After the Peace Rally in Hartford Connecticut

Yesterday, a winter storm bore down on the Northeast, yet it wasn't enough to stop peace activists from gathering at the Old State House in Hartford, CT.

Besides the speeches and chanting there were some creative expressions of people's desire to bring the troops home now.

Fiona, now 5, held up a sign she had made (with Kim's help) as she stood next to the Peace Snowman that a friend of ours made.

Here is to hoping that everyone has been finding enjoyable and creative ways of expressing our desire for peace.

Fiona and the Peace Snowman, originally uploaded by Aldon.

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We've Had This Debate Before

Note: I originally intended to send the below as an LTE to my local paper. Having second thoughts about that, but posting it here seems like a good idear.

The debate has resumed over allowing openly homosexual individuals to serve in the U.S. armed forces. It is a hotly contested issue based, it seems to me, more on emotion and prejudice than logic. Listening to the arguments from both sides, it occurs to me that one, crucial point is never raised; namely, that we have had this debate before.

When I was a youngster, the debate was whether to allow women to serve on a par with men - on ships, in combat, etc. The argument as I recall it boiled down to this: "You can't have men and women serving together in an integrated unit. They'll spend all their time trying to lay one another and no work will get done. It will be the end of unit cohesion and force efficiency." Today, the public doesn't think twice about the gender integrated armed services.

We have had this debate before. In 1948, Pres. Harry Truman ordered the racial integration of the Army, sparking years of resentment and debate. The argument boiled down to this: "You can't have whites and blacks serving together. You can't expect white men to take orders from black officers. You can't expect white men to work shoulder to shoulder with black men, to trust them in the way necessary in combat. It will be the end of unit cohesion and force efficiency." Today, the public accepts the racially integrated armed forces as a natural, unremarkable part of our society.

I am both visually and physically disabled. As such, I will never be expected to serve in the military. With advances in medical, military, and personal technology, however, in the future it may become possible for some disabled persons to serve. If so, we'll have this debate yet again. "You can't ask normal people to serve alongside the disabled," the argument will run. "How can you depend on the guy next to you when he's blind? How can you depend on the girl next to you when she's mentally retarded? It will be the end of unit cohesion and force efficiency." The debate will rage, the integration will go on; and, by the time the children of its opponents are old enough to enlist, the sight of a blind soldier or crippled airman will be as normal to them as the sight of black, white, Hispanic, Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish, male, or female service members.

The American public would, I think, agree with the proposition that denying an otherwise qualified person the opportunity to serve in the military on the basis of race/ethnicity or gender is both morally repugnant and legally untenable. Similarly, denying a person the opportunity to serve based on sexual orientation has nothing to do with certain people's religious convictions or certain people's repugnance or open-mindedness. It is a matter of civil rights.

As a disabled person, I stand in solidarity with all those whose rights are denied because of who and what they are; because of a characteristic that "the majority" finds unacceptable, be that having the wrong set of genitalia, the wrong color skin, or the wrong sexual preference. If an individual member of the military disgraces her/his uniform, then remove that member. But, presuming that any given group, as a group, is necessarily unfit to serve surely runs counter to all we stand for as Americans. Moreover, as I have briefly shown, history teaches us that such presumptions do not stand up against practical experience.

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Thousands of Christians protest Iraq war

Via Yahoo News:

Thousands of Christians prayed for peace at an anti-war service Friday night at the Washington National Cathedral, kicking off a weekend of protests around the country to mark the fourth anniversary of the war in Iraq.

Afterward, participants marched with battery-operated faux candles through snow and wind toward the White House, where police began arresting protesters shortly before midnight. Protest guidelines require demonstrators to continue moving while on the White House sidewalk.

More here.

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Al Gore to testify before Congress Wednesday

Via Yahoo News:

Former Vice President Al Gore has collected nearly 300,000 electronic signatures asking Congress to take action on global warming, Gore said in an entry on his Web site Friday. Gore said the signatures demonstrate "that hundreds of thousands of people share my sense of urgency" on climate change. Gore is scheduled to testify before Congress about the issue Wednesday.

Click here for more of the article, and here to visit Al Gore's online journal.

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Ken Blackwell hired by FRC

Also at the Independent Bloggers' Alliance

Guess Ken Blackwell is not going "gently into the night". From the Cincinnati Enquirer:

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins announced that Blackwell would be joining the Christian conservative group as a "senior fellow for family empowerment."

Blackwell, a Cincinnati Republican who was Ohio secretary of state, will lead FRC's efforts in addressing family economics.

Over the years, we have known and worked with Ken Blackwell on the toughest issues facing families and our country," Perkins said. "We have witnessed Ken's willingness to stand and fight for preserving marriage and defending the unborn. His unwavering commitment to tax relief and conservative fiscal policies has supported family enterprise."

Click here for more.

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Happy 2nd Anniversary, Booman Tribune!

Click the graphic (by refinish69) to join the festivities.

This is an open thread.
Update: Valerie Plame is testifying now. You can watch her live on C-SPAN. It is being live-blogged at Firedoglake.

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Ecumenical Advocacy Days in D.C.

I wasn't aware that this was going on this week. Via the Episcopal News Service:

Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children's Defense Fund, made the plea: ''Each child is God's own beloved… How we treat each child is how we treat God... Every child needs and deserves health coverage.''

She addressed her words to the 1000-plus members of the faith community present in Washington, D.C., for Ecumenical Advocacy Days March 9-12.. ''God didn't make different classes of children and the U.S. should not continue its current inequitable treatment of children.''

This is the year that the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) expires. Funded only through September, Congress must reauthorize the program, cut it or expand it. That reality helped keep participants focused on how to influence Congress.

''This is the time for action,'' declared Lindsey Wade, policy associate with the Children's Defense Fund, to those preparing arguments for the legislators they would visit the final day of the gathering.

Advocacy Days, now in its fifth year, drew the religious community to Washington to lobby for a range of human rights and justice issues. Several days of workshops and training preceded their descent on Capitol Hill.

