucia’s dramas and her directing style embody. As a fellow teacher, I watched her at play practice to see what kinds of “teacher” things she does. Immediately following practice she made an effort to touch base with everyone she could. She praised them for their performance, gently suggested things she’s like them to add or change and often noticed things they did on their own that she thought contributed to the play.
Lots of us may have moaned or even cringed when we were asked to be involved, but think about two things; First, one of our pastors in California said that if you want someone to become a member of a church, you should “give ‘em a job.” Active participation automatically creates commitment. Second, one of the great things for armatures (and high school students) about having a huge cast is that they’re all short, easy parts. Anyone is more apt to help if they aren’t overwhelmed by how much they have to do.
In other words, “Many hands make light the work.” Or as Red Green says on IPTV, “We’re all in this together.”
That’s what community is all about. That’s what participatory democracy is all about. Helping each other, enjoying each other’s camaraderie. As everybody knows, the family that plays together stays together. I think that that has to be every bit as important as businesses or a school. If we enjoy working together to help each other out, we’ll stay afloat. I’ll bet we’ll even improve our town some, like by being able to build a new shelter house down at the park.
It may have been a corny, cheesy line at the end of a corny, cheesy play, but we ought to thank Lucia and Rosie for “putting the UNITY back in COMMUNITY!
I have to hand it to Rosie Lally and Lucia Lincoln. They've done it again. Last weekend's benefit production put on by the Charter Oak Shelter House Committee was a laugh riot.
But it was a whole lot more than funny, it was democracy in action and it was exactly the kind of thing that makes small towns so wonderful.
The show was everything it set out to be. How many Broadway plays can say that? Of course, what it set out to be was silly, cheesy, puny fun. This play was everything a small town ought to be, and everything you look for in a friend or neighbor- totally unpretentious, self effacing, and able to laugh at them self. That may be due, a great deal to Rosie and Lucia.
Ms. Lincon has been teaching, (or “coaching”) drama at Charter Oak-Ute High School long enough to have established herself as a community institution. There are some powerful values that seep into the way she writes, plans, produces and directs her plays. It’s pretty obvious that she very deliberately tries to include as many people as possible.
As a result, more people are exposed to the creative process than usual. That way, we take ownership for it, we respect it and it’s more important to us. That also means that more of us “get cultured.” More of us attend such a play than normally would.
Another result is that the creative process is exposed to more hands, more input. Rosie & Lucia know we’re not professional actors and enjoy our idiosyncrasies. Heck, they take advantage of our personality quirks. In the case of last weekend’s play, they took advantage of our names.
It’s gotta drive them crazy. Having so many people learning and rehearsing parts has to start feeling like herding cats. But they manage it like pros.
Some would argue that “too many cooks ruin the soup.” Maybe so and that may be a problem if you’re trying to make Viennese turtle soup with truffles, but if you want a good ol' jambalaya, the more input the better. Lincoln and Lally actually ask for input, encourage improvisation and solicit creativity. What results is something that reflects who we are as a town, and is more our voice than either of their voices alone.
I know it sounds hokey to compare a High School English teacher to Thomas Jefferson, but just like he was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence but it was really written by the whole Continental Congress and is historically considered to be an expression of “the American mind,” Lucia starts out writing a fun little play but it takes on a life of it’s own and it really represents Charter Oak and belongs to Charter Oak, more than to Lucia or Rosie or any one else.
When I married Bethany, it didn’t take long for me to figure out that I didn’t just marry her, I married into a family, what’s more, I didn’t just marry into a family, I married into a town. That’s a wonderful feeling, even if it was a little intimidating at first. A stereotype we city native have of small towns is that they’re exclusive, stodgy, and unwelcoming to outsiders. Charter Oak broke the stereotype for me. It has been warm, accepting, understanding and has enthusiastically made me feel like a welcomed member of the community.
When we’d first come back to visit from college or California, I’d have a hard time placing names with faces. Bethany told me that there aren’t TOO many names to remember. If you know Neddermeyer, Kuhlman, Meseck, and Staley, you know almost about everybody. Thanks to last weekend’s play, I can put a lot more faces with a lot more names.
Those are the kind of values that Lucia’s dramas and her directing style embody. As a fellow teacher, I watched her at play practice to see what kinds of “teacher” things she does. Immediately following practice she made an effort to touch base with everyone she could. She praised them for their performance, gently suggested things she’s like them to add or change and often noticed things they did on their own that she thought contributed to the play.
