intersections

Some sample language for Hillary Clinton

This morning as I was reading news feeds I came across a couple of interviews with West Virginia voters that made my blood run cold. Have a look at this...

And this...

After watching these interviews I decided I would offer Hillary Clinton some sample language for an upcoming speech in which she could demonstrate real leadership for our divided country.

Good morning, Kentucky! It's great to be with you. As you prepare to go to the polls next Tuesday let me thank you in advance for your support of my campaign.... We had a great day in West Virginia this past Tuesday and I again want to thank the good people of West Virginia for their support.

However, there were some troubling signs about that election. I've lost a little sleep over some of the things I've heard. So, as you prepare to vote on Tuesday - and I trust you will vote for me, Hillary Rodham Clinton - I want to ask you to consider WHY you are voting for me. And let me start by giving you a couple of unacceptable reasons to vote for me: because Barack Obama is black. That is an unacceptable reason to vote for me. Or because his middle name is "Hussein." Or because you heard that he is Muslim. These are all unacceptible reasons to vote for me in exactly the same way it would be unacceptible for you to vote for Sen. Obama simply because I'm a woman and you don't think a woman should be president because of sexist stereotypes.

Instead, vote for me because...[insert your policy talking points]

Friends, America needs to move past this politics of fear, racism, sexism and innuendo. [Insert reference to Obama's speech on race and quote your favorite part]

So, my Kentucky friends, when you go to the polls on Tuesday, vote Hillary Rodham Clinton. But do it because you believe in what I'm saying is best for America. Do it because you think I would be the best president. Don't do it because you're afraid of black people or because you think my friend, Barack, is a Muslim who is trying to infiltrate America. These fears are unfounded and precisely the thing that America doesn't need right now.

Thank you and God bless you!

How long, O Lord?

God has taken his place in the divine council;
in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
'How long will you jude unjustly and show partiality to the wicked?
Give justice to the weak and the orphan;
maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.
Rescue the weak and needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.'

They had neither knowledge nor understanding,
they walk around in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

Rise up, O God, judge the earth;
for all the nations belong to you!

~ Psalm 82:1-6, 8

We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now...

~ Romans 8:22

8,500+ dead in 7.8 earthquake in China hundreds are believed to be school children (video, photos)

22 dead as tornado rips through Missouri, Oklahoma & Georgia

Death toll rises to 32,000 in Myanmar after last week's cyclone and now face more.

You can help!

Envision '08

There is a very exciting conference happening June 8-10 in Princeton, New Jersey called Envision: The Gospel, Politics and the Future. The focus will be Christian Engagement in the Public Square. Not unlike the theme of my post here and the upcoming Adventist Forums Conference (check it out here). Uncanny, huh?

I was going to post on this later, but I just realized that the early bird registration of rate of $99 ends today. It's an amazing deal because tomorrow it goes up to $249. My understanding is that a donor paid down the registration fee for the early registrants.

I wouldn't usually travel across the country for a conference where I'm not speaking, but this seems like something special to me. Also, my dear friend Samir Selmanovic of Faith House Manhattan, is co-presenting with Miroslav Volf on pluralism or something. Actually, I don't even care what they're presenting about. Whatever it is is worth hearing.

I'll say more about this in the future, but right now I'm just wondering if any of you are going to be there. If you are, leave a comment to that effect. I'd like to organize a 'meet up'.

'It is political, obviously!'*

A quick glance at the category cloud on this blog (left column) will reveal that 'politics' and 'religion' are two topics that I write about frequently. Those who know me know that I believe that the deep practice of Christian faith is unavoidably 'political'. But this statement is far from self-evident within the church and society today, whether you're talking about the Seventh-day Adventist Church in particular or the Christian church more generally.

It is easy to throw around glib phrases like "politics and religion don't mix," but what does that really mean. Tony Campolo is credited with saying that mixing politics and religion is like mixing horse manure and ice cream. It doesn't hurt the manure very much but it sure messes up the ice cream. However, Campolo's life in Christian service reveals that he has engaged in many causes that would, by most measures, be considered 'political.'
__________________
*This is one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite movies, Nacho Libre.

Affordable Housing Victory in Los Angeles

Today I had the privilege of participating in something truly historic in our city. The Los Angeles City Council today enacted two ordinances aimed at curtailing gentrification in the city. These are complicated issues, but I feel that my role is to stand with the poor and the disenfranchised whenever I get the chance.

The main issue before City Council today was an ordinance that essentially protects "residential hotels" from being demolished or converted into luxury condos or other market rate housing. The folks at LA CAN (Los Angeles Community Action Network) have been leading the charge on this issue for something like 6 years. I spoke for a grand total of 1 minute before the City Council members who were mostly chatting with either other and their staff. Nevertheless, good organizing finally won the day and we have successfully protected over 18,700 affordable units from being lost forever.