More than 50 churches and faith-based organizations, including the National Council of Churches and Church World Service, sponsor Advocacy Days. The theme this year, ''And How Are the Children?'' aimed a spotlight at ending child poverty. Speakers addressed domestic and global issues: unaccompanied children crossing the border, fixing the No Child Left Behind program, effects of the Middle East conflict on the region's children; the impact of U.S. security policies on children; effects of debt on Africa's children; escalating violence in Burma and the Philippines and a dozen more.

Click here for the rest.

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Open Thread

This is the same open thread I posted late last night--can't see putting up a new one when this one is far from full. And it *is* still March 15. Just swapping out the picture, since Demetrius has been working on St. Patrick's Day designs.

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Who gets to determine our "value"?

Originally posted at My Left Wing

I haven't been able to keep on top of all the essays written here. Being on a bit of a break from work, I have a little more time than I did, but I still have to balance my blogging with working on things that can generate income. 'Cause my time off is *never* "paid vacation" time. I say this in order to explain why I miss many essays that I might really appreciate reading, and also to explain why I was so concerned by what I read when I finally did take a look at Why We Don't Write/The Two MLWs. People here actually don't write out of concern that their work will be regarded as "not good enough"? Aw crap! Why would we *do* this to ourselves and others?

And while I'm on the topic, WTF is it with the disparaging of all things "meta"? That tends to be the bulk of what I write, when I actually *do* write. Some of you may be aware that I do transcripts sometimes--for example, I actually transcribed the whole tv appearance MSOC did a while back. I've done plenty of others as well, and sometimes people express amazement that I am willing to go to that kind of trouble. The reason I transcribe is pretty simple. First, I think it's important to make sure people's words *in context* are available. Secondly, it makes me feel like a "useful engine". That's important to me. And a lot of the time it's much much easier for me to mindlessly transcribe something than to actually put together words of my own.

Which brings me back to "meta". (I already said here that I'm going to press forward with this and post it even if it might suck. And the scattered nature of this post is a pure reflection of my state of mind--it's rainy and dreary outside, so I lack focus. It's not a bug--it's a feature!) "Meta" in one form or another is what I *do*. It's how my mind works--I see connections between things. I've had *plenty* of opportunities for "f---ing learning experiences", I reflect on them, and I share my insights. I do this, not because I have some belief that *my* words on an issue are better written, or more valid, or more important than anyone else's. But sometimes someone will read them and find them helpful in some way--maybe it will provide them with one more "piece of the puzzle" that they need. And in my mind, that's the most important work we can be doing here on earth. Reaching out and making connections. Touching other lives in a positive way.

I want to share two more things before I close this rambling essay (for now). The first is a comment I made to one of skippy's diaries at Booman Tribune last month. Yes, it had to do with that damn "Blogroll Amnesty Day" nonsense. And no, I don't normally drop "f-bombs" when I write. But this is an issue I get pretty worked up about...

I have no f---ing patience for elitism. Especially considering how hard I work all day and still find the f---ing time to try to do some social justice activism, which I don't profit from monetarily, simply because I f---ing care about making the world a better place.

It's been a long week. One thing I meant to mention in the context of all of this is that it brings back a memory from years ago, of a fellow receptionist describing an interaction she had with one of the attorneys at the firm where she was employed. He wanted her to do the dirty work of booting some "lesser" attorney out of a conference room or something, and she balked at being put in that position. He boomed back at her, "I'm a $300 an hour man"

I cannot stand that kind of crap. You make more money, you wield more power, whatever, does not make you inherently more worthy. Sometimes it just means you got lucky. Sometimes it even means you stabbed somebody in the back to get where you are.

The second thing I want to share is a piece of scripture from 1 Corinthians. It's one that has been on my mind a lot lately.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Occasionally people will react negatively to any mention of religion--sometimes to the point of belligerently insisting that I "leave the God stuff out of it". I haven't experienced that here, that I can recall, but it's happened often enough in my years of blogging that I *do* hesitate before I "go there".

So anyway, I'm cognizant that some people, because of negative past experiences, are uncomfortable with seeing scripture quoted. And I try to be sensitive to that because, well, because I'm just "like that". Anyway, if you're one of those people, maybe you can try mentally deleting the religion words from the passage above. Because I really think, even as just a piece of literature (an "essay" by Paul, if you will) it is pretty relevant to what I've been trying to say in this post.

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Happy Pi Day!

In addition to being Einstein's birthday, March 14 is also Pi Day: From Yahoo News:

This is a story about love. About inscrutable complexity and remarkable simplicity, about the promise of forever. It is about obsession and devotion, and grand gestures and 4,000-word love letters.

It is about a curious group of people with an almost religious zeal for a mind-numbing string of numbers. Actually one number, made up of a chain that is known — so far — to be more than one trillion digits long.

They are the acolytes of the church of pi.

And once a year many of them gather to talk about pi, rhapsodize about it, eat pi-themed foods (actual pie, sure, but so much more), have pi recitation contests and, just maybe, feel a little less sheepish about their unusual passion.

That day falls on Wednesday this year: March 14. Or 3.14. Obviously.

Click for more.

The Exploratorium web site has a page about Pi Day, and a page of pi links.

Click here for a pi poster:

Upon closer examination 350,390 digits of pi are visible. Each line contains 600 digits of pi. The first 440 most commonly recognized digits are visible from a distance.

And finally, a pi song/video. It's to the tune of Don McLean's "American Pie. Here's the web site of the writer. The video only has part of the song, but here's an mp3 of the the whole song, and this link has the lyrics.

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Happy 128th Albert Einstein!

Also posted at the Independent Bloggers' Alliance

Albert Einstein was born March 14, 1879. In my time zone, this "Happy Birthday, Einstein" post is coming a few hours too early. But in Germany, where Einstein was born, it's already after midnight. So there you go.

Please use this thread to share your favorite Albert Einstein quote, link, or story.