Lots of us may have moaned or even cringed when we were asked to be involved, but think about two things; First, one of our pastors in California said that if you want someone to become a member of a church, you should “give ‘em a job.” Active participation automatically creates commitment. Second, one of the great things for armatures (and high school students) about having a huge cast is that they’re all short, easy parts. Anyone is more apt to help if they aren’t overwhelmed by how much they have to do.
In other words, “Many hands make light the work.” Or as Red Green says on IPTV, “We’re all in this together.”
That’s what community is all about. That’s what participatory democracy is all about. Helping each other, enjoying each other’s camaraderie. As everybody knows, the family that plays together stays together. I think that that has to be every bit as important as businesses or a school. If we enjoy working together to help each other out, we’ll stay afloat. I’ll bet we’ll even improve our town some, like by being able to build a new shelter house down at the park.
It may have been a corny, cheesy line at the end of a corny, cheesy play, but we ought to thank Lucia and Rosie for “putting the UNITY back in COMMUNITY!
Thursday, June 19, 2003
Happy Birthday Lady Liberty
On this day June 19, back in 1885, the dismantled Statue of Liberty arrived in the New World, enclosed in more than 200 crates.
In 1865 a group of Frenchmen were discussing their dictator-like emperor, Napoleon III and America's successful democratic government and abolishing slavery at the end of the Civil War. The dinner was hosted by Edouard Rene de Laboulaye, an abolitionist and a leader of the "liberals," a political group dedicated to establishing a French republican government modeled on America's constitution. The dinner guests talked about the close relationship and love of liberty France and The United States shared. Laboulaye called France and America "the two sisters."
The "liberals" decided to build a monument to American freedom. A successful 31-year-old sculptor, Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, was at the dinner. He imagined a woman holding a torch burning with the light of freedom. They planned to call it "Liberty Enlightening the World," and it would commemorate the Franco-American alliance during the American Revolution.
We probably could not have won our freedom from Britain in the American Revolution without the help of France. They provided arms, ships, money, and men to American colonial rebels. The Marquis de Lafayette, a close friend of George Washington became one of the highest high-ranking officers in the American army. Washington may not have been able to defeat British General Charles Cornwallis at the battle of Yorktown if it weren't for the help of the French Navy.
Yet today, because they opposed our war on Iraq, we belittle them and rename French Fries and French Toast "Liberty Fries." What war hawk or "frog-basher" would seriously consider sending the Statue of Liberty back? I think it's been shameful how many times Americans have made jokes accusing the French of not fighting against Hitler in WWII. How ghastly that we have so little sense of history or perspective on the evil of fascism, and NAZIism that we could make light of the suffering and sacrifice of so many of the French people during such a dark time.
It took two decades to complete the 151-foot statue. In 1877, the U.S. Congress approved the use of New York's Bedloe Island. French supporters raised money to build a statue the size of a 15 story building without a pedestal. Her index finger alone is 8 feet long. July 4, 1884 it was officially offered to the United States by France, as a birthday gift. Then, it had to be taken apart, shipped across the Atlantic Ocean, and rebuilt in the U. S.
Americans raised money to pay for the pedestal it stands on. In 1885 Statue of Liberty arrived in New York City's harbor. It was 1886 when the statue was dedicated. At the time, she was the tallest structure in New York, reaching to a total height of 305 feet. It was truly "the eighth wonder of the world."
One of the original seven wonders of the world, the Colossus of Rhodes, was thought to have only stood about 105 ft tall. It was a huge bronze statue of the Greek sun god Helios, erected about 280 bc to guard the entrance to the harbor of a Greek island off the coast of what is now Turkey.
Which reminds me, I think it's important to remember the difference between symbolism and idolatry. I believe in the principles which our flag and the statue of liberty represent, but the flag and statue themselves are just things. Damage a flag and I'm just offended, damage my freedoms or speech, press, religion and political affiliation and we're all in a world of hurt. It's good to feel patriotic, it's more important to be patriotic.
There is no Helios or Appolo, and the Colossus of Rhodes was destroyed by an earthquake. Let's say terrorists had attacked the Statue of Liberty when they took out the World Trade Center. Would there still be liberty in the United States? Benjamin Franklin once said that "a nation that would sacrifice liberty for the sake of security deserves neither liberty, nor security." Since September 11, 2001, we've begun to tread a thin line between justice and vengeance. I hope we don't sacrifice our civil liberties to the gods of pride and prowece.