Residential hotels in the City of Los Angeles are basically "housing of last resort." If these units are converted to market rate housing the people who currently live there will be homeless. They have nowhere else to go. By preserving these units we essentially prevent thousands of people from becoming homeless and insist that the working poor have a place in our city.

Read the Los Angeles Times report of this ordinance and the other ordinance referred to as an anti-mansionization ordinance. I'll let you figure out what that means.

No on 98/Yes on 99

/Apologies to all non-California residents while I dip into a state political issue for a minute.

So, I'm driving back to my office today after having lunch with my dad and I hear the new Yes on Prop 98 radio ad and it just drove me crazy. I hate to even send you to the Yes on 98 website, but it's the only way I can figure out how to have you hear the ad yourself. So, click here and have a listen.

The whole thing is done my children who claim ask, with tears in their voices,

"You mean we're never going to see our friends again?"

Proposition 98 is being billed as an anti-eminent domain law, but what they don't tell you on their website or anywhere is that it will effectively destroy rent control laws in California. Once a tenant moves out of a rent-controlled apartment that unit will never be under rent control again. Little by little rent control will be a thing of the past. This is one of the last safeguards of affordable housing, especially in the urban areas of California.

So, the League of California Cities, Governor Schwarzenegger, and literally dozens of other organizations (including LA Voice) have stood up to oppose this horrible proposition put forth by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn. Not only this but a counter proposition has arisen - Proposition 99. You can read more about Prop 99 here, but it accomplishes many of the good things about Prop 98 without destroying laws protecting renters.

So, Californians...when you go to the polls on June 3rd (that's right, there's an election on June 3rd), please vote NO on 98 and YES on 99. Protect renters!

Reclaiming Outrage

Part 2 of a sermon given by Rabbi Ron Stern of Stephen S. Wise Temple on a recent Shabbat.

I've really been enjoying getting more involved in interfaith work here in Los Angeles. One of my new friends is Rabbi Ron Stern from Stephen S. Wise Temple (the largest Jewish synagogue in the Western US). Their congregation is one of the newest members in our LA Voice family. Here is a Rabbi who is a true inspiration to me.

Listen to a short sermon that he gave recently, Reclaiming Outrage (Part 1 & Part 2)

Rev. Jeremiah Wright on Bill Moyers Journal

Did any of you catch the interview that Bill Moyers had with Rev. Jeremiah Wright on Friday? I didn't see it when it aired, but I saw it online and it was very, very good. For an hour, without commercial interruption, Rev. Wright shared very personally and directly about his life, ministry, Trinity Church and his comments that have become so controversial lately. Bill Moyer probably spoke for about 5 cumulatively on the broadcast.

I have not waded into this controversy on this blog, but I have shared others places. But today I am here to say that if you have been effected by this controversy or have taken a stand on it, you really must watch this interview. He is intelligent and articulate. He is definitely not the whacko that some in the media have tried to make him out to be. I am convinced that this is a man of God!

Watch the interview here (in two parts)

The new low-carb(on) diet

The front page of the LA Times had this amazing graphic this morning - presumably for Earth Day. This is a great example of what I frequently refer to as new reasons for doing old things. In other words, in the words of my friend Nathan Brown (who will again be visiting me next week), "Ironic, isn't it, that in our world today two of the most counter cultural things individuals can do to enact peace and justice is to keep the Sabbath and be a vegetarian?"

So, check out this graphic, read the story here, and imagine that there are other (perhaps bigger) motivations for being vegetarian than merely personal health and well-being, as important as that is.

Click to enlarge graphic

Bush's SCHIP policy violates law

This is perhaps old news by now, but on Friday afternoon several media outlets, including The Hill, reported that...

The Bush administration’s limits on expansions of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) are unlawful, according to Congress’s investigative arm.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) unlawfully bypassed congressional review when it issued a directive to states in August alerting them that federal authorities would seek to restrict raising the income eligibility level for the program, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) concluded in a report issued Thursday. [Read the whole thing here]

We have known for some time that the Bush Administration has little regard for the law - a deep irony given that the GOP has long been touted as the party of "law & order". This is just the latest example and one that touches close to me because of my work with the PICO Network to expand SCHIP coverage so that all children in America can see a doctor when they need to. Our campaign was ultimately unsuccessful last year, but we are not finished with this fight.

"Extending health coverage to the millions of the uninsured children whose families are struggling to make ends meet is at heart a moral issue and therefore should be a top priority for the next President," said Rev. Bob Stevens, Chair of Congregations United for Neighborhood Action, the PICO affiliate in Lehigh Valley, PA. "PICO urges all of the Presidential campaigns to make a clear commitment to enact bi-partisan SCHIP legislation within the first 100 days of their administration." [more]