Here's an excerpt from a very well known piece Einstein wrote on science and religion. A lot of people have seen the "blind vs. lame" quote, but I hadn't seen it in context before today.

Now, even though the realms of religion and science in themselves are clearly marked off from each other, nevertheless there exist between the two strong reciprocal relationships and dependencies. Though religion may be that which determines the goal, it has, nevertheless, learned from science, in the broadest sense, what means will contribute to the attainment of the goals it has set up. But science can only be created by those who are thoroughly imbued with the aspiration toward truth and understanding. This source of feeling, however, springs from the sphere of religion. To this there also belongs the faith in the possibility that the regulations valid for the world of existence are rational, that is, comprehensible to reason. I cannot conceive of a genuine scientist without that profound faith. The situation may be expressed by an image: science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.

Though I have asserted above that in truth a legitimate conflict between religion and science cannot exist, I must nevertheless qualify this assertion once again on an essential point, with reference to the actual content of historical religions. This qualification has to do with the concept of God. During the youthful period of mankind's spiritual evolution human fantasy created gods in man's own image, who, by the operations of their will were supposed to determine, or at any rate to influence, the phenomenal world. Man sought to alter the disposition of these gods in his own favor by means of magic and prayer. The idea of God in the religions taught at present is a sublimation of that old concept of the gods. Its anthropomorphic character is shown, for instance, by the fact that men appeal to the Divine Being in prayers and plead for the fulfillment of their wishes.

Nobody, certainly, will deny that the idea of the existence of an omnipotent, just, and omnibeneficent personal God is able to accord man solace, help, and guidance; also, by virtue of its simplicity it is accessible to the most undeveloped mind. But, on the other hand, there are decisive weaknesses attached to this idea in itself, which have been painfully felt since the beginning of history. That is, if this being is omnipotent, then every occurrence, including every human action, every human thought, and every human feeling and aspiration is also His work; how is it possible to think of holding men responsible for their deeds and thoughts before such an almighty Being? In giving out punishment and rewards He would to a certain extent be passing judgment on Himself. How can this be combined with the goodness and righteousness ascribed to Him?

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Mutual linking

Crossposted at Booman Tribune

The other day I wrote a post entitled "I can't believe it's not a meritocracy!". I guess it could be seen as an "angry" post, but I think it was pretty mild as such things go. It was inspired by Atrios, the founder of Blogroll Amnesty Day, writing a post entitled "Why your blog sucks" Nonetheless, I really don't want to focus on the negative here.

I suppose that post by Atrios after he was the one who initiated the blogroll dump movement ticked me off as much as it did because I've had plenty of real life experiences where that same theme is present. It's as if once you reach a certain level of success, the rules of decency no longer apply. I'm certainly not going to mention specifics, but let's just say I've had many opportunities to declare, "If I ever get in a position of power, that is not how I'm going to treat people!"

Well, I sat this morning with the "compose a post" window open for well over an hour, and still couldn't figure out how to say what I wanted to stay. So I decided to go back to something I posted at the Independent Bloggers' Alliance on February 28, because it sums it up better than anything else I can think to say.

At the risk of being way too adorable, I've decided to go ahead and post this Shel Silverstein poem from Where the Sidewalk Ends

I will not play at tug o'war.
I'd rather play at hug o'war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs,
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses,
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
And everyone wins

I think I got it in my head after reading Maryscott O'Connor's essay Wherein I Respond to the Response to the Post Article, and I was balking at the notion that, if one is afforded the opportunity to speak to and be heard by a larger audience, one is somehow obligated to speak and behave within certain acceptable parameters. Well, a big part of the reason many of us speak out, is because we do not approve of the way the media-political "game" is played. It's not making things better for ordinary people. It's not making people better able to connect with and learn about each other.

In short, powers that be, your game and its rules suck. I do not choose to spend my time and energy in a vain attempt to becoming a better player of that bullsh*t game. If I do find space in my life for involvement in the political process, my energies will be directed toward changing the game and how it's played.

And I think another thing that brought this poem to mind was the discussion of different approaches to linking. With mutual linking, everyone wins. Even from a purely pragmatic standpoint, it's good for all of us.

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Happy Pluto Planet Day

As I previously noted here, New Mexico is declaring March 13 "Pluto Planet Day". Here's the declaration:

HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 54
48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2007
INTRODUCED BY
Joni Marie Gutierrez

A JOINT MEMORIAL
DECLARING PLUTO A PLANET AND DECLARING MARCH 13, 2007, "PLUTO PLANET DAY" AT THE LEGISLATURE.

WHEREAS, the state of New Mexico is a global center for astronomy, astrophysics and planetary science; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico is home to world class astronomical observing facilities, such as the Apache Point observatory, the very large array, the Magdalena Ridge observatory and the national solar observatory; and

WHEREAS, Apache Point observatory, operated by New Mexico state university, houses the astrophysical research consortium's three-and-one-half meter telescope, as well as the unique two-and-one-half meter diameter Sloan digital sky survey telescope; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico state university has the state's only independent, doctorate-granting astronomy department; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico state university and Dona Ana county were the longtime home of Clyde Tombaugh, discoverer of Pluto; and

WHEREAS, Pluto has been recognized as a planet for seventy-five years; and

WHEREAS, Pluto's average orbit is three billion six hundred ninety-five million nine hundred fifty thousand miles from the sun, and its diameter is approximately one thousand four hundred twenty-one miles; and

WHEREAS, Pluto has three moons known as Charon, Nix and Hydra; and

WHEREAS, a spacecraft called new horizons was launched in January 2006 to explore Pluto in the year 2015;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that, as Pluto passes overhead through New Mexico's excellent night skies, it be declared a planet and that March 13, 2007 be declared "Pluto Planet Day" at the legislature.

I really like that "excellent night skies" line. :)

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Alachua Update

From the comments. There's some stuff at the Independent Bloggers' Alliance that I was going to post just now, but I decided the Charlie post needed to come first here. --Renee

News from Alachua for friends of Charlie. He is doing well. But has been working 24 hours a day for nearly a year. The work has been difficult but is now starting to pay off as people are seeing through the haze of spin and framing.