In 1989 Chinese demonstrators fashioned a "Goddess of Democracy" out of styrofoam just before the Tienamin Square Massacre. Democracy in China was squashed, sadly, few people even remember their "goddess."
If you can believe this, there's been talk about erecting an gigantic angel monument in Los Angeles Harbor as sort of a twin or book-end on the other side of the country. I really don't remember if it was supposed to honor Asian and Latin American immigrants or just promote tourism. No doubt it will provoke debate about separation of church and state. Will the Catholics get a Mary-Queen of the Angels statue, or will the Mormons get an angel Moroni-who allegedly gave the Book of Mormon to Joseph Smith. My fear is that the entertainment industry will get to design it and it will just look like a colossal Emmy Award statue.
On the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty was inscribed "The New Colossus," a famous sonnet by Emma Lazarus that welcomed more than 12 million immigrants to the United States with the declaration,
"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
Does that lamp still provide the light of hope? How do we feel about poor, tired, homeless masses today? Are Mexican, Chinese, or Arab masses as welcomed as the Germans, Swedes and Irish?
What does she stand for anyway? What does she symbolize to you today?
In 1865 a group of Frenchmen were discussing their dictator-like emperor, Napoleon III and America's successful democratic government and abolishing slavery at the end of the Civil War. The dinner was hosted by Edouard Rene de Laboulaye, an abolitionist and a leader of the "liberals," a political group dedicated to establishing a French republican government modeled on America's constitution. The dinner guests talked about the close relationship and love of liberty France and The United States shared. Laboulaye called France and America "the two sisters."
The "liberals" decided to build a monument to American freedom. A successful 31-year-old sculptor, Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, was at the dinner. He imagined a woman holding a torch burning with the light of freedom. They planned to call it "Liberty Enlightening the World," and it would commemorate the Franco-American alliance during the American Revolution.
We probably could not have won our freedom from Britain in the American Revolution without the help of France. They provided arms, ships, money, and men to American colonial rebels. The Marquis de Lafayette, a close friend of George Washington became one of the highest high-ranking officers in the American army. Washington may not have been able to defeat British General Charles Cornwallis at the battle of Yorktown if it weren't for the help of the French Navy.
Yet today, because they opposed our war on Iraq, we belittle them and rename French Fries and French Toast "Liberty Fries." What war hawk or "frog-basher" would seriously consider sending the Statue of Liberty back? I think it's been shameful how many times Americans have made jokes accusing the French of not fighting against Hitler in WWII. How ghastly that we have so little sense of history or perspective on the evil of fascism, and NAZIism that we could make light of the suffering and sacrifice of so many of the French people during such a dark time.
It took two decades to complete the 151-foot statue. In 1877, the U.S. Congress approved the use of New York's Bedloe Island. French supporters raised money to build a statue the size of a 15 story building without a pedestal. Her index finger alone is 8 feet long. July 4, 1884 it was officially offered to the United States by France, as a birthday gift. Then, it had to be taken apart, shipped across the Atlantic Ocean, and rebuilt in the U. S.
Americans raised money to pay for the pedestal it stands on. In 1885 Statue of Liberty arrived in New York City's harbor. It was 1886 when the statue was dedicated. At the time, she was the tallest structure in New York, reaching to a total height of 305 feet. It was truly "the eighth wonder of the world."
One of the original seven wonders of the world, the Colossus of Rhodes, was thought to have only stood about 105 ft tall. It was a huge bronze statue of the Greek sun god Helios, erected about 280 bc to guard the entrance to the harbor of a Greek island off the coast of what is now Turkey.
Which reminds me, I think it's important to remember the difference between symbolism and idolatry. I believe in the principles which our flag and the statue of liberty represent, but the flag and statue themselves are just things. Damage a flag and I'm just offended, damage my freedoms or speech, press, religion and political affiliation and we're all in a world of hurt. It's good to feel patriotic, it's more important to be patriotic.