The local news blockade has effectively kept this story fairly quiet until now. But even the major media outlets in Alachua County are now seeing through the facade.

Please take a look at the front page story of the Gainesville Sun today and help us spread the word around. Charlie needs our help. You would be proud of the work he is doing. Many of us were skeptical about the role the internet can play in local politics. But he has shown us the importance of community and that includes the wider community that stretches across the nation.

Alachua makes waves by doing things its own way
By AMY REININK
Sun staff writer

ALACHUA - The public comment period of last Monday night's city meeting started as many others do - with people lining up behind the podium to criticize or praise a recent decision by city officials.

Residents quoted Maya Angelou, Thomas Jefferson and Florida election laws to back up their points. They cheered and booed other speakers' comments. Some called city officials everything from incompetent to ignorant. Others thanked them for bringing positive change to the community.

At issue was the city's decision to disqualify the three people who challenged two incumbent commissioners in the city's April 10 election for what city officials said was incomplete paperwork. That decision would have essentially called off the election.

See more here.

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Gonzales must go

I just saw this in the comments:

P.S. Write your Senator to demand Gonzales step down.
Shelley | 03.11.07 - 12:12 pm

And it reminded me that there really should be a front page post about that.

From Think Progress: Sen. Schumer Calls For Alberto Gonzales To Resign
Truth2Power Project: Impeach Gonzales Movement Creeps Forward one more Step

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When labels fail us

Originally posted March 6. But I hadn't posted it here. Since it touches on religion and references a discussion that took place on this blog, I decided to go with this as a Sunday morning post.

The other day I was talking to a coworker about plans for the weekend. I mentioned that I might be asking my atheist husband to take Daughter in Ohio to church (where she sings with the choir) so that I could attend my own church. She asked, "You have an atheist husband? So do I!"

I then decided that I should clarify a bit. After all, I had just used the word atheist as a sort of shorthand, to indicate that I was asking a Rather Big Favor of him, since he normally doesn't go to church. I don't think he calls himself an atheist, or even an agnostic. Come to think of it, I don't really know what he would put on a form that asked for religion as part of the demographic information.

But the fact that I am not sure what he would call himself, if asked, does not mean we don't have conversations about matters of faith and belief. We actually have such discussions on a fairly regular basis. It's just that labels don't tend to come up much when we do. Labels often have the effect of magnifying differences rather than helping us find our common ground.

In our almost 20 years of marriage, I have come to learn that Demetrius is someone who thinks pretty seriously about the big questions, even though he doesn't identify with any "name brand" religion. Here's something he wrote earlier today, in a discussion here.

Well... An Infinite Being (I can't believe in a finite God) would perceive cause and effect, action and reaction simultaneously. So, for God to create all there is (exactly as it is) by setting up a few simple rule before the Big Bang isn't such a crap shoot. Why build the Universe atom by atom when I can just tell the atoms how to behave and send the Universe out to build itself? Wouldn't every part of that construction have some key into the whole? Our pursuit of knowledge of the Infinite is only natural.

"...we are the Universe made manifest, trying to figure itself out." - Ambassador Delenn, Babylon 5

That's not religious thinking in the traditional sense, but it certainly is a thoughtful approach to examining life's mysteries. Over the years I've seen the way Demetrius thinks through these things, and have also seen how his understanding of the Big Picture guides his understanding of moral behavior. If you understand yourself as interconnected with All That Is, hopefully your behavior toward others will reflect that. And in his case, I believe it does. And that impresses me more than someone who identifies as Christian but whose behavior is the opposite of what Jesus taught. Yet, I know there are people who explictly state that they prefer to do business with a Christian-owned company, thinking that will assure them a certain ethical standard.

But on the other hand, I have seen plenty of evidence in my years of blogging that some people make automatic negative assumptions about people who identify as Christian, or Evangelical Christian, or Roman Catholic. That's not fair either. Nor is it reasonable to demand that, if one is the member of a particular religious group, one must spend all sorts of time "denouncing" every wrong that has ever been perpetrated by a member of that religion.

My conclusion? One that I think should be self-evident: any one piece of information about an individual, whether it be religious affiliation, race, where they went to school, etc., tells us very little about who they are. You can fill in a bubble on a form, or answer a question on a survey and say that you are Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Humanist, or what have you. But I really don't know what that means to you unless I ask you, with a genuine curiosity, and with the willingness to check my assumptions at the door.

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Open Thread

And don't forget daylight savings begins tonight. . . .

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What makes a family?

listener sent this to me last week, but I never got around to posting it over the weekend.

It is a book review taken from the Diocese of Vermont's newspaper, The Mountain Echo, and the author of the article is also the editor of the paper.

Book Explores Jesus' "family values"

For Luke, Good says, “following Jesus takes priority over every other consideration, overriding even the obligations of family and household.” Luke “requires that the human father demonstrate the love and unconditional forgiveness of the heavenly Father,” and, Good notes, “lays the ground for enlarging the function and role of family and household with a program of expanding hospitality.”

Paul’s focus is on the notion of brotherly love. His community understood the coming of a new heaven and a new earth to be imminent, so he wrote little about marriage and family other than to recommend marriage as the acceptable alternative to uncontrolled sexual desire.

Good concludes that a careful examination of ancient texts will open us up to our own presuppositions. Given the variety of ways the New Testament portrays marriage, family and community life and the lack of a unified teaching, Good says, “For us to isolate and commend one set of moral instructions over another fails to acknowledge the authority of the whole teaching.” She says, “The sure knowledge we have is that if we err on the side of generosity and magnanimity, we do not stray far from the nature of God, and we have a sure claim on God’s forgiveness.” In the end, as she notes in the dedication of the book to her own family, “Magnanimity creates families….”

The rest, as a PDF, can be found here.

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International Women's Day

I forgot this was today. Better late than never, I guess.

Celebrated on 8 March, International Women's Day (IWD) is the global day connecting all women around the world and inspiring them to achieve their full potential. IWD celebrates the collective power of women past, present and future.

Click the graphic above to learn more.

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Alachua will hold elections but judge may have final say-so

ALACHUA -- The city of Alachua will move forward with holding its elections, the city commission voted Tuesday, March 6, in an emergency meeting. The vote included allowing the elections' three challengers until 4 p.m. March 7 to "fix the deficiencies" in their qualification papers.

The commission made the vote after a recommendation by City Manager Clovis Watson Jr. to extend the qualifying date to "promote harmony" in the community and possibly prevent "future controversies." But legal actions had been filed against the city the day before, and some of those who helped file that action said the city commission held the emergency meeting when city officials realized they couldn't win in court.

Charlie Grapski, a challenger who filed to run against incumbent Bonnie Burgess, said that because the matter already was filed in court, the city's decision Tuesday holds no weight until a judge hears the case.

Click the title to read the entire article.

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Vermont votes to impeach Bush/Cheney

Via Yahoo News

By an overwhelming voice vote, Middlebury called for impeachment.

So it has gone this week at town meetings across Vermont, most of which were held Tuesday.

Late Tuesday night, there were confirmed reports that 36 towns had backed impeachment resolutions, and the number was expected to rise.

Click here for the rest.

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Open Thread

The image above is from NASA's Image of the Day Gallery.

The latest from Charlie can be found here.

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High Praise for My Left Wing

Just spotted this diary at My Left Wing.

My Left Wing Earns High Praise

...CJ emailed me today to let me know that My Left Wing had caught the eye of Cyrano's Journal Online and wanted to tell me how much appreciation there was thereabouts for MLW.
...
Featured Writers of CJO:

Gore Vidal (Emeritus), Noam Chomsky, Alex Cockburn, Uri Avnery, Michael Parenti, Glen Ford, Edward Herman, Stephen Gowans, Ernest Stewart, John Steppling, Guy Zimmerman, Jason Miller, James Petras , Sheila Samples, Robert Parry, Phil Rockstroh, Bruce Dixon, Danny Schechter, Ilan Pappe, Carolyn Baker, Slavoj Zizek, Margaret Kimberley, Stephen Lendman Charles Sullivan

Click to read all the nice things they have to say about My Left Wing. Very cool.

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Bono's NAACP Chairman's Award Acceptance Speech

Partial trancript

...When people talk about the greatness of America, I just think of the NAACP...
See, I grew up in Ireland, and when I grew up, Ireland was divided along religious lines, sectarian lines. Young people like me were parched for the vision that poured out of pulpits of Black America. And the vision of a Black Reverend from Atlanta--a man who refused to hate because he knew love would do a better job. (Applause). These ideas travel, you know? And they reached me, clear as any tune, lodged in my brain like a song. I couldn't shake that. And this is Ireland in the 70s growing up. People like me looked across the ocean to the NAACP, and I'm here tonight, and that feels good. It feels very, very good! (Applause.)

Well today, the world looks again to the NAACP. We need the community that taught the world about civil rights to teach it something about human rights. I'm talking about the right to live like a human. The right to live, period. Those are the stakes in Africa right now. Five and a half thousand Africans dying every day of AIDS, a preventable, treatable disease. Nearly a million Africans, most of them children, dying every year from malaria. Death by mosquito bite.

And, this is not about charity, as you know here in this room. This is about justice. It's about justice and equality. (Applause.) Now I know that America hasn't solved all of its problems, and I know that AIDS is killing people right here in America. And I know the hardest hit are African Americans, many of them young women. Today the church in Oakland, I saw such extraordinary people. This lioness here, Barbara Lee (applause) took me around with her pastor, J. Alfred Smith, and may I say that it was the poetry and the righteous anger of the Black church that was such an inspiration to me, a very white, almost pink, Irish man growing up in Dublin.

This is true religion, true religion will not let us fall asleep in the comfort of our freedom. "Love thy neighbor" is not a piece of advice, it's a command. (Applause and cheers.) And that means a lot. That means that in the global village, we're going to have to start loving a whole lot more people. That's what that means. That's right--its truth is marching on. Two million Americans have signed on to the One Campaign to make poverty history, tonight the NAACP is signing up to work with us. And so can you. Its truth is marching on! Because where you live should not decide whether you live or whether you die.

And to those in the church who still sit in judgement on the AIDS emergency, let me climb into the pulpit for just one moment. Because whatever thoughts we have about God who he is, or even if God exists, most will agree that God has a special place for the poor.

The poor are where God lives. God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is where the opportunity is lost and lives are shattered. (Standing ovation.) God is with the mother who has infected a child with a virus that will take both their lives. God is under the rubble in the cries we hear during wartime. God, my friends, is with the poor, and God is with us if we are with them.

This is not a burden--this is an adventure! And don't let anyone tell you it cannot be done. We can be the generation that ends extreme poverty! Thank you.

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Tell Harry Reid: Don't legitimize Fox News

Via Fox Attacks

Tell Harry Reid not to legitimize FOX. Over at MyDD Matt Stoller has started a nationwide calling campaign to Senator Reid's office.

What is needed right now in Nevada is the kind of leadership shown by Democrats like Michael Zahara. Senator Reid, the most powerful official in Nevada and a key leader in the national Democratic Party, is either part of these decisions or could substantively accommodate our legitimate concerns....Please call Reid's offices and ask him to not legitimize Fox News as a neutral news outlet. 202-224-3542 / Fax: 202-224-7327 If you live in Nevada, use this number, which is restricted to 775 and 702 area codes: 1-866-SEN-REID (736-7343)

You might also like to check out: Questions I Want the Presidential Candidates to Answer by Dump Terry McAuliffe

And some new posts at the Independent Bloggers' Alliance.