There is no Helios or Appolo, and the Colossus of Rhodes was destroyed by an earthquake. Let's say terrorists had attacked the Statue of Liberty when they took out the World Trade Center. Would there still be liberty in the United States? Benjamin Franklin once said that "a nation that would sacrifice liberty for the sake of security deserves neither liberty, nor security." Since September 11, 2001, we've begun to tread a thin line between justice and vengeance. I hope we don't sacrifice our civil liberties to the gods of pride and prowece.
In 1989 Chinese demonstrators fashioned a "Goddess of Democracy" out of styrofoam just before the Tienamin Square Massacre. Democracy in China was squashed, sadly, few people even remember their "goddess."
If you can believe this, there's been talk about erecting an gigantic angel monument in Los Angeles Harbor as sort of a twin or book-end on the other side of the country. I really don't remember if it was supposed to honor Asian and Latin American immigrants or just promote tourism. No doubt it will provoke debate about separation of church and state. Will the Catholics get a Mary-Queen of the Angels statue, or will the Mormons get an angel Moroni-who allegedly gave the Book of Mormon to Joseph Smith. My fear is that the entertainment industry will get to design it and it will just look like a colossal Emmy Award statue.
On the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty was inscribed "The New Colossus," a famous sonnet by Emma Lazarus that welcomed more than 12 million immigrants to the United States with the declaration,
"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
Does that lamp still provide the light of hope? How do we feel about poor, tired, homeless masses today? Are Mexican, Chinese, or Arab masses as welcomed as the Germans, Swedes and Irish?
What does she stand for anyway? What does she symbolize to you today?
Thursday, June 05, 2003
Mistake of historic proportions
Benjamin Franklin coined one of his most famous quotes upon the close of the Constitutional convention, "Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."
The important questions are, who’s doing the taxing, who’s being taxed, how much, and what is it being used for? Libertarians and Anarchists will remind you that the War for Independence was fought to end taxes, but the real issue was who was doing the taxing, who was taxed and how much, and where the money went. If Iowan’s taxes went to Canada, we’d revolt too.
A political activist once told me that they thought that one of the main differences between Republicans and Democrats is that Republicans spend on physical infrastructure, while Dems spend on social programs. People or things.
In other words Republicans would spend our taxes on roads or street lights, Democrats on Driver’s Education programs. Case in point, the Iowa assembly, mostly Republican, want to offer money to school districts for building, but if they already have money to build, they may use the money for other things, like teacher salaries. The Teacher’s unions are frustrated with the legislature for not just offering money specifically for teacher salaries.
The old debate had always been, "guns or butter?" Somewhere in the middle of the twentieth century our Federal Government decided they should try deficit spending to try to stimulate the economy. Sometimes it helps a little, sometimes it doesn’t, but what are the long term consequences?
When I try spending more money than I have, the people I owe bills to start calling me on the phone. Don’t pay, they’ll report it and wreck your credit, right? Eventually things get repossessed.
If you were say, a hundred thousand dollars in debt, would that be a good time to quit your job? Of course not, but the Bush Administration and the Republican led Congress and Senate have decided to cut Federal revenues by at least $330 billion, even though they need to spend record amounts of money on Homeland Security, baling out the states and $50-60 billion war with Iraq.
Mind you, I love having my taxes cut as much as the staunchest Republicans. When I get my treasury check for our earned-income-tax credits- er, I mean children, we’ll probably use it to pay off some of our college loans. But I’m not sure how that’s going to stimulate the economy.
The theory behind Bush’s tax cut is the same old "trickle-down" economics of his father and Ronald Reagan. The hope is, if you give wealthy investors and corporations huge tax cuts, they’ll reinvest their savings into their infrastructure, creating jobs, producing more tax revenue from paychecks and simultaneously giving those workers money as consumers.
The fatal flaw is human nature. We don’t reinvest and create jobs, we spend on ourselves or we figure out ways to turn an even bigger profit. The rich get richer, the rest of us get poorer.
Do you deserve to keep your hard earned dividends and your capital gains? I suppose, but most of us barely know what those are and certainly don’t have any. And what about our future? Is that "class-warfare?" Then so be it. I am no communist and do not advocate any kind of socialism, but President Bush seems to see the world through millionaire’s glasses.
Some estimates suggest that the current Bush budget will increase the deficit by more than $300B over last year's $158B deficit. If you don’t remember your high school economics, the deficit is the red ink, the money you spend beyond your income, money you don’t have.