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The meaning of a "Black Value System"

Originally posted at the Independent Bloggers' Alliance

This is related to my post about A Black Theology of Liberation from the other day. In addition to the overview link I posted, I had also looked at a PDF that went into detail about what is meant by a Black Value System. This part stood out to me, and I think I heard it echoed when listening to Barack Obama speaking at an event in Selma commemorating the voting rights march that took place there 42 years ago.

Disavowal of the Pursuit of "Middleclassness"

Classic methodology on control of captives teaches that captors must keep the captive ignorant educationally, but trained sufficiently well to serve the system. Also, the captors must be able to identify the "talented tenth" of those subjugated, especially those who show promise of providing the kind of leadership that might threaten the captor's control.

Those so identified as separated from the rest of the people by:

Killing them off directly, and/or fostering a social system that encourages them to kill off one another.

Placing them in concentration camps, and/or structuring an economic environment that induces captive youth to fill the jails and prisons.

Seducing them into a socioeconomic class system which while training them to earn more dollars, hypnotizes them into believing they are better than others and teaches them to think in terms of "we" and "they" instead of "us".

So, while it is permissible to chase "middle-incomeness" with all our might, we must avoid the third separation method-the psychological entrapment of Black "middleclassness": If we avoid the snare, we will also diminish our "voluntary" contributions to methods A and B. And more importantly, Black people no longer will be deprived of their birthright, the leadership, resourcefulness, and example of their own talented persons.

Anyway, I thought that excerpt was worthy of some reflection. In yesterday's post, I linked to the lively exchange between Sean Hannity and Barack Obama's pastor, the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, about whether Trinity United Church of Christ espoused a "radical separatist" agenda. What I failed to mention at the time is that I do "get" why many White people are uncomfortable with the wording Hannity referred to from the church's web site--commitment to the Black family, the Black community, etc. Hannity asked, wouldn't it sound racist if you substituted the word White--if there was a church that openly stated it was all about supporting and strengthening the White community.

And I can't judge him for asking that. I've wondered the same thing in the past. Wright responded that churches have been that way for ages--White by default. White is "generic" to many of us, so we don't even use the word as a descriptor when we are describing a new person we met, for example. But that's not an easy concept to "get". It's going to take some serious thoughtful discussion among people of good will. Which means, and this is just a guess, it will likely be taking place somewhere other than Sean Hannity's television program.

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Independent Bloggers' Alliance mirror site

I set up the Independent Bloggers' Alliance site at Wordpress for a reason. I'm sure I did. At the moment, though, I can't remember exactly what that reason was. At least some of it had to do with the ease of using tags, so that, if the site got big.

I mention this now, because I am becoming more aware of some of the limitations inherent in Wordpress--the most relevant being that *most* people use Blogger/Blogspot, and I think that's put an unnecessary stumbling block in the way of adding new contributors.

I don't know, ultimately, what the solution will be, but yesterday I spent some time creating a mirror site on Blogspot. Okay, that's when I discovered *one* of the reasons for using Wordpress--adding the site banner was a lot easier there.

But here's the deal...if you'd like to be a contributor to the Independent Bloggers' Alliance, and Blogger/Blogspot would be easier or more convenient for you, drop me an e-mail at ohiorenee(at)gmail.com and I can send you an invite. Wordpress has a function where I can import posts from another blog, so your posts will appear there even if you aren't signed up at Wordpress.

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Sunday morning post from Subway

I have a friend at HowardEmpoweredPeople who goes by the blog name of 'listener.' Last week she asked me to define what I mean by Ascension, and pointed out that to many people, Ascension has religious overtones that are apocalyptic.

The Ascension of which I speak is a global Awakening to a potential that humankind, for one reason or another, has so far kept deeply hidden. The cynic might say that Religion has kept this potential away from the rest of us for selfish gain. They barred the door to the treasures of Eternal Knowledge and suffered not even the willing to enter in. Though I would say that most religions have simply forgotten over the span of time.

Today higher states of awareness seem to come to those with the time to meditate in the ancient traditions. These folks spend years and even lifetimes seeking the Bliss that comes from touching the Unconditional Love of the Universal Heart.

One of the things I'm looking forward to when I get my new gizmo is joining one of the several 'user groups' that have sprung up recently. Serious experiments are underway to "link hearts in a phase lock, in a chat like environment." I have no idea how something like that works, but I guess I'm about to learn. When it can be demonstrated on a wide scale that hearts can be linked in this way, I think folks are going to sit up and take notice.

It kinda takes me back to "Star Trek The Movie." In the end, all that we learned of the physical Universe merged with the heartfelt focused intent of Consciousness and created a new, transcendent life form. In the next decade, it seems to me that the lines between the Inner-Space of the HeartSoul, and the Cyber-Space of ones and zeros will begin to blur.

Most religions speak of profound change in these times. Christians say that Jesus is coming. I think it would be a nice surprise if we met him half way.

For your Sunday morning relaxation, Radio Sri Chinmoy presents music by Shindhu.

Namaste,

Subway

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Open Thread

Demetrius has done a few designs in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

On a related note, some of you might enjoy this page of Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers.

Having done the shameless self-promotion at the top of the post, I think I'll assuage a bit of that guilt by linking to jc's newer graphics blogs (which I keep forgetting to do).

lgbt
maTREEarchy
Nagwear

And puddle has a Tanner update at pyzch.

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The Centrist Blogosphere?

In the comments at the Independent Bloggers' Alliance, Maryscott O'Connor wrote:

I just got off the phone with a reporter from Salon; the interview lasted half an hour, and it was almost all about the BBB, my feeling that they have been assimilated into the Establishment, sold out, et cetera. Can’t WAIT to read THAT piece; what do you think the reaction in the Centrist Blogosphere will be to that?

“Centrist Blogosphere,” what do you think of that? I’m fucking tired of calling them even “left-leaning.” Because they’re not.

Note to readers: for Maryscott, BBB stands for "Big Boys of Blogging" rather than "Big Bad Blog.

I added:

I just *know* we can do better than that. I asked Demetrius, and off the top of his head, he said, “Assimilated Blogosphere?”

I’ve got it–Borgosphere!

(I know–still needs work.)

It will be interesting to see how the article turns out. I'm always wary of the spin any media outlet might decide to apply, but if done right, it would be nice to see that wider recognition that "Daily Kos" does not equal "the lefty blogosphere".

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Why is the I-Conn giving the Dem radio address?

TeddySanFran's blog entry at Give 'Em Hell, Harry:

Lieberman to Give Democrats' Radio Response: WHY??

Good question. If you're signed up at that blog, you can add your $.02 here.

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Happy Birthday, Russ Feingold!

Just getting this birthday greeting in under the wire--Eastern time, anyway. But I didn't know until I saw this post at Crooks and Liars that today is Russ Feingold's birthday.

Happy birthday to one of our favorite patriotic Americans!

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Friday night links

Yay--it's the weekend! And it was *sunny* out when I was leaving work.

Spring really is going to come again, isn't it?

Some links...

Send Bush packing, says Rocky
At rally, he says there's never been a better case for impeachment

The Untold Story of Dissenting Soldiers

Bush and Cheney as National Security Failures

At Booman: Can Obama Create a New Coalition? Standard disclaimer: I do *not* have a candidate I'm excited about at this point, but there's some good stuff in this post. Like this...

All along the way, though, we suffered indignities at the hands of people from The New Republic, 'left-leaning' columnists at the Washington Post, New York Times, Time, Newsweek, and elsewhere. We were disparaged by Clinonistas like Begala and Carville on a constant basis. The argument was consistent. The Netroots was too stridenty anti-war and populist and would do real damage to the Democrats if allowed to have too much influence. For this reason, our huge successes in November were quickly spun as the doing of Rahm Emanuel and Chuck Schumer alone. They chose to focus on the few social conservatives that were elected in Indiana or North Carolina, rather than our sweep of New Hampshire, new progressive Senators Sherrod Brown and Bernie Sanders, the upset victories of Jerry McNerney and professor Dave Loeback, etc.

And click the picture below for my most recent post at the Independent Bloggers' Alliance.

Update: In the comments, floridagal directs us to this post at Democrats.org
"Governor Dean Blasts Coulter’s Slur, Calls on GOP Presidential Candidates to Denounce It"

During her presentation at CPAC, political pundit Ann Coulter used the word “faggot” to describe a Democratic presidential candidate. DNC Chairman Howard Dean today condemned her remarks and called on the Republican presidential contenders to denounce them.

And she also points us to this journal entry at Democratic Underground:
The GOP's "controlled controversy"...outrageous enough to make us angry. Deliberate.

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Talk amongst yourselves. . . .

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A word of hope from Bishop Gene

Crossposted at the Independent Bloggers' Alliance

In the past week or so, I've been watching for any word from Bishop Gene Robinson in response to the communique that came our of the recent meeting of the Anglican primates in Tanzania. This evening, I learned that he has written this in response to a plea he received for a "word of hope"...

Let’s remember that, for now, nothing has changed. The Episcopal Church has been bold in its inclusion of us, “risking its life” for us in dramatic ways over these last few years. Not perfect, but bold. Just because The Episcopal Church has been invited to subvert its own polity and become a Church ruled by bishops-only, a Church that is willing to sacrifice the lives and ministries and dignity of its gay and lesbian members on the altar of unity, does not mean that we are going to choose to do it. That is yet to be determined. Let’s not abandon hope simply because that is possible. The Primates have the right to make requests of us (nevermind the threatening tone of those requests). We do not have to accede to those requests in exactly the terms in which they are made.

Nothing is surprising in this development. None of us thought this issue was settled, did we? None of us expected our detractors to stop their efforts – whether their goals be genuinely about the authority of scripture and its playing out in our lives as Christians, or whether those goals have more to do with power and money and influence. (BOTH are represented in the actions taken.) We are fighting a larger battle here. As you have heard me say before, we are engaged in the beginning of the end of patriarchy. Did any of us believe that such a battle would be won without resistance? Did any of us believe there would be no more bumps in the road? Did any of us foresee smooth sailing into the future?

We still have countless allies. We are not engaged in this struggle alone. There are countless heterosexual members of this Church who now “get it.” They have heard our stories, felt our pain and taken up our cause as their own. There are countless heterosexual families who have joined The Episcopal Church (they are numerous in my own diocese) because they want to raise their children in such an inclusive Church. There are countless lgbt people who have come to our churches for the comfort and solace and grounding in Christ that we offer – and we dare not lose hope or momentum for them as well as ourselves.

Read the rest here. I don't really have any thoughts of my own to add, but am happy to hear from Bishop Gene. As I was searching for a word *from* him, Google searches yielded more than a few words written *about* him. I admire his strength and am thankful that he has the strong faith needed to carry him through times like these.

Also, click here for a transcript of Bishop Katharine's podcast this morning, and here for additional thoughts from Bishop Gene.

And I just gotta add, there is something about seeing that man's smile that just makes me feel a little better about the world. Thank you for that, +Gene.

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Thankful's brother, Rene, passed tonight at six p.m.

To know him was to love him

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Rene ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

28 July 1953 - 27 Feb 2007

~ ~ ~

One of his requests is to have this played at the visitation.

True Colors

Cyndi Lauper

http://youtube.com/watch?v=dRKqBqvHfjUlive

You with the sad eyes

don't be discouraged

oh I realize

it's hard to take courage

in a world full of people

you can lose sight of it all

and the darkness inside you

can make you feel so small

But I see your true colors

shining through

I see your true colors

and that's why I love you

so don't be afraid to let them show

your true colors

true colors are beautiful

like a rainbow

Show me a smile then

don't be unhappy, can't remember

when I last saw you laughing

if this world makes you crazy

and you've taken all you can bear

you call me up

because you know I'll be there

I can't remember when I last saw you laugh.