And what about our future? Will the Social Security fund still dry up by 2035? What about Medicaid and Medicare? I’m worried about health insurance and college tuition.
Annual deficits pile up and create debt. At the time I wrote this, the U.S. National debt was rapidly approaching six and a half trillion dollars! For all the reasons there are to dislike Bill Clinton, the debt was actually shrinking during his presidency. The National Debt has increased an average of $992 million per day since September 30, 2002!
Debt and deficit hurt our credit, they hurt the value of the dollar, and they hurt the economy. As bad as the economy is, is it really worth selling our future?
The estimated population of the United States is 291,066,701 so each citizen's share of this debt is over $22,000.00. That means my 1 ½ year old daughter Ellen owes $22,000!
I appreciate lower taxes as much as anybody, but I’m having a hard time enjoying this one. I think it was a mistake of historic proportions.
1
The important questions are, who’s doing the taxing, who’s being taxed, how much, and what is it being used for? Libertarians and Anarchists will remind you that the War for Independence was fought to end taxes, but the real issue was who was doing the taxing, who was taxed and how much, and where the money went. If Iowan’s taxes went to Canada, we’d revolt too.
A political activist once told me that they thought that one of the main differences between Republicans and Democrats is that Republicans spend on physical infrastructure, while Dems spend on social programs. People or things.
In other words Republicans would spend our taxes on roads or street lights, Democrats on Driver’s Education programs. Case in point, the Iowa assembly, mostly Republican, want to offer money to school districts for building, but if they already have money to build, they may use the money for other things, like teacher salaries. The Teacher’s unions are frustrated with the legislature for not just offering money specifically for teacher salaries.
The old debate had always been, "guns or butter?" Somewhere in the middle of the twentieth century our Federal Government decided they should try deficit spending to try to stimulate the economy. Sometimes it helps a little, sometimes it doesn’t, but what are the long term consequences?
When I try spending more money than I have, the people I owe bills to start calling me on the phone. Don’t pay, they’ll report it and wreck your credit, right? Eventually things get repossessed.
If you were say, a hundred thousand dollars in debt, would that be a good time to quit your job? Of course not, but the Bush Administration and the Republican led Congress and Senate have decided to cut Federal revenues by at least $330 billion, even though they need to spend record amounts of money on Homeland Security, baling out the states and $50-60 billion war with Iraq.
Mind you, I love having my taxes cut as much as the staunchest Republicans. When I get my treasury check for our earned-income-tax credits- er, I mean children, we’ll probably use it to pay off some of our college loans. But I’m not sure how that’s going to stimulate the economy.
The theory behind Bush’s tax cut is the same old "trickle-down" economics of his father and Ronald Reagan. The hope is, if you give wealthy investors and corporations huge tax cuts, they’ll reinvest their savings into their infrastructure, creating jobs, producing more tax revenue from paychecks and simultaneously giving those workers money as consumers.
The fatal flaw is human nature. We don’t reinvest and create jobs, we spend on ourselves or we figure out ways to turn an even bigger profit. The rich get richer, the rest of us get poorer.
Do you deserve to keep your hard earned dividends and your capital gains? I suppose, but most of us barely know what those are and certainly don’t have any. And what about our future? Is that "class-warfare?" Then so be it. I am no communist and do not advocate any kind of socialism, but President Bush seems to see the world through millionaire’s glasses.
Some estimates suggest that the current Bush budget will increase the deficit by more than $300B over last year's $158B deficit. If you don’t remember your high school economics, the deficit is the red ink, the money you spend beyond your income, money you don’t have.
And what about our future? Will the Social Security fund still dry up by 2035? What about Medicaid and Medicare? I’m worried about health insurance and college tuition.
Annual deficits pile up and create debt. At the time I wrote this, the U.S. National debt was rapidly approaching six and a half trillion dollars! For all the reasons there are to dislike Bill Clinton, the debt was actually shrinking during his presidency. The National Debt has increased an average of $992 million per day since September 30, 2002!
Debt and deficit hurt our credit, they hurt the value of the dollar, and they hurt the economy. As bad as the economy is, is it really worth selling our future?
The estimated population of the United States is 291,066,701 so each citizen's share of this debt is over $22,000.00. That means my 1 ½ year old daughter Ellen owes $22,000!
I appreciate lower taxes as much as anybody, but I’m having a hard time enjoying this one. I think it was a mistake of historic proportions.
1
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