And I'll see your true colors

shining through

I see your true colors

and that's why I love you

so don't be afraid to let them show

your true colors,

true colors are beautiful

like a rainbow

~ ~ ~

A class act till the very end . A man of great courage who did it his way.

www.glhalloffame.org/index.pl?item=147&todo=view_item

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Alachua "Shocker"? I wish

Charlie posted a link to this article in the comments of the previous thread...

Alachua Shocker: Every challenger in city elections is disqualified

All three Alachua City Commission candidates making bids to run against the incumbents in the upcoming Alachua city elections were disqualified today, Feb. 26. This means that the incumbents, Mayor Jean Calderwood and City Commissioner Bonnie Burgess, have no opponents, and, therefore, no election will be held.

Click here to read the rest. Sadly, I don't find that particulary shocking. Much the way the Bush administration's violations of everything our country is supposed to stand for no longer shock me. At a certain point, how do you avoid just becoming numb?

But that's probably what they want, so I guess we have to resist, somehow.

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Again with the banner

Yeah, I've changed the banner again. But at least it's not a full-blown case of otter madness like I had before Christmas. See, I've even kept Howard up there. And added Gore.

And a couple other critters that make me smile.

I was checking out various blogs this evening, and thought, dang, I'm tired of the 2008 election already. And every other political story out there. And the stuff going on in the Episcopal church. And the bickering between and among blogs.

It was this, or color my hair again.

This is easier to undo. ;)

But let's all make sure we keep some healthy balance in our lives--remembering to take care of ourselves, and each other.

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Mama-to-be puddle

Just saw this at pyzch

puddle is walking around doing that nesting thing that is an 18 hour warning but we had a foot more of heavy snow that is hard to move and I finally got through the 5 foot drifts to the silage and still have my feeding to do as well as helping Barbara if she needs it, so I may not be back for a few hours.

Phil Specht
Sun, 02/25/07
10:53 am

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An Inconvenient Truth wins the Oscar

W00t! An Inconvenient Truth wins the Oscar for best documentary.

Sunday, Gore used the Oscar win not to further his political career but to boost his campaign to find solutions for global warming and other environmental problems.

"My fellow Americans," Gore said to laughter from the crowd. "People all over the world, we need to solve the climate crisis. It's not a political issue, it's a moral issue. We have everything we need to get started with the possible will to act. That's a renewable resource. Let's renew it."
...
"It is the overriding world challenge of our time," Gore said. "I really hope the decision by the academy to honor the work by director Davis Guggenheim and these producers will convince people who did not go see it before to see the movie and learn about the climate crisis and become a part of the solution."

You can see the video of his acceptance speech at Crooks and Liars, as well as Melissa Etheridge's performance of "I Need to Wake Up", which won the Oscar for Best Song.

That statue is going to look great in the Oval Office...

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Cat herding

Crossposted at the Independent Bloggers' Alliance

Booman posts "What are we trying to do?"

As I see it, Daily Kos and Jerome Armstrong have not articulated a goal that has any synergy with my goals. We still have a huge amount of common interests. But I am primarily interested in shifting the debate to the left, while they seem to be interested in boxing in the netroots into traditionally acceptable parameters of debate.

I don't think that will do. It might bring us a result that they don't want (a Hillary presidency), but it won't fundamentally alter the assumptions and myths that made both Bushism and the invasion of Iraq possible. Are we going to gain something from Iraq or are we just going to end it so we fight another war on another day?

To summarize: goal one was to elect a Democratic congress. Goal two is to turn the Democratic Party into a progressive party. That means primaries. That means changing what is considered as the political fringe...which means changing the political center. The fight against Republicans required a lot of Democratic unity. But those days are over now. Now the battle is for the soul of the Democratic Party. And that means that it is the furthest thing from a waste of time to take on Ellen Tauscher and oppose Hillary Clinton.

Anyone that doesn't get that does seem to be missing the point, or selling out.

I don't think we're ever going to speak with one voice. To get that to happen would require a lot more cat herding than many of us are comfortable with. And when someone decides that one goal is all-important, sometimes they feel inclined to attack people they see as being "in their way". But those people are often working toward what *they* consider to be the most important goal right now.

There is no one goal that unites most of us right now. As the 2008 election gets closer, there is likely to be even more animosity. If we let that happen. We can always choose otherwise.

Me? I think it's important that everyone gets a chance to speak and be heard. The so-called netroots are not monolithic. Maybe some people would like to pretend that we are, so that we can be a powerful "special interest group" that candidates will try to cater to. But wishing doesn't make it so. I guess one way to *appear* united in pursuit of one goal would be to make sure that those who disagree don't have access to the microphone. Or find other ways to silence or marginalize them. In my mind, those are not acceptable options.

P.S. Here's a link to the post about the Independent Bloggers' Alliance that Maryscott frontpaged at My Left Wing, in case anyone would like to weigh in and contribute to the discussion there.

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The Fractal Heartbeat of Community

It took 34 years, but this week my dream of a lifetime came true. Back before even ConSec was born, I hoped this time would arrive with all my heart, and at last it has arrived.

Back in 1973 a friend of mine stopped by with something called a 'Bio-feedback' unit. It was slightly larger than what was then a portable cassette player with wires and electrodes connected. The concept behind it was that in meditation, your brain produces Alpha waves that promote relaxation. So while hooked up to the electrodes, if your brain produced an Alpha wave the device would register it with a 'click.'

After spendng a half hour hooked up to this new thingie, I made it click 4 times, and I said to my friend, "Rather than making the machine clicks when you produce the right wave, you'll need to eventually have a unit that teaches you how to 'click' it. And when that happens you'll have Heaven on Earth."

The unit I spoke of way back then, is arriving in the mail from The Netherlands in a couple of weeks with complete instructions on how to operate it even in a clinical setting. Right now, I feel like I've been accepted into the Jedi Academy or the Green Lantern Corps.

Frankly I owe it in large measure to the community that opened their hearts in what was probably my darkest hour.

Thank you one and all.
Here are some Sunday music samples from Yaatri

Namaste,
Subway Serenade

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